AN-Nothing much to say except once again, thank you guys for the reviews. I'm sorry this chapter is a bit shorter than the rest. I'll try and get another update or two up today.

Love, Emily



"Lucas, wh-"

He shook his head slowly, cutting her off from to avoid him having to say what just happened again. "Can…we just not talk about it?" His eyes were different than earlier, dull, and seeming to fill with tears. So much had happened this past week, and he didn't even have time to process it all anymore. He didn't have the energy to fight anymore. He was done; it was long overdue, yet so expected. It was only a matter of time before he let go.

"Luke…" She put her hand out to him, "come here…" She positioned herself upright on her bed, making sure her left leg was still elevated on one of her pillows. He sat down next to her, and she pulled herself to him quickly, their arms accommodating each others. "I'm sorry…" She soothed, whispering into his ear. He didn't know what he wanted anymore. Two weeks ago, it would've been easy; Brooke. Now it wasn't as clear as it was supposed to be. She pulled away from him slightly, holding his face in her hands. "What am I going to do with you, huh?" A small smile played across her lips. "I get shot, and you're the one being consoled." He smiled at her joke as her hands trailed down his cheeks onto his chest.

"Would it be wrong if I wanted to kiss you right now?" Her eyes widened slightly, no words leaving her mouth. He inched forward slowly before a knock interrupted them both.

"Interrupting something?"

"Dad…" She backed away from Lucas quickly, him letting go of the hold on her waist. They both sat there awkwardly, the space between them growing.

"So do I get a hug, or are those just for rakeboy here?" Peyton shot him a small glare before reaching toward her crutches, securing herself on them before moving toward her dad. "Told you I'd only be gone for a day or two." She smiled as her head rested on his shoulder, eyes closed. He pulled away, kissing his daughter's forehead before moving toward her bed. "Lucas, I can't thank you enough for saving my little girl…" He took Lucas' hand and shook it slowly.

"You're not the only one who can't imagine life without her." Peyton looked toward him and smiled, their eyes meeting once again.

"Alright, I'll leave you two alone, but Peyton?" She broke her contact with Lucas and looked toward her father, "No babies okay? Don't make me old by being a grandfather yet okay?" Embarrassed, she looked down at the ground with a slight smile. "Thanks again, Lucas…" He kissed Peyton's forehead one last time before excusing himself out of her room.

"My dad…" She shook her head with a small chuckle.

"He really loves you, Peyt…"

Keith. It was who he was thinking about, and she knew it.

"Keith would be so proud of you right now, you know that?" He shrugged it off with a sigh, still looking toward the floor. "No, really, Lucas, he would. All he did that day is what you did; which was putting other peoples' lives before your own. If that's not enough to make a parent proud of you, then I don't know what is…" He finally looked up at her, his eyes glassy against her light illuminating from the lamp beside her bed. "And he was your father, Lucas, no matter what any DNA tests prove. That doesn't prove anything. It's who you love that's your family."

"The family we were going to be…" He said softly, a mere whisper. "He was going to adopt me, Peyton, after my mom and him got married."

"All that would of done, Lucas, is to make it official. He's been your father since the day Dan decided not to be." She moved toward him and grabbed his hands, slowly intertwining them with her own. "He still is your father, Luke, he always will be."

"Peyt…" She looked up and met his eyes with her own. "Can I stay with you tonight?"

Her head tilted upward as their lips met briefly, pulling apart as soon as they melded together. "As long as you need…" He sat down on her bed and watched as she moved toward the other side. "You don't have to do this alone, Luke."

"I know." They both lied down looking up toward the ceiling. She felt him move closer, and before she knew it, his arm was wrapped along her side, cradling her body as his own.

She was safe.