First off, I'm SOOO sorry for the lack of updates. I went out of town for a week and my beta couldn't have it done that fast…which brings me to giving a big round of applause for my new beta for this story, Mariah! Thanks so much! I'll be updating all of my stories this weekend for sure for those of you who read the other ones. This one just happened to be the first to return from the beta works. Here's the newest chapter…and the answer you've all been waiting for at the end….mwahaha. Enjoy!

"All of it…" he whispered.

Flashback
Lucas opened his heavy, swollen eyes and blinked, trying to focus as black and purple spots danced in front of him. His head was pounding and he could feel the blood dripping down the back of his neck. He placed one arm behind him and slowly raised himself to a sitting position, panting hard. He hugged one arm across his chest, a sharp pain shooting through his chest with each breath. He looked around slowly and out of the corner of his eye, he saw a figure lying on the far side of the road. Realization hitting him hard, his head pounded harder. Adrenaline pumping through him, he pulled himself along the ground, feeling the hot pavement scrape his badly distorted ankle. Pulling himself closer, his breath caught painfully in his chest as he noticed the dark red spot on her sweater and a growing pool of blood beneath her. He finally pulled himself to a sitting position beside her and put a shaking hand on her face. Her eyes slowly opened and she looked up at him, tired and weak.

"It hurts, Lucas…" she said softly, her tear-stained face shining in the moonlight.

"I know, Allie. I know, it's gonna be okay…"

He pulled off his torn tee shirt and looked down at her. He gently pulled up her sweater, his heart aching at the sigh of blood running down her stomach.

"Is it bad, Luke…?" she asked weakly, reading the fear in his eyes.

He bit his lip and shook his head, knowing that if he spoke, she would know he was lying. He pressed the shirt firmly against her and she cried out.

"I'm sorry, Allie. It's okay…" he comforted her, taking her hand in his own.

She squeezed her eyes shut and bit her lip before finally looking up again. Seeing his bare chest, she ran her shaky fingers gently over the deep gashes. He winced noticeably and she immediately pulled her hand away. He forgot his own pain, detaching himself from everything but her as he fearfully watched the blood soak through the shirt.

"I told you to run…" he whispered, his voice cracking.

"I couldn't leave you, Lucas…"

"It's my fault…I should've protected you, I promised I wouldn't let anything happen to you…"
"No, he was after me…it's not your fault…"

Lucas bit his tongue, desperately trying to hold back his tears as he gently pulled her into his lap.

"I'm so cold, Luke…" she said, her teeth starting to chatter.

He pulled her closer to him and she smiled, soaking up his body heat. Lucas pressed the shirt tighter, panicking as the blood started to run again.

"No, no, please, Lucas. Please stop. It hurts…" she cried to him, tears streaming from the corners of her beautiful hazel eyes.

Lucas watched as the color from the girl's face slowly drained, her lips turning blue against her pale face. He looked up suddenly and stared into the distance as he heard sirens becoming louder. He looked back down at her and her eyes were almost closed.

"No, c'mon, Allie. You gotta stay with me…you can't leave me. Hang on…" Lucas pleaded with her, tears starting to flow down his own face.

"It hurts, Lucas…"

"Baby girl, please. Please, Allie, hang on…" he coaxed as three men jumped from the ambulance that had pulled up behind them.

One immediately pulled Allie off of Lucas' lap, laying her on a backboard on the ground. He held her hand tightly in his as the other two knelt down to his level.

"Son, we're here to help...my name's James…" the man said quickly, his mind obviously moving faster than he was.

Lucas didn't respond to the man's comment and looked back at Allie who was being raised up onto a bed. She turned her head, her eyes barely open, and smiled slightly at him, a peaceful look on her face.

"I love you, Lucas…" she said softly. He squeezed her hand and smiled back at her.

"I love you, too, Allie…" he responded before the bed was rolled towards the ambulance and her hand slowly slipped out of his grasp.

The paramedic placed a strong hand on Lucas' shoulder and he winced, suddenly aware of everything else.

"You're gonna be fine…" James told the boy.

Lucas cried out as he was laid down on a stretcher and rolled into a separate ambulance. The bright lights on the ceiling hit his eyes and blurred his teary vision. He saw a figure slide in beside him and assumed it was the paramedic, James.

"What's your name, son?" he asked. The ambulance moved suddenly and Lucas's body was jarred, causing excruciating. He turned his eyes to James who was still waiting expectantly.

"Lucas…" he managed to whisper.

"Okay, Lucas…can you tell me what's bothering you?" he asked, already reaching towards various shelves.

Lucas tried to speak but nothing came out. His voice was hoarse and he was trying hard to stop the tears from falling.

"My head…ankle…can't breathe…" he managed to say before grabbing his chest in pain.

The man pulled Lucas's hand away and Lucas closed his eyes, feeling his clothes being ripped from his body.

"We've got a one six male with head injury, shattered ankle, broken ribs, possible punctured lung…other vehicle will need first treatment because of several internal injuries and blood loss…" the man said as the radio squawked.

Lucas tried to think as his head pounded. Allie's words repeated in his head like a song on repeat and her face was engraved into his thoughts.

"One six male has first treatment…we lost the other one…" the woman on the other end of the radio said simply.

Lucas's head spun. We lost the other one…? Allie. Lucas squeezed his eyes shut and the tears slid down his face. He struggled for breath and clenched his fists.

"Calm down, son…calm down. Open your eyes, stay with me, Lucas…" the man said firmly, placing a mask over Lucas's face.

"Lucas, stay with me…"
Lucas opened his eyes, his vision clouded with tears as his mind spun.

"Allie…" he whispered to the man. James looked down at the boy and smile sympathetically. Lucas closed his eyes, willing his head to stop hammering, his mind to stop racing. Allie's face was the only thing he saw, her words were the only thing he heard, over and over and over. His head felt light and he couldn't breathe. This couldn't be happening. Just hours before, they'd be together and happy. He'd given here the ring and they'd been happy. Now, she's gone…Allie's gone. His eyes fluttered once before his mind went blank. Grief and pain overcoming his weak body, he let the darkness wash over him.
End Flashback

"The last thing she said was that she loved me…and then she was gone…" Lucas said, finishing the story as his voice cracked. Tears filled his eyes as he looked from one person to another.

Brooke was sitting on the chair beside the bed, her face buried in her hands, clearly upset as her shoulders shook. He placed a strong hand on her back and let her cry. Haley climbed onto the bed and settled into Lucas' arm, laying against his chest and letting her own tears fall, just like when they were kids. He ran a hand through her hair and kissed the top of her head. Nathan came over and put a strong hand on Lucas's shoulder as he stared at the ground.

"Nate…?"

Nathan looked up and Lucas' breath caught as he saw tears filling his best friend's eyes, too. Silently, they all sat on the bed, grieving the loss of their friend together. Everything was coming together, and it made things real. Brooke was the first to sit up and wipe at her eyes. She sat on the bed and took Lucas' hand as Haley leaned into his chest, tears still streaming down her cheeks.

"Lucas…do you remember who it was…?" Brooke finally asked hesitantly.

Everyone had forgotten. Allie was murdered. The tragic story had taken everyone's mind to how much they missed her, how much Lucas had gone through, how unfair it was, and no one remembered that Allie had been murdered...until now.

"Lucas…?" Brooke asked again timidly as he finally turned to face her.

"It was your dad, Brooke."