Chapter 6

Ever since they left the dorms, Peyton had been trying to think of something to say. The vibe she got from him wasn't exactly friendly but it wasn't exactly hostile either – it was a mixture of both. "So…" Peyton kicked a stray pebble on the sidewalk.

Lucas remained quiet. He kept his hands deep into the pockets of his jeans. His eyes followed the bouncing pebble that she had just kicked.

"Hey, why don't we sit for a while?" she nodded over at the bench that was just a few feet away from them. "It's a nice night out,"

Lucas nodded and followed her to the wooden bench. They sat side by side with him avoiding her looks. There wasn't any doubt that he was happy to see her, but there were still months of different emotions - anger, sadness, longing and love - pent up inside him.

"So, how've you been?"

"Good," he simply answered.

"Your mom and the baby?"

"They're good,"

"Uh-huh," Suddenly she felt like talking to a wall would have been easier. Deciding to end the very small talk they were having, Peyton leaned back against the bench and tried to relax.

Lucas looked over at her and wondered why she was suddenly so quiet. He watched her as she watched the night sky hovering above them. A smile grew on his lips.

"So are you going to ask me," she turned her head and caught him staring, "or are you just gonna stare at me all night?"

Lucas blushed and looked away. "I don't know. I guess I just haven't seen you in a while, that's all – I mean I look at you now and you're…"

"Still Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer," she shrugged. "I'm still the same person who left Tree Hill…maybe less angry at the world, but other than that, I haven't changed that much,"

"Not even your heart?"

There was a pregnant pause before she answered.

"A part of it will never change, Luke,"

She saw that smile spreading across his face, but he didn't say anything more.

"Come on, let's get me home,"


"So is that why you've been hounding Lucas for the past couple of weeks to come with us…because you knew that Peyton was here?" Haley asked as she tiredly crawled into bed.

Nathan responded with a smirk and a shrug.

"Look at you, all cute playing Cupid. Do you think they're going to work things out this time?"

"I don't know. I hope so," he thought a minute. "I mean after all Peyton's been through and you know," he wrapped his arm around Haley and pulled her closer to him. "I just want my brother to finally be happy and experience the same thing we have,"

Haley smiled up at him. She knew how incredibly lucky she was to find a guy like Nathan. She kissed his sweet lips. "They both deserve it. I just wish that they'd both quit being so stubborn,"

"Does Peyton know Brooke and Lucas broke up?"

"Yeah…when you and Luke went to get sodas, I kinda let it slip that they broke up a couple of weeks after she left. I didn't really tell her why but I think she knew,"


While Peyton was unlocking her door, Lucas waited patiently behind her. He looked around, trying to take in her new surroundings. After finally opening the door, Peyton turned around and found Lucas staring at her car that was parked across the street.

"Something's wrong with the engine," Peyton filled him in, "When it broke down I couldn't afford to get it fixed…and it meant too much to me to sell it…so there she sits,"

"Mind if I take a look at it in the morning?"

"Yeah, that'd be great…thanks, Luke," she smiled and took a step towards him.

Lucas's body stiffened and froze. Peyton paused in her tracks and gave him a wondering look.

"Hey, relax. I wasn't going to pull a kiss 'n run," she laughed, easing his tension. "I was just gonna give you a hug,"

Lucas felt embarrassed and tried to laugh it off. His body relaxed against hers when he felt her arms wrap around his neck. Suddenly everything was forgotten – they weren't in Palo Alto, she didn't run off and leave him behind– she was right there, safe in his arms.

"Hey, do you remember the way back?" she asked when she pulled away.

Lucas thought for a moment. He scratched his head as he tried to remember. He wasn't really paying attention to where they were going. "Um…don't worry about it. I'll find my way back,"

Peyton nodded, "Do you want to stay here? You can take one of the spare rooms. I mean it beats sleeping on the dusty floor at Naley's, right?"

He hesitated before replying, "Yeah, ok,"


A half sleeping Nathan reached out with his arm to find his wife. All he found was bed.

"Haley?" he groggily called out.

When she didn't answer, he got out of bed and sauntered towards the light in the hallway.

"Hales, what are you doing?"

"Going to find Lucas," she said as she started to put her jacket on. "I woke up remembering that Lucas doesn't have the card or keys to get back in. I'm just going to check to see if he's outside,"

"Haley, don't you think he would have called if he was locked out?"

She pondered that thought for a second. "Then where could he be? I mean Peyton said she was living only about ten minutes from here…"

Nathan raised an eyebrow and waited for his wife to finish processing the situation.

"Oh…oh,"

Nathan broke out into a smile, "Come on, let's go back to bed," he placed his arm around her and led her to the bedroom, "You know, you better watch out…Stanford is really making me smarter,"

"Shut up," she laughed.


In frustration she threw her head back and let it rest on the lounge chair that was placed in the middle of her balcony. The candles that were lit around her flickered in the cool wind. She glanced at her watch. It was 2:36 in the morning and she couldn't sleep. She couldn't even make a simple drawing emerge from the blank sketch pad that was sitting on her lap. For weeks she had been sleeping just fine. She didn't have anything to worry about, nothing to stress over or question. But tonight, when she saw him, it all came rushing back.

Peyton blew out the candles and made her way back inside. She looked at her bed and knew that it would be pointless to even attempt to fall asleep. Instead Peyton exited her room and headed down the hall.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" Lucas asked as Peyton walked into the kitchen.

"No, actually I couldn't sleep," she sat down on the chair beside him.

"Yeah, me too,"

He pushed the box of cereal he was munching on away from him. His arms rested on the table as watched his fidgeting hands. His quietness was beginning wear out her patience.

"Alright, Scott, you can stop pretending now,"

"Huh?"

"You're still mad at me, aren't you?"

"No, I'm not,"

"Lucas, come on. If you haven't noticed, I've done all the talking tonight. And the Lucas Scott I know is never quiet unless he's shy or upset and we both know that you're not shy so…"

Lucas shrugged, "I'm…I'm just surprised that you're here, that's all,"

Peyton waited a beat to see if Lucas would retract his statement. His mannerisms didn't change, except now he was playing with a stray Cheerio that had previously fallen on the table.

"Alright," she gave up and got up from the table. "I'll see you in the morning, goodnight,"

"I was mad," he suddenly admitted.

Peyton turned around and saw him looking up at her. She took a few steps back into the room but she didn't sit back down. She kept her distance and leaned against the kitchen counter.

"I know our last conversation didn't end well and I'm sorry for that,"

Peyton disagreed, "You don't have to apologize for that. I mean after the way I left, I would have been pissed too…but if you're not mad anymore, what changed your mind?"

Like a Cheshire cat, Lucas grinned, "I guess you weren't the only one doing a little soul searching,"

She pursed her lips together and picked up the rag on the counter and flung it at him. They both laughed when the rag flew past his head, completely missing him. When the laughter subsided, those sneaking sideway glances were exchanged, until finally Lucas stood up. He walked over to her and stopped in front of her.

The uncomfortable tension was gone and was replaced by intense emotional feeling that had found them once again. The feeling was dangerous like drug. It made them forget everything and anyone except themselves. It just let them be.

He rested his hands on the counter, trapping her. "The truth is Peyton, I wasn't just angry with you. I was angrier with myself for letting you go," His lips inched closer to hers.

"Lucas…" As much as she wanted to taste him, Peyton gently pushed him away. Her heart silently cursed herself but for once she knew what she was doing. Their relationship wasn't an easy one to fall back into. There was so much history between them and with all those months they had been apart, there was that much more they still had to learn about each other. It wasn't something she wanted to rush either.

"Come on," she asked him to follow her.

Peyton opened her bedroom door open and flicked on the lights. Lucas looked around the nearly empty room. He saw a bed on one side of the room and a few boxes piled up in another.

"A few days ago, I started packing,"

"You're leaving again?" he nearly yelled.

Peyton nodded, "I've been thinking for the past couple of days…I don't carry that weight of… grief or fault any more, at least I don't think I do. The only thing I feel is regret and I can't face that here,"

Peyton turned and stood before him, "Lucas, I've always wanted us…but before I've been too scared to admit that. I was scared that once I started to depend on you…that you'd leave me like my parents…and then Brooke happened and I thought it was too late…since then I've lived with this enormous regret. I'm ready to let it go…"

"Does that mean you're coming home?" he tried to hide his smile until he was sure.

Peyton nodded. "As soon as you fix my car,"

Lucas's face finally lit up with a genuinely happy smile. His arms wrapped around her thin waist and pulled her in close. Like a magnet, his lips were drawn to hers, but at the last second she turned and he kissed her cheek. Puzzled, Lucas looked at her.

"Lucas, I want to do everything right this time… I want to us to have a first date, hold hands for the first time in public, share our first kiss when you drop me off or spontaneously during our date, I want us to have a song… I want it all with you,"

Lucas nodded and smiled, "And now we can have it,"


Tired and drained from the long drive back from Florida, Jake stumbled into his house. The only thing he could focus on was getting to bed without tripping over Jenny's toys that were scattered throughout the house. Nothing else entered his mind or his view, not even flashing red light of his answering machine that was sitting on his desk across the room.


A/N: Sorry for the delay...I had some trouble with this chapter. I don't think there are many chapters left, but the story is far from over...it appears the road for LP is going to hit anothter bump. Thanks for the R&Rs and thanks to Matt for going over this chapter.