A/N: Thank you so much for all the reviews! Anyone have any guesses on Haley's secret yet?

The two had been driving for two hours now. They had left the city and started to climb a mountain side- something Peyton didn't think was very smart when it was snowing out, but Lucas insisted that they go on- that he had done it before.

"We are going to back in time for the party tonight, right?" Peyton asked him.

Lucas rolled his eyes at her. "Of course. I think Brooke would murder me if I missed it."

"Speaking of- she was okay with you driving me to- wherever we're going?"

Lucas didn't answer right away. "She was okay with me coming to see you and Haley this morning..."

"But you didn't tell her that you were taking me out?"

Lucas scratched his head nervously. "No."

Peyton let out an exasperated noise. "What is this, Lucas?"

"What's what?"

"Is this some kind of stunt to get back at Brooke for being gone somewhere all the time or what?"

Lucas actually looked from the road, and to her face, he was so shocked at what she had just said. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked defensively.

"First of all- road," she said and Lucas' eyes darted back to watching the road through the windshield. "And don't tell me that you haven't noticed it, you're not that thick. Brooke working overtime, going shopping by herself... doesn't that sound a little weird?"

Lucas' face was clenched. "Could we not talk about Brooke, please? Let's just have fun- you and me."

Peyton now knew that he had realized everything she had pointed out. Was Brooke really having an affair...or was she really doing everything that she claimed? She was so consumed in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed Lucas pull off the road until he stopped the car.

"We're here."

continue flashback

"Then what is this?" Lucas asked her as he shifted on the swing, his eyes leaving her face for a moment to watch the rain fall.

Peyton met his question with silence. She saw Lucas nodding, as if he knew everything about her, from the corner of her eyes.

"I just kinda ended up here."

She looked at him now, and his eyes held curiosity. He had stopped nodding, at least. "Why?" he mustered to question.

Peyton shrugged and broke eye contact with him. She hated feeling this vulnerable, it wasn't her.

Lucas just watched her- not really caring why she was there, but only that she was there. He loved her, and he knew it for sure at that point. The whole summer he had been questioning his feelings, but he knew it now. He was in love in her.

He noticed her shiver and rose from his seat a bit, pulling a blanket out from underneath him. Leaning slightly, he was able to reach both of her shoulders to put the blanket around her. His face was close to hers now and he could feel his whole body get excited, his heart beating wildly beneath his skin.

Peyton muttered a thank you, quietly, and gave him a small smile. They fell back into a silence, Lucas waiting for Peyton to say what she really came out here for. He watched her play with a frayed edge of the blanket, her eyes following her actions.

Minutes later, she cleared her throat. "About what you said before- that you wanted a second chance... did you mean it?"

Lucas nodded. "Of course I did. Why would I say something that I didn't mean?"

"Like telling Brooke that you wanted to be with her?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Because Lucas, she matters to me. I don't want her hurt again... I think we did enough the first time."

"Everytime you and I... have something doesn't mean that we're cheating on Brooke, Peyton. She made it perfectly clear that she wanted nothing to do with me."

"But you admitted to her-"

"Two months ago! Things do change, Peyton. Feelings change. Brooke is a second choice beside you, Pey. I compare every girl to you- Brooke, Anna- none of them can hold anything compared to what I feel for you."

Peyton's face was thoughtful. "I still don't think it's a good idea- you and me."

"Why not!" Lucas exclaimed. "I don't understand- if I have feelings for you and you have feelings for me, correct me if I'm wrong of course, but why else would you be here?- then why are you trying to get away from this?"

"Because it scares me," Peyton said, and Lucas' frustration automically disappeared. "It scares me that you feel this intensely for me, that I.. I need you. I need to be with you."

Lucas felt a smile form on his lips. "You need to be with me?"

"Yeah," Peyton said with a laugh. "I don't let myself need people, Lucas, you know that."

A side of her blanket fell off her shoulder and Lucas lifted it back up for her. "Then let me take care of you. Let me be with you."

Peyton could feel his fingers lingering on her skin where the edge of the blanket now rested.

Everything was screaming 'no' in her head. She knew the complications of a relationship with him, she knew what it could mean... but she wanted it. She bit her lip at the thought. She loved him, again.

Peyton slowly lifted her hand up to where his still lay on her shoulder. She pulled it off gently, holding it for a moment. Lucas didn't know whether she was going to throw it off her in disgust or what.

Peyton locked her eyes with his, and Lucas could see her answer written in her eyes. Her fingers slid in between his, and their palms finally pressed together.

Lucas' breath hitched unvoluntarily at the contact. His free hand wandered to cup her chin and his thumb found itself sweeping over her cheek. Her eyes fell closed, but she opened them when he stopped moving his thumb.

He was looking into her soul. He always did that when he looked at her. But this time, it didn't scare her.

Their lips met, softly and usurely. It was like a first kiss- uncertain and new. Lucas' hand found it's way to her hair, like it always did.

Peyton pulled back to breathe and she saw how dark his eyes were. He gently kissed her forehead, then her cheek, and then her sensitive spot on her neck.

"Are you sure?" Lucas asked her, his voice deeper and rougher than usual.

"I'm sure," Peyton responded.

Lucas couldn't stop the smile that came to his face. They kissed again, Lucas pulling Peyton forward towards him, their lips moving in synch with one another. It was so familiar, to Peyton... but the feeling brought with the action was so new, so unique to them.

It was Lucas who broke the kiss this time. "So this is.. what to you? A summer fling..or are we... you know, dating?"

"Which one do you want?" Peyton asked him, already knowing the answer.

"I wanna be with you," he told her. "I want to have that relationship we never got to have. I want a first date, and a one month anniversary.."

Peyton laughed. "Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves."

Lucas smiled embarrassedly and Peyton turned and situated herself on the swing so that she was sitting in between his legs, her back resting against his chest. He clasped his hands in front of her, and Peyton put hers around his. And the rain pounded on around them.

end flashback

Peyton pushed her door shut and met Lucas on his side of the car.

"Come on, it's just a little bit up this trail," he told her. The two walked in a comfortable silence up a dirt path. The snow was still falling lightly and Peyton was glad she had dressed so warmly. She had forgotten gloves though, she thought as she shoved her hands in her pockets to keep them warm.

The trees around the path cleared, and Peyton saw what they had been driving for. "Wow," she commented.

The trail they were on ended on the edge of a cliff, which was stopped off by a guardrail. Two large boulder-like rocks were off to the side, perched on the very edge of the precipice. They continued walking until Peyton could lean against the guardrail. Beyond was one of the most beautiful sights she had even seen. The mountains stretched out in front of them, the snow covering every inch of them. It looked like a painting, it was so perfect. The still falling snow dropped in swirls around them.

"It's like we're in a snowglobe," Peyton said.

Lucas grinned at her. "It's nice, isn't it?"

Peyton nodded, her eyes still roaming the sight in front of her. "How did you find this place?"

"I have a cousin- who lives up in the Catskills, like an hour or so away from here. My mom and I were driving up to see them a long time ago and we got lost and ended up here."

Lucas motioned towards the two rocks. "Wanna sit?"

Peyton nodded enthusiastically and each of them took their own seperate rock. Lucas put his legs up on hers. "How did you remember the way?"

"I've been up here since then," Lucas told her, with a shrug. "You're actually the only other person I've brought here. It's more of a private- kinda thinking and reading- spot for me."

"It is beautiful," she said, trying to hide her happiness at his last words. He hadn't even brought Brooke up here.

"Well, then mission accomplished."

Lucas couldn't help but notice the tiny snowflakes that were dotted- barely visible- in her hair. Peyton followed his gaze, bringing a hand up to her hair. "What?"

"Nothing- just snow," he said as he reached up his own hand to brush the flakes out. Peyton stopped smiling and Lucas dropped his hand. "Sorry."

Peyton shook her head. "Why are you sorry?"

"Because I- I just- I don't want to make you uncomfortable," he stuttered out.

"You're not," she responded. "I'll admit- it's a little weird being alone with you after we left things like we did... but we have nothing to worry about because we're both over each other, right?" she said with a fake cheeriness.

Lucas was silent for a moment, surprised that her words had stung him. "Right," he agreed. "I'm with- married- to Brooke. And you're with Jake."

Peyton's head turned fast towards him. "Jake?"

"Yeah.. you're with him, aren't you?"

"No... why would you think that?" she asked disbelievingly. "I haven't seen him since..."

"A month after you left."

Peyton's mouth had dropped open. "How do you know any of this?"

"I told him where you were. He came back to Tree Hill, looking for you after you had left already and when to the Bahamas. He went after you."

"And why would you think that I was with him?"

Lucas hopped off of his rock suddenly. "I think it's time to go back," he said as he started to head back towards the car.

"Luke!"

Lucas stopped and turned back around to face her. "Because after I sent Jake down to you...I came after you myself. I wasn't ready to lose you, yet"

"What?"

"I got on a plane, using almost my entire savings to pay for the ticket, and flew down to the Bahamas."

"But I didn't-I-" Peyton sputtered. "I never saw you."

"When I came up to your house... I saw you and Jake kissing inside... so I went back home," he finished, a painful look on his face.

Peyton deflated slightly. "Oh."

"You're with him, then?"

Peyton shook her head. "You should have stuck around for a few more minutes, Lucas. I told Jake that I wasn't in love with him anymore. That I had moved on. We're only friends now."

They stared at each other for a moment. "Huh," was the only thing Lucas could come up with after a few minutes.

"Yeah," Peyton said shortly. She climbed off her rock and joined Lucas on the path.

"We both have really bad timing," Lucas said as they headed back up the path to the car.

"Or maybe it's a sign. That we're not meant for each other."

Lucas didn't respond and the walk was spent again in silence- not so comfortable this time.

Well..happy LP in the past..and not so happy in the present. And what's with Brooke? hmm.

Up next: The party, featuring a jealous Nathan and an LP dance that ends..interestingly to say the least. Please review!