A/N: This is the end folks. It's been great and I so appreciate each and every review I've been given. If there is enough demand for a sequel then I will pick up the story a few months down the road and go from there. Let me know! J
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own characters!
"We need to talk." Lucas repeated, taking a step towards her. Peyton felt dazed and unnerved, seeing him standing on her front lawn. She had heard him tell Brooke that he had made a mistake and that he was sorry.
"What else is there to say Lucas? You realized that you belong with Brooke. I saw the two of you in the elevator. You looked happy. Just leave it, okay?" Peyton begged softly. She wasn't sure how much longer she could keep her composure, faced with the one person who had the ability to make her the happiest she'd ever been, or break her heart into a million pieces. He'd opted for the latter, she had accepted that and was trying to work through the fallout. She couldn't do that if he felt the need to explain. There was no explanation for what he'd done and if he thought he had one, she didn't think she wanted to hear it.
"You're too much Peyton, you know that? I've told you, repeatedly, that I want to be with you. What you heard, when you eavesdropped on my private conversation, was my apology to Brooke about the way I had ignored Charity and the things that she was dealing with. Of course, you couldn't just clarify what you heard, you had to assume the worst. I love you Peyton but I won't live like that. I've had more than my fill of relationships without trust and communication. If we're going to make this work then we need both and not just from me." Lucas replied heatedly.
Peyton blinked rapidly, taking in the information he'd just given her. Could it be possible that she had completely taken things out of context? She struggled to remember why it was that she had thought he was apologizing to Brooke for leaving her. No, he hadn't actually said those words, she'd just assumed that was what she was hearing.
"So you and Brooke aren't back together?" She asked, attempting to understand exactly what was happening.
"No, we never were. She and I were talking about Charity and our living arrangements. She was concerned about my lack of parenting this past weekend and I admit, I was less concerned about Charity than I was about you and Jake, and I was apologizing for that. That was apparently what you overheard." Lucas said, confirming the fact that Peyton had been undeniably wrong.
She had never, not once in her life, ever wished so hard that the earth would open up and swallow her whole. She felt so stupid for assuming that Lucas had been running back to Brooke at the first sight of trouble with Peyton. Granted, that was usually what had happened in their long history together.
"I'm so sorry Lucas. I guess when I heard you saying you were sorry and you wanted another chance, it felt really familiar and I assumed that you were going to run back to her, again. You are right though, we can't have a real relationship without trust and communication and I don't think I can trust you with my heart right now. Not when you aren't even officially divorced from Brooke. I want to be with you and I want it to last forever and right now I guess I don't feel certain that it can or will." Peyton admitted, fighting back tears. Lucas started to speak, to defend their relationship. Peyton shook her head, and his words ceased. She would not give in on this. Not this time.
"No Lucas. I'm right and you know it. If we do this now, we are building our relationship on deceptions and dishonesty. I want to be with you more than anything and if you really want to be with me, then let's let the ink dry on your divorce papers. Let's do this the right way, in the right time. Okay?" She asked, taking his hand in hers. Lucas nodded, the resignation evident on his face.
"Fine. I do know that you're right, it's just that we've been waiting for so long to finally be together. I just don't want to wait any longer Peyton. I want us to be a family." Lucas said, his voice raw with emotion. Peyton quickly brushed a tear away. She wanted the same thing, she just wanted to know that she was more than the proverbial 'forbidden fruit' and only time would tell that.