Deafening sounds. Voices everywhere. She couldn't make them out. They were all around her. Someone far away were screaming her name. An older male voice. It sounded familiar for a moment, but then it faded back into the buzz of voices. She didn't know where she was or what was going on. She fell in and out of sleep, her thoughts befuddled and confused. It was dizzying. She wanted it to stop. She wanted to scream at the voices to leave her alone! I just want to sleep, get away from me! She couldn't wake up. Her eyelids were so heavy. Then the voices suddenly quieted, it became overwhelmingly silent, and she became more scared than ever. Then she heard it; that cold, horrible voice she could never escape. "You're mine forever, Peyton… forever."

Her eyes flew open, and she blinked harshly. Her heart was beating rapidly.

White roof. She was lying down, on a bed. Her head throbbed and she ached everywhere. Her body felt like heavy bricks and her throat was sore and itchy. She tried to move her arms, feeling her tender and bruised wrists. A small moan of discomfort escaped her. Then she registered a sound next to her, making her lose her breath.

Heavy breathing. Someone sleeping. Her heart dropped. It was him.

It had all been a dream. She was back with him in that house, in his bed, just like before. She would never get away. But Lucas… it had felt so real…

But- something was wrong. The room was lighter than usual. It smelled differently. It smelled sterilized and overly clean. She recognized this smell; she'd never liked this smell. It brought her back to bad memories.

Her brows furrowed in confusion. She slowly turned her head towards the core of the breathing sound.

The bright daylight from the window blinded her vision for a moment, and she narrowed her eyes, trying to see.

Peyton's heart started beating faster. There was no Derek lying next to her.

There was a man though, who was sitting in a chair next to her bed, sleeping uncomfortably with his head hanging to one side. And it wasn't just any man.

It was Larry Sawyer. Her dad.

Peyton couldn't even move as she saw him. She stayed still, staring at him with wide eyes.

Was this real?

He looked different… older in some ways. He was unshaved, and she couldn't help but notice the dark circles under his eyes.

"Daddy…" she muttered in a fragile whisper.

He made a small movement and grunted, and Peyton suddenly panicked. She realized she didn't want him to wake up; she was scared to face him. What was she supposed to say? How much did he know? What would be asked of her?

Peyton felt a painful lump in her throat, and she failed to conceal the whimper escaping her. Larry's eyes flickered open at once, and he sat up in a jump. Peyton froze.

His eyes widened the moment he realized she was awake. "Oh my God! Peyton… you're awake!"

He hurried to stand up and stepped closer, bowing over her. "My baby… Oh God, I've been so worried." He teared up, and Peyton didn't even know what to do. Larry carefully put his hand on Peyton's forehead and leaned down, hugging her. Peyton's body automatically stiffened, but at the same time she took in the scent of him. It smelled like her daddy… She registered the fact that it wasn't anyone else touching her, it was her dad.

Peyton felt an overwhelming relief washing over her for a moment… She was back with her daddy… She'd been so scared she would never get to see him again. But she became careful of letting the relief overtake her, she couldn't trust this. Derek could be just around the corner, ready to take her away from this again...

She swallowed, trying to control her tears.

"Daddy," she whispered.

He let go of her, looking at her with big eyes, as if he couldn't believe that she was really there. "God, I was so scared I'd never see you again. Are you okay, baby?"

"I'm-I'm… Um, what happened?" she asked, changing the subject, as she didn't even know how she was feeling herself right now.

"Don't worry about that right now, honey… Do you need a doctor or something? Should I get someone?" he said, starting to move away from her, but she grabbed his hand.

"No… daddy, no. I just… can you please stay here with me for a while?"

Larry's face softened into a small, caring smile, and Peyton recognized that look from her dad all too well. This really was happening, this really was her dad.

He sat back down in the chair, but never removing his hand from hers. He squeezed it once, tearing up again. He couldn't even begin to describe the happiness he had felt the moment he found out Peyton had been found, alive. Although he had no idea what his daughter had been put through for the last five months, although he had no idea what that horrible man had done to her, he was selfishly so happy to just have her back with him.

Peyton struggled to get herself into a sitting position, feeling her whole body fighting against her.

"Where-where's Derek?" she asked in a weak voice, although she was scared of what the answer might be. Her eyes fluttered around the room as if she was expecting him to show up from beyond the shadows any second.

Larry's expression hardened at once, and Peyton felt herself move her stare shamefully down to her lap. She couldn't even begin to understand this feeling inside her right now. This moment was something she had been hoping for for months… But- for some reason she didn't feel pure happiness. There was this weight inside her, pulling her down. Shame… regret… guilt.

"Peyton... Do you remember anything of what happened?"

She thought about it. Everything felt so disorganized in her mind. "Um… Lucas… he-he came for me. And- Derek found out… he beat him." She remembered the horrible sound of Lucas' screams in pain, and the blood… "Is-is he okay? Lucas?"

Larry nodded with a small smile. "Yes, he's fine. He got a minor concussion from the blow to his head, but other than that, there were no serious injuries."

Peyton nodded. "Where is he?"

"He's in another room, sweetie. Brooke is with him right now."

Peyton felt a small pull at her heart at this. Brooke and Lucas. So Derek hadn't been lying about that.

"Oh." Peyton thickly swallowed, looking away. "So… what happened after-after I passed out?" She remembered stabbing Derek… that shocked look in his eyes as she forced the blade into him, and then there was nothing. Was he dead? Had the police found him?

Larry sighed and stroked his hand over Peyton's cheek, but froze the moment he saw her discomfort from his simple touch. "I-I'm sorry, honey." The thought of why such a loving action made her so uncomfortable, gave him shudders, it made him feel sick.

She shook her head, closing her eyes. "It's… it's fine, daddy."

"Did he hurt you? That-that coward…"

Peyton noticed his stare at certain marks on her arms that were lying visibly down to her sides, and his stare moved to her neck and face, tracing over all her injuries. Her eyes snapped down to her lap. She suddenly felt an urge to hide beneath the bed sheets. She couldn't let her dad see her like this. He wasn't supposed to see these things.

"It's nothing, dad…"

His face turned angry, his brows furrowed, and he tightened his hold on her hand. "Peyton, it's not okay. Not at all. I should have been a better father for you, I should have been there… None of this would have happened to you if I had just been there for you, as I should. It's all my fault…"

"Dad, stop-" Peyton shook her head. "Stop. It's not." The blame was on no one but her. She brought this on herself. It wasn't his fault…

Larry strangled a sob from escaping his throat. "God, I've missed you so much, Peyton. Nothing's been the same. I was so scared I lost you. I couldn't live with that, not after Anna-"

He took a deep breath, gathering himself. "From the moment I found out the truth about this Derek guy, I came down here; I was determined to find you. I had no idea Brooke and Lucas came all the way down here to look for you too. And I dread the thought of what would've happened if they hadn't found you."

Peyton was confused. "You-you were looking for me? Where is here? Where are we? And what truth about Derek?"

So many questions… Peyton realized how little she really knew about him, and about where she'd been.

"We're in Texas, sweetie. You've been in Texas all this time. And his name isn't Derek. It's Ian."

"Ian?"

"Yes, Ian Banks."

"Ian…" It felt so strange, knowing his real name after all this time. It didn't even feel real. His name wasn't Ian, it was Derek. That's who she knew him as, who she had always known him as. She couldn't just call him something else now…

This was all so much.

"S-So where is he then?"

"Peyton… uh, the police found Lucas carrying you through the middle of the woods. He was like a zombie himself, completely beaten up, but he refused to let you go. He'd been determined to get you out of there, even if he was hurt himself. And the police… they found the house." Larry exhaled. He wanted to spare his little girl from all this right now, he didn't want her to worry even more.

Peyton raised herself from the pillows, staring at him. "And? Was he there? Is he- is he dead?"

She didn't like the look he had in his eyes right now, and felt an unnerving feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Yes, they found him baby, don't worry about that. But- he wasn't dead when they found him. He was still breathing. They brought him into surgery as fast as they could, and well…"

"And what?"

"They… they managed to save him, Peyton."

Alive… he was alive. Peyton felt the tears starting to gather in her eyes, and she blinked harshly, refusing to break down.

"They're working on moving him to a different hospital right now."

"He-he's here?" She couldn't believe this. The fact that Derek was alive, and somewhere in this hospital, so close, made her feel uncomfortable, and so unsafe…

"They have him locked up, Peyton. The police are guarding his room. He can't get anywhere from there." Larry avoided mentioning the fact that he had tried to break through the police officers guarding Ian Banks, he'd tried to get into his room to punish that bastard for what he'd done to his daughter. Larry had then been forcefully subdued by many police officers, as well as doctors, who had made him calm down and leave, after he'd put up a brave fight.

Peyton let herself fall down into the pillows again, not being able to control her emotions any more. Tears started falling. She couldn't hold it in. She'd known it, deep within she'd known it – of course he wasn't dead. He wouldn't let her go that easily, just like he'd told her so many times. He would never let her go.

Larry gave her a sorrowful look. "You don't need to think about that now, okay? You're safe. He can't hurt you anymore, baby."

"Don't call me that," she snapped at him before she could stop herself.

Larry's eyes widened in regret. He realized why she reacted with such disgust to that word, and he suddenly felt nauseous. "Oh- I'm… I'm sorry, Peyton."

Peyton exhaled, closing her eyes to stop the tears. She mustered up all her strength not to start sobbing in front of him. "Can-can I just be left alone for a while? I'm really tired, I just want to sleep…"

Larry hesitated. He didn't want to leave her alone, not in a state like this, but he didn't know what to do or say. Maybe things would become better for her if she got some time to think things over… once she realized that she really was safe, maybe she'd come around.

"Okay, Peyton… I'll just go to the cafeteria. I'll be back in a while, okay honey?" He grabbed her shoulder and squeezed gently. Peyton stiffened noticeably, making him let go at once. "I- uhm…" He cleared his throat. "Just try to get some sleep, Peyton. I love you."

Peyton didn't look at him, and a moment later he was gone.

She knew she was doing her usual defense mechanism; locking herself away from everyone, but right now, she knew that was only for the best.

Her stare jolted to the door. At this point, she was just waiting for Derek to walk in that door and take her again… Death didn't stop him; nothing did, so how was a few police officers and some locked doors going keep him away?