"Honey? Are you awake?"

She let out a small moan, refusing to open her eyes. She didn't want to face everything just yet…

Peyton had spent most of the day pretending to be asleep, anything to avoid having to talk with anyone. Doctors had come and gone, but she'd breathed loudly and kept her eyes pressed shut. A while after Larry had left her to be alone, she had suddenly realized the fact that she was wearing a hospital gown… and that made her wonder how she had been changed into it. Had they seen her scarred stomach? Had they told her dad about it? Her heart clutched in fear at the thought.

She was scared of all the questions that would be asked of her, she didn't want to talk about what had gone on back in that house for all these months. She didn't want her dad to know, she didn't want anyone to know. But she knew, sooner or later, that she would have to answer questions, and that's what she was hoping to avoid right now.

Larry had come back, and was now sitting quietly beside her, his hand stroking over her knee, as she was lying there, pretending to be sound asleep.

"Baby? I mean- uh, Peyton? Are you awake?"

She figured she couldn't keep torturing him any longer, and reluctantly opened her eyes to him, a weak sigh escaping her. "Yeah…"

"Oh. Did you sleep okay, sweetie? You've been out for hours."

"Yeah, I guess."

She looked at him, and realized how tired his eyes seemed. There was a small smile upon his lips, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. She looked away, feeling nothing but guilt for her father's sadness.

"Um-where's… Brooke… and Lucas?"

"Oh, Brooke has went to a motel to get some sleep. She didn't want to disturb you right away, she said she wanted to give you some time to deal first. But she's looking forward to see you. She'll probably stop by soon." Larry gave her a hopeful smile, as if he was imagining that the idea of Brooke would cheer Peyton up. It didn't though; it made her feel uncomfortable and nervous.

She'd expected to put everything that had happened between them behind her, thinking that if she would ever get to see Brooke again, she would make things right… but now, suddenly the memories of how they had ended things made her feel nothing but doubt. Were they even friends anymore? What did Brooke want from her? Was she only here because she was together with Lucas? Peyton didn't know what to think anymore, or what to believe.

"And Lucas is still in his room," Larry continued. "The doctors doesn't want him to move around quite yet, they say he should stay still for a little while longer. But he really wants to come see you."

"Oh." Peyton forced a smile. It became silent again, and Peyton hated these awkward silences. It never used to feel like this between them before.

She suddenly remembered Penelope, and became very worried. Her cat was probably all alone out there in the woods right now, wondering why Peyton wasn't there. She had become so connected to the cat; she needed her here.

"Daddy? Did- um… when the police found the house… did they see a cat there?"

"A cat?"

"Yeah, Derek- he… gave me a cat."

Larry raised his eyebrows. "Oh, right. Um yeah, the police told me something about an animal they'd found there. They put it into animal care. I'll have a word with them, let them know that it's yours." He gave her a reassuring smile, and she relaxed. Penelope was here, she was okay.

Peyton got herself into a sitting position, and decided to inspect her bruised wrists. They were red and sore, but somehow it didn't really bother her much. Over the last few months, she'd started to get used to having her body ache in pain everywhere. One week it could feel like her ribs were cracked and broken, and she'd be in horrible pain, and the next week she'd barely be able to speak because of her swollen and hurt face. She was used to pain.

Larry noticed her inspection of her wrists, and he couldn't help but feel a horrible anger from looking at the brutal bruises. He'd been hoping to avoid the next subject coming up, but he knew it was better to get it over with now.

"Peyton?"

She raised her eyes to look at him. "Hm?"

"The doctors talked to me a little while ago. They said something about some bruises that might be infected, and they wanted to have a look. To check up on your wounds and your physical state."

Peyton stiffened. Having some strangers look over her body was not appealing at all. "Oh…"

"And… they said they would also like to do a- um…" he shifted uncomfortably, "… a rape kit. For evidence," he said weakly. "Of course, we already have a very good case against Banks, but… the police says the more evidence they have, the better."

Peyton's face reddened, and she suddenly felt very warm. She didn't want to think about this right now. Or ever, really. A rape kit. It was crazy to think that they all saw her as some victim… But she didn't want to be a victim. She didn't want a bunch of unfeeling doctors to look over her body, as if she were just some object for them to examine.

"I don't want to…" she whispered. Larry's eyes rounded in sadness, and his heart broke in two from seeing his daughter like this. He didn't want to force her into anything, he just wanted to hold her and protect her from the world. But it was necessary to get this done.

"Okay, Peyton… um, maybe you should just think about it? It would help the police a great deal, and it is important for us to get in as much evidence as possible. Just think about it, okay?"

Peyton reluctantly nodded. "Okay…"

They sat in silence for a while, when there was suddenly a knock on the door.

She looked over, to see a very familiar face in the doorway. Lucas.

"Hey," he said, walking into view with a weak smile. Peyton's eyes widened. He looked horrible. He was using crutches, and his face was full of black and blue bruises. His lip looked swollen, and his body movements were weak, as if every move he made was painful. Peyton prevented herself from tearing up. It was all her fault, what had happened to him. He had almost been killed, and it was her fault.

Larry stood up, walking over to him. "Hi Lucas. I didn't know you were allowed out of your room yet."

"Yeah, well… I just couldn't stay away." Lucas was talking to Larry, but his eyes couldn't move away from her. He had to come over here, just to make sure that she hadn't disappeared again. He couldn't sleep, he couldn't relax, not until he knew she was okay, that this wasn't all just a dream.

Larry noticed the way the two of them were looking at each other, and figured it was time to give them a moment alone. "Well, I'm really glad you're doing better, Lucas. I'll go outside for a while. Look out for Peyton for me, will you?" he muttered.

"Sure."

And then they were alone. Lucas and Peyton.

He walked closer.

"Well, you look like crap," Peyton said with a slight smile, trying to take the seriousness out of the situation. Lucas didn't laugh. His bruised and damaged body was probably nothing compared to what she had endured through all this time.

"It's not funny, Peyton." Her smile disappeared. He could see right through her, she could feel it, but she couldn't let him. She couldn't let anyone see what was inside her.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"I'm fine."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really."

He couldn't get over how pale and thin she looked. Her dark bruises looked even clearer now, from the brightness of the room. Some bruises seemed older than others, and it gave him shudders to think about how she'd been exposed to so much violence for so many months. He felt the guilt tear at his heart, and the images in his head of him hurting her made him feel nauseous.

His blue eyes bore into her, and they were filled with sorrow and regret. The way he always seemed to see her when no one else could, right down to her soul, scared her immensely, and she didn't want it. She turned her head away from him. Right now, she hated those piercing eyes of his, she couldn't bare it. It made her feel so weak.

"H-how's Nathan and Haley… and Karen?" she asked hesitantly, staring at the wall.

"They're fine, Peyton. They all miss you so much. And uh… I talked to Nathan a few hours ago. Haley had the baby. It's a boy."

Peyton forced up a weak smile. "A boy? That… that's great, Luke. Wow." Her voice sounded surprisingly hollow in her own ears; she didn't even sound like herself.

"Wouldn't you rather want to be there with them now, than to be stuck here?" Peyton asked.

Lucas shook his head, disbelievingly staring at her. "No, of course not. They have each other. You're the one who needs me. I said I wouldn't leave you, right?"

Oh. So he was only here with her because he felt like it was his duty? Well, she didn't want to be anybody's burden. "You don't have to be here, Lucas. I don't need anyone to take care of me. I'm sure you'd rather be somewhere else." Like with Brooke…

It was like he could feel her trying to close herself away, trying to close him off. It had always been her defense mechanism, and he had expected it to happen, but that didn't make it easier. Her walls were made of hard brick, almost impossible to break through, and he couldn't let her build those walls now. He'd broken through them once before, and as hard as it had been back then… it would only be harder this time. He needed to get through to her before it was too late.

"No, Peyton. Of course not… There's nowhere I'd rather be than here. Nathan and Haley can wait. Mom can wait. I want to be here with you." Not only that; he needed to be here with her. He never ever wanted to remove her from his eyesight again; he was so scared she'd disappear again. He wanted to watch her forever, to make sure nothing more could ever happen to her. He'd literally had to fight the nurses to let him leave his own room, just so he could come see her.

"Listen to me Peyton, I just need you to understand… I won't leave you again, okay? I really won't. I'm here for you."

She turned her head away from him, closing her eyes. It was weird. When he'd found her in that house with Derek, she'd felt so many things at once. Relief, comfort, hope… but now, looking back at that, it all felt so surreal. Everything had happened so fast, it had almost felt like some crazy dream. She hadn't been able to control her emotions. She hadn't been thinking clearly, she'd just been so glad to see him. But now she could control herself, and she would make damn sure not to need anyone again. She wouldn't let herself need him. She'd learned her lesson; nothing good would come from opening up to anyone. Never again.

"Peyton…" He stepped forward and put his hand on her shoulder. She twitched and looked at him, her cold stare surprising him.

"Lucas, please leave me alone," she said firmly. He wouldn't break her, she wouldn't let him see her. "I just wanna be alone right now, okay?"

"But Peyt-"

"Lucas, please."

Lucas sighed and ruffled his hand through his messy hair. Her voice told him there would be no arguing, and despite the fact that all his senses told him to stay, his feet still turned him around, heading for the door. He brokenly glimpsed over his shoulder, to see her distantly staring out the window.

As he was walking down the corridor, he thought of how much he'd longed to be back with her for all these months. Everything he'd worked towards had been leading up to this, to Peyton, and now he was walking away. Had he learned nothing? He'd promised himself that if he ever got to see her again, he wouldn't screw it up. He wouldn't leave her again. He had to make her see; she wasn't alone. No matter how long it would take for her to realize it, he was here for her. And he would wait forever if he had to.

Lucas turned around on the spot, heading back. He stopped in a halt by the doorway, as he realized she was laying there, crying. Tear after tear was running down her pale, beautiful face, and her body shook. His heart broke from the sight, and he took a step forward. "Peyton…"

Her eyes jumped to him, and she hurried to dry her eyes. "Didn't I tell you to leave?" she said angrily, but her voice broke.

"I don't care. I'm not leaving." Lucas walked over to her on the bedside, and sat down in the chair.

"Luke…" she whispered, almost like a plea.

"No, Peyton. I'm not leaving you. And I'm going to stay with you until you realize it. You're stuck with me."

She exhaled, relenting. She didn't have any strength to fight him right now. She laid herself back down, closing her eyes. Soon enough, sleep finally took her, and her breath became heavy.

Lucas sat there, just staring at her. He listened to her breath, and his heart jumped every time he heard it. He could live on this. He'd imagined what this would feel like. And now it really was happening. Relief overtook him. She was safe. She was with him. Everything would be okay.

That's what he told himself, and his body calmed.