No Happy Ending or Maybe So

Ch. 15 You Did Me a Favor

Brooke, Lucas, Haley, and the kids had rushed Peyton to the hospital. Brooke remembered her heart dropping into her chest. Lucas had felt the same way. They were now at the hospital waiting to hear anything on Peyton's condition. Julie had been in panic mode ever since Peyton had collapsed. She was scared that she was going to lose her mommy just like she lost her daddy. She wouldn't leave Brooke's side. They were both talking to Ethan. Lucas kept trying to read lips, but he couldn't.

He took a deep breath when he saw Brooke and Julie coming back towards them. He was trying to read her face, but he wasn't good at that either.

Once Brooke got to them she smiled, "She's going to be fine." Lucas could finally breathe again. He might not be with Peyton, but he still loved her and never wanted anything to happen to her.

"Thank God," Haley said.

"What happened?" Lucas asked.

"Ethan said she was very dehydrated, and he said that she had really just worn herself out. She has to stay overnight, but if she promises to rest she can go home tomorrow," Brooke told them.

"She might if you tie her to the bed," Haley remarked.

"I might just do that," Brooke laughed.

"No," Julie screamed. "That's not nice Aunt Brooke."

"Oh honey I'm not going to do that don't worry sweet girl!" Brooke hugged her. "Oh Luke she wants to see you," Brooke told a shocked Lucas.

"Me," he said pointing to himself. "Why?"

"I have no idea."

"Okay well I'll be right back," he said as he walked down the hall. He asked a nurse what room she was in. He walked slower and slower down the hall because he had no idea what to expect. Why did Peyton want to talk to him? He didn't think he had done anything wrong, but you never know with Peyton.

He entered the room and felt his heart break as he looked at the fragile, pale woman lying in the bed. He hated to see the woman he loved in so much pain. She opened her eyes and saw him. "Hi," she said weakly, "I'm glad you came."

"Yeah, Brooke said you needed to talk to me," Lucas walked closer to her bed but not too close. He didn't exactly know where they stood. He didn't want to push his luck.

"I think you should take Julie for the night," Lucas couldn't believe his ears. He knew that Peyton wanted him to spend time with his daughter, but he couldn't possibly take her for a whole night. She barely knew him.

"I can't," he said.

She was a little surprised by his response, "Lucas you've missed four years of her life I thought you would be happy to spend sometime with her."

"I am. I promise I am, but…." He trailed off unable to finish his sentence.

"What?" she looked at him concerned.

"What if she doesn't want to spend time with me?"

"She's gonna love you Lucas. At first it might be hard, but I think you will take her mind off of me being in the hospital. I know that's hard for her. She is only four, but she still worries about me," Peyton said. "Will you please take her?"

"Yeah I would love too Peyton. I've got to start somewhere, right?" he looked at her. Even when she was sick she was absolutely gorgeous.

"Yeah"

"What about Brody?"

"I was hoping Haley and Nathan would take him for the night. I talked to Ethan, and he is going to get off work early. I want him and Brooke to spend sometime together. I've kind of ruined their honeymoon," she was so upset that Brooke hadn't gotten her dream honeymoon, and she even had to share her dream wedding.

"Brooke would do anything for you Peyton so don't feel bad," he tried to make her feel better. She didn't respond so he decided to say something else, "I'll ask Haley and Nathan to take Brody. I'm sure they won't mind they love the little guy, but I could take him if you want."

"No, I want you to spend time with your daughter. I owe you that much," she told him.

"You don't owe me anything Peyton," Lucas told her. He now sat down on her bed.

"I owe you four years with your daughter," she had tears in her eyes thinking about what she had taken away from him.

He wiped a tear away from her face sending chills up her back, "I'm the one that lost that chance the moment I walked out on you."

"Don't blame yourself Lucas. I have been blaming you for four years when all along I should have been blaming myself," Peyton finally admitted.

He shook his head, "If I would have stayed that night after we had sex things would be different for all of us and you know it."

"How would it be different?" she asked. She really wanted to know what he thought would be different.

He looked into her beautiful green eyes, "We would be together Peyton. If I would have waited on you we would have the perfect life we always dreamed of, and we would have it together." He knew that she also felt that same way.

"Do you really believe that Lucas?"

"Yeah," he closed his eyes and then opened them again, "It breaks my heart to think about what could have been between us. When I look at your family I picture myself apart of it, and I know that it is my own damn fault that I'm not really in that picture… You did what you had to do Peyton, and I don't blame you," Lucas told her.

She sat up in the bed and tried to make herself comfortable, "You know as well as I do that things for us were never that simple Luke. There was always something that got in our way," she took a deep breath and finally said what she really wanted him to hear, "I think things are the way they are supposed to be Lucas. You walking out on me happens to be one of the best things you could have done for me." She saw his face drop and knew her words had hurt him. "I loved you so much Lucas, but when you left I met Julian, and he gave me the world. I know he's not here anymore, but he will always have my heart."

"I know. I don't want your heart Peyton," he was lying, but she didn't have to know that. "I want your friendship, and I want to be apart of Julie's life."

"I want that too. We were always good friends before," that was a lie. They had never really been friends, and they both knew it. She yawned and Lucas took that as his cue to leave.

"Ethan said you should be resting. I'll take care of Julie tonight I promise."

"Thanks Lucas and I know she's gonna love you as much as I once did," she said as she closed her eyes. Lucas refused to believe that Peyton didn't still love him. She had to love him because one day they would be together. He knew that in his heart, and he hoped deep down she did too.

AN: Alright so I'm sorry for the long wait. I know I promised Julie and Lucas interaction, but I felt that it made the chapter too long so I'm gonna make it the next chapter. I thought we needed another Lucas and Peyton scene.

Thanks for the reviews for the last chapter. It was the most I've ever gotten for one chapter so thank you guys so much. They made me so happy.

I promise the next chapter is going to be all about Lucas and Julie.