Author's note: I can't even begin to tell you how blown away I was by the reviews you all left for the first chapter. I didn't expect this much feedback and I cannot thank you enough for your reviews and your comments on 86 Letters. Seriously. I think there will be at least 15 chapters in this fic so I am very excited about writing them and sharing them with you!

One thing… this is my first time writing Leyton, so please bear with me… I tried to portray Lucas and Peyton at a certain stage of their relationship and I hope I succeeded.

Oh, and I answered your questions at the end of the chapter ;-)

Thanks, and enjoy!

Chapter 2: Four In The Morning

Wakin' up to find another day

The moon got lost again last night

But now the sun has finally had its say

I guess I feel alright

But it hurts when I think, when I let it sink in

It's all over me

I'm lying here, in the dark

I'm watchin' you sleep, it hurts a lot

And all I know is

You've got to give me everything

And nothing less 'cause

You know I'd give you all of me

Gwen Stefani - Four in The Morning

Brooke walked in her living room, unsure whether she was happy to be home or not. Nothing had changed since yesterday and yet everything felt different.

"P. Sawyer!" she called out.

Hearing no answer and assuming Peyton was already back at work, Brooke grabbed her phone. She needed to talk to her best friend – not to mention the fact that Peyton still didn't know that Angie was gone.

Peyton's line was starting to ring when Brooke saw the note scribbled on a CD with a sharpie. Typical, Brooke thought to herself as he hung up. She started reading and she felt her world shift again as she slowly took in each of Peyton's words.

Lucas called. We're off to Vegas… to get married. Call me if you need anything. Love you B. Davis!

Married? How insane was this? They had barely talked in three – no, four years. They had so many issues that Lucas could have written an entire book solely listing them. He had been pining for his ex-fiancée for weeks now. And now, they were going to get married?

Brooke sighed. Why was she getting so upset over this? Part of her thought it was due to the pace her life seemed to be on – everything was changing so fast and she felt like she couldn't catch up. But deep down, she knew that this was something she didn't want to catch up on.

She looked up at the clock in the kitchen. It was already 9:30am. Lucas and Peyton were probably married by now, basking in the bliss of true love after their first night as husband and wife. Her eyes lingered on the picture of Lucas, Angie and her on the fridge as she walked out of the kitchen. Maybe this was a good thing after all. Now she could move on for good.

--

"Lucas? In Vegas? How crazy is that?" Nathan asked Haley. They had been lying in bed for over an hour, just talking about anything and everything, and he would have been happy to spend the rest of his life right there, with Haley by his side.

"When I told him to stop hiding his heart, it's not exactly what I had in mind either," Haley said, chuckling. "But when I talked to him last night he said he was going there with Peyton, so I guess it's all going to work out in the end."

Nathan was silent for a moment. "What?" Haley asked him.

"You know, it's funny."

"What is?"

"Lucas. With Peyton."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. At first, everybody thought they were the golden couple and all. But then he chose to be with Brooke, and I can't help but think that they were so good together. Like somehow, Peyton is … safe, you know. It's like choosing to love someone you know loves you back and is just like you."

"You think they shouldn't be together?"

"I don't know. I just think that Brooke loved Lucas enough to let him go so that Peyton could be happy with him, and that means something."

Haley nodded. "Lucas never realized it, though. I think he stills thinks that she stopped loving him."

She had seen how devastated Brooke had been, in spite of the brave face she had put on for everyone else – and especially for Lucas. By now, Haley had seen a few women fall in love with her best friend, but no love had seemed as deep as Brooke's. Maybe because it hadn't been about words. Brooke had sacrificed her own happiness for Lucas without hesitating, and it hadn't been an easy ride for her ever since.

"Maybe somebody owes it to him to open his eyes", Nathan suggested.

"I think he needs to find that out on his own," Haley said. "Besides, it looks like he made up his mind already."

"Yeah, maybe you're right."

"So guess what?" Haley asked Nathan.

"What?" he answered softly.

"My album is almost done," she said, a playful smile on her lips.

Nathan kissed her in response. "That's amazing, Hales!"

"Thank you, Mr. Scott!"

"You're welcome, Mrs. Scott." He kissed her softly. "So," he asked with his lips lingering on hers, "when do I get to hear it?"

"Not yet. I need some extra time to make sure every song is perfect."

"Come on! Please... For me?" He stared at her intensely on purpose, pleading her to give in. There were times when he did it without even intending to, but he couldn't help it – his wife was so damn beautiful. And he was so damn lucky she was in his life.

"I guess I could make an exception for you," she whispered. She ran her hand through his hair before resting it on his cheek, and Nathan kissed her before she had the time to take her next breath. She sighed in his mouth as he rolled her below him.

She remembered the words she had told Lucas on the rooftop and thought that it couldn't have been truer, especially in this moment.

And while it hasn't been easy, it has been everything.

--

"Good morning," Peyton said softly.

"Morning", Lucas answered.

He had been awake for over an hour, taking in the amazing view they had from their hotel room. The water of the Bellagio fountain was moving to the sound of music, and he had been standing there, mesmerized by its grace and beauty. He could only make out a few words of the song – the few English ones. It talked about difficult goodbyes, it seemed.

Peyton took his hand in hers as she snuggled next to him, a bed sheet tied around her frail body. "This is like a dream," she whispered softly.

He turned to her and they kissed. "Do you regret anything?"

"No. We made the right choice."

He smiled.

"I want it to be perfect, when it happens," she said. "I want everything." He didn't answer anything and she framed his face with her hands. "I want everything with you, Lucas. I do."

"I know," he whispered. He kissed, letting their tongues meet. Outside the song was at reaching its peak. When their lips parted, he took her in his arms and held her for the longest time. It seemed like everything was finally falling into place in his life. He could remember being in 8th grade and dreaming he would kiss Peyton one day, and there she was now, his.

And she had almost become his forever last night. He had asker her to come to Vegas and get married with him, and she had shown up at the airport, giving him her answer. They had kissed at the airport, but it was only when they had landed in Vegas and opened the door to their hotel room that they had gravitated towards each other. But where they had both imagined feeling seamless with one another, it had been nothing like it. After all this time spent apart from each other, it all felt rushed and awkward – as if they were trying too hard to figure out what the other wanted.

Lucas had stopped while unbuttoning Peyton's blouse and he could feel her heart beating widely in her chest as he had rested his hand on her heart. "Do you want to wait?" he'd asked softy.

She'd frozen momentarily, and he'd gone on, explaining. "I want it to be right – all of it," he'd said, gesturing to the two of them and referring to the wedding as well, "and tonight seems… rushed?"

She had nodded."I love you, Lucas," she'd whispered.

He had kissed her. "I love you, too," he'd answered tenderly.

They had spent most of the night getting reacquainted with each other's body. Peyton had fallen asleep on his chest late during the night, but he had closed his eyes long after she had. There were too many thoughts running through his head.

"So what do you wanna do today?" Peyton asked him, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"I don't know. We could...spend some time in the casinos, and then there's this show we could go and see… and then I was thinking we could go home tonight," he said carefully, studying her reaction. He wasn't sure how she would feel about it. He just felt like going back to his life. He wanted to get it together now, and with her by side, he didn't need to run anymore.

"Actually, I think that's a great idea."

"You do?"

"Yes. I can't wait to go home with you," Peyton said. She looked so happy he couldn't help but mirror her smile.

"Alright then. We're going home tonight."

--

Brooke was grabbing napkins from the top shelf when Peyton picked up her phone and Brooke stared at her own phone in disbelief. "Why are you answering your phone?" Brooke asked without even saying hello.

"Because you called?" Peyton said, laughing.

"Don't play smarty pants with me, P. Sawyer. Or should I say P. Scott now?"

Peyton started to talk but Brooke cut her off. "Whatever it is, I don't want to hear it, Best Friend. There's probably some weird, kinky reason as to why you're picking up the phone at 10am after your wedding night that I do not want to know about."

"No, Brooke –"

"There's no 'no Brooke'. So, when are you and Lucas coming home?"

"Tonight, actually," answered Peyton.

"What?!" Brooke dropped the bottle of coke she was trying to fit into her cart. "Shit!" she let out.

"Brooke? What's going on?"

"Nothing. Listen, what time does your flight land in Tree Hill?"

"9:30pm."

"Alright. Just come over to the store when you arrive, 'kay? You and Lucas, sober if you can, and looking fabulous. Alright, gotta go, see you tonight!"

Brooke hung up before Peyton could ask more questions. She hadn't expected the shorter delay, but she knew she could pull this off.

"Mommy says it's bad to swear."

Brooke turned to Jamie who was walking beside her, pushing his own mini-cart.

"Yes, but Mommy never drops bottles of coke, does she?" she asked him, smiling.

"No. Mommy says it's bad for the teeth, she never buys it."

"Exactly!" she answered, feeling triumphant.

"Brooke?"

"Yes, J. Luke?"

"Why did you look sad?"

"What do you mean?"

"When you were talking on the phone, you looked sad."

Damn it, Brooke thought. When did this kid get so smart?

She kneeled down in front of him and tugged on his shirt. "I wasn't sad, Jamie."

"Yes you were."

Okay. She was changing her approach.

"You really want to know?"Jamie nodded. "It's gotta to stay a secret, though. It's between you and me, okay buddy?"

He put his hand on his heart. "I swear, Brooke Davis."

She smiled. He made her heart melt every time

"The reason I was sad is because Uncle Lucas got married with Peyton yesterday, and they're going to come home tonight, and soon they're going to start a family, just like your mom and dad. And do you know what I want more than anything else?"

He shook his head no.

"I want a family, too. I want it really bad, and I'm just sad that everybody has it but me."

Jamie looked at her for a few seconds, and then he stepped in and hugged Brooke with his small arms. "You have me," he said, breaking Brooke's heart.

"I know, buddy", she said, holding back her tears. She pulled back. "And I love you, you know that?"

"I love you too B. Davis," he said, and she couldn't help but laugh.

"Alright," she said, getting up. "What do you say we finish shopping for Uncle Lucas' wedding party?"

"Yeah!" Jamie jumped up and down in the aisle while pushing his cart eagerly, and Brooke wished she could feel as excited as him.

It was going to be a long day.

--

If any of you are interested, the song of the Bellagio water show in Vegas that I was referring to is called "Con Te Partiro (Time to Say Goodbye)". You can watch the whole thing on youtube by typing "bellagio water show time to say goodbye".

--

othfan326: don't worry, I won't have Lucas and Peyton married (simply because my shipper heart just wouldn't take it). That being said, they might do other stuff. You'll see what I mean when I post the chapter ;-) Thanks for your lovely review.

evergloweyes: thanks so much for your long review. I might take you up on your beta offer one of these days :-) Anyhow, I know that there were so scenes of Peyton or Lucas checking in on Brooke, but in Peyton's defense, she didn't know Angie was gone. Plus, I'm trying to portray their friendship in a certain light (because I think Peyton has not really been a good friend to Brooke – only when it worked out for her, too), so I don't want them too close (yet). As for Lucas, he would definitely called her if they hadn't gotten back from Vegas so soon.