AUTHORS NOTE: FIrST OF ALL LET ME APOLOGIZE FOR THAT LOVELY MISHAP I HAD IN THE SECOND CHAPTER! It did say Lucas' name when it was supposed to say Nathan's! I have 2 other storys that are centered around Lucas and Peyton so I guess I was still in that writing mode! To those of you who read it before I changed it and were confused by it... Peyton does not know Lucas... she just met Lucas. She is however dating Nathan and that's who she was picturing! I guess thats what I get for trying to finish up a chapter when I'm half asleep! My apologies! I did fix it if you want to go back and check it out so that it makes more sense to you!

Anyways ON WITH THE SHOW!

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I left the station about an hour after I got there. They got my statement and the stuff that they needed from me and then I left. I didn't want to stick around any longer than I had to. I had called Brooke while I was there to see if she could come pick me up... She happily obliged and showed up in no more than 10 minutes.

When she walked in her face was red and puffy. I could tell she had been crying and I knew exactly why. She ran up to me and wrapped her arms tightly around my neck and sobbed. I wrapped my arms around her and began to let my tears fall.

We stayed like that for a while before we both eventually pulled away. I looked at her tear stained face and couldn't help but smile at the thought that she had actually been looking for me and to know that I was okay overwhelmed her like this. Being locked up like I was gave me more time to think about stupid stuff I didn't need to be thinking of. Like if anyone was actually looking for me and if anyone actually cared. I was stupid to think she wouldn't be looking for me. But what about Nathan... I had to ask.

"Where's Nathan?"

She looked at me and I noticed a sly smile appear on her face as she looked towards the door. I turned my head to look as I saw that famous grin all over his face. I immediately broke down at the sight of him. He looked just as I thought he would. He hadn't changed and that was the best part. I ran up to him and jumped into his arms. I hugged him with everything I had as I let the tears slowly fall down my face. I buried my head into the crook of his necked and whispered "I love you". He gently put me back down and kissed me lightly on my lips and told me he loved me to. At that very moment I knew everything would be okay.

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I was sitting over at Brookes house with Nathan just watching tv. I was trying to get back to normal I guess you could say. As soon as I got there I immediately went to her closet and changed into some real clothes... well what Brooke calls real clothes that is. She was a little bit fancier than I was. Her tops were always low cut and extremely tight while mine were nothing but concert t's and tanks. And her pants... well lets just say if I breathed deeply they would rip. They were sooo tight. I would have preferred themto have been a little looser but I really can't complain. This was the first time I had been in actual clothes in 2 months. Who was I to bitch about it.

After about an hour of just laying there cuddled up to Nathan I could feel myself beginning to fall asleep. I sat up just enough so that I was looking at Nathan. I don't really know why I did it, but it was just so good to be able to see him again. I just wanted to stare at him. I guess he could feel me watching him b/c he turned his head to look at me and smiled. "I missed you to". I couldn't help but smile and feel my body go weak. Every time he smiled at me it was like I was a little middle school girl again. I smiled to myself as I remembered the first time I met him.

FLASHBACK

It was my first day of seventh grade and my dad was dropping me off at school. He told me goodbye and he loved me and would see me soon enough. I turned away from him without saying a word. He was leaving today to go out on his boat. Ever since my mom died this summer he had been leaving all the time to go on a boat. He left me here to stay with Brooke each time. He never told me he missed me when he came back and he never stayed back longer than a week. I was growing accustomed to it as I knew he wasn't going to stop anytime soon, if at all.

I walked towards my first class to meet Brooke. I was lucky to have her. She stuck by my side through everything. As soon as she found out that my mom had died she was right there by my side telling me everything would be okay.

As I was walking to meet her this boy caught my attention. He was pretty tall to be a seventh grader so I just thought he was on the wrong hall. I went to walk past him and as I did he grabbed my arm and spun me around. I gave him this crazy look and he flashed me the cutest smile I had ever seen. It was one that would make your heart melt. I wasn't really sure why he had grabbed me and was still holding on to my arm. I looked down at it as to say... "Why are you still holding my arm". He must have caught on because he quickly let go.

"Do you know where... Mrs. Tomberlin's class is." I looked at him for a second before looking down at my paper. It too said Mrs. Tomberlin. I looked back up at him and smiled. "Yea... follow me." I started walking down the hall to find my class. I knew Brooke would be standing outside of it waiting for me... otherwise I wouldn't have known where I was going either. He ran up to me so that he was walking beside me. He again flashed me that "melt your heart" smile and I couldn't help but return the gesture. "So how long have you lived here" He asked me. I stared down the hallway before answering his question. "I've lived here all my life. How long have you lived here? I don't think I've seen you before." "Oh... I just moved here with my mom. Her and my dad just split so she moved us here. I think she said that she lived here before and it would be a good place for me to grow up. Plus it has one of the best highschool teams around." I looked at him oddly. "Oh... you play basketball?" "Yea... I love it." He must have noticed the look I was giving him because he turned his face towards the ground and kept walking. "I take it you don't like basketball?" "I never said that. I should have figured you would play considering how tall you are." I was hoping this would lighten the mood and it did just that. "Yea... but height has nothing to do with it... It's all... about... the... jump shot" I giggled at the impression he was doing. He had his right hand in the air with the left one just underneath it and I think he was trying to jump without actually doing it but I don't think it turned out to be what he wanted. He just turned to me and laughed at what he had just done as I laughed along with him.

I heard Brooke yell my name as I turned to look down the hallway... and there she was in all her glory.

"What took you so long goldilocks? I've been standing here for like... ever" She always was impatient

"I had to show..." I had to stop... I realized I didn't know his name.

"Nathan... Nathan Roe" I flashed him a small smile before turning back to Brooke.

"Well Nathan... you are mighty cute... what are you doing over there with goldilocks?" She was always the go getter when it came to guys... I on the other hand, was not. I was more into my art and music. I didn't really have time to obsess over boys... Okay so maybe I do, I'd just rather not.

"Goldilocks?" He laughed at my nickname. I couldn't say I blamed him... It was kinda goofy

"Yea... Brooke seems to think everyone needs a nickname."

"I like it" He again flashed that smile at me. I didn't know what it was about him that made me so giddy, but he did. "So what's my nick name then, Brooke" She sat there in silence for a second before grinning. "Well. You are very tall, and hot, and have gorgeous blue eyes... sooo... BLUE! That's it" He looked at me oddly and I just shrugged my shoulders. "You better grow to love it, because with her, you're not Nathan." He laughed as I joined in.

This year wasn't going to be so bad after all.

END FLASHBACK

That was what I missed most. His "melt your heart smile". No matter how bad a day I was having he would just smile and it was like everything was okay again. I loved that about him. It was one of those things I couldn't get enough of. Of course Brooke was always there to ruin a moment. "So goldilocks... What's it feel like to be home?" For the first time in my life... I was speechless.

I hadn't actually sat down and realized that I was free. Sure I was with Nathan and Brooke, but... was I really home? I knew that I was happy to be out of that place and free from them, but... Something still didn't seem right now that I actually though about it. Of course I couldn't tell her that.

"It feels wonderful" I flashed her my fake smile knowing she wouldn't be able to tell the difference. She never could. The sad thing was... My own boyfriend couldn't either.

"Glad to here it. So what do you want to do tomorrow"

"Nothing... I just want to go home, and try and get back to reality. School is gonna be tough but hey... I only have the rest of this year and I'm done" I knew as soon as I said that last comment about school she'd drop the subject of me being back. I was right.

"Oh my god you are sooo right. I can't wait to get out of there and move to New York and work for this fabulous magazine called Vogue... Uh... It's gonna be great" Just like I thought she dropped it.

"Well... I think I'm gonna head out" Nathan gave me a sad smile as soon as I said it.

"I don't want you to go"

"I'm sorry Nate... but I just wanna get home... to my bed, and my room, and my stuff. I miss it"

"I understand, but I'm still gonna miss you" He gave me a kiss as I that horrible nightmare flashed before my eyes.

FLASHBACK

His kiss was forceful and his lips were rough. I tried my best to get away but his grip was to tight. He was holding me by my arms and had me pressed up against the cold brick wall. The concrete was like cold needles in my back. Every time I moved he just pushed me harder up against it. When he finally pulled back I tried to scream for help, but he was quick to slap me to shut me up. I closed my eyes and moved my head to the brick wall. I began to feel my eyes burn with tears but I wouldn't let them fall. If I did he would know he had the power.

He pulled me away from the wall only to move me up against the other side. He yelled for one of his friends to come back there as he turned his hungry gaze towards me.

"This must be your lucky night" He gave me this evil grin and I again closed my eyes. I knew what was gonna happen but I was still trying my best to fight it. I knew I had no chance when his friend showed up

"Well... well... well.. What do we have here? What do you have for me?" His friend let me go and I took this as a chance to get away. I ran past him and pushed past his friend and made my way towards the front of the building. I thought I had gotten away but another guy stopped me.

"Now where do you think you're going?" He grabbed me by my arm as he twisted it behind my back and began walking towards where I had just left. The tears that were burning my eyes began to fall as I couldn't control it any longer.

"Hey guys... I think I found this one trying to escape." He threw me towards them as they threw me up against the wall. "Now you didn't think you could get away that easily did you." I begged for them to let me go and told them I wouldn't tell, but they were having no part of that. They were keeping me and that was it. I had no chance.

END FLASHBACK

I quickly pulled away from Nathan as I let a tear cascade from my eye. I couldn't understand why this happend now and not earlier. He kissed me when I first saw him and nothing like this happend. I was happy. How could this happen now?

He looked at me oddly and wiped away my tear. "What's wrong baby?" I kept my head down and quickly stood up. "I have to go" I ran out of Brookes room and made to her front door as quickly as I could. Thank god she didn't live that far from my house.

I made my way out her front door and ran as fast as I could towards my house. I heard Nathan yelling after me and that only made me speed up. I made it to my front door and quickly searched for the key. I reached to the top of the door frame as I heard his footsteps get closer. I finally grabbed hold of the key and put it in the lock. I heard it click as I pushed the door open. He ran up the steps onto my porch as I slammed the door shut and locked it.

He banged on the door and screamed my name but I refused to answer. I put my back against the door and slid down it as I began to sob. I pulled my knees up to my chest and buried my head in my knees. Who knew getting back to normal would be so hard?

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There it is! I checked over it this time to make sure I didn't have any names in the wrong places! LOL! Hope you like it!

LOVE SHELL