A/N: Thanks for the reviews that I've gotten already! I'm glad some people are liking it :)

Peyton just stared at him...not knowing what to say. There was no way around it..she would have to tell him everything..why her and Brooke were arguing..which would lead to her feelings about him...what if she just left?...she could..but her feet didn't seem to be moving. She couldn't leave him when he was standing there staring at her. There was just something about those eyes that made her stay rooted to the spot. The way he was looking at her...it reminded her of that day in the library. Where they had been sneaking around the book shelves. The way he was looking at her when he said he 'had to be with her'...it made her heart leap and her hands shake. And everytime she looked at Lucas lately..she wanted him to look at her like that again. He heart ached day and night for him to give her that look..because of how it made her feel. And he did..once. It took her getting shot and almost dying in the school for him to look at her like that again. It was because of that..and well severe loss of blood, of course...that she had kissed him. It was that look...it made her weak...and it made her love him even more.

And he was doing it now- that look. And her resistance to him was buckling. The need to run away from him was slowly ebbing away from her brain...and her heart was taking over. The part of her heart that wanted to have him so badly. Should she tell him how she felt about him? Should she just do it? What did she have to loose? She opened her mouth to say something...to tell him everything..when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned in the door, her bag swinging and hitting her leg. It was Brooke. Peyton's eyes met hers, but she looked down quickly at the look disgust that graced Brooke's appearances. She reached the doorstep. "Don't look so hopeful. I'm just here to get my..." but she stopped talking when she saw who was in the house behind Peyton. Her face twisted slightly. "Well that didn't take long, did it? For you and Lucas to..do whatever it is you two do. We didn't wait long, did we Peyton?" Brooke asked as she pushed past her into the house, to come face to face with a surprised Lucas.

"B-Brooke..what are you-"

"Save it, Lucas, okay? I get it...where your allegiance really lies."

"Brooke.." he replied. "I came over here looking for you..."

She snorted. "Well you didn't leave when I wasn't here, did you?"

"She was upset..I just wanted to make sure she was alright."

"Right..gotta take care of the Precious Peyton first. We're always saving Peyton..." she continued as she made her way up the stairs to Peyton's room, with Lucas at her heels. "Always there to comfort Peyton..run into a school and risk getting shot to save Peyton..."

"Brooke. Just stop."

Brooke stopped walking and stood her ground in front of him. "After what I told you...after everything that just happened at the reception...I come back and you with her! What am I suppossed to think?" she practically yelled at him.

"I am not justifying what I do for Peyton with you again! I'm not going to keep having this argument Brooke. We can't have a relationship when you're so set on thinking that I should be with Peyton instead of you!"

"Because that's what I see, Lucas."

Lucas sighed. "Then I don't want to be with you anymore."

Lucas braced himself for an onslaught..maybe even a slap. But none came. She just looked at him.

"You know that I love you, Brooke..but I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want to keep assuring you that you can trust me..because you already should. And as much as it does break my heart to be doing this..I can't be in a relationship with someone who isn't going to trust me..who fights against us. So I'm done..unless you can change it..and start trusting me."

Brooke tucked a piece of her brown hair behind her ear as she exhaled slowly. "You're right, Lucas."

Lucas' mouth dropped open a little. "What?"

"I don't trust you...I know that she's there- in your heart- Lucas..and that's why I can't be with you either. I love you, so much," she continued as her eyes began to fill with tears. "And I was going to keep fighting for us...but..we're through. We really are. I give up." Her eyes turned from him as she grabbed the pile of clothes she had left without. She peered out the window for a moment. "She's getting away..Lucas."

Brooke turned back to Lucas, who was still in shock over Brooke's words. "But if you would just tell me...that there's nothing there between the two of you..that you feel nothing when you look at her...that you don't keep rescuing her for anything other than friendship...then I would, Lucas. I would trust you..and we could be done with this conversation for the last time. So make a choice, Lucas. Tell me that...tell me that you can't live without me..and you can live without Peyton..justify what we have...or go stop Peyton from leaving."

Lucas walked over to the window himself to stand next to Brooke. He watched as Peyton turned the ignition in the car, and he heard the engine come to life through the open window. Her shoulders shook, giving Lucas the sign that she was sobbing. She hit the steering wheel in anger and Lucas flinched as she rougly wiped away her tears.
His eyes then went to the girl at his side...he loved her, he did...but..why did he feel like their relationship was going nowhere? Why was he doubting them? Ever since the shooting in the school...as he had sat there and watched the life seep out of Peyton..as she told him of her love for him...as she kissed him...he felt like him and Brooke...meant less to him. Something had happened to him that day...and more and more of his thoughts had turned towards Peyton daily. But why? When he loved Brooke..why was he thinking about other things?

Peyton moved the stick of her car from park to drive. Brooke looked at him expectantly.

Now what?