A/N: Sorry it's been so long. I was stuck for a loooong time and I got going again so here's a bit. Reviews and comments are always welcome:) Thanks

Peyton plopped herself back down in the driver's seat next, a large paper bag in her hands. "Who was that?" she motioned towards the phone is Lucas' hands.

"Haley," he responded, in what he hoped was a casual way.

Peyton smirked. "How's the honeymoon going?"

"Let's just say Haley seemed a bit distracted...," he replied with a chuckle. But Peyton didn't join in with the laughter. He glanced at her. He couldn't help but notice how sad she looked...how lost she seemed to be. Her eyes conveyed it. "Peyt.." he asked softly, extending a hand over to hers.

But she withdrew her hand out of his reach quickly. "Umm..I got us some drinks..some snacks..should last for a little bit, at least," she told him without meeting his eyes.

Lucas' hand still hung in the air, inches from where her hand was just a second ago. Peyton noticed the pained expression on his face and bit her lip. "You want anything?" she choked out of her tightening throat. She couldn't do this. She couldn't be in this car with him..this close to him. It was killing her..and a permanent ache seemed to have situated itself in her chest..where her heart used to be. She didn't feel anything there anymore. Her heart had been slowly broken..piece by piece over the years. By her mother dying...by her and Nathan's lack of a functioning relationship...by her father's continous absence...by Ellie's passing...and then by Lucas...over and over again. There was nothing left for anyone to claim. Which included Lucas. And she was just going to have to accept that. He hadn't responded to her question so she just thrust the bag into his lap and busied herself by starting the car and pulling out of the lot.

A half hour passed before either one of them said anything. They rode in silence, something that was unusual for them. Every other time they had been in this car, some type of music had been on. Whether it was upbeat and they were singing to it, top down, wind in their hair..or it was something that matched one of their..less happy moods, there had always been music. But Peyton had found that music had lost a sense of meaning for her. It was like with Ellie's death..she didn't believe in the power and the magic that it use to have for her. She didn't believe that songs could mean anything to her anymore...that there could be one song that defined a moment in your life, one song that captured your being..even if it was just for three minutes. Like Ellie's life, the light that music used to bring her, was extinguished.

"I'm hungry," Lucas voiced suddenly, causing Peyton to jump and jerk the wheel a bit.

"You've got a whole bag of food on your lap," she retorted back, taking a second to glance at him.

"I want some real food..like eating while not moving food.."

"Cause that's the technical term for food from a restuarant."

"Then what is the technical term for restuarant food?"

Peyton could see his cocky grin out of the corner of her eye. "Does it really matter?"

He laughed. The sound of his laughter brought a smile to her face, unvoluntarily. He noticed that is was the first time she had smiled since...well since he got back from his trip with his mother.

"And she can still smile."

It faded slightly with his words, but he had still made her smile.

"What?"

"I didn't know you're face could still handle a smile, Peyton. I haven't seen you do it in a couple of days."

She rose her eyebrows. "Yeah, well..there hasn't been much to grin about lately, Luke."

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For...whatever it is that's making you upset. I just wish you would tell me what it was so I could make it better for you. I want to make it better for you. You know that I'm here for you..and that I can help you..and I'm just sorry that you won't tell me so I can fix it."

"Lucas..."

"I'm not..forcing you to tell me what's bothering you...I'm just..confused about why you won't trust me with the truth?"

Well let's see...The truth, Lucas? You want the truth? Well the truth is I love you..and I was stupid and told your girlfriend...and then she threw a fit..and now she hates me and I know that you don't love me back..so that's why I'm upset. Yeah. The truth- it's not being shared.

Peyton put on her turn signal and got in the right lane. "Is that resturant good?" she asked, motioning her head towards a fancy looking place on the side of the road.

He frowned at the change of subject and answered with an indifferent 'Yeah' accompanied by a shrug of his shoulders.

Now in the restuarant, Peyton really wished she hadn't picked this one. Not only was it fancy, while they were underdressed...but the room of tables was complete with a dance floor and sappy love music blaring over the speakers. Peyton rolled her eyes as she looked around her, playing with the food on her plate. But she couldn't help the flash of envy that flew through her when her hazel eyes fell upon the couples on the dance floor. From young to old..they all just looked..so happy. And she hated it. Everyone else had someone else to dance with..to eat meals with. And sitting here she realized that she had never had a normal relationship like that. Her and Nathan didn't go on actual dates...her and Lucas snuck around for three days..and her and Jake never got the chance to do anything normal like this. Like eating a meal and dancing in a resturant. Would she ever have that kind of a relationship? At that moment, sitting across from the boy she knew she could never easily have..she highly doubted it.

"You wanna go dance?"

Peyton's head snapped back to him so fast that her neck cracked. She winced and put a hand up to rub it. "Excuse me?"

"Do you want to dance, Peyton? You keep looking over there to the floor.."

"I...uh..no..that wouldn't be..."

But Lucas was rising from his chair even with her protests. He extended his hand out to her. "Dance with me?"

All of her intuitions were screaming 'no' at her as she stared at his outstretched hand like it was the plague. But a small little echo of hope worked its way from her heart to the rest of her body. That small part of her that wanted Lucas to feel something for her so badly that she believed he actually did took over her heart..and won the fight against her mind.

Her hand took up his, and he led them onto the floor, amongst the dancing couples.

Next time: the dance...and will Peyton ever confess her feelings to Lucas? Thanks!