When Peyton arrived home that night she was wired with Lucas on her brain. She decided to download some Audioslave and record a podcast.

"Hey, it's Peyton. I know, it's been a while. I just got home from visiting Lucas in the hospital. For those of you who don't know, Lucas is my best friend... he's also been cast as a new role in my life, my boyfriend. He threw the winning shot at the state championships, I congradulated him and turned to leave. He called my name and as I turned back around he had this... this look in his eyes. He makes this squinty-eyed face that turns my knees into liquid, myyy godddd. I asked him once, who he wanted next to him when his dreams came true. At the time he was dating someone else and that was who he chose. But the course of events have changed - things and people. Basically he told me that um, it's me who he wants next to him. Shut up, I know I'm being all giddy and acting like a little girl, but it was so sweet. I think it was the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me. But it was uh, it was right after we made it official that there was a terrible accident. My friend Haley, she was a guest on here last year. We were promoting Friends With Benefit. She uh, she got hit by a car and she's, she's pregnant. She's fine now and the baby's safe. But uh, Lucas. He has HCM, this genetic disease that affects the heart, and he didn't take his pills the night of the big game. Lucas had called for help and as he was answering questions about Haley to the emt's he collapsed and went into cardiac arrest. He's alive and well now, I honestly don't know what I would have done had he - yeah. If you've been with me since the start, you know that Luke is always saving me. I can't even describe how good it feels to be with him. When he first woke up we just, we lied together in his tiny hospital bed. I don't know why I can open up to random people on the internet but; it's not that we're not physical, we've had our previous moments, not recently though. Note to self: edit that part out. Back to what I was saying, it's not that we're not physical we just have more than that, we always have. There's been this deep bond between us that's... really, really rare. We connect so well and I can be myself with him and I can open myself up to him. I've never, never felt this way. Well uh, I'm feeling kind of embarassed now ha ha ha, I'm gonna finish up downloading some tunes and try to sleep. Luke is released later today. So, yeah. Ha ha, okay folks - goodnight".

It felt good for Peyton to get back into her normal routine. Ever since "Derek" had entered her life, he stole a part of her and she'd been working on getting back to normal. Now seemed to be the right time to return to her nightly podcasts, everything was falling into it's place. She wasn't the least bit tired but had the mentality of "the sooner I fall asleep, the sooner I can see Luke". Peyton minimized Limewire and turned the computer screen off. She threw her jeans on the floor and slipped on a pair of shorts, leaving her "save the tatas" shirt on. In that moment she thought of Ellie and how happy she would be for her. She swept her hair up into bun; curls spilling out. The floor creaked as her bare feet traveled across it to her bed. Reaching into her bag sprawled out on her desk, she pulled out her sketchpad. She flipped towards the latest piece she'd drawn just hours earlier. She then dug into her side table drawer for a roll of scotch tape; she pulled the tape towards her and cut it along the jagged edge of the plastic dispenser. She repeated this three more times and neatly placed them onto the four corners of the paper. She threw the tape onto her cranberry colored comforter and lifted herself onto her toes firmly sticking the picture to the ceiling. It was the only piece of art displayed on her freshly painted red walls. Peyton turned off the lights and climbed into her queen sized bed. She turned to her side, becoming immediately relaxed due to her 300 thread count Egyption cotton sheets. All stress appeared to leak out through her pores and dissolve into the sheets, all her troubles vanished. They're some incredible sheets. As she found a comfortable position she examined the empty half of her bed, wishing Lucas was there to fill the void. She longed to smell him on the pillow, to fall asleep and wake up to his furrowed brow, his 5 o'clock shadow and those deep cerulean eyes. She took one last look at her creation; as if it were a still taken from the movie of her life and transferred onto a piece of paper. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep with a faint smile on her face.

She awoke, feeling well rested, to the smell of scrambled eggs, ham and buttered toast - the ultimate breakfast. It used to be the Saturday morning tradition in her household before her mother passed. Her stomach practically fell out her butt as she panicked, her father had checked in last week and he was on business until further notice. Someone broke into her house! And they were making her breakfast... She crept down the stairs, grabbed an umbrella from behind the coat rack and hugged the wall to the kitchen.

On three, one... two... th-

She gripped the umbrella as if it were a baseball bat and was prepared to swing. The refridgerator door was open and she recognized those pair of Nike's, size 10 1/2.

"Lucas" she sighed. Lucas' head rose above the refridgerator door and he threw his hand to his chest, causing the carton of orange juice he was holding to fall and splatter all over the tiled kitchen floor.

"!#& Peyton, are you trying to give me another heart attack? All you had to do was say 'no' if you didn't want to be together" he replied jokingly.

"OH MY GOSH, LUKE! Are you okay? Ohmygodohmygod, I'm so sorry. Is your heart okay?"

Her mind was racing with questions.

"No, no I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I smelled breakfast and my dad's not due home 'til who knows when and I thought someone had broken in and was making breakfast and oh my god I don't know"

As he bent down to wipe up the spilt pulpy, orange liquid he flashed a smile and asked "And what may I ask where you were going to...? Umbrella me to death? Beat me with it? I'd suggest a rake."

Peyton put the umbrella on the island counter, grabbed dish towel and bent down to help Lucas clean up the mess. "What are you even doing here? I'm sure your mom would like to spend some time with you".

"Oh she's fine, she's back at the Cafe. She offered me breakfast to bring over here, but I had a much better idea"

Peyton dropped her jaw and became teary-eyed due to shock and awe. She ran over to Lucas and jumped on him, wrapping her legs around his waist. She planted her soft lips against his, feeling his stubbley chin rub scratch against her smooth chin. She ran her left hand through his hair and kept her right arm wrapped around his neck.

"What was that for?" Lucas asked, taken back.

"Thank you. Everything, everything's just perfect."

Peyton held Lucas' face in her hands. "I love you."

"I love you too, Peyt." Lucas gave her a peck on the lips. "If I had known you'd 'thank me' like that over breakfast, I would have done it a longggg time ago".

She smiled and pushed into him, kissing him hard. She jumped down and pulled out a chair and started shoveling the food into her mouth. "Mmmm, this is amazing, you're a fantastic cook.".

Lucas pulled up a seat right next to her and he too began to eat, "anything for you". Peyton sneakily massaged her crimson polished toes underneath his sweatpants and up his calf. A cheshire cat grin slowly formed on Lucas' face.

"You know I was wishing to wake up to you. I was thinking more along the lines of my bed, but the kitchen's close enough."

"Now you can, we both can. And you know you're welcome over my place anytime, Peyt"

"It's perfect", Peyton said while cutting up her ham. "I couldn't get you out of my thoughts last night, not that I'd want to try. I dreamt of the day I could fall asleep and wake up to you; having your scent on the pillows and sheets. My body is aching for you Luke, I need your touch at night. I need these" she said as she hovered right above his lips, not yet touching; teasing him. Lucas placed his hand on her cheek and pulled her into a soft open mouthed kiss.

"I think I'll be needing your pair aswell" he said as he chased down his toast with a glass of milk.

"You complete me Luke. Not in the cheesy Jerry Maguire way, but you do. You make me whole. What do you say after we're done with this delicious food, help me load the dishwasher and we'll reschedule that promise I made you at the Cafe."

Lucas licking the crumbs off his lips; "I will definitely be taking you up on that offer".

©Greene 2006-2007