Peyton pulled up to the curb of her house. It looked so big, so dark and lonely. In a minute, she would go in and spend that last night there before everything as she knew it would change. In mere hours an airplane would whisk her away from Tree Hill and life as she knew it. It had been her last night and her last chance to tell Lucas. But he had made his feelings clear, therefore she had continued to conceal hers. It was all for the best anyway, she thought, digging out her cell phone and making a quick call.

"We miss you already!"

Peyton laughed as she rolled her eyes.

"Haley, I was at your apartment just a few hours ago. Besides, I haven't even gone anywhere yet."

"Oh. Well, we miss you anyway. You know I like to get a head start on things."

"Haley, you're a nut."

"Are you home yet?"

"Just pulled up."

"Everything okay? You sound weird."

"I, um, I'm fine."

"You sure?"

Peyton swallowed hard.

"I just came back from Lucas'."

"Shut up! What happened?"

"Nothing. We talked and said good bye. Basically I made the rounds to see everyone tonight."

"But Lucas isn't just everyone. And it is your last night. Oh, Peyton, please tell me that you told him."

"I was going to."

"And?"

"I wanted to."

"And?"

"I tried to…"

"The baby and I don't like the sound of this."

"I chickened out."

"Oh, Peyton…"

"It's for the best."

"How can you say that? You are very much in love with someone who also has strong feelings for you that very well could be romantic, but you'll never know that unless you tell him."

"Well, I didn't and I couldn't and I have a very good reason."

"Oh I'm dying to hear this one."

"He doesn't feel the same way."

"Did Sylvia Browne give you a psychic reading or something? How do you know, Peyton?"

"He told me…in so many words."

"So many words?"

"We were talking about life and love and all that stuff…"

"Yeah…"

"And he has decided being tied down in high school and always being in and wanting to be in a relationship was too much. He's going to focus on college and the future but for now, at least the summer, I have a feeling he's going to be living it up, partying and playing the field."

"And how do you feel about that?"

Peyton shrugged.

"I don't know. I mean, it's okay. I want him to be happy and besides, we'll always be friends."

"I'm sorry", Haley began to tear up.

"Oh there you go again", Peyton laughed. "Honestly, how many times can a pregnant woman cry? Dude, you're gonna run out of tear ducts."

"I feel bad. I thought it would work. I, Peyton, I just want you to be happy."

"Me too but I am happy, Haley. Seriously, don't worry about me. Everything is going to be fine. Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life and that's all I'm concentrating on right now. Sure I'll stay in touch and maybe things will be different when I get back. If so, great and if they aren't, then that's still great. I'll deal with it just like I always do. But regardless and I promise you, Haley, no matter what, I'm going to be fine. We're all going to be just fine."

"I hope so."

"Well, I just wanted to call you. I'm gonna go inside and finish getting ready for tomorrow. I'll call you within the week."

"Okay, girlie. Take care. I love you."

"Love you, too", Peyton smiled as she hung up.

And she found herself all alone again. The night definitely could have gone better. She could have been in Lucas' bed. The thought alone made her blush and giggle like a school girl as she reached over and dropped her cell back in her bag. It toppled over onto the floor of the passenger seat. Cursing, she leaned over to pick it up and gasped when she set up. She saw what appeared to be a flash of white and there was a loud banging on her window that made her scream. It was like something out of a horror movie as her heart pounded but she quickly relaxed and even managed a small smile.

"Peyton!"

"Derek, is that you?"

"Hey", he said.

He looked a little uneasy.

"You scared the shit out of me!"

"Didn't mean to."

"Where did you come from? I mean, I don't even see your car", she looked around.

Derek nervously shuffled his weight around from foot to foot.

"I walked."

Peyton frowned.

"Why would you walk?"

"Why are you asking me so many questions, Peyton?"

"Okay…sorry."

"I, I needed to see you."

"What's up?"

"You leave tomorrow."

She smiled.

"I'm really excited. I can't wait."

"I, I'm not gonna see you again…" he looked away.

"Derek, what are you talking about? It's just a few months. It's just a summer. I'll be back before you know it."

He shook his head.

"No, you won't. You're gonna like it out there, then you'll never come back. You'll forget all about me."

Where was all this coming from all of a sudden? Why was he acting that way? Peyton had never seen Derek like that. It was totally weird and so out of character.

"Derek, are you okay? I mean, is everything alright?"

"I'm fine", he said coolly.

"Well, you're being weird, even weirder than usual", she half joked, furrowing her brow.

"Did you say good bye to everyone tonight?" he asked.

"Yeah", she shrugged. "I made the rounds, you know, the usual."

"What about Lucas? Did you say good bye to him?"

Peyton let out a sigh.

"Um, yeah. I went by. We hung out for a little while and we talked."

"What did you talk about?"

"I don't know. Just stuff. Why?"

"Peyton…"

His voice seemed irritated.

"Are you sure you're okay, Derek?" she asked again.

"I'm fine, Peyton. Why do you ask?"

Suddenly an uneasy feeling enveloped over her.

"I, I don't know. You don't look so hot."

His skin glistened with sweat as his eyeballs looked like they might pop from their sockets at any given moment. Underneath his eyes, loomed large bags, puffy and almost purple in color.

"That isn't a very nice thing to say, Peyton. In fact, it's rather rude. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Dude, I didn't mean it like that. I wasn't trying to hurt your feelings or anything. I mean, I was just asking if you are like sick or something?"

"No."

"Are you drunk? High?"

There was a nervous smile on her face but the situation had become anything other than funny.

"No, Peyton."

She chewed the inside of her lip.

"Okay. Well, um, it's getting really late and I have to be up really early. Besides, I still have a lot of stuff to do. I guess I better get inside…"

She reached for her bag and draped the strap of her shoulder as she opened the car door with her left hand. In a sudden movement, Derek lunged forward and closed it quickly, startling Peyton as she was still inside.

"Peyton…"

"What are you doing?" she asked.

She tried to open the door again but it was a futile effort as his body weight pressed against it.

"Just listen to me", he began in a low voice.

"No. I don't want to listen to you. You're starting to freak me out here."

"But Peyton…"

"Derek, come on. Let me out of the car."

"I, I need to talk to you…"

"We've been talking."

"No, not like that. I mean, really talk. We have to talk, Peyton. I need you to come with me."

"Go with you where? Derek, you are scaring me and I am not going anywhere with you."

"It's me, Peyton. It's Derek. You never have to be afraid."

Standing before her was a complete stranger. His strange demeanor had turned into some sort of monster.

"Stop it."

"Peyton!"

She reached over to lock her door and grab her cell phone. Her fingers trembled as she scrolled through her address book. Derek peered in. If she was so upset, so frightened, and had to call someone, why wouldn't she at least call 911? But she wasn't dialing 911. It looked like she was trying to reach Lucas. Enraged, Derek ran to the other side of the car, furiously yanking open the passenger door before she could lock that one as well.

"Drop the phone", he demanded before she could press the send button.

The look in his eyes let her know he was dangerously serious. She whimpered as she complied with his instructions.

"Derek, what is wrong with you? Why are you doing this to me?" she pleaded.

"Just, just shut up, okay? Don't say another word and you better not scream. I mean it, Peyton."

His eyes darted about as he was contemplating his next move.

"Look, whatever it is, whatever is wrong, I, I can help you. Just calm down…"

"Were you calling Lucas?" he blurted.

"What? I…"

He reached in his pocket and pulled out an object Peyton couldn't identify until he pulled the switchblade. It happened too fast and the first few seconds were unreal as it finally registered to Peyton that the cold metal resting on her throat was indeed a knife.

"Be still, be quiet, listen to me, and you don't get hurt."

Peyton opened her mouth but no words came. Instead only tears spilled down her cheeks. She couldn't move, she couldn't speak. It wasn't happening, not to her. Not Derek. He was supposed to be her friend.

"Please…"

"Peyton, I'm not fucking around with you."

That one was obvious. It was late at night but as she looked around, there were still some lights on in the neighbors' houses. If only she could get one person's attention, just get someone to look out the window or come to the door. She only had one shot but was it worth it?

"Help me! Somebody help me! Please!"

She screamed louder than she ever had in her life. She kept yelling and yelling and it scared the hell out of Derek. All that frantic noise in the middle of the night in a quiet, usually peaceful family oriented neighborhood like that? Someone was bound to come sooner rather than later. Doing the only thing he knew how, the dreaded "plan B" of his otherwise disorganized preparation, he reached in his other pocket and pulled it out. He put it to her face and while she put up a brave and gallant fight inside the car, within seconds she began to slow and eventually, she stopped moving and crumpled in his arms. It was over.

Derek closed his eyes. Dammitt! Why had he done that? Why had she made him do that? All he wanted was to talk to her, be close to her. And she couldn't even do that. She'd even had the nerve to be afraid of him when there was nothing to fear. He didn't want to hurt her. He loved her. But she didn't love him back. No, she loved Lucas. Lucas, Lucas, Lucas. Lucas freaking Scott, that's all he had heard about since he had met Peyton. But all he needed was time alone with her to make her see how much he loved her. Once she realized that, she would come to her senses and love him, too. And then it would be alright. They belonged together. Only then, with Lucas out of the picture, could the two live happily ever after.

Closing his eyes, he removed it from her face. It was okay. It was just a dirty, oily old rag that had been doused with just enough ether to make her pass out. It didn't hurt her and soon she would wake up nestled safely in his arms. Derek looked down at her. God, she was so beautiful in his arms, even in sleep. His long wait was finally over. Touching her soft face, he leaned down and gave her warm lips a soft peck. Everything was going to be alright, he thought as he gently eased her out of the car. With the long time object of his affection in his arms, Derek slipped unnoticed into the darkness of the night. He carefully positioned her body in the trunk of his old beater Chevy Caprice before going back to the scene of his crime of passion. He took her purse and her keys and made sure nothing looked out of the ordinary. Then he walked back around to his car and started it, driving off into the night to his secret destination. Heart thumping, he used his bare hand to wipe his face and he caught a lingering whiff of her shampoo. The scent made him groan, adding to his already growing arousal. It had stated off rocky but it was a good plan and the end result would be perfect. He loved her and finally, after two years, finally she would love him, too.