She shifted in bed, caught in between consciousness and a fitful slumber. She moaned out loud, still very much afraid. Then she heard the footsteps come closer towards her. She couldn't see anyone but she heard the voice and the applause.

"Congratulations, Sawyer, you did it."

It was her. She was always with her, apart of her very being and subconscious. She had always been by Peyton's side, especially in times of need when life was at its hardest. Whether she liked it or not, she had her very own dark angel.

"Didn't think you'd pull through, Blondie but congratulations are in order."

Peyton struggled to speak but could not.

"It's okay, kid. Looks like you win double on this one…you survive and you get rid of me. That's right. You won't be seeing me around because you don't need me anymore. You kept your promise. You were stronger than you thought you could be and you did what you had to do so I guess this is good bye. Oh, I've got a message for you…Anna and Ellie say they're real proud of you. I guess I am too…"

Peyton struggled to answer.

"But…"

"No buts. It's gonna be okay. All you have to do is open your eyes…"

Peyton turned her head and winced, every inch of her body aching. She could smell the sterility and see all the white walls and its high tech equipment. Immediately she knew she was in the hospital. Hospitals were usually her least favorite place. She'd had a lot of bad experiences in them but for once she could only be grateful. It was a much obliged upgrade from where she had been the last month and a half. It had been an ordeal, perhaps the worst ordeal of her life and now it was finally over.

"Baby?"

In the chair next to her bed, was her father. Removing the blanket and rubbing his tired eyes, he slid over next to her.

"Dad…"

She struggled to sit up, the words trying to escape her throat even though it was sore and dry.

"You're awake. You opened your eyes. It's okay, baby. I missed you so much but Daddy's here now and everything is going to fine."

"Daddy…"

"You look so beautiful, Peyt. I'm so glad to see you."

"But…"

"Do you know where you are?"

"Hospital…Tree Hill…"

"You're in the hospital but we're not in Tree Hill, baby. We're still in Knoxville."

Knoxville. The memories of the last 24 hours began rushing back. Peyton recalled leaving the house. She remembered the long car ride. Derek had been there. And then they had stopped in Knoxville. The store, the bathroom, the little girl, the awful night that followed and then the morning. It had happened all so fast that it felt surreal. The break in, the break out, the struggle. There had been a gun, a gunshot and then it all went blank.

"What happened?" she anxiously asked, sitting straight up, swatting at the various tubes and IVs placed inside her.

"Shhhh. Just calm down, Peyt. No need to get upset, baby."

"Dad, please tell me. I, I don't remember. Derek was holding me and the next thing I know, Lucas charges him and I fell."

Larry bit his lip. It had been surreal for him as well.

"Derek's a very disturbed young man…"

"I didn't run away. That night before California, he, he came to the house. He was being weird but I thought he just wanted to say good bye. He, he took me, Dad. Derek just kidnapped me and held me in this little house and said we were gonna be together forever."

"Don't get so excited. You're safe here. You're with me now. I know Derek did all those awful things to you but he can't hurt you anymore. I promise."

"Where, where is he?"

Larry looked away, uncomfortable. She was demanding answers and he couldn't much blame her. He also knew she wouldn't stop until he told her the truth. She was still fragile from her ordeal, her body still bruised and battered. She needed to rest and take it easy. The last thing he wanted was to upset her.

"Peyt…"

"Is he in jail?"

He took a deep and sorrowful breath.

"There was a gunshot…"

"I, I know."

"Peyton, Derek isn't in jail. He…he's dead, baby."

She closed her eyes. A tragic end. The man who had physically, psychologically, emotionally, mentally, verbally and sexually tortured her for weeks was dead from a wound by his own hand. Peyton closed her eyes. It was so damned unfair, all of it. Why? Why had he done the things he did?

"Are, are you sure?"

He nodded.

"I guess it was all too much for you. You collapsed and blacked out in my arms just before."

She swallowed hard.

"How is Lucas?"

Larry tried to find the words.

"Peyton…"

"It's all my fault," she whispered.

"What?"

"Lucas had to save me…again. He fought with Derek and he shot and killed him trying to protect me. How, how is he gonna live with that?"

Larry reached for his daughter's hand, putting it carefully inside his larger one.

"There, there's something I have to tell you, Peyt."

She looked deep in her father's eyes. There were tears welling inside them. He looked distraught. In fact, she hadn't seen him look like that since the day her first mom had died.

"What happened?"

"There was a fight," he began. "Derek was out of control. He had already hurt Nathan and he had a gun to your head and he shot in the air. As, as you know, Lucas tackled him. I was able to get you and Nate out of the way."

"Is Nathan okay?" she asked in a small voice.

"Other than a nasty bruise on the said of his head, he's just fine."

"Thank God," she sighed with relief. "What about Lucas? Why isn't he here?"

She knew something was wrong. He had rescued her again. His love and determination had found her. Even when Jimmy Edwards had shot her and she had been hospitalized, when she woke up from the surgery that removed bullet fragments from her leg, his beautiful, sleeping face was the first thing she saw.

"Lucas wrestled Derek for the gun. Police came on the scene and there was a shot. Lucas was…Lucas, was, uh hit in the stomach."

Peyton's eyes widened.

"No! But you said Derek…"

"The gun went off and Derek shot Lucas. When Luke hit the ground I guess Derek must have realized it was all over. He, um…he, he pointed the gun at you. Lucas was wounded pretty bad but he saw you blacked out and he managed to get up somehow and get over to where we were. He, he covered your body with his own. I remember screaming. It felt like it was happening in slow motion. I don't know what was going through Derek's mind then. The cops told him to drop his weapon and put his hands up. Instead he…he put the gun to his temple and fired."

"No," Peyton began to whimper.

"I'm sorry, honey."

Another boy. Another fucked up boy with once good intentions who had started out just needing people to love him, to pay attention to him, had shot someone else, then himself. It was shades of Jimmy Edwards all over again but worse.

"He's dead?" she cried.

Larry nodded, his own bottom lip beginning to quiver.

"He's dead. Derek's dead."

"He said, um…Derek told me once he would never surrender. That before it was over, he'd kill me then himself."

"Peyton…"

"Oh my God…"

"Peyt, try not to get too upset. The doctors say it isn't good for you."

"Lucas!" she suddenly blurted.

So much had happened and the shock and horror of Derek's suicide had preoccupied her but there was more to the surgery. Once again her hero had saved her but this time, with a potentially fatal price.

"Baby, just listen to me…"

"No! Where is he? How is he? Is he here? I want to see him, Dad!" she shouted, getting up and swinging her legs over the side of the bed. "I want to see Lucas!"

Gently, he grabbed his daughter's arms, easing her back into bed with Peyton fighting him all the way.

"Peyton, I'm sorry you can't…"

She felt her heart flutter like something wasn't right. It was the exact feeling she got right before Derek kidnapped her at the house, the same feeling she felt when she walked into Ellie's house, right before finding her dead.

"No," she shook her head, pushing her father away. "Not Lucas. No."

"Peyton…"

"Is he…"

She couldn't bring herself to say it.

"No, he's not. Lucas isn't dead."

Peyton closed her eyes and began to sob with relief.

"Where is he? Is he gonna be okay?"

"He's up stairs in the Intensive Care Unit. He had surgery to remove the bullet. They had to take out a small piece of one of his intestines."

"Oh God," she wept. "That sounds so bad. Is he gonna be okay?"

"They have his condition listed as serious but stable. They have to keep extra watch on him because of his heart condition."

"Lucas," she called out.

"It's okay, honey."

"No, it's not. It's not, Dad. This is all my fault. Lucas got hurt because of me."

"It's not your fault, Peyt. Nothing that happened to you was your fault. Those were Derek's decisions and they were wrong. He did a terrible thing and at any time, he could have, he should have stopped and made it right and let you go. I am so sorry it came down to this. Another young life is lost, Nathan and Lucas got hurt, you went through God knows what. But nobody blames you, baby. Certainly not Lucas. That kid is a hell of a man and his love for you…well, I can't even describe it. Not a single moment went by when you were gone that he didn't think of you or do something to try to find you. He did everything in his power and all that ever mattered to him was saving you. We have to hope for the best and think positive but no matter what, Lucas did what he did for you and I know he has no regrets about that."

"I want to see him. I have to see him…"

"I know you do but not now. Your doctors don't think it's a good idea and neither do his. He still hasn't woken up and there is limited visitation for now."

"But…"

"I'll speak to the nurse or someone. I'll see when you can see him, even if only for a little while, okay?"

She nodded and wiped her eyes. It wasn't okay but she didn't have much of a choice. Too much had happened. Her ordeal and the dramatic rescue that followed had been enough. Now Lucas was lying in a hospital bed unconscious after a critical operation. The fact that he had risked himself for her was nothing short of amazing but her father's revelations for the reason why was beyond incredible. She was safe and away from Derek. She had prayed to God so many times that if He would just make that so, she'd never ask for anything again. But she was going to have to renig and she had a feeling God would understand. She had just one more favor to ask.