"Peyton…"

He couldn't believe it. It had to be a figment of his imagination. It was a scene right out of his dreams. There she was, in the flesh, standing in front of him, looking beautiful and healthy as ever. And she even had a smile on her face like she might just be the happiest bit to see him. That scene had surpassed anything in his wildest dreams, he thought as he blinked. But when his eyes opened, there she was. Still there. Still beautiful. Still smiling.

"Lucas…"

Karen couldn't contain her own smile.

"I have to get back to my customers," she said with a knowing wink. "I'll be inside if you need me."

But neither had heard a word she said, nor had they noticed she had gone back inside.

"What, what are you doing here?" he asked, still in disbelief.

"I, um, I got out. Dr. Pelsinger released me this morning."

"So you're okay?"

"I'm better," she answered. "A few weeks ago, I was a very sick person, heading down a very dangerous road. I needed help, I was just too far in to realize, to afraid to ask for it. Denial is a bitch."

"But now?"

"I broke down, Lucas. I let go of everything and just decided to face it head on. I wanted my life back. The people at that hospital helped me do that. I, I feel like a different person. It's like the old Peyton is back, only this time smarter, healthier, stronger and more in control. I'm also happier."

"Oh Peyton, that's great," he said. "I mean that. You don't know how good it is to hear to that."

"You don't know how good it feels to say it and really mean it this time. I mean, I know I still have a long way to go and it won't be easy. I start outpatient therapy next week and I know there is a lot more to deal with but I'm ready."

"That's good."

She closed her eyes, trying to find the courage and the words to express what she wanted to say next. It had to be said and she had played that moment in her head dozens of times but now that they were face to face, a pounding heart and churning stomach had her at a tragic loss of words.

"Luke, um, we need to talk," she finally just blurted out.

It was an inevitable scenario that was long over due and he knew it. He had both looked forward to it and dreaded it at the same time.

"Yeah, uh, okay. Here? Now?"

Peyton looked around. It was as good a time as any.

"Yeah, if you can. I mean, if you're busy…"

"No, it's fine."

She gave a nervous smile.

"This is kind of hard for me to say this. I really don't know where to even begin."

Lucas opened his mouth to speak but was stopped by the ringing of his cell phone. He glanced down at it, debating whether or not to answer.

"Peyton, it's Nate. I have to…"

"Go ahead," she nodded. "Answer it."

"What's up, dude?" he spoke into the receiver.

Peyton looked away as he continued his brief conversation with his brother. It was surreal, standing out on Front Street in the morning after everything that had happened. It brought Peyton back to another morning that hadn't happened that long ago but after the most tumultuous and unpredictable summer of her young life, somehow a few months felt like a lifetime ago. It had been just a few months before graduation.

After putting in an all nighter studying for a history final, an exhausted Peyton had detoured to Karen's Café before school for some of Tree Hill's most delicious and most potent java. Heading to her car, she had unexpectedly run into Lucas. The conversation on that street corner had been light hearted and uneventful. They had chatted briefly about the future…college and before that, the summer that was supposed to change their lives. They joked about how far they had come since their first encounter, the night she had nearly accidentally run him over. They had come a long way. They had been through a lot and they knew surely there would be more trials and tribulations to come. They had ended the meeting with a hug and the lingering feeling that, at least for a little while, everything was right with the world and whatever wasn't, would eventually work itself out. In a roundabout way, that had turned out to be true though no one could have foreseen the tragedy that had proceeded. In such a such short amount of time, everything had changed but that feeling and another one of hope, still lingered in the air.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, it's just that Nathan wants me to come to the hospital right now."

Peyton's eyes grew wide with concern.

"What's wrong? Did something happen to Haley? Is it the baby?"

"No, they're fine, thank God. It's just that Haley's labor was a lot further along than everybody thought. She's having the kid like right now. Everybody is okay but poor Nathan is kind of freaking out, he's really nervous. Anyway, he asked me to come over."

She cleared her throat, totally understanding the circumstances, but still trying to hide her disappointment.

"Okay. Um, you should go. Nathan and Haley definitely need you right now."

"Come with me, Peyton," he requested quietly.

"What?"

"This is a special moment. It's a beautiful thing. Nathan and Haley's baby is about to be born and I don't want to miss that. I know you don't either. We've been through enough sadness this summer, it's about time we had something happy to celebrate. Besides, we weren't finished with our talk. That's really important, too. I know you have things to say and so do I."

"Okay," she said, joining him as they walked over to where he was parked across the street.

They climbed in and began the short drive to the hospital. There was awkward silence at first and although neither could hardly stand it, it was Lucas who spoke up first.

"Peyt, I owe you an apology."

"What for?" she asked, surprised.

"The intervention, the ambush."

"It's okay. I needed to get help and that was never gonna happen without you guys. I'm glad you did what you did."

"I know you needed help and I'm glad you got it but still I can't help but feel guilty about how it all happened. You trusted me and I know how hard that was for you. Yeah, it might have been for the right reasons or whatever but part of me feels like I sold you out. I just wish it had been done another way."

"I get what you're saying and I appreciate it but I don't want you to feel bad about it. It needed to happen. I didn't know it at the time but you guys were saving my life."

He was relieved to hear her say that.

"I thought you would hate me forever."

"I could never hate you, Lucas," she answered quietly.

"I tried to talk to you and come see you so many times at that place but you didn't want anything to do with me."

"I was angry, Luke. I wasn't ready. I needed space to be able to deal with my issues. A part of me still needs that space…"

Space. Lucas bit his lip. It was the last thing he wanted to hear but as hard as it was, he respected it. He respected her. He loved her with everything he had and was. He wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around her at that moment and never let her go. He wanted to protect her from the world, from herself, from future harm. But he knew he couldn't. He also knew he couldn't smother her. She was much better and improving more everyday. Her health, happiness and safety was all he ever wanted anyway. Though he wanted more than anything to be allowed to travel the hard road with her, if space was what she needed, it was exactly what he was willing to give her.

"I get it, Peyton."

"You do?"

"Look, I'm proud of you. You have no idea. You are the strongest person I know. You've been through hell and back and you're still standing. That says a lot. Most people would have given up a long time ago. When I saw how bad things had gotten for you, all I wanted was to help. Now that you've gotten professional help and it's working…you have no clue how good it makes me feel to see you like this. The last thing I want to do it smother you or be in your way. So you're exactly right."

"Right about what?"

"Before when I was trying to help, when I was trying to show you how much I loved you, maybe it came off as overbearing. Maybe it did more harm than good. So this time around things are gonna be different. I'll back off. I'll give you the space you want, I promise. Whatever it takes, whatever you need me to do, I'll do it."

They arrived at their destination and he parked in the first available spot. Removing the key from the ignition, he tried to ignore that sinking feeling in his heart.

"Do you really mean that?" tears welled up in Peyton's eyes.

"Yeah, I do."

"You'd do that for me?"

"I'd do anything for you, Peyton."

"Is that what you want?" she asked.

He shook his head. He just couldn't lie to her.

"No," he chuckled sadly. "It's not what I want. But it's what you want. It's what you need so that's what I'm willing to do."

A tear slid down her cheek. All her life she had just wanted to be loved. She had needed that reassurance more than anything. She needed to know not everybody left. She needed to know she didn't drive them away when they did. She had been searching her whole life and all along, at least for the last two years, it had been right in front of her. This wonderful, loving, young man who would do anything for her…love her, protect her, even sacrifice his own happiness for hers.

"The only thing I need you to do is love me, Lucas Scott," she whispered.

"What?"

Smiling through her tears, she wiped them away with her hands.

"I really appreciate what you just said. It's the sweetest thing I've ever heard but um, that was not what I was gonna say. I was saying I need space but I don't want to be alone either. Look, relationships are two way streets. There has to be give and take. I feel like I've been taking from you this whole time. You're a great guy and a great boyfriend and I know I'm pretty lucky…damned lucky. I don't want to lose that. I don't want to lose you either. All that love and patience and understanding you've always had for me, well, I'm still gonna need it, now probably more than ever. There are things that I still have to tell you, stuff we're gonna have to talk about and work through as a couple when the time is right. It's not easy for me but it's not easy for you either. But I love you. I always have and I always will. I have been through hell and back and I put you through some of that hell. I'm sorry for that but I want to give us another shot. I want that more than anything."

He stared at her in disbelief, a huge lump forming in his throat. Surely he was dreaming and if he was, he prayed no one would ever wake him up.

"Peyton…"

She saw his own tears.

"What do you say?"

"I say you just made me the happiest man in the whole world. I love you, Peyton. I want to be with you more than anything, too."

She reached over and hugged him as they both cried softly. It felt so good.

"I could sit here forever but Nathan is waiting," she finally said after a few minutes. "We should go."

He nodded and hand in hand, they made their way into the hospital to the maternity ward. They passed by the nursery first and stopped as they saw Nathan already there. And he wasn't alone. In his arms was a tiny blue bundle. They tapped on the window glass to get his attention and the proud new father, beaming, walked over to give them a closer look.

"It's a boy," Nathan mouthed. "James Lucas Scott."

The couple peered at a beautiful, innocent pair of blue eyes that practically screamed "Scott".

"James Lucas Scott," a choked up Lucas repeated, pulling Peyton more securely in his arms.

Standing there staring at the new baby in Lucas' arms, it was like she could breathe again. Peyton Sawyer was finally back where she belonged.

"Welcome to the world," she whispered.