Lucas moaned as he slowly managed to trudge from the bathroom…yet again. He had heard of Montezuma's Revenge but that illness had always been attributed to Mexico. Somehow it had managed to travel to the Caribbean. For almost two weeks he and Caylan had been living it up and enjoying their fun in the sun vacation before returning to real life. And on the next to the last day he had come down with a terrible bug. With a raging fever, weakness, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, what was supposed to be the couple's final romantic hours on the island had turned into a bit of a nightmare.

"You okay, honey?" she asked, sitting up in bed.

"I don't know. I still feel pretty crappy, babe, no pun intended."

She gave him a small smile as she rubbed his back.

"I'm sorry you're so sick."

"Me too."

"Want me to get you some more of that soup?"

"I'm okay."

"Well here," she handed him a pack of crackers. "Nibble on these. They'll help settle your stomach. Besides, you need to eat something and this seems to be the only thing staying down."

"Thanks."

"Come here," she fluffed his pillow. "Is that better?"

Lucas couldn't help but chuckle.

"Actually it is."

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing it's just that you have done such a great job taking care of me. It's really sweet and I appreciate that. I'm sorry I ruined what's left of our vacation but I'm glad you're here with me."

"I wished you felt better."

"Me too," he sighed. "I had a lot of cool last minute stuff I wanted us to do these last days. Snorkeling, swimming with the dolphins, deep sea diving, shopping…"

"Shopping?"

The entire trip had been one non stop shopping spree but Caylan never tired of spending money.

"Yeah. I'll make it up to you when we get back to the States."

"Are there lots of places to shop in Tree Hill?" she asked, snuggling in his arms.

"Some. There's a mall in midtown and a few shopping centers but you'll love downtown. You can just park in the big garage and walk around. There are all these shops on every little corner. My mom has her café down there. There are a lot of bars and places to eat and it's really beautiful down by the river and the docks. I think you'll like it."

"Sounds…small."

"It's not too big, not too small."

"Well, I grew up in a small town with a big old corn field down the road in middle of nowhere South Dakota. I hated it. I didn't really feel free, not until I moved to New York. The first time I stood in the middle of Times Square and just looked at everything…I knew I was in the best city in the world. I knew I was home."

"I love the city too. Sometimes it's just nice to get away and take a breather. Tree Hill is the perfect place for that. Like I said, I think you'll like it."

She shrugged.

"Ill be with you, right?"

"Of course."

"Then I know I'll love it."

"We can do lots of cool stuff. One thing I really miss is going camping with Keith."

"Camping?" she wrinkled her nose.

"Ever been?"

"No and hadn't really planned on it. No bathroom or TV and all those bugs. Sorry baby, not my thing. Besides, what happens at night with all that wildlife running around? I'm afraid of lions and tigers and bears."

Lucas chuckled.

"I'll protect you, Cay. But just for the record there aren't any lions and tigers in Tree Hill."

"What about the bears?"

"That I don't know. We'll just have to find out. I just can't wait for you to meet everyone."

"What about Peyton?"

"She'll be there. You'll meet her too. It'll be fine."

Caylan looked around in the darkness.

"You were really in love with her, weren't you?"

"At one time but we're over now. I already told you not to worry about that."

"I can't help it, Luke."

"Why?"

"Because she was your wife and you were with her for a really long time and you loved her and your friends loved her and your family loved her. Now all of a sudden I'm the new chick. What if they don't like me? What if they don't accept me?"

"It might take time for some of them but eventually everyone will come around."

"I want them to like me. I know it's not supposed to matter what other people think but sometimes it does. I just want to be good enough."

"Caylan…"

"I love you, Lucas. I really mean that. I love you so much. I love the way you make me laugh. I love the way you hold me when we watch scary movies. I love that serious look you get on your face when you're working on a new chapter for your book. I love when you wear those flip flops under the bed right now everywhere you go. And I love how you make me feel smart and important. You treat me like a princess, Luke and I've never had that with any other guy. The ones before you…they were just boys, small town boys going nowhere. But not you. You're a man. You're a handsome, intelligent, successful, sophisticated man. I want to be with you. I love being with you."

"I love being with you, too."

"How do I know it's for real? What happens if we go to Tree Hill and your mom and your brother hate me and want you to break up with me? What if Peyton wants you back? What if you realize I'm just some model you've been passing the time with? What if you get bored?"

"Sweetheart, that is not going to happen."

"How am I supposed to know that? I'm crazy about you and I want a future together."

Lucas looked right into her ocean blue eyes. When he had met her, she had been this super confident, edgy young woman. Now in his arms, he was seeing a more vulnerable side of her. And he loved it. She loved and needed him more than anything and for that one moment, Lucas Scott wanted nothing more than to take care of her.

"When I was growing up, it was just me and my mom. She used to work a lot to keep the café going. I spent a lot of time at the shop with Keith. And Haley was my best friend so she was always at the house. Then I had Mouth, Jimmy, Ferg, Junk and Skills at the River Court. We didn't have a lot of money and I wasn't that popular but I felt like my life was so rich because I had so many good people in it. But a piece of me was missing."

"What piece?"

"I didn't have a dad," he replied. "That bothered me for the longest time. It hurt. I saw how hard it was on Mom and it just seemed so damned unfair. At an early age, I wanted to settle down. I knew when I was still young I wanted a wife and kids and a house. I wanted to find that special woman and love her for the rest of my life. I really believed in that. I wanted to do better by my family than what Dan Scott did for us. I guess I've always believed in monogamy, forever love. I've never been alone and I never wanted to be. I love being in love but now maybe it's time for something more."

She craned her neck to get a better look at him.

"Like?"

"I want to be with you, Caylan. You make me so happy and you're the only woman I'm in love with. I know it's only been four months but it has been an amazing four months. We've had a lot of fun, a lot of good times, a lot of laughs but it has been more than that for me. A whole lot more. Every single time I really needed you, whenever it counted, you've been there. And right now with me sick, you've taken good care of me the whole time. I just want to say thank you for that, for everything. For putting the smile back on my face and helping me find peace again. You have no idea how wonderful it makes me feel knowing I get to wake up next to you every day. My marriage to Peyton failed because we got so comfortable and were in love with love but I don't want that anymore. I want to be in love with the person inside and that's you."

He gently stroked her cheek.

"When I first came to New York, I met this guy at this restaurant. Really nice, clean cut older guy, said he was a photographer and that I was so pretty I needed to be in pictures. The compliments really flattered me and built my confidence and I needed the money so I agreed to pose for him. I did it a few times and we ended up hanging out. He was really sweet and seemed to be into me. I had started to fall for him but he ended up dumping me for another model. After he promised me the world and told me he loved me, he left me just like that. It really hurt and I don't want to go through that again."

"You don't ever have to worry about that, not with me."

"Lucas…"

"What can I do, Cay? Babe, please tell me. Whatever it takes to put your heart and mind at ease, I will do it."

"Marry me," she whispered.

"What?" he laughed out loud.

"I'm being serious. I want you to marry me."

"Caylan, my divorce isn't even final."

"But it will be soon, right?"

"Yeah but…"

"Do you love me?"

"Of course. With all my heart."

"Look in my eyes," she instructed. "Am I enough for you? Do you think you could love me forever?"

He did as he was told. God, her eyes were beautiful. She just wanted to be loved and that's all he had ever wanted. Someone to spend forever with. He once thought he had found that with Brooke Davis. Then he had made vows to have that with Peyton. Maybe the third time would be a charm. Maybe, only if he dared to give his heart completely again.

"I want to be the man for you, Caylan Hughes. Yes, I could love you forever."

"Then marry me, Lucas. I want to be your wife. Make it permanent. Let's make it official."

"I do want to be with you but you understand I can't marry you right away."

"I know. We don't have to do it like right now. I could totally wait...for a little while."

"You're young. You do understand this is a huge commitment?"

"The biggest. That's what I want. I'm ready, Luke."

He laughed out loud. Lately he hadn't been himself and Caylan seemed to have that effect on him. With her he didn't have to be the sensible, responsible, straight laced, do gooder writer. With Caylan he could be spontaneous and more care free than he had ever been in his life. He loved that free, spur of the moment feeling. Logically and realistically speaking, it wasn't the most practical move to propose to his young girlfriend of only four months while still legally wed to his wife but at the moment, it just felt right.

"I can't ask you here in my pajamas with bed head, with my stomach still doing flip flops and Pepto Bismol breath."

Caylan giggled.

"Yes you can. You can ask me anywhere, anywhere in the world and I'd still say yes. I love you that much."

"But I don't have a ring."

"So we could buy one later, right?"

"Sure…"

"Like tomorrow or the next day or whenever you're feeling better? Before we go to Tree Hill?"

"Yeah. Um…"

"And I could pick it out?"

"If you'd like."

"I could design my diamond even."

"Sure," he winced as he felt the all too familiar rumbling deep within the pits of his stomach.

"Oh it's gonna be so wonderful. We can have a huge wedding and I can wear a designer gown and we can honeymoon in Europe. Oh babe, I can't wait! Hurry up and ask me like right now, Lucas! Lucas? Lucas!"

But it was too late. He was already gone and a few seconds later, based on the retching sounds, she knew why. But it didn't matter, she grinned as she stared at her bare left hand. One day soon she was going to be the new Mrs. Lucas Eugene Scott. Sooner or later, she always got her man.