Caylan lay across the bed in a spoiled huff. Her mood had been sour ever since the breakfast with Haley, Brooke and Peyton. It was Lucas who had encouraged her to go and it had turned out to be a mistake. He just didn't seem to understand…no matter what she did, none of his family or friends would ever like or accept her. In their eyes she simply would never compare to the great Peyton.

She rolled her eyes at the thought. Haley had tried to be nice enough but it would never work because in the end her allegiance would always be to the friends she had grown up with. And Brooke was plain and simple, a snooty, judgmental, stuck up bitch. Then there was Peyton. The smart, wonderful, perfect Peyton worshiped by the entire population of Tree Hill, including her future in laws, which was why Caylan had sought refuge in the bedroom she shared with Lucas. When Keith and Karen were home, it was tense and awkward and she knew they were only nice to her because Lucas had told them to be. They favored Peyton over her and everyone knew it.

Caylan didn't see what the big deal was anyway. Peyton wasn't that pretty and with her flat chest and chicken like legs, it was hard to see why Lucas had ever been attracted to her in the first place. Caylan grinned as she looked over at the mirror. At least she was prettier. In fact, she was way hotter and surely even better in bed. Being married to Peyton must have been like living in one boring, miserable, darkness filled nightmare. Lucas deserved so much more and it was Caylan who had rescued him with her good looks and youthful freshness. She was his soul mate and all the others were just jealous.

And of course Peyton wanted him back. Everyone knew it but blind, naïve, poor Lucas. And the family and friends he loved and trusted were secretly plotting for him to reconcile with his soon to be ex wife. They didn't give a damn about his happiness, only she did. Peyton had messed up and gave up a good thing and now she wanted it back. Caylan knew she was better for Lucas and being anywhere other than Tree Hill was what was best for their relationship. The sooner they got back to the city, the better. The sooner he and Peyton were divorced, the better. The sooner he and Caylan were married, the better.

At least Lucas seemed excited about their wedding plans and what a glorious wedding it would be. They would have the best attire, the best flowers, the best music and the best food. They would put Nathan and Haley's wedding to shame. Caylan couldn't wait. The only damper was that damned budget. She let out a sigh. How could he? It wasn't like they were poor or anything. Why was he trying to be so cautious and cheap? Every time he brought it up, she would turn on the water works and it worked every time. The tears equaled instant guilt on his part and he would back down, giving her an inch of leeway at a time. But even her best Oscar winning performance wouldn't make him give in to all the real prices of everything and she knew it. There was only one to handle that…do it secretly behind his back.

It was a harmless plan and brilliant at that and Caylan had given it careful thought. She would get everything she wanted and money would be no object. Close to the date as possible, she would pay for everything at once, making a check out to the wedding planner. By the time his meddling accountant found out, the check would have already cleared and she'd have everything she wanted. If Lucas was too upset, she'd play dumb and blame it on the wedding planner. It was too perfect.

The only thing left was to hide her growing paper trail. She had to keep things out of Lucas' sight and had put all the real invoices and plans in a folder at the bottom of a Louis Vuitton duffle bag. Lucas wasn't the type to snoop through other people's belongings but she couldn't take any unnecessary risks, including the temptation of leaving the bag in plain view. A smile crept to her lips as she looked at the closet. It was pretty spacious, nothing like she was used to of course but it would do for the moment. Picking up the bag, she put it on the high shelf in a back corner, cursing out loud when in the process a shoe box fell down, zonking her on the head before falling to the floor. Caylan bent down to pick up the mess, seemingly a bunch of letters but her curiosity was peaked when she recognized Lucas's handwriting.

This morning I woke up in bed and you weren't here beside me. I stared at the empty space, at a pillow where your head should have been. I can still see you, I can still taste you, I can still feel you. I still remembered the first time we ever kissed. If every person took just a minute to look back over their life, they might remember that one single moment that changed them forever. The one moment that rocked them to their core and changed their life, one special time when they realized that there was a purpose to life that they had never known before, a time when every other moment that led up to it paled in comparison. The one particular person who opened up a whole new world. For me that moment, that someone, was you. You are the person who changed everything. The person who changed me. You and always will be my moment. Love, Lucas

Caylan bit her lip. She couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Today was Haley's birthday and I helped Nathan pick out flowers all morning. He wanted them to be perfect and he finally decided on a beautiful bouquet of red roses. You reminded me so much of those roses. I thought about you all day, wishing it had been me to give you those roses. I imagine looking into your amazing eyes that grant me entrance to the window of the most incredible soul I've ever seen. You are like an angel to me and I am at your mercy, thinking of you constantly, hoping you're thinking of me, too. I could only be so lucky.

Caylan scoffed. Those words were words reserved for her. How could he have ever written something so passionately for someone else?

My heart beats for you. Your voice brings peace to my soul and a smile to the lips that lose themselves in your kiss. Looking at you leaves me breathless. As each moment passes, I feel myself drawn closer to you. The fun and wonderful memories we have made are only the beginning of something truly beautiful and special. My heart soars when I am with you and it aches when I am without you. Everything about you takes my breath away and I know it always will. You are and always will be the girl for me.

Caylan sat on the floor, open mouthed and furious. And that was the way Lucas found her when he walked in the room.

"There you are, babe," he grinned. "We were wondering where you went. Anyway, Mom, Keith and I are about to play Spades and I need a partner who is both gorgeous but not afraid to kick a little ass. Know anybody up to that?"

"I don't know," she folded her arms. "Would you like for me to call and see if Peyton is available?"

Lucas made a face.

"Cay, where did that come from?"

"Just leave me alone!"

He walked towards her.

"Baby, you seem upset. Talk to me. What's the matter?"

"You're an ass, that's what's the matter," she picked up the handful of letters and threw them at him.

"Whoa! Caylan, what the hell?"

"You are so busted because I just found your secret stash."

"What the hell are you talking about, babe?"

"Oh don't play dumb with me, Lucas Scott! We are sharing this tiny room and this tiny closet, did you not think I would find your shrine to your ex wife?"

"Caylan…"

"Read them but you don't have to because you obviously wrote them. And you meant those words, too with your aching heart because she was the girl for you!"

Lucas looked at the letters and swallowed hard. He recognized them though he hadn't seen them in years. It had been a decade since he had penned them and they had long been tucked away in the closet.

"How did you find these?" he asked quietly.

"It was an accident but does it matter? All that matters is that you wrote these stupid letters and kept them."

"They're very old, Caylan. I can explain…"

"That's even worse because it means you kept them so long after all these years. When are you finally gonna let go, Luke? She doesn't really love you, not like I do. She left you. When are you finally gonna get over Peyton?"

He sheepishly looked away.

"I wrote those letters but I didn't write them to Peyton."

"What?"

"I…I wrote them to Brooke."

Caylan was taken off guard.

"Brooke? You mean, Brooke Davis?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "It was a very long time ago, like I said."

"But why? I don't understand."

"It's a long story," he sighed, taking a seat on the floor next to her. "Brooke and I dated in high school. It didn't really work out and we became friends after but I realized that I really had feelings for her. I told her but um, it didn't matter. She moved to California with her parents after junior year of high school. We never talked again or saw each other until that night you were with me at Haley's dinner party. That summer I was really bummed out and missing her so I wrote her a bunch of letters but I never sent them."

"You dated Brooke Davis?" Caylan put her hands on her hips.

"Briefly. I…"

"And you were in love with her?"

"I…well, yeah. I mean, it was a long time ago. It's no big deal."

"No big deal? It certainly sounds like a big deal to me. You said some pretty special things to her and you kept them all this time."

"I had forgotten about them, baby."

"Lucas, I hate it here! I want to go home!"

"Cay…"

"No. Your family hates me and so do your friends and competing with the memory of your wife is bad enough, now it's even worse with Brooke in the mix."

"First of all, you don't have to compete with anyone. Peyton and Brooke are apart of my past. I'm with you now."

"Do you still love her?"

"I love you, Caylan and you know that," he tried to reassure her.

She rolled her eyes and stood, putting on her shoes.

"Is there anyone else lurking around here from your past? Were you in love with Haley, too?"

"No. Honey, I'm sorry. It's not like that. It's not what it looks like. You have no reason to be upset. Can you just calm down so I can explain? Let's talk about this. Please."

"I don't want to talk to you right now, Luke. I don't even want to think about Peyton or Brooke or your undying love for either one of them."

"Where are you going?"

"Out for a walk."

"Let me come with you."

"No thanks!" she said angrily as she breezed past him and right by a bewildered Keith and Karen as well.

"And I thought that tornado had a strong wind," Keith shook his head. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, um, we're cool. She's just a little upset over a misunderstanding we had. Everything is fine."

He returned to his room to clean up the mess. Lucas picked up the letters and stuffed them back in the old shoebox. He hadn't seen or thought of them in years but he could remember writing them that despair filled summer, just like it was yesterday. He had loved and missed Brooke with all his being. His heart had physically ached for her and all he had wanted was one more chance. He dreamt of the day he would see her again. He had promised himself he would make it right, that he would win her back.

But it hadn't been meant to be. He had fallen in love with and married Peyton. When that relationship had ended, he had fallen for Caylan. In the meantime, Brooke had moved on with her life as well and was very happy with Cameron. Things were different now and everyone was content. Lucas took a deep breath. After all, Brooke had been a lifetime ago, he thought as he packed up the shoebox and stuffed it in the corner out of sight right next to a Louis Vuitton bag. As far as he was concerned, the letters were buried and once and for all, so were his feelings.