A/N: Thank you to those of you – all thirty of you, wow – who left reviews. I really appreciate it from those of you who are L/P fans and are giving this a chance; for those of you waiting for a Crescendo update, I promise to try and have it up within the week. Real life is brutal, that's my only excuse.

To those of you who like Julian, I'm happy that you're out there to read this because…yeah, I do, too. I have the hugest crush on him considering how much I expected to hate him, I've got to admit. There will be more Julian/Peyton next chapter.

And to those of you who felt the need to point out that "This story sucks!"…well, if you think the writing sucks, then give me something I can work with and I'll be happy to take it and try to improve my work. If you think the pairings suck, then don't read it. You don't see me reading Brucas, do you?

Thanks for reading whatever your opinion may be, and I always appreciate reviews. :)

Jealousy.

She turns and blinks, unable to believe that Lucas had seen this, because it really, truly is not what it looks like.

But he won't believe those words, because there is nothing but fury and confusion in his eyes.

"Luke," she says with that tenderness in her voice that is now reserved solely for him.

"What the hell?" he growls again, clenching his fists. He's displaying the kind of unstoppable anger that she normally associates with the younger Scott brother.

He takes a couple steps toward them, and Peyton finds herself stepping between the men. It's as though there is an invisible line between Julian and Lucas, and she couldn't stand seeing her fiancé all alone on his. Now, she straddles that line, protective of them both.

As she moves, she sees that Julian is wearing her lipstick, and she knows that Lucas sees it as well from the steeliness in his eyes.

"I…I don't understand," Lucas mutters.

"Please let me explain," Peyton breaths as calmly as she can, reaching toward him.

He moves away from her hands. "What is this?" All of a sudden the volume of his voice escalates, he yells, "You're making out with my movie producer?"

She can feel Julian getting defensive behind her and she holds up a hand to keep him from speaking; he will only make things worse. "Luke," she whispers. This is unfamiliar territory for her. When it comes to Lucas Scott and betrayal, they have always committed the crime together. She feels most helpless because of the fact that there actually is no betrayal involved. She shrugs, her eyes pleading with her fiancé, and whispers, "It was just goodbye."

His eyes grow wide, and suddenly he looks young and hurt as she splutters out his question: "How long has this been going on?"

"Luke, no," she begins, taking in a sharp breath as she realizes what she accidentally alluded to, what he assumed.

"God, Peyton," he breaths out, his posture tight and slowly closing off. He runs a hand through his hair and rubs the back of his neck, she recognizes these gestures of frustration and discomfort, and she aches to hug him.

"Honey, listen to me," she tells him softly. "Julian and I –"

The disbelief in his eyes stops her short. He clearly can't believe or deal with the fact that she's so comfortable in referring to a relationship he was never aware of, and it's obviously tearing him up.

"It's my fault," Julian interjects out of nowhere, and Lucas' glare shows that he agrees with this statement. Peyton mouths Julian's name but no sound escapes her lips so he keeps going. "We…we dated. Peyton and I. In L.A., a couple years ago. When I showed up here, I asked her…not to tell you."

His intentions are uncharacteristically sweet and wholesome. But he doesn't know. Julian may have read the book and been part of the story, but he doesn't know what he's done. He doesn't know Lucas' mind like she does.

His well-intentioned lie is worse than the truth. It was Peyton's decision to keep this from Lucas, which is bad enough on its own, but at least it would stay between them. Now he thinks that she'd been covering for her ex, and he doesn't know what that means about her feelings for him – all it does is contribute to Lucas' anger, confusion, and sense of deception.

"Unbelievable," he mumbles.

Her regret is still there, but all of a sudden a contradicting emotion surges within her and she can feel her eyes flashing. "You know what I think is unbelievable?"

And then she's off, and both men know it – they practically wince in unison.

"I think it's unbelievable that you kissed me back after I told you that I still loved you, and then you went and proposed to another woman with my ring!" She places her hand on her chest for impact, and it lands right over her heart.

"Da-yum," Julian comments with a whistle.

Lucas' eyes shoot daggers over Peyton's shoulders. "You can go," he barks.

She shakes her head furiously. "Do not tell him what to do!"

He ignores her comment. "How could you not tell me about this? And why are you two making out…now?"

Julian clears his throat. "It was only one kiss. It was goodbye, like she said."

Despite the grateful look Peyton shoots him, she also really wants him to shut up.

"Didn't look like goodbye," Lucas grumbles childishly, and meets his fiancée's eyes, "What're you doing?"

"What were you doing?" she shoots back. "You said I do to her!"

His eyes soften a bit. "Let's not do this now." She knows that he means: let's now showcase the flaws of our relationship to a guy you kissed mere moments ago.

"Then when?" she cries. "Don't get upset about my history; we haven't even begun to talk about yours!"

Lucas looks apologetic, but isn't willing to back down. "You know, you still haven't told me why you two were kissing."

She shakes her head. He can't seriously doubt her, not after all they've been through. Not after she'd fought so hard for him, sacrificed so much for him. "Screw you," she hisses, and when Julian reaches toward her, her glare serves as a warning. She doesn't want to be near either of them right now.

-x-

She's fighting tears when she bursts into what used to be Clothes over Bro's, too distracted at first to realize that Brooke and Own are cuddling on the couch.

"Sorry," she blurts out, an awkward greeting. The air in there, once stifled by business gone bad, is light with love.

"No, sweetie, it's okay," Brooke rushes to assure her, clearly sensing that Peyton is about to lose it. Her brown eyes are sympathetic as she pats the space beside her on the couch.

Peyton hurries over to sink into her best friend's arms, her own personal equivalent of a mother's embrace.

Brooke strokes her hair, pulling her closer, and Owen knows that this is his cue to leave. He stands and drops a kiss on the brunette's forehead, slipping out the door after promising her a phone call.

Brooke is aware of what's going on, and her voice is warm with comfort as she wryly says, "And we thought love triangles died in high school."

She sniffles. "It's not a love triangle. I love Luke; I'm engaged."

Her friend's silence speaks volumes.

"What?" Peyton groans.

"P. Sawyer, the first thing you need to do is to stop lying to yourself."

"I needed to tell him, but I didn't know how," she murmurs into Brooke's neck.

Her best friend hugs her a little closer, and Peyton can sell her signature, initial-and-surname branded, perfume. Brooke doesn't say anything, but the message of her hug is clear and kind.

You're going to be okay.

-x-

Brooke lets her stay the night without question. Sam has Peyton's old room, but that's okay because Brooke is supposed to be baby-sitting Jamie but is instead running around trying to organize a new business for herself. Sam disappears early on, and Brooke rushes off for the answer the phone for the infinite time, so Peyton is left to fall asleep on the couch with Jamie in her arms and Disney characters chirping on the TV screen. As she drifts off, she hears fragments of Brooke's latest telephone conversation.

"Luke, I think you need to give her some time. You both need some time. I agree. But she knows what it was like when you were with Lindsey and she's worried about bringing up her own past, only because of how much she loves you – she is not cheating on you, Lucas, I know that…"

-x-

She wakes up the next morning to the sound of laughter, and forces open her eyelids to see Brooke setting plates of pancakes in front of Jamie and Sam. She leans forward, placing her elbows on the counter and grinning, unmasked adoration in her eyes as she teases both the kids she practically regards as her own. Peyton smiles reluctantly. Brooke has really settled into this whole mom thing.

"Breakfast, honey," Brooke calls out when she catches her moving. As Peyton groans, she says, "Gotta face the music sometime, P. Sawyer."

Peyton stands and meanders over to the counter, where Brooke hands her a plate and Jamie pipes up, "Music, get it, Aunt Peyton? 'Cause that's what you like."

He's never called her aunt before and her heart swells as she ruffles the little boy's hair and Brooke winks at her. Jamie asks for more juice and Peyton's mind drifts again. Yes, she does need to face the music sometime, but sometime should have been three weeks ago, and she knows it.

"Luke and I have been doing so well, and none of the past even mattered anymore, it just seemed…trivial. But when he started accusing me of things, I thought about Lindsey and all the crap that happened…and it just makes me scared that that's always going to be between us," she admits shakily without even glancing at her food.

Brooke doesn't hug her or pat her hand or give her a speech about how nothing can come between them, not even Brooke Davis herself, because they're Lucas and Peyton. Instead, she braces her hand on the counter and tilts her head to the side. "Peyton…did you kiss Julian last night?"

Jamie looks up from his syrup-soaked pancakes. "I thought you only kiss Uncle Luke."

She shoots him a weak smile. "Yeah, bud, I…I do." Turning back to her best friend, she says, "It was goodbye," in the exact same tone that she spent the past year insisting that she didn't say no she said someday. She's growing tired of justifying her actions, but knows that this time she really is in the wrong. She pushes her plate away and attempts to elaborate: "We just needed some closure."

Brooke frowns. "I respect that, Peyton, but it was a stupid time and place to say that goodbye…kiss that goodbye." Her eyes flick down tot eh plate and then back up to Peyton's face. "Not hungry?"

She shakes her head slightly. "I feel like I'm going to launch any second."

"Guilt." Sam's tone is dry as she offers her diagnosis.

Peyton gives her a scathing look and Brooke's bites back a smile. "See?" she brunette asks, a teasing note in her raspy voice. "That is what I have to live with."

-x-

She spends the day with Brooke's little unconventional family: she talks music with Sam, gulps down chocolate ice cream with Jamie, and tries to help Brooke brainstorm new business ideas. When Owen stops by unexpectedly, she sees the way Brooke's eyes light up, and herds Jamie and Sam to the beach so that the couple can have some privacy. She watches as Sam chases Jamie across the same, a genuine laugh escaping her. Peyton knows that life well, lots of misery with bursts of sheer happiness. It seems that her life has taken a one hundred eighty degree turn: now it is sheer happiness, but she's hit a burst of misery. She's not sure which life she would wish on Sam, which is better, but it makes her happy to see the displaced teen smiling. She can't help it, Peyton figures as she sits down, burying her toes in the slightly cold sand. Jamie's laughter is completely infectious, and Peyton catches herself wondering if all Scott kids are that cute.

When evening comes her escape fades away. Haley shows up to pick up Jamie, and gives Peyton a series of meaningful looks which basically convey that Lucas is a mess, Haley is somewhat disappointed in Peyton, but she loves them both no matter what. After Jamie gives both his aunts and Sam hugs goodbye, they're gone, and Brooke orders Sam to the kitchen counter to do homework, as Haley'd suggested.

Then she sits Peyton down on the couch and gives her the look and the speech. "You've cried, you've moped, and you've brooded more than is probably healthy," Brooke reports matter-of-factly. "And honey, you know I love you, but you look like death. It's time to go home to your almost-husband. He loves you and you love him. Just talk things true." Her expression morphs into one of sudden, serious concern. "You…I mean, you don't still have feelings for Julian, do you?"

She asks the question disbelievingly, and that makes sense. Lucas is the love of her life, and it is ludicrous for her to have any remotely romantic feelings for anyone else. And yet, she can't quite bring herself to answer Brooke, and just stands up instead. "You're right. I should go…home." It is her home. It's where she belongs.

"Yeah…" Brooke says uncertainly. "You should. Listen, P. Sawyer…" She hesitates and sighs. "I know that love Lucas. I've spent this last year watching you cry for him. And these past few weeks you've practically been glowing with happiness. But…" She pauses again. "Listen, don't be mad, but Haley and I were talking, and…" She swallows hard. "We just want you to understand that it's okay if…you just loved Lucas…because you missed out on a chance."

Peyton shakes her head, squinting at her best friend in utter confusion. "You can't…"

"I'm not," Brooke cuts her off. "Whatever you think I'm saying…I'm not. I just want you to know that it's okay if things are falling apart, and I know that Lucas has hurt you in the past…but he loves you so much, Peyton. And I really think you love him, too."

"I do."

"Yeah," Brooke agrees softly. "But you don't have to."

Peyton's head aches. "Thank you for taking care of me."

Brooke can tell that she's messed with her friend's mind, and she feels bad, Peyton can see it in her eyes. "You're welcome."

-x-

There's no one at home. By no one, she means Lucas, because he is her only family.

She pulls on camouflage pyjama pants and a white tank top before crawling into bed. She leaves the overhead light on, and she can feel the light against her closed eyes. She doesn't sleep, but her mind slows down.

Somehow, hearing Brooke's gentle attempts to reassure that she doesn't have to love Lucas…has reaffirmed the fact that she really, really does. God, she does.

He comes home nearly an hour after she arrives. She doesn't open her eyes when he enters the room, and he doesn't say anything. She feels so completely vulnerable all of a sudden, and she curls in on herself a bit.

She hears him changing, hears the opening of draws, the creak of the closet door. She exits the room and she hears running water. When he comes back in again, he turns off the overhead light and wordlessly climbs into bed with her.

It's nearly ten minutes before his hand finally moves toward her, landing lightly against her back. She takes a shuddering breath and his hand gently, cautiously moves to wrap around her waist.

She rolls over quickly to face him, her eyes guarded as she searches his face. He pulls his hand back. His eyes are full of a million things. She sees shame, which she appreciates. There is definitely a jealous shadow, which she understands. She doesn't resent the bit of anger that remains. Confusion is definitely still present, and she can respect that. And there it is: love…exactly what she was looking for.

"Where've you been?" she murmurs, and he gives her the answers she expected to hear. Talking to Haley, playing a game with Nathan, having a…talk with Julian.

"Luke," she sighs at the last part.

"I know," he whispers. "I know and I'm sorry I got so mad, you didn't deserve that, not at all, but Peyt…" His voice becomes so small. "You kissed him."

They aren't touching, and she closes the distance between them only with her lips. Her tongue asks for access to his mouth and he grants it; only then does she rest the tips of her fingers against his cheek, moaning softly against his lips. When they break for air she says, "Not like that, I didn't."

He grins reluctantly, his hand skimming lightly down her bare arm, shoulder to wrist. "I'm glad you came home tonight."

She nods. She doesn't need to say anything.

"I just…I need to know."

"I know you do," she whispers back, and tears prick at her eyes for no reason at all. His eyes register alarm at the sight of them, and those blue orbs ask her what's wrong. "Nothing, it's nothing, I just…" She shrugs shakily, avoiding his eyes. "You're everything, you know?"

"I know," he says softly, his hand making his way around her waist again, and she knows that he really does.

"In the morning. I'll tell you it all in the morning. We'll talk everything out…tomorrow."

"Okay," he says tenderly, looking worried about her. After a pause, he adds, "I love you."

She gets so choked up that she can't reply, and Lucas furrows his brow.

"Babe, what is it?"

She shakes her head and buries herself in his arms, breathing a sigh of relief. She just feels so…unsteady. This was what she really needed, just to be held closely. "I'm just kind of out of it right now," she mutters lamely as he rubs soothing circles of her back.

"Are you…worried about us?" He's trying to be supportive for her, but she hears the vulnerability that he can't keep from creeping into his voice.

She shakes her head again, forcefully this time. She tilts her head up, looks him in the eye, and tells him that she loves him, too.