Author's Note: Hey thanks again for all the reviews and a big thank you to all of those that have given me some great ideas for this story. Shout outs to lukenpeyton4ever, Chlarkrocks, RJMoonspell4, LP4Life4ever and Stephy J. I hope this chapter is on the right track of what you wanted.

Enjoy!

The next day Peyton couldn't wait to take Jake down to the studio to show him around and get started on a recording. As Peyton was arranging some paperwork on her desk, Jake wandered around the office, impressed at the space and what Peyton had done with it, eventually Jake took at a seat across from Peyton's desk.

"So what did you have in mind for this recording?" Jake asked. Peyton looked at him with a huge smile on her face.

"Whatever you want is fine, I just want to get something recorded."

"Ok." Jake nodded. "So you ready to talk about what happened yesterday? I know you weren't really up for it at the time, but if I'm going to be walking around getting death glares I'd kind of like to know why."

Peyton sighed as she got more comfortable in her chair, ready for a long discussion.

"Well I'd think it would be pretty obvious why you were getting death glares." Peyton rolled her eyes. "He's threatened by you being here. I think you put a spanner in his elaborate plans to win me back." Peyton laughed quietly and Jake joined her.

"Do you want him to win you back?" Jake asked curiously.

"I don't know." Peyton shrugged. Jake raised his eyebrows at the obvious lie.

"Ok so I do know and the answer is yes" She continued "I just don't know if I should let him. What if he breaks my heart again Jake? I don't know if I could handle it." Peyton looked down as a tear slid down her cheek. Jake walked to the other side of the table and knelt in front of Peyton. He wiped away the tear with his thumb.

"Well if he breaks your heart, I'll break his face." Jake commented lightly, happy when a small smile crossed Peyton's face.

As Jake and Peyton continued to talk, Lucas had spotted Peyton's car in the parking lot of Tric and since he wanted to spend as much time as possible with her, decided to head up to her office and ask if she wanted to hang out.

"I'm such an idiot." Peyton suddenly exclaimed, running her hands through her hair. "I'm supposed to be mature and strong, not crying over some guy. I definitely didn't cry over you when you rejected my proposal and sent me back home."

"Gee thanks." Jake said sarcastically as he turned from her and sat back down. Peyton tried to back track, missing the smirk on Jake's face.

"Wait, I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry, that probably sounded really bad, oh god…"

"Peyton, I was kidding." Jake interrupted, now laughing. "I know how much Lucas means to you, and I'm glad I figured it out back then instead of getting my heart broken further down the line."

Peyton started to open her mouth to say something when Jake put his hand up signalling her to stop.

"I know you're sorry, so don't say it – again." Jake continued. Peyton laughed, walking around the desk to face Jake. Peyton pulled him in for a hug.

"I really wanted to marry you Jake. I wanted a family with you."

"I can't believe you asked me to marry you." Jake laughed as he returned the hug.

As Peyton and Jake embraced they didn't notice Lucas standing at the doorway, a shocked and angry expression on his face from what he just heard. Quickly pulling himself together, Lucas stormed out of Tric before they could notice he was there.

Lucas had been walking the streets of Tree Hill for the past twenty minutes trying to wrap his head around what he had heard back at Tric. So Peyton had asked Jake to marry her? When? It must have been back in senior year when she had gone to visit him that weekend. So she was ready to get married at 17 but not at 19? Lucas angrily punched a nearby brick wall at the thought. She refused him but had been ready to settle down with Jake?

Lucas was walking past a nearby park when he heard the light sound of a girls laugh. Looking up in curiosity, Lucas stopped to stare at the sight of the happy family around the swing set, only to narrow his eyes when he realised exactly who it was he was watching. Jake was pushing Jenny on the swing while Peyton leaned on the swing set watching with a wide smile on her face. As Lucas continued to watch, Jake obviously said something funny, causing both girls to laugh loudly. The sound travelled to Lucas' ears and he couldn't help but smile at the sight of Peyton so happy. Lucas knew he had been quite the jackass to Peyton when she first returned home but he felt like someone had finally opened his eyes and he had spent the last couple of weeks trying to make up for it. Couldn't Peyton see that all he wanted was to be with her? Lucas sighed. Looking at the group one last time, Lucas knew he wanted to have that image with Peyton. He wanted to be taking their daughter with blonde curls and blue eyes to the park, making Peyton laugh as their daughter swung happily on the swings. He wasn't going to give up, if anything, Jake being here just gave Lucas more determination and he was ready to do what he had to.

Lucas walked away from the park with a new spring in his step. If Peyton wanted to be just friends that was his loophole to get her thinking about him again, and he was going to make sure she couldn't resist.