hey ya it is kinda awful for lucas what with peyton n shane... i think the next chpt might be a little painful for some of you. but itll b worth it you're gonna hav to wait a liiitttle while before you get to hear the end. thanks!

Give love a chance

'So Peyton, what did you think of the last scene?' Chad said as the lights crew began turning off the scene lights for the day. He was putting away his "40 something" jacket for the last time.

Hilarie smiled to herself. It was the first time he'd kidded around with her for weeks. The last few episodes had been pretty silent, he'd done the best acting he'd ever done though, but there had been no joking, no pizza nonsense, no messing around with the costumes.

Although she hadn't even admitted it to himself, she had missed that.

The door slammed as the last few crew members left the scene.

'I thought it was okay, Lucas…' she said grinning, maybe she would try joking around for a change. Chad paused as he was folding up his jacket. Then with a look as if he was contemplating something, he put the jacket back on and walked towards the blonde actress putting away the pieces of artwork.

'So how about we try the scene that I wrote again?' he said a twinkle in his eyes his hands firmly on her shoulders

'I don't think I remember the words,' she said a little taken aback at his sudden closeness. The whole scene seemed suddenly so silent. So still, as if all the world was watching the two of them share this supreme moment in the One Tree Hill Story.

Perhaps sometimes a story does that? It engulfs you so much that for a few seconds you share the magic of that true love which is meant to conquer all.

'I'll guide you along,' he said softly. He pulled her close, his arms resting around his waist. 'You say, "Lucas I…"'

'Lucas I…' she echoed resting one of her hands on his arm, more to support herself than anything else.

'And you're supposed to look longingly, pensively, sorrowfully,' he narrated with a kidding smile. Hilarie rolled her eyes up at him but smiled her girlish smile.

'And I say…' he said. 'I love you.'

'It's too late.'

'No it's not.'

'Lucas I…' Hilarie looked up into those blue eyes and felt for a split second, the same feeling she felt when she had said "no" to "Shane's proposal", the same feeling that Peyton ought to be feeling right now, the same feeling that…

'Chad I can't do this,' she said looking away.

'Of course you can it's just…' he said.

'No I can't,' she said releasing herself from his grasp.

'Hills…' he walked over touching her arms lightly from the back. 'Let me tell you something I realised a long while ago.'

Hilarie paused to listen to his well-spoken words.

'On the first season of One Tree Hill, we both fell in love. You fell in love with Lucas Scott…'

'I…' she interrupted turning around to face him.

'But the thing is,' he said cutting her off. 'I… I fell in love with Hilarie Burton.'

Hilarie was stunned, Chad began again. 'I… I like you a lot, Hills, I mean I… I could love you, if you'd let me. And I'm not asking for a commitment or anything. I'm just asking for a movie, a lunch or something. A chance, that's all I'm asking for. A chance to break down those walls of bubblyness and cheeriness that you keep around everyone else, a chance to see the real you.'

Hilarie swallowed slowly.

'So how about it Hills?' Chad asked.

Hilarie took a deep breath and gave her answer.

'I… I can't, Chad I'm… I'm sorry.'

The door slammed shut.

Hilarie walked tiredly over to the side and fell into the chair, her head in her hands.

Why was it all so difficult, so complicated?

Over her shoulder she caught sight of an interesting piece of script, picking it up she began to read it for the first time. The original script for the last episode of OTH, before Chad submitted his.

Final Episode.

Scene 1

Raining heavily. Lucas and Peyton in the centre of the stage.

'I'll be seeing ya!' says Lucas.

Peyton pauses turns around looks him in the eye.

'I love you,' says Lucas.

Peyton pauses again.

'Goodbye,' she says.

Peyton runs off the stage leaving Lucas in the middle. He drops the art piece and walks off in the opposite direction.

Scene 2

Peyton arrives back at home, soaking wet. She walks into the study, digs until she finds a beaten up, old record of hers and puts it on. She pulls out some blank paper and a few broken pencils. She begins to draw.

A few hours pass.

Shane comes down to the kitchen to get a glass of milk. He passes by the study and sees Peyton inside.

'Mums? What're you doing up so late?' Shane says.

Peyton continues to draw, her sketch is almost finished.

'I couldn't sleep,' he says. 'Eugenia and I broke up.'

'What!' Peyton turns around to face her son. 'What happened?'

Shane walks slowly to the centre of the study without answering his mum. He can finally see what Peyton is drawing.

'You drew me and Eugenia?' he asks, averting his eyes.

'I…' Peyton replies. 'Yes, yes I did. But what happened Shane?'

'We fought, she did something and I got angry… I said some awful things… it's over.'

Peyton pulls her son over by the arm. 'Listen Shane, meeting someone you love ain't easy. So when you find someone that you can love, that it's possible for you to be happy with… you hold on, you hear me? You hold on with all of your heart and you hold on for dear life. Don't give up and find that it's too late to go back. Don't regret when it's too late.'

'Give love a chance, my son. Give love a chance.'

Hilarie looked up from the script. She balanced her chin onto the end of it, thinking. Then slowly she took out her phone and pressed a few numbers.

'Hey Chad,' she said clearly. 'I was thinking maybe we could go have lunch, catch a movie or something?'