Peyton pushed the door open, her dripping dress leaving a trail of water behind her. He was awake, his eyes gazing at her but no words were spoken. With a sudden determination she looked away, heading for the closet to change. She didn't understand. She'd never been treated like this. He'd never treated her like this. She shut the door with an unnecessary force that echoed through the room, letting him know of her obvious anger. She lent back against the door, taking a steady breath. She wouldn't cry again, she wouldn't let him see that he'd upset her. But he already had, the second her dripping form had edged into their room he'd noticed her tear stained cheeks and immediately felt awful for causing her to feel that way. With difficulty she managed to pull the stiff, wet material from her body, the dress falling limply, pooling around her feet. She brushed a towel over her sticky skin, quickly drying off before slipping into her silk night dress and re-entering the bedroom. She padded over to the bed, again ignoring her husbands eyes. 'Peyton' He tried but she deliberately laid down, her back to him, ignoring him, intent on sleeping.

'It isn't safe here, you have to come with me'

The girl shook her head, cradling the youngster in her arms protectively, her eyes wide and glistening with fear. A string of foreign words suddenly escaped her dry lips. Lucas swallowed, he didn't understand but from the way she'd backed herself in the corner of the room he got the impression that she didn't want to go anywhere with him.

'You don't understand' He stepped forward, glancing over his shoulder anxiously. The gunshots were getting progressively louder by the second. They didn't have much time. 'It's not safe, we have to go' He gestured wildly with his hands, trying to make some sense.

She shook her head adamantly. 'No, no, no, no' Lucas swallowed thickly. He knew that word. Making a rash decision, he walked the few steps to her.

'I'm sorry' He whispered regrettably, yanking the child from her arms. He had to do something, he couldn't leave them here.

'No, no' The girl reached for her daughter, tears streaming down her dusty cheeks, shrieking angrily at him. Lucas didn't even attempt to console her, there was no time, they had to move quickly. He grabbed her wrist with his free hand, hoisting the little girl up on his hip, heading for the door. The heat hit him, sweat instantly dripping from his forehead. 'No' The lady was still demanding he let them go.

'It will be safer' He explained breathlessly, trying to hush her, the last thing they needed was to draw attention to themselves. He dragged them behind a bombed building his eyes scanning the land around him, trying to find an escape.

'Scott what the hell are you doing?' His eyes darted to a fellow solider. 'How many times- we can't save everyone, you can't save everyone' He growled.

'We can't just leave them'

'The only way you can help is by concentrating on your job'

Out of know where there was a loud bang. The woman's mouth fell open, her eyes wide. 'Come on we have to keep moving' Lucas demanded. He'd get them out of here if it was the last thing he ever did. He tugged at the girls hand, urging her to keep moving. 'Come on' He looked at her again, this time noticing the blood slowly seeping through her thin dress. A second later her body was falling backward, hitting the ground with a loud thump. There was suddenly a round of gunshots. 'Scott Move' The solider yanked on his sleeve, shoving him round the building. He stumbled backward on shaking legs, shielding himself and the child. 'You've been shot in the arm' Lucas was unaware of anything, his eyes on the limp child, her shirt covered in blood, her eyes rolled back. He sunk to the ground, his arm completely numb as he placed her on the ground. His throat constricted. His eyes bloodshot, staring at his crimson hands. 'Scott she's dead, get up, we have to go' His body involuntarily jolted forward, throwing up the contents of his stomach, his right arm hanging limply. The pain suddenly became remarkably noticeable, he gasped, digging his fingers into the mud, his teeth gritted. The scorching heat encircled him, slowly consuming his entire being, sweat seeping down his trembling limbs, mangling with blood, mauling at his wounded arm. 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry' He looked down at the child again, her face altered, her dark hair gone; the commotion around him warping reality, tears poured from his eyes. Using his uninjured arm, he frantically brushed the blonde curls from her face. Her motionless features stared back at him, wide blue eyes, no longer seeing. 'Isabel'

'I'm sorry, I'm sorry'

Peyton gripped his shoulders, tears trailing down her pale cheeks. 'Luke, Lucas wake up' She urged.

He sat up with a jolt. Wide blue circles gazing at her in bewilderment. 'Peyton?' He rasped. She nodded, watching him shuffle back, leaning against the head board. 'Peyton?'

'I'm here' She whispered hoarsely, struggling not to break down. He abruptly reached for her, seizing her slender body, pulling her onto his lap to stradle him, holding her to his chest.

'Where's Isabel?' He mumbled deliriously.

'She's at Nathan and Haley's isn't she?' Was her muffled reply into his shoulder. He looked up into her worried eyes.

'Oh yeah' He nodded, slowly recollecting the past forty eight hours. He was home. Peyton and Isabel were safe. He gulped, wiping a hand over his sweaty forehead trying to gain some composure.

'Lucas are you ok?' He tensed beneath her, suddenly wishing she wasn't so close. 'You were shouting'

'I'm fine. It was just a dream' He brushed off, his eyes taking in her appearance for the first time. She'd changed out of her wet clothes and was now wearing a black silk night dress, the thin material soft against his bare chest, her damp hair sticking to him. He fiddled with the lace edging on her thigh, relief sweeping over him in waves, his dream was in the past, he was home. She was here, his girl in his arms right now, his child safe with his brother.

'You can talk to me' She stated. He didn't respond, choosing to ignore her comment. 'Lucas?' Peyton craned her head up from his shoulder. He was surprised by the amount of vulnerability that seeped through her voice.

'Yeah?' Was his low reply.

'Do you, do you still think that, that I'm pretty?' Her eyes cast down, fiddling with her fingers nervously. She'd never needed to be reassured of her beauty or his physical attraction to her. He licked his suddenly dry lips, unsure of how to explain his earlier standoffish behaviour which could be the only cause for her sudden insecurities.

'I-'

'Do you still love me?' She blurted. Again he froze. She could feel his whole body go rigid beneath her, his muscles tensing only heightening her thumping heart. His long silence didn't help to restore her faith in his love for her. 'Oh god, you don't' A sob quickly followed, escaping her quivering lips. She felt like her whole world was crashing down around her.

'No' He hastily gripped her shoulders, stopping her from scrambling away. 'Peyton, of course, of course I' He struggled to meet her hopeful stare. He didn't know why he was finding it impossible to spit out three words he'd told her so many times before. His uncertain eyes finally met hers, the look of desperation on his face making her stomach flip. 'Of course I do' She shook her head, glistening tears sliding down her white cheeks.

'No you don't. You can't say it' Again she tried to get up, bile rising in the back of her throat, but he was too strong. 'Get off me' She whimpered. 'Just, just get the fuck away'. His grip loosened for a brief second, shocked by the severity of her tone.

'Peyton, I've changed and I don't know whether I can love you how you need me to' He tried to explain the mad thoughts that had been spinning around in his restless mind.

'What the fucks that meant to mean?' She spat, her hands instinctively slicing through the air and hitting his chest. 'You married me, you made a promise Lucas Scott'

'You deserve more, you deserve to be happy'

'Happy? Lucas everyday you've been gone it's been hell, I'm happy with you' She insisted.

'I've done bad things Peyton, I've killed people, I have innocent people's blood on my hands'

'You were at war Luke, it wasn't your fault you were saving peoples lives'

'No, I'm no hero. I don't deserve you and I won't bring you down with me' He said it so quietly but she heard every last syllable.

'No' She shifted closer, clenching her legs around him. 'You're not bringing me down, you are a hero. My hero' She cupped his face, gently pressing her lips to his forehead, his cheek, his nose, his chin. He endured her kisses, trying to dissipate the uncontrollable arousal she was causing.

'Peyton stop'

'No' She begged.

'We can't do this'

'We did earlier' she laced her hand over his, guiding it up and down her leg.

'And we shouldn't have, I shouldn't have'

'Why? What's wrong with me?'

'It's not you, you're beautiful... I just can't'

'So you're just going to walk away? From us? From me? From your daughter?' She was speaking so quickly, her heavy breath hitting his face with every word, like a kick to the stomach. 'You promised to love me forever. If you leave me you're nothing but a coward, we can get through this, it's going take time, I'm going to be here for you, you've been through a traumatic time but it'll get better, we'll be a family again' Her arms snaked around his neck, again she left kiss after kiss on his face 'I won't let you leave me'.