"Hey."

She jumped, the pen falling from her hand. He chuckled and she shot him a dark look, her heart pounded against her chest.

"Sorry!" Lucas laughed again and dropped down onto her bed. "I woke up, and saw that you were gone. Just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Kinda dark, isn't it?

I love you, Luke, but I've chosen darkness.

"I couldn't sleep." Peyton admitted, retrieving her pen. "I forgot how loud Nathan is when he snores."

"You should have heard Haley when we were thirteen and she had her retainer in." He mock-shuddered. "Worse than Nathan on a good day."

The two shared a look and burst out laughing.

"Seriously, are you okay?" Lucas asked her, patting the spot beside him.

She moved to sit next to him, leaning against him heavily. Lucas shifted suddenly so they were lying side by side. He brought his arms up to wrap around her, her head against his chest.

"I've noticed you haven't been sleeping..."

Peyton shrugged. "Nightmares come and go. The doctor said it was just gonna take some time. I'm okay, Luke."

He nodded, but his grip on her tightened. They lay there for a few minutes in silence, just enjoying each others company.

"What are you thinking about?" Peyton muttered. She'd woken up more than an hour ago, she'd thought that with all the fun she had had with her friends, she would have slept easily, but she still felt wide awake.

"Tonight." Lucas replied, glancing at the clock. 3:22 AM. "Or, last night, whichever it is. You and me? In the car? Did we almost..."

"Kiss?"

"Yeah..."

She sighed and glanced around the room. It was still dark, but she didn't need the light to find what she was looking for. It was the framed picture, the one that Brooke had thrown at her after egging her house that fateful day. The frame had been replaced.

I think I still have feelings for Lucas...

You mean you care for him, as a friend?

No. I mean more than that.

"Peyton?" He asked, his arms still around her. "Did you and I almost kiss last night?"

She nodded slowly. "I think we did..."

You said: 'I love you.'

Okay, well, normally, that's a good thing.

You said: 'I love you, Lucas.'

Peyton suddenly wished there was some sort of light so she could gauge his reaction. He hadn't let go of her yet.

Lucas tried to believe that he hadn't heard her right. He'd kissed her, many times before, and his feelings for her had never disappeared, but she was in trouble, again, and he'd just happened to play hero... Again. She wasn't thinking clearly.

And feelings she had ever had for him were probably long gone.

"So... Where does that leave us?"

Brooke was right about her, she'd always had a hard time letting her guard down, and letting people in. For the longest time, she'd blamed herself for the people she'd cared about who ended up leaving her. But maybe she could take a chance, just this once.

So, she took a deep breath.

"I love you, Lucas."

Lucas smiled sadly. "I love you too, Peyton. You know, we've been through so much together..."

"You don't understand..." Peyton shook her head, letting out a small laugh that was full of frustration. Did he really not see it? "I've been holding this in for a really long time... I just need you to know, I love you... I'm in love with you."

There it was, the elephant in the room. She'd said it, and she couldn't take it back. Could it finally be their chance? He was the one she really wanted to be with, true love always.

"Oh..." Lucas drew out.

He let go of her abruptly. He stood up and headed back downstairs, leaving the girl he was totally, and hopelessly in love with to collapse in tears on the bed.

She'd ruined everything.