It's good! I don't believe it! Lucas Scott drains a three pointer at the buzzer! And the Tree Hill Ravens are champions at last! We win! We win!

Lucas dropped to his knees as the ball sank through the basket. He'd done it! He'd made the winning shot!

Suddenly, the crowd was running from the bleachers to occupy the floor. Peyton felt Brooke and Haley release their grip on her hands, and she threw down her pompoms to join the rest of her friends.

They were a big, sweaty, ecstatic crowd.

"Who the man, baby?" Skills asked with a grin, looping his arms around Bevin's waist.

"You're the man, baby!" She replied, hugging him again.

Confetti began to fall, Whitey glanced around, and for the first time in a long time, he smiled.

"Haley!" Nathan called, brushing his fingers across her cheek.

"You did it!" Haley said, feeling his arms wrap around her.

"We did it." He corrected before pressing his lips to hers. God, he loved her.

"Luke!" Brooke broke free from the team, resting a hand on his arm.

"Oh my god!" He breathed, pulling her into a hug. "This is amazing!"

Everything he had been working for since joining the team two years earlier had finally paid off. Keith would have been so proud, of both of his nephews.

Brooke laughed and pulled a stray piece of confetti out of her mouth before grinning at him again. The night was officially perfect, thanks to her friend Lucas Eugene Scott.

"This is a dream come true!"

They turned to look at the girl they both loved, and would do anything to protect. She watched the colorful strips of paper fall, her eyes full of amusement. For the first time in forever, she actually looked happy.

"So who do you want standing next to you?" She asked, shaking him.

Well I have a question to ask you but before you give me an answer, I just want you to know there is a point to it okay?

Okay.

Lucas blinked. Earlier the year before, Peyton had asked him the very same question, and he thought he'd given her his honest answer.

Imagine a future moment in your life where all your dreams come true. You know, it's the greatest moment in your life and you get to experience it with one person. Who's standing next to you?

Kate Bosworth.

Shut up, I'm serious!

Oh, so am I.

He stood there, watching the most beautiful girl in the world, while his ex-girlfriend, turned friend, was finally giving him her blessing.

"Go."

Lucas watched her carefully for a few moments, his eyes full of confusion.

"It's okay." Brooke promised him. There were no hard feelings, and she only wanted her best friend to be happy. Who was she to stand in the way of two people who were so obviously meant to be together.

"Go!"

His hand landed on her shoulder for a few seconds, squeezing softly, a silent thank you.

Luke, come on, it could be anybody you know. Your mom, Haley...

Your boy Skills.

Lucas approached her slowly, his eyes taking in all of her beauty. She was in uniform, there was a blue ribbon wrapped around her pony tail, and even with her fading bruises, she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

Who's it gonna be?

Brooke.

Alright... If that's what you really want, then I have a way for you to get her back.

"Hey!" Peyton greeted, her hands resting on her hips. "Nice shot!"

"Nice legs." Lucas replied, smiling when she laughed. "A little chickeny."

She laughed again and moved closer to hug him. He held her close, as he had so many times before.

It felt right, like they were meant to be.

All too soon, Peyton pulled back and gave him another small smile.

"Well, I'll be seeing ya."

I'll be seeing ya.

Lucas Scott was in love with Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer.

"Hey, Peyton!"

She turned to face him, her smile still in place. There were a million different ways that this one boy could break her heart, and he didn't even realize it.

"It's you." He announced, moving away from his teammates to step closer to her.

"What?" Peyton asked, her eyes full of confusion.

"When all my dreams come true..." Lucas repeated her words. "The one I want next to me... It's you... It's you, Peyton."

She couldn't believe it... He'd said it, he'd actually said it!

Lucas's hand cupped her cheeks, and she smiled again before leaning in to press her lips to his. It was real, it was beautiful, and it was right.

They continued kissing as the crowd around them grew. They only broke apart when someone cleared his throat.

"Well, well." Nathan chuckled, slipping his arm around his wife's waist. Brooke, Mouth, Skills, Bevin and Haley had joined him.

Peyton and Lucas shared a sheepish look.

"It's about time, man!"

In very rare Nathan Scott fashion, he pulled all of his friends in for a group hug. They had made it, through deaths, and the school shooting, and Psycho Derek/Ian attacks. They'd won their final game of the season, of their high school carers, and they'd somehow managed to stay friends through the thick and thin.

Things could only get better.

"I love you, Lucas Scott." Peyton whispered, before their friends could pull them apart. "I love you, so much."

"Not as much as I love you, Peyton Sawyer." Lucas kept hold of her hand. He pulled her back into his safe embrace.

Much to their friends disgust, they began to kiss again. Despite how sore his arms were, he wrapped them around her, lifting her up to spin her around in a circle.

"I love you." Peyton said again. She'd never grow tired of saying the words out loud.

"I love you." Lucas told her.

He was now, and he would always be in love with Peyton Sawyer.