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Save tonight

And fight the break of dawn

"Mom", Lucas repeated.

Peyton looked back and forth between the mother and son. What the hell was she supposed to do?

"I think I'm gunna lay down", she said awkwardly.

"Don't", Karen stopped her, "I made dinner."

"You cooked?" Lucas asked with a smile.

"Yea, I was out of the house all day", she said as she turned her attention to the pot on the stove.

Lucas and Peyton shared a glace. That's why she didn't respond when they knocked on the door.

"Sit", she ordered, "it's just about done."

The shocked teens did as they were told. Lucas took one side of the table and Peyton took the other; Karen would be rooted in the middle.

"So, what's on the menu?" Peyton broke the silence.

"Fettuccini Alfredo", Karen said as she plated the meal.

Lucas smiled somewhat sadly. "Keith's favorite."

Karen nodded. She brought the platter and a pitcher of lemonade over to the table.

"Ma, what brought all of this on?" he asked gently.

Karen looked over at Peyton and grabbed her hand before turning her attention back to her son.

"Sometimes you have to live through the pain", Peyton squeezed the older woman's hand as she heard her voice shake.

"I think that's pretty great advice", Lucas mused as he watched the silent exchange between the two women in his life.

Peyton felt the baby kick and smiled.

"Well, this one certainly is hungry", she and Lucas laughed and Karen looked on.

"The baby kicked?" she asked in amazement.

Peyton nodded her head. She didn't even realize that Karen hadn't felt her grandchild make itself known.

"Can I?" she asked as she held her hands to Peyton's stomach.

"Of course", the two parents to be watched on with tears in their eyes.

"Hey you", Karen whispered, "I haven't been the best grandma lately, but I promise that's going to change. You're gunna need your grandma in your life . . . and I intend to spoil you rotten", she added before she turned to her meal.

"Thanks Karen", Peyton whispered as she wiped her eyes.

"Thank you", Karen said deeply as she smiled at Peyton.

"This looks delicious", Lucas said as he stared at his plate.

"Well, let's hope it tastes as good as it looks. I haven't made it in a while."

"I'm sure its better then anything I would have made", Peyton mused.

"And why's that?"

"I can't cook" the blonde said simply.

"Well we're going to change that tomorrow", Peyton raised a brow, "I can't have my grandchild eating take out every night", she teased.

"Sounds like a plan", Peyton said as she wrapped the linguini around her fork.

"This is great", Lucas said as he took a bite.

"Great?" Peyton questioned. "It's amazing!" she barely got out between bites.

"Easy there Peyt, nobody's gunna take it away from you", Lucas teased as she piled food onto her fork.

Peyton's mouth hung open in shock. "Dude, so not the way to talk to the mother of your child", she spoke as she placed a hand over her heart.

Karen watched as her son and Peyton fell into banter and she laughed. She let herself genuinely chuckle. And she realized something.

It was the first laugh to escape Karen's mouth in over a week.

------------------------------

"Do you and Nathan want to know what you're having?"

After dinner, Peyton insisted on doing the dishes; which fell on deaf ears. Karen and Lucas immediately helped out. She feigned annoyance, but truthfully; Peyton loved the sense of family she felt.

Peyton looked on from her seat at the table as mother and son washed and dried the dishes and couldn't help but to smile as she pictured the look on Lucas's face as he finally talked her. Her designated job was to put any extra food in the Tupperware, when she finished she left the items on the table and retreated to Lucas's bedroom. She knew he and Karen had some things to discuss.

"We haven't really talked about it, but I wanna be surprised", Haley mused from the other end of the line.

The blonde had to hold back her laughter. Lucas had told her in the car that Nathan wanted to find out. He was in for a surprise.

"Luke and I decided to wait too. Normally I hate surprises, but this seems like a good one."

"Speaking of . . . how is my best friend?"

"He's good, a lot better actually. We laughed the whole car ride home from the mall and then we walked in and Karen had made dinner and—"

"Whoa!" Haley cut her off, "Karen left the room?"

Peyton smiled. "Yea, Luke and I walked into the house and there she was."

"That's unbelievable", Haley whispered in awe.

"I know, she cooked dinner and everything."

"You did well girly", Haley spoke with pride.

Peyton furrowed her brows. "What are you talking about?"

"Peyton, you talked to Karen the other day; what do you think brought on her change in mood?" Haley asked knowingly.

Peyton bit her lip, "Do you really think that's why she left?"

"Yes", Haley said without hesitation, "You are an amazing person Peyton Sawyer, learn to take some credit once and a while", Haley teased.

"Thanks" Peyton whispered as her voice shook.

"Ohh, don't you cry", Haley threatened as her own voice began to shake. Before either of them knew it both girls were a mass of sobs.

Peyton heard a rustling on the other end and a whispering voice.

"Sawyer, what the hell did you do to my wife?" Nathan teased.

"I'm sorry", the blonde whispered.

"Relax", he said assured her, "take a deep breath." Peyton did as she was told and rubbed her eyes.

"Thanks Nathan."

"No problem. Since I have you on the phone let me ask you something . . . when are you and my brother going to get together?"

"Goodbye Nathan", Peyton said curtly.

"No—wait . . . Sawyer", was all she heard before she hit the end button.

------------------------------

"How's Peyton handling everything?" Karen asked as she set two cups of hot chocolate onto the table.

She watched as the corner of Lucas's lips turned up. "She's amazing."

"I'm glad. I know how hard it can be to have a child at eighteen", she reminisced.

"I know . . . she's been great with everything though. We went shopping today and I was expecting her to be tired and sleep the car ride home, but she stayed up and we talked and laughed the entire time. Considering she got shot a week ago, she's an absolute trooper", he gushed.

"Life certainly has dealt her a rough hand", Karen agreed.

"But she's still so strong."

"I think on some level she has you to thank for that."

Lucas shook his head. "That's all her."

Karen smiled at her son.

"You're lucky to have each other Lucas", she spoke as she stared at him, "and I love you for going in the school that day, but don't ever let me come that close to losing you again", she threatened as she pointed a finger at him.

Lucas swallowed. "Mom, I have to tell you something", he watched as she tensed, "I lied to you", he spoke barely above a whisper, "I have HCM."

"Lucas Scott", she whispered harshly.

"I'm sorry that I kept it from you, but I didn't want to stop playing basketball. I know how stupid that seems, but it was my life—"

"Luke", she said disappointedly.

"I know, it was stupid, but I've been taking medication for it I'm gunna talk to Whitey tomorrow."

"Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"There was so much going on. You were in New Zealand and then you came back and Peyton got pregnant and then Keith came home and it never seemed like the right time to say something like this", he furrowed his brows as he thought of everything he had just said. It was only January and this was what his senior year had been like.

"You have too much to live for Lucas, you have a baby on the way and I know I need you . . . Peyton needs you too", she watched as he nodded.

"I'm going to Whitey tomorrow and see if anything can be worked out", he said firmly.

"Good, and don't ever hide anything from me again", she warned.

"I won't."

"Don't take her for granted Luke", this made Lucas's eyes widen.

"What are you talking about?"

"Keith and I . . . we never had a fair chance and that was our own fault in a lot of ways. I don't want you to have regrets Lucas", she whispered as tears formed in her eyes.

"Mom . . ." he took a minute to compose himself. His mother had locked herself in a room for a week and she could already tell how he felt about her.

Transparent much?

"Peyton and I aren't even dating", he offered lamely.

Karen covered her son's hand with her own before she spoke again.

"Don't take your time together for granted."

------------------------------

He walked into his room and instantly smiled. She was fast asleep with her mouth slightly opened, one hand was draped above her head and the other rested right above her belly. The room was quiet except for the steady snoring that escaped the blonde. She had a tendency to snore, but because the pregnancy caused her nasal passages to swell, it was incredibly heightened.

He sat on the edge of his bed and watched her sleep. Truth is he could have watched her forever, but they needed to talk.

"Pssst", he whispered. She furrowed her brows and made a small noise, but didn't open her eyes.

"Peyton", he whispered again as he gently shook her.

Again her eyes remained closed. Lucas stared at her; she was the hardest person to wake.

The shirt she was wearing had ridden up in her sleep and her swollen stomach was exposed. He smiled as he gently danced his fingers from her belly button up to where the shirt stopped. His cold hands across her warn skin caused goose bumps to form and he watched as her eyes fluttered open.

"Hey you", he spoke with a smile. He removed his hand when he saw the questioning look in her eyes.

"Hey back at ya", she said as she yawned, "how's your mom?" she asked as she sat up.

"Good", he said with a smile as he readjusted the pillow under her leg.

"Good", she repeated with a smile, "I'm really glad", she said sincerely.

"Me too . . . listen can we talk for a second?' Peyton tensed at the tone of his voice.

"What's up?"

He rubbed the back of his neck and she drew in a long breath. "I've been thinking, and . . . Peyton, I wanna be with you."

It wasn't exactly a new revelation for her. Nathan had told her that Lucas still did; he was just an ass when it came to decisiveness. Haley had told her that he wouldn't run into the school for just anyone. And even Brooke, had told her that they broke up because he loved the blonde. But to hear him say the words aloud made her panic.

"Lucas", she spoke as she quickly got up from the bed; well as quickly as she could.

"Be careful", he said sternly.

"You don't mean that", she ignored his warning.

"Of course I do . . . Peyton I have wanted to be with you since freshman year when I would watch you from across the quad", he spoke without thinking.

One brow rose and a small smirk graced her lips. "You used to watch me?"

Lucas turned five different shades of red. "That's not really important now", he muttered.

"I'm not capable of being loved, Luke . . . it just doesn't happen", she whispered as tears blurred her vision.

"Well, that's too bad", he said with a smirk, "Because I love you Peyton Sawyer."

"Lucas . . ." her voice seemed pleading.

He shook his head angrily.

"Don't do this", he begged, "don't stand there and act like you don't feel the same way. Don't try and make me believe that everything we've been through has been in vain. Don't act like that day in the library meant nothing. Because I know it did Peyton", his voice shook and her heart pounded.

"Lucas, I have some real baggage; you know me", she tried to argue.

He sighed in annoyance and lifted his head to the ceiling, "You right, I do know you! I know that you hate clowns. You're stubborn. You're a smartass. You smile to the world, but inside you could be crying. You're scared of being close to people because they always leave you. You have a certain smile that's reserved for your dad. You can't take a compliment to save your life. You blush every time you see your bare stomach in the mirror. And most of all I know that being in love scares you, but once you let yourself go . . . it's the most amazing sight in the world", as he finished his sentence he looked down and half expected to be greeted with a hard slap to the face.

Peyton limped over to him with tears rolling down her face. He saw her raise her arm and he flinched; only softening when it wrapped around his neck. She brought his head closer to hers and he instantly brought their foreheads together.

She bit her lip before leaning up and capturing her lips with her own. It was a simple and honest kiss. It wasn't lustful and it wasn't done in hunger.

The kiss ended, but their foreheads remained together. She rubbed her nose against his and smiled.

"I love you too Lucas Scott."

He carefully picked her up around her waist. The sounds of her laughter filled the room as he spun them around and a grin never left his face.

Save Tonight.. Save Tonight..

Save Tonight.. Save Tonight..

Save tonight.. Oh that's Right!

Save Tonight.. Save Tonight..

Save Tonight


FINALLY! lol...I'm sure that's the reaction a lot of you have. Let me know what you think.