I own nothing—thanks for the reviews.
I know we'll meet again
Fate has a place and time
So you can get on with your life
I've got to be cruel to be kind
Like Doctor Zhivago
All my love I'll be sending
And you'll never know
'Cause there can be no happy ending
"How about you guys go to the Rivercourt?" Haley questioned as she stared at her curly haired friend.
She knew something was off the moment she stepped into the house. Peyton had a different look in her eyes then the one she had been sporting all week.
"What are you trying to get rid of us?" a completely oblivious Nathan questioned. Haley looked to Brooke for some back up.
"She's got a good idea. In a few months, the baby will be here and who knows when you'll get to just shoot around, either of you", she added as she stared at Lucas.
Nathan furrowed his brows. He knew they were up to something.
"Okay", he said in confusion, "I'll see you back at the apartment", he said to Haley as he leaned down and kissed her lips.
"I'll call you later", Lucas said uneasily. He leaned down to kiss Peyton's lips, but was greeted by her cheek.
This was a movement that even Nathan noticed.
The boys said their other goodbyes and then they were out the door. As soon as it shut, Haley and Brooke faced Peyton.
"What happened?"
"What was with all the yelling earlier?" They questioned at the same time.
"There was yelling?" Haley asked Brooke.
"Lot's", she said with a grave expression.
"What could they have been yelling about?" the smaller brunette asked. Brooke shrugged before turning to face Peyton once again.
"First of all, way to eavesdrop", she said as she pointed to Brooke.
Brooke scoffed, "It wasn't eavesdropping when I could hear it from my room."
"What's going on Peyton?" Haley questioned, "You two were fine in the beginning of the week."
"That's the problem", Peyton pointed out, "Fine isn't fine. It's the exact opposite. Lucas bottles everything up. He shuts down and then acts like it never happened."
The two friends could hear the sadness in the blonde's voice.
"Peyton—"
"It just sucks", she said dejectedly, "He and I have never needed words to know what was going on, you know? It was always just there", she said sadly as she sat on the couch.
The other two girls looked at each other before sitting on either side of their blonde friend.
"Lucas has a hero complex", Haley spoke, "Ever since we were younger . . . he was the one protecting everyone else. On the playground or in the classroom, it didn't matter where. He just wants to protect you from this", Haley said as she patted the girls knee.
"But I don't want him to protect me from this", Peyton argued, "I want him to tell me what he's thinking or how he's feeling. I want him to let down the guard he has up. God, I sound like him a year ago! I can't read him anymore and that scares the hell out of me", by the time she finished her rant her face was red and she was out of breath.
"Sweetie" Brooke said calmly as she grabbed Peyton's hand, "It's in his blood to protect the people he loves. Keith was the same way."
Peyton took a deep breath. Everything they were saying made sense, but it still didn't seem to fit.
"I'm trying, you know, I'm really trying to be there for him and to let him come to me when he's ready, but if it doesn't happen soon . . ." she let her sentence hang.
"He will", Brooke quickly assured her. She looked over at Haley.
"Of course he will. He always comes to you."
Peyton looked between her two friends and sighed. She hoped they were right.
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Nathan and Lucas pulled up to the Rivercourt. The car ride there had been quiet; incredibly quiet.
"Alright", Nathan broke Lucas from his thoughts, "I've been good about giving you a chance to tell me yourself", he continued as he grabbed the basketball from the trunk, "you haven't owned up so, I'm flat out asking you", he began to dribble the ball and turned to look at Lucas once more, "what gives?"
The blonde Scott sighed. "It's nothing."
Nathan scoffed, "The two of you have been all over each other all week", and he said as he scrunched his nose, "back at the house she wouldn't give you a real kiss. I know what that means when Haley does it . . . does it mean the same thing for Sawyer?" he asked as he shot from half court.
"Pretty much. We had gotten into a fight right before you guys walked in. I guess she was still annoyed with me", he held his hands up as a request for the ball.
"So, this has nothing to do with the scene you caused in school on Tuesday?" Nathan asked as he threw him the ball.
Lucas stared at him in disbelief. "Hey, she's my best friend. We talk."
"Yea well, stop talking about me", he said with a hint of anger in his voice.
"Whoa", Nathan held his hands up in surrender, "she came to me because she's worried Luke. She's doing her best to be there for you, but you have to meet her halfway."
"Why?"
The question caught Nathan by surprise. He hadn't expected his brother to argue with him about this. Peyton was his girlfriend. The woman who was carrying his child.
"Because man, you just do", he offered lamely.
Lucas nodded his head. "That's a good argument you've got there", he said as he rolled his eyes.
"Well, I didn't think you'd be such a little bitch about this", Nathan muttered loud enough for Lucas to hear.
"Look, you don't know what it's like! I lost the only person I ever considered a father", Lucas's voice was raw at the thought of Keith.
"We are all doing our best to be there for you", the basketball was long forgotten and the two brothers stood eye to eye.
"But you don't get it!"
"Then help us 'get it'", he mocked.
"It's not something that I can explain. You just have to know . . . and none of you do."
"Peyton does", Nathan shot back, "Her mom died when she was eight Lucas. Ellie died a month ago. I think she knows better then anyone else how it feels", Lucas looked down.
"I don't want to dump this all on her. She's pregnant and she should focus on that", he said softly.
Nathan took a moment to take a breath. He uncurled his fists that had unconsciously been curled during their argument.
"Lucas, she loves you. The fact that you're not telling her is causing more harm then good", he pointed out. Lucas sighed.
"Look, I'm not asking you to go back and read her your diary. Just let her know what's going on in the idiotic head of yours."
"Nate—"
"At least apologize", he cut off what he was sure would be another argument, "You owe her that much."
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Haley had gone home. She was tired and slightly moody so the girls didn't mind when she said she was heading home. Brooke was in the guestroom—her room. She was probably sleeping, but Peyton knew she was lying on her bed waiting for the opportunity to talk some more. Honestly, she was all talked out.
She sat on her bed sketching when something caught her attention. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the white flag. Another moment later, she saw the person waving it.
"We're not at war Lucas", she said with a smile.
He walked over to her bed and carefully sat on it.
"You sure about that?" he teased. She nodded her head.
"No war . . . you just refuse to open up", she said bluntly.
He sighed. "Look, I know I need to talk, but I can't. Not right now."
She looked at him and groaned. She was a sucker for those blue eyes of his.
"Eventually", she told him, "you are going to talk to me."
"Yes ma'am", he said as he saluted her. She laughed and grabbed onto his collar, pulling him on top of her.
His hand crept up her shirt and rested on her growing stomach. "I love you", he said softly as he leaned down to kiss her.
"I love you too", she whispered back when the broke apart.
And that was the hardest part.
I've made up my mind
There's no turning back
She's been good to me
And she deserves better than that
Let me know what you think. I hope the last part makes sense. Anywho . . . there will be some interesting developments coming up. Keep reading.
