A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews and a special thanks to Catherine and Todd. You guys leave the best reviews! I was sad to see that the number of reviews by chapter decreased though. Please continue to review and I really hope you enjoy this chapter! Only two more to go!

Chapter 3: School/Library

Lucas's POV:

She was nervous, I could tell. As she fumbled with a silver bracelet that adorned her right arm, she looked adorable. Then, suddenly, her beautiful hazel eyes were on me, looking at me full of confusion.

"May I ask why we are here?" she let out finally as she waited for my answer. She had turned her attention to her fingernails, another sign of nervousness.

I glanced around at the hallway that we currently stood in. The walls were decorated with the same ancient, blue lockers that had probably been there as long as this school had. "Don't you think this place has played a significant part in my life?"

As I looked around the vacant Tree Hill High hallways, I felt an overwhelming since of familiarity. So many things had happened here, some good and some bad.

"I…I guess," she stuttered as her eyes met mine for the second time during this conversation. "I guess I just don't see why you would want to come back here."

"It's not really that I wanted to come back, but that I needed to come back." This school held so many memories for me.

"You know this is the hallway that Dan shot Keith in." I let out solemnly as my body sunk against the lockers. Maybe I shouldn't have come here. Too many horrible things had happened here, things that I tried my best to forget about on a daily basis.

Surprisingly I felt her hand slide into mine. "I know," she whispered as she rubbed soothing circles on my palm. I smiled warmly at her. She really had no idea what a single touch from her could do for me. She was always like that though, always having the ability to cheer me up, to make me think that maybe this world wasn't so bad.

I felt myself pulling her into a hug. Surprisingly enough, she let me. Holding her in my arms just felt right. I had missed her. I had missed this. Just because Lindsey and I were getting married didn't mean that Brooke and I couldn't still be friends, right?

"We should be friends," I whispered in her ear as I continued to hug her. The words must have caught her off guard because she pulled away from me, a look of puzzlement on her face.

"We are friends Lucas," she replied letting a small smile through as she extended her hand to lightly stoke my cheek. Why in the world did this feel so natural? Everything with Brooke always felt so natural, never pushed.

"I know we are friends," I reached up, encircling my hand with the one that was caressing my cheek. I slowly brought it down never once letting hers go. "But I want us to be friends."

I know she recognized my words, it was written in her bewildered expression. Those were the exact words she had said to me when I had dropped her home after spending the whole morning chatting with her at breakfast after such a dreadful homecoming night. This was when Brooke and I really started patching our friendship up. This was also when I fell in love with her again. Why I was repeating those same words to her now? I have no clue.

"You know you really should be careful what you wish for Broody," she let out playfully as she brought her hand to my arm slowly moving it further up. Her soft touch brought chills to my skin effortlessly. I watched her eyes, a hint of mischievousness dripped in them. She was slowly but surely leaning into to me and I found my breath hitching as I waited impatiently to see what she was planning. When she was mere inches away from my lips she turned her head to my ear. "You know nothing good ever comes from us getting closer." And just like that she was gone, her image quickly continuing down the hall. It was as if she was never there. I had to run to catch up with her.

"What is that suppose to mean," I yelled behind her. She looked extremely graceful as she almost danced down the hall. It was impossible for any man to not notice her beauty.

"You know exactly what I mean Broody," she had called me my nickname, which I am quite sure she didn't even notice her slip. But why was my heart beating at just the sound of it? Why couldn't I just get my hormones to calm down when I was with her? It's not like she was trying to turn me on, but everything she did made me want her.

Something about this is not right and I know this. But what is wrong with me? If it's not Brooke then it is Peyton. Sometimes I feel like I have committing issues, like I am not capable of committing to women. Maybe I am gay? Scratch that, there is no way, I love sex and I love girl's way too much for that to be the case. It's not like it was all girls though, it is always Peyton and Brooke. To be honest for a while I thought my feelings for Brooke were gone. After all we had both admitted the night I presented Nathan his MVP award that we were meant to only be friends. The spark just wasn't there anymore. Had I been lying to myself? No, that couldn't be it.

"Whatever Brooke, I think we would do fine as good friends. You're not Peyton. You wouldn't try anything with me knowing that I was with Lindsey." She knew I was right. Brooke could be a bitch sometimes but she was not a cheater and she did not take her friends men.

She was silent then, as if in deep thought, but only for a second before she sprung back to life.

"So did you just want to stay in the hallway all day? This school is so big Lucas! Where exactly did you want to go? The gym, cafeteria, courtyard, you name it!" She hadn't named it. She hadn't named the one place that I wanted to go, that I needed to go more than anything.

"The Library."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

I could tell my answer had stunned her. Sitting beside her silent figure on the new carpet was enough to convince me of that.

"We're here to talk about Peyton aren't we?" She had let this out as if she was in a trance, like she had had some big premonition, epiphany or something. Her hazel eyes stared at me as if my answer would kill her. I felt horrible.

"Yes," I mumbled as I searched her face for some emotion.

"We went to the café to talk about Lindsey and now we are in our old school library to talk about Peyton." She said their names with resentment and I couldn't figure out for the life of me why she was so upset. "Well come on, let's get it over with, I don't have all day!" She was definitely angry. "But you know something, why are you even marrying Lindsey tomorrow if you are so hung up on Peyton."

Perhaps this was why she was so upset. I had to clear things up for her. "I am in love with Lindsey, Brooke. This is just my way of saying goodbye to my past lovers. Can you handle that?" I might have said this a little too defensively but she had made me mad. I am so sick and tired of people telling me that I am still in love with Peyton! You'd think they'd know that I would be with her if I still loved her. But I am not with Peyton because I am in love with Lindsey.

Her eyes were fool of doubt and I knew she didn't believe me but I didn't care. I didn't have to prove anything to her. I knew what my heart wanted and it was not Peyton anymore.

"I just want closure Brooke." She searched my face before nodding her head. I was just glad she decided to drop it.

"This would be the perfect place for closure too wouldn't it?" There was hurt in her eyes and I didn't have the slightest clue as to why it was there. "This is where you to shared your first kiss in ages." Now I knew why she was so hurt. This was the place where I had kissed Peyton. Well technically I did not kiss her, she kissed me, but I found out that little detail doesn't really matter to girls.

Flashback

"I'm tired, Luke." Peyton whispered weakly as she tried to forget about the pain in her wounded leg.

Lucas just stared at her worriedly.

"Are you tired?" Peyton continued. She could feel herself slipping away.

"Yeah, but you gotta stay awake, alright?" Lucas replied determined.

Peyton just nodded.

"Talk to me about… tell me about a good day," Lucas probed.

"We had a snow day… sixth grade. Do you remember?" she let out through deep breaths and much swallowing. Lucas nodded smiling his gorgeous smile at her and she returns it naturally.

"It was like this whole other world just came in overnight and took ours away." She paused."And Brooke," she smiles sadly, "she came over. We made a snow fort – with a tunnel." Lucas turned away laughing.

Peyton laughed weakly as well before continuing her story. "And we stayed inside there all day. And it seemed so safe; like… everything was OK. Like everything our world was about to become;" She took a pause, shaking her head,"maybe we could just stop it. And stay little kids for one more day. But then it got cold……," She was almost crying now,"kinda like now. They're gonna come now.

"Who?" Lucas let out, clearly confused.

A single tear drops down her cheek as she replied, "All of them; the reporters… and the psychologists and the analysts and the so-called experts. And they're gonna try to make sense of this."

Lucas just nodded, not knowing what else to do. He felt helpless.

"But they're not gonna be able to," Peyton continued."And even if we do make it outta here, we're always gonna carry it with us.It's never gonna be the same."

She was breathless when she finally focused on him for the first time in a while. "It's not glass, is it?" She paused."In my leg."

Lucas froze before finally answering her."No," he shook his head. "It's a bullet." He paused."Now I may have to get you outta here, OK?"

She looked into his blue eyes her own green ones full of fear.

"But nothing will happen to you.I promise," he lets out determined to get her out safely.

" You're always saving me." It was such a random thought and yet she felt like it was true and she had to voice it.

He shook his head, a small smile on his face."Somebody's got to."

In that one moment she was filled with emotion. She turned away from him in embarrassment. "If I say…" she turned back now apprehensively." I love you, right now; will you hold it against me? Coz I've lost a lotta blood."

Lucas didn't respond, he just smiled at her. Perhaps this was one of the biggest mistakes he had mad that day.

He had just given her all the permission she had ever needed. " … Come here," she let out and he did, this being his second and biggest mistake of today. She kissed him, sweet and brief before looking at in just for a moment.

"Just in case you can't keep your promise," she replied, a smile adorning her face. With that she closed her eyes and let Lucas pick her up.

End Flashback

Brooke's eyes were watering and she turned her head away from me in shame. I felt like complete and utter crap.

"I'm sorry Brooke. I never meant to hurt you." It was a pathetic apology but it was true. Back then, I was head over heels in love with Brooke, I never had any intention of cheating on her with Peyton. Peyton and I were the past. I was completely over her and in love with Brooke. Somehow that kiss ruined our relationship. At least that is what I think ruined our relationship. To this day I have no earthly idea why Brooke broke up with me.

"I know you didn't," her raspy voice was soft and broken. She wiped at her eyes, freeing them of their wetness. "But it still hurts all the same." I tried to protest but she put her hand up silencing me. "Let's do what we came to do here so we can leave."

It was silent after that until her raspy voice broke the ice. "She could have died here." It was more of a statement then anything and I waited for her to continue. "I don't blame you for doing what you did in here." She paused. "And I don't mind you going back to Peyton. I always knew you would." She added the last comment as an afterthought and though she mumbled it I knew exactly what she had said.

"How could you know something like that?"

"Do you not remember how head over heels you were for her?" She was trying to sound happy but she wasn't fooling me. I could hear the sadness in her voice.

"Your right, there was a time when I was madly in love with Peyton."

"So what changed?"

"I don't know what changed Brooke. I changed. We changed. Everyone changed. I will always love Peyton but she was never the one for me."

"Could have fooled me."

"Can you quit with the mumbling!" Brooke was wonderful and all but sometimes she just didn't know when to shut up. She was silent now though, so I took this as an opportunity to continue.

"I don't know. Sometimes I just feel like our whole relationship was built on a lie." She didn't interrupt so I assumed she was going to let me finish. Finally. I continued. "Everything happened so fast with Peyton and I. One minute you and I are together and the next it's me and Peyton. There are so many spaces in our relationship. Sometimes I use to think that Peyton and I were better off as just friends, we're too much alike to have a relationship." I don't know where all of this was coming from but it just

seemed right. I had all these questions in my mind out my relationship with Peyton and I had never voiced them. It felt good to finally get them out.

"So you really are over Peyton, huh?" She was staring at the carpet her eyes wide. I think she finally believed me.

I nodded. "I feel bad sometimes but I can't help how I feel. I'm not the one for her. She just thinks I am. Personally, I think that she should get back with Jake. I know he never got over her."

She had never expected me to say that, I could tell. She ran her fingers through her ponytail for the second time today. I don't know why I was intrigued by such a simple gesture. "I never thought about that."

"I think they should. I can't bear for her to be so miserable while I am so happy. It just wouldn't feel right." She flashed one of her dimpled smiled and it made my heart race.

"You really are a great guy Lucas Scott, Lindsey is very lucky to have you in her life." Her eyes were sad now and I wondered why.

"I'm in your life too Brooke."

"I know," she smiled. "It's just not the same." She jumped up abruptly putting on her façade. She probably thought she was tricking me, she wasn't. I knew her well enough to know when something was bothering her. I just didn't know what. The sad thing was that I felt like I should know but something just wasn't clicking in my brain.

"You ready to go now?"

She seemed a little too anxious to get out of here although I have no clue why. She had a wonderful time high school. I know hundreds of girls who would have killed to have the even half the popularity that she had. She was the queen bee. Every guy wanted her and she had her fair share of boy toys. So why was she in such a rush to leave this place?

"You really don't like being here do you?" She was silent. "Why?"

"Doesn't bring back good memories."

"The school?"

"No the library, you know the place where you basically shot our relationship to hell?" Wow, she was mad. I definitely hadn't seen that coming.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean that. I'm over it." She continued before I could even start. She wasn't over it. That was apparent. I would try to make her believe me. She was better off without me, really.

"I'm no good for you pretty girl. I'm really not."

She looked up to me, shaking her head in disagreement. "I was never good enough for you."

"Don't say that." I walked up to her cupping her cheek instinctively. "It was never you. It was always me." I searched her sad eyes praying to God that I could take her pain away. I leaned closer to her, doing the only thing that I could do. I brought my lips down to her cheek in a sweet meeting. I had forgotten how good she had tasted. I watched as she closed her eyes in response. She was absolutely beautiful. I wish I could take a picture of this very moment. How could she ever think that she wasn't good enough for me, she was too good.

"I never deserved you Brooke. I never did."

A/N: I hope you enjoyed it. And please review. I am sorry I am not as good with first person as I had thought but the last two chapters will be in third person and I will make them extra good. Wait till you see where Lucas takes her next! Please Review!