Peyton awoke the next morning, dreading the day ahead. True, she had slept the night before, but it wasn't a peaceful sleep. She kept replaying in her head Lucas's death. The same thing happened every time it played in her head. She got a call from Karen, saying Lucas was awake. She would drive as fast as she could to the hospital, then walk into the room to find Lucas's dead body. She stared at the body, and then Karen walked in, telling her he couldn't hold on for her. He had awoken, and after Karen had called her, he died. The image of his body, just lying there, was the first thing she thought of when she woke up. She got out of bed, and walked over to her answering machine, a red number one flashing. She pressed the play button.

'Peyton, it's Karen. Luke's awake. I told him you came by, and he wants to see you, soon'

The message was similar to the message from her dream. However, she couldn't contain the smile that started to form when Karen said 'and he wants to see you, soon'. She quickly ate some toast, and went for a shower. Half an hour later she was in her car, heading for the hospital.

…

Karen had been with Lucas since the moment he had awoken. Lily was lying in the hospital bed with Lucas, asleep. Karen had told Lucas almost the second he had awoken that Peyton had come by.

Karen had been on the armchair, reading a magazine but not fully taking in what the text had said. Lily was asleep on a separate chair, and every few moments she would look up to see if Lily was still asleep and if Lucas wasn't. She looked up to see her son's eyes flutter open. She stood and walked over to her son.

"Luke?" she asked. Lucas smiled. "Oh, honey" said Karen, hugging her son. "Thank goodness, we were so worried" said Karen. She picked up a bottle of water and helped Lucas drink it.

"We?" asked Lucas.

"Me, your sister, Peyton..."

"Peyton was here?" asked Lucas, a smile forming on his lips.

"Yeah, and Lindsey"

"How was she?" asked Lucas.

"Peyton's coping. Which brings me to a question. How did you and Lindsey happen, Luke?"

"I asked Peyton to come to the book signing. She didn't show, and I was hurt" He paused. "I slept with Lindsey that night"

"She gave Lindsey a fake name after Lindsey said she was your girlfriend"

"Girlfriend? Lindsey and I haven't really discussed that"

"We'll everyone who has read your book knows of Peyton. She didn't want Lindsey to know who she was"

"Did she say she was coming back?"

"I told her I'd ring her when you woke up"

"Could you? I really want to see her"

"Sure" said Karen. She kissed Lucas on the head and walked outside. She took out her cell and dialed Peyton's apartment number, and got her answering machine. She left a message.

Karen had insisted that Lindsey go home the night before. She was long overdue for rest, and Karen promised she would call if Lucas woke up. She hadn't called Lindsey as yet, as she wanted Lucas and Peyton to have a proper talk before Lindsey showed up. She had watched her son for years be head over heels for Peyton, and she wanted to give them a chance to see if there was something worth saving before calling the new girl in his life.

Karen looked at her children, both asleep. They looked so peaceful. It was then that Peyton walked through the door. Peyton didn't distract Karen when she noticed her looking at her children, and then she looked at them also. Lily was looking more like Keith everyday, and she knew how proud he would be to call her his daughter. Lucas looked happier then he had the day before, but it might've been because he was no longer in a coma. Secretly, she hoped it was because he had been informed that she had shown up. Karen turned around to face Peyton.

"Hi, Peyton"

"Hey" said Peyton.

"Did you sleep okay?" asked Karen, noticing the bags under Peyton's eyes.

"Bad dreams." Said Peyton, Karen nodded.

"As soon as he wakes up I know he wants to talk to you. His eyes lighted up when I mentioned your name". Peyton tried to contain her tears. Karen hugged her. "It's okay. It'll all be okay". As both women were hugging Lucas awoke. Peyton noticed his eyes open and he looked at her. He smiled. They let go and Karen looked at Lucas. "Okay, I'll take Lily and let you two talk". She picked up her sleeping daughter and exited the room. Peyton stood, staring at Lucas in silence. He didn't talk either. She finally decided to open her mouth, but was unsure of what she would say.

"Luke…" said Peyton.

"Just come here" said Lucas, opening his arms up for her. Peyton was in disbelief. She stood still. Lucas put his arms down a few seconds later. "You okay Peyton?" Now that Peyton was at the hospital she couldn't believe how quick she was to think that everything would be okay between the two. She wasn't even sure what she was going to say to him now that he was awake. Now that she was here it felt very real to her that she wouldn't just climb into the bed and forgive all. After all, he had left her in the hotel room with nothing but her mix tape to finalize the break up, and as a result she had somehow become the Peyton that stood in the hospital room, broken and scared of what was to come in the future. She had lost the Peyton she was when Lucas left. She had lost her strength, and she had lost herself along the way. Peyton's eyes slowly went from the hospital bed to the floor. Lucas kept his eyes on Peyton the whole time, not knowing what to say next.

"I'm glad you're okay" Peyton finally said, keeping her eyes to the floor. "But I've got to get going"

"Peyton" said Lucas.

"I am really glad you're okay. I'll come by later if I get the chance". She turned around.

"We have to talk sometime you know". The statement caught Peyton off guard. She turned around and looked up at Lucas. Peyton believed that if you look into someone's eyes it is possible to read their emotion. At this moment Lucas was just as unhappy and alone as Peyton.

"I know Luke, I just need to get to work at the moment"

"I've missed you, Peyton. So much" He paused and waited for a reaction. Peyton stood still. She looked as though she had stopped breathing altogether. "Why didn't you come to the book signing?"

"Why did you and Lindsey get together after the book signing?" Asked Peyton, hurt escaping with her words.

"Because you didn't show and I was hurt"

"So it's my fault you've got a girlfriend?" asked Peyton, bitterly.

"She's not my girlfriend Peyton. It was a one night stand, and then I had my accident. I haven't been with anyone since we broke up, except her for that one night"

"Why did you leave, Luke? That's the only thing I haven't been able to get my head around for the past year" said Peyton. She needed to her the truth.

"I was hurt, Peyton. I didn't know what to do. I thought you loved me"

"I do love you, Luke"

"I didn't think I would be able to face you again, after I left. That's why I never called. I didn't want to approach you until the book was finally published. That was a promise I had made with myself. I would call you when it got published. And then Lindsey told me I'm going to be travelling across the country for book signings, and she tells me one day that Los Angeles is next on the list. You were never out of my mind, Peyton. And when she said Los Angeles it all came back. And I decided to call you, because I wanted to see you. And I wanted to show you that I could do it. I just wanted you, Peyton. That's all I ever wanted"

"I knew you could do it, Luke. I never doubted that. I woke up in that hotel room, Luke, and it was like another finalized chapter in my life. Another person left. But it hurt more than both my moms dying, because I know if they could they would come back. And you could come back. You weren't in another world, you were in this world. And then after that thought stuck in my head for a few months I started to think I wasn't enough to be with you. I missed you so much, Lucas" said Peyton, a tear falling from her eye every couple of seconds. If Lucas could, he would've gotten out of the bed that very second to hold Peyton. He wasn't supposed to move out of the bed for a few days, and he had quite a few wires plugged into him.

"Come here, Peyton" attempted Lucas, opening his arms for Peyton once more. This time Peyton caved in. She wasn't going to hold back. She had done that for a year too long. She walked to his bed and climbed on, resting in his arms. Lucas held her tightly in silence, letting her let it all out. She cried for a while, but to Lucas it felt like ten seconds, not nearly long enough for him to hold her.

"Luke?" said Peyton, breaking the silence.

"Mmm?" asked Lucas, placing a kiss on Peyton's head. She lifted herself up and looked into his eyes. Her eyes had become red and puffy.

"Promise me you will never leave me again. I can't go back to a world without you". Lucas took Peyton's hands in his and looked deep in her eyes.

"I promise you Peyton. I will never leave you again". A small smile appeared on Peyton's face. She then leaned back on Lucas, still holding onto of his hands.

AN: I'm quite proud of this chapter (: Reviews always appreciated –hint hint-. I was going to end the fic with Lucas and Peyton getting together, but I think I'm going to continue with this fic. Still hating Lucas though. Haha.