Author's Note: This chapter is dark. Very. Since it reveals (finally) what happened to Peyton. A brief, not too graphic scene but if abuse isn't something you can stomach, don't read this.

Disclaimer: Usual disclaimer applies.

Chapter Four: Hope Eternally

Peyton Sawyer was trapped in the darkest recess of her mind. Her mind was conscious even as her body lay dormant in the bed. She willed herself to wake. To find a way out of this nightmare before it started again.

She could see herself clearly. Sitting in her office and shedding tears over Lucas' engagement to Lindsey. She could see herself sitting there, as if she was looking in from behind glass, when he came in. Peyton screamed as loud as she could, banging on the imaginary barrier and trying in vain to get to herself. To will herself to turn around.

She could hear his voice in her head as well as her own.

She watched herself turn around, startled by the footsteps coming up behind her.

"What are you doing here?" she heard her voice ask. The memory of herself didn't seem scared, but that was about to change. She wanted to close her eyes, to look away, to run and help herself... but it was too late.

"You ruined my life, bitch," he said, the knife in his hand gleamed when the light caught it. He held it up for her to see. "Now I'm going to make you pay."

Peyton screamed in her mind at the same moment her memory of herself did. She could feel every punch, kick, and stab just as she could when it happened. She tried to get away from him but he caught her by the ankle.

"No, no..." he pinned her down. "You're not getting away from me that easily," he taunted her. "Not until I have my fun with you."

He ripped her skirt with his knife and his hands before plunging the knife deep in her side. He pulled it out slowly, causing her an obscene amount of pain. A tear-less sob escaped her mouth. Her wide eyes caught sight of him undoing his jeans and despite the pain in her side, she braced for the worst.

She screamed, succumbing to the pain...

... and woke with a start. Her eyes flew open, unfailing tears springing forth. Her mouth opened and a strangled cry arose. Her scream didn't sound like much aloud, but inside her head, it was blood curdling. The images played fiercely in her mind, intermingling with reality, until both were distorted and interchangeable.

Brooke rushed off the chair and tried to calm her. She reached out to touch her and Peyton recoiled as best she could.

"Shh, honey," Brooke soothed her, grabbing hold of her best friend's flailing arms. "It's me, Peyton. You're alright." Somehow, that calmed her. Brooke touched her face lovingly and stared into her eyes. "You're alright," she whispered. "You're going to be alright."

"He raped me, Brooke," Peyton said as best she could. She'd been dying to say those words since her conscious mind grew stronger. "He raped me."

"I know, honey. I know," Brooke couldn't stop herself from sobbing right along with her.

She didn't expect Peyton to wake up so soon after surgery. It has been only two hours since they wheeled her back into the room. She also hadn't expected Peyton to be so coherent. She thought a great deal about what she would say to her friend when she woke up, if she woke up at all. Part of her was glad she didn't have to explain what happened, while another part was sorry that Peyton obviously relived it in her unconscious state.

"I'm so sorry that happened to you, Peyton. I'm so sorry." She wanted to hold her friend properly but knew she couldn't. Peyton just had major surgery and Brooke was not willing to risk all the work they had done in making her friend well. "Tell me who did that to you, Peyton. The cops are outside waiting for you to wake up. Along with everyone else. Tell me who did it and I'll make sure they get the bastard."

Brooke meant that with every fiber of her being. She would personally hunt down the bastard herself if that meant getting justice for Peyton.

More tears fell from Peyton's green eyes. She looked so frightened. So much in fact that it reminded Brooke of their prom night when that psycho Derek attacked them. It was in that moment that she vowed that she would do anything to make this right for Peyton.

"Who was it, Peyton?"

"Jason."

When Lucas finally found Lindsey, she was sitting in the chapel. Her eyes were closed and he could hear her muttering words softly to herself. He figured she was praying and almost felt bad for interrupting her. Especially with what he was about to do.

He had wanted to speak with her hours ago but the police arrived to question Brooke. He wanted to know if they had any suspects, any leads about the person who raped Peyton so brutally. He wished only for a name. He would find the person himself if he had to. Find them and make them wish they had never been born.

Then, Peyton came out of surgery and he wanted to go and see her.

"Peyton," Lucas called to her softly. It was just him alone in the room with her. Brooke was still talking to the police and he didn't want Peyton to be alone. "It's me," he continued, bending down and grabbing her hand to kiss. "I'm so sorry this happened to you. So sorry. But you're going to be okay. I know it." He smiled. "You're going to come back to me." His smile faded under the onslaught of treacherous feelings. "I love you, Peyton, and I can't live without you." A tear slipped down his cheek. "Please don't leave me."

He left the room after promising her that he would make things right. He meant that he was going to tell Lindsey the truth about his feelings for Peyton and somewhere deep inside, he knew she understood that.

He loved her, had always loved her, and always would. He hated to hurt Lindsey but Peyton's attack and almost losing her forever made him realize just how much Peyton meant to him. Made him realize that he could not be without her... that he didn't want to be.

"Linds?" he called.

Lindsey opened her eyes and found him standing next to her. He looked just as sadly as he did before and she knew again that he was going to break her heart.

"How's Peyton?" she asked, genuinely concerned.

He sat down beside her. "She pulled through the surgery. The doctor says they repaired all the damage to her lung and they will take her off the air machine in a day or two and see how she's faring on her own. She's going to make it."

Tears that she could not explain fell from her eyes. It was almost as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. "I'm glad." And she genuinely was.

They sat in silence for a moment. The girl who loved a boy... who loved another. She knew Lucas had finally come to a decision about his feelings for his former love and that decision was not in her favor. It was a classic story. Epic really. She'd find it romantic if it didn't hurt so damn much. If it wasn't her heart that had to be broken in the end.

But as it was... she didn't run away.

"Lindsey," Lucas began softly but she interrupted him.

"You should go to her, Lucas," she said suddenly, her eyes cast to the floor. "You should go and be with the woman you love." She did look at him then, hazel eyes so full of tears and anguish and heartbreak. "And you should give her this." She placed her engagement ring in his hand and smiled at him through the tears. It wasn't a cold or a bitter smile. In fact, it was the warmest smile she had ever given him. "It's always belonged to her anyway." She closed his hand around the ring and her hand around his. "Just like your heart."

Lucas wanted to comfort her, find the words to express how sorry he was but they didn't come. He just sat there silently, watching her do the noble thing by him once again. Watching her walk away from him before he could walk away from her.

"I never meant to hurt you," he whispered, his voice could go no higher.

"I know," she replied just as softly. "I think on some level I've always known that you still loved Peyton. That you always would. She's your soulmate." Lindsey removed her hands from around his. "It's an epic love story, Luke. Beautiful and tragic. It's just not ours."

Lucas wanted to say something, anything to ease her pain, but before he could, Nathan rushed through the door.

"Luke, Peyton's awake," his brother told him and his heart leaped with joy.

He looked back at Lindsey one last time. His blue eyes shining with remorse and joy simultaneously. Lindsey knew it was hard for him. Knew he didn't want to hurt her and she'd give him one last favor of not seeing her shed another tear.

"Go," she told him firmly, taking the final decision out of his hands; knowing truthfully, there was no decision to make. His heart had already said goodbye even if his mouth had not.

Lucas didn't say anything else, just got up with the ring in hand and ran with Nathan towards the love of his life.

It was the hardest thing Lindsey had to do: saying goodbye to the man she loved and the life with him she so desperately wanted, but she smiled anyway. Looked up toward the ceiling and whispered something. Her prayers were answered. The love of her life was going to get the chance to reunite with the love of his life.

Peyton lived.

Lindsey felt her broken heart was a small price to pay.

Two words. To anyone who had listened.

Thank you...