Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or any of its characters

She had been set up, they both had. She had two options at this time. She could walk over to Lucas, show him the note and they could read the second note hidden under the bleachers, together, or she could just get back in her car and leave. There were so many thoughts running through her mind at this point. What was she going to do?

After many failed attempts at reaching his brother, Lucas decided that it was time for him to just go home. He was going to say goodbye to Peyton, but she looked like she was deep in thought, and he didn't want to disturb her. Peyton looked up and noticed that Lucas was walking over to his car. It was time for her to make what could possibly be the biggest decision of her life. "Luke wait!" She yelled, taking even herself by suprise.

"Yeah?" He asked hopefully.

"How would you like to go on a little adventure with me?" Lucas looked a little confused at this statement, but if it meant spending time with Peyton he was willing to try anything. Not trying to sound too excited, he decided to play it cool.

"Depends, is this going to be painful?"

"I'm not sure." She says honestly. She had no clue what tonight would do to either of them. Looking intrigued, Lucas took a step closer, he could smell her perfume, it was the same she wore in high school. Smelling it again literally made him go weak in the knees. "Read this, I've got to go grab the next one." She says as she walks over to the bleachers taking the second letter out. Lucas read the first one while she did and couldn't help but feel a rush of grattitude towards his friends. They knew that he and Peyton belonged together, long before he did, just like their senior year in high school. God he loved this girl, so much it scared him. It scared him so much he almost married another woman.

"Peyt, are you sure you want to do this? I mean you really don't have to if you don't want to." He said

"No I really want to." She said sincerely. When she said this, he gave her one of his famous Lucas Scott smirks. The same smirk that she fell in love with four years ago, the same smirk that haunted her dreams to this day, and the same smirk that made her want to kiss the life out of him.

"So where does this little adventure of ours start?" He asked, breaking into her thoughts.

"Here's what the letter says,

Peyton and Lucas,

Tonight, the past will be forgotten and all that will matter is the present. These cards will not only tell you where to go, but they also might just help resolve some of the issues you have. Enjoy each other's company and just have some fun for once. The first stop of the night is the place where you had your first conversation, and if I have to tell you where it is I will smack you. There you will find your next card. Tonight, forget the bad and remember the good. Drive the comet to this first place, because we all know how many memories that car holds for you. On you're way there, you need to talk about one of the major issues that plagues your relationship. The Engagement. I know it was a dark place for you two, but it's time to talk about it.

I LOVE YOU P.SAWYER AND YOU TOO BROODY!

Love, Brooke

"Wow, I didn't think it was going to get this deep, this fast." Lucas said looking a little worried at the nervous expression on Peyton's face.

'Well, we knew we would have to talk about this eventually right?"

"Yeah, sure." Lucas said he was still cleary nervous. He just wanted to have fun with Peyton tonight, he wanted her to remember why they fell in love, and possibly fall in love all over again. They got into the car began to drive. It was time for them to talk, get it all out into the open. "Why?" He asked, it was a simple question, but there was so much meaning behind it.

"Why what?"

"Why did you say no Peyton? I mean we were so in love, and just because we got engaged it didn't mean we had to get married right away. I would have waited until you were ready."

"First of all, I didn't say no, you should know that by now. And second, why did we have to get engaged if we were just going to wait to get married? I loved you Luke, so much, but why so soon?"

"Because we hadn't seen eachother in forever, and I knew that we were growing apart and it scared me. I couldn't lose you, and maybe it was out of insecurity, a little, but you have to know that I loved you more than anything. I just needed that assurance that you felt the same way, and then when you said someday I felt like you just didn't want to be with me. So I left."

"Luke, why have you never told me this before?"

"I don't know."

Now it was Peyton's turn to ask something that had been bothering her. "Why didn't you call? For three years, I missed you everyday. And I waited for you to call me and tell me that you felt the same but it never happened."

"My pride, I guess. Everytime I went to call you I would convince myself that you had said no, and that by calling you now, I would only be hurting myself. But don't think that I didn't miss you, because I did. I missed you and wanted you everyday for the past three years." Lucas couldn't believe he just said that, he had just told her that even while he was with Lindsey he wanted her. Luckily for him, she didn't seem to have noticed, or atleast that's what he thought.

Peyton had heard him though, and for a moment she was flattered. Not to mention, she wanted to jump into his arms and tell him she loved him and always will. But then she saw it, his angry face saying that he hated her. She just decided this was a mistake of his, and decided to move on.

The rest of the car ride was filled with nothing but silence. After an eternity, it seemed, they arrived at the river bend, the place where it all started.

"That's me inside your head." The first words they had ever spoken to each other had changed Peyton's life forever, even if she didn't know it at the time. They both got out of the comet, and saw a balloon held to the ground by a rock with the word NOFX written on it. Attatched to the string, was the two letters.

"You wanna read this one?" Peyton asked handing Lucas the letter that read "READ THIS FIRST!!"

"Sure...

Luke and Peyton

Stop being idiots you belong together! Tell each other three things that you like about each other, then move on to the second letter

Love, Nathan

"Well he always one for words wasn't he?" Peyton asked while giggling.

"So I'll go first, I love how strong you are, no matter what life throws at you, you're always strong and you always fight through it. Second, I love your eyes, those green eyes can read right through me and right into my soul. And last, I love your art, how your passion for it just leaps off of the page. It's always inspired me." By the time Lucas finished, Peyton had a single tear flowing down her cheek.

"Thank you." It was quiet, but loud enough for him to hear. "I guess it's my turn. Let's see, first, I love your smile. That smile has always had so much power over me. Next, I love the way you stepped up with Jamie when Nathan had his accident, it showed so much courage. And last, I love your honesty, you've always been honest with the people you care about." Peyton didn't know it, but the last comment she made tore Lucas's heart apart. He wasn't honest he hadn't been honest with himself about Peyton, he hadn't been honest with Lindsey, and worst of all he was now lying to the girl he loved. He gave her a little smile and opened the second envelope.

This one said to go to the library at Tree Hill High School, there was no need to question why they needed to go there. It was a scarey thing to think back to that day, the day when Peyton was shot, Jimmy committed suicide, and saddest of all, the day Keith died. This time the letter didn't give them an assignment of what to talk to about on their way there. So neither of them were sure what to talk about.

"So have you heard from Lindsey?" Peyon couldn't believe she just asked about Lindsey, but part of her wondered whether or not Lucas was still in love with her. It had only been two months, but he seemed to be so much better.

"Yeah the other night, she called to tell me that she was seeing someone new, and that she wanted us to be friends."

"Oh my god, Luke, I'm so sorry."

"It actually isn't affecting me as much as you would think. I mean, we've both realized that it just wasn't meant to be ya know?"

"Yeah." Peyton said as they pulled into the parking lot of the high school. They got out of the car, walked through the main doors, and headed straight for the library. It hadn't changed at all since they were trapped in there all of those years ago. Without event thinking about it, they both walked to the shelf that they hid behind that day. Seeing the two letters waiting for them, they sat down.

"This one says that we need to tell each other a secret." Lucas said as he read the firts letter.

"OK, I'll go first this time. Sometimes, when I'm walking down the street, I swear I see Ellie or my mom. It doesn't matter where I am LA, or Tree HIll I see them, and when I turn to get a closer look they're gone. And I still dream about them too, almost every night."

"Well, someone very wise once told me that dreams are like e-mails for ghosts, their way of contacting you from the other side." Lucas said with a laugh, causing Peyton to smile.

"OK, Scott it's your turn."

"Hmmmm, let me think. Sometimes, I wish that I died that day. That way my mom would still have Keith, and Lilly would know her real father, everyone would be happier."

"Are you crazy?! Everyone would be happier? What about me? I wouldn't be anywhere without you. If you were gone before I got to tell you how I felt, I couldn't live with myself. And if you were gone who would save me from psycho Derek, who would have carried me out of the school that day? And who would have made so happy during our senior year? You changed my life Luke, whether you want to believe it or not. The truth is, I honestly wouldn't be here without you."

"Thanks Peyt."

"No problem." She said with a smile. "So let's read this next letter." She said with tears in her eyes.

"OK"

"It says that we need to go to the beach where we spent so much time between our junior and senior year."

"Well then let's get out of here Ms. Sawyer."

They drove to the beach, but this time there was no akward silence. During the ride, the comet was filled with music and silly conversations just like high school. When they got to the beach there was one envelope. They had so much fun so far tonight, it was as if the other night never happened.

"This one says that we need to tell each other something that we've wanted to say for a long time and then we can go our separate ways."

Lucas started to speak, but Peyton interupted him, "I'll go first. I still wonder what life would be like if I had just said yes three years ago. Would we be happy? Or was it really too soon? Would we have children? I just can't stop myself from wondering what might have been ya know?"

"Yeah." Lucas was deep in thought. He could tell her something that was way overdue or he could just make something up. It was now his turn to make an important decision. He thought for a few seconds, and he figured out the perfect way to tell her.

"Luuukkkeee...is anybody home?" He just realized that Peyton was talking to him.

"Huh?"

"You there?"

"Oh yeah sorry." He thought for a second and decided it was time to take a chance. "If I told you I loved you right now would you hold it against me?"

"Very funny Luke."

"Because I do, I love you Peyton. I know I hurt you when I walked out on you, and I know that I treated you horribly when you got back to town, but I never stopped loving you. You're the one I want next to me when my dreams come true, but even if they don't I still want you there because everyday I spend with you is a dream come true. Lucas and Peyton is true love always, and I'm sorry it took me so long to realize it. But I love you Peyton, I do." She just sat there completely shocked by what she just heard. "Are you going to say something?" He asked nervously.

"What do you want me to say Luke? That I love you and I always will? That I want everything with you? That I would love nothing more than to marry you and start a family with you?" At this point, she was allowing the tears to flow freely down her face.

'This is not going as planned' Lucas thought as he watched Peyton breaking down in front of him. He bowed his head in shame

"Because I do, Luke." She said causing his head to snap back up. "I want everything with you, and I want it now." And with that, she kissed him passionately and for the first time in a long time, she felt like everything was going to be alright.

Well there it is! I wanted to get it done because One Tree Hill is on tonight, and it just felt right!! Comments. questions, and suggestions are always welcome. R&R!

Up Next: Will things be OK with Leyton? Or will they get hurt all over again?