Author's Note: I just wanted to say thanks so much for all the feedback. I loved hearing from all of you! The mystery guy was a tough decision but I think it will be revealed later in the story why I chose the man I did. I hope some of you aren't too disappointed! Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! I've tried really hard to hold true to all of their characters and represent their personalities accurately and I'm hoping I did an okay job of that. Please let me know what you think and if there's anything I can do to improve. Enjoy!

Peyton lifted her head and her eyes met a pair of brown one's she hadn't seen in a long time and as he opened his mouth, his deep rumbling voice brought her back to days she had long since forgotten.

"May I have this dance, Peyton Sawyer?"

Her eyes widened as the presence of the man in front of her sunk in. His name left her lips in a barely audible whisper. "Julian."

"Wait," Brooke looked between the two of them. "You two know each other?"

Julian turned towards the brunette and Peyton caught the look in his eyes. She knew that look; that look meant nothing but trouble. "Why yes…"

Abruptly she stood up from the table, nearly knocking over her chair in the process. "Come on." And without another word she grabbed his hand and dragged him towards the dance floor. She could hear Julian snickering behind her as she weaved her way through the crowd and she spun around the second she made it onto the dance floor, Julian almost bumping into her as he was forced to come to an abrupt halt.

"What are you doing here?" She hissed under her breath as she seethed up at him.

He took one of her hands in his and gently placed the other on her waist, ignoring her attempts to pull away from him as he gently started swaying to the music. "Well you see," he began, "after we ended things I decided to finally read that book of yours. I wanted to see what it was about that novel that had you so captivated. It's a great book." He gave her a sly smile. "I can't say I was rooting for the couple in it, but the story, the plot, it was good."

"So what?" Peyton hissed. "You came here to tell me you read Lucas' novel?"

Julian shook his head with a laugh. "Not everything is all about you Peyton. I came here to make a movie."

"Make a…?" Peyton's eyes widened as realisation dawned on her. She stepped out of his arms and placed her hands on her hips as she glared up at the man in front of her. "You wouldn't."

"As I said," Julian looked down at her. "Not everything is about you. I'm here to make a movie, and if it happens that my ex-girlfriend is close with the author," he gave her an innocent smile and a shrug, but his eyes gave him away, "so be it."

Peyton had fire in her eyes but it did little to deter the man in front of her.

"I would ask you if things ended up working out between the two of you but…" He gestured around them with another shrug.

She wanted to hit him in that moment, more than she could ever remember wanting to hit anyone in her life, but she was crippled by an all-consuming pain at his words.

He seemed to notice her reaction and he visibly softened. "I'm sorry, that wasn't fair. I guess, I guess I'm just still not over what happened between us."

Peyton looked up at him. "What happened to not everything is about you Peyton?" She mocked as she wrapped her arms tightly around herself.

Julian looked into her eyes and for the first time he looked sincere. It reminded her of the old Julian, the one she had known years ago. "I'm here to make a movie. I am. But I would be lying if I said that there's not a part of me that still cares for you." And with that the cold exterior he had been hiding behind crumbled and what she was left with was the man she had loved years ago. But she wouldn't be fooled that easily. She hadn't forgotten.

Peyton scoffed. "Oh come on Julian. You don't have to keep up the act. I know about what happened at Sundance, it was in the papers."

Julian looked at her, puzzled. "Sundance?"

"The actress you hooked up with right after we broke up. Our relationship clearly didn't mean that much to you." Peyton gave him a look to show him he wasn't fooling anyone with his act.

"Peyton I didn't go to Sundance." He looked down at her and once again, she could see that he was telling the truth. "My dad just posted that article for publicity. I didn't even know about it until after the story was out."

She looked up at him, confused. "You didn't go to Sundance?"

He shook his head. "After everything that had just happened between us, there was no way I could have gone."

Peyton looked up at him and her heart broke. It broke for him, and it broke for herself. So he had been the man she had always believed him to be. She waited for that feeling of relief to wash over her, but it never came. This didn't change anything, all it meant was that she had finally found a genuinely good guy, one who had truly loved her and who wanted her, and that there was no way she could ever love him back the same way. She wished so badly that she could just push Lucas out of her heart, that she could ignore that voice in her head that told her she would always love him; after all, she knew things were over between them, he was married for god's sakes! But she knew she couldn't.

He see it written across her face as she looked up at him. "You're still in love with him."

The look her in eyes told him everything he needed to know. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Julian nodded. "I guess it's true what they say about true love. I guess there really are some loves that never die."

Peyton scoffed and he could tell what she was thinking. "He loves you too," he muttered softly. As much as he didn't want to be having this conversation right now he knew she needed to hear it. He had noticed it from the second he had walked into the room, the way Lucas' gaze kept finding its way back to her. The way he was glaring at his friend who had danced with her. The way he was looking at them now.

Peyton followed his gaze and once again her eyes were met with those piercing blue orbs that sent a shiver all the way down her spine. But for once in her life, she couldn't read the look in his eyes, those eyes that had always betrayed his every emotion. They had always been a window into his soul; but now they were conflicted, and guarded. It broke her heart that he had to hide his emotions from her. He never had before, one look into her eyes and he would always show her exactly what he was feeling. She turned away from him and shut her eyes. "He loves Lindsay," she muttered softly.

Julian just shook his head as he glanced between the two of them. "It's not the same. The looks the two of you share…" he trailed off as his voice became quiet. "You've never looked at me like that. Even when we were together. I knew you loved me…"

Peyton nodded and looked into his eyes. "I really did."

He gave her a soft smile. "But it was never the same was it?"

"No." Peyton's voice was quiet, apologetic. Julian squeezed her hand to let her know it was okay before turning back to look at Lucas. "It's the same with him and that girl, Lindsey. I can see it. He still doesn't look at her the same way he looks at you."

Peyton shook her head. "Julian, you don't have to…"

Julian chuckled but there was no humour in his voice. "Do you think I'm just saying this to try and make you feel better? Believe me Peyton, this is the last conversation I want to be having right now."

Peyton looked up at him and realisation dawned on her. "I'm sorry Julian. I just…I wasn't even thinking. You shouldn't have to do this."

Julian just shook his head. "It's okay Peyton. I'm just, you know what? I'm just gonna go. I'll meet up with Lucas some other time he's…" He looked over at him dancing with Lindsay, shooting the occasional glance over at Peyton and shooting daggers at him. "He's got his hands full right now."

"Julian," Peyton looked up into his eyes. "I'm sorry. I wish…"

Julian nodded. "Me too." And then he was gone.

Peyton made her way back to the table and let out a sigh as she sat down; there had been too many life-changing events for one day. But before she could even begin to reflect on her encounter with Julian she felt the screeching of a chair being pulled back and turned to see Brooke taking a seat beside her. "What was that about?" The raspy brunette couldn't hide her curiosity.

Peyton sighed softly. She knew she would have to explain this eventually. "That was Julian." She could tell by the look on her friend's face that she expected more of an explanation. "We dated for about a year after Lucas and I broke up."

Brooke's eyes went wide. "Why is this the first I'm hearing about this?"

"It was a long time ago. You and I barely spoke back then."

Brooke looked completely and utterly shocked. The only word she could get out was, "…How?"

"I told you about the book signing didn't I?"

Brooke shook her head. "No, but Lucas did."

Peyton nodded sadly. It was just another reminder of how far apart she and Brooke had grown while she had been in L.A. Back when they were in high school, it would have been inconceivable that Brooke would hear about something from Lucas before herself, but now she wasn't even surprised. There was so much about that time in their lives that they still hadn't talked about. "Well when I went to the book signing and…"

"Wait," Brooke interrupted her. "You went?"

"I guess Lucas didn't tell you that part," her voice was soft.

"Lucas knows you were there?"

"I told him," Peyton's voice was tired, resigned, "a few days after he got back, when he offered me the office space."

Brooke just nodded mutely. She was still processing all this newfound information.

"Anyways," Peyton took a deep breath. "I went to the book signing and I saw him there with Lindsey, and it was pretty clear that the two of them were together so I left, and I ran into Julian outside. I'd met him once before while I was still working for John; it was right after Lucas and I had ended things and he'd seen me crying in the mail room…not the point." She shook her head and refocused her story. "I ran into Julian outside the book signing and he took me to this party he was hosting. I don't know, things just progressed from there and eventually we started dating."

"How long did you guys date for?" Brooke asked.

Peyton shrugged. "About a year."

Brooke nodded. "So it was serious then."

Peyton smiled sadly. "We were in love."

Brooke just looked at her for a moment before something else seemed to have clicked in her mind. "You thought Lucas and Lindsey were together that day at the book signing?"

Peyton looked at her friend for a moment before stating in an obvious tone. "They were."

Brooke shook her head. "Do you really think he would have invited you if he was with someone else? He and Lindsey weren't together; he invited you because he was hoping that there was still something between the two of you. He wanted to get back together Peyton."

Peyton just stared at her friend. "But I saw…"

"I don't know what you saw, but they weren't together. That day, when you didn't show up, Lucas figured that it was a sign that things were over between the two of you, that you had moved on. That night was his first date with Lindsey."

Peyton just stared at her friend, her eyes filling with horror and shock. "You mean…"

Brooke realised her mistake immediately. Knowing that there had been a chance for the two of them would do Peyton no good now that it was too late. "I'm sorry," she wrapped her arms around her best friend. "I'm so sorry Peyton. I shouldn't have said anything." She felt dampness on her shoulder and heard a sniffle but before she could do anything about it Peyton broke away and dabbed at her eyes with the napkin on the table, hiding any trace of her tears.

"It's okay, I'm okay." The crack in her voice gave her away. "It's just…it's been a long day and a lot of surprises. But I'm glad I know, I guess, I just wish…" Her eyes filled with tears once again.

"Come here," Brooke pulled her back into her arms. "I know honey. I wish things could have been different too. But there's no point in thinking about the what if's. Everything happens for a reason. And you know what? Maybe the two of you just aren't meant to be, maybe there's someone out there that's better for you." But her words sounded hollow to both their ears for they both knew the truth. Lucas Scott and Peyton Sawyer were meant for each other, they had always been meant for each other and they would always be meant for each other. That was a fact.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thoughts and constructive criticism is much appreciated!

Coming Up Next:
- Lucas and Lindsey's POV
- Things change while Lucas is away on his honeymoon