Brooke stepped out of Karen's café and began to walk down the street when she was met with a sight that stopped her in her tracks. Lucas with Peyton in his arms-again. It had become a sight all too familiar this past year and she was tired of seeing it and feeling the way she did every time.

Brooke looked around. They could at least have the decency to find some place private to have their love fest, she thought irritably.

"Oh look, it's the love birds," Rachel chirped behind her annoyingly. Brooke bristled. "Should we stop and say hi?" Before Brooke could say anything, Rachel called out.

"Hey guys! Get a hotel room!"

Lucas and Peyton pulled back marginally to see where the voice came from. They pulled away completely when they saw who was with the voice that had called to them. Peyton shoved her hands into her pockets and groaned inwardly, as Brooke and Rachel approached them.

Lucas's hands followed suit into his own pockets.

"Did you guys have fun at the prom?" Rachel asked, with faux cheer. Lucas narrowed his eyes at her and looked at Brooke.

"So where did you two run off to?" Brooke asked, directing her question to Peyton. Peyton shrugged her shoulders and looked up at Lucas.

"Um, Brooke do you really want to have this conversation here…with Rachel?"

"Well why not since you seem to like hanging all over Peyton in public, we might as well do this in front of the whole damn town."

"I just meant-Look you haven't spoken to me in like two weeks, so maybe we should have this conversation in private."

"Where were you last night?"

"We were at the prom, Brooke, and then we left."

"I wasn't feeling well," Peyton broke in.

"You were never a very good liar P."

"Brooke, I am not going to have this conversation with you here," Lucas said, exasperated. He stepped away from Peyton a bit, taking Brooke's attention away from her. He didn't want Peyton to lie for him. This was his fault. Despite what Peyton told him, he was the one who kissed her and it was wrong.

"Why?"

"Brooke can we just go somewhere and talk please? Just you and me? Please?"

Brooke looked back at Peyton with narrowed eyes and then back to Lucas.

"What happened last night Lucas? Peyton? You seem to want to turn over a new honest leaf. What happened!"

"I-I told him, Brooke. How I feel. I'm sorry," Peyton blurted looking anxiously from her to Lucas.

Brooke's eyes widened and she turned to Peyton. "You BITCH! You said you wouldn't say anything to him and you…at our prom!"

"Brooke I'm sorry. It just came out," Peyton cried. Lucas looked nervously from Brooke to Peyton. "I never meant for this to-" But Brooke didn't let her finish. Before anyone could move, Brooke slapped Peyton.

"Brooke!" Lucas cried and pulled her away from Peyton who could do nothing but hold her cheek, eyes wide and wet with unshed tears. He couldn't help the surge of anger and protectiveness he felt when Brooke slapped her.

"You do this to me AGAIN! Who the hell do you think you are!"

"Brooke, I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Sorry you went to the prom with MY boyfriend when you had feelings for him? Sorry you told him you were in love with him? Sorry about.." Brooke stopped and turned her head to look up at Lucas whose worried eyes were still on Peyton.

"Sorry about what happened afterwards?" She finished, quietly with barely suppressed rage. Lucas looked down at Brooke at this moment with regret in his eyes.

"No," Lucas whispered. "What happened afterwards was my fault Brooke. And if you want someone to strike out at it should be me, but don't-don't put your hands on her again." Brooke pulled away from him roughly.

"So the slutty dress worked, huh P?"

"We didn't sleep together Brooke," Lucas said, softly. "but-but I did kiss her." Brooke bit her lip hard and nodded. This pain was all too familiar and she hated them for making her feel it again.

"And I'm betting you wanna do it again." Lucas just looked at her with guilt filled eyes.

"I didn't mean for any of this to happen, Brooke. Can we just-talk about this."

"Talk? Talk? Are you kidding me? How about you talk your head off with my back stabbing BITCH of an ex-best friend, EX-Boyfriend. We're through." She shoved passed him and Rachel followed with a smirk.

Peyton was still holding her cheek and Lucas was glued to his spot in total shock.

Finally Lucas blinked and took hold of Peyton's hand and removed it from her cheek. Gently he stroked the reddened skin with a gentle finger.

"Are you okay?" He asked. Peyton finally blinked and tears streamed down her face. Lucas pulled her into his arms and sighed deeply. That went very, very badly.

"I'm sorry Peyton. I'm sorry." Peyton shook her head and sniffed.

"No, Luke it's my fault. This all my fault, you should-You should go after her because," Peyton was crying as she spoke. "You love her and this is my fault. I shouldn't have said anything. Go, Lucas. I'm sorry."

Lucas was looking at her with large eyes-his I love Peyton eyes.

"No."

"What do you mean no, Lucas? You love her. I know you do and whatever feelings there are. I'm-just in your heart. That's not the same as being in love with someone. Just go." Peyton had gotten a hold of herself and had crossed her arms around herself.

"Wait-You don't know that I-"

"Go, Luke."

"I-I can't, Peyton. You're not just in my heart." He cupped her face with his hands and stared into her eyes. "I'm in love you too, Peyton. I can't help it and I don't want to hide it anymore."

Peyton smiled despite herself. "Really?"

"Yeah. I love you; I do. And Brooke was right."

"I am a backstabbing boyfriend stealing bitch?"

Lucas shook his head. "I do wanna kiss you again." Lucas leaned his head down and caught her lips with his. There was something to said for being able to hold the woman you love without any guilt. Unfortunately, Lucas still didn't know what that felt like. That didn't stop him though, from enjoying this kiss thoroughly. He wrapped his arms around her and smiled as Peyton slowly wrapped her arms around his neck.

He moaned lightly as his tongue found Peyton's and began to massage it. His hand came up to cup the cheek that Brooke had slapped. They were so deeply involved with their kiss that they forgot they were standing across from Karen's shop and in the middle of the street.

"Lucas?" They pulled away and Lucas flushed.

"Mom."