So here it comes. My new chapter it finally up. I hope you like it.

I want to thank everyone who uploaded a review and/or added my story to story alert:

RJMoonspell4 & OTHGirl24: Thank you for your review and reassuring me you are still reading. It means a lot to me.

EmmaJoie: I am glad you like my story. Tell me what you think of the new chapter please. Thanks for the story alert.

Natarma: Thank you for story alert.

LukePeyTLA: I am finishing this story, thank you for your support. I have ideas for several new chapters in fact. I know Leyton stories are rare these days. I would really like to hear your opinion.

IcyGold: So now this chapter is about how Peyton deals with everything. Please review as usual. I love long reviews. I am that I helped you understand Lucas better. This is how I see his constant denying.

Anyway enjoy. Please review. I need your feedback. They make my day.

Disclaimer: I don't own OTH and its characters. It belongs to Mark Schwan and the CW.

Pictures Of You

By The Last Goodbye

I Never Told You

By Colbie Caillat

Peyton

She was looking at her laptop-screen working on some documents while listening to some of her favorite records. She seemed calm and focused. Inside she was anything but.

How could she be after the recent events? She certainly had not expected her return do go smooth and easy. Too much had happened, she was very aware of this fact, but she had not expected it to be that difficult.

What was Lucas thinking? She could not wrap her head around that no matter how hard she tried, and by god she did. He was everything she ever thought about. At first she had been very careful around him because she knew how deeply her last encounter had hurt him and seeing him again brought all this back, along with the good memories but this did not make it any less painful.

And then he had helped her with her label and things went well – scratch that just better than expected – and she thought they could be around each other. It was inevitable because they had the same friends and they had to learn how to deal with each other.

But then there were these moments. When he had told her that she could open her label and be successful, when he had caught her and hugged her close to him, they had been so close and she had been reminded of their past, and finally the CoB opening and the outcome of it leaving them even more confused than before. This recent encounter was burned in her memory, and even thinking about it made her legs give it, which was why she avoided standing longer than necessary. What did those moments meant? Were they friends again – considering they never really were just friends – and if they were would it stay that way? And what about Lindsay? Lucas seemed happy with her and she wanted him to be but why did it hurt her so much to see them together or even to hear about it?

She looked at her hands and noticed she had stopped tipping and her fingers were hanging loosely over the keypad now. She shook her head. Damn, she had to finish this but she seemed unable to concentrate. How could she when he was on her mind? It was always like that with him. She tried, unsuccessfully, not to get distracted. Well maybe she should take a walk, get some fresh air. It usually helped. She saved the half-finished document and turned her laptop off. She could not concentrate anyway. Why wasting time trying.

She stood up, grabbed jacket and cell and closed the door behind her.

-0-

She was passing the lake in her comet, music turned on loud and the wind blowing her curls in every direction. This was just perfect. She could always clear her thoughts, be free and no one was there to interrupt this safe haven of hers. She leaned her head back rejoicing the moment when the music was disturbed by another song she recognised seconds later as her ring tone. 'Damn I thought I had eliminated all sources of distraction! ', she thought to herself. She fidgeted in her pocket to find her cell and saw Brooke' s name on the display. Sighing she pulled her car to the margin of the road and pushed the answer button just in time because her cell had already stopped ringing.

'Where are you? Why did it took you so long to pick up your damn cell?', Brooke sounded really angry. Peyton wondered why that was so.

'Hey calm down I was driving on the Highway and I had to pull to the side. Do you want me to get involved in a accident? I don't think so.' , she said trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice. But of course Brooke picked up on it and asked, this time compassion and worry swinging in her voice.

'Is something wrong, P. Sawyer? I can hear it in your voice. Tell me, come on. You can tell me anything. You do know that, don't you?'

Peyton felt kind of guilty for letting all her anger and confusion slip like that. She knew Brooke was only worried and she had nothing to do with her mess. She was the only one responsible for this and she had to figure out how. She was never good at that. Usually she had someone to talk to, to help her make up her mind, figure out what she had to do. Her best friend. The person who was on the other side of the line right now doing exactly this. But this was way to important to talk about over the phone. She had to see Brooke.

'I'm just a little bit... tired. I had to get out of the office and... I guess need some distraction you know. Do you know something by chance? I mean if someone can put my mind of this stuff it's you. You are Brooke Davis, the one and only.', she knew was not entirely honest but the part about distraction was true.

She just wasn't brave enough to admit the real reason yet. And the last part should have set Brooke's mind to work on some plan.

'Your wish is to be fulfilled. You know I called to ask you to come home because we have some unpacking to do. We have so much stuff still stocked in boxes everywhere. I look around and it doesn't look like our place yet. I could need your help. And you just said yourself you want to do something. So how does this sound?', Brooke said.

Peyton pictured their living room with all the boxes in the corner and how they really ought to work a little to make it feel like home. This was just perfect. This meant change, their new home and really good distraction, too.

'Sounds perfect', she said, grinning. 'I am on my way.'

And with that she turned around and headed to her new home, filled with the hope that she would feel better soon.

-0-

Peyton was standing in front of her new home, rummaging in her purse in search for the key Brooke gave her a few days ago. So she did not heard it immediately when Brooke opened the front door like she had been waiting for her.

She looked up and smiled at Brooke who embraced her seconds later in hug and led her in. When she had stepped inside the living room that looked even messier than before. Peyton could picture the scene perfectly: Brooke had picked up several boxes, opened them, checked the items and moved on the other ones doing the same not quite sure where to start. She shock her head grinning at the mere thought, which made her gain one of Brooke 's half-angry glares.

But this task was just perfect so she shoved her imaginary sleeves up a little bit, determination sparkling in her eyes and asked: 'So where do we start?'

Brooke raised her brow and motioned toward a box in the left corner and one immediately caught her attention. On the front cover it read 'Tree Hill High'. The fire that had filled her just moments ago vanished and was replaced with an uneasy feeling.

As if Brooke sensed her mood change she observed Peyton for a moment and asked: 'Is that ok or would you rather start with something else?'

Peyton met her gaze and shook her head while answering: 'No that's fine. Do you have a specific place or wall in mind as to where they should be? Because if you do I would like to know how many pictures to sort out.'

'Not yet. But just take care that everyone is in at least one picture, ok? You know Haley, Nathan, Mouth, Skills, you, me and...', Brooke hesitated and then added, 'Lucas. I know this is not easy for you but he belongs here. And you know you can always talk to me when something is bothering or upsetting you. I'm here for you, always.'

Not trusting her voice Peyton hugged her for a moment and then went over to the corner with the pictures containing many memories. And who knew this might help her. Confronting her fears and her past.

When she reached the box, she was careful to keep her back turned towards Brooke, not daring to look back. She could feel that Brooke was watching her.

With trembling fingers she removed the tape and the first photo she saw was of Brooke and herself in their first year at Tree Hill High, smiling up at the camera in their cheerleader outfit. It made her smile. It was just the two of them at that time, well mostly if you didn't count her on and off relationship with Nathan.

The next was one that made her heart clench. It showed Lucas with his arm around Brooke' s shoulder and her sitting closely beside him. The three of them seemed so comfortable. Lucas mesmerizing blue eyes were sparkling.

This reminded her of how her inability to admit her feelings for Lucas had made him turn toward Brooke while their affection had been mutual. A lot had been different when she had not been so afraid. She knew that know but Peyton also could not imagine what turn their life would have gone had Brooke and Lucas not become a couple. Sure it would have speared everyone a lot of drama but they had all learned a lot even if it had almost ended friendships and had left some broken hearts. But mistakes were made so you realized what went wrong and prevent it from happening again and it had made their bond even stronger when they had overcome their arguments.

Sighing she moved on the next which showed her and Lucas sitting next to each other at the river court followed by another similar one where she had her hair cut short. She remembered that time all too well. After she had found out about Ellie Lucas had been there for her whenever she needed him and in return she had kept his secret of saving Dan and his worries that he might have HCM.

They had been close and this was the first time when they had been real friends without any of their relationships getting in the way. She had felt content and happy despite her time progressing her parental issues. He had caught her when it had been the hardest for her, made her feel less alone.

She went to look at the next photo and sure enough it showed the three girls at Nathan and Haley's second wedding. If you did not know about the argument between the two bride's maids at that time you would not see it. But by that time Peyton had finally admitted to herself and Brooke that she had feelings for Lucas. Brooke had misunderstood her confession as a threat or warning that she planned to act on those feelings when in truth she had never thought about doing that giving their history and valuing their friendship too much. But all her pleading had not done anything to make Brooke see that.

Peyton remembered how glad she was when they finally worked things out. This memory made her turn around and look at her best friend, who was busy sorting dishes, careful not to break them.

Looking at this now made her believe that everything could be fixed if you only wanted to. She and her best friends had overcome all obstacles and were now moving in together. At several points she would have thought that to become impossible.

The next photo made her heart almost jump out of her chest. It showed her with Lucas, his arms wrapped around her waist and her smiling up at him, her eyes sparkling, a sparkle that was reflected in his eyes. They looked like nothing could disturb their happy trance.

She tried to remember when this picture was taken but could not figure it out. She looked at it for a while and tried to fill herself with the happiness that radiated from this picture. Was it really so long ago? Why was it so hard to remember a moment like this? A moment when they had been so captivated in each others gaze they failed to see anything but each other.

She closed her eyes for a moment trying to recall this memory but all she could see were amazing, kind, gentle and blue eyes looking down into her green ones in an imaginary hug just like in the photo. She was captivated by them and a warm and calming wave was filling her body from head to toe.

The same eyes that haunted her dreams lately and made her struggle to wake up but whenever she a closed her eyes again all she could see were these blue eyes. Lucas' eyes.

She got so carried away that when she felt warm hand on her shoulder she turned her head dreamily around, hoping it was him and felt a slight disappointment when it was Brooke. But the concerned yet understanding look Brooke gave her made her feel guilty for ever having felt like it.

'Got a little carried away, huh?', Brooke said softly. As usual Brooke knew exactly what was going on inside her head and she did not seemed to mind her previous look.

This was one of the reasons why she trusted her. Brooke always had her best interest at heart and Peyton had been looking for a chance to come up with this subject, so here it was. Why not start now?

'Yeah... You know I was trying to remember when this was taken. But no matter how hard I try I can't seem to recall the day.', she confessed.

Brooke smiled and answered her unspoken question. 'Luckily for you you happen to have the photograph right in front of you. I took it a week before you left for your internship in LA. When I recall correctly you guys were so lost in each other you did not even acknowledged anything or anyone around you. I swear there could have been a hurricane going on and you would not have realised it.' Brooke reported a warmth in her eyes telling her that she had not minded that at all because they were obviously really happy. And even though she did not doubted her story the part about the hurricane... Peyton shock her head, trying to hide the slide smile that grazed her lips now.

'You know...', Brooke said hesitantly as if unsure whether she should say what she was about to say, 'a few days back at the store...'. Brooke stopped there looking Peyton directly in the eye, signalling the next part was very important but just the mentioning of her almost fall made her nervous. She had an idea where this was going but did not trusted her thoughts to go there on their own, which would definitely would make her miss what Brooke was about to say.

So she just sat there rubbing her hand up and down her knee, waiting for Brooke to continue.

'...you kind of had the same look on your face. The same look like you have in the picture. Both of you.', she said pointing at the picture.

And the way Brooke had said that and her memory of hanging in Lucas' arms, his arms the only thing still holding her, along with the tingle and heat that had filled her made her realise that Brooke was right. She was falling for Lucas again. This was for sure.

But the remaining question was: How was Lucas feeling about her?

So what do you think? The next chapter will be from Lucas POV again.

Also please check out my other story 'Memory Mix Tape'. Again, please review or give me other signs of feedback.