AN: Hey guys. Sorry for the unreasonable amount of time it took me to update. I had about the first half of the chapter done for months but it felt like something was missing and I did not want to give you only an incomplete chapter.

The summer has been full of studying and reports, so the months passed in a blur.

I hope you like this chapter. Today I felt inspired again and I knew I had to finish this chapter at least.

I got an anonymous review asking for an update and the timing fitted with my newly inspired mind. Whoever send that review, here is your answer and maybe I can get a name so I can address you personally.

OTHGirl24: Thank you for following my story so faithfully and leaving a review each time.

Suze18: Thank you and I hope you like this chapter as well.

Hildorfr: This chapter should give you an idea how it will continue but the next chapter will be longer and spins it further.

LurveDreamer: It's good to hear from you again. I was missing your reviews. Did you change your pen name again? Your compliment means a lot and despite my not so soon updates let me know. The events will unravel further next chapter.

As always R&R. Reviews are love and support, plus they motivate me to write again (and maybe update a little more regular?).

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

Because of You

by Kelly Clarkson

Peyton

Everything was happening so fast.

One moment they were having this passionate, heated discussion, her barely holding her herself together as all those feelings rushed through her.

First pain at the image of the door in her mind and the reminder of what she had lost because of that night in LA when she hadn't made up her mind yet and had realized too late that her answer would make her loose Lucas.

Then his hurt voice at totally misunderstanding her and her being unable to say him what she really wanted to tell him, what she subconsciously felt in her gut but just couldn't express. That she had lost all hope that night at ever being happy again and had to rearrange every aspect of her life in LA to make herself believe again, in her dreams and her own decisions.

She had figured a part of her mistakes out since returning to Tree Hill but a great part of her mind and heart was still foggy.

So she took her stashed up feelings at herself out at him.

And all the hurt had broken out of her until she told him one by one the reasons his proposal had changed her, made her a different person. A person she herself wasn't sure she knew anymore.

With him she has always known the risk of being deeply hurt but on the other side undeniably happy. Now all she felt was anger.

So when he accused her of not believing in his novel – which had kind of become her bible – and in the words that had made her return here and regaining and reshaping her life again in a way she felt was right until all the fury took over. And while the tears where threatening to come, the grabbed one copy after another and threw it at him.

Her vision was blurry but when she saw his lean statue fading and her brain registering that he was falling backwards it was too late.

Peyton stared at Lucas while he was falling to the ground, mouth agape and shock threatening to overwhelm her.

'No, no, no! This could not be happening.' The fury she had felt moments before because seemingly he hadn't understood anything faded away quickly and made place for fear and concern.

She rushed over to him. His head had hit the floor and he had taken the chair with him. It was lying down sideways, but she only briefly looked at the chair.

Her emerald eyes were glued to his unconscious face, her hands were rushing over his cheeks, his forehead and wandering down to his neck. She places two fingers on his pulse and relieve flooding her when she felt his steady heartbeat. She then turned her head so that her cheek was over his mouth and felt his breath on her cheek.

She straitened her back a little and watched his peaceful face. Her fingers brushed over his sleeve and she felt a little cut there. Her breathing got heavy and she let her fingers wonder, but was glad she didn't found anything else, even after lifting his head carefully and inspecting the back of his head and placing a cushion under it.

But now that she was done examining him her head had room to think. This was Lucas lying here and she was anxious for any movement of his lips or his eyes.

She did not dare think about what might happen if he would not wake up soon. She was no way near resolving her feelings and needed him. Even if it hurt her, as it always did when she was reminded of her reaction to his proposal. It hunted her in her dreams and she wished her heart had caught up with her head in time. This could not end like this. This was not how it was supposed to go.

She refused to accept this outcome of events. All the while she was shaking her head furiously, backing away from Lucas unconscious body, but her legs gave in minutes later so that she was on the floor again. She covered her head in her palms, but spreading them lightly to catch any movement Lucas might do. But as the tears continued to flow it was becoming impossible and she closed her fingers.

All this happened in a matter of minutes and as Peyton was caught up in her desperate thoughts she did not see Lucas' eyelids slowly fluttering open.

Lucas

His mind awakened and he was hit by a sharp pain in his sleeve. His mind tried to recollect where he was. It felt like he was on the floor because his shoulder ans legs were on something hard but his head wasn't. It felt like his head was rested on something soft.

Where was he? It wasn't a bed ans it wasn't a couch. When he slowly tried to lift his eyelids he was met by bright lights and quickly closed them again. Why was his head aching as if he had been hit very hard on the back of his head?

The last thing he remembered was Peyton being angry at him about something. It involved his novel ans it somehow made him happy. A mix of relieve and pure joy and... hope?

What was the meaning of all this? He had to find out what was going on so he decided to open his eyes despite the blending light. He was looking straight at the ceiling, so he must be lying on his back. When he turned his head to the left he spotted a red couch and a few red chairs and... a copy of his novel a few centimeters next to his head with a few drops of blood?

He had to see what was in front of him and lifted his head lightly. As soon as his ears were lifted of the cushion he heard a noise. It sounded like someone was crying but the sound was very dim and muffled.

He saw her kneeling in front of him, her head covered by her palms and choking back tears.

Why was Peyton so sad? Who had made her cry? He was furious.

He had not seen her cry since... the opening. And back then it was him who had hurt her. But this time it could not be him right? He did not want to hurt her ever and the thought that he might be responsible for this was unbearable.

He looked as her and whispered her name.

Peyton

She heard her name. It couldn't be him. But then she realized it could only be him. Not only was he the only other person in the room with her but he was the only one with the power to get her attention when she was so lost in her own mind.

She lifted her palms of of her face and her emerald eyes immediately locked with his blue ones. She did not know what she expected but what she not...determination and worry for her? She had knocked him out and he was worried about her?

She rushed over to him without getting up and was by his side in a few seconds and grabbed his left hand. The relieve flooding her at him reawakening only registered in her mind when she felt his fingers squeeze hers. It reminded her of so many good memories the relieve was accompanied by happiness. The mood swings she had relived through in the last few minutes forced her to close her eyes for a second to settle herself and when she opened her eyes again Lucas was halfway sitting up and his right hand reached for her cheek and gently caressed it. She leaned into the caress and smiled into the touch. His eyes had captivated hers again, holding it with feelings that mirrored her own.

They stayed like that for a few minutes but then Lucas let out a moan and his hand left her cheek and he sunk back to the ground.

Peyton realized that while they were caught in that very emotional moment she had completely forgotten about his injury. She hadn't even called an ambulance so she started to get up and run to her desk where she had left her cell.

Her hands were trembling and a millisecond before she was about to dial the emergency number she heard him say: "Peyton, no."

She turned around, surprised that he had the strength to speak and stop her. Was he not worried about his own injuries?

"I am so sorry! Because of my thoughtless behavior you are hurt. You need help. You hit your head pretty hard and you are bleeding. I have to call an ambulance. Please let me help you.", all her inner torment set itself free.

He seemed to sense her panic because he gave a short "ok" and said nothing before she had made the call.

She rushed to his side after hanging up. She let her hand wander under his back, around his waist and the other hand took his shoulder and with much effort she lifted him up. He leaned into her and even tried to walk himself. They surely could have reached the chair earlier but the remained in this half-hug longer than necessary as if by silent agreement.

When Peyton had finally brought him to the chair, he refused to let her go and held on to her shoulder and lowered his hand so that he was grabbing her lower arm. She tried to break his grip on her, unsuccessfully, and instead she gave in and stayed by his side until the ambulance arrived. The effort it took to avoid his gaze took all her inner strength.

AN: So what do you think?

I did a little change of perspective in between. As the next chapter will be from Lucas' POV you will see the events revolve from here on. It spins this chapter's events further and they will be included in the arc surrounding episode 5.07 aka the Tric opening and the big LP-fight but with a different background.

Please read and review. I need your feedback.