A/N: I was really hoping to hit 100 reviews, but I'm close enough. Hope you're all enjoying the journey as much as I am through Lucas and Peyton's lives.

Chapter 7

New Friends – Old Friends – Always Friends

Sometimes there are events in a person's life that they want to share with everybody, and scream from the rooftops because it is the absolute best thing that has ever happened.

Sometimes there are events in a person's life that are so special and so significant in some fashion that they want to keep it all for themselves as a private memory to be treasured forever.

The debate that Lucas and Peyton were having on the way home from Emerald Isle on Sunday morning was which category there weekend fell under, and more specifically the news that they were now a couple.

The issue was not so much should they tell their friends they were a couple, it was more a question of when. Obviously, it was no longer a secret that they had made a plan to carry out their pact. Brooke had been true to her word and clearly not made any mention to Nathan or Haley.

The whole idea of being together was still very new to them and their friends had never been subtle about pushing them together. They weren't sure if it would be a good thing to tell them and relieve the pressure, or to just keep it to themselves for a bit and get used to the idea themselves.

"I know it seems selfish to not say anything," said Lucas holding her hand lightly while he held the steering wheel with the other "but I want to be selfish with you, Peyt. It's never been just us, and I really think we need that, just for a little while. Maybe until we know if you're pregnant or not. I meant, they'll have that to focus on for a while, right? And we can just…I don't know…be."

"Luke, I agree, I do. I just wonder if by not saying anything, we'll be increasing the pressure. You know they'll be like pitbulls, and won't let go until they've got something. You remember what it was like with your first book tour when you came to LA."

Flashback

It had been a year since graduation and good things had been happening for Lucas. His book had been picked up by a publisher and given to a junior editor to work on. The book was a semi-autobiographical novel and was being touted to have wide appeal with teens. It had everything from scandal to murder to teen romance and unrequited love. Although, the names had been changed in many cases, everyone who knew Lucas knew that the two main characters were Lucas and Peyton. A life long friendship that never made it to a romance, but could have if either party had expressed their feelings without fear. When it happened, his first thought was to call Peyton and tell her about it, but he couldn't bring himself to pick up the phone.

Lucas' editor, Lindsey, had probed for details of the real person behind the heroin of the story, but Lucas had been very vague and simply told her it didn't matter. The real person wasn't around and had no idea what the book was about. He didn't want to discuss it any further. He found himself attracted to Lindsey, but guarded his heart fiercely. The more time they spent together on his book, the more he thought that maybe he could be with someone other than Peyton, and given that they were not on speaking terms, he should probably move on. He couldn't be alone forever.

Lucas was still attending college with Nathan and Haley, and the basketball team had made it to the final four during March Madness. Lucas was being haled as an outstanding student coach. It was bittersweet for Lucas since his and Peyton's nineteenth birthday was during the sweet sixteen round and it was the first time they had not celebrated together. They hadn't spoken since that fateful night and even their birthday couldn't bring either out of their stubbornness to call the other.

Peyton's life was not going so well. She and Brooke had gone to LA together, but Brooke's clothing line soon took off and she had to go to New York where the fashion buzz was. Peyton's job wasn't so much an internship for the record business as a mundane life of getting coffee, making photocopies, and being harassed by overpaid, chauvinistic idiots. The only bright spot in her life was a budding new relationship.

Julian Baker had bumped into her outside the photocopy room after visiting with a friend there. Peyton's pile of papers had gone flying and Julian had apologized and offered to take her out for dinner to atone for his clumsiness. Peyton was feeling particularly vulnerable and alone after seeing Nathan and Lucas on television during the basketball tournament and not receiving a phone call on their birthday. It didn't really occur to her that she could have called him. That ship had sailed, she thought. Time to move on.

She spoke on the phone with Brooke about once a week, who in turn spoke with Nathan and Haley. Peyton had basically cut all ties to that boy, and that included his brother and sister-in-law. It was from Brooke that Nathan and Haley learned about Julian, and it was Haley that passed the information on to Lucas, hoping to spur him into action one way or another. She liked Lindsey, but held out hope for Lucas and Peyton and thought that the news of Julian might just be the catalyst to get him to confess his feelings to Peyton.

Brooke had been given the task of telling Peyton about Lindsey, and Peyton had taken the news with a tinge of regret and disappointment but knew that she had Julian and should be happy for Lucas. Brooke and Haley had a number of conversations about how to push the two together and each did their own part in planting the seed with each of their friends that they should at least get back to talking to each other. They figured once they did that, the rest would take care of itself. Nathan just shook his head every time Haley was on the phone with Brooke and stayed clear of the whole situation.

The information about Julian gave Lucas a tinge of jealousy, but he decided that since he and Peyton both had someone, it was probably time to mend fences and try and get back to being friends.

When he found out that his book tour was going to be in LA, he took the opportunity to call Peyton and invite her to come and see him. She was surprised by the phone call and it was very awkward since she was with Julian when she received the call. Nonetheless, she agreed to be there and said she was happy for him and all the success he was having.

Julian had insisted on going with her. He was well aware of who Lucas was, the history with Peyton, and the potential for disaster for him if she went to see him on her own. It was a little selfish on his part, but once they got there, Peyton couldn't have been more grateful for his presence.

They walked in the door just as the signing was beginning and just in time to see Lindsey planting a kiss on Lucas' cheek. Peyton sucked in a breath and hoped Julian hadn't noticed and then took his hand to walk over to Lucas.

They hugged uncomfortably, and introduced their significant others awkwardly, and stole looks at the other trying to convey apologies and regret without actually saying anything in front of Julian and Lindsey. The four ended up having dinner together, and while Peyton and Lindsey seemed to have little in common, Lucas and Julian talked basketball and soon began discussing the possibility of turning his book into a movie. The evening ended with the obligatory 'it was nice to see you', 'we'll keep in touch', and 'we'll always be friends' but somehow they both knew that they wouldn't be in touch for a while and trying to be friends with each other now was one of the hardest things either had ever done.

When Lucas called Haley to tell her how it had gone, she was disappointed and didn't do very well at hiding it, but told him that he had to stop hiding his heart and do what was going to make him happy. Lucas told her to stop holding out hope for something that was never going to happen and drop the whole Peyton issue.

When Peyton called Brooke about the meeting and the dinner, Brooke was angry. She told Peyton that wasn't how it was supposed to go. That Lucas and Peyton were supposed to have had dinner on their own, and worked everything out and sailed off into the sunset together. Peyton screamed back at Brooke that they weren't pandas that could be just thrown together and expected to mate, and to please give up on pushing her and Lucas together. She also told her to not mention Lucas to her anymore.

When Brooke and Haley spoke to each other, they both agreed that there was still clearly unfinished business between Lucas and Peyton, but they were going to have to let it go…for now.

They debated back and forth over the issue of what to tell their friends the entire drive back to Tree Hill. They were expected for dinner at Nathan and Haley's and when they pulled in the driveway, they still had not come to an agreement as to how they were going to handle it.

"Ok, how about this…" Peyton started as they sat in the car in the driveway, "we wait and see how they react and then we react accordingly. If they are really casual about this, then I think we can tell them, but if there is any sign of the hysteria we know Haley, and especially Brooke are capable of, we keep it under out hats for a while. OK?"

"Fine," agreed Lucas a little defeated "but I'd rather just keep this as you and me for a while."

Peyton leaned over and kissed him gently, stroking his cheek.

"I know, honey…let's just go in and see what's waiting for us."