Okay so Lucas and Peyton are totally confusing right now. Let's see what happens in the next chapters to come.

This chapter will be the beginning of how everything will change between Lucas and Peyton, and with Julian and Peyton.

"Keeper" by Dashboard confessional


[Parking lot-Tric]

Lucas walked hurriedly toward his car, carrying a barely conscious Peyton in his arms. He put her on the passenger seat and quickly ran to the driver's seat.

He sped off, in total shock.

[Hospital]

Lucas, who was carrying Peyton, ran to the E.R. area, frantic.

"I need help!" he cried out.

Nurses and a Doctor quickly came up to him and took Peyton.

"What happened?" a nurse asked.

Lucas couldn't speak. He could only watch as Peyton was being checked out and his focus was only to her.

"Sir." Someone tried to get his attention.

[River court]

Julian and Brooke were smiling at each other.

"Thanks, Brooke." Julian said.

"No problem." She said as her phone rang.

She grabbed her phone and then answered it.

"Brooke." Lucas didn't wait for her to speak. "Peyton's in the hospital."

[Hospital - waiting area]

Brooke leaned on Julian as she tried to fight back the tears. Julian tried his best to keep Brooke calm while Lucas was staring down at the floor, deep in thought.

[Peyton's office]

"Do you still love me?" Peyton asked.

He remained silent, not knowing how to respond.

She massaged her forehead and let out a heavy breath. "Just go." She whispered.

He stood still.

"Please, Luke." She pleaded.

He nodded. "I'll be seeing you." He said, turning to walk away.

He took a few steps before turning to look back.

"Peyton…?"

He saw her holding on to her desk, slightly swaying. He walked back to her in time to catch her when she collapsed.

"Peyton!" he panicked.

She gripped her head, wincing in pain.

"Luke…" she cried out weakly.

He wasted no time and carried her to his car.

Nathan and Haley arrived and sat with them.

"Where's Peyton? What happened?" Haley asked.

Before anyone could respond, the Doctor approached them.

Brooke was the first to meet him.

"You're here for Peyton Sawyer?" he asked.

Brooke nodded.

"I'm Dr. Copeland." He introduced.

"Brooke Davis." She replied. "How is she?"

"She's stable. I take it that's she's been in a car accident just last night?" he asked her.

"Yes. She had a concussion." Brooke said.

(Author's note: I haven't had the time to research on head injuries and all that stuff due to tons of home work so I just made up a condition that could most likely be possible haha. Sorry guys.)

"Well, from what happened today it seems like she hit her head harder than we initially diagnosed. She's experiencing some severe head aches due to strain. Her head hasn't completely healed so she's easily susceptible to head aches." Dr. Copeland explained.

"So what does this mean?" Brooke asked.

"Well, we need to put her to sleep for a while. That way, she can heal faster without being stressed out." Dr. Copeland told her.

"But she'll be okay, right?" she asked.

"She will be. She just needs to rest. Don't worry, everything's okay." he assured her.

"Okay." Brooke nodded. "When do you need to do it?" she asked.

"I think the sooner, the better." He said.

"Can we see her?"

"No problem." He said.

[Hallway]

Brooke rushed toward Nathan and Lucas, who were facing each other, while Haley was close behind her.

"You couldn't help yourself, could you?" Brooke was pissed at Lucas.

Both Nathan and Lucas faced her, confused.

"What are you---"Lucas tried to ask.

"Isn't it enough that you broke my best friend's heart? You just had to hurt her physically too!" Brooke exclaimed.

"What?" Lucas couldn't believe what he was hearing from her.

"Peyton got into that car accident because of you! And now she's in the hospital again because you just had to stress her out. Are you trying to kill my best friend?" Brooke told him.

"Brooke." Haley, who stood beside her, tried to calm her down.

"Do you hate her that much for what happened to you two? She said 'someday' Lucas. And you walked out on her. So if any one should be blamed here it would be you." Brooke glared at him.

"I was trying to apologize." Lucas said.

"Look how well it turned out." Brooke said.

"I think this isn't the time for this." Haley told them.

Brooke glanced at Haley then back to Lucas.

"You know what I think? I think you should leave." She told Lucas.

"Brooke---"Haley tried to reason.

"I'm serious, Haley." Brooke told Haley then she turned to Lucas. "You're not going anywhere near Peyton anymore Lucas. I mean it. Stay away from her."

Lucas couldn't respond. Neither Nathan nor Haley could either.

"Now leave before I kick you out of here myself." Brooke said coldly.

Defeated, Lucas sighed and then turned to walk away.

Haley watched Lucas go as Brooke went the other way.

Nathan looked at Haley and she met his gaze. Both of them were in shock.

[Peyton's hospital room]

Julian was seated by Peyton's bedside. He smiled sadly at Peyton.

"I guess I won't be seeing you for a while." She said.

"It won't take long." Julian said.

"Lucas isn't coming, is he?" Peyton asked.

"I don't know." He quietly said.

Peyton sighed. "Is it wrong for me to want to see him after everything that has happened with us?"

"No." he said.

"He's Lucas Scott. He would've tried harder." Peyton said.

"I guess he's not the guy you thought he was---at least not anymore." Julian said.

Peyton looked away sadly.

"I'm here, Peyton." Julian said as he placed his hand on top of hers.

She looked back at him.

"And I promise I'll be here when you wake up. I'll be the first person you see when you open your eyes." He smiled.

"Promise…?" she asked.

"I promise." He said.

She nodded, believing him.

"You'll be okay. You just need some rest." He said.

"I guess I should've just listened to you and Brooke when you told me to stay home huh?" Peyton shrugged.

He chuckled.

"I know I've said this a thousand times already but thank you, Julian. I can't believe that after what happened to us, you're here." Peyton said.

"It's all because I love you, Peyton. And I'm not letting go this time---not without a fight. I'm going to make you see me." He said.

Peyton placed her hand on his cheek as she looked him in the eye.

"You don't need to make me see you, Julian." She told him.

[Lucas's house]

Lucas went inside his room and was surprised to find someone inside.

"Lindsey." He breathed out.

"I used the key." She said. "I just came by to get the rest of my stuff."

He stepped closer to her, pleading.

"Don't go." He said. "Can we talk?"

Lindsey looked at him, debating on whether or not she would stay.

She sighed. "Fine…I'm listening."

"Wish I could be somebody else

Wish I could see you in myself

Wish there was something inside me to keep you beside me

Say what you really feel

You know I need something that's real

I should have told you everything."



I want to apologize again for making up the condition Peyton was in and also the resolution to that. I already had the story drafted but I haven't had the time to look up head injuries. So anyway, this was a pretty long chapter and a lot has happened.

Lindsey's back. Peyton's put to sleep. What will happen and what will change?

Like I said on the intro of this chapter, this chapter will be the beginning of how things will change for the characters. (Mainly Peyton, Lucas and Julian. And Possibly Brooke.)

RR