Alright as some of you know my story Mortality Of Life Altered By The Trigger was taken down for a guideline infringement for whatever annoying reason that I'm still not sure of yet. Thank you for the help and advice on that situation by the way!

My plan is to just finish writing all the chapters until the story is done then upload it all at the same time so at least if it gets taken down again you all can hopefully have enough time to read it.

Wanted to update this story but wanted it to be known I'm not abandoning that story at all and it will be finished and it will be uploaded. Despite whatever guideline infringement they claim I broke.

Hope you all enjoy!

Sometimes life throws you in directions you never expected and takes you places you never dreamed of.

But sometimes it's decisions that lead you on a path you never anticipated and opens up what seems to not be real & turn it into reality.

What seems insane, now seems plausible.

What once seemed like it was impossible, now was on the horizon.

Lucas came up with those words while Strucker & his people snuck him back into what was his home but soon wouldn't be anymore. He honestly wondered how Strucker got so good at all of this espionage-like, skimming-around stuff. It was like he was trained...probably was.

He took the time to try and soak up the last bit of the house he could, seeing as he would never see it nor live in it again.

Looking around brought back memories of any and every moment he had in any area his eyes would see.

Like the kitchen, he thought back to when he was a kid and Keith came over for Christmas to celebrate with him & Karen and he brought over presents along with pies. Lucas's lips curved into a smile because he remembered how he snuck and ate too much and ended up puking.

He let his hand glide across the wall softly as he navigated through the dark house, knowing it wouldn't be smart to turn on any lights.

Looking at the living room now, staring at the couch.

He thought about the times when money wasn't as good for them as it was now and in that same spot, he & Karen would sit in front of the TV on the floor eating dinner and it was some of the most fun times of his life.

The pictures that were placed all over, he thought about every single one and the moment that led to them being taken. It's crazy when you realize that pictures are the product of a journey. The moment was taken in a snapshot but the journey to get there is what makes the snapshot so priceless.

He then made his way down the hall, peeking into Karen's room and it made him get teary-eyed.

His mother he knew wasn't alone in the hospital because he knew his friends and family would be there for her, especially since he wasn't going to be able to be. At this moment he didn't care that she broke him into a million pieces for not believing him, he didn't care that she probably would think he was a monster for what he did.

All he cared about was finding a way to soothe the path she would have to take in moving on past him not being here anymore.

She lost Keith & apparently...Dan although that made Lucas's stomach bubble in disgust at that but he snaked his way back into his mother's head and had her believing the bs he spewed.

And now she would be losing him but gaining another child soon. He wondered if it was a girl or a boy.

What would her name be?

He thought how excited he was to have a little brother or sister(besides Nathan) in his life, to help his mother the way Keith had when he was growing up. He knew that Haley & the others wouldn't let her go through it alone but it's only so much they could truly do.

His mother was strong though, she had done it on her own before and she could again.

She just didn't deserve to and that broke his heart knowing that this decision of what he did to Dan is why she will have to. The only way he could accept it was the fact at least he kept Dan away from her.

He walked into her room and grabbed a pen off of the nightstand that resided on the left side of the bed. He then found a square card that looked like it was from some old package and wrote his mother a message.

The best things they said to each other sometimes were short which made it more meaningful. Something only shared between them so they understood each other deeper than it would look to the outside eye.

A hidden meaning under some things in a way.

He took the pen off of the cap and begin to write.

'Don't believe what the world says about me or shows you. Believe your heart...

I think the next chapter is right because,

Remember, there is a tide in the affairs of men.

'I wish I could be here for you and the baby, Mom. I'm sorry I made you do it alone.

I love you.'

He wiped at the extremely watery eyes he was sporting as he grabbed the copy of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar book and placed the note on the page & Act where Brutus says that to Cassius.

Putting it down on one of the pillows now as he sighed sadly, giving a weak smile.

"I'm so sorry Mom." He spoke quietly about putting her through this. He slipped his hands into his pockets as he looked at the bed for a little longer and turned around slowly, his heartbreaking the more the bed was out of his view. Then shattering the moment he started walking out of the room, shutting the door without looking back because he knew he probably shed tears if he did.

He still hadn't got a call yet on his phone so he decided to give his room one last look as well.

Opening the door to what would soon no longer be his room.

He took it all in, not even stepping in yet. Just gazing. Looking at every single square inch and soaking it all in one last time before he had to say goodbye to it too. Walking in now as he ran a finger across his semi-messy bedsheets.

Picking up the mini basketball and shooting it into the mini hoop that resided over his bed.

Thinking about the moment he took it off the wall only to put it back up shortly when he rejoined the Ravens. He thought it was a dream that was dead but he got to live it out and give it a ending that he loved.

Winning the state championship. A moment you dream about as a kid, the buzzer dwindling down, one shot to win it all and he got to live that moment.

It tugged a small, sad smile onto his face.

He opened his closet to look at some of the clothes that meant something to him over the years. The hoodie from Keith's auto-repair shop mostly reminded him of the first moment he & Nathan finally stopped fighting each other when he let him wear it.

After their... let's call it a dispute with the 'Pickerington Hicks' as Nathan calls them. That made Lucas chuckle silently thinking about whenever Nathan would call them that, also because he agreed.

He closed the closet up and then went to all of the mixes that Peyton had made him over the years. Picking up a couple of the tapes or CDs and looking at them to recall the memory. He felt a huge urge of resentment every time he thought about her lately though.

He wasn't sure why he held her in such higher contempt than he did everybody else.

Maybe because of what everybody always kept calling them which was basically soulmates and he started believing that too at a point.

Shouldn't his damn soulmate believe him or believed in him?

He was upset at everybody in some form or fashion but Peyton was the only one he would almost say he was genuinely pissed at. He probably would be with his mother too if she wasn't his mother and going through as much as she already was.

It still hurt him every time.

How could Peyton, Peyton Sawyer the girl he supposedly was destined to be with just not believe him? His mind went to that moment now when he thought out of all people he confided in that she would be on his side.

He wished he just went to Brooke first because everyone else felt like a waste of time or maybe if he left without knowing how they would react he feel better because knowing now only hurt. It all just hurt so much.

He assumed that since Brooke was the absolute last person who would have any reason to hear him out or believe him in any capacity she wouldn't.

But she did.

He went to his mother, girlfriend, sister-in-law, & brother all in that order only to be shunned away and disappointed each time but not by Brooke. That tugged at his heart, thinking of Peyton would break it though.

'BECAUSE HOW?!' He almost screamed aloud.

Now all he could do was think about how it all started, with them lying on her bed.

"Just let me hold you for a couple more minutes, okay? That's what's going to fix me." He said sweetly to Peyton as he wrapped her in his embrace while they laid on her bed. They just had a pretty deep and loving convo so it soothe him out honestly.

He could tell her, right? She surely would believe him or at least believe in him enough to trust him.

He rubbed her shoulder gently as he worked up the courage to speak. "Peyton..." He said in a way so that she would hear his wonder building.

"Yeah?" She asked softly, she knew something had been up this whole time because he hadn't exactly been acting like himself and she was hoping this would be it. "What's wrong?"

Lucas loosened his embrace on her as he sat up on his left elbow on his side as Peyton did the same on her right. "Something's been going on...With me. Keith..." He looked away as his teeth gritted from the name he was going to say next. "And Dan..."

Peyton's brows furrowed, signaling for him to continue.

So then he told her about everything up until that point.

All about Abby, what Dan did, how he went to the police but Dan got to them first, everything. Maybe if he wasn't so busy venting it all out he would've noticed the slow face change on her. The more he went on and on, the more sad and worried she looked.

When he finally finished he grabbed ahold of her hand, smiling like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulder. "Sorry, I know that was a lot. Just my mom didn't believe me and I'm really worried about her. I'm not really sure what to do but Dan needs to be stopped somehow." He said rather determine and Peyton looked down before wrapping up his hand between hers.

"Luke...okay, I know your being serious right now...but doesn't that all sound a little..."

"Crazy? Yeah, I know. I can't believe Dan either." He filled in the blank for her not knowing that wasn't what she was actually going to say.

"Actually I was going to say unbelievable." Peyton laughed extremely awkwardly.

Lucas still hadn't caught on to what she meant though. Sighing as he looked down, he couldn't believe Dan did it either but here they were sadly. "His own brother, my uncle." Lucas said with a hint of heavy resentment anytime he uttered anything about Dan these days.

Peyton shifted to sit up a little more and Lucas started realizing she didn't look like someone who was planning on trying to help him. At least not the way he needs it. "Look Luke, I know that losing Keith was a lot on you. I can understand trust me." Peyton said and Lucas rubbed her hand lovingly, knowing she was referring to both her moms.

"I mean how do you even know that Abby was telling the truth? It was a pretty crazy day." Peyton said but Lucas still hadn't fully caught on to what she was actually saying, he probably would've in any other circumstance but he needed somebody right now.

"I know she was. Especially because I know & believe it in my heart too." He answered, he thought maybe Peyton was just trying to be sure before suggesting anything for him to do.

She sighed and looked away like she wished she didn't have to say this to him because she could tell he genuinely believed this. "Luke I'm not going to lie to you...I just don't think you're really thinking this through." She said reluctantly, trying to hold his hand as reassuringly as she could.

Then he realized...She didn't believe him.

Peyton saw that look in his eye and she hated it.

He looked so betrayed and so stunned. Slowly releasing her hand from his loving embrace as he gazed into her eyes that were searching for anything to say to make him feel better about all of this.

"You don't believe me..." He said so quietly she almost thought she didn't hear it.

Peyton tried to re-hold his hand but he moved it to his side now as he sat up and got off the bed and she jumped up quickly to join him standing on his side by the door. "Luke, it's just all a little much. Don't you think?"

He didn't say anything, just that same look of stunned betrayal and she could see some anger in too. "Luke" She said almost beggingly, wanting him to understand but he just kept looking into her eyes like he was searching for his own answers in her.

"I at least thought you would believe in me." He had this faraway gaze that made it look like he didn't even recognize her anymore.

"Babe, I do believe in you." She grabbed ahold of his hand again and he let her this time but she wasn't sure if it was because he let her or he just was too busy in his head to recoil from her this time. "I'll always believe in you. But I also love you and I'm worried about you right now. You're saying some pretty crazy things and it's scaring me." It scared her because he sounded like someone who felt like he would do anything even if it meant sacrificing himself to do it.

It didn't even look like he heard her. "I thought you would believe in me" He said lowly once again and took his hand out of her hold & turned to walk off, slowly because he was still in some shock.

"Luke. Lucas!" Peyton called out but she knew she probably should let him go, he was set on believing this and her saying it in different ways that she doesn't wasn't going to help her at all. She didn't want to lose him, not when it took so long for them to finally be together.

A very sick feeling in her gut was telling her that what she didn't want the most though, may just be on the horizon.

Lucas exited that memory now and was glad for it. He truly was shocked by that from her, out of all people. He thought the person who everybody always said they were supposed to be together, the person everybody always said he would always go back to when he needed something, the person who apparently was his 'one & only' would believe him or in him.

But that just didn't happen.

He looked down at the mixes and CDs in his hand and tossed them back to where he grabbed them from.

He then went to look at his room even more until then he stumbled upon something he hadn't looked at in a long time. The box he kept all of his keepsakes in. He sat down on the floor to lean against his bed as he grabbed the box and funneled through it.

Smiling at some photos he comes across.

A few of him playing football as a kid, some with him and Keith, some with Keith, Karen, & himself. The jersey he got signed by Emeka Okafor when he & Nathan went to the Bobcats game last year. He saw one of him and Haley laughing together at a Halloween party they through for themselves on the roof back in 8th grade.

He smiled fondly at one of him & Skills hugging as the confetti settled more as the Ravens were celebrating winning the championship.

He saw one of Mouth, Jimmy, and himself that was taken after his second game he played as a Raven and hit a game-winner. Although he was feeling a certain way about her he found himself sometimes smiling at the ones of him and Peyton.

Lucas then came across the one that was taken of Brooke, Peyton, and himself at the wedding celebration he through for Nathan and Haley after he came back to Tree Hill and they all decided to be friends again.

Then he got to the pictures of Brooke & himself.

When they were in the photo booth, one she sent him that she took of them kissing on the beach. One was where he was laughing because she was chasing him after teasing her a little bit about something he can't even remember.

One of them was at Keith's wedding before it was ruined.

Then as he kept looking through all of them, smiling more and more as he went through them, His eyes averted to the part of the box that he always gave its own space because that's what they deserved.

Brooke's letters.

Her declaration of love to him was written in 82 beautiful different ways. He teased her about some of the wording she used just to poke fun and to laugh at her reaction all the time but honestly, he loved every single one of them so much.

They were all written perfectly because they were from her.

He found himself genuinely smiling pretty big for the first time in a while as he looked at some of his favorite ones that he would reread nonstop back when they were together. He always thought maybe he should get rid of them when he was with Peyton because keeping stuff from past relationships always tends to get him into some trouble but these he would never ever get rid of.

It was an extension of Brooke's heart and an extension that he realized he would never let go of.

Then Lucas began thinking, all he wanted to do was talk to anybody right now. Especially Brooke since she was the only one who made him feel safe when he told her the truth even though everybody only thinks it was his truth and that he was wrong about it.

An extension of his heart is what he wanted to do right now.

He took the phone out of his pocket to see if he was contacted yet which he wasn't. So he went around and found a pen along with a piece of paper from his bookbag, stopping a moment to think about how something as simple as school he would miss now as well.

Honestly, he didn't know what he was about to put on this piece of paper but it was going to be from his heart. Just like she did when she wrote all 82 of hers.

Dear Brooke,

He wrote and sighed as he was about to probably rant in some way but he realized he was never going to speak to her again after this so he wanted to say everything he possibly could that would come to mind.

So then he started to write and it just flowed out of him so easily and effortlessly.

Talking to her always was easy and soothing.

Even in writing when she was on his mind, it just felt natural and flowed out of him. That's how Brooke and he always were, he just now wished he cherished it and appreciated it more when it was them instead of now when it was soon to be no longer any 'him' at all.

He had a little more to say but his pocket vibrated so he knew what that meant, they finally contacted him.

He pulled it out just to be sure and saw it said he had one message. "It's time." It read.

Lucas wished he could have put a little more into the letter but he said most of what he wanted to say to her in it. He stood up now and ran to grab an envelope along with a stamp as he quickly wrote down Rachel's parents' house address on the envelope and slapped the stamp on it as he folded the letter and slid it into the envelope.

Then quickly he went to the bathroom to run a drop of water on his finger so he could seal the sticky part of the envelope then he went towards the door and placed his hand on the knob. He was about to turn it but then he stopped.

This was really it...

He looked back at his room once more, taking it all in officially for the last time now. A sad breath escaped him as he looked around, what had his life become or what was he making it become? Only time would tell.

Lucas's eyes then looked over at the box of his keepsakes and saw a necklace. The necklace that Brooke gave him as a present when he hit the game-winner after getting a clutch steal after that tip from Nathan about the dead spot on the floor.

He took his hand off the knob and walked over to examine it one more time and smile at the memory.

Lucas laid on his bed doing absolutely nothing, just in deep thought about how he was pretty happy where his life was at in the moment and right on perfect cue, he heard the door knob twist hard & suddenly which caused him a jump scare "Boyfrienddd I'm homee" Brooke sang out playfully as she opened and close the door that led to the outside of the house and into his bedroom.

Lucas grabbed at his chest as he let out a little laugh. "Crazy girl, what are you doing to my heart?" He said in the same tone he did when she scared him in Dan's house months ago.

Brooke laughed in that cute way he loved all the time as she jumped onto him to straddle his lap and Lucas noticed she kept her hands behind her back. He placed his hands on her hips now as the loving smile grew on his face. "What you got back there?" He took a weak attempt to sit up and look behind her but she took one hand from behind her back and pushed him back down with her index finger.

"un-unh" She moved her position more to grind against him a little and he grimaced in pleasure. "I have two presents for you." She said happily, a smile plastered on her face that alternated between suggestive and a beaming grin.

"Ohh" Lucas said with his own suggestive but also lovely smile as he still held her hips. "So that's what's behind your back."

"Mhm" She hummed.

She took her hand from behind her back and held out this silver necklace. Lucas took his hands off of her hips to grab and accept it from her to look at it to see what it was. Brooke watched his face eager for his reaction as he studied and it brighten up with each second when she saw his fondness for it grow the longer he gazed at it.

Lucas saw it was a silver necklace with a pendant shaped like a basketball jersey with his #3 on it and another pendant of a basketball all glimmering a beautiful glistening of silver. The light from his room even caused a reflection. "Brooke this is amazing." He said gratefully as he still was looking at the necklace, loving it the more he looked at it and loving her the more he did.

"I know" She said proudly, shrugging with a wonderful smile on her lips at seeing him love her gift so much. He smiled at it one more time before looking back up to Brooke who seemed to be even more thrilled than she thought she bat him loving it.

"Between this & the letters...I got to step my game up." He may have said it jokingly but he meant it as well, he probably was lacking in the showing his love for her department.

Brooke giggled. "Funny. Thought you did." She said in reference to the amazing game he played as she leaned down and planted a kiss on his lips. She grabbed the necklace from him though despite his cute, childish protest and placed it on the dresser beside them. "Now time for your second present."

"Brooke, that was more than enough." He said genuinely. She really was amazing.

Brooke crooked her head up toward the ceiling and tapped her index finger on her chin as if she was pondering. "Hmmm...You sure about that...becauseee" She looked back down at him with lust growing in her eyes as she sat up a little more straight to show off her chest. "Your second gift is" She took her hand out from behind her back completely this time and she had a bow in her hand. "Me." She put the bow on top of her cleavage as she waggled her eyebrows at him.

Now that Lucas could never resist as his eyebrows shot up in arousal. "Now you're the gift that just keeps on giving." He said huskily as he placed his hands back on her hip and she sat down on him a little harder and he grimaced in pleasure once more.

Her smile waned but an affectionate expression grew on her face as he sat up now, moving his hands to each side of her waist now and enjoying the closeness of her along with that intoxicating scent of hers and the beautiful rasp of her voice "When you play like that..." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "You get a chance with the Captain of the cheerleaders."

Lucas couldn't help the adoring and loving look stuck on his face as he was inches from hers. "Really? What did she say?" He flirted.

"She said this." She said in a low, lustful tone as she leaned down and they kissed. Their tongues flirting with each other but not entering each other mouth yet. Lucas moaned in approval at that though as they separated.

"I hope she said some more." He said in that low purr he speaks in sometimes that she just loved and Brooke giggled but it died down as they came together more slowly, but more lovingly passionate as they kissed some more. Tongues still flirting with each other but the kisses more intimate.

They separated but their mouths barely moved from each other. "What did you think about what she had to say?" Brooke grinned and Lucas smiled.

"I think what she said is just like her."

Brooke still was smiling but curious as she asked. "And what's that?" Then suddenly he picked her up off of him and laid her down beside him on the bed as he leaned over to be right over her lips.

Brushing the bangs of her hair out of her eyes and caressing his thumb on her cheek. "Perfect." He said sweetly and Brooke felt a small blush on her face as he started kissing her again and they went on to make love that night.

Lucas exited the memory and thought about how much he missed when they were together and in synch. They always had a dynamic that he never could explain but thats why he loved it so much. He thinks that's why she did too or a part of why.

There was just a connection.

The memory did bring a gleeful smile to his face and he grabbed the necklace and placed it around his neck. That way he can carry her with him everywhere on this journey and wherever it was headed.

Her support or belief is what he has always had and he maybe didn't cherish or value it when he should have but he would now.

Even though he was pretty sure she was disgusted by him now or something. He is labeled a "murderer" to the world now and honestly, it probably disgusted him too but he would never take back what he did even if he could.

He still was ripping himself apart trying to figure out his true feelings on that just like in the diner but he knew now he wouldn't take it back. Protecting the people he loved the most in the world at any cost he would never regret that.

All that came from doing it though? That he would probably regret.

He shoved the necklace into his shirt as he felt the phone vibrate again and he wasn't going to look this time. Lucas knew that was Strucker probably wanting him to hurry up.

He looked around once more then let out a breath he didn't know he needed to take and walked toward the door as he picked up the letter. Turning around once more before turning off the light and exiting.

Lucas felt his nerves starting to feel the fear of all this.

This was insane. So crazy.

He stepped forward nervously into the dark Tree Hill night.

Walking ahead quickly now mainly out of being scared more than trying to hurry up to his mailbox as he placed the letter in there for it to be sent to Brooke. He looked around nervously still but started walking down the street now.

Towards the bridge where he use to always enjoy either practicing his dribbling skills or just dribbling for fun while listening to music after leaving the river court. It came into view now the more he walked but he was still a ways away.

Then...

A bunch of cop sirens went off and he snapped his head around to see three were speeding at him and he was frozen for a moment before his legs started doing the running for him until his mind caught up.

This was so crazy!

But he ran, he ran like he never did before. As fast as he could but only so far he could go with him being on his heart medication.

But he pushed himself, every breath he took felt like it burned.

Every step he took felt like it was another step closer to his peril.

The sounds of the sirens wailing in the background, shifting in pitches from all the running. Then he heard blades in the background and he got even more scared, he slowed down for a moment as he looked up and saw it was a news helicopter in the sky shining a spotlight down on him.

Along with a police one with a guy leaning out of it with a megaphone.

Lucas realized he truly looked like one of those bad guys you see on Tv, the criminals who everyone saw as the villain that needed to be taken down. That's who he was now to this town. He was always labeled something.

First, the boy who Star basketball player Daniel Scott rejected.

Then new upcoming basketball star Daniel Scott rejected.

Now former basketball player, and murderer of Daniel Scott.

His name would be plastered to him forever no matter what now and that made him ill inside but he didn't notice his eyes tearing up as he sped up running again when he stopped looking at the choppers from above without no one knowing he felt broken inside now.

He knew he was on camera now too when he did look up.

Now here he was, sprinting as fast as he could although exhausted with his chest pounding and the air feeling like it was whipping his lungs from how fast he was going. A tear went down his face and flew off into the distance from how much his head was flying back.

Running as he got to the bridge now and heard the megaphone call out from above. "Stop running and place your hands down on your head now! Lethal force will be used! Get down on the ground now!" The guy on the megaphone called out.

A part of Lucas wanted to oblige but he just kept going.

He was so close to the left side of the bridge that he felt his arm scrape against it sometimes. "Stop running!" He heard the guy call out from the megaphone once again even though Lucas almost could barely hear him now.

The sirens were cracking his ear drums at this point and the two helicopter blades from above were drowning out any relief he could have from the noises of it all. "I'm giving you three seconds kid!" The guy called out and it sounded like the guy really didn't want to shoot an 18-year-old even if he was considered 'dangerous'.

But Lucas kept chugging along. He felt a little woozy now as well. Probably from all the sudden high-speed movement, his HCM, and all the noise going on, his head was ringing. He didn't know if was possible to get a concussion from running too hard but it felt like it. "3!" He heard from above as he was approaching the other side of the bridge.

"2!" He heard and his heart felt the anxiety and fear bubbling in him.

He heard the guy about to scream 'one' until everybody heard a loud popping sound that sounded like a gunshot going off. Then they realized...it was. It shot Lucas below his right shoulder very near his chest but the sudden impact stopped all of his momentum from running and the shock of it caused him to turn hard to his right.

What nobody expected was for this hard turn to take his momentum toward the wall of the bridge and he ended up going over it. Almost like a flip from how his body flung over it suddenly.

Lucas's shoulder was screaming out in agony but then he looked down and saw he was headed toward the water rapidly. Then he saw Brooke's necklace he put on earlier flinging in front of his eyes as he was going down.

If that was his last image and the last memory he would have.

That be beautiful.

But here he was...

Closing his eyes as he fell and was only a half a second out from smashing into the water.

Hoping this wasn't his end.

AN: For the people who are reading this now until I reupload Mortality of Life Altered By the Trigger thank you for the support and for still wanting that story.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well!