-1It was frightful how much Lucas had changed in these last months. He felt like a zombie, wandering through life in a cloud with Peyton always in the mist around him. He just couldn't find her. He found himself obsessive over the diary, over reliving the most exhilarating time of his life. When things were beautiful, simple. When Peyton was his moonlight through the dark. He'd often stop buy the liquor store on his way home, for a bottle of whiskey or vodka to nurse him through his nightly reading.

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31 Dec '05

So I havent had time to update about Christmas. Sue me! I was busy getting the best gifts ever from Lucas. He got me an easel and paint set. Not to mention an original Joy Division "Unknown Pleasures vinyl. Holy crap! Anyways, New Years Eve! We plan to celebrate accordingly.

He could see her breath in the cold winter's night. Peyton watched Lucas as he drove ahead in the darkness of the night, music softly tinkering in the background. She watched him, her head tilted, a small smile on her lips.

Lucas could feel her eyes on him even when he wasnt looking. He smiled.

"What are you thinking?"

Peyton giggled lightly. "Just that Im really happy right now. I love you. And I cant wait to start and spend all of 2006 with you."

Lucas reached across the seat and took her hand.

"Good," he said, before kissing her fingers. "I love you too."

He was grinning still, an hour later, as they turned into a sandy road, cut in between large sloping dunes. Cape Hatteras.

The beach was dark, nearly deserted. Far in the distance were the glow of a few campfires. The beach roared as waves crashed against the coast.

"It's beautiful," Peyton said, looking out over the water.

Lucas started at Peyton, "Very beautiful."

Peyton turned back to him, their eyes connecting, lips smiling. They kissed as the ocean sang its loud song, as sand softly blew over their feet.

Lucas tucked Peyton's curls behind her ear before opening the trunk of the car and grabbing a bottle of champagne and put a small package in his back pocket.

"But," he said, "We arent going to stay here." He turned and looked behind Peyton, motioning with the bottle. "We're going in there."

Peyton turned and started, laughing. The Cape Hatteras lighthouse beamed proudly behind her.

"We cant go in there! It's closed! What if we get caught?"

"What if?" Lucas said mischievously.

Peyton bit her lip as Lucas grabbed her hand. And they ran towards the lighthouse.

"Hurry," Peyton squealed.

They ran passed the white fence that surrounded it and up the stone steps. Peyton pulled her hand on the knob and pulled. Nothing.

"Denied, Scott," she said breathlessly.

Lucas pulled out the package from his back pocket and opened it, producing a lock pick.

"I am prepared."

"Oh my God!"

They laughed and stumbled all the way up the dark stairs with only Peyton's lighter as their guide.

"We're gonna get caught! Can your parents make bail?"

"Where is your sense of adventure, Sawyer," Lucas laughed.

"You're my adventure!"

They burst to the lookout deck and suddenly silenced. It was a sight. The beach illuminated by the starlight. Lucas checked his watch.

"Sawyer," he said through his breathing, "we have a minute to spare. Anything you'd like to say before 2006 is no more?"

Peyton put an invisible microphone to her lips, laughing.

"Well, Id like to say that 2006 was very good to me. I got over my insecurities, I snagged myself a damn fine man and," she grabbed Lucas's hand, "I'm finally completely, truly, and sickeningly happy."

Lucas kissed her quickly. "And I'd like to say that 2006 was filled with wooing and having the most perfect day everyday when Im with you, Sawyer. You're everything. You're mine and I'm yours. 2006 is ours for the taking and I can't wait. I love you more than you know."

Peyton blushed and bowed her head.

Lucas checked his watch again.

"10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1..."

"Happy New Year," they sung simultaneously.

And the kiss…oh, the kiss was explosive. It was the culmination of all the year's passion and desire. It was the meeting of two souls. Lucas's mouth brushed Peyton's softly before dipping her backwards. His mouth parted with hers, tongues dueling, teeth nibbling…it wasn't the cold that send shivers down their spines, it was each other. It was electric, it was perfect. It was…raw, pure and uninhibited beauty.

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Lucas's eyes were rimmed with tears. On a nearby shelf was a jaw filled with sand. Peyton had cupped it in her hand the entire ride home. He wanted to crush it in his hands, pour the sand into the wind. But he didn't. Instead he stared at the phone and took another shot of whiskey.