--
Let me know that you hear me
Let me know your touch
--
Realizing he was staring, Lucas quickly covered his shock.
"L-Lindsay. I thought you didn't get back until later tonight."
Lindsay smiled and dropped her suitcase. "I decided to blow off my last meeting and catch the first flight out of New York."
She then walked forward and wrapped her arms around his neck.
She looked up at him shyly "I missed you."
The feeling of her arms around him, which had once been a comfort, now felt like lead chains suffocating him. They were nothing like the warm arms of the girl he loved. Lindsay raised an eyebrow
"Lucas?"
"Yeah"
"I missed you" she repeated. He cleared his throat and reluctantly placed his hands on her hips.
"I missed you too." Lindsay leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on his closed lips. Before she could deepen the kiss, Lucas quickly pulled away
"I've got a lot of things to do today. Maybe we can meet for lunch?" Lindsay nodded and dropped her hands to her side, suspicion on her face
"Sure. I wanted to see Haley anyway."
Lucas smiled weakly as he watched her leave the room, "I'll see you later."
--
There was only one thing in this world that Peyton loved more than Lucas and that was music. It was her first love and the one thing she could truly depend on growing up when all people seemed to do was leave her. Ironically enough, she could not carry a tune to save her life. This was how Lucas found Peyton, singing an old Led Zeppelin song while cooking - another uncharacteristic action for her. Sneaking into the kitchen, Lucas quickly wrapped an arm around Peyton's waist and she instantly relaxed in his hold.
Lucas nuzzled her neck slowly "Good Morning" and then looked over her shoulder to see what was in the bowl "So did you follow the recipe this time?"
Even though he couldn't see her face, he knew she was rolling her eyes. Peyton turned her head to the side and smiled up at him
"So what do I owe the pleasure Mr. Scott?"
Lucas buried his face deeper into her neck "Limsdaysback" he mumbled.
Peyton frowned and faced him "Wanna try that again?"
Lucas took a deep breath "Lindsay's back"
Peyton dropped the bowl onto the floor not caring about the contents spilling all over the floor.
"What?! I thought she didn't get back until tonight"
Lucas ran a hand through his hair "I know. I woke up this morning and she was just there."
Lucas then leaned back against the counter "If you hadn't slept here tonight..." he trailed off.
Peyton's eyes widen and she could hear her heart beating rapidly.
"So what are you going to do"
"I have lunch with her today" Peyton raised an eyebrow "Oh"
She then bit her lip self consciously. She still didn't believe this was real. Lucas leaving perfect Lindsay for her? She couldn't accept that she was finally getting Lucas. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she was waiting for the moment Lucas realized Lindsay was the one he wanted.
In a second Lucas knew the look on her face. It was her doubting face. Walking forward he pulled her into a loose hug.
"Peyton look at me" She looked up at him reluctantly "Yeah?"
"What's wrong?" She began to pick at the buttons on his shirt "Nothing"
"Peyton" She sighed and pulled away from him "I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop."
"What?" Peyton threw her hands up and walked away from him "I'm waiting for when you decide that Lindsay is actually the one you want."
"What are you talking about?"
"We've tried this before Lucas and look how we ended up. Me alone and you engaged to another woman. A great woman by the way. Someone who is kind and caring and loves you. Why would you be with me when she's a successful book editor and I'm an unemployed failure."
Lucas couldn't stand to hear her speak about herself that way "Peyt-"
"She helped make your dreams come true Lucas. She helped make your book great."
He sighed "Lindsay helped get my book out there and I'll always be grateful for that," Lucas watched as Peyton shifted nervously on her feet "but she didn't make my book great. You did. It was great because of the love I felt for you."
Standing in front of her, he wiped the tear that slid down her cheek "You always thought I was the one saving you but you forgot one thing; You saved me first."
Peyton looked up at him confused.
"If it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't have gone back into that gym to play my second game all those years ago. You changed my life Peyt. You taught me strength and courage when standing before the unknown" Lucas wrapped his arms around her "I think I've loved you since the first time I fixed your car and I knew then that loving you would be difficult but I knew in my heart that it was worth it. That you were worth it."
Peyton felt tears in her eyes as Lucas continued to speak "Remember after the championship when I had my heart attack?" She nodded. "Your love was what helped me. Loving you and knowing that you loved me back gave me hope. That love saved me," he paused slightly, causing her to look up into his eyes "and I want it to save me for the rest of my life."
Peyton smiled and placed a tender hand on his chest, right over his heart. The flawed heart that she loved fiercely.
"If you still think that Lindsay is the one I should be with, then I'm afraid you're missing something very important. I could never be with anyone else ever again," cupping her face gently he leaned forward and as his warm breath intoxicated each of her senses, he repeated the words he had written a long time ago
"because I was now and would always be in love with Peyton Sawyer."
His lips had barely brushed hers when Brooke came bursting into the room. They quickly shot apart from each other and Brooke looked at them suspiciously.
"Hey Luke"
"Hi Brooke"
Lucas thought she could hear his heart from where she was standing.
Lucas looked at his watch "I gotta go meet someone for lunch. Bye Brooke. See ya Peyton." As much as he wanted to spend more time with Peyton, he knew that the longer people saw them together, the more suspicious they would become.
Brooke waved but Lucas was already out the door "Bye".
Brooke then turned her attention to her best friend, who had suddenly taken an interest in cleaning the cookie dough on the floor.
"What was he doing here," Brooke then frowned "and why are you making chocolate chip cookies?"
Peyton rolled her eyes "Sorry mom, next time I'll get your permission before I cook anything ever again."
Brooke stepped over the cookie dough as she walked further into the kitchen "But you don't cook Peyton"
"Maybe I'll start"
Brooke leaned against the counter and crossed her arms "Why was Lucas here?"
"I needed to talk to him about some repairs at Tric"
"You couldn't tell him AT Tric?" Brooke raised an eyebrow "Is there something going on between you two?"
Peyton shook her head too quickly "No"
"Peyton, I know you two have this long epic romantic history thing but he's engaged."
Peyton threw the bowl into the sink "God Brooke, I know that! We're just friends".
Brooke raised her hands in surrender "Okay."
Peyton jumped as her phone suddenly vibrated against the counter, not missed by Brooke's observant eyes.
"Just remember how well things worked out the last time you were 'just friends'" she said before quietly slipping out the door.
Peyton flipped open the phone and saw she had a new text message for Haley. "Tric. NOW!"
Peyton felt the guilt churning in her stomach as she thought the worst. Grabbing her bag and keys, she headed for her car scared out of her mind.
She'd rather face a starving bear than Haley on a bad day.
--
Let me know that you love me
And let that be enough
--
"Let That Be Enough" - Switchfoot & "Non-Believer" - La Rocca