'Well?'

She looks up from the screenplay in her hands as he enters.

'Luke, it's great' She says sincerely. 'Julian was right, it needed that scene' He swallows, he doesn't want her to ever say that name. 'What changed your mind about writing it?'

He can't look at her. He walks further into the room. He wants to say she gave him the strength but he can't. 'I just realised it wasn't about a murder...it's about how your heart breaks...when your hero dies. I'm ok with the world seeing that'

He sees the guilt in her eyes and wonders how he hasn't noticed it before now.

'Ok..I need to tell you something an-' She trails off, her brow furrowing as she watches his hasty movements. A photo appears from his back pocket and her stomach lurches as he shoves it onto the coffee table.

She knows that image.

'Does it involve this?' He tries to stay calm, doing everything to keep his anger in check, but when she nods gingerly he wishes he'd followed his initial instinct and throttled Julian.

'So you dated?' He asks. It's no big deal, he tries to convince himself. '…In LA?'

She wants to just say yes, but she knows he deserves to know the truth or maybe it's because a part of her just wants him to see she had someone else too, for him to understand what he's put her through. 'We were in love' She instantly regrets her choice of words. He swallows thickly and turns away from her, stalking into the kitchen. 'Luke?' She hastily sets his draft on the sofa and stands, her blanket falling to the floor. 'Luke' She follows him desperately. 'Please don't be like this' He's eerily quiet. 'It was a long time ago, it's history' She tugs on his arm.

'Is it?' He stares into her eyes.

'Ok You have no right to be like this' She states firmly. 'I'm engaged to you. I love you. Julian's in the past, like Lindsey'

He looks at her in disbelief. 'You think that's why I'm angry?' He barks, his tone surprising her. 'What pisses me off is that you've had three weeks to tell me this'

She feels awful. She knows he has a right to be angry and she's silently wishing she'd taken her best friends advice and been honest with him from the start. 'I-'

'You obviously still like the guy'

She's surprised by his statement and the childish manner in which it's delivered. 'No' She cries indignantly. 'I don't, god Luke-

'Then why not mention it Peyton? You've had three weeks to say something'

'You were so excited about writing again. I didn't want to drag you down with my past.'

'Bullshit' He slams his fist down on the counter top.

'Don't shout at me' Her eyes narrow defensively, watching him stalk over to the fridge. 'You have no right to even be angry at me.' He sniggers and retrieves himself a well in need beer. 'Did you think I'd not been with anyone in the whole time I was in LA?'

He grimaces. Of course he wasn't delusional, he expected her to have dated but in his head he pretended she'd not been with anyone; that way he was saved the heartache of knowing someone had touched her in places only he should.

He avoids her question all together, searching for the damn bottle top opener. 'I've got to spend god knows how long with this guy Peyton. He's turning my book into a film'

'I know' She exclaims angrily. 'I know that, and that's why I didn't tell you, I didn't want to cause any friction' She snatches the beer from his hand in annoyance, putting it to one side. Alcohol isn't going to help. She wants to have a grown up conversation but he's not making it easy.

'Really? Or is it because you still have feelings for him?' She shakes her head adamantly. She thought she'd made her feelings pretty clear. She'd spent enough time heartbroken to know exactly who her heart had and always would desire. 'Have you seen him?'

'What?' Her voice is quiet.

'Julian? Have you seen him other than at Tric with me?' He asks curtly. She's quick to decide that the truth is the best option as she watches him fold his arms, his eyes turning a dangerous black.

'Yes…today. I saw him today' She anxiously raises her hand, pushing her hair behind her ear before reluctantly meeting his judging stare.

He shakes his head, pushing his tongue to the roof of his mouth and letting out a heavy breath. 'Un-fucking-believable'

'It's not like that Luke'

'Well what the hell is it like? Did you meet him for a little lunch date? Did you sleep with him?'

Her eyes bulge, unwanted tears blurring her vision. She blinks. 'How dare you?' Her voice is thick with emotion, on the verge of breaking. 'I would never do that to you' She growls. 'I can't talk to you when you're like this' She abruptly turns to make an escape, she won't be accused of cheating.

'We're not done here' He catches her arm, spinning her back to him.

'I can't believe you just said that' She hisses furiously, flinging her free hand out to hit him. But he effortlessly blocks her move. 'You seriously think I'd do that?' A tear rolls down her cheek and his heart clenches at the sight.

'What do you expect me to think Peyton?' He retorts hotly. 'You're the one person that I can always rely on, the one person that I trusted not to lie to me'

'Nothing happened' She whimpers. 'I just-I, I went to see him to see why he's here, whether the movie-whether all this is just a big game to him, to get to me'

He suddenly releases her arms 'And is it?'

'I don't know' She exhales. 'He claims it's not but-

'But you were in love' Lucas interrupts through gritted teeth, jealousy clearly invading his blue eyes and sparking her next words.

'And you were in love with Lindsey' She spits back.

'That was different'

'How?' She exclaims furiously. 'Do you have any idea how fucking hard it was for me to watch you stand up in a church and say I do to another woman? If she hadn't have ran out you would be married right now. There would be no us' She was nearly screaming at him now. 'I have to deal with that every single day, I have to deal with the fact that I'm your second choice and you're angry with me because I had a three month relationship while I was in LA?'

'You lied' He shouts. 'That's what this is about. I never lied to you about Lindsey. The fact that you never mentioned him is my problem'

'Is it?' She pushes against his chest irately. 'This isn't about that and you know it. You're jealous. You can't stand the fact that someone else has had me' His jaw tightens visibly. 'That someone else has touched me.' His hands shake uncontrollably. 'That someone else has kissed me'

'Stop it'

'That someone else has made me come. That I've screamed someone else's name'

He jerks her back into the wall.

'I said stop it' He pants lividly. She shudders at his sudden proximity. His hands grip her forearms, keeping her pinned between himself and the wall. 'Don't be so crude' He whispers, his mind inadvertently picturing his fiancée and Julian together. He drops his head into her shoulder, groaning in dismay.

He needs to know he's the only one that can really please her, that he's all she needs.

He closes his eyes and inhales sharply, the sweet smell of lavender invading his senses, calming his unsettled stomach and steadying his somewhat erratic breathing.

Hands slowly release the bruising grip on her arms.

Eyes soften.

Shoulders relax.

'I'm sorry' She murmurs, her breath hitting the curve of his ear, her hands soothingly trailing up his back and weaving into the hair at the nape of his neck. 'I'm sorry'

His lips trace up her collarbone.

She exhales sharply and tugs at his hair, surprised as his teeth nip at her skin in an opened mouth kiss, tongue flicking out moments later to soothe the pink blotch left.

She knows what he's doing, that he's branding what's his. She knows come tomorrow they'll be a obvious red mark on her neck for everyone to see. She knows she should be mad at his surprising possessiveness, would be mad if it were any other occasion but she loves him and wants him and the rest of the world to know it.

His hands are now running persistently over her thighs and she's arching into him. Her overly short dress rides up even further, giving a glimpse of her black satin underwear. He finally tears his mouth from her neck, moaning at the sight of her.

'Luke' She's impatient and craving more. Her fingers grasp at his shirt, tugging him closer. They kiss. They kiss fiercely. His tongue domineering her mouth at all times. His hands move around her, cupping her ass and in an instant she's off the floor, legs wrapped around him and gasping for breath.

He has every intention to take her to the bedroom but she's eagerly yanking at his t-shirt and he can't see where he's going. He makes it to the nearest surface. The table. And she successfully discards his top, fingers gleefully dancing over his defined torso. His mouth waters and his pants tighten painfully.

'Fucking Christ, look at you' He breathes hungrily, eyes shadowing her body. She's suddenly on her back and he's above her. His hands are everywhere, awkwardly trying to free her from her fitted dress.

'Zip'

He gets the message and his fingers soon find the little contraption, jolting it down and pulling the material the rest of the way over her head.

It's at this moment that he wonders how he survived so long without her. She's his drug. She's his everything. It kills him to know that she's been with someone else and it kills him to finally understand how painful it was for her, watching him with Lindsey for all those months.

His lips trail over her chest. She's got his pants and boxers down to his knees now and he has a hand pressed against her, toying with the damp material. She raises her hips and he happily pulls the skimpy garment separating them, down her legs. 'I need you'

'I know' There is an unvoiced understanding. She doesn't just mean physically. She can't be without this man, her heart depends on him completely. He kisses her hip bone and his fingers tease her. 'God Peyt, you're so wet'

'For you' She shivers, spreading her legs and he settles himself between her thighs.

'Open your eyes' He husks commandingly. 'Open your eyes Peyton'

They flutter open and within a split second he's sliding into her warmth. She can barely breathe. She's drowning in his deep blue orbs. Her legs clamp around him tightly. Her hands clutching at the side of the table. 'Oh Luke'

He lets out a gruff groan, fingers pressing into her hips, holding her steady. Their eyes stay locked and he knows she's only ever looked at him like that. Her hairs splayed out against the wooden surface like a halo, her lips parted and he really doesn't think she can get any more beautiful and she's all his. His heart flutters at the thought and he's suddenly moving frantically inside her and she's moaning his name over and over, all coherent thought leaving her mind. There's only one thing she's certain of, Lucas Scott and Peyton Sawyer are star crossed, destined lovers.

His hands are hooked behind her knees now and he's pushing them higher, thrusting so deep that she thinks she's going to break. But it doesn't matter because she's never felt this safe, this loved. Her whole bodies laced with sweat and she's quivering. She can't focus and her lids close. She knows she's going to ache tomorrow but it doesn't matter because right now she's coming harder than ever before.

'Baby' He moans, he's so close. She's contracting around him and he's struggling to hold his weight above her, limbs shaking. 'Look at me' She faintly hears his deep voice but is slow to respond, her breathing a string of gasps. 'Look at me Peyton' He exhales. Her eyes round. 'Come again with me' His skilled fingers move delightfully between her legs. She's still shuddering from her orgasm and she doesn't think it's possible. But then for the second time she's falling, but this time with him. His mouth covers hers in a short kiss. 'Fuck Peyton' He gasps, forehead pressed against hers. 'You're amazing' He pants. He's tingling all over. Every time they do this it's better than the last and it never ceases to amaze him.

It's a couple of minutes before she finds her voice.

'You just...I don't know what just happened' He smiles at her incoherence. He kisses her nose, his arms are about to give way but she stops him from disconnecting himself from her. 'No, stay'

'I'll crush you'

'No' She disagrees, her arms snaking around his neck. 'Stay inside me'

He complies but rolls them onto their sides so his weight doesn't suffocate her. 'Happy?' She nods dazedly.

'I love you'

'I love you' He promises. And he does. His love for her is the only thing he's ever sure of.

'That was kind of mind blowing' She murmurs. He smiles and watches her brow crease. 'But you do realise we're never going to be able to have anyone round to eat at this table' Her words bring a smirk to his face.

'I'm ok with that'

They fall into a contented silence, hearts slowly returning to a normal pace. 'Luke?'

'Mhm' He nuzzles his nose in her golden curls.

'I never stopped loving you. That's why he left me… He said he didn't ever see a day when he wouldn't be sharing me with Lucas Scott' She hesitantly looks up. 'He was right. I didn't realise it back then but I-I could never fully give myself to him Luke.' He presses his lips to her forehead, his hand trailing circles over the top of her thigh. Her words alleviate the jealousy he'd been consumed with since he'd found the photo.

'I'm sorry I yelled, I'm sorry I got so angry'

'I'm sorry I didn't just tell you'

In all truth he doesn't think it would have made any difference. He knows he would've reacted the same either way.

'Peyt?' She nods lazily and he tilts her head to look at him. She's glowing. 'You're not my second choice, you know that right? You were always my first. I wanted you before you even knew me' He smiles as he pictures a fifteen year old Peyton Sawyer. 'And what happened in LA.' They haven't had a proper conversation about this. They've both been avoiding it but he knows he needs to reassure her. 'When I asked you to marry me and you said-'

'Someday'

'Someday' He concedes 'I guess my freaking ego couldn't handle it. A day hasn't gone by that I haven't wished I'd just stayed in that hotel room with you.'

'I should have said yes' She argues.

'No. You weren't ready and I should've accepted that' He trails his thumb over her bottom lip. 'God I love you so much'

'I love you Lucas Scott'

They kiss. Sweet, Tender and Forgiving.

'You know what? We just had our first proper fight as an engaged couple' Peyton whispers as they draw apart for air.

'Well if that's how we deal with every argument, I won't be complaining' His eyes drift over her and his smile falters. His gaze lingers on the fingerprint marks on her hips and arms and he suddenly feels so very sick.

'I'm fine baby' She knows what he's thinking.

'No, I hurt you'

'No' She smiles. 'You didn't at all. Besides, I'm pretty certain you've got some fingernail marks on your back so we're even'

'I'm sorry' He shakes his head.

'I'm not, that was hot sex' A small laugh escapes his throat. 'I like domineering Luke' She whispers with a cheeky smile. He feels embarrassed and his brow is still furrowed with concern.

'I'm sorry about this' He raises his hand to run over the darkened love bite on her neck, he's sure she's not delighted about the looks and sly comments she's going to get from their friends. 'I just-'

'Wanted to mark what's yours?'

'No...maybe...something like that...I don't know'

'I am yours' She confirms, pushing lightly on his chest and rolling them over so she's straddling him. 'And' She smirks. 'You're mine.' He feels himself instantly harden within her. She leans down, her nose brushing against the side of his cheek, a sly grin on her face. 'Right?'

'Right' He exhales.

'So' She bites her lip. 'I think it only fair that I get to brand you too'

He groans her name as her lips whisper across his neck and she knows she's never going to get sick of this.

She's no longer scared of loosing him. She truly believes they can overcome all, she has faith in them. They've tried fighting it, tried dismissing it, but at the end of the day, whether it's consciously or not, neither of them can be with anyone else without the other coming between them. It's taken several years, it's taken Brooke, Jake, Lindsey and Julian but they're together now and she knows this time it's for keeps, it's forever.