I want to thank you guys for the reviews. I'm glad you're still reading this story even though I'm a lazy bum at updating sometimes. Like I said, this fic is winding down to an end, but I'll definitely start another story very soon afterwards. Unfortunately, Saturday, I leave for Princeton for a scholarship program---Junior Statesmen thing. So, I won't be back until early July since I'll be doing college visits in both NYC and MA as well. But, I'll have my laptop with me while at Princeton, so if I'm not bombarded with work to do, I'll update then. I just won't be able to update tomorrow or Saturday. I hope you like this chapter, I was contemplating what to do with it.

Love, Emily


"Natha-."

"You knew." He walked furiously up to the man he was embarrassed to call his father, "You knew all fucking long, and you let him keep living a lie."

"What are you talking about?" Dan stood up from the table, glaring at his son as he got close to his face.

"Lucas, you know damn well what I'm talking about." His voice was strong, the expression on his face matching its tone. "What if something had happened to him? Huh?"

"Hey, he came to me for help! He didn't want his mom to know, and unlike some other son I used to know, he's obviously dedicated to keeping basketball a part of his life!" Leave it to Dan.

"Yeah dad, way to go," He clapped his hands in sarcasm, "kill the son you didn't want, that'd look really good for the mayor." He began walking away when Dan's voice called him back. "And if he had you as a father, this heart condition would've been welcomed…" He turned back around, "but then again, you gave him that favor by abandoning him." And he was gone as quickly as he had come.

"Lucas…" Peyton whispered his name after several minutes of standing in the same positions they started with. She didn't want to let go, or feel him loosen his grip around her waist. Security, even when there was no need for it; it was always there when she was around him, cradled gently in his arms. She felt his head lift slightly off her shoulder, his lips soon grazing along her collarbone, upward her neck, leaving behind a warm trail. "Luuucasss…" It rolled off her tongue in a slight purr just before their lips adjoined as one.

This was better.

"Shhh," he hushed her obligations with another light peck, turning into another, and another. Small moans escaped her lips, and he soon recognized the effect that he had on her was clearly an exact replica of her effect on him. "I love you, God…I love you…" He leant in toward her lips again.

"Lucas…" She allowed his lips on hers for a brief peck, but pulled away quickly.

"I do, and I'm sorry." His eyes were darker than usual, locking with her own as her hands played with certain ends of his hair. "I'm sorry…" He was repeating himself a lot. "I don't regret you knowing, I don't. I just wish you were the only one who had to know."

"Why?"

"Because I know you're the only one who wouldn't treat me any differently." A smile tugged at her lips, and she found herself leaning upward, capturing their lips together once again. She couldn't help falling for him, just as he couldn't help not being able to stay upset with her, for any reason. "I missed this," he pecked her on the lips, "I missed you."

"I missed you too…" She really did. Why she had the constant urge to be around him, why she felt incomplete without hearing his words of reassurance, she didn't know; it scared her, and he knew it. "Stay with me, Lucas." He looked directly into her eyes, seeming to meld the two pairs together. "Stay with me tonight." She had both of his hands intertwined within her own, pulling him toward her house while her fingers danced along his. The door opened and closed behind it, and Peyton soon found herself leaning on the painted wood. Her arms snaked around his neck, pulling him closer, intensifying the kiss more so than it already was.

"Is your dad home?" His eyes remained closed while catching his breath, his hands simultaneously pulling off her sweater on instinct.

"Nuh-uh…" She shook her head quickly, yearning to taste him again as her lips fought for his touch. "Gone again."

"Peyton about earlie-"

"Doesn't matter, not right now…" Her eyes locked onto his, "not now." They shared a small smile before he gently hoisted her onto his waist, her legs wrapping around his torso with ease. Their lips met for the numberless time that night, and he stumbled up the stairs into her room, only opening his eyes slightly when absolutely unavoidable.

As they kiss, the world seems to dissolve around them until they stand alone in the darkness, a single shining light amidst the suffering and chaos that is the only existence they've known together. He releases her from his grasp, standing in front of her, both hearts beating to the same beat. His hands find the end of her shirt and slowly tug at it, pulling it upward until it's fully off of her body and tossed onto the floor. She shivers slightly, from the chill or the moment, she knows not, but ignores it as fast as her heart pounds in her chest. He takes her hands in his own, guiding them to the hem of his own shirt, until it joins her own on the floor beside them.

She can't help but stare as her fingers trail along his now bare chest, her breath catching in her throat as his hands are fully on her stomach. His skin is colder than the skin covering her, his hands also roughed and calloused. He gently pushes on her softened skin, guiding her toward her bed. She falls on first, him soon following as their lips join again. After what seems like an eternity not long enough, she pulls away, all confusion gone from her paled face. He can hear her

every movement, her chest rising and falling with her quick breaths, the flutter of her lashes as she blinks in wonder.

He moves closer to her, placing soft kisses against her neck as her hands find their way through his hair, over his back.

"I love you…" Her voice, a mere whisper as they both become lost completely within one another.