No More Than This Chapter 1, an one tree hill fanfic

No More than This

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not now or will ever own One Tree Hill or its characters

Peyton,

I know this may seem weird and very old fashioned but as you know I have been best friends with your brother since we were four. He always made me promise him that if anything ever happened to him, that I would look after you.

…I don't offer you love or shallow promises that I won't keep; I offer you my protection and everything that's in my money's power to give. With the understanding that there will never be anything between us, I'm asking you to marry me.

I will be returning to Tree Hill as the new High School Basketball coach and I will find you at your house on the 28th July for your answer. Enclosed in this letter is a check that should take care of any bills you need to pay, and supplies you need to bye.

I look forward to seeing you again

Lucas Scott.

Peyton pulled a letter out of her mail box and one sentence jumped off the page.

The letter came From Lucas Scott, her brother's best friend. The two boys grew up together and were inseparable. They graduated high school together and went off to join the Army. They came home twice in the first two years but that was it. Peyton and Derrick would send photos and letters every week.

She hadn't seen her brother since she was 15 when he was allowed leave to come home for their father's funeral. He made sure Peyton was ok, packed up his bags and went back to duty; he couldn't retire from the army for another two years, so before he left he promised Peyton that he would be home as soon as he could, and all she said in return was "promise me you'll come back to me." He never made that promise.

Four months before he was set to return home, two Army officers knocked on Peyton Sawyers door and told her that her brother had died in a car bomb explosion whilst he was on duty. That was six months ago.

She was in a very difficult position. She had no money to her name, the bank was ready to take her house off her, she could barley pay any of her bills, she just graduated high school and has no options for college or to wait around for an amazing job as a label exec.

She received the letter in the mail about a month ago, offering her money, protection, and support. The one condition was he is offering her a loveless marriage. She is not sure if she really wants that, but then again everyone she loves seems to die, she has no real friends and she doesn't really have any other options. She would prefer to be in a loveless marriage than lose another person that she loves or be alone forever and living on the streets. So she thinks Lucas Scott was my brothers very best friend so if my brother can trust him, maybe I should too.

It's the 27th July and time for Peyton to finalise her decision. So she goes to the one place she can think the best and is the most comfortable she goes to Tree Hill cemetery, a place where her three favourite people lie. She looks from her mother's stone, to her fathers, then to her brother's stone. They all died at different times and in different years, but they all left her alone.

She hasn't really dealt with her brother's death properly, this time she had no one there to hold her while she cried, and to just be there so she didn't feel so alone. But she didn't have anyone, she was all alone, and she wouldn't let herself cry. So she just hasn't.

She takes a seat in front of her three family members "Hi Mum, Dad, Derrick. I miss you all so much; I don't know how I'm supposed to go on in this life without you all.

Lucas Scott, can you remember him? I know you can Derrick. He offered his Protection, Money and support. He offered to marry me. See my whole problem is I don't know what to do.

I need you mum, I need your help and guidance. Do I want to be stuck in a loveless marriage for the rest of my life, or should I just say no and be alone forever? I just need a sign that if I say yes to Lucas that I will be making the right decision and that you will be proud of me."

Peyton says this with tears in her eyes, but she is not letting them fall. She stays with her family for a few hours, just sitting and drawing. When it starts to get dark she decides to leave. She arrives home, and pulls out her family albums she just wants to relive the time her house was full of laughter. She has about three in her hands and is walking over to her couch, and she trips over the carpet. The albums drop to the floor and one picture falls out. It's a picture of a blonde boy holding a little baby in his arms. Peyton turns the picture over and reads "six year old Lucas Scott holding new born Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer." Peyton looks to the sky, and whispers "you had this all planned from the beginning". You might call her crazy but she faintly heard Derrick whisper "Help each other"

Xxxxxxx

Lucas Scott had a hard life; he was the unwanted son his father abandoned, and his father figure- his uncle Keith- his biological father's brother was killed by said brother when Lucas was 17. His mother was pregnant with Keith's child at the time.

His mother was single for most of his life growing up and she was amazing to him and loved him so much. She owns a little cafe in Tree Hill called "Karen's Cafe" and she now has a 6 year old daughter as well Lilly.

When Lucas was 18 he and his best friend Derrick who both had a lot of heartache in their lives decided to escape it all and join the army. That was all great until the day both men were on patrol and a Car bomb went off when they were walking past. Lucas will never know how he survived. Derrick pushed him out of the way; there just wasn't enough time for him to get out of harm's way either. Above the screams of all the people around all Lucas could here coming from Derrick's lips "promise me you will look after Peyton, promise me." Lucas said yes softly and Derrick took his last breath.

Lucas was lucky to get out of there alive, he had severe burns over his arms and chest and back. He was in hospital for the better part of the last six months trying to recover from what happened on that awful day. In June he was notified of his coming home date, so he decided it was time to fulfil the promise he made to his dying best friend.

First chapter of my new story... I know it's short but I wasn't sure if people would like it or not so please let me know what you think. If I get around 15 reviews I will update. So please tell me if you like this idea and if you want to keep reading xx