SUMMARY: What if things had ended up totally differently for Brooke and Lucas at the end of season three. And now after finishing their senior year together, they are about to embark on the college experience. Will their lives be less drama free with out the trials and tribulations of living in Tree Hill…or will it just follow them?

Chapter One –

"Love is always patient and kind. It is never jealous. Love is never boastful or conceited. It is never rude or selfish. It does not take offense and it is not resentful."

This had been the quote that made Brooke Davis realize that she would be hopelessly in love with Lucas Scott for the rest of her life. This is the quote he repeated to her not only twice, but three times to prove his love for her. This is the quote that convinced her that breaking up with him right then and there would be the worst mistake of her life.

"Pretty Girl, what are you trying to do to me?" Lucas asked as he walked into her makeshift bedroom in the five inches of space that Rachel had let her use.

Brooke was sitting on the floor, crying, and pretending to sketch dresses for her newest addition to her line. Looking up at him, and meeting his beautiful blue eyes full of sadness and confusion almost broke her heart right then and there. "I'm not trying to do anything to you Lucas. But it's obvious that you want to be with Peyton and she wants to be with you. I'm just giving you what you both want! You don't need to pretend with me anymore."

"Have you been taking crazy pills?" Lucas asked, trying to joke around as he sat down on the floor across from her, "What on earth would make you think that I want Peyton, or for that matter what would make her want me? She loves you Brooke."

"Well, apparently not as much as she loves you! She told me the night before the wedding that she was still in love with you, and that she had left Jake to come back and be with you. And then that little fake blonde bitch had the audacity to insinuate that I didn't really love you." Brooke started to cry harder as she stared at the floor, slowly running her fingers through the soft carpet, "And then you kissed her the day she was shot, and I just can't do it again Lucas. I can't stay with you if you're going to one day leave me for her."

Lucas Scott was officially in shock, the nerve of Peyton how on earth could she do this to Brooke? "Babe, I am so sorry she did that to you. But were you really just gonna let me go off and be with her? You weren't even going to fight for me?"

"I don't have the patience for a pointless battle anymore. I figured if you really loved me and were given the chance to be with Peyton you would turn it down."

"Brooke Davis, even if we broke up for good, forever, for the rest of our lives right here and now – I wouldn't be with Peyton. I could never be with Peyton after being with you. In all honestly, it would be a downgrade."

Brooke smiled for the first time since he had sat down, "Lucas…"

"No, I'm serious. But for this to really work your going to have to work with me here. Someone once said that love is always patient and kind. It is never jealous. Love is never boastful or conceited. It is never rude or selfish. It does not take offense and it is not resentful. And Brooke that's the kind of love we need to have."

"If I'm gonna work with you, your going to have to work with me too. Lucas, you went away for weeks and I barely even got a phone call."

Lucas frowned and quickly pulled Brooke into his arms, "I'm sorry. I never should have shut you out the way I did. I was so blinded by Keith's death that I couldn't even take the time to realize the amazing girl I had standing right in front of me."

"I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have been so willing to pimp you out to Peyton." Brooke giggled as she stared up at him.

"Yeah, please don't do that anymore. I'm yours, forever. You can't get rid of me."

The next few months flew by, between college acceptances, prom, and graduation Brooke and Lucas could barely see straight. Soon, it was summertime and the couple waited in anticipation to leave their lovely hometown of Tree Hill and make their way towards Chapel Hill for college. Lucas had received a scholarship based on his above average grades and involvement in sports and was planning on studying literature and journalism. Brooke's acceptance letter had arrived two weeks after Lucas' and she could barely breath just looking at it. In the end, she made Lucas open it but once she found out she was in she sort of wished she had opened it herself. Her whole body went numb with happiness as she realized that her and Lucas wouldn't have to be separated, as they had feared. She wouldn't be stuck at a local community college, while Lucas met all of these smart pretty girls who could potentially steal him away from her.

Soon, summer came to an end and both Brooke and Lucas stood in the Rowe driveway stuffing boxes into the backseat of Brooke's car.

"I hate that we are driving separately." Lucas pouted as he wrapped his arms around Brooke's waist.

"Luke, I'm a big girl. I think I can make it all the way to Chapel Hill by myself."

"Promise to follow behind me the whole way?"

"Sure, if that's what you need me to do."

"And we can talk on the cell phone the whole way too?" Lucas asked, grinning.

"I know what this is about, you just really don't want to have quality bonding time with your mother. You're not getting this one past me Lucas Scott."

"Okay, okay you caught me." Lucas sighed as Brooke reached up onto her toes to give him a quick kiss. A quick kiss that soon turned into a longer kiss, that then turned into a full on make out session up against Karen's car.

"Alright, you two, enough of that." Karen sighed as she came walking out of the house, purse in hand, ready to go.

"Mm, sorry mom." Lucas blushed backing away from Brooke but quickly linking his fingers with hers.

"I feel sorry for your roommates…you two need to learn the art of privacy."

Brooke shrugged, "It's alright, they can watch."

"Brooke. Lucas. Separate cars. Now." Karen smiled as she climbed into the passenger seat of her Volvo.

"I'll see you in four hours, boyfriend." Brooke smiled giving Lucas one last kiss before walking over to her car.

"Drive fast." Lucas waved before starting the engine and turning up the music to avoid Karen's sappy lectures about college life.

Two hours into the drive, Karen made Lucas stop for the thousandth time so she could pee and call Deb to check up on Lily.

"Mom, we are never going to get there on time if you keep insisting that we stop like this." Lucas groaned as he pulled into a diner parking lot.

"Lucas, you only move into college once and as your mother I am using all of my powers to do whatever I want today and you are going to deal with it. Plus, Brooke never ate breakfast I'm sure she's starving – why don't we grab some lunch?"

"Whatever, let's just get this over with."

"Are we really stopping, again?" Brooke asked as she climbed out her car and stared directly at Karen.

"Aren't you hungry? We've been on the road for two hours." Karen asked, searching through her phone for Deb's name.

"You make it sound like we've been driving non stop for two days. And contrary to former belief I'd like to get to school at some point this year. Especially before my roommate moves in and takes the better bed near the window, and I get stuck with the shitty one by the door."

"Oh Brooke, stop being so ridiculous. Let's grab something to eat and then we'll be back on the road." Karen sighed walking into the diner.

"I guess we don't really have a choice do we?" Brooke asked, looking over at Lucas who looked absolutely helpless and just as annoyed as Brooke.

"Apparently not." Lucas replied as he grabbed her hand and led her towards the booth Karen was already sitting in.

Brooke sat in the booth aimlessly staring out the window as Karen lectured Lucas on his homework, and staying on top of his classes this semester. Brooke normally would have joined in making quirky little comments here and there to get under Karen's skin, but today she was completely absorbed in her own thoughts. She couldn't help but wonder where Peyton was today, what her plans for the year were, what her plans for life even were. The two former best friends hadn't had an actual conversation in five months. Once Brooke and Lucas stayed together, Peyton pretty much disappeared off the face of Brooke's planet. The two girls had stayed civil towards on another, but both realized that things could never return to the way they used to be. Peyton hadn't even walked at graduation. At first, Brooke had been completely content with their situation, but now as she sat her on her way to college with Lucas. She couldn't help but think about how Peyton was supposed to be going to college with her, and they were supposed to be roommates, and their lives were supposed to be perfect. If only they weren't in love with the same boy.

What do you guys think? This is the first story I have written in a long time, so I'm a little skeptical. Please feel free to review with any suggestions you might have. I know this first chapter is sort of a filler chapter, but it'll be getting better in the next one. Thanks!