Author's Note: Lucas Scott had everything he ever dreamed of… The perfect job as a big shot Hollywood screenwriter, the perfect girlfriend who adored him, the perfect group of friends who saw him through good times and bad. BUT lately it wasn't enough; Lucas had begun to have dreams of the life he left in Tree Hill seven years ago… his brother and sister in law, his mother and the girl he had vowed to love for a lifetime. When the dreams start to affect his work Lucas decides it's time to travel to Tree Hill and close the book on some unfinished business once and for all… Little did he know that the family he left behind in Tree Hill harbored secrets of their own?

Come join me for my next AU story Wild Horses…

Disclaimer: I don't own anything OTH, I was watching Sweet Home Alabama and thought it would lend itself well to a possible Brucas story... There's a few original characters that are mine, everything else belongs to Mark Schwann... unfortunately.

Prologue:

"I cannot stay here pretty girl, why can't you see that?" Lucas screamed, "We had plans, YOU had plans, what happened to that girl I fell in love with when I was sixteen. She was fearless; I thought she was going to change the world someday..." Lucas ran his hands through his hair, "where is that girl Brooke?"

Brooke wiped away a few stray tears she had let fall down her cheeks, "I'm still that girl Lucas, life changes, then your plans have to adjust. That's the way the WORLD works." Brooke stood up, "I am not going with you to Los Angeles, I don't want to leave Tree Hill."

"So what does that mean?" Lucas tried to reach for her hand but she pulled away as if Lucas were on fire and she didn't want to get burned, "I love you."

Brooke heard the radio in the background, "Of course this song is playing right now." Brooke walked into the bungalow they used to share and turned up the volume, 'I watched you suffer a dull aching pain, Now you've decided to show me the same, No sweeping exit or offstage lines, Could make me feel bitter or treat you unkind, Wild horses couldn't drag me away, Wild, wild horses couldn't drag me away, I know I've dreamed you a sin and a lie, I have my freedom but I don't have much time, Faith has been broken tears must be cried, Let's do some living after we die, Wild horses couldn't drag me away.' Brooke turned off the radio and sat down in the worn club chair Lucas bought her three years ago when they had moved in. "I need a few minutes, then I'm going to go to Nathan and Haley's house." Brooke choked back more tears, "When I get back I would really appreciate it if you weren't here."

Lucas crossed the room and pulled Brooke out of her chair, she began to sob softly in his chest, "It doesn't have to be this way pretty girl, come with me. Los Angeles is gorgeous I promise you." He brought her hands up to his face and kissed them, "We can start over there."

Brooke scoffed, "I don't want to start over Luke, I like our life here. You're the one that wants everything to change." She pulled out of his embrace, "I love you Lucas Scott, I always will."

Lucas scrambled to stop Brooke from leaving, "Brooke, baby come on I'm going to Los Angeles because of the screenplay I wrote about OUR love story. There has to be a way we can get through this. I am not ready to lose you; I can't lose you because of this."

Brooke sighed at his words, "A Crimson Shade of Love is a beautiful script Lucas, you should be proud of it," Brooke looked down at the floor, "but fairy tales aren't real and love isn't enough to fix us." She kissed his cheek, "Good luck in Los Angeles, I hope you find the life you're looking for."

-0-

Lucas shot up in bed, "Christ that felt real." He looked over and noticed the blond stirring beside him, "I'm sorry Linds go back to sleep."

Lindsey sat up and yawned, "Another dream?"

"Yep," Lucas took out his journal and wrote down what he remembered, "I have to make an appointment to see Dr. Adams at the end of the week, that was what," Lucas turned back a few pages, "number three this week."

Lindsey yawned again, "No, four." Lindsey got out of bed and headed towards the bathroom, "I'm going to take a shower and head to the studio, would you like to join me?"

"No blondie I think I'm going to go for a run," Lucas put his feet on the cold hardwood floors, "Rain check?"

"Your loss," Lindsey said removing her robe, revealing her pale naked alabaster skin.

Lucas groaned as he laced up his running shoes, "You do realize I have a heart condition right?" He headed to the bathroom and stared at his girlfriend with a devilish grin, "keep it up with peep shows like that I could just drop dead right here. I would die a happy man."

Lindsey opened the glass shower door, "no dying on my watch, I guess I would have to resuscitate you then." Lindsey kissed him, "are you sure you don't want to join me?"

"As tempting as that still sounds, no." Lucas sighed and headed out of the bathroom, "I'll be back in about an hour will you still be here?"

"I might." Lindsey called out. "I love you Lucas, be careful while you're out."

"Careful is my middle name ma'am," Lucas said, tipping his imaginary hat, "I love you too."

-0-

Lucas pulled up the iheartradio app on his phone and put in his ear buds, 'Wild horses couldn't drag me away, Wild, wild horses couldn't drag me away,' Lucas's heart raced as The Rolling Stones blared in his ears, he scrambled to hit the forward button on his IPod. 'It's just a coincidence Luke, no need to over-analyze anything.' Lucas wasn't paying attention to the music as he drifted back into his thoughts, 'four dreams in a week, what is going on? You left Tree Hill seven years ago and aside from the occasional phone call from mom no one else had kept in touch.' He shrugged as he turned the corner, 'Haley did email after I got screenwriting credits on my first studio movie, but I never got around to writing her back.' He paused and jogged in place, waiting for the oncoming car to pass. 'But Brooke hasn't tried to contact me since I left... not once,' he took a second to stretch and think about every one of the dreams, 'first was the first time you and Brooke made love.' "That body," Lucas said aloud, not caring who heard him, 'the second was, oh who cares. Dr. Adams will just give me better sleeping pills. "Soon enough Brooke Davis and Tree Hill will go back to being a distant memory," he punched in front of him, "right where they belong."

An hour and a half later Lucas pulled his BMW into the parking space marked Writer: The Lies We Tell (Lucas Scott). He took off his sunglasses and headed into the sound stage. "I'm here, let's make some magic." Lucas said with a grin.

Julian Baker the films director came over to him, "You missed the reading this morning, Jackie at Warner Bros. was not happy about that."

Lucas disregarded what Julian said and headed to his trailer and sent his assistant a text message, Leila I need the minutes for the meeting this morning. Like now. A few moments later Leila came in and handed him a copy of the meeting notes he requested, "Thanks Leila you can go." She turned and left without even saying a hello, "lets see what Jackie was all upset over." Lucas read through the notes, when he got to changes and proposals he jumped up and headed out of his trailer, "Julian!" Lucas bellowed.

Julian walked down the steps of the house set, "You ok'd the studio's request to change the female leads name?"

Julian looked at the clip board of the grip standing next to him, "I did. The studio feels that Imogen is too ethnic, whatever that means." He scribbled down a few things and sent the unnamed grip away. "Since the main character is from New York the studio liked the idea of calling her Brooklyn, if you had been here like you were supposed to be you could have voiced your opposition. Anything else?"

Lucas was frazzled now, 'what is my problem?' he asked himself before continuing, "Yes, who proposed the blues cover of Wild Horses by Haley James?"

"I did," Julian said looking through the lens of one of the set cameras, "Look I know your story man, well the parts you share over a few beers, the song is good. I feel like it works with the storyboards drawn up of Brooklyn's big scene at the beginning of the third act, when she's standing in front of all the people she hurt and she confesses how she betrayed them, but that she did it for all love. Haley's cover is powerful man, you should listen to it."

"No, absolutely not." Lucas started shaking his head energetically. "She's my sister in law Julian, it's never going to happen."

Julian paused, "It's been seven years Luke," he angled the last camera, "maybe it's time to move on. Are you still having those dreams?"

Lucas's eyes widened, "who told you I was having dreams."

"Lindsey did obviously," Julian put his hand on Lucas's shoulder, "as your oldest friend in Los Angeles I am only going to say this once, you look like shit. Clearly you aren't sleeping, there's rumors spreading around the crew that you have a hardcore cocaine problem. I have talked to them, but when you keep showing up to set strung out, no amount of me saying you're fine cuts it." Julian stretched, "Jackie wants you off set till you're cleared by your shrink."

"How did Jackie know I was seeing Dr. Adams?" Lucas narrowed his eyes at Julian, his 'supposed' best friend.

"I told her this morning when you didn't show up for the meeting." Julian hesitated, "you're lucky she didn't just fire you. You've been late with edits and rewrites, you've been missing meetings and you've been in the tabloids a lot lately. I told Jackie it was because of the engagement news and the fact that Lindsey is also in the public eye. She didn't buy it, since the dreams started you've been swinging your dick around here like you've written 100 academy award winning screenplays. So Jackie, the studio and myself quite frankly think you need to take a break. I offered to do the edits myself so it won't effect your bottom line." Julian pulled him in for a half hug, "now say thank you and get the hell off my set." Julian smiled.

Lucas sped down the familiar residential street and pulled into Dr. Chase Adams's driveway. He went to get out of the car and it began to roll backwards, "Shit! It needs to be in park Luke." Lucas said out loud, he tried to get out of the car again and noticed his hands were shaking. He headed up the walkway and when he got to the front door he started pounding, "Chase!" Lucas yelled out, "I need to see you right now!"

The door opened and Lucas saw Margo, Chase's wife standing there with a concerned look on her face, "Jesus Lucas you scared the girls." She opened the door so Lucas could come inside, "Chase is in the back yard with Charlie."

Lucas waved to Ruby and Isabelle on his way outside, "Sorry girls, uncle Luke didn't mean to scare you." He walked out and saw Chase and his 10 year old son shooting the basketball, "Hey Chase, got a minute."

"Ya, one second Luke," Chase stood back and watched Charlie shoot the ball, "that's it, see it's all about the snap son. Do that Monday for try outs and you're set."

Charlie walked towards the house and said, "hey uncle Luke," as he went inside.

Lucas turned to Chase and saw that his expression had changed dramatically, "office now." They both hurried towards the converted garage that housed Chase's office, Chase unlocked the door and said, "by all means Lucas what seems to be the issue?"

Lucas sat down in the chair across from Chase's desk, "I was asked to leave the set today."

"I heard, Julian messaged me about an hour ago." Chase put his glasses on and took out his tablet, "so lets hear it Luke, I've known you since the day you arrived in Los Angeles practically. What is going on?" Lucas shrugged and ran his hands through his hair, "Are you abusing drugs? Medications? If you need rehab Luke we can get you into one that offers complete privacy."

"Seriously Chase," Lucas glared, "if I take any of that shit I could kill myself. One of the perks of being on heart medication I guess." Lucas slouched down further in his chair, "It's the dreams, they are happening more often than before. I've had four already this week."

"The ambien isn't helping you sleep?" Chase asked without looking up from his notepad.

"It is, but it's not if that makes sense." Lucas crossed his legs, "The dreams don't seem like dreams anymore they seem real, like I'm there. Is there something else you can prescribe?"

"No, everything else could weaken the effectiveness of your HCM medicine." Chase put down his pen and removed his glasses, "when did the dreams start again Luke?"

"Three months ago, almost to the day. Is the date significant?"

"It might be, let me look through my notes for a minute." Chase said, "didn't you and Lindsey get engaged three months ago?"

"We did, you were at the party we had afterwards."

"Ahh, here it is you first told me about having a dream the night you proposed to Lindsey. That was March 4th." Chase flipped back to the paper he was currently working off of, "Does that date hold any other significance to you and your life in Tree Hill?"

Lucas felt his chest tighten, 'how could I not come up with this sooner,' he thought before he replied, "March 4th is Brooke Davis's birthday."

Chase's face contorted, "Shit, that's bold Luke getting engaged on your ex wife's birthday."

"I didn't think about it when I asked Lindsey to marry me and there's one other thing Chase..." Chase's eyes met Luke's, "Brooke isn't my ex wife, we're still technically married."

So what are you guys thinking? I am really liking this story so far. The next chapter Lucas is headed to Tree Hill... Who is he going to see first?

Let me know you LOVE it by hitting Review, review, review!

Thanks!

-Krystal