A/N: Hi all first off I want to make sure you understand that this is not a Brathan but a Brucas story. Please sit back and enjoy. Kaos

A Woman's Worth

Chapter 1

The Perfect Couple

Brooke had been silent for most of the ride to her house. There really was no need for conversation as their thoughts consumed them. After six beautiful years together, it had all come down to this one moment. There was a question and an answer and in one second Nathan Scott and Brooke Davis had made a single choice that was about to change both their young lives forever.

"Brooke," he whispered as he pulled the car into her driveway

He didn't even have to finish his sentence because she already knew what he was going to say. After so much precious time spent together, they seemed to know everything about one another, including the uncanny ability of being able to tell what the other person was saying even if the words were left unspoken.

"It's okay," she smiled "Nathan, I'm okay"

He nodded but he still wasn't sure. She gave him a sweet dimpled smile and gently rubbed the top of his hand with her own.

"Are you sure? I mean I want you to be sure I..."

"I am. I love you and that's the one thing I'm sure of, Nate. And that's all I need to know. I love you."

"I love you too," he said as he leaned in and kissed her soft lips.

She closed her eyes, just enjoying the moment for the time being until he lightened his embraced. Stroking his face one last time, she open the passenger door and stepped out. She gave a final wave as she stood just watching him pull off until the car had driven out of sight. The smile remained on her face as she climbed the stairs to her room/ She opened the door and the warmth inside seemed to almost instantly envelope her. It only made her smile broaden. The room was classic Brooke Davis. Warm, happy, bright feminine and pink. She loved the color pink and the softness of it all. A Scarlett O'Hara southern belle hat decorated the closet door. Fresh flowers filled vases throughout the spacious living quarters. Artwork of puppies and butterflies hung in frames on the walls. A huge collection of stuffed animals faced the queen sized bed. Above the CD player and it's variety of music sat a beautiful set of rare porcelain dolls. It was more than a place to sleep; it was her own personal sanctuary.

Brooke Davis walked around her bedroom surveying the remains of her closet and dresser drawers as she decided what to pack. She went over her mental checklist to make sure she remembered everything. Nathan had told her just to pack a few necessities, anything else that she might need could be bought when they got to where they were going. Brooke sat down on her bed, she wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing. She knew that when her parents found out that she had eloped, they were going to be hurt and so would Nathan grandmother Mae. At first Brooke had been surprised that Nathan had wanted to elope, they had always planned on a small intimate wedding. But he had somehow manage to talk her into it. He didn't want to wait any longer to marry her and they both knew the minute they told their families that they were getting married, the planning would begin and the small wedding that Brooke would want would be replace by a huge fiasco that would take a year to plan. Not only that but it would replace their lives and Nathan wanted to avoid that.

In her hearts of hearts, she had always known deep down that she wanted to marry him. They were supposed to be together it was a union that was pre written in the stars. Still somehow she had always envisioned the two in front of a preacher inside a small country church exchanging traditional wedding vows along with some they had written themselves. It would be an intimate, joyous affair and after throwing the bouquets and eating wedding cake, the two would begin the eagerly anticipated honeymoon, there he would help her out of that white gown, that she had truly earned the right to wear. And he would lay her down on a bed of roses as the candles scented the romantic background. Brooke would give herself to him the way it was intended for a virginal bride to give herself to her new husband. They would seal their love for one another and begin the rest of their lives together. She knew he was right when he predicted how their families would jump in and take over the wedding plans. The joining of two great families was not something that could be thrown together in a few months. Maybe it was for the best that they keep it private and simple. Still she wanted him to be sure.

"Nathan, are you positive?" she ask over and over again. "Baby, I want you to be sure. I just don't want you to look back in a few months or a few years with regret that we didn't do it the right way or because our friends and family weren't there."

"All that I need is us and priest Brooke no one else" was what he said.

Brooke took a long look around her room. There were pictures of her and Nathan all over the place. Pictures of them on the beach, school dances, of her in her cheerleading outfit and of him in his basketball. There wasn't a time that she could not remember Nathan not being there. He had been a part of her life since she was a baby. It had always been Nathan and Brooke. In elementary school they had been friends and in Junior high Nathan was Brooke's first crush. It was during Brooke's junior year in high school when they first started dating. Brooke was the head cheerleader and Nathan was the captain of the basketball team. They had always been friends but one night at a party after a big game Nathan had kissed her and they had started dating. Her parents who had been friends with Nathan's family for years were delighted. Nathan and Brooke were the perfect couple. They were Tree Hill High homecoming king and queen as well as prom king and queen. They were popular and everyone wanted to be their friends.

When it was time to go to college Brooke had gone to Georgetown and Nathan had gone to Yale. Despite the fact that they were separated for the first time in two years they still found time for each other. There were phone calls, emails, and visits. They spent every break together and Brooke fell more in love with Nathan every day. When graduation came around Brooke and Nathan knew it was time to take the next step.

The "next step" had proved to be the biggest one of them all. This would be their eternal promise to each other. Thinking of forever with Nathan always made Brooke's heart skip a beat. Just the mention of his name, the sight of those mesmerizing blue eyes was enough to make her light headed or have a million butterflies churn in her stomach. Sure she had doubts but they were only superficial doubts about location and ceremonial technicalities. When it came down to it, none of that really mattered. She loved Nathan Scott with every fiber of her being and she knew her future was with him, mind, body and soul. She was ready to be his wife and it don't matter if it was in a church, in a Las Vegas chapel, or on the moon. As long as they were together, nothing else mattered.