What if during Whitey's speech at the basketball banquet before the State Championship, Lucas and Brooke realized that the way he was describing his life with Camilla really was how they felt about each other? What if that erased any doubt from both of their minds of Lucas' feelings for Peyton?
On the eve of what could be one of the most exciting days for some of the residents of Tree Hill, Whitey Durham was standing before his players, their dates and families, school faculty, and other Tree Hill High students speaking about something greater than basketball; love. Love for the game, love for another person. Specifically how your first love was one that could really never be forgotten. How sometimes that first love was the only real love you'd ever experience, and how nothing should be able to come between that love.
That last line really registered with Lucas Scott, who was sitting next to a beautiful brunette that never failed to make his heart skip a beat, and cause his breath to hitch in his throat. As he sat listening to his coach, he realized that Brooke was the only love he wanted to have. He wanted his love for Brooke Davis to be the love he sat around with their grandchildren telling them about years from this moment. But there was a catch. He had let something come between them; not once, but twice even though he promised he'd never hurt her again. He'd broken that promise, yet here she was with her unfailing grace, offering him a third chance.
As Whitey thanked the crowd for the award they presented him with and stepped down, Lucas looked over at Brooke and offered her a small smile. She returned his smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes, and she quickly looked away.
Lucas couldn't quite place why she had begun looking so sad; he really thought they'd been having a great night together. He decided he would wait to bring up her sudden shift in mood until they left the banquet together and were alone.
As the banquet came to a close and everyone grew tired of the mindless small talk, they all began leaving one by one until only Lucas and Brooke remained at the table.
"You ready to go Pretty Girl?" Lucas asked Brooke as he reached for her coat behind her. At the use of her old nickname, her face once again fell, causing an uneasy feeling to arise within Lucas.
The tension on the ride home was almost palpable. Brooke kept her gaze locked outside, while Lucas kept sending concerned glances her way. He couldn't figure out the sudden change in her demeanor, but was determined to find out. He wanted to make sure that she didn't regret this night, and that hopefully she wanted to get back together as much as he did.
As his red Mustang pulled up to the curb outside of Rachel's house, Brooke practically jumped from the car with Lucas in tow.
"Brooke I had a really great time with you tonight." He said earnestly as they reached the porch.
"Thanks Lucas, it was great getting to hang out with you again." She replied in a very monotone, un-Brooke like way.
"Brooke, what's going on in that head of yours? Ever since Whitey's speech you've seemed upset. Is everything okay?" He asked her, concern filling his voice.
Brooke quickly composed herself, because she knew that if she didn't, the tears she'd been holding at bay for the better half of the night would finally break free from her eyes. "Yeah Lucas, I'm just really tired. I should probably head inside." She said, turning away from him and to the door.
Lucas saw his chance slipping away from him as Brooke turned from him and grabbed the door knob. "Brooke, please don't do that. What's going on? Please talk to me."
Still facing the door, Brooke couldn't hold the tears back any longer.
"Pretty Girl. Please." He said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Finally Brooke turned around, ready to face the fact of what she knew as soon as Whitey began speaking.
Seeing her tear filled eyes nearly broke Lucas' heart. He reached for her, but she pulled back just before his arms reached her. Lucas recoiled, not really sure what to make of this situation.
"I'd be lying Lucas if I said that I didn't still have feelings for you. But tonight, I realized something. And I think you did too." She began. Hearing she still had feelings for him made Lucas' heart soar, until he realized that her tears were flowing even heavier now.
Brooke continued though, without missing a beat, "I think you realized just like I did that the way Whitey was describing his love for Camilla isn't how you feel about me. And it's hard Lucas, it really is, but all I want is for you to be happy. So I want you to know that it's okay for you to be with Peyton. You deserve to find that love, so it's okay, okay? I want to be in your life Luke, so if all we ever end up is being good friends, then I'll be okay with that." She finished with a sad smile on her face.
There was so much Lucas wanted to say right now to the girl he loved with all his heart; the girl he loved that he had completely broken. He had made her believe that he hadn't loved her. And that thought alone was enough to bring tears to his eyes. But he knew that unlike when she broke up with a mere few weeks ago, he had to say something. Something to make her stay.
With tears now streaming down his face, he spoke softly and sincerely, "Brooke. You're right, I did realize something tonight. But you're wrong. When Whitey was talking, I realized that he was speaking about the way I feel about you. But I failed you, and I know that. Not only did I let something come between us, but I also made you believe that I didn't love you. And seeing you standing here so broken only makes me realize that I don't deserve you. Brooke Davis you deserve someone that never makes you question their love for you, and that saves you. I haven't been that guy Brooke, but I want to be. I want to be there to save you from everything and anything. And I know that it's selfish of me to say this to you after all I've put you through, but I want to be selfish with you. Because I am so in love with you and I want to spend the rest of my life proving it you, because you are the girl for me Brooke Davis. Not Peyton, not anyone else in this entire world. I'm sorry I ever made you doubt that Brooke. But I want to be with you. Only you. And because this is the third embarrassing speech I've given, and once again it's to you Pretty Girl. It's you Brooke, and it always will be."
Brooke was dumbfounded. It didn't make sense to her, these things that he was saying. She wanted to believe it was true, but her heart wouldn't let her. She was afraid of being vulnerable for him again, because she knew in the end it would be her heart broken.
With the tears still flowing, she replied with a shaky voice, "I really wish I could believe that Lucas, but I know that Peyton will always be there, and that she'll always come before me."
"Brooke no. Peyton is not the girl that I want. I may have thought one time that she was, but that was before I met you. The day I met you is a day I can point to and say that everything changed. You changed everything Brooke. And I know I don't deserve another chance, but please Brooke. I want to be with you." He took a step closer as he said this and put his hand under her chin, tilting her face up so she was forced to look at him. "I love you, Pretty Girl."
She wanted to turn and slam the door in his face, but Lucas Scott had a power over her that she couldn't deny. She'd be lying if she said she didn't still want to be with him. She knew she shouldn't, but she went against her better judgement, and finally gave in to him. "Please don't hurt me again Lucas. I don't think I'd be able to take it."
"I won't. I swear to you Brooke I won't." he told her with as much sincerity as he could muster. And with that, Brooke surrendered to him; as he pulled his lips down to meet with hers. The kiss they shared was filled with passion and love, and they both knew that this time was for real. That they would face whatever life threw at them together.
As they pulled apart, Lucas looked down at her with a smile that spread across his entire face. "I haven't felt this whole since you broke up with me Brooke. Thank you." He said gently.
"I love you Lucas Scott." Brooke said as she pecked him once more.
"You know, this is one of those stories that we'll tell sitting around with Nathan and Haley and all our grandkids when we're all old and gray." He said jokingly.
"Oh please, you think you'll be able to handle me that long?" she said, kinking an eyebrow at him, which caused his heart to flutter.
"I could handle you forever Brooke Davis." He said seriously, looking into her eyes with such a seriousness that Brooke's breath hitched in her throat.
"I'm gonna hold you to that." She whispered, bringing his lips to hers once more in a kiss that sealed their lives together.
Alright! Just a little oneshot, tell me what you think! Thank you for reading!