A/N: Okay, so this is a long time coming, but it's finally done. I'm not planning any sequel to this (as of now, at least) so hopefully this will satisfy all those who loved Awakening. So yeah, I should probably say that if you haven't read Awakening, then you might be a little confused, but I'm sure most of you have. I must also warn that this story is complete and utter fluff. There's no drama. Like at all. But that's not new for me, is it? It seems like fluffy stuff is all I write these days. But fluff isn't so bad, is it? Especially when it's Brucas. So I think you can all forgive me for that :D.
The title, This Is Home, is from a song by Switchfoot (if you hadn't noticed, I use a lot of their songs for my stories). It was actually the original title of Awakening, but I thought it was a little too cheesy, and it really fits this story more because, well, this story is pretty damn cheesy. But anyway, just a little background info for you all ;). Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I did, things on the show would be lot different. The title of the story belongs to Switchfoot.
This Is Home
And now after all my searching
After all my questions
I'm gonna call it home
I got a brand new mindset
I can finally see the sunset
I'm gonna call it home
Today was going to be a good day. That was the first thing Lucas Scott decided as walked into his house that morning. He'd just dropped Kate off at school and since Brooke had the day off, he was sure that the rest of the morning and afternoon would be spent taking advantage of that. Then Brooke would go pick up their daughter and he'd spend a nice night at home with his family. It would be great, just as life always was.
Sometimes he wondered if he was too happy. He had everything he dreamed of now— an amazing wife, the greatest daughter, the best friends, not to mention three bestselling books, with another possible one on the way. His life had turned out better than he could have ever imagined and he was tempted to pinch himself right then and there to make sure he wasn't dreaming. He didn't, though; that would have caused him unnecessary pain because he knew his life was very much a reality.
Making his way into the kitchen, he looked around for any sign of his wife. Setting down the coffees he'd brought from his mom's café, he was about to head upstairs to look for her when he heard her banging down the stairs.
A second later, she was standing right in front of him, face flushed as she caught her breath. Lucas just stared at her in amusement.
"Everything okay?"
She nodded quickly, moving past him to lean against the counter. There was definitely something off about her and it wasn't just the fact that she'd raced downstairs to see him after he'd been gone for only fifteen minutes. There was both a nervousness and excitement in her eyes that was easy for him to see.
He was about to ask her again if everything was okay, but she spoke before he could.
"I'm pregnant."
And that would explain it.
All he could do was stand there, eyes wide, as he tried to process her words. Had she really just said what he'd thought she'd said? He was pretty sure she had. Taking one single step towards her, he tried to keep his face neutral, but she had taken him by surprise and he couldn't keep the shock from showing. His head was cocked to the side, mouth hanging open shamelessly, and for a few seconds he couldn't find his voice.
"What?"
He needed her to say it again, because he still wasn't sure he'd heard right.
She let out a soft laugh, walking over to him, and took his hand. "I said I'm pregnant. I took the test while you dropped off Kate and I literally just found out a minute ago."
Now it was starting to sink in, but just barely. He was frozen in place. Her thumb stroked his hand soothingly. She was pregnant. She was having a baby. His baby. But how did this happen? Well, he knew how, but they'd said they wanted to wait a full year of marriage before they tried. That didn't matter, though, because it was finally settling in that he was going to be a father. Not that he wasn't already a father to Kate, but this was quite obviously different.
Brooke was looking at him questioningly when he finally came to his senses. His lips twitched into a huge smile and before she could say anything else, he lifted her into his arms, letting out what he classified as a very obnoxious whoop. She was laughing when he set her down.
"Are you sure?" he asked, unable to keep the excitement from his voice. It was like he was a little kid on Christmas morning.
"Yes, I'm sure," she answered and his smile grew even larger, if that was even possible.
"Wow…" He shook his head in complete amazement.
"I know we said we were going to wait until next year to try, but sometimes it just happens and…"
He looked right at her. She seemed a little worried now, something he couldn't understand because he couldn't be happier to have a child with her.
"Brooke," he said, putting his hands on her shoulder, "we were gonna have a baby eventually. So it happened a few months sooner than we planned? It doesn't change the fact that I've wanted a baby with you since the moment I met you."
She relaxed a little and he pulled her into his arms. "The moment you met me?"
He grinned, resting his chin on the top of her head. "I was picturing what our kids' faces would look like the whole time we first talked in the café."
"Right."
"Seriously, I was."
She pulled her head from under him, looking at him pointedly.
"Okay," he conceded, "maybe not the moment we met, but soon after. And that's not a lie."
She laughed again, going back to her earlier position, and he ran a hand through her hair.
"Weirdo."
"What? You made me fall head over heels for you after like a day. You can't blame me for getting a head start on planning our future."
"Maybe not," she said with a grin. Pulling away from him, she walked over to the sink and continued working on the dishes she'd been cleaning when he'd left the house to drop Kate off. He wasn't going to let her get away from him, though. This was too huge of a moment for them. His arms wrapped behind her, resting on her stomach, and he dug his face into her ponytail before resting his head on her shoulder.
"I love you," he murmured into her ear. He couldn't see her face, but he could tell that she was smiling.
"Mmm, you too," she said, giggling as he proceeded to trace slow kisses up and down the bare skin of her neck. She was always so easy to distract.
But then she twisted around, crossing her arms in what he thought was supposed to be a stern manner, but only managed to make him laugh. She was so completely beautiful. Of course if he told her that she'd deny it, asking him how she could possibly be beautiful while wearing a beat up white tank top and an old pair of black sweatpants that were much too big for her, not to mention the fact that she probably smelled like an old dishrag, but he would just laugh and tell her that her that there was no way she could more beautiful than now. Especially when his eyes trailed down to her still very flat belly, where he was now aware that a child was growing. And it wasn't just any child, it was his child. His and hers.
And there he was again, grinning like an idiot. But he was so completely happy, it was almost unbelievable.
Just as Brooke was about to lecture him about distracting her from her house cleaning, he bent down on his knees, his eyes level with her stomach. Still smiling, he placed a hand on her belly before kissing it softly. When he looked up at her, she was smiling too and he guessed that she'd long forgotten the fact that he'd interrupted her. Their eyes met and she ran a hand through his short hair, ruffling it playfully. He grinned up at her and then focused again her stomach. He quickly lifted up her shirt, revealing her pale flat belly, and slowly bent his head forward, kissing her bare skin, this time letting his lips linger there for a few seconds longer than before.
"We're having a baby," he murmured, still amazed at his own words. He looked up at her, her hands still gently cradling the back of his head, and she just nodded, amazed too.
Standing back up again, he brought her into his arms and she dug her face into his chest. He could feel her smiling against him and he was smiling too. He didn't think he'd ever be able to stop, actually.
"I think we've got to celebrate," she mumbled.
He was definitely all for that. This was a big milestone for them. It wasn't planned, but he didn't care in the least, because he wanted nothing more than to have a baby with the amazing woman that he held in his arms. It was a dream come true.
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Brooke didn't know why she was so nervous as she and Lucas sat their daughter down for dinner later that night. It wasn't like Kate would be horrified at the news that she would soon be a big sister. Although, Brooke had to admit, that Kate might not be thrilled at first. Ever since Peyton and Jake had welcomed their son, Max, into the world a few months ago, Jenny had been telling Kate all about the wonders of a new baby and, although Kate thought Max was adorable, much of what Jenny told her didn't have Kate begging for a new sibling.
Mostly, Brooke was worried about how Kate would interpret the idea of having a new brother or sister because, as Kate well knew, Lucas wasn't her biological father. He treated Kate as if she was his and Kate treated him as if he was her real dad, but that couldn't change the fact that, in blood, he wasn't.
And that was fine. Kate never had any problem with it and neither did Brooke. Just because Lucas wasn't physically Kate's father, didn't mean he wasn't her dad. But Brooke wondered if that would be a problem now, when this baby would be Lucas' flesh and blood and Kate would know that. That, in turn, could cause some jealousy and insecurities to come out that they hadn't really dealt with before. And that was why Brooke was nervous.
Lucas kept sending Brooke odd looks, as if he was waiting for her to send him the go ahead. But she was still trying to come up with the right words to gently bring out this news to their daughter. Kate was chatting cheerfully as she ate her food, not even noticing the quietness of her mother or the way that Lucas wasn't quite focused on their conversation.
"Kate," Brooke said after a few minutes of silence on her and Lucas' part, "I've got a question for you."
"Yeah?"
Brooke glanced over at Lucas, who just smiled encouragingly at her, and took a deep breath. "How would you feel about having a brother or sister?"
The question seemed to take her daughter by surprise and she wondered if Kate realized what her mother's words meant. After taking a moment to think, Kate just shrugged.
"I don't know. I guess it'd be cool, as long as it was cute like Max." Kate paused for a second, eyes narrowing. "Are you having a baby, Mommy?"
She was glad Kate had caught on; she'd been having a hard time figuring out how to explain.
"Yes, honey, I am."
Kate shifted in her chair, looking oddly perplexed, and remained silent. This wasn't the reaction Brooke had been hoping for. She shot a distressed glance at Lucas, who, unlike her, just sent her her calm nod, before turning to look at Kate.
"What're you thinking, Kate?" he asked, smiling gently at her.
Kate turned to Brooke, who waited hopefully for some sign that her daughter wasn't completely opposed to this news.
"Is it a boy or girl?" Kate asked, and there was an excitement in her voice that immediately relieved Brooke.
"We don't know yet, honey."
"Oh...well, I hope it's a girl. Then I can dress her up and I can even give her some of my old dolls, so you don't have to buy her new ones. And I'm gonna be her big sister, so I can boss her around too! Ooh and I..."
And this was the reaction Brooke had been hoping for. She listened contentedly as Kate rambled on about how excited she was to have a new sister or brother. Lucas covered her hand with his own, squeezing it gently, and she looked over at him. He smiled happily at her, sending her a quick wink, as if to say that she'd been worrying about this all for nothing...
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Her hand held his as they ventured into the small doctor's office. Lucas remembered coming to this same place when his mom was pregnant with Lily and now, over seven years later, he was back again, this time with his wife and the mother of his child. He glanced over at Brooke and she sent him a little grin as they both headed over to the front desk. They sat down a second later and Brooke filled out the paperwork, a peaceful smile on her face.
It wasn't long before Brooke's name was called and they headed into one of the examining rooms. After the nurse asked a few questions, she left them alone to wait for the doctor. They sat in silence, his hand still clutching hers, and he watched as she sat there, staring blankly at the wall and looking lost in thought.
"What's on your mind, Pretty Girl?"
"I was just thinking about when I was pregnant with Kate. I came to a place just like this, but the circumstances were so different. I had no clue how to be a mom and I just felt so alone and scared. I didn't even know if I'd be able to go through with the pregnancy, but then I heard her little heartbeat and from that moment on, I knew that there was no way I'd ever be able to give her up. Just knowing that I helped create her, that she was all mine...it was the most incredible feeling."
He knew what she meant. Every time he thought about the child Brooke was carrying, there was an overwhelming sense of both awe and insane giddiness that came over him. And the baby wasn't even born yet. He could barely imagine how amazing it would be to actually hold the child in his arms.
Lucas put an arm around her and she rested her head on his shoulder. The doctor came in a few minutes later and, after a few minutes of questions and tests, they were on their way to what Lucas was looking forward to most.
"Are you two ready for the ultrasound?" Dr. Calvert asked.
Lucas eagerly nodded, glancing over at Brooke, who looked just as excited as him. Brooke hopped onto the examining table and pulled up her shirt. Dr. Calvert smeared the gel over her flat stomach and Lucas waited impatiently for their baby to appear on the screen. A second later, it was there. Of course, he could barely make it out, but it still made him go crazy with happiness at the sight of that little white smudge on the screen. He squeezed Brooke's hand and she sent him a wide smile before locking her eyes back on their baby.
Dr. Calvert pointed to the screen. "Do you see that?" she asked, referring to a small movement on the screen. "That's your baby's heartbeat. You're about eight weeks along, Brooke, so by the next appointment you should actually be able to hear it."
At this point, Lucas didn't even care that he couldn't hear it. He could see it and that in itself was the most amazing thing.
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Brooke watched with a smile as Peyton lifted her son from his carrier. Max Jagielski had to be one of the cutest little babies she'd seen. He was a perfect mixture of Peyton and Jake, with Jake's brown hair and Peyton's eyes.
"My turn to hold him!" Brooke announced, holding her hands out expectantly.
"Come on, Brooke, give me some time with my son."
"You get him all the time. Now come on; I need to practice."
Peyton laughed, carefully handing her six month old son over to Brooke. "You don't need the practice considering the fact that you've been a mom for seven years."
"I know, but that's just it. It's been a long time since I've dealt with a baby. Now I've got to go through it all over again."
"That's true," Peyton said, her eyes on Max. The little boy was looking at her too, clearly attached to his mother. Brooke distracted him by blowing a kiss on his belly, resulting in a giggle from the mini Jake.
"By the way," Peyton said, "I think you owe me some money."
Brooke looked up at her in confusion. "What?"
"I specifically recall telling you before your wedding that Lucas would knock you up less than six months after you got married. And, considering the fact that you're sitting here, over four months pregnant and it's only been nine months since you got married, I think I was right."
"We didn't actually bet on that, though," Brooke defended.
"Well, yeah...but I feel like we should have. I could've made a fortune."
Brooke chuckled, focusing on the baby again. "The point is, I don't owe you money."
"Fine. I guess knowing I was right is a good enough reward."
Max started whimpering and Brooke handed him back to Peyton. A second later, Max was smiling again, showing off his gums, and Brooke thought that nothing could be more adorable.
"I really can't wait to have a baby around again," Brooke said, absently rubbing her now slightly rounded belly.
Peyton smiled down at Max, cradling him in her arms. "Yeah, despite the fact that I barely get five hours of sleep nowadays, I wouldn't change it for anything. I love this little guy like crazy."
Brooke watched the mother and son interacted. She remembered when Kate was that small, and she'd been over her head with work and trying to pay the bills, but whenever she held her daughter in her arms none of that mattered. All that mattered was the smiling, innocent baby in her arms, who gave her the unconditional love she needed to get through the day.
"Hi, ladies."
Jake had just entered the Jagielski living room, Lucas following behind him.
"Hey, babe," Peyton said, kissing her husband's cheek as he sat next to her.
Lucas sat down next to Brooke, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "Hey, Pretty Girl."
Their eyes locked. "Hi, husband."
They were lost in there own little world. This happened quite often, actually. It was hard not to get lost in his eyes and his smile. Every time he looked at her, she felt they were the only two people on earth. His hand found its way to her belly. Touching her stomach was something he couldn't get enough of, but she didn't mind; she actually thought it was kind of adorable. She leaned forward to kiss him, grinning against his lips.
"Quick, shield the poor kid's eyes!"
She pulled away, sending a playful glare over at Jake, who was teasingly covering Max's eyes. Lucas just laughed, while Peyton looked at Jake in disapproval.
"Come on, Jake, give them a break. They're still in their honeymoon phase."
"And I don't think we'll ever be out of it," Lucas whispered into her ear.
She grinned, wordlessly agreeing with him, and he kissed her once more. She and Lucas would always be fond of their public displays of affection. It was just who they were. And she loved that about them.
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Closing the door to his daughter's room, Lucas made his way down the hall and into his and Brooke's room. Brooke, who was laying on her side on their bed, greeted him with an expectant face.
"That took forever."
"Sorry," he said, throwing his shirt off before falling down next to her, "but Kate just didn't want to sleep." He then looked at her pointedly. "Probably because of that extra bowl of ice cream you gave her."
Brooke shrugged apologetically. It was ironic that Brooke was now the one having a hard time refusing Kate. Lucas had grown used to being the stern parent when he needed to be, but during the last few months, Brooke had started to be a lot more lenient with Kate, claiming that she was only going to be an only child for a few more months and she should get the most out of it. In some ways, he agreed, but he didn't want Kate to be too spoiled.
He slid an arm around Brooke, his hand resting on her growing belly. She kept getting bigger and bigger with each passing day, something she wasn't fond of, but he loved. He kissed the back of her neck, nuzzling his nose into it. His free hand slipped under her t-shirt and his fingers trailed enticingly up and down her back.
"Not now, Lucas. I'm too tired."
He held back a sigh. He supposed it had been stupid to get his hopes up, especially with Brooke's mood swings. One minute she was in the mood, the other she wasn't. And if she wasn't in the mood, she wasn't in the mood and he couldn't do anything about it. If he did, well, he'd regret it, to put it simply.
He turned off the lamp next to the bed and then settled onto his back. Brooke flipped over to face him and her leg tangled with his under the covers. He stretched out his hand to once again rest on her stomach. Her hand covered his, her fingers stringing through his. He closed his eyes, finally relaxed.
His eyes popped open only a second later when he felt a sharp kick against his palm. Immediately, he sat up, his eyes wide as he turned on the light to look at Brooke.
"Did you feel that?"
She simply nodded, her hand moving up and down her belly.
"It kicked," he stated, his excitement boiling.
She smiled. "I know." Then her smile grew even wider as she lifted up her shirt and reached for his hand, placing it right underneath her belly button.
"Feel it?" she asked.
He waited, feeling more impatient than he ever had, and then it happened again and it was one of the most amazing things he'd ever felt.
"That's our baby," he murmured as he looked at his wife, who was observing him with a soft smile.
"It's pretty amazing, isn't it?"
He simply nodded before focusing his attention back on her belly. All he could do was smile as he felt a few more kicks come his way. He didn't think he could ever get enough of this. After a few minutes, the baby calmed down and everything was still. He looked back at Brooke, craning his head down to place a sweet kiss on her lips. When they pulled apart, they simply looked at each other, needing no words to convey just how great a moment this was. He kissed her again and then she fell back onto the bed, smiling up at him.
"Hey, Luke," she said, a mischievous tone in her voice.
"Yeah?"
"I'm not so tired anymore."
He just laughed, shaking his head in amusement. "Crazy girl."
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Brooke was wearing a seemingly permanent smile as she and Lucas walked hand in hand into his mother's café. They'd just returned from her checkup, where they'd just learned the sex of their baby. Like pretty much everyone in the world loved to say, she really hadn't cared if they ended up having a boy or a girl as long as it was healthy. Still, if she had to choose, she would've said she wanted a boy, just because she had a girl already. Kate, on the other hand, wanted a sister and Lucas seemed to want another girl to spoil as well.
Kate was sitting with Lily at one of the tables while Karen served some customers. Kate immediately glanced up from her drawing as she saw Brooke and Lucas entering.
"Mom!" Kare said, jumping off the chair to see her.
Karen was distracted from the customer at Kate's voice. She looked over at them with an eager smile and told them she'd be over in a second.
"Hi, sweetie," Brooke said, laughing a little as she pulled Kate up into her arms. Lucas sent her a sign of disapproval (no heavy lifting, according to him), but she just kissed her daughter's cheek as Kate asked if she would be having a little sister or brother.
"We'll tell you once your grandma comes over," Brooke said.
Lily grabbed onto her big brother's hand and looked up at him and Brooke with a wry smile. "I think it's a boy," she announced, "but Kate thinks it's a girl. I wanted to bet money, but Mom said betting is bad, so now we've only got bragging rights."
Lucas and Brooke shared a laugh, and not even second later, Karen arrived, looking more impatient than ever.
"So?"
Brooke couldn't say anything as Lucas took Kate from Brooke, setting her down. She rolled her eyes when he suggested they sit down. This pampering thing he had going on lately was getting a little annoying.
"I'm fine, Luke."
Luckily, he didn't protest. Karen, on the other hand, tapped her foot expectantly.
"Come on, you two, I'm dying here. Am I getting a grandson or a granddaughter."
"Well," Brooke said, glancing over at her husband, "it looks like you'll be having a grandson."
Lily let out a cry of victory, while a pout took over Kate's face. Brooke had a feeling, though, it wasn't because she was angry that she was getting a brother, but because Lily had been right and she had been wrong. Karen was beaming at them. She immediately pulled Brooke into a hug and told them that she was so happy for them.
After a few minutes of congratulations, Lucas finally manged to get Brooke to sit down. Karen had gone back into the kitchen, telling them that they needed to celebrate with some cake, and Lily had gone off to help her. Kate took a seat on Brooke's lap, the frown her face still evident. Brooke wasn't too worried, though; Kate had been hoping for a sister, but after some getting used to, she'd welcome a little brother with open arms.
"Are you excited, Kate?" Lucas asked her.
She just shrugged. Brooke wrapped her arms around her daughter's small body and kissed the girl's cheek.
"You know what's great about boys?" Brooke asked her.
Kate looked up at her curiously. "What?"
"They always wrap right around your finger."
Lucas cocked an eyebrow, chuckling softly, but Kate grinned.
"I like the sound of that."
"You can't take advantage of him too much, though," Brooke continued.
"Why?"
"Because eventually he won't be so small anymore and he might just be able to turn right around and take advantage of you."
Kate remained silent for a moment, thoughtful. "Okay. I guess I won't be too bossy. What're we gonna name him, though?"
"I don't know," Brooke said. "What do you think, Kate?"
Kate went on a long rant of her favorite names (most of which included the names of her favorite male Disney characters and therefore really would never really be considered), and Brooke just listened in silent amusement. Lucas was grinning ear to ear when she glanced over at him. His hand reached for hers across the table and he squeezed it softly. She knew he was more than thrilled that they were having a boy. It didn't matter that he'd been leaning towards a girl at first; just the fact that they were actually having a baby of their own - a son - was all that really mattered.
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With a heavy sigh, Lucas zipped his packed suitcase shut and set it next to the door.
"I'm all packed," he announced.
Brooke glanced up from the magazine she was reading. "That's good."
He sat down next to her on the bed. "You know, you really don't seem nearly as depressed as I am that I'm going to be gone for another two weeks."
He was starting the final leg of his book tour the next day, which meant he'd be leaving Brooke and Kate behind for a little while, much to his displeasure. It had to be done, though, especially since his newest book, Awakening, was such a success.
Brooke set the magazine down on her lap to focus on him. "I'm sorry, honey. If it makes you feel any better, I really am gonna miss you."
"Yeah, I'm not sure I believe you. I heard you talking the other day to Haley, something about how not having me breathing down your neck for a few weeks would be exhilarating."
She let out an amused snort. "Well, okay, I'll admit it will be kind of nice not to have you constantly on my back about every little thing I do, but trust me, I'd much rather have you here with me than away."
He rested on his side, moving his hand to her belly. "Am I really that annoying?"
"No," she said sweetly, "you're just a little...overprotective. But it's okay. It comes with the first time parent thing."
Lucas feigned offense, looking away with a pouting expression, but he really did understand where Brooke was coming from. He didn't mean to be so overbearing; he just wanted to make sure that Brooke and their son were as safe as possible. He'd try to tone it down, though, because Brooke was well enough on her own. She'd done this before without him, after all, and she'd done a perfectly good job of it too.
He couldn't pretend to be bothered any longer as Brooke's lips covered his.
"I love you," she said, grinning down at him.
He smiled too, gently pushing her over as he propped himself up over her body.
"Even though I'm annoyingly overprotective?"
She laughed. "Even more because of that."
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During the past few months, Lucas had been constantly traveling for his book tour. They hadn't intended for the tour and the pregnancy to overlap, but unfortunately it had, which meant that Lucas wasn't at home as much as they'd liked. Still, the tour really only lasted a little over a month total, if he'd gone straight through it, and Lucas went mostly on week trips before returning home for another week and leaving again.
The upside to this, Brooke had found, was that it made coming home very sexy. Today, though, instead of a late night return to the house, Lucas was coming in early since the tour was officially over, meaning that both she and Kate would be picking him up at the airport.
Kate had always loved airports. Brooke had never been sure exactly why, though it was probably because of the adventure they signified. Kate hadn't actually flown on one until she was five, but she'd always begged Brooke to take her down to airport to watch the planes take off and arrive. Brooke, on the other hand, wasn't particularly fond of them. They reminded her of the constant trips she took as a teenager to the remote exotic islands her parents had loved so much. It would seem as if she should have good memories of those trips, and maybe she did have some, but mostly those trips only reminded her of her mother and father, both of whom she hadn't spoken to since Kate was two.
But this airport was different. It had been where she took her first step into her new life. And her old life just couldn't beat her new one - her life with Lucas and Kate and their yet-to-be-named son who'd be arriving in a little over two months. And then there was Peyton and Jake, and Nathan and Haley, and Karen and Lily, Jenny, Max and Jamie...She had so much here in Tree Hill. So much that she hadn't had back in New York, where she felt as if she'd been just settling. Of course, she'd had Kate and Peyton there and that had made everything worth it in the end, but compared to where she was now, to the people she had now, she never had any desire to return to that life again.
Kate's hand slipped into Brooke's, and the little girl eyed the baggage claim excitedly.
"See him?" Brooke asked.
Kate shook her head, her eyes still focused on the now moving wheel, where suitcases were starting to pile out. Brooke glanced back towards the crowd. Lucas' plane had arrived, so he'd be here in a few minutes.
"Mommy?"
Kate was looking up at Brooke, frowning slightly.
"Yeah, baby?"
Her daughter paused for a moment, and she looked almost broody. If this wasn't so abnormal, Brooke would find it amusing, but Kate wasn't one to brood like Lucas, so Brooke found herself a little worried.
"When the baby comes...do you... do you think that Daddy will love him more than me?"
In many ways, Brooke had been waiting for this moment ever since she learned she was pregnant, even before that maybe. But that still didn't mean she was prepared to hear Kate actually ask that. Peyton had told her that Jenny had asked her and Jake a very similar question, and that had been where Brooke realized that Lucas and Peyton were in very similar situations. Both the parents to a child that wasn't theirs, but that they loved all the same. Jenny and Kate, though, were aware that Peyton and Lucas weren't really their biological parents, which of course could lead to them questioning that a new baby - a baby that was actually both their parents - might mean more to them than Kate or Jenny.
But even though Brooke understood the reasoning, she knew there was no way that Lucas could ever love this child more than Kate. They were both his children; blood didn't matter.
Kate was staring up at Brooke uncertainly and Brooke stooped down, smiling softly at her daughter.
"Honey, your dad will love this baby just like he loves you. There's no way he could love either of you more."
Kate nodded, but Brooke wasn't sure she'd convinced her. At that moment, Lucas came bursting through the crowd. Kate bounded towards him and Brooke found herself following her daughter.
"I've missed you, baby girl," Lucas said, pulling Kate up into his arms.
"I missed you too, Daddy," she replied, giggling as he kissed her cheek.
Just one look at the two of them proved what Brooke had just told Kate to be true and she hoped Kate could see that too.
"And did you miss me?"
Lucas' eyes fell on Brooke and the smile that was on his face widened considerably.
"Of course I did, Pretty Girl." His voice was low, huskier than normal, and he set down Kate before taking a step towards her. His arms wound around her waist and he craned his neck down so that his lips could meet hers.
"I've missed you very, very much," he murmured.
She just grinned against his lips, very much looking forward to the private welcome home she'd be giving him later that night.
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It was sometime around noon the next day when Lucas found himself wandering out into his backyard, and it was out by the pool where he found his daughter dipping her feet into the warm water, humming happily to herself. It didn't take her long to notice his presence.
"Mind if I join you?" he asked.
She shrugged. "Sure."
Lucas sat down next to her, dipping his feet in as well. The water barely reached the top of his ankle since they were sitting right next to the stairs that led into the pool. Kate smiled cheerfully as she swirled her toes around in the water, making her own miniature whirlpool. With her dark brown hair pulled up in a pony tail and those familiar dimples more prominent than ever, she couldn't have looked more like her mother.
"So did you have fun while I was gone?"
"Yeah, but it would have been funner with you."
He laughed. "Did your mom tell you to say that?"
"No, I came up with it all by myself."
"Smart girl."
He glanced down at the pool. This was his and Kate's spot. They'd had many special moments here at this pool that Kate still loved so much. He thought of the first time he'd brought her here to swim, when she'd asked him if he loved her mom, and where he'd told her that he did.
"So are you excited that in just a few more months you're gonna be a big sister?"
At this, Kate's face fell and Lucas knew why. Last night, Brooke had told Lucas about Kate's question to Brooke at the airport, about how she was wondering if Lucas would love this baby more than he loved her. He'd understood Kate's concern of course, but he wanted to reassure her that that just wasn't possible.
"I guess so," Kate replied.
"It's a pretty big deal. I remember when my little sister was born."
Kate looked up at him curiously. "Were you excited?"
"Yeah, I was. But it was a little strange too, knowing that I had to share my mom with someone else. And you know that Lily and I don't have the same dad, right?"
Kate frowned. "I forgot..."
"It's easy to... He died before she was born, but her dad was my actually my uncle Keith. See, my real father was never around when I was growing up, but Keith took care of me and my mom and he became more like a father than an uncle to me."
"So had did you feel when your mom had Lily?" Kate asked.
"I was happy that my mom got to have a piece of Keith since he was no longer with us. But I think a part of me also wondered what it would be like if he was alive. Would I be any less of a son to him now that he had a child of his own? Would he have loved his real child more than me, his nephew?"
By now, Kate stared intently up at him, hanging on his every word. "Do you think he would have?"
Lucas looked softly down at her and smiled. "No, I know for a fact he wouldn't have. Keith saw me as his son and he loved me as one too. I don't think Lily would have changed that. He would have loved her just like he loved me. And you know what?"
"What?"
"That's exactly how I love you, Kate. I know I'm not your real father, but I'm your dad. I'm the guy who takes you swimming at a moments notice, I'm the guy who tucks you in at night, I'm the guy who brings you to school and back, and I'm the guy who loves you more than anything. That's what a dad is, Kate. Blood doesn't matter. My real dad was my uncle Keith. And my biological father is no more my father than that squirrel over there."
Kate laughed at that, and he chuckled too. "But my point is, I love you, Kate. You're my daughter. And this baby that's coming is my son. But I could never love one of you more or less than the other. You know that, right?"
Kate smiled as she looked back down at the water and slowly nodded. "Yeah, I know..."
"Good." He wrapped an arm around her small shoulders and pulled her close to him. "So you make sure you don't ever forget that, okay?"
"I won't."
He placed a kiss on the top of her head. "I love you, Kate."
"I love you too, Daddy."
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She was exhausted. There was no other way to put it. Brooke wasn't normally one to complain, but after nine months of throwing up, back aches, swollen ankles, constant bathroom trips and the oh so many more wonderful side effects of pregnancy, she was ready for this kid to make his entrance into the world. She was sure Lucas felt the same, since he was now on the receiving end of what she deemed hormonal led tantrums.
That was why she was quite sure that Lucas actually winced when he said a tentative hello after returning home from dropping Kate off at Haley and Nathan's. For some reason, Lucas had thought they needed some alone time ("And what's the point of that?" Brooke had grumbled in annoyance. "It's not like we can do anything anymore."), so they had the night to themselves while Kate had a sleepover with Jamie.
"What took you so long?" she asked tiredly. If she wasn't so annoyed, she'd feel bad for the way she was treating him. But not now. Now she was not in a good mood.
"I picked up some Chinese food on the way back," he said, holding up a bag of the said food.
It was funny how fast her moods could change.
"Ooh, goodie! Bring it over."
Lucas shook his head in amusement as he set the food onto a coffee table. "You're crazy, you know that right?"
She glared at him as she heaved herself up and reached for a container. "You probably shouldn't say stuff like that if you want me to stay in a good mood."
He sobered up at that before disappearing into the kitchen to grab plates. Returning a few seconds later, he sat down next to her. She dug into her food, ignoring the jab of pain that hit her stomach. That had been happening all day, but it wasn't worth bringing up to Lucas, who would probably faint at the mention of it. She was pretty sure it was Braxton Hicks, anyway, and even if it was actual contractions, it wasn't bad enough for a trip to the hospital.
She was so much more relaxed with this pregnancy, probably because she'd done it before, and she'd been more than dramatic with Kate. Three false alarms trips to the hospital with Kate had taught her not to make any assumptions unless she was absolutely sure.
But as she took another bite of her very spicy orange chicken and the pain hit her again, she was wondering if this kid was finally getting move on. The pain was dull, but as she rubbed her belly, she could feel her stomach tighten and then relax again a minute later. These were definitely contractions.
"Are you okay?"
She glanced up at Lucas, who was observing her with narrowed eyes. She sent him a smile.
"Hmm? Oh, I'm fine. Just in labor..."
"Okay, well-" Then his face fell as he registered her words. "Wait, what?"
"I'm having some contractions, but it's okay. They're still really far a part."
But he wasn't listening. Dropping his plate onto the coffee table with a clunk, he raced towards the stairs. She glared down at the rice that had fell from his plate down to the ground. He was so cleaning that up.
"Lucas?" she called up to him. "Where are you going?"
She didn't get a response until he appeared minutes later, carrying a suit case.
"We're going to the hospital," he said, looking almost as if he was about to hyperventilate.
She heaved a sigh as she stood up, rolling her eyes. "No, we're not. We don't need to go until the contractions are a little closer in between."
"Brooke!"
"Look, you haven't done this before, so I get that you're freaked, but we-"
"Brooke-"
"Lucas, just shut up, okay? I know what I'm talking about. So why don't you pick up all the food you spilled earlier and just relax."
He crossed his arms, and she was surprised at the smirk on his face. "Okay. But I'm not picking that up."
"What?" She glanced down at the floor, where a small puddle sat at her feet, the warm water trickling down her bare legs, and swore.
Lucas, meanwhile, looked smug. "Let's go, Brooke."
She glared at him, but since she had no right left to argue, swept past him with her head held up high.
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Lucas couldn't remember a time where he'd ever been this happy. The only time that came close was his wedding day, but even then couldn't compare to the way he'd felt when he held his newborn son in his arms. His son. His and Brooke's. Words couldn't even describe the emotions he'd felt when he looked down at his little boy, all seven pounds eight ounces of him. Matthew Keith Scott. Blond hair, hazel eyes, a little button nose. A perfect mixture of him and Brooke.
Brooke had been amazing. Over ten hours of labor, but she'd been all smiles when the doctors handed her their son. There wasn't a more beautiful sight than a mother and holding her newborn child.
It was very late now, or rather it was very early since it was actually six in the morning. He'd been awake all night. Brooke was catching up on some sleep now, but he was still wide awake as he stood in front of the nursery. His son was situated in the very first row. Lucas was clearly biased, but he thought that Matthew was the cutest of them all.
"Which one is he?"
Lucas turned in surprise to find his brother standing next to him.
"What are you doing here, Nate?"
Nathan grinned. "I came to see my nephew, of course."
"Is Haley here?"
"She's coming in a couple of hours with the kids. We didn't wake up Kate last night to tell her that the baby was coming, so she's in for a very big surprise when she gets up this morning."
"She'll be excited," Lucas said, smiling as he thought of his daughter.
"I bet. Now, come on, Luke, which one is my nephew?"
Lucas pointed proudly to the second baby to the right in the first row. "That's him."
Nathan observed him for a few moments. "He's a good looking kid. Gets that from his mom, of course."
Lucas chuckled, his eyes glued to his son.
"Decided on a name yet?"
"Matthew Keith," Lucas said.
"Keith would be honored."
Lucas turned to Nathan, their eyes meeting. He thought of his uncle - his father - and wished more than anything that he could be here to meet his grandson. Nathan sent him a smile, and patted his back.
"Congrats, bro. You're gonna make one hell of a dad. You already are..."
He just smiled, his brother's words meaning more than he could know. "Thank you, Nathan."
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Her eyes were locked on her son's face, a soft smile lit up on her pale face. His hazel eyes stared up at her, wide open and curious as he adjusted to this new world. His tiny hand was curled around her thumb and, as Brooke bent down to kiss his soft cheek, she didn't think that there could be anything more perfect than this.
"Hey..."
Well, maybe there could be. Lucas was standing in the doorway, a gentle smile on his face. He walked over to them both and stared down at his son. Lucas ran a hand over the boy's blond hair before sitting in the chair next to the bed.
"He's only got eyes for you," Lucas said.
"He's already a mama's boy," Brooke said, chuckling as she focused on her husband. "Just like his dad."
"Hey," Lucas protested, "I'm not a mama's boy/"
"Yes, Luke, you really are. But it's not something to get all bent out of shape about. It's kind of cute, actually. Guys who love their moms are adorable. Unless their mom's a bitch...then it's just bad."
He smirked. "Language, Brooke. We've got a kid in the room."
"We do, don't we?" She looked back down at Matthew, whose eyes were now on Lucas. "I think Matthew wants his dad."
Lucas smiled eagerly while Brooke carefully passed their son over to him. Lucas stared down at him with barely concealed awe.
"He's so amazing," he murmured. He shook his head, as if in disbelief, and grazed a hand over the boy's forehead. Then he looked up at her, the softest smile on his lips, and their eyes met. "We made him, Brooke."
"I know...And I think we did a pretty good job, too."
"Yeah, we definitely did." He scooted closer to the bed, craning his neck forward and meeting her lips with his own. "I love you."
She smiled against his lips. "I love you too."
It was in the moment that Matthew chose to let out a little whimper. Lucas looked down at the baby, who looked a bit disgruntled as he stared at his mom.
"Kid doesn't like it when we kiss," Lucas said with a laugh.
Brooke chuckled. "That might be it. Or maybe he just misses me."
She held her arms out expectantly and, as Matthew let out another whimper, Lucas had no choice but to hand him over.
"Knock, knock."
They pulled their eyes away from their son to find Haley poking her head through the door. She was beaming at them as her eyes locked onto the baby in Brooke's arms.
"Someone wants to meet their brother," Haley said, and then Kate appeared at her side, a big smile on her face.
"Is that him?" Kate asked excitedly.
"Sure is," Brooke said. "Now why don't you come over here and meet him."
Brooke scooted the side and Kate shuffled onto the bed. She held back a laugh as Kate scrutinized the baby with narrowed eyes. A second later, though, Kate was smiling again.
"He's really cute," she announced.
Matthew seemed to find Kate very interesting and, as Kate tickled his nose, the baby just stared blankly up at her.
"He's kind of boring, though," Kate added, and Brooke just laughed.
"So," Haley said, coming up behind Lucas, "what's this little guys name?"
"Matthew Keith Scott," Brooke proudly announced.
"How do you feel about that, Kate?" Lucas asked his daughter, who was still staring down at her little brother.
"I like it," she said.
"It definitely suits him," Haley said as she balanced herself on the edge of Lucas' chair. "But I've got to say, he doesn't look anything like you, Luke..."
Brooke just watched with a smile on her face as Lucas playfully swatted Haley, who nudged him in return. Then Brooke focused on her daughter, who was entranced by her little brother. Kate had tried her best to seem indifferent about the idea of a new baby during the pregnancy, but now her true colors shown and it was clear that this little boy had already wrapped himself around his big sister's heart.
All Brooke could do now was revel in the fact that this was actually her life, that it wasn't a dream, it was her reality. And she couldn't imagine a better one. She was married to the most amazing man, she had a beautiful daughter and now she and Lucas had a son of their own. Perfect. That was the only word to describe it.
And she couldn't have asked for more.
So that's it. I hope it didn't leave you all disappointed after such a long wait. I thought it would be fun to write a little bit about Brooke and Lucas adding on to their family, so hopefull it was a fun (if not entirely pointless) read for you all, even if the end was a bit rushed. I was planning on adding more, but it felt best to end it there. Anyway, thanks so much for reading and please remember to leave me a review to let me know what you thought!