I've updated a heap later so I thought I would reward myself but starting a new story which has been stuck in my head for a while.

I know.

I suck.

But whatever. I figured I'm usually writing things where Lucas is chasing after Brooke and he is trying to get her or get her to forgive him so thought it was about time I wrote it the other way around. Brooke fighting for Lucas.

Maybe you will enjoy it? Maybe you will find it in your heart to read this and the other story I just updated?

We shall see.

Background will be explained as chapters progress. It's kind of half AU.


Hello, Goodbye

Prologue

A Pretty Girl in a Pretty Dress, Looking a Pretty Mess.

She stared at herself in the mirror, the white dress she had designed fitting her body perfectly. Her makeup flawless, well, almost. Everything except the tear stains from where she had let a few drops of wetness spill from her eyes. She couldn't believe this was happening. She couldn't believe that on her wedding day she could feel so heartbroken, so alone. In a matter of moments she was supposed to walk down the isle and promise to spend the rest of her life with Lucas Scott. The man of her dreams. Her highschool sweetheart. Yet she knew now, she couldn't. As she stared at herself in the mirror, she knew there was no way she would be able to marry him. She sighed, taking a seat in the small dressing room which had been set up at their location. Silently cursing herself that she had decided to get married on a beach, It would be hard to escape unseen, but not impossible. She stood up, she didn't have a choice. She knew she couldn't face him and soon Haley would come looking for her, tell her it was time. A few days ago she wouldn't have given up marrying Lucas for the world, but so much can change in a few days. After one more glance in the mirror, she nodded. She was going to leave. Tree Hill. Him. She'd probably never see him again but that was something she would have to learn to live with. It would be terrible. She wasn't sure she could learn to live without waking up next to him everyday, something she had been doing for the last five years. But she had to. She couldn't stay. She couldn't go through it all. Not again. So she would run. He would never forgive her, she knew that. She breathed out a sigh, exiting the white tent and fleeing into the dusk.


He stood at the alter. His brother at his side. He couldn't help the smile which formed on his lips. In a matter of minutes the woman of his dreams would come walking down the beachy isle. Surrounded by a crowd of their closest friends and family. She would walk up to him and tell him she loved him. She would look breathtaking as he said it back. Then the two would promise to spend the rest of their lives together, something he couldn't wait to do. Start his life with Brooke Davis.

Sure the last few days had been a bit strange but it was nothing they couldn't get through, after the wedding they could talk. He could tell her everything that happened and then they could both laugh as they flew off to their honeymoon in Paris. Her favourite city. They had always said they would go there. He had promised to buy them tickets a few times but she insisted on waiting "We will go after were married." She said "It will be more special that way." And he had agreed, he had never been able to say no to her. Even now, at the tender age of twenty one, fresh out of college, his first book published and his second one well on the way. He couldn't believe how lucky he was. The woman he had always loved had agreed to become his wife, he had his dream job and he was surrounded by friends and family who loved him and he loved back.

The music started and his heart skipped a beat, it was time. Any moment now she would be walking towards him. He couldn't wait to see her. As the music continued, he turned to Nathan nervously. His dark haired brother smiled back at him.

"Relax dude, your starting to look desperate." Nathan whispered causing Lucas to chuckle. A few moments later, as people started fidgeting in their seat, he spotted Haley at the end of the isle. In a second he knew something was wrong, her face gave it away. Then he was racing towards her through the sand, glad that Brooke had told him not to bother wearing shoes.

"They will just get full of sand and If I don't get to wear high heels you don't get to wear heels either." She had said jokingly, causing him to laugh.

The music stopped. All eyes focused on him. His first thought was that something had happened to Brooke, there had been an accident, she had been hurt. Panic shot through him and it seemed as if he couldn't get to Haley fast enough.

"Hales, what is it?" He said as he reached her, she stared up at him, sorrow in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry Luc." She said "She's gone." He frowned at her, puzzled. He didn't care that there were a hundred sets of eyes on him at that moment. Right then he would do anything to just see Brooke's face.

"What? What do you mean?"

"She left Lucas, She's not in her tent." His mind refused to believe it. She wouldn't, not his Pretty Girl, she wouldn't do that. Not to him.

"M-Maybe she went to find a bathroom huh? Or-Or maybe she ripped her dress and went to find something to fix it." He tried to grasp the situation as Haley just shook her head. He looked down at her before taking off in the direction of the white tents which had been set up for the reception and the dressing rooms for bride and groom. "BROOKE!" He called out, running through every tent "BROOKE!" He called desperately but was only met with the sound of waves, crashing against the shore ten metres away. He looked around what was to be their reception hall. In an hour Maroon Five was going to show up, her favourite band, he had managed to organise it as a surprise with the help of Peyton and some of her band friends. He stood there, just staring at the spot where they were supposed to take their first dance as man and wife. Lucas heard someone approach him from behind. He turned to see Nathan walking towards him.

"Hey Man, I'm so sorry." Lucas ignored him.

"Give me your keys." He demanded, he had no idea where he had put his and couldn't spare the time to look for them.

"Lucas." The blondes hand shot out.

"Nathan, give me your keys." The dark haired Scott hesitated for only a moment longer before handing over the keys to his small black Mercedes. Lucas took off at a run towards the car park. If she was going to run out on their wedding. Fine. But he sure as hell wasn't letting her run out on him forever.


He arrived home not long after. He sprinted towards the door of the place he had called home for twenty one years, the same place he had shared with Brooke for the happiest years of his life.

"BROOKE!" He screamed as he ran into their bedroom. He stopped dead. There was nothing noticeably different but as soon as he entered. He knew she was gone. It was almost like the air was colder or somehow the room was darker. He walked towards the closet and opened it. Her clothes were missing. He turned around and studied the room, it was then he realised the mess from her side of the bed was gone, along with picture frame which held her favourite picture of them. He hung his head, walking towards the kitchen. It was there he saw it. Walking over to the counter, he picked up her ring. The white diamond on gold band he had given her a year ago. She had said yes instantly on the condition they waited until he finished college. She had dropped out early when Clothes Over Bro's had taken off. He slid down to the floor, leaning against the kitchen counter for support. Starring at the ring. He wished he could understand why this had happened.

It was only then he thought to take out his phone. He dialed her number and raised it to his ear, he knew she wouldn't answer but he also knew he had to try.

"Hey, You've reached Brooke Davis's mobile. I probably can't answer 'cause I'm having hot sex with my fiancé but if you leave a message I will try my very best to sneak away and call you back."

He let out a bitter laugh when he heard the message yet couldn't help but call again. And again. And again. Eventually it stopped ringing, going straight to voicemail instead. Signalling that she had switched off her phone. But he kept calling.

Then he decided to leave a message.

"Brooke. I don't know where you are or why this happened. I don't know what is going through your head right now. I don't know if it's something I did or if you just don't love me anymore. But know this. I love you. I do. You've only been gone an hour and I already miss you. SO much. I can't wake up tomorrow without you. Please come home. We can forget all this happened. We don't need to get married if you don't want to. We can just be us again. Like we used to. Please. Please. Just Come home." He hung up and leaned his head against the counter. He didn't know how long he had been sitting there before he decided to send a text as well. But what was he supposed to say? He had said everything in the voicemail. So instead he decided to go with a different approach, typing in three letters before hitting send. And then he just sat there, in the dark. Praying that by some miracle she would just walk back in the door.


It wasn't until she got off the plane in New York that she checked her phone. She couldn't believe the mass of missed calls. Ten from Haley, Six from Bevin, Five from Peyton, Five from Nathan, Four from Mouth, Three from Karen and Twenty Two from Lucas. She starred down at the phone and couldn't help the tear falling from her eye. She had cried the entire plane trip and couldn't believe it was starting again now. She wiped it away and ignored all the text messages she had gotten. All except one. From him. Three simple letters.

WHY?

She wished she could write back but she knew she couldn't. Looking through her phone she found the familiar number she was searching for. "Hey it's me." She said when the person on the other line answered. "Listen, I know we haven't talked in a while but I'm in New York and I could really use a friend. Could you meet me at my apartment in twenty minutes?" She paused before laughing. "You always know how to make me laugh Rachel. Thankyou. See you soon."


FOUR YEARS LATER.

"SKANK! I cannot believe you are making us move out of this apartment, think about all of the crazy parties we have thrown the last four years. You want that to be forgotten?" Brooke laughed as her friend helped her pack her boxes.

"They will not be forgotten Rae, we will just have a much bigger apartment to have them in."

"Oh right." She smiled "And how will your boring boyfriend feel about that?"

"He's not boring Rae but I don't really care how he would feel, we broke up." The twenty five year old model's head snapped to her best friend.

"You and Julian broke up?" Brooke shrugged.

"Yep."

"As in your actually not dating anymore?"

"Yep."

"Wow. You know, I was actually starting to like him."

"I thought you said he was boring?" Brooke kinked her eyebrow at the red head before turning back to packing.

"Oh that was just my way of teasing you, he could be kind of fun plus he was an excellent cooker AND he was hot AND sweet."

"Jeeze Rae, why don't you date him then?"

"Oh don't think I won't." Rachel teased, rummaging through a giant draw of Brooke's old memorabilia.

"Go ahead."

"What happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"What do you mean, what do I mean? What happened between you and Julian?" The brunette shrugged again.

"Nothing, we just... Broke up."

"Okay, you don't 'just break up' with someone you have been dating for a year. What happened?" Rachel picked up an old picture frame from inside Brooke's draw. "It wouldn't have anything to do with this now would it?"

Brooke looked over her shoulder at the picture, it shocked her, she hadn't looked at it in years. It was the ONE picture she had kept of her and Lucas. It had always been her favourite. It was from the one of the last games Lucas played at Duke before he found out about his HCM. It had been the championship game and she had been cheering on the side lines. She hadn't been an official cheerer for the Blue Devils but had managed to sneak into the squad at a few games. It helped that Bevin Prince had some how wound up the head cheerleader. Something Brooke was sure had to do with Skillz being one of the teams most valuable players and Bevin's father paying a hefty price to bribe her way into the school. The team had won the game and Brooke had immediately ran up to Lucas, he had taken her in his arms as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Somewhere off to the sidelines his mother had snapped the picture, just as their lips met.

The brunette stared at the photo before looking away. A pang in her heart she hadn't felt in years, bringing back so many memories.

"Of course not Rachel, I haven't spoken to him in years,"

"You don't need to speak to someone to have feelings for them." Rachel reminded the designer, who shook her head.

"It had nothing to do with him Rae, I swear." The red head rolled her eyes, putting the picture in the 'Keep' pile before continuing through the draw.

"So what happened between BRULIAN then?" Brooke sighed, realising her friend was not going to give up.

"He asked me to marry him."

"WAIT WHAT?" Rachel shouted, Brooke almost jumped.

"Owe Rach, my ears."

"He asked you to marry him?"

"Yep."

"And you broke up with him?"

"No. I just said no."

"He asks you to spend the rest of your life with him and you say no? That simple?"

"Yep."

"Man Davis, cold."

"What was I supposed to say? Yes just to spare his feelings? I didn't want to marry him Rae."

"So what happened then? After you said no."

"Well, he got up."

"He was on one knee?"

"Yep." Rachel let out a groan.

"You are such a bitch."

"Don't you think I feel bad enough already?"

"I can't tell." Rachel let out honestly, her friend seemed rather unsympathetic to the whole situation.

"Well I do, I feel awful. After I turned him down, he asked if I saw us ever getting married."

"And you said?"

"I don't know."

"How can you not know what you said?"

"No Rae, I told him I don't know. Because honestly, I don't. I care for Julian, I do but god I don't know if I ever want to marry him."

"Fair enough."

"Then he told me if I can't imagine any future with him, he didn't know why we were together and I told him he should be with a girl that wants what he wants and, that was it."

"Wow."

"I know, I so did not see it coming."

"I bet. But there is a bright side."

"Oh yeah?"

"Oh yeah." Rachel nodded mischievously "This means were both single for the crazy house warming party!" Brooke smiled. "Brookie! That's gonna make it a hell of a lot more fun."

"For you at least."

"AND for you! I'm totally inviting all the hot Calvin Klein models from the shoot I did last week. HOT. And seeing as you did just break up with a potential fiancé, I'll let you have first pick. BUT wait, oh please don't pick the cutie with dark hair and green eyes."

"First pick huh?" Brooke chuckled at her friends ramblings.

"Okay, well kind of second pick but whatever, still so many guys to choose from. Whataya say?"

"Sounds like fun." The brunette assured her friend, running a hand through her hair. "ARGH! We still have so much packing to do."

"I don't understand why we don't just hire packers or something. There has got to be someone to do that right?"

"Yeah but I don't trust em with all the personal crap. They will do the kitchen and lounge, we just have to sort through our rooms."

"Okay, okay. Hey, What's this cell phone?" Brooke didn't bother looking over her shoulder as she rooted through old copies of B. Davis magazine she had kept over the years. Some for sentimental value, some because she actually liked the articles.

"I dunno, probably an old work one. Chuck it." Rachel turned on the phone.

"Hey, it still has battery, wow, this is way out of date. I don't even know how to use it."

"Just chuck it then, don't know why I kept it." She had many phones of the years, some she had to get rid of because creepy guys wouldn't stop calling her, she had no idea how they got her number. Some she got rid of because she was sick of the business nuts calling her and some were for entirely different but equally valid reasons.

"I dunno Brooke, it has a bunch of missed calls on it." Brooke shrugged, still not looking up from the magazines.

"Whatever Rae, listen to em', throw it away, keep it. I don't care, just keep packing." Rachel dialled in the number for voicemail before putting it to her ear. She gasped, almost dropping the phone when she heard them.

"Brooke, I'm thinking you should listen to these." Brooke finally looked up and turned to Rachel. She looked between her and the phone before she registered what it was. She bit her lip.

"Oh. THAT phone. I've already heard all the messages anyway Rach. Turn it off." Rachel shook her head.

"No Davis, I don't think you've heard these, it says their new."

"When were they left?"

"The latest one? Two years ago."

"From who?" Rachel gulped.

"Lucas."


"HA Little Bro, not so tough now are we?" Lucas chuckled as he dunked over Nathan on the court. "C'mon NBA hotshot, where's your game?"

"My game is taking it easy on your punk ass cause your a heart patient." Lucas laughed again

"Cold Nate. Ice Cold." He punched his brother playfully as the two took a seat on the bench near the rivercourt.

"Man, I gotta tell you something."

"Yeah?" Lucas questioned as he took a gulp from his water. "You have HCM too?"

"Very funny." The blonde held up his hands defensively

"Just asking. I'm allowed to, how do I know you didn't switch the tests way back then?" Nathan laughed.

"Because I haven't died of heart attack from many a game with the Charlotte Bobcats yet. That might be a bit of a hint."

"Good point." Nathan leaned back on his hands, reminiscing.

"Man, do you remember when we took those tests?"

"I remember how terrified we were."

"Yes, we kept amping ourselves up to go and missed like what was it? Three scheduled tests?" Lucas laughed.

"I think it was four, wow were we really that scared?"

"Yep. We knew one of us was about to lose basketball, how could we not be? Then Brooke came and forced us into it. I remember she told us we could either lose basketball, our lives or a brother and that we needed to stop being pussy's and take the test." The blonde flinched at the mention of her name and Nathan looked at him apologetically. "Man I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought that up." Lucas shook his head.

"It's fine, I remember. But unlike you, it wasn't exactly a good week for me."

"Oh, right. Sorry dude, just thinking back on college, that's all. We had some pretty decent years, even the crap parts don't seem so bad now." Lucas nodded in agreement.

"Remember when Skillz had that massive dorm party and we got caught in the staircase with the keg and managed to convince Mrs. Carmin that it was a weight lifting exercise for Basketball?" Nathan let out a loud laugh.

"Oh Yeah! And when we had that massive pool party in the school pool after hours and got in so much trouble for it the next day cause we still had the keys?" He paused "Worth it."

"That was a pretty good party."

"Man you just loved it because you got to go at it with Brooke in the pool after everyone left." Lucas couldn't help the smile that formed on his lips.

"How did you even know about that?"

"Dude, girls talk and it's hard not to over hear when your girlfriends best friend AKA your brother's girlfriend, comes marching into your dorm room announcing she just had the best sex of her life." Lucas's smile widened.

"It was pretty damn good." He thought about it for a moment longer before his smile dropped. "So anyway, what were you going to talk to me about?"

"Okay, this is a pretty big deal."

"Spit it out."

"Your going to be an uncle." Lucas's eyes widened

"WHAT?"

"Haley's pregnant. I'm going to be a father Lucas."

"WOW! Nate, and you waited all day to tell me! Congratulations!" Lucas hugged his brother "Wow" he repeated

"I wanted to find the right time. It's so surreal. It's like, I'm going to be responsible for this living thing. It's crazy"

"I can't believe I'm going to be an uncle." Nathan clapped him on the back.

"We were also wondering, Haley and I. Would you be godfather?" The blondes face broke into a bigger smile.

"Of course little bro. I promise to keep the little one out of anything like the trouble we go into in college." Nathan laughed

"Yeah." He said sarcastically "Good luck with that."


Brooke had gone through six of Lucas's messages he had left over the years. The more recent ones, dating up to two years ago, were drunk dials, slurred words she barely understood. Some were angry, some were messages of love and some she just could not make out. All made her want to cry.

"I can't listen to any more Rae." She said, putting down the phone. Rachel nodded.

"I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't have brought it up. But don't you see Brooke? He loved you."

"That wasn't the problem." Brooke shot back.

"It was part of it Brooke. When you came here four years ago, you told me he didn't love you anymore. He obviously did. Have you heard the one he left you the day you left?"

"No, Rach, why are you so intent on me and Lucas anyway huh? We ended years ago."

"You want to know why?" Brooke nodded "Because ever since you got here, you have thrown yourself into work Brookie, just like you did when Brucas broke up in highschool. The difference here being is you have never gone back. Your still always working, you throw away guys that actually care about you left, right and centre. You don't usually do that Brooke, that's my job."

"Rachel, this is who I am now. Before I came here, you hadn't known me since highschool. Lucas didn't change who I was, time did."

"Bullshit."

"Excuse me?"

"Bullshit. You heard me. You have had this sadness in your eyes for so long Brooke. It took me a while to see but I eventually did. I always figured it was because you missed home or you missed Haley but the second I saw you look at the picture I knew. You miss him." She paused "And whatever, when you came here, you told me what happened and you told me he didn't love you. I accepted it. I was there for you, I love you Davis. But now I found out it was bullshit. He did love you and he probably still does."

"It's been four years Rachel."

"Do you love him?" Brooke looked at Rachel in confusion

"What?"

"Do you still love him? Don't lie to me Brooke." The brunette sighed.

"Yes. Okay. I do, but that does change anything."

"No Brooke, it changes everything."

"I left him at the alter Rae. I left him while he was standing in front of our friends and family. I didn't leave a note. I haven't even talked to anyone in Tree Hill since that day. I think I can say with confidence, my time in that town is effectively over. For life."

"What if he's dead?" Okay, the red head knew she was pushing it but she had to do something to push Brooke out of this four-year funk she had been in. Brooke's eyes widened

"What?"

"What if he's dead? Would you care? What if Haley or Nathan or Skillz or Bevin were dead huh? Or in a coma or something. Would you care?"

"Yes Rachel, of course I would."

"Why?"

"Because I love them."

"Yet you say your never going to see them again, so why does it matter?" Brooke could see the point Rachel was trying to make but she ignored it.

"Because their family. Even if I never see them again, their still family."

"A family you don't talk to? A family you cut out of your life because it was too hard?" Saddened, hazel orbs moved to meet green ones.

"Why are you doing this Rachel, why can't you just let me leave that world behind me. You did. Why don't I get to?"

"Because I didn't grow up in Tree Hill and I didn't leave the love of my life at the alter. And" she placed the phone on loud speaker "because this sounds like the voice of a man who would still love you even after four years."

Lucas's voice rung out across the room.

"Brooke. I don't know where you are or why this happened. I don't know what is going through your head right now. I don't know if it's something I did or if you just don't love me anymore. But know this. I love you. I do. You've only been gone an hour and I already miss you. SO much. I can't wake up tomorrow without you. Please come home. We can forget all this happened. We don't need to get married if you don't want to. We can just be us again. Like we used to. Please. Please. Just Come home."

Brooke slammed the off button on the phone. Silence enveloped them.

"What are you going to do?" Rachel asked after a while. Brooke looked up at her.

"I'm going to go back to Tree Hill" She whispered and Rachel smiled.

"Of course you are" she said "and I'm coming with you."


Lucas walked into his bedroom, dumping his ball on the bed before taking off his shirt and heading to the lounge room. He stopped when he spotted a lanky blonde in his kitchen, looking through the refrigerator.

"Hey." He said, surprising the blonde, who jumped.

"Lucas." She shrieked "don't scare me like that." Lucas laughed, walking up to her.

"Sorry Sawyer, I forgot how jumpy you are." The blonde wrapped her hands around Lucas's neck

"Sawyer-soon-to-be-Scott to you mister."

"Oh how sorry I am Peyton, let me make it up to you." He leaned down, placing his lips against hers before pulling away.

"I love you Fiancé." She said.

"I love you too Sawyer-soon-to-be-Scott."


You know the drill. Review please. Tell me how much you hate me for starting another story. ;)