A/N: Yes, I am starting another story. No, I am not insane but this has been driving me nuts and hopefully if I get it down it will make it so much easier to write my others. Basically let's imagine if Brooke and Lucas got together right after high school and eventually got married. They had a daughter but that's when things started to go south. It's completely AU but those are my kind of stories. BTW this is by far the longest chapter I ever wrote, but I didn't want it to end so I just kept writing. Enjoy and please review.

Baby Steps

Chapter One

A promise. A vow to cherish, love and protect, forever and always. Kisses and caresses, tears and smiles. First steps that led to first words and little voices laughing in her backyard. Memories played like a slideshow that she was not part of.

Brooke pushed the thick bangs away from her small child's face and pulled the blanket away from her flushed skin. A small smile transformed her sad face into the beautiful, strong woman she had once been. She lowered her cool lips to the girl's cheek and closed the door slightly before entering her son's room.

Brooke sat silently in the small chair next to his crib, days like this she let him sleep in only his diaper. She watched his full belly rise and fall slowly and steadily, his hand clench and unclench as if dreaming of music. She reached down and stroked his fair cheek and eyelids. She smiled at the crown of golden hair and the determined look that never left his small face.

She picked up the small pad of paper she kept in his room and sketched his perfect face, his round lips in a perfect O, his long eyelashes that framed his green eyes and the tiny dimple in his right cheek. She was interrupted by the soft knock on her door and after a few minutes went to answer it.

She knew who it was before she even opened the door, she had expected him to find out sooner but here he was now. She leaned softly into the door frame and bit her bottom lip slightly. His cold blue eyes met her green.

"I got the divorce papers. I knew eventually you would send them, but…." He trailed off softly as if saying the words in front of her would cause him to finally understand. She shifted her weight slightly unto her hip and turned her face away from his unwavering gaze. Finally she looked up at him she felt small and vulnerable, not like the strong mother of two children.

"You made the choice to push me away. I need a chance to live my own life without you constantly hovering." She answered quietly.



"I still love you; you felt the same way I know it. Why did you leave right after we were trying to work it out?" His voice cracked slightly and he drew his breath in quickly. Her eyes grew cold and she turned away from him before answering,

"When did you want to try? Before or after you wanted to leave me and our daughter, for her?" She finally took a good look at him and shook her head.

"Can I come in?" he asked softly before jamming his hands into his pockets. She cocked her head slightly before replying

"I don't think this is the right time." He looked up at her with a look of hurt that made her heart break.

"Then when is the right time? When Maddie is graduating and you've moved on? I tried for months to get your number or some sort of information to find you. Brooke I never stopped loving you." He said desperately. She felt tears prick her eyes and she willed herself not to cry.

"I don't think I can handle seeing you Lucas, I loved you and you broke my heart. You broke our daughter's heart. I won't put her through that again." She whispered, he took a small step towards her and she looked down.

"Just five minutes, that's all I ask. You can kick me out or whatever." He replied, she looked at him wearily and became aware of the thin blue silk robe she had wrapped around her body.

She moved aside slightly for him and his sad expression looked slightly hopeful. Brooke sighed and walked into the small kitchen to put some water on. She glanced out the side of her eye at him and saw him picking up a picture of their daughter.

"Do you remember when that was taken?" she asked quietly before looking away from him. He looked up at her and smiled slightly, "Yes, it was in April and she wanted to go play in the rain. You didn't want her to get a cold but I took her out anyways so she could jump in the puddles. You took a picture right before she jumped in to the puddle and got covered with mud." He answered, a shadow passed his face and she knew he was remembering everything that had gone wrong with them.

She walked over to him and sat down on the couch next to him, her children's father and husband. "There were days when we were so happy but when you got angry or I got upset, it was awful Luke. Neither of us was always happy." She said sadly, all she wanted to do was hold him and go back to that rainy day.

"I know about him. I know why you left Brooke." She said quietly and he tried desperately to meet her gaze, she turned towards him and tried to fight the anxiety rising inside her.



"What do you mean? Who told you?" she asked getting up, her heart quickened and her breath caught in her throat.

"I sent a PI out to look for you. It doesn't take a genius to figure out you have a new baby. I've known for quite a few weeks now, but I guess I just hoped you'd eventually come home." He answered, his voice was calm but she knew the look on his face was pure hurt.

A cry from their son's room broke the uncomfortable silence and she got up immediately. Brooke glanced over her shoulder and saw his eyes never left her. The tightness in her chest continued and she slipped into Jared's room. His cheeks were red and his eyes squinted at her through the fat tears that rolled down his face. She lifted him up and hugged him to her chest, his cries eventually ended and she let the breaths she had been holding finally come out. Brooke knew he was standing in the door way but she wouldn't look at him, she couldn't look at him.

"He looks just like me." His voice rang in her ears like an annoying fly. She got up when the little boy finally fell asleep and placed him in his crib. She finally turned towards him and looked at him. His hair was longer and he had a scruffier look about him. It amazed her, what a difference 15 months had made on the both of them.

"Are you even going to talk to me?" he asked her and walked towards her slowly. She bit her lip and looked at the sleeping baby. His expression softened some before he remembered the last time they had spoken. He looked at the little boy in his crib with his little crown of blonde hair. He felt trapped in the little room, as if it was closing in on him. Suddenly he felt himself backing out into the living room.

"Brooke! It's not what it looks like." He said anxiously, taking a hold of her arms.

"Let me go! Not what it looks like? If you ask me it looks like your sleeping with my best friend. But obviously I should have known, anytime we've been together you can't stay faithful!" she yelled and twisted out of his grip.

"I'm sorry, we didn't mean for it to come out like this. It was a mistake; I love you and our daughter." He said reaching for her.

"I'm sorry too. I'm sorry that I ever fell in love with you, I'm sorry that I ever married you or gave all my dreams up for you." She said angrily

She looked up to see he was gone; she turned towards the doorway to see him on her couch with his head in his hands. She crossed her arms protectively around herself before heading towards him.



"How could you just run away?" he asked angrily, glaring up at her. She drew her breath in quickly and willed the tears not to fall. She leaned against the wall and blamed the heat wave for her flushed appearance. She brushed a piece of hair behind her ear and looked down at him.

"I was mad and scared. God, I'm sorry I never came back. I called you when I found out I was pregnant, Peyton answered she told me you moved on and didn't want to talk to me. I was so angry, Luke. It was wrong and I know you're furious at me and I was selfish but I couldn't handle it." She said softly and fidgeted with the small necklace around her throat. His expression was unreadable and for a minute she thought he was going to yell.

"Peyton never told me you called. If I had known I would have found you. Why didn't you come back when you found out you were pregnant? Why did you still go through with the divorce process? You ran away and took our daughter, our little girl with you. I told you I was still in love with you! I told you that Peyton didn't matter all that mattered were you and Maddie!" he shouted as she turned her back from him. He got up and walked over to her.

Tears ran down her face and for a second he softened but not before he heard his daughter calls for her mother. She brushed past him to go to her. He stood planted firmly in his spot before slowly walking over. His heart broke to see his little girl with tears in her eyes and her thumb in her mouth. She buried her head into his wife's chest and threw her arms around her neck. Brooke stroked her small back and whispered something in her ear. He leaned against the door frame hoping she's notice him. Finally she looked up and a small shy smile appeared on her face.

"Daddy?" she asked in her tiny voice. He felt tears prick his eyes and smiled back at her. She scampered out of her mother's lap to hug him. He lifted her up and turned away from Brooke. He kissed her warm cheek and her hair. She looked at him with sad eyes before asking.

"Are you coming home daddy? Me and Jared both want to play with you! I don't think you know Jared yet but he's my brother. He's real small and mommy only lets me hold him if I don't jump around and I pay attention. I like him though, 'cept when he cries." She said to him with wide eyes. He became aware that Brooke was still sitting on the bed looking out the window.

"Sweetie, mommy and daddy have to talk, so why don't you go lay down on the couch for a few minutes and then I'll tuck you into bed." He asked her. "M'kay" she mumbled and ran to the big couch with her teddy. He looked over at Brooke; he took in how different she looked. Her hair was lighter and she looked much thinner. Her once glowing presence looked pale and sad. He made his way over to the bed and sat down next to her. She looked at him tiredly and put her head down. He wrapped an arm awkwardly across 

her shoulder and pulled her body next to his. Brooke leaned her head on his chest and let the tears she had been holding back finally fall. Lucas closed his eyes and breathed in her scent of vanilla and rose water. He tilted her face up to his level and kissed her forehead.

"God I missed you, Pretty Girl." He whispered as tears filled his blue eyes. She bit her bottom lip and turned her head before looking back at him.

"I missed you too, I'm so sorry Luke." She said and felt his lips touch hers ever so slightly before he pulled away. His eyes looked wounded and hurt, he got up, looked at the sleeping girl on the couch and then back at Brooke. Lucas shook his head and pushed the brown hair from her small face and kissed her cheek before walking out the door.

Stay tuned and review! :)