Hi everyone! I've been trying to get this one-shot out since before the season finale. But after watching the last episode, I had to change some things around. As you'll probably be able to see, I altered a few things from the finale. I really hope you enjoy this one-shot, I spent a TON of time working on it. I was thinking of doing a sequel to this one-shot, so please let me know if you want me to in reviews.This story is 100 BRUCAS! I figured that the single scene they had in the finale wasn't perfectly satisfying...so if I had written the last episode this is how it would've went!
Disclaimer: I don't own OTH, and sorry for stealing Lucas' novel's title.
Flashbacks are in italics
Please review!
An Unkindness of Ravens
Regret comes in all shapes and sizes. Some are small, like doing a bad thing for a good reason. Some are bigger, like when we make the wrong choice about the person you wish to be with in the future. Some of us escape the pain of regret by making the right choice. However, those of us, like Lucas Scott, who have made the wrong choice...we are left to suffer with the thoughts of what could have been. Sometimes we have to fight to come to terms with the past, with the choices that we wish we wouldn't have made. Choices that maybe involved two girls. One a pretty and mysterious blonde, the other a daring and beautiful brunette. The biggest regrets are not for the things that we did, but for the things that we didn't do. Such as fighting for a girl that begged you to save her, instead of trying to regain her love when it was all too late. And when we least excpect it, this regret catches up with us and forces us to remember things that are long forgotten. It forces us into acceptance; acceptance that we might not get everything that we wished for, or everything that we wanted. This crucial time, when we are left to overcome the brutality of life...it's called an unkindness of ravens.
An Unkindness of Ravens.
The title always seemed to fit his story. For the past 4 years, Lucas Scott's high school life had been many things. Adventurous, daring, tragic, happy, but for the most part, it had been unkind. In his mind, Lucas believed that most people in Tree Hill were ravens, simply because they had all grown up in Tree Hill High School, the home of the Ravens.
The day of his championship game during his junior year, Lucas Scott had missed the winning shot at the buzzer. That memory was definetely unkind. Before the game, he had come to a simple conclusion about ravens, and he had added it to the first page of his novel.
"Some people believe that ravens guide travelers to their destinations. Others believe that the sight of a solitary raven is considered good luck. But a group of ravens predicts trouble ahead."
Since he had written that in his book, the quote was nothing but true. In light of the turmoil that he had suffered along with his friends throughout high school, it was a proven fact that the Tree Hill Ravens were deemed as an unlucky group. The community of the ravens did not only exist within the high school; it had branched out to many of Tree Hill's inhabitants. Dan Scott, Karen Roe, Keith Scott, Whitey Durham...they were all ravens. And accompanied by each other, these ravens lead a disastrous flight.
It was the "good-bye" party. The seniors were enjoying their last precious moments together, as they prepared to welcome the juniors into seniority at midnight. A sad and unusual tension hung in the air. It was the last time that they'd all be together in high school. It was a time of "good-byes," and "good lucks," as everyone prepared to take the first tentative steps of their lives outside of Tree Hill High School.
Lucas Scott was standing at the very center of the party, where everyone was drinking, dancing, and talking in loud and rambunctious voices. He watched as his fellow classmates laughed and conversed with one another. Even though it was the last party for their senior year in high school, people were still meeting others that they had never before taken the time to get to know. Lucas realized that he probably would have known no one to begin with if he hadn't been dragged into the crowd of popularity by his present group of friends. He remembered the first party he had gone to at Nathan's house back in junior year. His best friend, Haley James, had accompanied him to the party thrown by Lucas' half brother, Nathan. It was awkward and different to be surrounded by the "popular" kids, mainly Peyton, Brooke, and Nathan. But now, being with them was familiar and normal to Lucas.
He knew that he needed a place to think- somewhere that he could sort out his memories of high school without being disturbed. The closest place to serenity was an upstairs room where fellow seniors were spray painting messages on the walls. The rest of the rooms in the house were blasting with music, and would definitely not serve as places where Lucas could reflect on his thoughts. As he made his way upstairs, a voice called out to him from the chaotic scene of the party.
"Lucas Scott! Where are you running away to?"
Lucas turned to see Peyton standing at the bottom of the staircase, a playful and teasing smile gracing her face. Peyton Sawyer had always been a radiant person. She was intriguing and mysterious; a tortured artist that he understood all too well. He had believed that she was the one who was going to stand with him when all his dreams came true, but that belief had been short-lived. Lucas' novel was finished, he was preparing to go to college, and his baby sister had just been born. Peyton was the one who was supposed to be with him in his future, and that future was starting now. Yet, she was leaving tomorrow on an airplane that would fly her halfway across America. Lucas had pushed her to go, insisting that she had been destined to greatness. But still, he couldn't help but to feel the slightest nagging question in his heart.
Why wasn't he asking her to stay?
But he pushed the thought away as he gazed into his girlfriend's bright green eyes and replied, "Just going to think for awhile."
"Well don't think for too long...I have to give you a proper good-bye before I leave tomorrow," Peyton said, while raising her eyebrows suggestively.
Lucas nodded and promised to return in a few minutes, and then retreated up the stairs. A flood of light from candles emerged from the room that Lucas was heading for. The floor creaked as he walked down the hallway, nearing his place of destination. The party was in an old house, and it was practically falling apart. He didn't know whose house it was, or how his senior class ended up there. But that didn't seem to matter. In a flash, he felt a familiar sense of Deja Vu wash over him as he thought this.
Lust filled eyes poured over her naked upper body, as the bubbles of the jacuzzi they were in popped. After she planted a soft kiss on his mouth, he asked, "Now you're sure your parents won't come home?"
She shrugged her shoulders, and her eyes got that mischievous look to them. "They could, but this isn't their jacuzzi..." she said.
"Brooke...whose house is this?" Lucas asked as a fearful look crossed his face.
Her voice got soft and raspy as she replied, "I don't know. Does it matter?"
Lucas rid his head of the memory, wondering what had triggered the sensual thoughts of the girl that he had once dated. Lucas shouldn't have memories of her like that, especially ones of them making out in a hot tub.
He finally walked into the room, and ironically, the only person in the room was her. Brooke Davis. Her back was slightly turned from him as she stared out the window. Lucas' intentions of finding a quiet place to think were quickly forgotten, and were replaced by the image of the girl before him. She was leaving tommorow with Peyton, and together they were going to take on Los Angeles.
"So you ready to leave tommorow?" Lucas asked as he walked over to her lone figure. Brooke turned toward him, and in that moment he forgot where he was and what he was doing. He forgot that his girlfriend was Peyton Sawyer, and instead his entire mind was focused on the girl in front of him. She was stunning. Her delicate face was framed by the candle-light, causing a radiant glow to illuminate on her skin. The light had reflected into her green eyes, making them blaze with brightness. Her eyes had always been one of his favorite features. They were eyes that promised laughter and were always shooting you daring and flirtatious gazes, yet at the same time they were windows to her soul. And tonight, her soul conveyed sadness. He could have easily ignored her distant gaze, and those eyes that gave away the hint of tears. But a part of him still cared deeply for her, and that part of him wanted to know what was wrong.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Lucas asked with concern.
She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head, as if she were embarrassed to confide in him. "I don't know...I just um..." she said, struggling to find the words to express her true feelings. "I know that moving on is a good thing. I guess I'm just scared. You know, high school's safe, and I'm not sure I'm ready for the real world." She looked away from him, unable to face his probing blue eyes.
Lucas was shocked at her revelation. Brooke Davis was strong and fearless, and it was on a rare occurrence that she was broken and afraid. Before he could stop himself, Lucas reached into the pocket of his jacket, retrieving the bounded book titled, "An Unkindness of Ravens." He hadn't shown many people his book. After all, what he had written was roughly based upon the important people in his life. Lucas wasn't exactly ready to show those people what he had written about them. Yet here he was showing words he had written about the broken girl that stood before him. Words that were only going to break her more.
He held his own novel out in front of him and said, "Um...for the past few months I've been writing this, I guess in parts so I can remember it all." He flipped through the pages until he reached page 15. He knew the exact page that her name was first mentioned. He pointed to the first few sentences he had written about her, and said, "Here," as he gently placed his book in her hands.
Brooke took a deep breath and began to read, "She was fiercely independent. Brooke Davis." She paused at the mention of her own name, and gave Lucas a confused look. He beckoned her to keep reading, and she continued, "Brilliant and beautiful and brave. In 2 years she had grown more than anyone I had ever known. Brooke Davis is going to change the world someday, and I'm not sure she even knows it."
As she finished reading, he said, "You're gonna do great, Brooke. The world doesn't stand a chance."
She smiled, that beautiful dimple flashing upon her cheek and replied with a simple, "Thank-you."
He leaned in to hug her, happy that he had managed to cheer her up. He was unprepared for what happened next. She leaned in just as he did, but instead of hugging him, her lips crashed upon his in a passionate kiss. He was meant with that glorious feeling as they came together- that spark that made you feel alive. He unconsciously moved his hands around her waist, bringing her closer to him. They continued to kiss as the fading moonlight from the window next to them illuminated their skin. Suddenly, she pulled away and placed her hands to her mouth in shock, touching the place where his lips had been.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered, slowly backing away from him.
He was just as shocked at what happened as she was. "Brooke, what was that?" he asked.
She narrowed her eyes at him and angrily replied, "What was that? Luke, you can't show me something like that and expect me not to kiss you! What did you think was going to happen? Did you think I was just going to say, 'Gee, thanks Luke?' You had to have known that it would elicit some type of emotion!"
Of course he had known. He didn't know what to do. He had assumed that his feelings for her disappeared when she had left him. And yet, it had taken one kiss for him to fall in love with her all over again. That's when he realized it.
This was why he wasn't asking Peyton to stay.
In a flash, he made his way toward her and crashed his lips upon her own. Once again, they met in a passionate kiss, and feelings long suppressed were set free as they lost themselves in each other. Just as he was about to deepen the kiss, she pushed him away, anger evident in her eyes.
"This can't happen, Lucas. Not now, not ever. You didn't choose me. You chose her."
"Then I guess I chose wrong," he replied.
Her lips trembled at his words, and tears threatened to spill from her eyes. She couldn't be put through this again, she wouldn't be put through this again.
"Please don't say that, Lucas."
"You told me you were always going to love me, Brooke. Truth is, I'm always going to love you too," he said.
She took a deep breath, and mustered every ounce of the powerful and courageous woman she was. She couldn't fall back into his arms again, back into a relationship of three people. Peyton was always going to be involved, and nothing was ever going to change that.
"But love isn't going to be enough for us, Luke," she said, her voice breaking as she spoke. "It can't be."
Tears stung his eyes as he took in what she had just said. He knew that it was true. "Why not?" he asked, already knowing the answer.
"Because of Peyton. Because you love her, and she loves you. And because I refuse to do to her what she did to me."
He nodded his head, understanding why they couldn't possibly be together. This was it for them. It was their final closure that they had never really gotten. It was finally accepted that they could never be, at least under the circumstances they were living. Their time together had been beautiful, but their course of love never seemed to go down the right path.
"So I guess this is good-bye," Lucas said, stretching his arms out to give her a hug.
And there it was again, that feeling of Deja Vu.
He stood in her bedroom, which was previously his, ready to bid her farewell for the Summer. She was going to California, and he was determined to tell the girl he was in love with how he truly felt about her.
"So I guess this is good-bye," she said. He stretched his arms out, beckoning her into a hug.
She stood from his bed and fell into his embrace, savoring the feeling of being so close to him. As they broke apart, he pulled her to him once again, and sent his lips crashing into hers. She pulled away, a bewildered and shocked look on her face.
"Tell me that was a good-bye kiss," she said.
"I want to be with you, Brooke."
She stepped back from him, confusion etched across her face. "What?" she asked.
"I'm sorry. I know we're friends, it's just how I feel."
"What about Peyton's stuff," she asked, referring to the box containing some of Peyton's things that she had found in his closet.
"I keep that stuff as a reminder of how badly I screwed up things...with you. To remind myself that if I ever got a second chance...I would never let you go again."
"I don't know what to say. I um... I gotta go," she said, tears beginning to spill down her cheeks.
"Brooke! You think you could ever..."
But she held up her hands to silence him, and repeated, "Lucas...I gotta go."
He had gotten a second chance, and he had let her go once again.
As she had done a year ago, she fell into his embrace, a steady flow of tears falling down her cheeks. He lightly touched her hair and closed his eyes, taking in the scent of her for the last time. As they pulled away, she placed a sweet kiss upon his lips.
"It's just a good-bye kiss," she murmured in his ear. With that, she turned away from him, ready to walk out of the room and away from the boy that she would always love. Right before she left, he pleadingly asked, "Brooke, do you think we could ever..."
She turned back to him, her silent tears pooling at her feet as she replied, "Lucas...I gotta go." He looked at her with pain-stricken eyes, pleading with her to stay with him, to run back into his arms and relive the past few years all over again. They could start over from the beginning, and they would fall in love and forgive each other for past wrong-doings. He closed his eyes to prevent the tears from spilling out, and when he opened them again, she was gone.
Regret comes in all shapes and sizes. Some are small, like doing a bad thing for a good reason. Some are bigger, like when we make the wrong choice about the person you wish to be with in the future. Some of us escape the pain of regret by making the right choice. However, those of us, like Lucas Scott, who have made the wrong choice...we are left to suffer with the thoughts of what could have been. Sometimes we have to fight to come to terms with the past, with the choices that we wish we wouldn't have made. Choices that maybe involved two girls. One a pretty and mysterious blonde, the other a daring and beautiful brunette. The biggest regrets are not for the things that we did, but for the things that we didn't do. Such as fighting for a girl that begged you to save her, instead of trying to regain her love when it was all too late. And when we least expect it, this regret catches up with us and forces us to remember things that are long forgotten. It forces us into acceptance; acceptance that we might not get everything that we wished for, or everything that we wanted. This crucial time, when we are left to overcome the brutality of life...it's called an unkindness of ravens.
Lucas Scott stood alone, with nothing but the lingering taste of her lips upon his mouth. He had to accept that the mere fact of knowing they loved each other was enough. It was cruel, and it was not something he neither wanted nor wished for. He was heartbroken and regretful that he hadn't tried to regain her love sooner. He had to accept that the mere fact of knowing they loved each other was enough.
And this acceptance was called an unkindness of ravens.
That's it guys! I hope you enjoyed it. I know I already said this before, but I am thinking of doing a sequel to this one-shot, or something along the lines of it. Please review and let me know your thoughts!