AN: Thanks for the reviews! I hope you like the second chapter! KEEP EM COMING!

Chapter Two: Use Somebody

With Death Comes Love

Taking a sip of her coffee, she relaxed against the counter. The warm coffee felt good as it ran down her throat. She frowned as she had finished her cup.

Brooke placed the cup in the sink and looked out her window. It was a beautiful day outside but she didn't feel like soaking up the weather. No, she felt like staying inside and being by herself.

A tear rolled down her porcelain cheek as she remembered how Nathan had loved this weather. It was cold but the sun was out. He loved to take her on a walk through parks or stay in and have movie day. She turned her attention to her couch and sighed. Mentally picturing the to sitting there snuggled up in blankets, was breaking her apart.

"If only…"

She heard sirens and rushed to the windows. She always prayed that someone would come and tell her that Nathan was alive. Regardless of the fact that she saw him, and confirmed it was him, she couldn't bring herself to realize its permanence.

A cop was pulled up behind a red truck. Brooke gasped. That was Lucas' truck. She grabbed her coat and ran outside. The cold wind felt good against her warm body.

"What's going on here?"

The cop turned to her, "A neighbor of yours called us this morning. Seems this guy has been sitting outside your home all day and hasn't moved. The lady was concerned that he was some kind of pervert."

Brooke stifled a laugh; she didn't know why she found that funny, "Really?"

Lucas got out of the truck and wrapped an arm around Brooke, "The misses and I had a fight last night. She kicked me out so I spent the night in my truck."

Brooke scoffed and shoved him off hard, "Luc—"

"Well, since there is no issue, I am going back to work," he said as he walked towards his car. He paused before he sat in his car, "I don't want to get another call!"

"Yes sir!" Lucas said.

The cop drove off and Brooke just looked at Lucas. She was confused about him staying the night in his truck. Didn't he have a home or a family to return to? Lucas looked at her and giggled.

"What?" she hissed as she furrowed her brows.

Chuckling, "Barbie pajamas?"

Brooke blushed. She hadn't realized that she rushed out without reconsidering her outfit. She watched as his gaze was on her chest. She folded her arms across her chest and shook her head. "Get bent."

He threw his hands up in defense and followed her into her house, "Sorry, didn't know that you had some crazy kid obsession."

She turned around and he froze. He could see the sadness in her eyes and felt like the biggest asshole. Nathan and Brooke were nicknamed Barbie and Ken, for obvious reasons. Lucas didn't mean to be so insensitive to her feelings.

He walked towards her and wrapped his arms around her. Brooke let out a sob. It felt nice to be held when she was upset. Nathan would squeeze her so tight that she would forget about her problems. This was Lucas, not the love of her life.

Brooke gently pushed him off of her. she returned to the coffee pot and poured herself another cup of coffee. She took a swig and twitched. Coffee wasn't her favorite drink, she didn't like it at all, but Nathan had two cups every morning. Brooke was used to making it and figured she would drink it for him.

"I didn't mean to be insensitive, Brooke. It was a honest mistake, okay?" he said softly as he took a seat at the table.

"What were you doing outside my house, Lucas?" she said weary.

She wanted to be alone for awhile and she didn't need someone watching over her like that. Brooke walked over to him and sat down.

Lucas ran his finger through his hair and sighed, "I don't have anywhere else to go…"

Brooke giggled, "Come on, Lucas, we all know that you have the money in the family."

He was like a statue. Her sentence brought out no reaction or response. He just sat there and kept his eyes on hers. His lips were pursed as if trying to formulate a response. Brooke was sensing there was more to this half-brother than she knew.

"I lost my company and I don't have any money," Lucas muttered.

Brooke gasped, "How did that happen?"

He shot her a look, "Listen, you don't wanna talk about Nathan and I don't want to talk about my financial situation."

Touché.

Brooke continued to slug down the rest of the coffee in silence, "So, where are you going to go?"

He smiled at her. After a moment of thinking, she realized he was hinting at him staying with her. no. no way in hell. Nathan wouldn't like this.

"No," she said sternly.

"Come on, Brookie, I need some place to stay until I can get on my feet. I can't afford a hotel and I would really appreciate it," he said as he got down on his hands and knees.

Brooke rolled her eyes, "Get off of my floor! You are a grown man and you can figure out your own problems. Besides, Nathan would never want you to stay in this house."

He sighed, "It's not like Nathan has much of a say in this."

Brooke took a deep breath in and let it out quickly. She knew he had a point but this was the house that she lived in with Nathan. This was their house, regardless if he wasn't living anymore. Brooke wiped a tear from her eye. She didn't mean to be emotional, but she didn't want to disrespect Nathan.

"Hey, it's only temporary," he whispered in a comforting voice.

She looked into his baby blues. Deep down inside she knew that she would feel really bad if she left him to live in his truck. So many things were running through her mind and she couldn't focus on one thought long enough to consider it.

"Fine," she muttered. "There are conditions if you want to stay here. One, you will get a job. Two, you will take out the trash and the recycling. Three, this is not permanent and you should be out of here as soon as you are financially stable."

Lucas nodded his head as he took mental notes, "I feel like I am a teenager."

Brooke let out a small laugh. She rested her head in her hand and looked at the couch. All Brooke wanted to do was lounge on the couch with Nathan and not be bothered by his half-brother.

He caught her gaze, "Is your soap opera on or something?"

She shook her head. The image of Nathan sitting on the couch watching ESPN kept flashing in her head. She loved to hear him yell at the players like they could hear him through the tv. It was the little things like that, that ate her up inside.

"Brooke?"

"I think the trash needs to be taken out," she said unmoved.

Lucas got up and grabbed the trash bag. He looked at her and felt lost. She was so helpless and there was nothing he could do. If he could, he would bring Nathan back, but that's not possible. He wanted to try to help her move past this and smile again.

He took the trash to the trashcan. There was hardly anything in the bag but Brooke asked him too. When he walked back in the house, Brooke was sitting on the couch watching ESPN. He raised a brow and sat next on the recliner. The cool leather felt nice against the heat of his back.

"You can't sit there!" she screamed.

Brooke lifted Lucas out of the seat and ushered him on the edge of the couch where she was sitting. She resumed in her spot. Lucas kept still. What the hell is wrong with this woman?

"That's his chair," she whispered as she pulled the blanket over her.

He nodded, "I figured."

A silence fell over them, Brooke sighed, "I'm sorry, Lucas. I just….that's…I just want Nathan to sit in that damn chair and laugh like he used to!"

Brooke covered her face before the first tear escaped her hazel eyes. He scooted over and wrapped an arm around her. she tried to fight him, like always, but she settled down. Lucas rubbed small slow circles on her back.

"We all wish Nate was back," he whispered.

She felt the heat of his breath on her neck, shivering, "I just feel so alone."

Shaking his head, "I'm here now, Brooke. I'm going to help you get through this difficult time in your life. I promise."

Brooke didn't argue or respond to it at all. She was tired of crying and walking around like a zombie. Tired of praying someone will say Nathan is alive and it was all a mistake. She didn't want Lucas, but he was all she had.