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Brooke kicked her shoes off, as Aiden ran in front of her up to his room. It had been a rough day for her, and now all she wanted to do was relax a little, and forget about her life in Tree Hill. What were the odds that Lucas would actually call her? She rubbed her temples where a pounding headache was forming from thinking too much. She needed to talk to someone. So, she pulled out her cell phone, and dialed Haley's number. While the phone rang, she went towards the drawer she kept her stash of cigarettes. It was a habit she picked up after Aiden was born to help her get rid of some of the stress she was feeling. It was very rare that she did smoke, but now was one of those times.
"Hello, Brooke," Haley greeted her. There was a loud noise, and then some shuffling in the background. "Jamie, go upstairs to your room and play," she spoke away from the phone.
"Hi Haley," Brooke walked out onto her balcony to light up. She, of course, couldn't smoke in the house, not with Aiden living there. "How are you?"
"Stressed out," she laughed. "How are you, you sound kind of upset or something."
"Well, you'll never guess who I saw today," she drew in a big puff on her cigarette and held it while she waited for Haley to respond.
"I could play the guessing game, but that would just be pointless, and I really can't think of anyone you would see that you haven't in a long time."
"Lucas."
"Oh yeah."
There was silence for a few moments before Haley spoke again. "I'm sorry, I should have told you he would be in New York for awhile, but I figured there was so many people there you would never see him."
"He invited me to his engagement party."
"Good you should come. I'd really like to see you, and I know all of us would like to get to know little Aiden."
"I don't know, Hales. It's just been so long since I've been there, I don't know if I can go back."
"Why? It's for Lucas, Brooke. You guys were friends when you left, what's the difference now?"
"There is no difference," Brooke lied. She'd never told anyone that Lucas was Aiden's dad. Only that she'd had a one-night stand once, and Aiden was the product of it. And she didn't care that his father wasn't there, because she would be all that he needs.
"So, just come back, Brooke. Please. You haven't even seen Jaimie since he was a baby. And I've never even seen Aiden." And there was a reason why Brooke had never sent pictures of her son to anyone. Because his looks came from his father, and he looked a lot like his cousin.
"Maybe, Hales."
"You're not upset that he's engaged are you? I mean, I know you dated him once, but that was a long time ago, and you were fine when Peyton was dating him. So, you're cool with it, right?"
"Oh yeah, I am fine with it. That's not why I wouldn't come back. I just don't want to get to Tree Hill, and not want to come back to New York."
"Mommy! Mommy!" Aiden came bursting onto the balcany. "Daddy's home! Daddy's home!" Brooke put her cigarette out in the ashtray.
"Haley, I have to go. Cam just got here and Aiden is making my ears bleed."
"Okay, I love you, Brooke. And please, really please, just think about coming back."
"I will, and I love you, too."
She walked back in form the balcony. Her boyfriend of two years, Cam, was carrying a few boxes of take out in for them. "I figured we'd skip cooking tonight, and just get to the eating part," he smiled. And for the first time that day, Brooke relaxed. Because it seemed like no matter what was going on in her life, just seeing Cam's smile, calmed her down.
"Good idea," she smiled back, grabbing some boxes from him.
"Cam, did you get me food?" Aiden asked, pulling on his pant legs.
"Of course I did, little man."
Brooke watched her boyfriend interact with her child. It never ceased to maze her how good Cam was with Aiden. He'd been there for the last two years of his life, and it was if he had been there for his whole life. Aiden had immediately taken to him. And as much as he could, Cam had taken the place has Aiden's father. The little boy never called him dad when he was talking to him, but he always did when he talking to Brooke.
"Mommy and me got ice cream today," Aiden told Cam as they sat around the dinner table eating. "And I met a friend of hers from when she was in high school, and then I got to play at the playplace in McDonalds."
"Sounds like you had fun today," Cam smiled at the boy. "What friend did you see today," he turned towards Brooke.
"Um, just as old friend from high school," she shrugged. Brooke had never told Cam who Aiden's father was, and was afraid if she told him what her friend's name was, he'd be able to put it together. "He invited us to his engagement party this weekend."
"Where at?"
"Tree Hill."
Brooke had never really even told him about her life in Tree Hill. Just that that was where she was from, and that that's where some of her friends were still.
"Are we going to go?"
"I don't know. What do you think?"
"I think it would be nice to see the place where you grew up," he gave her a genuine smile. "And meet some of your friends."
"It would be nice to see Haley, Nathan, and Jaimie again," Brooke spoke more to herself. "I just don't know. You don't know what Tree Hill is like, because I can almost guarantee you that if we go, you're going to want to stay there. And I don't know if I'm ready to be sucked back into it."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Lucas pulled Lindsey into his chest. After eating dinner, the two had settled onto the couch to watch a movie. During dinner, he had told Lindsey about seeing Brooke, and inviting her to their engagement party. She agreed that it would be nice to meet her, even though she would be a bit intimidated to meet the ex-girlfriend that was now a fashion icon, and arguably the most beautiful woman in the world. He had also old her about the son she had, and how weird it was he didn't even know she'd been pregnant.
His cell phone chirped, and Lucas immediately answered it. It was Haley.
"Hi, Haley." And even though he was in the middle of watching a movie, he still wanted to talk to her about what happened that day. He pulled himself from the couch, and went into another room so he wouldn't disturb Lindsey.
"So, I hear you saw Brooke today."
"She already told you?"
"Yeah. She's thinking about coming to your engagement party."
"You don't think it was wrong of me to invite her, do you? I know we dated, but that was a long time ago."
"No, she was fine with that. For some reason, she just doesn't want to come back to Tree Hill. I guess she's afraid she won't want to leave."
"Why didn't you ever tell me she had a kid?"
"I don't know. It was her news to tell, and she always told me to keep it to myself. I don't know why she didn't want it known. I haven't ever even seen him, in person or a picture."
"Isn't that kind of weird?"
"Yeah, it is. But, I love Brooke, and I would never question her intentions. I always thought it was because of the whole fashion icon thing, and not waning her son bothered."
"That makes sense," he pondered for a moment. "He looks like Jaimie in a way."
"He does?"
"Yeah, so much so that I was questioning the paternity for a moment. But, then he called someone else daddy."
"Oh," Haley went silent on the other end.
"Who is the father, anyway?"
"I don't know, she's never told me for sure. Just that it was a one night stand, and that he didn't want anything to do with Aiden."
"Then who would Aiden be calling daddy?"
"She's been with this guy Cam for two years now, and I think Aiden really likes him."
Lucas started thinking again. If Aiden didn't know his real dad, then was it still possible that Lucas could be his father? No, because there was no way that Brooke would keep something like that from him. But, he couldn't help but think about that last time they slept together, and how ashamed she'd been, and how guilty he had felt. They'd never told anyone about it, and he pushed it so far back in his head, that he'd forgotten all about it, until now. He wanted to ask Haley if maybe she thought it could be possible he was the dad. That maybe Brooke had slipped up in the passed four years, but a part of him just didn't want to know. Ignorance was bliss, right? Besides, he couldn't have been such a horrible person that she would keep something like this from him. Right?
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Brooke held her cell phone against her chest. Aiden and Cam had gone to bed awhile ago, leaving her by herself to stew in her thoughts. It had just occurred to her that she didn't know if Peyton knew that Lucas was getting married. And even though Lucas had moved on, Brooke was sure that Peyton was still hung up on the broody, blue-eyed blond. She wanted to call and tell her, but she didn't know if she wanted to be the bearer of bad news. And, as if the Gods were reading her thoughts, her cell phone rang, and it was Peyton.
"What the hell, Brooke, I've been trying to call you all night."
"Sorry, I've been kind of busy."
"That's okay. I didn't really want anything, I was just bored out of my mind. How was your day?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"Try me."
"I saw Lucas today."
"You did," Peyton's voice took on a glossed over tone, and Brooke knew her best friend was thinking about him deeper than she should be.
"Yeah, he took me and Aiden out for ice cream."
"That's nice. How did he look? Did he say anything about me?"
"Um, kind of in passing." Brooke didn't have the heart to tell they talked about how he had gotten over her. "And he looked good, almost the same as in high school, just with more stubble, and his head in shaved."
"What's he doing in New York?"
"Peyton, have you talked to Haley at all?"
"Not in a while, no."
"Did you know Lucas was dating someone else?"
After a pause, Peyton said, "no," and it was so low Brooke almost didn't hear her. "Is he living in New York with her?"
"No." Brooke tried to find the right way to tell her about the engagement, and the party, but nothing sounded right, so she just needed to be blunt. "He's engaged Peyton, and he invited me to the party this weekend."
There was silence on the other end, for so long that Brooke had to ask if Peyton was still there.
"Tell me what you're thinking P. Sawyer."
"I don't know."
"Do you think I should go?"
"Yes," Peyton's demeanor changed, and she was now being forceful. "Yes, you should go, and I should go. I have to go back. I have to try one more time, because if I don't then I'll always wonder what if."
"What are you talking about, Peyton? Try what?"
"I have to try one more time with Lucas. If I don't, I'll always regret it."
"I don't know if that's a good idea, Peyton, he seemed really happy."
"I have to do this, Brooke. Are you going this weekend?"
"Well, I was thinking about-"
"Good, I'll see you there this weekend."
"Peyton, this is a really bad idea. I don't think you should do this."
"I have to. I'll order my plane ticket tonight, you should do the same."
"Peyton, no-
"Bye, B. Davis."
Peyton hung up before Brooke could object anymore. Brooke had a dreadful feeling in her stomach. Now she had no choice but to go back to Tree Hill and make sure her best friend doesn't do something drastic and stupid. This was going to be a horrible weekend, and she really just didn't want to do it.