A/N : Thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story so far, I know this is a really short chapter, but the next will be longer, this was just a build up. Enjoy the read! Hope you review. :-)


Going Home

It has been 7 days since Brooke was brutally attacked and stabbed. She has gotten a lot of visits from her friends and her cheerleading squad. But she doesn't really care about any of it. The only one she wants to visit her is Lucas, and she has gotten her wish. He visits her evey day for hours in a row. She's gratefull for that.

The investigation is stuck, they have all the forensic evidence, but they have no leads on who could have done that to her. She's scared that her attacker will come to finish the job, but a part of her wants him to come back. A part of her wants to die, wants to leave this world she now realizes is so awfull.

The doctors cameyesterday and told her that today she could go home. She told all of her friends she was glad to go home and sleep in her own bed again. But the truth is, she never wants to go to that house again.

Brooke is watching some stupid old comedy show on television when she hears a knock on her door. The door opens to reveal Peyton, Brooke sighs. She was hoping it would be Lucas. She hasn't seen him all day, usually he comes as soon as visiting hours allows him too, but not today. The day she's going home. Did she imagine his concern for her ? Did he do it for Peyton and not for her ?

"Hey, how are you feeling ?" Peyton asks as she sits down at Brooke's bed end. Brooke is getting really tired of people asking her how she's feeling, but she conjures up a fake smile and replies.

"Great. I'm eager to go home." Brooke lies, she can tell Peyton doesn't believe her, but before she can get a reply, there's an other knock on the door. It's Lucas and his mother, Karen Roe.

"Hey, pretty girl. Sorry I didn't come sooner, I stayed with my mom while she filled in your release papers." Lucas says. Brooke asked Karen to fill in her papers, because her parents weren't here. She called them, but since she would make a full recovery, they didn't think it necessary to come see her.

"Are you sure you want to go back there already ?" Peyton asks Brooke. Brooke knows she's very concerned about her and that she should tell her that she never wants to go back again, but she can't. She has to go back, if she doesn't go back, there's a good chance that she'll live the rest of her life in fear and walking through it as if she were numb, like now.

"I'm sure. I'm ready to go back. I need to go back." Brooke said, putting the emphasis on the word 'need'. Peyton doesn't say anything, she just nods.

"Are you ready to go ?" Karen asks, Brooke nods. She's already in her regular clothes, she had changed before Peyton had come to see her.

Brooke steps out of the bed, makes sure she has everything she needs and hugs Peyton.

"I'll see you later. Thanks for everything, P. Sawyer." Brooke says before she lets her go and leaves with Lucas and Karen.

The drive to her house is silent. Brooke has no idea what to expect, dried up blood, things that are knocked over, she doesn't know.

"The house is clean, if you're wondering. Nathan, Haley and Peyton helped me clean it up a few days ago. I hope that's okay." Lucas finally says, as if he were reading her mind.

"That's great, thanks Luke." Brooke says, several minutes, they reach her house. Brooke, however, stays in the car as Karen and Lucas step out. Lucas notices and opens the back door of the car and sits next to Brooke, who is sitting in the back of the car.

"So, are you ready to tell me how you're really feeling ? I know you're not fine Brooke. I can see it in your eyes. I know we don't know each other that much, but I see you. I see you and it hurts me, because what I see is a girl putting up a happy front for everyone but is screaming on the inside. I see a girl terrified to go back in that house. Talk to me, pretty girl." Lucas says, Brooke sighs as her swollen black and blue eyes start to tear up.

"What's there to talk about ? You've said it all. And you're right, about it all, but I won't, can't... talk about it." Brooke says as she tried to hold the tears back.

"Okay, I understand that. You'll talk when you're ready. But at least come stay with me and my mom for a while. Or stay with Peyton or Haley, just don't go back in that house. It's not the right place for you to be right now." Lucas says, Brooke is suprised at his offer.

"I don't wanna bother Haley and Nathan. And I can't stay with Peyton, the last time I stayed with her, we had this huge cat fight concerning the bathroom." Brooke explains, Lucas just smiles.

"Then it's seteled, you're staying with me." Lucas smiles before getting out of the car to get his mom, who had been looking at the house.

Brooke had no idea what to think of what just happened. She doesn't know how Lucas knows so much about how she's feeling and thinking. It's like he's the only one who really knows her, the new her, that is. Because she isn't the same as she used to be, she's different, darker.

She can fool Haley and Nathan, she can fool Peyton, she can even try to fool herself, but for some reason, she can't fool Lucas. She wonders why that is. Why does he care so much about her ? She knows why she cares for him, but why does he care for her ?

TO BE CONTINUED

A/N : I hope you liked this, I know, not much has happened in this chapter, but more will happen soon. I'm talking drama, drama and even more drama. Mixed with a little bit of horror.

Again, thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, thank you very much, I really appreciate it. I hope you review this as well.