Authors note: I own nothing. Flashbacks will be in italics. Please forgive my jumble of the season 6 episodes, but I like the way this story goes…so I hope you like it too. Again, this is my idea of season 6-7…some things will be as the show happened and others not so much.
"I don't know what to say to them," Haley said as she and Nathan stood outside of the school watching the students enter, "I'm twenty-three years old and I'm supposed to make sense of this? I can't."
"You reached Quentin," Nathan said, handing her Q's copy of Les Miserables, "you'll reach them too."
"You reached all of us," Brooks said as she walked up to her best friend, "you reached me."
"God, I've missed you," Haley said as they hugged.
"It's only been three weeks, Hales," Brooke smiled, "but I wanted to be here for you guys."
"Thanks," Nathan said as he hugged her.
"I just don't know how to help them," Haley said tears streaming her face, "I don't know what words can make this better, you know?"
"You just have to be there," Brooke said as they walked arm in arm towards the school, "that's all you can do Haley, let them know you care."
"I am going to head to the gym," Nathan said as he kissed Haley, "I'll see you two later?"
"Yeah, I'm sticking around for a while," Brooke said.
"That's good," Haley said as they walked towards her classroom, "well, I need to get ready for my class."
"Ok," Brooke said, "I've got to get to the store and stuff, call me ok? If you or Nathan need anything."
"We will," Haley said as they hugged again, Brooke turned to leave. "Brooke," Haley said as her friend turned around, "there is something."
"Anything tutor mom," Brooke said.
"Luke."
"Ok," Brooke sighed, she knew she couldn't tell Haley no, not now. Haley actually smiled slightly as she walked in her classroom. Brooke began making her way towards the gym.
"Quentin was a great kid. He was the leader of this team," Lucas said addressing his team with his brother and friend beside him, "I wish I could take this pain away. I can't, and I'm sorry."
"It's okay to feel angry. It's okay to feel pain. It's even okay to hate the person who did this," Skills spoke truthfully, from his heart, "but when that anger, and that pain, and that hate becomes too much for you, you come see me, Nate or Luke. Understand? We are your family, and we are going to get through this together."
"You guys know that Q was working out with me, helping me with my game. And that is how I am going to remember him. Strong, happy, playing the game he loved," Nathan said, "I want you all to find your best memories of Q and hold on to them, cause that is where he still lives. And he always will."
Lucas looked at his team, standing there in shambles, and he couldn't do it. He patted his brother on the shoulder and started walking towards the door. He wasn't going to make it through the morning practice, he knew the team was ok with Nathan and Skills.
"Hey you," Brooke said as Lucas walked out of the gym, she had been listening in to his speech.
"Brooke," he said as he immediately wrapped his arms around her.
"You can't take their pain away, Luke," she said as they started walking towards his office, "and you can't hide yours."
"I feel like I let him down. I asked him to be a good example and a good teammate," he said as they each took a seat in Whitey's former office, "and then I go and get suspended?"
"You were defending him, Lucas," Brooke said as he looked away.
"I was failing him," he shook his head, "he's got a little brother. He's got parents."
"Luke, this isn't your fault," she said, "I wish I could help you somehow."
"Brooke," he said looking in to her eyes, "you've helped me so much," he paused, "just by being here."
"Luke," Lindsey said as she knocked on the door.
"Lindsey, hi," Brooke said as Lindsey walked in.
"Brooke, I didn't know you were back," Lindsey said as she stood beside where Lucas was standing.
"I wanted to be here for Haley and Nathan, with Jamie," she said, "it's going to be hard on them, and you too."
"That's really sweet, Brooke, you're a great friend," Lindsey smiled at her.
"Well," Brooke said as she gathered her things, "I need to get to the store, I'll see you guys later."
"Brooke," Lucas called as she was walking out, she turned towards him with a forced smile, "thanks, it means a lot having you here."
"You're welcome," she said as she turned to leave.
"I heard you were back," Peyton said as she walked in to Brooke's store.
"Hey P. Sawyer," Brooke said as they hugged, "I would've called you, but I went to see Naley."
"And Luke?"
"Yeah, I saw Lucas," Brooke sighed, "and Lindsey."
"You know this is really hard on him," Peyton said, "he's a mess."
"It's a tragedy, a life so young taken so tragically," Brooke said as they sat down.
"I wasn't just talking about Quentin, Brooke."
"Haley and Nathan seem to be holding it together, but what about Jamie," she asked, completely ignoring Peyton's comments, "this has got to be hard on him."
"It's hard on all of us," Peyton said, "it brings back memories, Keith and Jimmy. God, I can't believe how long it's been, sometimes it seems like yesterday."
"And sometimes it seems so long ago," Brooke said remembering back to the tragic events of that day. "I used to wish I would have been in there that day," Brooke said, "I just wish that I could have helped somehow, you know? Done something, anything, to take it all away, all the pain that Karen and Lucas had to go through."
"There was nothing any of us could have done, Brooke," Peyton said, "you did help Luke, Brooke, you were there for him when he needed it. You helped me too, when my mom died, you were there. It's who you are," Peyton smiled.
"You are my friend Peyton," Brooke said.
"Luke's your friend too," Peyton said, "remember that ok?"
Brooke sat in Nathan and Haley's kitchen watching her friends all interact. They had all gathered after the game that night. Brooke couldn't help but think about the words Lucas had spoken. She knew his heart was broken, and she wanted to help him. She looked over to where he sat with Lindsey, she had her arms around him as they talked with Skills. His words rang through her mind…
"Every day we face the same truth, that our time here is short. And to honor the fallen we must live our own lives well. We must take the high road when we can and allow our common loss to bring us together. I think that's the way Q would have wanted it. And while tonight we miss our fallen teammate, friend, loved one, we commemorate him for all time. No Raven will ever wear the number 44 again. And for as long as this gym stands, Quentin Fields will be here with us. No one can take his place on this team. And no one can take his place in our hearts. Moment of silence for number 44, Quentin Fields," Lucas said as they all sat quietly. "All right, look, I know you don't feel much like playing basketball tonight. And I get it. When I was in high school, someone close to me was taken away. And I couldn't understand how a game could matter anymore. But my coach was a wise man. He told me that basketball was more than just a game, that it had the power to heal me if I let it. He was right."
"You ok girly," Haley asked as she sat next to Brooke.
"Yeah," Brooke said, "how about you Hales?"
"I'm ok," she said, "it's going to take a lot of healing, but we'll all get through this."
"Jamie is amazing," Brooke said as she watched him with Nathan and Mouth, "so brave, and he's so young."
"He's pretty great. Nathan and Luke talked to him," she said, "it's pretty tough on both of them. Q was this amazing kid, so much like Luke and so much like Nathan, it's hard to imagine."
"I know," Brooke said as she wrapped an arm around her best friend.
"So," Haley said wiping her eyes, "how did things go in L.A. with Mr. Movie Producer?"
"Good," Brooke said, "we've both been through a lot, and we're just helping each other out."
"Well, that's good Brooke," Haley said as she glanced towards Lucas and Lindsey, "you deserve to be happy."
"I am working on it," she said.
"What about Peyton," Haley asked, "and Jake? I can't even believe he's back."
"Yeah," Brooke said sarcastically, "it surprised me too, after how things ended with them." Brooke tried not to sound bitter about it. Truth was she wasn't really bitter anymore, at least she tried to convince herself she wasn't.
"Well, wasn't it you who said people who are meant to be always find their way in the end?"
"I think I might have said something like that," Brooke sighed as she looked at Lucas, their eyes locking for a moment before she looked away, "but, what do I know?"