This is the day. There's no use denying it.

Brooke Penelope Davis is going to man-up. She's going to go back out into the world, fix up the store, and get back on her feet. Because nobody will keep Brooke Penelope Davis down.

"Is it bad," she says to her self in the bathroom mirror "..that I've said this speech to myself every morning for four days?"

Maybe today can really be the day...

"BROOKE!"

Maybe not.

"BROOKE!" Peyton yells again from the living room.

Brooke smoothes down her hair and pulls on a nearby sweatshirt, then walks slowly into the living room despite Peyton's urgent call.

"What is it?" She asks.

"Why are you wearing that...?" Peyton says, staring at Brooke's top half.

Brooke looks down to the sweatshirt she has on and shrugs. It's Lucas's Keith Scott Body Shop sweatshirt, the one she had practically lived in during high school.

"Oh...I don't know Pey it was the closest thing to me so i just put it on, it isn't that big a deal...what did you call me in here for anyway?"

"Phones for you." Peyton says, her tone clipped.

Brooke grabs the phone off the coffee table and and and presses it gently to her face, avoiding her bruised eye. Her expression turns defeated as she talks to the person on the other end and when the call is over she slams down the phone with a thud. Lucas, drinking a cup of coffee looks up at the noise.

"What's wrong Pretty Girl?" He asks. He had recently started using his old nickname for her. He had explained to Peyton that he wanted Brooke to feel pretty instead of broken.

"Nothing. That was Milli. She says I need to come back to the store today because Victoria's coming in tomorrow night."

"I'll go with you if you want." He offers.

"No, you really shouldn't Luke, It's-"

"I'll go with you."

Peyton keeps her eyes on the television but her head is spinning.

Today really is the day.

you've got a heavy heart i'm sure

are you restless? are you ruthless?

are you ready for this, are you ready?

I'm gonna give give everything i've got

The car ride to Clothes over Bros is a quiet one. Lucas pulls up to the store and moves to get out of the car until he notices Brooke is frozen.

"Brooke?" He asks quietly.

She's barely breathing, eyes staring straight ahead. She can't do this. She wants to run home and curl up in her covers and shut her eyes until the world outside her bedroom door disappears.

"Brooke. Get out of the car, you look fine."

"Okay." She says, but doesn't move.

Lucas leans over and opens her door, then gives her a slight push. She lifts her legs out and from then on they have a mind of their own. Leading her up to the door , she opens it and stands, frozen again, in the doorway.

The place is a terrible mess. Racks are knocked over, clothes strewn everywhere. Lucas comes up behind her and touches her waist, making her jump.

"What..." he gasps "What happened?"

He isn't stupid, and he can put the pieces together. Brooke doesn't have to tell him that someone came in, looking to knock over the store, and Brooke just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"Brooke." he says softly.

She turns slowly and looks him in the eyes.

"Tell me. Please tell me that this didn't go as far as I think it did."

"I don't know what-" She begins.

"You know what I mean." Lucas grits through clenched teeth, hands balling into fists at his side.

"He-" Brooke starts, her voice breaking, "He tried... His hands were on me. All over me and I...I tried, I screamed and, I think he just wanted ti take the money and run." She explains. She keeps her eyes on the floor and the tears are slowly falling out of her eyes.

Lucas pulls her into a hug and holds her tight. "I'm so sorry. Im so sorry Pretty Girl." He whispers over and over again. Her whole body is shaking and tears are spilling over onto her face.

"Sorry for what?" She sputters.

"For not saving you. Like I promised." He says. He strokes her hair and breathes in her scent.

They slowly pull away from each other, just a few inches, and the inevitable approaches. They connect and the kiss is slow and deep. Brooke's lips are soft and Lucas is gentle, just the way they remember each other. He begs for entrance and she allows him to deepen their kiss. Lucas holds her close and rubs her back as she relaxes in his arms. The world has disappeared, and for now Brooke has forgotten that they're in her store, the one with all the glass windows. The one with a Haley James Scott strolling by and peering in.

Shit.

forget the night life

oh you're my favorite thing about this town

so come with me, i'll take you home

and you can stay the night

if you cross your fingers

Lucas takes Brooke home, promising to come back later and clean up the store. Brooke is quiet the whole time. She's a shitty person, she really is. She always promised herself she would never hurt Peyton the way Peyton had hurt her. She felt dirty.

Lucas tucks her into bed at home, passing Peyton twice without looking her in the eye. He's on his way back to the store when he gets a text from Haley.

"Come over. We need to talk."

The worst four words in the entire English language.

He pulls up to Haley and Nathan's house and hesitates outside the door. He's about to dig his own grave. Lucas finds Haley in the kitchen, drinking coffee and looking angry.

"Hi Hales." he says "What's going on?"

"How could you?" She says, not looking up at him.

"What?"

"Why can't you ever just make a choice Luke? Why do you have to keep hurting them. You know they dont deserve it, and you don't deserve either of them." Haley yells.

"I know! You don' think I know that?" He yells back. "I just can't. I don't know. Maybe I rushed into this whole Peyton thing. Shit Haley. I just don't know what to do."

"Yeah well you better figure it out. Or you wont have either of them."

Lucas leaves, he doesn't want to hear this. He heads to the store and cleans everything up as best as he can, making sure to erase all traces of Brooke's intruder. When he finishes, it's dark out and he figures he should he should head home. His girl...girls, will be worried.

When he gets home he finds Brooke and Peyton passed out on either ends of the couch. There's an almost empty bottle of Jack Daniels and a couple of shot glasses on the coffee table. He pours himself a shot with what's left of the bottle and sits down on the couch in between them. He tips the glass back and the alcohol burns his throat.

He is so royally fucked, and not in the good way.

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welll hi theree. i know it's been like literally forever but here i am with another chapter of what i think is a pretty good story. i know this storyline is so worn out by now but i though i'd give it a try anyway. pleaseeee review. lyrics are from cross your fingers by the summer set, i don't own shit. 3