Hey Everyone! I know it has been a little while since I updated but I have the rest of the story pretty much figured out so the updates should be coming sooner and more regular. Thank you again for all the reviews and thank you for sticking by this story with me even when it was on hiatus for a little bit. This chapter is a little bit longer and it has Brucas in it! So please review when you're done!

Chapter 4 Let Me In

Monday, 3:00 p.m.

Okay, so it was probably stupid of her to follow Lucas into a bookstore. I mean, who was she kidding? She didn't really want to see Lucas that badly anyways so why was she wasting her time?

Apparently, it didn't matter because Brooke went in the bookstore anyways and ducked in a row of bookshelves where she could see Lucas talking to a lady at a booth. He was at a book signing.

Oh God.

The whole bookstore was dead silent, except for the polite conversation Lucas was having with his apparent fans. To disguise and distract herself she picked up a random book and opened up to it. She wasn't able to look at the fine print though because she saw a lady sitting next to Lucas. The same one that he was talking to when Brooke first came in. She saw Lucas lean into her and whisper something to him and laugh. It was weird for her, to look at Lucas and see a whole new life right in front of her. She didn't know him anymore, she realized, and she felt a pang in her chest at the thought.

She closed the book she was holding and looked down at it. It was the book that Lucas Scott wrote, the one that he was signing right this second. She dropped it in a panic.

The silence that filtered throughout the bookstore was interrupted by Brooke's book mishap. Everyone turned to look at her, everyone including Lucas Scott. She looked him in the eyes for the first time since they graduated and since the time when he told her about what he wrote about her in his book.

It was intense, too intense, and she had to look away. But she didn't. Luckily, a fan screamed.

"Brooke Davis!" The girl yelled and ran over to her. Brooke still held his gaze.

"Can I please get your autograph?" The girl exclaimed and finally Brooke pulled away from the trance.

"Sure," She smiled, her dimples fully showing and got a pen out to sign the same book that Lucas had just signed moments before. Both of their signatures would be in the same book, and for some reason, that irked Brooke. It almost made her feel like she and Lucas were the power couple. She shook her head of those thoughts and smiled again at the girl.

"Thanks! This is like the greatest day ever! I just got an autograph from the Lucas Scott and Brooke Davis!" She exclaimed again and then ran out of the store to go and tell her friends that she had just gotten two of the most famous people's around signatures. Brooke almost laughed. If only the girl knew that she had a long and torrid past with Lucas Scott, famous author.

Brooke looked over at the stand and saw that it was empty. Where was Lucas? All she saw was the girl that was sitting there put a 'Be Back in Five' sign on the table and walk over to some refreshments towards the back of the store.

A tap on her shoulder made her turn around. It was Lucas Scott and his baby blue eyes staring at her.

"Well, if it isn't Brooke Davis famous fashion designer in the flesh," Lucas said and smiled.

Brooke put on her best smile for him, but in all honesty, she was scared out of her mind. She hadn't stood this close to Lucas in a long time either and the limited space was making her light headed. She bent down and picked up his book that she had dropped earlier.

"Yeah, it's me," She said trying to keep her voice steady. "I see you wrote a new book, that's so great Lucas."

He chuckled. "Yeah well it's hardly running your own corporation."

"I'd rather be doing this."

"Really?"

"No," She replied and he laughed. She smiled a genuine smile.

"It's really good to see you Brooke." Lucas said, his eyes boring into hers. Brooke could feel her heart race and her palms sweat. She had to get out of there.

"You too," She said. "I hate to cut it short but…"

"Then don't," Lucas said, "Come out for coffee with me."

"Oh I really can't Luke-Lucas I'm sorry." She didn't feel okay calling him 'Luke' like they had been friends this whole time. She didn't know him, and he didn't know her.

She began walking away until she heard his voice again.

"I heard your getting married, maybe you want to talk about that." Lucas said, grasping for straws.

So he knew that she was getting married. He must have seen it on T.V.

"Yeah, I am, this Sunday actually."

Lucas looked surprised. "Wow that fast, huh?"

Brooke nodded still not taking any steps toward him.

Lucas didn't have the same decision. He walked up to her.

"Please," He whispered, annunciating every word, "Have coffee with me. We can catch up on old times, you know?"

Brooke knew, but she didn't want to. She didn't want to bring up the past and she definitely didn't want to talk about her future. For some reason, she just wasn't ready with Lucas to start talking like nothing happened, even though it was so long ago just the fact that he brought out these feelings in her scared her. She wasn't supposed to be feeling like this and she didn't want to put herself in a situation that might hurt her and Marcus' relationship. She would tell Marcus she was going out with him before actually doing it. Of course, that was if she even decided to go at all.

She smiled, "I really would like to but I have to go and meet Marcus, you know, plan the wedding stuff but it was really good seeing you. We should go out another time. Bye!"

She said and ran out of the store. Lucas watched her go and then ran out to catch her. It was too late though, she was halfway down the street already.

"Let me in," He whispered to no one, and after waiting a good solid five more minutes, he finally went back in.

Brooke was out of breath with nothing to do. She could try and meet Marcus for maybe a lunch but she doubted he would have time for it. He was just so dedicated to his job, and Brooke admired him for that but she also missed him a lot too.

She considered calling Peyton again and canceling their get together for tomorrow but then decided against it. If Peyton was trying to turn over a new leaf and get over her past mistakes, Brooke wasn't about to stop her or try to bring up the past. Brooke was trying to get over it, even if Lucas was the only one she couldn't get over it with.

She settled on her favorite little coffee shop.

Only In Your Dreams wasn't busy, not like Brooke thought it was going to be anyways but she was still a bit sad to see it in such a condition. She hoped it wasn't closing. Like everything else in New York, the weak didn't survive.

She always thought about donating money to the place, but was always afraid that they would think she took pity on it or was doing it for publicity. That was the thing about fame that was hard. People judged her without even knowing her.

She opened the door and felt the familiar jingle of the bells. She smiled and welcomed the tasty scents coming from the small café.

She walked over and sat down on one of the stools at the counter.

"One vanilla cappuccino please," She said and then looked around. The place was decorated with lights and old photos and picture frames along with letters written to the café saying what great service they had. Also, along the main wall, were petitions to keep the café open.

"Are you guys closing?" She asked one of the employee's.

"Were not sure yet," The girl said, "We'll find out a week from Wednesday."

"I really hope you don't," Brooke said sincerely. She read the girl's nametag. It said Ashley.

"Me too," Ashley replied, "This place was basically where I grew up. I knew the manager here so she let me work when I was younger. I have been working here ever since. It's like my home."

Brooke nodded. "I feel like it's somehow mine too."

Ashley just looked at Brooke with a tender smile. "I'll go and get you're drink."

Brooke sighed and put her head in her hands.

"Brooke Davis!" Yelled someone that Brooke figured was probably paparazzi. Great. So far she had been able to keep this place a secret. But, she guessed all secrets eventually get out.

She turned around and saw that it was not a paparazzo, but in fact Marvin McFadden.

"Mouth!" She yelled and got up to hug him. She missed him, even after their awkward talk earlier. "I thought you were paparazzi! What are you doing here?"

"Well I'm in that category but I'm a newscaster now. I go to this place all the time; I'm surprised I haven't seen you here before."

"So you heard…" Brooke began.

"Yeah, and I think it really sucks how they might close this place down." By now Mouth had pulled up a seat next to her.

"I know, I wish I could help but I just…" She trailed off. Mouth didn't argue it.

Brooke turned to Mouth. "So Mouth, about the last time we talked…I just wanted to let you know that I'm sorry that I was so mean and bitter. That's exactly what I was too, bitter. I was mad about Lucas and Peyton and I took it out on you. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be, I was the jerk. I mean I didn't give you a chance to talk and just said things to make you feel bad. The real reason was because I was in love with you. I've always loved you Brooke. But I'm sorry because I never should have said those things to you."

"It's okay; it looks like we both turned out how we wanted to. I'd rather just put it in the past." Brooke said.

"I agree but," Mouth said, leaning in closer to her, "You can't hide from the past all the time."

"Miss, here's your drink." Ashley said, sliding Brooke's order towards her. Brooke smiled and thanked her.

"Well I should go." Mouth said, getting up.

"Wait, can't you have coffee with me?" Brooke asked.

Mouth shook his head. "Sorry, I'm on a tight schedule. I have to be at the station at 5:00 and its 4:15 now. It takes an hour to get there."

"Okay but Mouth I need to ask you something!" Brooke yelled, trying to stop him from leaving.

"What is it?" He yelled back, not stopping his movements.

"I'm having a wedding on Sunday, will you come?"

He smiled wide. "Sure Brooke, for you I'll go."

She smiled and waved bye to him. He waved back and was out the door like lightening. Almost like he hadn't been there at all. Brooke sighed. Now she almost felt guilty for turning Lucas' coffee offer down.

She would have to face him sometime. Like Mouth said, you can't run from the past all the time. Brooke sighed and sipped her coffee while watching the people walk by outside.

It was getting late, and Brooke knew she and Marcus had some things to go over, more about Lucas than anything one or anything else. Brooke was trying to prepare herself for something to say to him, something that would reassure her heart and his. It wasn't that she was still in love with Lucas, or at least she hoped she wasn't, but it was more that since he was here she would have to explain to him what had happened. Her past wasn't something she wanted to revisit.

By the time she reached her apartment Marcus was sipping coffee like he did every night before bed and sitting on the couch with some papers. He looked up from his work load when he heard Brooke's heels clacking against the cool marble surface.

"Hey honey," Marcus greeted her in his smooth voice, "How was your day?"

It was at moments like these that Brooke just wanted to cuddle with him and be with him and just make the world go away. She knew Marcus would be a good husband but lately she had been wondering if she would make a good wife. She knew that she shouldn't worry, because marriage was always rocky just like her mother had said but she couldn't help but feel insecure because of how her parents treated each other.

She smiled and sat next to him on the couch, "It was good, really good. Marcus I…"

He looked up at her, smiling his whole smile and she felt her heart sink. How was she going to tell him about Lucas?

"Yes?" He asked her and pulled her into his lap. He put his papers off to the side and let Brooke snuggle into him.

She found this position most rewarding because then she wouldn't have to look at him so much.

"I need to tell you something. I want to be completely honest with you since were getting married this weekend…" Brooke began and saw Marcus soft features turn tight.

"It's nothing you should be worried about," I don't think, Brooke thought, "But it's something you should know."

He nodded, urging her to go on. "Remember when you told me you met with Lucas and I told you that he was just a friend from high school that I had a falling out with?"

He nodded again and her heart shrunk.

"Well he wasn't exactly just a falling out. And he wasn't technically just my friend either. I went out with him for most of my high school career and during that time that we were together we did a lot of hurtful things to each other. For instance, he cheated on me with my best friend the first time we went out but I forgave him after a long time and after he earned my trust back and then we went out again but my friend also got in the way but it was me who broke it off that time. After that he dated her for the rest of the year and I haven't spoken to him since our graduation. I was in his first novel that he wrote. It was a small part, but he read me the part that it was before we parted ways."

She took a deep breath and held Marcus closer. It was hard talking about this, actually hard forming the words and opening the wounds she had so perfectly tucked away for the past 5 years.

"I guess the reason I'm telling you this is because he…" She was about to say that he wrote a book about her but she decided against it. Maybe it was her fear that was showing but she just didn't have the heart to tell him now. "He's back in town and you met him so I just thought you should know some details about him just incase you meet again."

She could feel Marcus shifting beneath her and she hoped he wasn't about to get up. He didn't, and pulled her closer placing a soft kiss on her forehead. She closed her eyes, trying to literally feel his scent, his words, his motions, everything. She wanted to breathe him in and forget the feelings she had been experiencing since Lucas came back. Marcus was the one good thing in her life right now and pushing him away was the last thing she needed.

"I'm glad you told me Brooke," He began and Brooke looked up into his brown eyes, "I'm not mad and I'm not going to go over and bust his face in."

Brooke let herself laugh a little.

"But I just want to let you know that I'm in this for the long haul and I want to know everything about you but I don't want you to be afraid to tell me. I'm going to be here for you Brooke Davis, always."

Brooke's mouth almost opened in shock. She had words like that from Lucas before, but they were always broken sometime later. For some reason she felt like Marcus' words were permanent and that scared her.

"Thanks babe," She told him and kissed him on the lips. She got up from her position and went to the window and saw the shining bookstore with its lights on and people inside of it. She knew what she had to do. She couldn't just sit in here and worry about Lucas she had to try and face her fears about him and the one way she could start that was if she got that cup of coffee with him. "I might have to go back to the office for a little bit, I'll be back a little late so don't wait up."

Marcus went over to her and kissed her softly on the lips. "I'm going to bed anyways. Don't work yourself too much, the wedding is coming up and I don't want you stressing about anything."

Brooke nodded and once she saw he was in the bedroom she sighed. Why was Marcus being so nice to her? They rarely fought and if they did he would give in quickly. Brooke hated thinking it but sometimes she just wished he would yell at her, have some big blowout with him just to prove that they weren't perfect, that he wasn't perfect. Alas, she had lied about where she was going and who she was seeing.

Brooke began gathering her things and left the apartment. She reached the doors of the bookstore but a sight stopped her from going all the way in. It was Lucas with that girl he was with earlier. She didn't like it, but she felt a pang in her chest the way she used to when she had seen Lucas and Peyton talking. It still pained her to see him talking to other girls.

She took a deep breath and pushed the doors open, letting herself go in.

Lucas saw her immediately and almost looked shocked to see her. He withdrew from his conversation quickly and excused himself from the girl while he walked over to her. Brooke's nerves were beginning to get the best of her and she tried to calm herself down.

"Brooke, what are you doing here?" He asked. All Brooke could do was smile at him.

"I just…" Just then the girl that he was speaking to came up to them. She smiled and extended her hand to Brooke.

"This is Lindsay," Lucas told Brooke and almost looked disappointed that this Lindsay girl even came by. "She's my editor."

Brooke smiled and shook the woman's hand. "Hi I'm Brooke Davis, the fashion designer."

"Oh!" Lindsay exclaimed. "I love your line! I practically have all my clothes from there."

Brooke kept her smile on and told her thanks and that she would try and get her some free samples the next time something new came in. Lindsay thanked her and then explained she had to go and help someone over there. She left which meant that Lucas and Brooke were now alone together. Brooke decided to do it now.

"Remember that coffee you offered to me earlier?" Brooke asked.

Lucas nodded the corners of his mouth twitching to turn into a smile.

"I decided that I would like to go with you whenever you're free." Brooke told him, trying to avoid his eyes. They still made her uncomfortable.

Lucas walked away from her and Brooke could feel a pang of rejection course through her. This was a bad idea. Just as quickly as he left Lucas was back again, his coat in his hand.

"How about now?"

Brooke laughed at the silliness of the whole situation but found herself taking his arm in hers as he led her out of the bookstore to the nearest Starbucks.