Authors Note: Sorry it took so long for this chapter, but I have been having really, REALLY bad writers block with this story. So this is pretty much a filler, but it's kinda sorta long. lol.
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Brooke is the first to wake the next morning. Warm sunlight is streaming through the hotel room, and Lucas's arm is wrapped protectively around Brooke's waist. She smiles at the memory of the night before. She looks down at her new piece of jewelry on her left ring finger; her promise ring. He wants forever with her, he's promised forever with her. Brooke couldn't have picked out a more perfect ring herself. What Lucas doesn't know is that Brooke has been planning their wedding for a while. She's always known they were going to last forever. Her plans are locked away in her room, along with sketches of her bridesmaid dresses, as well as her wedding dress. No, she doesn't want to rush an engagement and wedding, she just enjoys planning ahead.
She is pulled from her thoughts and day dreams, when Lucas's arm pulls her closer to him. She turns carefully in his arms to lay on her back. She smiles when her eyes fall on his face. He's still sleeping, pulling her to him in his subconscious state. His face is relaxed, his breaths coming in even puffs of air. Her eyes trace his features, memorizing every line, every curve and every freckle that you have to be close enough to see. She never thought it was possible to love someone as much as she loves him. Everything in her life is perfect as long as Lucas is by her side.
She can't imagine her life with out the brooding basketball player. She's disappointed in herself for only giving him the time of day after he joined the Ravens. How had she not seen this beautiful boy walking around the campus in the years before? Had she really been that stuck up? Since she's met Lucas, she's changed her entire lifestyle. She no longer sees the world and the people in it according to class, and how rich people are. She sees the people around her as people who have to earn what they want, instead of things being handed to them. She's learned to help others instead of focusing on herself, though she does indulge every now and then.
Lost in a love struck haze, she leans in and kisses Lucas softly on the lips, smiling as she wakes him from his slumber. He wraps his arm around her tighter, and her arm has found its way to lay on top of his. They kiss softly for a few moments, no words exchanged. When finally they break the kiss, Lucas's blue eyes stare deep in to her hazel eyes.
"Good morning, Pretty Girl," Lucas says in a husky voice.
She smiles at him. "Good morning, soon-to-be-Fiance."
Lucas smiles, "I like the sound of that."
"I don't," Brooke say. "I love the sound of that."
"That is much better than 'like'," Lucas points out, kissing the tip of Brooke's nose.
With a single nod, Brooke agrees, "Yeah, I know."
She snuggles deeper in Lucas's strong arms, wishing that they didn't have to go home. She wants to stay with him like this forever. She has a feeling that Karen would object. She can't help but wish that forever for them could start right now. Their friends have managed to pull it off, so why can't they? She wants to be his wife more than anything she's ever wanted before. They had already been through so much. She had left and moved to California with her parents over the summer, and insisted that they take a break, a stupid idea from yours truly. She was miserable the entire summer, and from what their friends have told her, and he himself has told her, he was just as miserable.
She looks up at him then, her eyes sparkling. "Lucas?"
"Yeah?" he asks, his eyes never leaving her face.
"I've been thinking a lot. About last night, about us," she can see worry flash in his eyes, and she's quick to reassure him. "I love you, Lucas. I want forever with you. Is it selfish of me to want forever to start right now? I was thinking, lets just tell people that we're engaged. I don't want this to be a promise ring, Luke. I want this to be my engagement ring from you. Last night was perfect, and I do want to marry you," she finally finds the courage to look at him, having stared down at her hand resting on his chest during the second half of her speech. "What do you say?"
Lucas just smiles, and kisses her softly. "Brooke, I would love for us to be engaged, but-"
She cuts him off, "But what, Lucas? Are you having second thoughts, cause last night-"
He silences her, pressing a finger to her lips, "-Last night was one of the best nights of my life, Brooke. As I was saying: I'd love for us to be engaged, but your engagement ring is in a box in my bedroom. So, you see the problem here. I have a completely different ring for you to wear. This ring is meant for a promise ring. So until we get to my house later today, we can't be engaged."
Shocked doesn't even begin to describe what she is right now. Engagement ring? She wonders what ring could possibly top the one she's wearing now. All she can do, is nod her head with a smile that shows off her trademark dimples. "OK, fine. Make me wait until we get home."
--
The ride back to Tree Hill went by all too quickly for Brooke. She loved being with Lucas, having no one around to interrupt them staring annoyingly into each others eyes. As much as she hated coming back to Tree Hill, she's also happy. Nathan and Haley are returning from their honeymoon, and she gets to see the engagment ring that Lucas has insisted on her wearing, though she still has trouble imagining a more beautiful ring than the one she's got on.
Pulling up in front of his house, Lucas turns the engine off, and looks over at his girlfriend. "Well, did you enjoy yourself last night?"
She grabs his hand, laces their fingers. "Lucas, last night was perfect. The way you treat me, the way you look at me...makes me feel as though I'm the only person in the world you care about."
Lucas squeezes her hand, "You're my world, Brooke. I've told you that."
She nods, a silent tear rolling down her cheek. "I know, Lucas. You are everything to me. I love you, so much. I don't think there are enough words to describe my love for you."
She leans over then, and kisses his waiting lips. The kiss is filled with love, and passion, and promise. She's always been glad that they don't have to say the words all the time, but when they do, they mean that much more.
When they pull away from each other, Lucas pushes a strand of hair behind Brooke's ear and says, "Come on Pretty Girl, lets go get that engagement ring."
Lucas gets out of the car, and comes around opening the door for Brooke and takes her hand in his. They walk up the stairs to his room, and he opens the door, only closing it when Brooke makes her way inside. She places herself in the middle of his bed, her legs folded like a pretzel. She watches as Lucas walks over to his dresser and pulls out a rectangular box, slides the lid to the side, then pulls out a black velvet box. He walks back over to the bed and sits in front of her.
He opens the box and she gasps. She never thought she'd see this ring again. She looks into his eyes, searching them for answers she needs. "Lucas..."
"Yes, this was my mom's ring from Keith. She gave it to me a few weeks ago. She told me that it was for the girl I wanted to be with for the rest of my life. She knew that you were the girl I was going to ask. I had really planned on asking you to marry me after graduation. I had it all planned out, but you just couldn't hold out that long," he begins explaining, receiving a smack on the arm at his last remark. "But now that I think about it. There is no perfect plan. All I know, is that I'm in love with you, Brooke Davis, and there is no one else I would rather be with for the rest of my life. Marry me, Pretty Girl?"
She's crying now. Lucas Scott has always had a way with words.
"Yes. Of course!" He slips the promise ring off, placing the engagement ring in its place. "I love you."
"I love you, too," Lucas returns, pulling Brooke's face to him for a sweet kiss, as if to seal their engagement.
She looks down to Lucas's hand. "I don't want to part with the promise ring."
Lucas smiles. He gets up and gets a silver chain he doesn't wear anymore. He loops the chain through the ring, and clasps the necklace around Brooke's neck.