I'm Still the Guy For You

A/N - I'm so sorry for the extremely long wait! I've had writer's block and I was updating stories as well as creating new ones. I'm now in the middle of spring break (going back to school next Wednesday), so depending on the amount of reviews I receive, I would like to update once or twice more before the break ends. The waits between chapters shouldn't be that long anymore because I'm pretty sure which direction I want this story to go in. So PLEASE review.

Thanks to the reviewers who have been reviewing, seriously, your reviews are so inspiring. By the end of this story (not sure when that will be) I would really like to reach at least 100 reviews because I've never gotten there before, but we'll see...

Okay, well enough with my rambling...onto chapter 7.

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"Peyton..."

"Lucas, we made a mistake years ago... I love you, Lucas," Those three meaningful words escaped Peyton's mouth for the first time in years, "Ilove you."

While all this was going on, Brooke still stood outside the door, giving the two their privacy.

"Peyton...I...I...Peyton, I don't love you." Lucas knew that was very harsh to say, 'I don't love you'? C'mon, that's ought to break a person's heart. But that was the truth. He doesn't love Peyton, truthfully, he's not sure if he ever did.

"I don't love you Peyton." He repeated once more. But that's not what Brooke heard. One word, 'don't', makes a difference. A huge difference.

Had Lucas just said that he loves Peyton?

"Lucas-." Brooke heard Peyton continue but the sounds from the other side of the door were tuned out when the sound of the front door being opened flooded Brooke's ear.

"Brooke Davis?" Brooke turned around as a reaction to hearing her name. There stood Karen Roe, in her late forties with who Brooke assumed to be 'Emma', by her side.

"Karen," Brooke sad face from before suddenly turned into a dimpled grin, "Hey. How are you?"

"I'm fine. How's L.A. been?"

"It's been good...I just...um...needed to get away. Ya know?," She then turned her attention to Lucas' merely ten year old sister, "And you must be Emma."

Emma blushed and nodded, then ran off.

"She's kinda shy." Karen laughed.

"Just like Lucas."

"Yeah, she's a lot like her brother. So, Brooke, what brings you back here?" Karen asked as she started unpacking groceries.

Brooke, before replying, looked around making sure Peyton and Lucas had not returned, "Well, it's funny your asking because I sorta need your help. You see I'm pregnant."

Karen gave her a questioning look. "Well since you aren't that young, twenty-eight, I assume this has something to do with the father?"

"Well, yeah, I guess you could say that. Lucas had come to L.A. for his book signing and we happened to run into each other. I am dating, I guess was dating, this guy named Ben. And then things happened and me and Ben broke up. And then later I found out that I happen to be pregnant. With Ben's child, of course. But I just can't tell him. I just can't. Because he'll try and convince me that we should get back together for the baby's sake and I'll be with him for the rest of my life when I don't really love him. And that's why, I guess, I came here. Thinking about it, it seems pretty selfish, but I just don't know what to do..." Brooke said as she closed her eyes stopping her tears from falling.

"Brooke," Karen said, giving the brunette a hug, "You need to tell him, sweetie."

"I know."

"Brooke?," Karen questioned as her and Brooke parted from the hug, she stared Brooke in the eyes, "Do you love Lucas?"

This time, before replying, Brooke didn't check to see if Peyton and Lucas returned, she just went on and answered, she should of really checked though because what do you know? There behind them stood the two blondes, "Karen, I don't know why. I mean after all we've been through, you'd think I would be over him. I mean, he loves Peyton, we all know that. But the truth is, I'm still in love with him. No matter how hard I try to deny it. And that's part of the reason that I can't tell Ben. Because things would get weirder than they already are." After a few minutes of silence, Lucas cleared his throat making his and Peyton's presence noticed.

"Oh, hey Lucas," Karen said giving her son a hug, "How was L.A.?"

"Interesting. But good." Lucas said as he looked at Brooke.

"That's good. It's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back." Brooke didn't know but just the way he said that line, it sounded like it was aimed at Peyton. 'It's good to be back'. Could that possibly mean it's good to be back because Peyton's here. Okay, Brooke admits, maybe she is getting a bit paranoid. Just a little. Okay, maybe more than a little. But can you blame her?

"Well, I'm going to start making dinner, you girls are welcomed to stay."

"No, that's okay." Both responded in unison.

"Well, Brooke," Lucas started, "You don't have a place to stay, you can stay here," He then saw Peyton's face that displayed a look of disgust, "And um, Peyton, you know you're always welcomed." Wow, this is so awkward. Brooke's cell phone began to ring. Saved by the phone.

"I'll be right back." Brooke quickly excused herself.

"Hello?"

"Brooke, hi, it's Taylor. Where are you? Ben's been looking for you."

"Shit..."

"Brooke, is there a problem?"

"No, look, Taylor, I have something to tell you."

"What is it?"

"I'm pregnant."

"Congratulations."

"No...Taylor, Ben and I broke up. And I'm not in L.A. anymore. I'm not in California anymore to be more specific."

"Where are you?"

"I'm in my hometown. All the way across the country, in North Carolina. Look, please don't tell Ben. Things have happened and I can't go back. I know, I'm really stupid, leaving the company and all...but I don't think this thing is permanent, I just need to straighten things out. Tell Ben, that I love him. I really, really love him. I just can't be with him. And thanks, Taylor, for all your help. I hope I'll come back there soon. But I don't know. I'll keep in touch."

"Um, yeah, of course." Taylor responded, trying to process all this in.

"Bye Taylor." Brooke hung up the phone as tears started to fall down. Closing her cell phone sorta symbolized her L.A. life disappearing. The life she once thought was perfect. That life that had replaced the life she was now returning to, in Tree Hill.

"Brooke." Karen came in.

"Oh, hey."

"Is everything alright?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

"Um, Peyton decided to leave, I put your bags in Lucas' room, he'll sleep on the couch."

"Oh, you don't need to do that."

"Oh, please, it's fine."

"Thanks Karen, for everything."

"If you ever need to talk, I'll be here."

"Thanks."

"Um, Brooke..." Lucas came in, joining the two.

"I'll leave you guys alone." Karen excused herself.

"Look, Brooke, can I talk to you."

"Sure." She replied uncomfortably. This was it. The moment he would tell her that he and Peyton were back together.

"I um...-." He started but was interrupted when once again, Brooke's phone rang.

"Well aren't you a busy person tonight?" He joked. She gave him a small smile, then looked at the caller i.d.

"It's Ben...crap..."

"Oh...I should probably leave you alone," Lucas said trailing off, "I'll talk to you later."

Brooke nodded as Lucas walked off.

"Hello." Brooke answered. She really wasn't in the mood to explain everything to Ben.

"Brooke?" Wait...that's not Ben... Whoever it was sounded extremely sad.

"Um, who is this?"

"This is Sarah, Ben's sister."

"Oh, hi, Sarah," Brooke replied confused. She only spoke to Sarah maybe once, when she had met Ben's parents. Why would she be calling her? Was something wrong?, "Is something wrong?" Brooke asked, scared of the response Sarah was about to reply. Before words escaped from Sarah's mouth, Brooke heard tiny sobs.

"Brooke, Ben was looking for you...and... he got into a car accident...Brooke, he didn't make it."

A/N - PLEASE REVIEW! Sorry this chapter wasn't the best. Besides the last line (where we find out Ben is dead), this chapter was mostly a filler chapter. It does leave a lot of open ends which you will find out in the next chapter :

-How will Brooke deal with the news she just found out?

-What was Lucas going to tell Brooke?

-What's going on with Leyton? (ew!)

(Next chapter will be better and longer.)

ALSO, Please check my profile because I've added some new stories (I'm not sure what new stories I listed in my other story's authors notes, so I'm not gonna list them. So please, if you can, read and review them. Thanks!)