Authors note:
I own nothing. Flashbacks in italics…read and review. Someday by Rob Thomas…hopefully you have the chance to hear the songs that my chapters are titled after if you don't already know them…easy to see what is in my CD player today…love this song and it has always made me think about Brucas…hope you enjoy. Doing this chapter more on Lucas, which is new for this story. Hope you like…you know the drill…thanks for all the positive feedback, and I will try to get my other stories going again, but this one has just been so easy to write and I really like this perspective where Brooke is broken, but she is the one who walked away from him instead of Lucas breaking her heart…
"Hello."
"Hey, Peyton," he said in almost a whisper, not wanting to wake the sleeping brunette.
"Luke," she said groggily, "what time is it, is everything ok?"
"Hey, I know it's early there, Peyt, we just need to talk."
"Ok, is something wrong, is it Haley," she said wiping her eyes, looking at her clock it was only a little after 2am, "is it Brooke?"
"It's Brooke actually," he said.
"Oh my god, Luke is she ok?"
"Yeah, Peyton, it's not like that."
"Ok," she said.
"You know when we talked last night, about everything, and I was leaving L.A. and I got a call. This publishing company wants to publish my book."
"God, Luke that's great, I'm happy for you."
"Thanks," he said, "the thing is that they are in New York, so I got a flight to New York, and I called her."
"Brooke?"
"Yeah, I called her, and after I met with the editor I saw Brooke."
"Ok, Luke, I told you that you need to do what is in your heart," she said, "and I stand by that."
"I don't know what all of this means, Peyton," he said peaking out and seeing her still sleeping.
"I think it means you still care for her, Luke, and I know her enough to know…"
"I'm scared," he sighed, "of all of this. Last night I'm proposing to you and this morning I am waking up with her."
"You stayed with her?"
"Not exactly."
"Ok," she said, "Luke you and Brooke are adults, you two can do what you want, don't let me keep you from that."
"I was there, in L.A. when I got the call about the book," he said, "and my first thought was telling her, not you or Haley or my mom, but telling Brooke. Crazy right?"
"No Lucas," she said with a smile, "it's not crazy. Brooke is Brooke, you know, you two have this history, and somehow along the way I got in the way, but if the two of you give yourselves a chance, Luke, I think someday…"
"Someday maybe we can figure it all out, maybe we can find our way back."
"Yeah, I mean she's done the hiding, holding her feeling inside, trying to pretend she's ok," Peyton said wiping her eyes, "and I did that. I took and made her that way, God, Lucas, if there is a chance for the two of you, take it. Ok, don't question it. Find a way to make things better, find a way to better this time, if not right now, at least someday."
"That's the thing, Peyton," he said, "I don't want to wait, you know? She's the one for me, she always has been and last night, being here with her, it just made me see how much I have missed her, and missed who I am when I'm with her."
"Sometimes we don't really notice how good things can get," she said, "when we're trying to force something else. Start all over with her Lucas, do that if that is what's in your heart."
"Thanks, Peyton," he said with a chuckle, "twenty four hours ago, who would've thought you and me would be having this conversation?"
"Not me," she laughed, "but Luke, we're ok, me and you. Don't feel like you can't go for this with Brooke because of me, that's the last thing I want or deserve ok?"
"Ok," he said.
"Ok, now go tell her how you feel so I can get some sleep," she laughed.
"Bye," he said hanging up the phone. He looked at himself in the mirror, he was a mess, but he was happy. Being with Brooke was just right. "Hey, sleeping beauty," he said walking out of the bathroom. "Brooke," he said looking towards the door, that's when he spotted the note laying on the pillow. He sat down holding that piece of paper, feeling like his heart had been ripped out.
"Hey big brother," Nathan said knocking on the door. Lucas was standing there staring out the window, "you nervous?"
"Nah," Lucas said fidgeting with his tie, "I'm ok."
"You sure?"
"Yeah," Lucas said as he sat on the edge of the couch, "is she ok?"
"By she you mean Brooke," Nathan asked, Lucas nodded, "she's Brooke. You know that she's never gonna really tell me what is wrong, but she says she's ok."
"Is Haley with Lindsey," he asked nervously.
"Yeah, she stayed with her last night, Brooke crashed at our place," he said as he sat down across from his brother, "she got up early, went to the river court."
"What am I doing," he asked as he shook his head.
"Well, you're getting married today, Luke," Nathan said.
"Yeah, I am," he said with a forced smile.
"Hey you," Peyton said as she walked towards Brooke and Skills.
"P. Sawyer," Skills said hugging her.
"Brooke," Peyton said.
"Peyton," she said avoiding eye contact with her former best friend.
"I am gonna head inside and get a seat," Skills said with a smile, "behave."
"You ok," Peyton asked.
"I'm sorry," Brooke said, "I shouldn't have acted the way I did last night, Peyton and I'm sorry."
"Brooke, you don't owe me an apology," she said, "you don't. I was wrong all those years ago, what I said and what I did, Brooke, I was wrong. And I need you to know that," she wiped her eyes, "I know we can't go back and I can't undo that, but I want to be your friend again, a real friend."
"You are my friend P. Sawyer," Brooke said as they hugged, "and look, the things I said…"
"Hey, you and me are ok," Peyton said, "no need to relive our moments, ok? I just want to move forward."
"Me too," Brooke said wiping her eyes, "I should probably apologize to Haley and Millie," she hesitated, "and Lindsey."
"I'm thinking we save the apologies until after the ceremony," the blonde said, Brooke looked confused, "Lindsey is nervous enough without seeing you right now, so let's give her space."
"Ok."
"Is this what you want, Luke?"
"Nathan…"
"Luke, if you are having doubts, man," he said, "you've got to talk to her, tell her what you're feeling."
"What do I say, Nathan, huh?"
"You tell her what you feel," he said as he patted his brother on the shoulder, "I meant Brooke."
"What," Lucas asked confused.
"Look, I'm gonna say it because no one else will, Lucas, you were there last night, you heard what we all heard. Lindsey heard it too ok? If you are second guessing this marriage before it has begun, you gotta talk to her," Nathan said, "that time I meant Lindsey."
"What do I do? Do I risk what I have with Lindsey for someday maybe getting more from Brooke? Is that what I do? Nate, I don't know what to do."
"Luke, it's your call man," Nathan said walking towards the door, "I'm gonna go check on everything." Lucas stood alone again. Waiting. Wondering. He had no clue what he was supposed to do. The truth was that he did hear Brooke and what she said, and so did Lindsey. And yet here he was, Lindsey still wanted to marry him.
He walked to the room where his best friend and fiancé were getting ready and knocked on the door.
"Luke," Haley said opening the door.
"Hey," he said with a sigh, "Hales, I gotta see her."
"No Lucas, it is bad luck to see her," she said playfully.
"Haley," he said with a serious tone that actually made her heart race.
"Luke, are you sure," she pleaded.
"Haley," Lindsey called from behind, "it's fine, really."
"Ok," she said as she let Lucas in, "do what's in your heart, Luke," she whispered to him as she kissed his cheek.
"Wow," he said as he looked at Lindsey, "you look so beautiful."
"You're not so bad yourself," she smiled.
"Lindsey," he said, "I'm sorry."
"I know," she said wiping the tears that were streaming her face, "I knew, I always knew."
"I don't want to hurt you, Lindsey, but this," he said, "this wouldn't be right. I mean, there is so much in my life right now that I'm not sure about, and I don't want to hurt you."
"It's ok," she said wiping her eyes, "Lucas, it's ok. I was always rooting for the two of you, you know that."
"I'm sorry. Lindsey, I'm so sorry," he said hugging her.
"Go, ok," she said wiping her eyes, "it's fine Luke, just go."
"Ok," he said, he opened the door to Haley standing there, "I'm sorry Hales."
"It's what you needed Lucas," she said hugging her best friend, "go, I've got this ok? She'll be ok."
"Thank you," he said as he walked away.
"I can't believe neither of has a date," Brooke said as she and Peyton stood in the hallway outside the chapel.
"What kind of guy leaves his girlfriend alone in Tree Hill," Peyton asked jokingly as they looked at the pews of St. James filling up, "but, at least Julian's excuse was legit."
"Oh yeah," Brooke smiled, "like I really think he is casting in L.A. today."
"Funny, have I ever told you how much I missed your sense of humor," Peyton asked, "but at least my date will be here for the reception."
"Hey, at least you have a date, can you believe Chase and Mia? Really?"
"Yeah," Peyton said, motioning towards an approaching Lucas, "looks like you may have gotten a date after all…"
"Huh," Brooke said turning around to face Lucas.
"Brooke," he said.
"I'm gonna go," Peyton hesitated, "do something."
"Lucas," she said, her heart racing.
"Brooke," he said running his hands thru his hair, "I don't know what I'm doing, but I can't just pretend that last night didn't happen."
"God, Lucas, I'm sorry, if you need me to talk to Lindsey, I can, I just had a lot of tequila…"
"Brooke," he said stopping her ramble, "it's you. I know I've told you before, but I want you to listen Brooke, ok? I love you. I do, and maybe someday we'll figure this out. Maybe someday we'll be able to get past this doubt and the pain and hurt, try to find away to make it better. You can hide Brooke, you can try to pretend that last night didn't matter, that it didn't happen, but I hope someday, we can figure this all out, and we can live our lives Brooke, someday. Lindsey and I aren't getting married."
"Lucas…"
"I don't want to wait, Brooke, I want you to tell me now," he said, "but I will wait, I'll wait as long as you need me to Brooke Davis, because I know that you know we belong together. Someday. Maybe we start all over, we figure out a way to make things better. You are the girl for me Brooke Davis," he said as he turned to walk away, and she let him. She watched him walk away, and as much as she wanted to stop him, she couldn't. Truth was she was afraid, afraid of him, the way he made her feel, how good it could be if she let it. So instead, she let him go with the desire in her heart that someday they would be ok.
"Someday," she whispered to herself as she wiped her eyes, "someday Lucas Scott."
