Nathan found himself watching over Brooke again as she was sleeping. Only this time, he wouldn't have to wake her up. He knew that she felt the same way about him that he felt about her. In fact, he wasn't ever going to wake her up. Not for school, not for her friends, not for her parents…if they even cared. No, he wasn't going to let anyone in until Brooke wanted him or her to be.

Brooke rolled over towards the door, not wanting Nathan to know she was awake, and held her chunky pink heart necklace that Lucas had given her after their first month of dating. She had looked at it forever when they were shopping one day, but she had no cash left. She didn't think Lucas saw her eyeing it, but he told her to go ahead and get the car while he bought it for her. It was then when she first began to fall for him.

But that was one good day out of many, many, many bad ones.

All of a sudden, as if karma heard her thinking, Lucas barged into Nathan's room.

"Brooke, oh…Brooke, I'm so sorry I wasn't there. I should've been there. I'm so sorry." Lucas let out as he crossed the room and held Brooke in his arms, like he never wanted to let go. Like he had never cheated on her. And she kept holding on, like he never had.

None of this went unnoticed by Nathan.

"Eh-hem…" Nathan cleared his throat.

Lucas finally released Brooke but still held her shoulders with his hands.

"I'm so sorry for everything. Are you okay?" Lucas asked.

Brooke started to speak but Lucas cut her off.

"Well, I mean, are you okay now?" Lucas looked down at Brooke expectantly.

Brooke stayed quiet for a few more seconds, and Lucas again started talking.

"Listen, he's never going to see you again, okay? Not as long as I'm here."

Lucas hugged her again fiercely, and Brooke looked over his shoulder at Nathan, who was solemnly staring at her. After a few seconds, he tore his eyes away from her.

Brooke finally broke away from Lucas and whispered "Thank you, Luke."

"Anything for you, pretty girl." Lucas nodded in response.

Normally Brooke would have said something to his old nickname for her, but he was being so nice, so different, so not Lucas.

Where was this side of Lucas when they were dating? This was what she needed.

All Nathan could do was look on in disbelief.

What the hell was Brooke doing? Lucas was the guy that cheated on her. And it pissed Nathan off that she just let him in that quickly.

I guess it's just always going to be Brucas. No matter what I do, no matter what I say, no matter if he cheats on her everyday…it's always Brucas. Nathan thought.

Nathan crossed the room and went through the door, and Brooke followed him with her eyes until he was gone.

I'm so stupid. Now, Nathan hates me. But I'm not going to ruin this good of a moment with Luke. He's never this nice to me. Brooke thought. I'd better go talk to him.

"Lucas, thank you for being here for me. But, I have to tell you something."

Lucas waited for a response, but Brooke just couldn't tell him about Nathan. Not yet, not with this fragile of a situation.

"I…uh…I'm going downstairs. Can you tell Peyton and ask her to get my homework from school tomorrow? I'm gonna go see how Nathan's doing."

"Of course. But I have to tell you something."

"Okay."

"Brooke, I'm so sorry for what happened with Peyton. There's no reason for what I did, and my excuse is pathetic, too. But you have to know; Theresa told me that you spent a night with Nathan. I was pissed, because I really thought… I thought that we were the real thing. Peyton was already piss drunk, and I knew that she was the lowest I could go; the most hurtful thing I could do to you. I asked Nathan about it later, and he said nothing happened. And I know now that nothing did, but…I just…can we please just start over?"

Oh crap. Brooke thought.

"Luke, nothing happened between Nathan and me that night…but, something-"

Lucas cut her off with a chaste kiss, and karma decided to be a bitch again.

"Seriously, Brooke?"

Brooke turned around and saw Nathan standing in the doorway.

"Nathan-"

"I guess it's always going to be Lucas, huh?" Nathan said, and disappeared as quickly as he had come.

Lucas looked at the door. "What was that about?"

"Listen Luke, I was going to say that even though I never cheated on you with Nate, I have feelings for him now. Strong ones. And I'm not going to ignore them anymore. I love him. I have to go find him." Brooke ran out of the room, looking for Nathan.

Brooke got to the staircase and saw Nathan getting his jacket on by the door.

"Nathan, wait, please…just listen to me." Brooke pleaded as she came down the stairs.

"No, you listen, you've been playing around with my feelings, and now you're playing around with Luke's. I'll always be here for you, but you have to choose."

"Nathan, he kissed me, you just walked in on bad timing."

Nathan shoved his arms through the sleeves of his letterman jacket.

"It doesn't matter Brooke, you let him."

Nathan closed the door, and left Brooke to sit on the edge of the stairs.

It took Brooke a few seconds to realize something, but when she did, she threw open the door and ran after Nate.

She caught up to him just as he was getting in his car. It was storming and windy outside; Tree Hill was under a severe weather warning.

"You lying scum!" Brooke screamed through the rain and gusts of wind.

Nathan whipped his head around. "What?"

Brooke came closer to him. She didn't care that she was freezing. She didn't care that she was soaked. She didn't care that she'd probably get sick if she stayed out here much longer. All she cared about was Nathan.

"You lied to me! You said you would protect me! You said you'd never leave me alone again! But as soon as Lucas shows up, you run off like a moron. You didn't even let me explain anything. I always listen to you, but when something doesn't go your way, you can never just listen to me!" She screamed. She was starting to get tired.

"I never thought I'd walk in on Lucas shoving his toungue down your throat again! I thought you knew better than to trust him again, Brooke. I've walked in on that too many times, but I didn't think I'd walk in on it after everything that's happened."

"Nathan, I tried to tell him about you, and he kissed me! Okay? I didn't expect it at all. I didn't know he still wanted me, alright? How am I supposed to block something I didn't know was going to happen? And how could you think so low of me? I'm so far from trusting him that I might never be able to again. Not if that's the way he reacts to things. I don't love him, Nathan. I love you."

Nathan looked at her wet hair and her shivering body. She had never looked so beautiful. He couldn't leave her, not like this. And she was right. He had promised to protect her, and he was already failing.

"I love you, too."

Brooke smiled.

"Took you long enough."

"Me? I've already told you I love you before, you just said it-"

Brooke cut him off and jumped onto him, kissing him like there was no tomorrow.

Nathan regained his balance, and kissed back.

After a few good minutes of kissing, he finally pulled back and lowered her to the ground.

"Come on, you're gonna have a horrible cold. Let's go inside. I'm sure Lucas can…go to Peyton's or something."

"Nathan!"

"I'm sorry. Just kidding."

"Oh, haha, very funny. You know if I didn't love you so much, I'd have to beat you up."

"Oh really? Well if I didn't want to go inside and have my way with you, I might just let you."

"I love you Nathan Royal Scott."

"I love you more, Brooke Penelope Davis."