Sorry it took so long. I had major writers block while writing this chapter. But I also loved writing it. Anyway, I'm glad you've come back for more. Please enjoy!
-whit
Xxxx
Chapter 8 Bedtime Bear
Lucas pushed the door open that led to Brooke's apartment. The fact that she could afford an apartment in New York City spoke volumes of her social standing. Financially speaking anyway.
Her apartment was immaculate. Brooke had a modern design: leather couch, elegant glass coffee table with high fashion magazines covering it, flat screen television on the wall, a long chic picture of the Chicago skyline attracting the attention of the room. There was a dining room to the left and a kitchen just ahead of that.
Lucas helped Brooke to her couch and sat her down. He reached over, grabbed a pillow and propped Brooke's leg up on her table.
"I love Chicago," Lucas commented as he stared at the picture on the wall, "that's a beautiful photograph."
"That's why it's up there." Brooke said as she rolled her eyes.
Lucas laughed dryly, "You don't take compliments well, do you."
Brooke said nothing as Lucas waited on.
"Ok. Do you have some wrap around here?" Lucas asked.
"What? Like wrapping paper? What do you need that for?"
Lucas looked at Brooke completely dumbfounded. "No Brooke, not wrapping paper. A wrap that's used for sprains, like athletic wrap." Lucas said the last two words slowly.
"Oh…" Brooke said, feeling stupid, "…no, not that kind."
Lucas thought for a moment before leaving the apartment. Fine, leave. Brooke thought to herself. She was already feeling stupid enough for the wrapping paper faux pas, the last thing she needed was Lucas taking care of her. Brooke slowly lifted her foot off the coffee table and attempted to get up. As much as she hated to admit it, Lucas was right, her ankle was swelling and she needed to get some ice on it. ASAP. When she thought she had a good balance Brooke shifted some more wait to her right leg. Bad idea.
"Oh shit!" Brooke exclaimed as she fell forward and flat onto…the arms of Lucas?
"Whoa, careful there." Lucas said as he caught Brooke mid-air.
Except for her left leg that was still planted on the ground, the rest of her body clung to Lucas. She looked up and was met with a pair of beautiful blue eyes. They look concerned; wondering if she was alright. She held his gaze for a moment and subconsciously bit her lower lip. Those lips, Brooke thought, why does he have to have such persuading lips?
"You should sit down." Lucas broke Brooke out of her thoughts.
They went back to the couch and this time Lucas sat beside her.
"Why'd you get up anyway?" Lucas asked.
"I was just trying to get some ice and seeing as you had left me…"
Lucas put his bag up on his lap and pulled out some wrap and some sort of cream.
"…to get that." Brooke finished, pointing to the products Lucas held.
Lucas took the lid off of the cream and scooped some out. He grabbed Brooke's right foot and started to rub some on. Brooke instantly pulled away.
"What the hell is that?"
Lucas looked at the cream and then back at Brooke, "It's just…for your foot. It'll help with the swelling." Lucas explained and rubbed the rest in
He set the cream aside and unrolled the wrap.
"Please tell me that's not used." Brooke laughed.
Lucas laughed along and just shook his head. He carefully wrapped Brooke's foot up as she watched on.
Once Lucas was done he patted her ankle, "There ya go."
Brooke leaned back in the couch and pressed a hand against her head.
Unsure of what to do Lucas asked Brooke if she was ok.
"No," Brooke answered and shook her head side to, "I'm the dumbass who slipped on the floors, even though she was warned, the stubborn brat who tried to stand on her sprained foot. I have a headache the size of Texas, a fashion show to pull off tonight. And to top it all off, I'm spilling all of this to…YOU." Brooke half cried, half laughed as she spread her arms out.
"Well at least you have your health. Oop, no, I guess you don't." Lucas joked.
Brooke just rolled her eyes. Something she was becoming accustomed to doing around Lucas.
Lucas patted his legs for a moment and then got up off the couch. Before Brooke could ask what he was doing, Lucas left the living room and headed for the hall. Shortly down the hall, Lucas found the bathroom. It was simple with a bit of a beach theme going on. Lucas browsed through Brooke's medicine cabinet until he found some ibuprofen. He left the bathroom and kitty corner from there noticed Brooke's bedroom. Out of curiosity Lucas quietly wandered in there. On Brooke's bed was something that surprised Lucas.
Out in the living room Brooke got impatient wondering what Lucas was doing in her apartment.
"LUCAS! What the hell…" Brooke screamed, just as Lucas walked back into the living room.
"…are you doing?" She finished, not as loud but still as annoyed.
Lucas shook the ibuprofen bottle. "Thought you might need this and…" Lucas pulled out a stuffed animal from behind his back, "this." Lucas shook the bear around.
"Oh my god. What are you doing with that?" Brooke asked and reached out for it.
"No, I think the question is: what are you doing with it." Lucas countered, "I mean you're what, 23, 24. Wouldn't it be a little more age appropriate to have a guy in there rather than a teddy bear?"
"That is not a teddy bear."
"Oh really."
"Yes, really. It's a care bear and it's a classic." Brooke defended and reached out for it again.
Lucas pulled it back and looked at it. "I think he should be out here then, where he can be on display."
Then Lucas went over to the kitchen and set the care bear up on the bar. He got two glasses out and filled them both with water. He clutched the bear with the notch of his right arm and carried the glasses with his hands. He sat down on an ottoman next to the couch and sat the bear next to him.
"Here," he threw the bottle of pills over at Brooke and handed her the other glass of water.
Then he took a sip of his water and relaxed on the ottoman.
"You know, you can take Bedtime bear with you if you want. You two seem to be getting pretty cozy." Brooke said as she noticed how close the care bear was to Lucas.
Lucas looked over at the bear. "You named him Bedtime bear?" Lucas asked looking at Brooke funny.
"No dumbass. That's his name, in the show."
Lucas looked over at "bedtime bear" and shrugged.
"Who would've thought that underneath your cocky, egocentric, ass of an exterior, there'd be an alright guy."
Brooke didn't say it harshly, but she did mean it. Every word of it. And Lucas didn't blame her. New Years Eve was not one of his top favorite memories. At the time he was still deeply hurt by what happened with Peyton. He was lonely and Brooke was there and he wanted her. It was wrong. But he did like kissing her.
Running his thumb across his chin Lucas leaned forward. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry. I'm not usually the ass I was that night and…you didn't deserve any of that shit I threw at you."
He was being sincere, Brooke could see that. And for the second time that day she wanted to kiss him.
"Yeah, Haley told me over and over. "He was just hurt Brooke, he's not ever like that."" Brooke mimicked in her best Haley voice.
Lucas laughed, "I know it doesn't matter but what she said was true. You're Haley's friend and I know it's important to her that we…well… don't hate each other. What do ya say we call it a truce?" Lucas offered and stuck out his hand.
"I'll think it over."
Brooke then started to get up off the couch. She struggled to gain any balance and eventually Lucas stepped in.
"I'm a big girl. I don't need you." Brooke said as Lucas reached out for her.
"You really shouldn't walk on that foot, though."
Just as he said that Brooke put some weight on it. It's just a sprain. It's not like it's broken, Brooke thought. For the second time that day; it was a bad idea.
"God damn it!" Brooke screamed.
"Jesus Brooke, just let me help you."
Although reluctant, Brooke lets Lucas help her. She wasn't going to get anywhere herself.
"Where you going?"
"Just to my room. I need to lie down."
Lucas put Brooke's left arm around him and put his right arm around her waist. He told her to put all her weight on him and her left leg, so she did. Slowly, they made it to Brooke's room. Brooke sat on her bed and Lucas awkwardly found a place to stand.
"God, what am I going to do? I have a fashion show to put on and I can't even walk?"
Lucas sat down, "You just need some crutches Brooke."
"I've worked really hard for this night, ya know. And it's just for a charity event but that's what makes it even more important. I can't walk around on crutches. I won't be able to do anything."
Brooke started crying, which further embarrassed her. Lucas shifted closer to her in an attempt to comfort her. He pushed some hair out of her face and noticed her lip was trembling.
Lucas' mouth parted but before he could say anything Brooke spoke.
"God, I don't even know you. I am so fucking embarrassed."
Lucas smiled, "Don't be."
"Why do you have to be nice? I was getting use to not liking you." Brooke laughed
"You're not too bad yourself."
"That's because I wasn't the ass to begin with."
Lucas just laughed. He was staring at her when she looked up and her eyes met his. It wasn't explosive or mind boggling, but he did feel something. And he realized that he was in trouble. It didn't help matters when she bit bottom lip. Without realizing what he was doing Lucas reached over and pushed a strand of hair behind Brooke's ear.
"Sorry, am I interrupting?" Came a voice from behind.
xxxx
Sooo? I'm dying to know what you think. I'll admit I was a little worried about the ending. Let me know what you think. Thx for rdg!
