On reaching Brooke's apartment building, Lucas felt his stomach tie in knots at the thought of meeting his daughter properly for the first time in both his and her life. He waited anxiously as Brooke searched in her bag for the door key, exhaling slowly and meaningfully as she slid it into the lock and turned it purposefully.

Slowly Brooke pulled the door open, holding it wide and gesturing for Lucas to enter the building before her. Nervously, Lucas stepped into the foyer he remembered vividly from earlier that day and waited for Brooke to follow after him.

Finally Brooke crossed the threshold into the building, smiling at Lucas as she approached him and noticed the restless look upon his face.

"Are you nervous?" Brooke asked him, placing a comforting hand on his arm.

"Terrified," Lucas admitted honestly.

"Trust me," Brooke replied as she started to make her way up the corridor to her building, Lucas following at her side. "You have nothing to worry about. She's going to love you."

"You think?" Lucas questioned with concern. "I mean what if we don't get on or we have nothing to talk about?"

"I'm sure you'll think of something." Brooke reassured him as she passed the door to her apartment and paused momentarily outside Carly's. "Chances are that once you're inside you won't be able to get a word in anyway. Ashleigh will take care of that for you."

"Right," Lucas said, nodding to himself. "Ok sure, yeah, I can do this. It's not a big deal."

Brooke smiled as she watched Lucas' attempt to reassure himself.

"Are you ready?" Brooke asked watching closely as Lucas exhaled loudly and shook his hands out before him.

"As I'll ever be," he replied uncertainly.

"Ok then," Brooke said reaching for the door handle and turning it slowly.

Gently Brooke leaned her weight into the door, pushing it open to reveal the room of the other side.

"He-yyy" Brooke said, elongating the word in disbelief as she took in the scene before her.

As Lucas stepped into the room behind the brunette he couldn't help but let a small smile creep across his face at the sight before him.

Carly's apartment looked as though it had been at the epicentre of an earthquake. Pots and pans from the kitchen were strewn all across the floor, paint covering almost every surface in sight including both his daughter and her caretaker.

Over by the kitchen area, Ashleigh was sitting in Carly's lap, paint covering her denim dungarees and face, a wooden spoon in her hand which was hovering just above the top of Carly's pan covered head.

As her gaze fell on to Lucas, Carly raised her eyebrow knowingly a small smile creeping onto her lips. Lucas raised his hand slightly in greeting, causing Carly to nod in return, the pan slipping down slightly atop her head and covering her eyes.

Slowly, Carly pushed the pan back up to clear her vision, just as Ashleigh jumped from her lap and ran towards Brooke. As she approached Brooke, crouched down to envelope her daughter in a warm embrace, rocking the small girl gently from side to side in her arms and kissing her gently on the forehead.

"Hey mom," Ashleigh said giggling as she wiped at a spot of paint on her face with the back of her hand.

"Hey sweetheart," Brooke said in response, taking Ashleigh's hand in hers and standing back up. "Have you had a good time?"

"Uh huh," Ashleigh said nodding as Brooke swayed her daughters hand gently in her own. "We were painting."

"I can see that." Brooke said smiling at her daughter before glancing over towards her friend, who was turning the pan around on her head so that the handle face backwards.

Slowly Carly leant forward in her wheelchair, propping herself up on her elbows.

"It was Ashleigh's idea." Carly said simply, causing Brooke to laugh.

"Is that right?" Brooke asked sceptically.

"Yep," Carly replied winking at Ashleigh before leaning back in her chair again. "I was just an innocent bystander in all of this"

As she said this Carly spread her arms out before her to signify that she was talking about the mess.

"Uh huh," Brooke said dubiously. "Why don't I believe that?"

"I don't know," Carly said as she started to negotiate the obstacles on the floor around her and make her way towards Brooke. "Probably experience."

"Probably," Brooke said laughing as she glanced towards her daughter once more.

"So…" Carly said as she stopped a few inches in front of her friend. "Are you going to make introductions or just leave the poor guy standing there unnoticed?"

Brooke glanced momentarily towards Carly before quickly averting her attention to Lucas who was still watching the scene before him in amusement.

"I'm so sorry," Brooke said to Lucas, her free hand over heart to emphasize it's meaning.

"That's ok," Lucas said, taking a step towards the others and dropping his gaze to the small brunette girl before him.

"Carly you already met Lucas," Brooke said looking between the two adults.

"I do," Carly said reaching her hand out towards him. "Nice to meet you again."

Lucas took Carly's hand in his own and shook it firmly responding, "You too."

Ashleigh watch the exchange play out before her closely only turning her attention away from Carly and Lucas and Brooke knelt down slowly in front of her.

"Ashleigh, you remember my friend from this morning don't you?" Brooke asked her daughter who was watching Lucas closely as he too knelt before her.

Ashleigh nodded slightly, her large inquisitive eyes meeting Lucas' and causing his chest to swell with emotion as he took her small form in and committed it to memory. It was strange the sensation which swept over him in that moment, almost as though for the first time in his life he felt completed. Almost instantly Lucas had fallen in love with the young girl, with everything about her. Her long brown hair, her rounded cheeks and the small dimples she showed when she smiled, he loved it all.

"This is Lucas," Brooke said rubbing her daughters back soothingly with her free hand. "Are you going to say hello?"

"Hi Ashleigh," Lucas said offering his hand reflexively and cursing himself inwardly. "It's nice to finally meet you. Your mom has told me a lot about you."

For a moment, Ashleigh stood stationary, not sure how to react to Lucas' introduction. Inside, Lucas felt his gut wrench and the same insecurities he'd had moments before resurface with a vengeance. What if she didn't like him? Or she didn't want to get to know him? As the silence in the room continued, Lucas' breath caught in his chest and he fought to keep his composure intact. In that moment, Lucas was so scared of being rejected by his daughter that he saw his whole world fall down around him if she turned away.

Slowly Ashleigh took a small step towards Lucas, before finally reaching her small hand out and taking his in it. Lucas felt himself relax at the girls' movement, a huge smile creeping onto his lips as he exhaled slowly in relief. Carefully Lucas wrapped his hand around his daughters and shook it gently. Her hand felt so small enveloped within his and he couldn't help but notice how soft her skin was against his.

"Hi," Ashleigh said glancing momentarily at her mom who nodded encouragingly, before the young girl leant forward and whispered quietly to Lucas. "Do you like paintings?"

"Sure," Lucas laughed in response to the question, happiness overwhelming him as Ashleigh tugged at his hand and caused him to stand up.

Once on his feet, Ashleigh slowly led him towards the lowered kitchen counter, talking animatedly as she did.

Brooke watched the two of them together and as Ashleigh took a seat at the counter, Lucas threw Brooke a grateful look before focusing his attention back on his daughter, who was excitedly pointing at the pictures atop the surface.

As she looked on, Brooke felt tears begin to form in the corner of her eyes and hastily wiped at them with the back of her hand. Beside her she sensed Carly manoeuvre herself nearer until eventually she felt the touch of her friends hand comfortingly on her arm.

Brooke glanced down at Carly who was studying her closely from her wheelchair before placing her hand atop her friends and rubbing it thankfully.

"I'm alright," Brooke, said honestly to allay her friends obvious concerns.

"Are you sure?" Carly asked in response.

"Yeah," Brooke said smiling once more as she took in the scene before her.

"Good," Carly said removing her hand from her friends arm and turning her chair to face Lucas and Ashleigh, "because I'm sending you my dry cleaning bill."

Brooke laughed as she looked down at Carly who was smiling up at her playfully.

"You know you look ridiculous right?" Brooke asked leaning up against the wall slightly and realising too late that she'd rested in a spot of paint.

"I know," Carly, said laughing as Brooke rolled her eyes at the fresh paint mark on her sweater.

"Perfect," Brooke said sarcastically as she carefully pulled the sweater over her head and removed it.

"I think it bought out your eyes." Carly said sarcastically finding her friends annoyance amusing.

"Shut up," Brooke said hitting her playfully on the arm.

"What?" Carly replied laughing. "I'm being serious."

Brooke gave Carly a knowing look before throwing her sweater at her friend and hitting her square in the face.

"You should get cleaned up?" Brooke said seriously. "You're coming to dinner with Mrs Feltham this evening right?"

"I am," Carly said, throwing the sweater back at Brooke. "I was actually planning on going like this though? You don't think she'd like it?"

"Uh…no." Brooke said fiddling with the sweater in her hands before turning her attention back to Carly. "I think she'll probably send you to the corner."

"Hmm…" Carly murmured feigning contemplation. "Now we wouldn't want that would we? Maybe I should take a shower?"

"I don't think it would hurt," Brooke answered teasingly. "You're starting to smell a little funky."

"Honesty," Carly said laughing at Brooke's words and turning her wheelchair towards the direction of her bedroom. "I knew there was a reason, I kept you around so long."

"You mean, it's not for my quick wit and amazing company." Brooke said mockingly.

"Definitely not," Carly called back over her shoulder as she made her way to her bedroom.

Brooke watched after her friend for a moment as she passed the kitchen counter where Ashleigh was busy showing Lucas the drawings she had made earlier that day. The pair of them looked up as Carly came into their line of vision, Ashleigh smiling broadly at the older women.

"Hey aunt Carly," Ashleigh said enthusiastically as Carly removed the pan from her head and placed it right side up on the counter. "You want to help me show Lucas our drawings?"

"I'd love to kiddo," Carly said sincerely. "However, I've got to get ready for dinner this evening and I think your mom is going to take you home, so I can get the elves in to clean this place up."

"Aww…" Ashleigh moaned as she placed the picture she was holding onto the kitchen counter in front of her. "You said I could meet them…"

"There's always tomorrow," Carly said winking at the young girl before her. "I'm always making a mess. Don't worry they'll be back."

Ashleigh pouted slightly in disappointment and Lucas couldn't help but place his hand on her shoulder caringly.

"You know Ashleigh," Lucas said soothingly. "I'm kind of glad you don't get to meet the elves today."

"You are?" Ashleigh asked confused. "Why?"

"Well," Lucas said as he glanced towards Brooke who was approaching them from where'd she been watching the exchange. "I'm glad, because you promised me that you'd show me all the drawings in your bedroom and if you'd stayed to meet the elves then I wouldn't get to because you'd be busy."

Ashleigh seemed to consider Lucas' words for a moment as she watched him closely.

"I guess I can meet them tomorrow," Ashleigh said finally as she looked back towards Carly. "Right now I have to show Lucas my pictures."

"That's definitely more important," Carly responded encouragingly. "Lucas here clearly has an appreciation for your pictures and I don't think the elves really like drawings that much."

Carly winked at Lucas who couldn't help but laugh at her manner.

"Why don't you grab your things sweetheart?" Brooke suggested as she rounded the counter and helped Ashleigh down from her seat. "Then you can take Lucas next door and show off all the special things in your bedroom."

"Ok," Ashleigh said running off quickly towards where her bag was lying on the sofa in Carly's lounge.

As Ashleigh returned to where the adults were gathered, her bag now in hand, she reached slowly for Lucas' hand and he stood up compliantly as she began to lead the way to the apartment door.

"Bye aunt Carly," Ashleigh called over her shoulder and throwing the women a quick look.

"Bye Ash," Carly responded smiling as she watched after the pair of them. "Nice meeting you again Lucas."

"You too," Lucas replied, pausing for an instant to wave a quick goodbye before Ashleigh once again tugged on his hand and pulled him through the now open door.

"Come on slow poke, it's this way." Ashleigh explained in her high-pitched voice, causing Lucas to smile down at her. "My bedroom is pink –"

Brooke watched the pair of them leave, listening to her daughters voice trail off as they disappeared into the corridor before turning back to her best friend.

"Thanks for watching her," Brooke said gratefully. "I really appreciate it."

"It's my pleasure," Carly said watching Brooke closely and sensing apprehension in her demeanour. "Is everything ok?"

Brooke averted her gaze to the floor for a moment, avoiding Carly's confused expression as she answered.

"Listen, Carly, about earlier…." Brooke began hesitantly.

"Forget about it," Carly answered in anticipation of where the conversation was headed. "Just

"No, I…" Brooke tried again. "I really am sorry…"

"Brooke," Carly interrupted laughing slightly. "I said forget about it. As far as I'm concerned it's water under the bridge."

"Are you sure?" Brooke asked uncertainly.

"Positive," Carly answered smiling. "I'll see you at dinner later."

"Ok," Brooke said smiling at her friend. "I'll see you later."

Brooke nodded slightly as she said this, smiling one last time at Carly before finally turning and making her way towards the apartment door. Just as she reached it, Carly called out to her, causing Brooke to pause momentarily in the doorway.

"Just be careful." Carly said protectively, pushing herself slightly towards Brooke. "With Lucas…" she clarified. "Don't rush into anything."

"Lucas wouldn't hurt Ashleigh," Brooke said misinterpreting Carly's concern.

"I was talking about you." Carly said bluntly.

"What do you mean?" Brooke asked confused.

"I see how you look at him Brooke," Carly explained. "However you felt about him…it's still there…just… don't let those feelings come in between him getting to know Ash. That should come first. If there's meant to be anything between you then it'll happen on its own, in it's own time. Don't make it anymore complicated than it needs to be."

Brooke nodded slowly in understanding, patting the doorframe gently with the palm of her hand before turning and making her way up the corridor to her apartment, leaving Carly alone in her apartment.