Lucas stood over Brooke as she slept in her bed. He had brought her home as she had asked at the clinic. She seemed different the whole time. Somehow, she seemed more at peace, but scared out of her mind. She had gotten into the bathtub when they got back, and Lucas helped calm her down by rubbing her back and feet. Afterwards, he helped her get dressed, then got her into bed, where she quickly fell asleep. He bent over and pulled the blanket up farther, and kissed her forehead. He wanted to stay. He wanted to be there when she woke up, but his mom would kill him, and he really needed to talk to someone. He was so scared. He was happy Brooke decided to keep the baby, but so scared. He quickly jotted down a note to Brooke so she knew he wasn't abandoning her, then started for home.
Normally, he would go to the river court to play ball for a while to clear his head, but he was afraid Julian would show up again and demand answers from him for his earlier actions. He didn't know what to say to him just yet. There were many many missed calls from Julian on Lucas' phone that he was all ready avoiding. He couldn't face him, just yet. He had so many other things to figure out first.
When he finally got home, his mom and Keith were snuggled together on the couch watching a movie. Lucas' stomach started to twist into knots the moment he walked through the door, trying to build the courage he needed to own up to what has happened and face the consequences his mom was sure to throw at him.
"Hey, my boy," Karen greeted warmly, "I was wondering if I was going to have to send out search and rescue to find you."
Lucas didn't reply, instead he sat down on a chair across from his mom and Keith and looked at them, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. Both of their faces immediately turned to concern as they sat up, ready to hear whatever it was that was bothering Lucas. He didn't know how to start, so he sat there for several moments, trying to find the right words to start with.
"Lucas?" Karen spoke first, her voice full of fear, "you're scaring me, Lucas, what is going on?"
"Mom, Keith," Lucas finally spoke, his voice breaking, "I have something I need to tell you, and you're not going to be happy with me."
"What is it, Lucas?" Keith questioned, never one to beat around a bush. "You're scaring your mother to death."
Lucas looked down, unable to look his mom in the eyes as he told her the very news he knew she never wanted to hear from him. She was young when she had him, and she didn't want the same thing for her only son.
"Please don't hate me," he begging, the tears too much for him to hold back. He drew in a large breath, wiped his face, and finally looked up to the both of them. "As you have probably seen, Brooke and I became very close this summer. We...I'm in love with her. I didn't mean to fall in love with her, but I did."
"Oh Lucas, is that all? We could tell the moment it happened," Karen shook her head. "I know you're scared of what will happen with Julian, but honey, Keith and I love you no matter what. Sometimes, you can't help who you fall in love with."
"Lucas," Keith let out a small chuckle, "I fell in love with my brother's girlfriend," Keith cocked his head to the side, indicating it was Karen he was talking about.
"That's not all," Lucas let out a hesitant breath. Karen and Keith both gave him encouraging smiles. "Brooke's...she's going to have a baby."
Both of their faces fell, and Karen immediately brought her hand to her mouth to stifle the soft sob she couldn't contain. Her eyes filed with tears, as she stared at her only son. Keith immediately turned towards Karen and pulled her into his chest, and started rubbing circles on her back. He looked back up to Lucas. His face didn't communicate anger or disappointment, but fear. He was scared for Lucas. Scared for Brooke. Scared of how these two were going to handle the responsibility of another human being.
"Mom," Lucas's voice was strained, filled with emotion, "I am so sorry. I am so sorry to disappoint you. Brooke was on birth control. She's been on birth control forever," he tried to explain. He tried to reason, to get her to see that they weren't completely irresponsible. "Haley-she told her that because she was taking an antibiotic it interfered with the birth control. Mom, I am so sorry."
Lucas stopped talking as his mom stood up and walked towards him. He couldn't face her, so he put his head in his hands and slumped down. She immediately sat down next to him, wrapped her arm around his shoulders and pulled him into her chest. "I-I," a sob escaped pat her lips, "you're not a disappointment, Lucas," she cried as she spoke, "you are my boy, my only baby, and I am so scared for you." She pulled him in close as his sons started to make him shake. "I am not happy about this situation, but I will help you as much as I can." Lucas started to calm down a little as his mother spoke comforting words. "I have grown to love Brooke, as you have, and I will not abandon either of you right now. Lucas, I am just so cared for you," she bent over and pressed her face into her son's hair, sobs beginning to take over her. Keith soon joined them, and rubbed comforting circles on there backs as they let their emotions run free.
_
The next day, Lucas set out early to meet Brooke at her house before they had to be to school. He hadn't slept at all the night before. Neither had his mom or Keith. They all say up talking about the news. He knew he had let his mom down, but gained comfort in the fact that he knew she was going to support him. It was her grandchild, after all, she had told him. He needed to tell Brooke. There was so much more they needed to figure out, but he needed her to know that they had someone on their side.
Brooke was up and getting ready for school when he arrived. "Hey pretty girl," he greeted her.
"Oh, hey Lucas," she smiled, looking at him through the mirror as she fixed her hair.
"So, I talked to my mom last night," Lucas spoke, trying to keep his expression positive. He didn't know where her head was at for sure. They hadn't talked about much since leaving the clinic the previous day.
"You did?" She questioned, eyeing him suspiciously.
"I told her about the baby." He informed her. Brooke's face immediately fell and fear was written across it. "It was good," he continued, trying to calm her nerves. "She was sad, and scared, but she said she's going to support us and help when she can."
Brooke dropped the brush, and looked down towards her lap. "Lucas," she sighed. He didn't like that tone. He knew that tone. "I.." She hesitated, still not looking up at him.
"Brooke," Lucas' voice dropped too, and panic was clearly written in his voice. He knew he was losing her again, even though she was never really his. He knew she was about to break his heart again. He just thought after yesterday, in the clinic, things had changed. He thought he had proved he was going to be there for her.
"Lucas," she looked up at him now, tears pooling in her eyes, "I'm so proud of you for getting the courage to tell your mom. You didn't need to, though. The-" her voice broke, "my baby, it-it's, you're not the dad. You're off the hook," the tears were pouring from her eyes now. "Thank you so much for yesterday, but-but, I'm not going to tell Julian I didn't go through with it. I don't know what I'm going to do yet."
"Brooke," Lucas whispered, dropping to his knees next to her while she sat at the vanity. She finally turned towards him, but wouldn't look into his eyes. He placed his hand under her chin and lifted until her eyes met his. "Brooke, please stop lying. I'm-I'm-" his voice broke as he willed her to believe in him, in them, "I'm not going anywhere. I'm not letting you go through this alone. I know this baby is mine, and even if he or she isn't, I'm still not going to let you go through this alone."
Brooke broke down then, sobs wracking her body as her head fell. "Pl-please, Lucas, please, I can't-I can't do this with you." She looked back up to him. "I can't leave Julian, and I can't break Peyton's heart. I just can't. They-they have been loyal to me, they were there when I-when I-they deserve my loyalty."
"When you what, Brooke?" Lucas pleaded. "What happened, Brooke? Please. I don't want to hurt them either. I don't. There isn't a choice anymore. There's another life, a tiny baby, now, that we have to put above our own selfish needs. What did they do to make it so their needs, loyalty to them, is worth putting over our baby's?" He was begging her to just be honest. Pushing her to her limit to get her to crack. She was holding something back. He needed to know.
"I can't-I don't," she shook her head furiously, "no!" Brooke pushed him, and fell over onto the floor. "Go away, Lucas. Please! Thank you for yesterday, but please, let this go!"
"I won't, Brooke, I'm not going to. I can't. I LOVE you, Brooke."
"You don't even know all of me!" She screamed at him. "You don't know! You know what I let you know! If you knew, you wouldn't! Go away!"
Lucas didn't respond, he just stared back at the girl he'd spent the entire summer getting to know. He knew some serious stuff had gone down freshman year, Julian had hinted towards it, but he never knew what. He didn't ask because he didn't think it was his business. Whatever it was, Brooke clearly wasn't over it.
"Brooke," he lowered his voice, "you can't trust me. Please, just tell me. I can help you."
She he wasn't looking at him again. "Please, just leave." The fight in her voice had left. "I don't know yet what I'm going to do. I'm not getting an abortion, but adoption is still on the table. Thank you for talking to your mom, but it wasn't necessary. You didn't need to break her heart. You can tell her it was a mistake, that this isn't your child."
"No," Lucas shook his head. Her head snapped back to him, ready to fight him again, but he beat her to it, "if you want me to leave you alone, then stop lying about this not being my child. If you don't want me in your life, then fine, but at least have the decency to not lie to me about my child. Julian told me, you guys only had sex with condoms."
Brooke was was clearly surprised by his words, then ashamed he knew she had slept with Julian after been with Lucas. She felt guilty, and ashamed, and confused. Who had she been cheating on? Lucas or Julian? It didn't matter anymore.
"Lucas," she cried.
"I deserve to know," he insisted. If he could at least get her to admit that, then the rest he could deal with, and eventually prove that he could be what she needed.
"I-I-Lucas, you're amazing, and I don't deserve you. Please,-"
"Thats not true, Brooke, and I'm not leaving until you admit that this," he reached out and touched her stomach, placing his hand over it and leaving it there, making her gasp at the contact, "this is my baby."
She he put her hand over his and looked up at him. She didn't speak, just slightly nodded her head, affirming what Lucas all ready knew. She leaned forward then, placing her forehead against his. "Please," she whispered, "give me some time. Just give me some time."
"Don't push me away," he begged, "please. I will give you time, but please, just don't completely shut the idea or possibility of us doing this together out."
There re was silence for several moments before he felt her slightly nod her head again. She pulled away from him, brushed her fingers lightly along the side of his face, then pressed her lips against his in a chaste kiss. She stared in his eyes for several moments, before turning back to the vanity, ending the conversation. He didn't have a the answers just yet, but he would give her time to wrap her brain around everything. He could give her that.