Lucas smirked, completely exhausted, "I love you too wife."
"I love when you call me wife…"
"And I love when you take me by surprise like this." he chuckled, looking at the now ruined costume. "Speaking of…when the hell did you think this up?"
Brooke drew a circle on his bare chest and said, "I bought it the other day. And I figured that today after the whole fight and everything you needed a distraction. Besides I owed you for the last time I needed a distraction."
"It worked like a charm Pretty Girl. I love you so much. I wouldn't know what I would do without you."
"I know what you mean." she then yawned and sighed, "Goodnight hubby."
"Good night wife…" he said not realizing that she was already asleep. He dozed off moments later.
-x-
A loud banging noise woke the teens up from their slumber. Lucas looked at Brooke and she at him both were disoriented from the rude awakening they experienced. The loud banging continued so Lucas threw on some pants and went to see who the hell was at their door at seven o'clock in the morning.
"Who is it?" he yelled groggily.
"Tree Hill Police. Open up."
Lucas froze with fear but he opened the door a minute after he forced himself to move. "What's going on?"
"I'm detective Ramirez and this is my partner detective Kirkwood. Are you Lucas Scott?" he said as he entered the apartment.
He gulped but said, "Yeah that's me."
The officer took out his handcuffs and recited, "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney, and to have an attorney present during any questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be provided for you at government expense."
Brooke wearing a silk pink robe that he bought her rushed out to see the officer putting Lucas's arms behind his back and clinking handcuffs on him and demanded, "Why are you arresting my husband?!"
"He is charged with assault. Dan Scott has formally pressed charges as of this morning." The second officer said.
Her eyes widened as she said, "No there's been some kind of mistake—"
Lucas looked at her and said, "Baby calm down. I'll be back before you know it."
"You're getting arrested Lucas! I'm allowed to freak out!" she then turned to the officer. "Please don't arrest him—he's never ever been in trouble before—"
"Well he is now. He attacked a government official which is an A1 assault. So no matter how good of a kid he is—he's still going in. Let's go."
"Wait! Can I at least get a kiss goodbye?"
"Make it quick."
Brooke went to her husband and kissed him passionately then started to cry and told Lucas on his way out, "I love you Lucas and I will find a way to get you out of this!"
"Just call Uncle Keith and tell him what's going on." he shouted back to her as he was being led away from their apartment.
Brooke felt heartsick as she searched the apartment for their phone, the crisis fogging her memory dramatically. Just as she found her phone the door swung open. Brooke turned to find a smirking Dan Scott in the doorway.
"You just missed the show if that's what you came for."
He strolled into the room as if he owned the place. "No I came here for you."
Brooke remained calm but was ready to call the police. "Why?"
"You know what he's facing for attacking me? After all I was just elected governor of Tree Hill."
Brooke said nothing.
"And you need to take it seriously, because simple assault is a class 2 misdemeanor. But since I'm a government official that charge is bumped to an A1 misdemeanor. If the defendant doesn't have any prior convictions, it is punishable by probation and 1 to 120 days in jail."
"How can you do this to your own son?!"
Dan's predatory eyes raked over her. "I can make this all go away."
"What do you mean?"
"How much do you really love him?"
Brooke looked at him and said, "I'll do anything for him."
Dan smiled wickedly, "I was expecting you to say that."
"What do you want Dan?" she said venomously.
"Dinner with you."
Brooke was horrified. "No. No way."
"So you're willing to allow your husband to rot in jail for 3 months than to spend an evening with me? Is that what I'm getting from you?"
Brooke looked at him, "Or I could go to May and tell her what you're doing—"
He laughed and said, "She already tried talking me out of it. But see…I want what I want and Brooke I want you."
Brooke imagined Lucas in jail for all those months and a tear slid down her face as she said, "Fine I'll do it."
Dan grinned, "I'll be here later to pick you up."
-x-
Lucas found himself freed after a couple of nights in jail, the charges miraculously dropped. Once he was out he saw his wife standing there with a happy smile on her face. She cried as soon as he took her into his arms.
"I was only gone for a couple of days." he said with a playful grin. He cupped her face in his large hands and said, "We were separated longer than that once."
"Yeah but you weren't in jail for 48 hours. I was so worried about you." she said as she hugged him tightly.
"I was worried about you. I never felt so damn useless—knowing that your crazy mom's here—"
Brooke shook her head, "Forget about her. Let's just go home."
Lucas smiled down at her lovingly and said, "Yeah I have a need to show you how much I missed you."
After a long ride back to their home the couple kissed each other as if they were separated from each other for a lifetime.
Brooke parted from him and said, "Lucas there's something that I have to tell you. And I want you to know that whatever you hear after this is that I love you with everything in me and that you can not do anything about it. I made the decision to do it."
Lucas looked at his wife and said, "You're freaking me out Brooke what happened?"
"May nor Keith could convince Dan to drop the charges against you…after you were arrested Dan came here—"
"What?! That son of a bitch—"
"You're going to be a lot angrier after I tell you this…" she then said, "He wanted to take me out to dinner. He said that he would drop the charges against you if I agreed. So I did."
Lucas looked both enraged and hurt, "What?"
"You were looking at this being put on your permanent record and facing three months in jail plus probation. I did it for you!"
"What happened Brooke? Just tell me what happened."
Brooke exhaled and tried not to cry. "He came and picked me up and took me on his yacht…we had champagne and I…can't remember the rest. I'm sorry please forgive me!"
Lucas bit down on his lip and tried to remain calm, "Are you saying that he drugged you?"
"I don't know Lucas! I blacked out and I don't remember anything! All I know is that I was in his bed—" she sobbed, "I'm so sorry—"
Lucas took her in his arms and took deep even breaths so that he could calm down. "He took advantage of you. It's not your fault. He made sure that I couldn't do anything about it and took advantage of you. It's not your fault baby." He said soothingly while stroking her silky hair, rage silently boiling inside. "You were looking out for me and I love you for it but I would rather have sat there in that cell then have that bastard touch you."
Brooke sobbed uncontrollably, "I just love you so much and I didn't want to do it but I thought that I was protecting you and—"
"Hey I'm not mad at you. I'm furious that he would fucking pull this bullshit and—" Angry tears escaped his eyes as he said, "He raped you…"
They both embraced each other and cried together, unable to pretend that everything would be okay after this. Brooke felt weakened after her confession even though on her part she had no reason to feel guilt but she worried about what Lucas would do to Dan.
"Lucas I went for our future. Please don't throw it away."
"How can you ask that of me? He fucking raped you! Whether you remember it or not it still happened! And he has to pay!"
Brooke closed her eyes and said, "I know…but I sacrificed that so that you can be free and clear and be able to get into college. To solidify our future together. Please…don't do whatever you're thinking. If you do it would all be for nothing."
"I'm your husband! I'm supposed to protect you!" he roared, knowing that she was right. He broke down and cried angrily, punching the wall in his anger. "Damn it! It's my fault!"
Brooke jumped at the display, tears running down her face. "Lucas…it's not your fault—"
"If I just walked away—"
Brooke went to his side and held him, crying because she knew that this was killing him. "Lucas it's not…everything is Dan's fault—not yours. I was naive—"
Lucas walked away from her and slammed their bedroom door. Needing to scream and lash out and he didn't want her to get the brunt of it. He loved her. So much and she did what she thought was best for them but it was hard to hear. He punched the walls, imagining it was Dan's smug face. He didn't know how he would live with himself after this.
One thing was for certain… he hated Dan Scott more than ever and he will pay. Damn the consequences.
-x-
"Hey man what's the emergency?" Nathan asked as he walked onto the River Court.
"Your Dad. He did something that I will never forgive. And I want to kill him!"
Nathan's eyes widened at the threat, "What did he do now?"
"He—he drugged and raped Brooke while I was in jail because he pressed charges on me!" he spat as he balled his fist.
His brother was shocked by the news. "How?"
"He bribed her with my freedom so she could go to dinner with him. She said she only remembers that they had champagne and nothing else. She woke up in his bed."
Nathan swore vilely then said, "I'll fucking kill him! But we gotta be smart about this. I think I know a guy that can do it for us."
"As long as he's dead—I'm game."