NINE

The next few weeks with Chase were so amazing. Every Saturday night he would take me out to dinner and a movie, and some other nights he would come over to my apartment and we'd hang out and most often cuddle on the couch watching television until we fell asleep. He really made me feel special the way he spoke to me, smiled at me and surprised me at work, school and even home with flowers or lunch. What really amazed me though, was how cool he was about the whole baby thing.

The baby I was carrying wasn't his, yet he acted as if she were. He listened to me when I talked about her, or read something from What to Expect When You're Expecting, (the only book I've ever really been into), and he comforted me when my hormones got the better of me and I started crying at the littlest, most often stupdiest things. He helped me start work on the nursery, and he even offered to be my Lamaze coach. Amazing…

I really couldn't believe how amazing he was, or how happy I'd become. I felt myself falling more and more for him everyday, and I could tell he was falling too. I was loving where the relationship was going, and that I'd finally found someone I had feelings for who had feelings for me too.

Yet, as much as I felt for him and enjoyed my time with him, there were still moments I wasn't with Chase that I found myself thinking about Lucas and even longing for him at some times. It confused me when I did think or feel for him again because I was sure that I didn't feel for him anymore. But, as I soon came to realize, those feelings I'd had for Lucas didn't just disappear over night. In fact, they hadn't disappeared at all. I'd just been hiding and trying to push them away to avoid hurting and missing him so much, as Haley had helped me realize.

"It has been so crazy up here, Haley, you have no idea."

I smiled as I watched Chase sit down next to me on the couch as I talked with Haley on the phone. I giggled and bit my lip as he kissed my neck.

"Wow…" Haley said on the other end. "It does sound crazy up there. Tell Chase I said hi."

I touched his face and pushed him away. "Haley says hi. Now can you quit for a few minutes so I can talk to her?"

"No way," he said, resisting the force of my hand and kissing me again.

"Chase…"

"Okay," he finally caved. "I've got class anyway. I'll see you tonight?"

He kissed me cheek again and touched my stomach before leaving with his backpack/

"Sorry," I said into the phone.

"It's okay," Haley said. "You sound happy, Brooke."

"I am." I said, pulling myself up from the couch. I made my way over to the counter as I continued. "Chase is just so sweet and so amazing. He takes me out, cuddles with me, helps me study, and he's helping me with the nursery. Oh, I totally forgot to tell you about the nursery!"

Haley laughed at her end. "Okay…tell me about the nursery."

"Well, we're painting the walls pink obviously, but I found the most adorable border. It's a lighter shade of pink with cute little teddy bears. It's all just so cute. I can't wait for you to see it, Hales.."

"I can't wait either. You'll love what Nathan and I have done with our nursery too."

"Oh, you have it finished finally?"

"Yep, right in time too. Little Keith is due in two weeks."

"Wow…I can't believe it's tiem already. Time really does fly, doesn't it?"

"It sure does. So, um…speaking of my little bundle of joy…you made me a promise before you left. You promised you'd be here when he's born, so are you still going to be able to make it back here in time?"

I grew silent then, feeling like such an awful friend for promising her that then, and turning back on the promise now.

"Actually, Hales," I said sullenly, "I don't think I am going to be able to make it back."

"Brooke, you--"

"I know, I know , I promised you I'd come to be there for you, but I didn't know I was pregnant when I made that promise. And I want to be there, I really do. You know I want to be there to see my godson be born, but things are just really complicated right now. I have school and work, and it's probably not a good idea for me to travel right now. Plus, I'm showing quite a bit already and--"

"Lucas." Haley said blankly.

There was no point in me trying to deny what she was getting at. She knew me probably better than anyone and she was right…Lucas was my biggest reason for breaking my promise to her. I sighed and tried to explain.

"I'm sorry, Haleys, okay? It's like I said, I've got a pretty good baby bump now and I am not ready for him to find out about this baby. And if I come back now , he will and I don't think I could deal with that right now. I promise I'll make it up to you and little Keith. I'll spoil the kid rotten. Hell, I'll spoil you rotten next time I see you if you'll just forgive me this."

I didn't hear here respond right away, but when she did, she said, "I'll tell you what…I'll forgive you right now if you admit to me out loud that the real reason you aren't ready to come home and face Lucas is because you still have feelings for him."

My jaw hung open. I didn't know what to say, how to respond. And I didn't know how to respond then because deep down I knew she had the nail right on the head. I knew she was right, but I'd still tried to deny it anyway.

"Haley…that's not true. I don't have feelings for Lucas anymore. I have feelings for Chase."

"Yes, I know that. I know you do have feelings for Chase, but I also know that you do still have feelings for Lucas, and that your feelings for Lucas right now are much stronger and deeper than your feelings for Chase."

I didn't try arguing when she stopped. I just let her go on and analyze my feelings since I had obviously been trying to avoid doing it myself.

"You can't deny it, Brooke. You are carrying his child. There's no way you couldn't have feelings for Lucas. I know you're still in love with him. It's obvious by the way you try to avoid talking about him, or how quickly you change the subject when the conversation does turn to him. And it's why you're afraid to have him find out you're pregnant."

"No…I don't want him to find out because I don't want him to change his whole life because of it."

"Right, because you know that if he does find out, he will want to be there for you and his baby. He would change his life to be there, but you don't want him to because you're afraid he'll resent you one day for letting hi mdo that. Mostly though, you're afraid that he would be around and love the baby, but never love you again, even though I know that would never happen."

Wow…I thought. She was exactly right on everything. She did know me better than anyone. My cheeks soaked from my tears, I looked down, touched my stomach and finally I said, "Okay…I admit iT. You're right…about everything. So what do I do now?"

"Whatever you think you should, sweetie. Do what you want, what your heart wants. But whatever you do, whoever you choose…make sure he is the one for you. I was just trying to help you see what you've been hiding from."

"You're right, Haley. I have been hiding, but only because I don't want to feel for Lucas like that anymore, not when his heart isn't in the same place anymore. I'm trying to move on."

"That's god, Brooke. I'm proud of you for that. I'm glad you're not giving up. Follow your heart, but follow it carefully. I know you've been hurt in the past, but don't let that stop you from loving again."

She paused again and I took in everything she'd said.

"I understand it's a really confusing and hard time for you to come back to Tree Hill now, so I won't hold it against you. You take whatever time you need to sort everything out and then you come back when you're ready. I'll be here."

"Thanks, Haley."

"Always…I just hope you come back before little Keith turns eighteen."

I laughed. "I will, I promise. That you can hold me to. I love you, Hales…like the sister I never had."

"I love you too, Brooke. You are my sister."

so there's my chapter. coming up...the true feelings Lucas has is going to catch up to him fast, as well as for Brooke. Time will start to move a little bit quicker, and soon (not very soon) but soon...the events from the orginal Boomerangs will start to come into play with a few alterations. so keep that in mind and please review this!!!