Hi everyone! Sorry I've taken so long with updating this story – I had major writer's block and wasn't really sure what direction to take. Finally, while on holidays, I got a sudden burst of inspiration. Hooray! I'm going to try and have another chapter or two up before the end of the month to make up for the looong dry spell.

Shout-outs to StarsShine28, SouthernBellBrooke, ljaxon, Julchen1515, Leah, Love me some Julian and dianehermans for your reviews and encouragement. They helped more than you know...

Chapter 10 – Everybody's Broken

"Step into the deep end, make yourself at home. When you wonder why you're breathing, know you're not alone. It's so hard to believe. What's easier to doubt? You're trying to hold in what you're dying to scream out… Take a look around; tell me what you see. Is who you think you are who you want to be?" – Bon Jovi

"Lucas Scott, stop gawking at those cheerleaders! You just missed an easy pass!" Lucas snapped his attention over to the coach, who was glaring at him from the sidelines. "Get your head in the game, son and fast! Our first game's next week and I need you to be at your best!"

"Sorry, Coach." Lucas apologized, feeling the back of his neck redden. He caught Nathan smirking at him out of the corner of his eye and cursed under his breath.

"Don't let it happen, again." The coach blew his whistle. "Alright ladies, that's enough for today – hit the showers. Some of you better be taking some cold ones!"

Lucas groaned as his teammates began laughing at him.

Two days ago, Brooke re-joined the cheerleading squad and he was having a hard time focusing on anything remotely related to basketball. Before, basketball served as an escape from his constant thoughts of her – it was the one place he could temporarily forget about his Pretty Girl and his raging desire for her. Basketball had been keeping him somewhat sane over the past few days; after he'd promised her that they could take things slow. But, as soon as she'd walked into the gym today wearing a tight blue tank top and tiny shorts that left little to the imagination, all logical thought drained away and he had to fight an overwhelming urge to throw her up against the wall and do all sorts of dirty things to her. And his game was suffering for it.

Lucas jogged back over to the bench and grabbed his water bottle. He glanced over at Brooke, who was gazing at him, her hazel eyes sparkling with amusement. She knew he'd been checking her out and she loved it; he returned her smile and locked his gaze on hers. Her smile widened and she gave him a saucy wink before turning away, ponytail bouncing as she skipped over to where Rachel and the rest of the squad was standing. Lucas sighed before gulping down half the contents of his water bottle. He continued to stare, unable to take his eyes off her. It was always like this when Brooke Davis was around. The rest of the world melted away and all he could focus on was her.

"Luke, didn't you hear the coach? Stop staring at the girls and get your head in the fucking game." Nathan mumbled, taking a seat beside his half-brother.

"I'm trying." He growled, reluctantly tearing his eyes away from Brooke who was doing some high kicks with the other cheerleaders across the gym.

"Yeah, well, try harder." Nathan took a swig from his own water bottle. "We need to get this team to the Final Four this season and that's not gonna happen if you keep your mind on bagging another piece of ass instead of on the game."

Lucas glared down at his brother, closing his fist around his water bottle. "I just got chewed out by Coach in front of the entire team; I don't need a repeat from you."

Nathan just shrugged and glanced up at the bleachers. "Trust me, Coach and I are the least of your worries right now."

Lucas followed his brother's gaze. "You have got to be shitting me," he muttered. Sitting about 12 rows back from the bench was their father, who was watching them with a superior smirk on his face. Dan lifted his left hand in a mock salute. Lucas turned away, without acknowledging his father's condescending greeting. "What the fuck is he doing here?" he hissed.

Nathan shrugged again. "You know Dan; his day isn't complete if he doesn't find some way to torment us. I think he's pissed about the disappearing act you pulled last night."

Lucas rolled his eyes. "I only went to my mom's, for god's sake."

"It doesn't matter to him." Nathan raised his eyes to meet Luke's. "Remember we were supposed to go over there for dinner last night and to watch game tapes from his last year of college ball? So he could show us how it's done? I had to listen to his shit all night and because you weren't there, I got a double dose. Not exactly fun times, Luke." Nathan's tone turned bitter. "As if you were over at Karen's twice in one week. You were probably off getting wasted at the Blue Post and fucking some ho."

"Are you calling me a liar?" Lucas' eyes narrowed.

"Basketball, drinking and whoring around is what you do best; visiting your mommy – not so much." Nathan spat out.

Lucas took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, trying to calm his temper. He could see Dan practically grinning; he loved driving a wedge between the two brothers. It was easier for him to gain power over them when they were fighting. He sat down beside his brother. "Nathan, I am not shitting you – I was with my mom. Monday, I had dinner with her and Brooke and her family. Yesterday, I stopped by the café for a visit." He figured it was easier not to mention that his true purpose in heading to the café was to see Brooke, who was working last night. "It got late, so I stayed over. You can ask my mom. I totally forgot about dinner. I'm sorry."

Nathan just nodded. "Whatever, Luke. I get it; you're hiding behind Karen so you can escape from Dan's bullshit. Meanwhile, I'm the lucky one who gets to take the brunt of his abuse. I gotta go. Haley's waiting for me." He stood and picking up his gym bag, he headed for the showers.

Lucas' brow furrowed. "You and Haley are hanging out a lot, lately."

Nathan turned and glared at him. "Your point?"

"Haley's not your usual type." Lucas stepped closer to his brother. "She's special."

Nathan's scowl softened and he almost smiled. Lucas was surprised by the gentle, almost affectionate expression in his brother's eyes. "I know," he said simply, before walking off towards the locker room.

Lucas stared after him, wondering just exactly what was going on between his little brother and his best friend. He slowly gathered his things and headed towards the showers. He could feel Dan's burning gaze on the back of his head, so he quickened his pace. He was about to enter the hallway leading to the locker rooms when he heard a familiar voice, sending tingles down his spine.

"Hey, Broody Boy!" Brooke's raspy voice called out behind him.

Lucas turned and watched admiringly as she jogged towards him. "Hey, Pretty Girl. How was practice?"

Brooke smiled at him, teasingly. "You tell me. I think you were spending more time checking out our new routine than playing basketball." Her hazel eyes were filled with laughter and Lucas couldn't help the goofy grin that spread across her face. Anytime he was near Brooke, he couldn't help smiling.

"I couldn't help it – you looked great out there." Lucas replied, easily. "You looked happy."

Brooke's smile widened even more and Lucas could swear his heart stopped beating at the sight of those dimples. "I think for the first time in a long time I feel pretty happy. It was fun doing something I love." She bit her lip and took a step closer to him. "You know what else was kinda fun?"

"What?"

"Visiting with you last night. I mean, I know we didn't talk much because I was working…but I was still glad to see you outside of school." She fiddled with the silver bracelet on her wrist, looking up at him shyly. "Maybe we could do it again soon?" Her voice had a nervous tremor to it, which Lucas found adorable.

Lucas closed the gap between them, so that Brooke had to tilt her head up to meet his eyes. He reached for the hand that was toying with her bracelet and closed his fingers around hers, calming her nervous fidgeting. "I'd love to. Tonight?"

"Well, I have to get home soon. Jeremy's got a date. Oh, and your sister's spending the weekend." She sighed. Lucas' heart sank, slightly. "Unless…" Brooke hesitated. "Unless you'd like to come over and hang out at my place for a bit? The girls will be home. What do you say, Broody Boy? Think you can handle a house full of Davis women and Peyton?" She smiled up at him, flirtatiously.

Lucas smirked. "I think I'm up for the challenge."

Brooke gave his hand a squeeze and backed away. "Oh, you don't know what you're getting yourself into, Scott."

"Oh, I know I can handle anything you throw at me." Lucas replied, huskily. "Meet you out front?"

Brooke nodded. "We'll soon see exactly what you can handle very shortly." She turned and walked down the hall towards the girls' locker room.

Lucas groaned slightly, watching the sway of her hips and how her shorts displayed her toned thighs. He quickly shook his head and pushed open the door to the boys' locker room. Coach was right; it was definitely time for a cold shower.

Twenty minutes later, Lucas emerged from the locker room, freshly showered and eager to meet up with Brooke. He hadn't stopped smiling since their conversation in the gym. His unusually cheerful demeanor didn't go unnoticed and he ignored the teasing from his teammates who assumed he was trying to get in the pretty brunette's pants. Nothing could bring him down, now. He even felt a giddy tingle deep in the pit of his stomach; a feeling he hadn't experienced since his first crush in the eighth grade. It was strange that Brooke could awaken such emotions within him – emotions he thought no longer existed for him.

That feeling was quickly extinguished when a pair of strong hands roughly grabbed him by the shoulders and slammed him against the wall. Lucas grunted. The wind was knocked out of him by the unexpected attack. He caught his breath as he stared into his assailant's icy blue eyes – eyes so much like his own. Dan. He'd forgotten about him. Lucas swallowed his fear and glared at his father.

"What the fuck, Dan?" he spat out, injecting as much hatred as possible into his tone.

"What the fuck, indeed." Dan replied, sneering at his eldest son. "That practice was one of the most pathetic performances I've ever seen in my life- and trust me; I've seen my share of sub-par basketball. Especially from you." Dan tightened his grip on Lucas' shoulders. "Thank god it was only a practice. If you played like that in a real game, you'd be an embarrassment yourself and your team. Most importantly, you would have embarrassed me."

"Like I give a shit about your opinion of me." Lucas said, tonelessly.

Dan chuckled and released Lucas from his grasp. "You should care about my opinion of you. If it weren't for me, you'd have nothing. No money, no car, no home, no school – nothing."

Dan leaned in, closely. They were standing practically nose-to-nose. His cold gaze pierced Lucas like a knife. It was times like these where Dan made him feel so insignificant…worthless. Even though they stood at the same height, it seemed like Dan towered over him. Lucas straightened his back and clenched his jaw. He was not going to let Dan see any weakness. Dan was only getting started and if he cracked now, he'd never hear the end of it.

"When you got your ass booted from NYU, who used his money and influence to get you admitted to one of the finest universities in the country? Who got you a spot on one of the top college basketball teams? Who ensured that you would still be able to achieve your lifelong dream of playing in the NBA?" Dan spoke in a condescending, arrogant tone, designed to get underneath Lucas' skin. "Oh, that's right – it was me!" Dan paused, allowing his words to sink in. "You owe me everything, Lucas. I think it's time I reminded you of that fact. When I ask you to come over for dinner with your family, it's not a request…you're expected to show up. Not to be out boozing and whoring around." Dan chuckled once again. "I am well aware of your reputation. I'll admit I'm kind of proud that you inherited my ways of charming the ladies and I'm even more impressed that you've managed to avoid knocking anyone up. That's quite a feat considering the amount of pussy you're rumoured to have gone through. Don't worry; I have no problem with your fucking around as long it doesn't interfere with your obligations to me and to your family. But, most importantly, don't let your extracurricular activities get in the way of the game."

Lucas' hands tightened into fists and he could feel his face flushing with anger. He opened his mouth to fire off a quick retort, when Dan held up his hand. "I'm not done, Lucas. I saw you staring at that cheerleader today. While I admit she's certainly attractive, she's not worth blowing your game. Fuck her and forget about her, Luke. Don't let a piece of ass make you lose sight of your destiny."

"Don't you dare talk about her that way." Lucas said, quietly. His voice seemed calm, but inside his blood was boiling.

"Oh, don't tell me you think you're in love with her." Dan rolled his eyes and snorted contemptuously. "She isn't worth it, son. All of these whores are after the same thing – to get knocked up so they can tie you down."

"You have no idea what the fuck you're talking about." Lucas was almost shaking, he was so angry.

Dan raised an eyebrow. "Don't I? I got taken in twice."

"Shut up, Dan." Lucas whispered, in a deadly calm voice. How could he refer to Karen and Deb as whores? He'd once professed to love each of them at one time or another. In one sentence, his father had managed to insult three of the most important women in his life and Lucas wasn't about to stand for it. Even though he shouldn't be surprised by anything Dan said or did anymore, Lucas could t. ll his temper was rising beyond his control. If Dan didn't back off now, he wouldn't be responsible for his actions.

"She's not worth it, son. The sooner you realize it, the better." Dan said, firmly. "I will not allow you to throw your life away on some mindless slut who'll spread her legs for anyone."

That was it. Lucas snapped. He threw his weight forward, catching Dan off-guard. He pushed with all his strength, and slammed the older man against the opposite wall. "I thought I told you to shut the fuck up!" Lucas shouted.

"You little shit!" Dan barked, taking a swing at Lucas and missing. He took another shot and punched his son in the jaw.

Lucas returned the favour, landing a punch in Dan's stomach. Without warning, Dan reached up and grabbed Lucas by the neck and thrust him up against the wall. Lucas gasped for air. Smiling grimly, his eyes black with anger, Dan punched Lucas once again. Lucas' vision blurred, as the back of his head hit the concrete wall. He could taste blood; he was bleeding. Lucas' rage was extinguished with the realization that his father's large hands were wrapped around his throat and dangerously close to squeezing the life out of him. He slumped against the wall, in shock. Seeing that Lucas was no longer a threat, Dan loosened his grip on his son's neck.

He stared at Dan, as his father calmly straightened his tie and smoothed out his disheveled hair. "I trust that you will give some thought to what I've discussed with you today. Get your head back in the game, where it belongs." Dan smirked. "I also want you to consider the wisdom of physically attacking me after everything I've done for you. You're severely outmatched, boy, and don't you forget it." Dan paused and checked his watch. "Besides, if it was up to me, you'd never have been born in the first place. You should be grateful that I've done so much for you – I could have easily ignored your existence."

Lucas closed his eyes, trying not to reveal how much those words hurt him.

Dan turned his back and started walking towards the gym. "Oh, I almost forgot –" he looked over his shoulder at Lucas. "Deb wants to have a family dinner next Sunday, after we get back from Florida. We'll be expecting you."

Lucas stared at the floor, listening as Dan's footsteps faded away. He couldn't process anything right now. For the first time, he actually felt afraid for his life. Dan had threatened him tons of times before, but not to this extent…not physically. He sighed heavily, reaching up to tentatively touch his lip. He drew his fingers away and found blood on his fingertips. Lucas raised his head, hearing a small gasp. Brooke stood near the doorway to the girls' locker room; a stricken expression on her beautiful face. Lucas wondered how much she had witnessed and got his answer when he saw her tear-filled eyes. He dropped his gaze to the floor. He didn't want Brooke to see how upset he was. He didn't want her to see him like this – weak, scared.

Lucas acted as if he didn't care how Dan treated him; that his words didn't affect him. Hell, he spent years cultivating an overconfident, tough exterior. Very few people got to see the real Lucas Scott buried under the cocky, overconfident exterior he presented to the world. It was the only way he could make sure Dan couldn't reach him. But today…Dan had gotten to him. He'd pierced Lucas' shield and now he had even more power over him.

Lucas heard Brooke's approach and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to suppress the burning tears. He tried to calm his thoughts and think clearly – he had to get hold of himself and regain control of the situation. He could tell Brooke was standing in front of him; he could smell her vanilla-scented shampoo and hear her soft breathing. He swallowed hard, feeling her tender touch on his cheek. Lucas opened his eyes.

"I'm okay. It's fine," he lied. He stared intently at the ground, noticing the flip-flops she was wearing. They had giant decorative pink flowers on them. It was easier to stare at her feet instead of into her eyes. If he looked into those eyes, he knew he would break. And that could not happen.

"Lucas…you're bleeding." Brooke whispered, her voice shaking. She reached into her bag and pulled out a tissue. Gently, she began to wipe away the blood trickling from his lip. Lucas drew in a shuddering breath; the way she was touching him reminded him of the way she caressed him on the night they met. He raised his head. She shook her head, taking in the bruises forming on his face and neck. She glanced up and placed a hand on each side of his face.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, her voice cracking.

He looked into her hazel eyes. They were filled with sadness and compassion…and strength. Lucas pressed his lips together; he could feel his walls crumbling down. He was breaking, just like he knew he would…but it didn't matter. "He never wanted me to be born." Lucas choked out, as a couple of tears leaked out of his eyes. Brooke sighed softly and wiped them away. She drew him into her arms and gave him a kiss on the temple. Lucas buried his face into the crook of her shoulder and slowly began to fall apart. "I feel so fucking worthless…" he whispered into her neck, suppressing a sob.

"Luke…you're not worthless. Far from it." Brooke murmured soothingly in his ear, as she stroked his hair. "I don't usually give a rat's ass about a guy I randomly make out with at a party. And I don't spend all my time thinking about people who are worthless. You're an amazing person; you just hide it very well. You're worth something to me…and to Haley and Nathan and Karen." Brooke paused and he raised his head. "What I'm trying to say is that I give a rat's ass about you, Lucas Scott."

Lucas stared at her in amazement. With just a few words, she was able to ease some of the damage Dan had inflicted on him. He gave her a small smile. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being you…for giving a rat's ass."

Brooke shrugged and returned his smile. "It's nothing."

"Oh, it's something, alright." Lucas wrapped his arms around his waist and leaned forward, and placed a soft kiss on her lips. He carefully increased the pressure on her lips and he felt the same electric tingle run down his spine the first time they kissed. She parted her lips and he slipped his tongue inside her mouth. God, she tasted so good…sweet. Slowly, very, very slowly, they sank deeper into their first kiss in over three months. It was just as amazing as he remembered – no, it was better. Brooke was trembling in his arms and he pulled her closer to him, so her body was flush against his. She moaned slightly against his lips and Lucas smiled almost shyly, his heart racing. After they reluctantly broke apart, Lucas rested his forehead against hers.

"Brooke…"

"Yeah?"

"I give a rat's ass about you, too."

"It's okay to be a little broken; everybody's broken in this life. It's okay to feel a little broken; everybody's broken. You're alright, it's alright…it's just life."