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Disclaimer: Don't own any of the One Tree Hill Characters.

Love Noor!

Chapter 11: Life ain't always beautiful, but it's a beautiful ride:

She sat there across from her parents trying to take in what she had just been told by them or rather what her father had told her while her mother sat next to him and held his hand for reassurance or support she wasn't completely sure which one it was, her heart beat fastened and her breath was caught in her throat. She wanted to close her eyes to get away from all of this, but she realised; when she saw the horrified and sad expression's on her parents' faces, she couldn't.

She knew – she knew there was something more to their sudden move and she kicked herself mentally for not preparing for the worst. She knew better than to be naive, her entire life she had been knocked for six and still she hadn't seen this one coming.

Breast cancer – freaking breast cancer.

Ellie died because of her cancer – was the second thought that penetrated Brooke's mind ever so harshly just like reality it started to seep in, it was reality indeed. Ellie died, did that mean her mother, someone she was just starting to get to know, was going to die too.

Brooke tried to listen to her mother who by now had taken over and started to explain to her that she went to her doctor and that he told her that with the chemotherapy she still had an excellent chance of surviving and going into remission.

Nevertheless she saw her mother's lips move and no matter how hard she tried she couldn't think of anything to say or do, that is until another thought came to her mind and that thought was of a blue eyed blonde boy she had come to love more than life over the past few years; Lucas, she needed him and only him. Brooke abruptly got up and started to tighten her fashionable red trench coat around her small frame.

'Honey please say something.' came Nicole's desperate voice, Richard saw his wife and squeezed her hand a little more, Nicole knew this was going to happen she had nightmares of it, of how her daughter would pull herself away from both her husband and her just when they needed each other most, just when the three of them were slightly making some progress towards becoming a family again.

'What do you want me to say?' Brooke asked defeated she eyed the two adults sitting across from where she stood and shook her head slightly.

'I'm sorry I just think I'm gonna go…' she added.

'Dimples please don't go we need to talk about this.' her mother once again pleaded with her and it made Brooke almost inclined to give in…almost.

Talk there was that oh so infamous simple word that seemed to haunt Brooke in every possible way. She had heard the word so many times in her life and most people wouldn't think about the word but for Brooke it had a few meanings to it.

'We need to talk' – her parents had told her just before they left her on her own at the tender age of nine.

'Miss Davis I think we need to have a talk' – principle Turner, Whitey or any other authoritative figure in her life told her those simple words just before they gave her a long dreaded lecture about how she had once again been in the wrong.

'Brooke I need to talk to you…' Lucas had once told her in a very serious tone just before he added that their relationship was not going anywhere and he'd rather just be friends with her, and Chase was now also linked to this sentence in Brooke Penelope Davis' dictionary.

Now she could add another sentence in it; 'We need to talk about this', her mother said just after she told her she had cancer, yep this was definitely going to be her all time favourite.

'I've got to go.' Brooke said one more time just as she knew it was going to be too much for her to handle, she breathed in calmly a little too calmly for her parents liking – however unbeknownst to them there was a tremble in her voice and in her eyes there was a pool of unshed tears threatening to pour down her face a sign that Brooke Davis was anything but calm.

---

It was dark out, she hadn't noticed it before with being too captivated by her own thoughts but now that she was driving around aimlessly she couldn't help but notice the darkness that was haunting her, she shifted her gaze to the clock behind her wheel and it read 23:53 it was almost midnight.

Brooke was faintly shivering due to the cold she held the door handle in her hand and opened it without trying to make too much noise as to not wake him. However Lucas had heard the door open and sat up straight in his bed. He saw her figure that was being illuminated by the streetlight and the moon ever so delicately. He waited for her to say something.

'Can I stay with you?' she asked her voice breaking as she did. Lucas noticed how fragile and broken she looked and without saying anything he got out of bed while making his way towards her he saw the clouds in her eyes. Brooke saw him come closer to her and started to take a step back, she hadn't cried yet and she knew that if he were to hold her she couldn't hold her mask any longer; her walls would come crumbling down.

'Luke…please.' Brooke pleaded as he stood in front of her ready to take her in his arms, he knew she was pleading with him to leave her alone but that didn't stop him from locking his arms around her waist and holding her tight to him. The clouds in her eyes finally poured down her face he felt her tears against his naked chest and held her even closer.

'Shhh…it's okay.' He told and held her in his arms and laid her in his bed while taking the spot next to her. The two lay in silence Brooke's back leaning against Lucas's chest he had his arm around her but couldn't see her face he knew that by now she had stopped crying, but that still didn't make him say or ask anything because he knew she needed some time before she was going to explain herself and therefore he waited.

'Breast cancer…' Brooke said after another long minutes of silence and she could feel Lucas's body tense.

'My mother…she told me she has breast cancer…'she said her voice was strong it didn't tremble and there were no longer tears in her eyes.

'Brooke…' Lucas started but he didn't know what to say, so he closed his mouth again, and just listened to her.

'What a joke right…I thought everything would be okay and again I fell hard on my face…' Brooke laughed bitterly and felt Lucas' arm pull her into his chest closer, she didn't want to feel like she needed him, she was scared of needing him again too much, and just as he kissed the top of her head she didn't care anymore, she just wanted to be close to him even though she knew it could never ever be like it was before. Right now nobody could see them for they were in the darkness and that's all Brooke cared about, being with Lucas in the darkness and take comfort in his arms.

'It'll be okay it's all going to be okay.' He told her and that were the last words he spoke before they both drifted of, their breathing coming in even breaths and their hands intertwined together as well as their limbs as they slept soundlessly, both awaiting what the next day would bring.

'Lucas breakfast is…oh' Karen said as she walked into her son's bedroom and saw a girl lying next to him or rather underneath him. She looked at Brooke who was already awake and staring up at her son with a small smile on her face.

'Hey Brooke.' She said and when she saw the horrified expression on Brooke's face she chuckled.

'Busted…' Brooke said more to herself than to Karen she looked at the mother who had one eyebrow raised and a amused smile across her lips and she started doing the only thing she could think of which was – ramble.

'Okay I know what this looks like, but it's not like what you're thinking at all I just didn't feel great last night and I just came here to feel safe, Lucas and I are seriously just friends, we just slept together, not like we used to like sleep together without the sleeping…' Brooke said in as much as a whisper she could muster trying her best not to wake Lucas up but wishing he would especially after what she just said.

'Oh God I didn't mean to say that out loud…we just slept, eyes closed not touching just like Haley and Lucas would do…but I kind of woke up like this and didn't want to wake him…and…' she rambled but was cut off by Lucas who groaned and breathed in her scent.

'Brooke shut up.' He said in a joke-like matter, Brooke laughed nervously and saw Karen shake her head while she too was laughing.

'Okay shutting up now.' she agreed and smiled shyly.

'As I was trying to say breakfast is ready.' Karen told the two teenagers and started to walk away but not before sneaking one last glance at the two and shook her head while she smiled and disappeared.

---

'Okay Lucas you can come out now.' Brooke said she smiled brightly and paced the changing room waiting area of the store up and down as she saw more nice/cute/sophisticated things for Lucas to wear.

Haley looked at her friend and laughed light-heartedly when she saw how excited or rather giddy she was with what she was doing, she didn't know about Brooke's mom and neither did Peyton who sat next to her and had shared the same laugh, the only one who knew was the boy who had been threatened and guilt tripped into going with them to shop, as Brooke liked to remind him he needed to have a Uncle-Jack-approval-wardrobe so they needed to do some serious shopping, meaning he missed a chance to hang out with the boys on the River Court.

'Lucas Scott you come out right now or I'm coming in!' Brooke yelled making heads turn her way and people sigh disapprovingly. Today was Saturday, and it wasn't just an ordinary Saturday, it was the day Lucas would be meeting the infamous Jack Davis something he was not too confident about. However that thought didn't bother him too much, what really bothered him was that Brooke had told him a few days ago about her mother's cancer and still hadn't told her two bestfriends.

He knew this was something depressing she must have been going through although you couldn't tell by looking at her, and that is exactly what bothered him, his mind came to peace with the thought that she might not feel comfortable about leaning on him or crying her eyes out, even though he wanted to be that guy she could come to for those kind of things. Nevertheless he accepted it and took comfort in the thought that she would at least unburden her soul to Peyton and/or Haley, that's when he learned she hadn't told them anything.

This meant she was dealing with everything on her own, or rather in Brooke's case she wasn't dealing with anything at all which scared him because she seemed untouched by the news she had learned about, and that frightened him and bothered him more than anyone could know seeing as he promised Brooke he wouldn't say anything. He tried talking to her but every single time she dismissed his concern and told him he shouldn't worry about her.

Lucas walked out of his changing room and looked a little uncomfortable as the three girls stared him up and down. He looked good well stunning was the better word for it and all three had to admit it, Brooke knew her parents had planned to go eat at this fancy restaurant and so Lucas needed a new suit, and this one looked absolutely breath taking on him.

It was a black suit with a black tie and the labels all screamed 'ARMANI' which in addition screamed 'EXPENSIVE' Lucas thought.

'My God you look hot!' Brooke stated as she saw the beautiful blonde haired blue eyed boy stand in front of her while he shifted from one foot to another uncomfortably.

'Yeah you do look hot.' Haley agreed and was immediately thrown in a very awkward sense of déjà vu, she shook her head and let out a groan while Peyton and Brooke just laughed Lucas yet again raised his eyebrows just like he did the first time.

'Ugh not like that…I mean…oh ew.' She said and shamefully buried her head in her hands while she heard laughter erupt around her and she knew exactly whose laughter she was hearing two laughs and one groan later Lucas looked at himself in the mirror, he did look representable but the suit was way too expensive and he couldn't afford it.

'Okay Brooke this was great and everything but can we please just go, I can't afford this anyway.' Lucas said as he walked back took his dressing room ashamed his head down and his hands in the black dress pants.

Brooke looked at her two friends who shrugged and pointed to the dressing room Lucas had just walked in and then pointed their fingers to her as if to say 'Hey girl this is your problem you fix it.'

'Luke?' Brooke said while she stood outside his changing cubicle, she didn't want to just barge in and scar him for life so she gave him a little heads up by saying his name before she opened the door slightly so she could slip in. She needed to talk to him and ask him what was going on, he sounded not like himself at all, it never bothered Lucas that he couldn't pay for the 'elite' designs therefore Brooke knew there was something else going on, she just needed to ask him what it was…she needed to…she needed to take a breath because Lucas was standing there in only the black Armani dress pants and he was looking smoking hot!

'Uhm…uhm…' Brooke started as her eyes were fixed on his toned nicely coloured body, one she just wanted to touch and kiss and Stop it! Brooke you're being ridiculous he's your friend…just your friend! She told herself while literally shaking her head to rid herself of the dirty thoughts she was having.

'Broody…' she started as she felt herself regain her composure, he still didn't move to grab a shirt and so she continued.

'What's wrong?' she asked him genuinely concerned.

'Brooke this…this is what's wrong, you acting like nothing is going on, and that the most important thing right now is me impressing your uncle, there are other things too you know like your mother's condition.' Lucas' voice dropped to a whisper and Brooke's eyes looked deep into his.

'I'm just trying to not feel as if the world's weight has been just dumped on my shoulders. Is that so wrong?' she asked him eyeing him up and down and pleading at him with her hazel greenish eyes, he shook his head no getting a sigh of relief from Brooke in response.

'No it's not…' he said before hugging her and breathing in her scent as his strong hand cupped the back of her head. Brooke held onto him with both her arms and smiled sadly trying desperately to not let any tears pour down her delicate face.

'You just have to promise me one thing Brooke.' Lucas began while he looked into her eyes once again. Brooke merely nodded and waited patiently and somewhat anxiously for him to continue.

'Talk to me…please, and tell Peyton and Haley they're you're bestfriends.' Lucas stated and Brooke again just nodded, she sat down on the little chair that was put in the corner of the changing room and waited for Lucas to continue changing. Lucas looked at her for a second wondering why she was staying but simply continued to change, no questions asked.

'I'm still not sure about this suit though Cheery.' He said while he held it in his hand and opened the door of the changing room to get out.

'Are you kidding me Broody you looked smoking hot I almost had a SO!' she said Peyton heard her and choked on her drink, while both Haley and Lucas looked at her confused.

'SO?' the asked in unison.

'Yeah a 'spontaneous orgasm' she told them as if it was the most normal thing to say, however all three of them laughed when they heard her and shook their heads as they followed her to the cashier who was waiting with a fake smile plastered on her face.

'Brooke come on, I can't let you do this!' he told Brooke for the millionth time as she signed the papers she had to sign because she used her credit card.

'Luke I asked you to pretend to be my boyfriend and you're doing it, so the least I can do is pay for your suit which you had to buy because of all this.' Brooke told him sternly but with a soft smile on her face and Lucas just nodded defeated.

---

'Hey Aunt Emma!' Brooke said as she plastered a smile on her face. Brooke and Lucas had sneaked into her house when they saw her uncle, his wife and their kids were there already they snuck in and changed into their refined clothes, when Brooke had finally managed to get her hair done in the right way they started to walk towards the living room.

There they were Uncle Jack in a blue stripe suit and his wife Emma sitting next to him in her dark blue dress. Uncle Jack was looking pretty tough for a Davis, when Lucas looked at Richard he saw a fun out going family guy, but when looking at Jack his older brother he saw a man who could be a boxing coach with all kinds of tattoos all over his body and a 'I heart Mom' tattoo on his bicep. Emma was pretty petite not as petite as Brooke but still very petite especially when she sat next to Jack, she had blonde hair and blue eyes, exactly like he imagined her to be.

Then there were two other family members, two which Brooke hadn't mentioned before, there was her cousin who was twelve years old and was listening to his Ipod while the adults chatted amongst themselves, and a little girl who looked somewhat like Brooke she seemed to be about five years old and was captivated by the conversation the four parents were having.

Six pair of eyes turned around when they heard Brooke, everyone was dressed fancily and Lucas breathed relieved when he noticed he wasn't overdressed, a concern that he had been with the entire afternoon.

Four gasps could be heard and Lucas figured it was because they saw how beautiful Brooke looked, he had gasped himself when she emerged from the bathroom a few minutes ago, she looked dramatically beautiful in her crimson red dress, her hair was down and hung delicately around her shoulders and face with soft curls, her eyes were brought out even more so due to the crimson red lipstick she wore on her perfect kissable lips, all in all Brooke looked absolutely breath taking.

Lucas's thoughts were confirmed when Emma walked over to them and embraced her niece in a hug, Brooke told her they hadn't seen each other since she was twelve and it made Lucas even more worried and anxious about today's events.

'Oh my God honey, you look absolutely gorgeous, you're a woman!' Emma said excitedly and the fake smile Brooke had was replaced by a genuine one while she held her aunt just as close to her. Emma pulled away and looked at Brooke she held her head in her hands and smiled proudly at her.

'Hi uncle Jack…' Brooke said attentively she saw him get up and walk towards them and she also saw Lucas move to stand behind her.

'Hi peanut you really do look beautiful.' He said in a deep voice Brooke remembered like it was yesterday, he hugged her to and looked over her shoulder to stare into Lucas' eyes who quickly looked at the ground.

'Sam come on say hi!' Emma told her son who nodded his head and put his Ipod in his pocket while walking towards his parents, his cousin and some fellow who was standing behind her.

'Hi.' Sam said quickly and already started to walk towards the door ready to get this day over with he just wanted to sleep.

'Brooke!' Lisa said excitedly as she hugged her cousin's legs, she looked at her and smiled when Brooke bent down to take her in her arms and kiss her temple affectionately. Lucas smiled thankful when the four adults seemed to not notice him and neither did the little girl, so far so good Lucas thought. Nicole and Richard smiled at Lucas and mouthed a quick 'Hi' his way.

'And who is this handsome man?' Emma said and Lucas cursed her for giving him all the attention of everyone. Brooke smiled and turned slightly to hold her hand out for Lucas to take which he gladly accepted, however before Brooke could answer Jack took his opportunity to talk.

'Are you two…' he started and Lucas wanted to shake his head furiously and say no so badly seeing as the man was not eyeing him very friendly right now, also not that angrily more like sceptically.

'Yeah we are.' Brooke said and brought Lucas's hand up to her lips to kiss, a gesture which didn't go unnoticed by Nicole, Richard, Lucas…heck anyone who was standing in that room and knew Brooke. Nicole and Richard however were still too confused by what they'd just heard, didn't Brooke say that there was nothing going on between her and Lucas.

'Yep…yep.' Lucas simply said, as he patted Brooke's head with a nervous smile on his face.

'We have been dating for five years now.' Brooke lied through her teeth, she looked at her parents and winked at them and suddenly both got it, then locked her eyes with her aunt and uncle again one set of eye radiated happiness the other doubt. Lucas broke the tension when he realised he hadn't introduced himself yet.

'Uhm I'm Lucas Scott, it's a pleasure to meet all of you.' he said and smiled surprised when Emma hugged him and then Lisa hugged his legs, and last but not least Jack merely nodded at him while following his son out. Lucas turned to look at Brooke as they made their way to the cars, his car; which thankfully Brooke would be riding with him only and he mouthed, 'I'm gonna kill you'.

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