One Tree Hill. The Vampire Diaries. I don't own either of them.

Pre-Summary: "Damon, I can't just drop everything and move to Mystic Falls with you. Senior year's about to start," Brooke said and Damon shrugged. "You can start it there. Nobody'll even notice you're new...except for the psycho Hybrid and Barbie Bitch." Brooke shook her head with a small smile, "Damon…" He added, "Aren't you tired of being the footnote to somebody else's love story? Cuz I know I am."

Summary: All it took was one visit from Damon Salvatore and Brooke Davis was packing her life away in Tree Hill and moving into the Salvatore mansion with Mystic Falls' resident bad boy. Brooke only knows a small amount of the bullshit going on, but once she's there, she's stuck there. And aside from the jealous Elena, imposing Klaus and the ever-brooding Ripper Stefan, Brooke's gotta deal with feelings she'd rather not have for her best friend. And are those feelings really as one-sided as she thinks…or has Damon really let go of Elena for good? Set in season 3.

I couldn't exactly leave Tree Hill out of the story line. It was important in Brooke's life and even though she's gone, she's connected to that town for life. And the shooting episode was huge! Also, I will forever and always go down with my ship…BRUCAS! So pissed they weren't endgame. I mean, they were Delena with a twist of being all human…although I hate Delena with the utmost passion. But still, like Delena fans say that Damon and Elena bring out the best side of each other and have so much chemistry (not my belief, sorry), so did Lucas and Brooke and we all know that the only reason Leyton even had a chance was because Mark Schwann loved Peyton so much. Anyway, enjoy!

Looking up from underneath

Fractured moonlight on the sea

Reflections still looks the same to me

As before I went under

And it's peaceful in the deep

Cathedral where you cannot breathe

No need to pray, not need to speak

And now I am under

And it's breaking over me

A thousand miles down to the sea bed

Found the place to rest my head

Never let me go

Never let me go

Never let me go

Never let me go

And the arms of the ocean are carrying me

And all this devotion was rushing out of me

In the crushes of heaven for sinner a like me

And the arms of the ocean delivered me

Never Let Me Go by Florence and the Machine

Brooke was asleep.

Damon was watching her quietly and she snuggled more into him. They were lying on his bed with Damon on his back and Brooke curled up at his side, her head resting on his chest. For the past two days, Brooke hardly got any rest. She'd been calling Haley and checking on Peyton at the hospital and even consoling Mouth and some new chick named Rachel. Finally, she was sleeping and Damon could only stare at her. She was still pale and her cheeks were still tear-stained. She was so small beside Damon; so delicate.

Some punk back in Tree Hill named Jimmy was pissed about his life and about some fucking time capsule that went off, exposing how he truly felt about each and every person in their school. So, he decided to bring a nice little pistol to school and sent everyone into a panic. In the rush to leave, Peyton pushed Bevin away from the glass door just as he raised his gun, taking the bullet for the other cheerleader. Lucas had to drag her out later while the school was on lockdown because of the amount of blood she lost. Nathan had gone to rescue Haley and got trapped with her while the kid went off. Finally, the kid killed Lucas' uncle, Keith, before killing himself in the hallway. The mayor and Lucas' father, Dan Scott, found the two bodies apparently. Everyone was mourning.

Including Brooke.

"You don't have to stay with me," Brooke muttered sleepily, not opening her eyes. "Alaric –

"Can wait," Damon finished for her and wrapped an arm around her. Brooke opened her eyes and locked gazes with her boyfriend, an appreciative yet knowing smile on her face.

"Damon, you have to help him." Damon rolled his eyes and Brooke sat up slowly, eyes tired and slightly puffy. Damon sat up with her. "I'll be okay. I promise." Damon sighed before giving her a look.

"I booked you a flight for Tree Hill –

"Damon, no." Brooke did not need him doing that. She could've easily made plans later, maybe after they got Ric out of jail. Damon ignored her.

"It leaves in four hours. You and Blondie go there and you see everyone," he continued and Brooke smiled sadly, tears springing to her eyes. She dropped her head onto his shoulder as the tears fell and Damon wrapped his arms around her petite body, pulling her against him. He buried his nose into her hair and inhaled her scent deeply, knowing that he'd be missing her smell for at least a day. "I won't tell you everything will be okay. I don't do clichés. Not my style." Brooke giggled.

"Don't we all know," she replied and Damon smirked against her hair before kissing the side of her head. He lifted her head and cupped her face gently.

"But I love you, pretty girl." Damon's thumb swiped a few of her tears away from her cheek. "You come back to me, okay?" Brooke smiled at him warmly and rested her forehead against his.

"Always," she replied and kissed Damon slowly and tenderly, knowing this was the last one she'd get for a few days.

OOOOOOOOO

"LUCAS, STOP!" Haley screamed as Lucas continually kicked and kicked at Jimmy Edwards' locker, destroying what used to be a small memorial for the kid. The crowd in the hallway could only gape as Lucas kept kicking, even denting the dead kid's locker.

Lucas Scott prided himself of being in control of his feelings. He was a writer; anything he needed to be done or said was expressed through his writings. Any emotion that plagued him, any thoughts…they would be permanently engraved on paper, the words flowing out in a way that only Lucas could. It was just in his nature to have all of those things bottled up only for him to release it an onslaught of words that would one day have readers clutching their hearts with emotion.

Until now.

Now, Lucas was all kinds of pissed and hurt and lost. He'd lost his uncle – the only father he'd known. His mom lost the man that had loved her her entire life, the only man who hadn't left her side when things fell apart. That man had been her rock and her love and they were finally on the path Lucas had wanted them on. Hell, Brooke had even pointed this out to him. Marriage; they were supposed to get married. And then all of that was taken away in a blink of an eye because of a punk who thought his life was bad! They were fucking kids! How could his life be any worse than any other kid in this damn school that had to deal with the social hierarchy of high school?

They had seven months. Seven months of dealing with the bullshit of high school. They'd been dealing with it for three years now and everyone else seemed fine. And he chose now – now, when everything was going right? Sure, Lucas didn't have the girl he wanted; she had left. But he had friends and he was writing this book. He and Nathan were back on good terms and he even managed to become best friends with Peyton; he noticed that the blonde wanted more, but he wasn't interested. But life was good and that fucker decided that he wanted to screw everything up now? Now?

"Luke," a small, broken voice called among the ever-growing crowd and Lucas stopped kicking, whirling around to see the one person he needed the most.

Stormy blue clashed with vibrant hazel.

There was always something about Brooke Davis that drew Lucas in. He had been a blind, foolish idiot when had had her, oblivious to that special thing about her. But once away from the drama of the Bermuda Triangle of Death, Lucas saw her – truly saw her. Sure, he had seen glimpses of this amazing side of Brooke Davis – all sides were amazing, by the way – but he had seen something spectacular when they were just friends. He was reminded that although she was vulnerable and scared of putting herself out there, she was strong when she needed to be – when anyone needed her to be. Even when she's just as lost as you are, she'd be there.

And she was just what he needed.

In seconds, Brooke was in his arms and her small body was pressed against his, face pressed into the crook of his neck. He could feel her sigh against him before wrapping her inviting arms around his shoulders, hand at the back of his head to pull him closer. And Lucas just melted against her, wrapping his arms around her waist and breathing in all that Brooke Davis was. He embraced her just as fiercely as she did him, not even noticing that Caroline and Haley were sending people on their way with murderous looks in their eyes. It didn't matter to him anymore that she didn't want him or that, according to Haley, she was in love with another guy. Lucas was lucky he was even her friend after the crap he put her through last year. All that mattered was that she was here and she was with him.

For the first time since the incident, Lucas felt a glimmer of happiness; hope.

After hugging it out for a few minutes through the late bell, Brooke and Lucas made their way to the gym. Luckily, there were no gym classes at the moment. So, they sat on the bleachers that were high up so that they could lean against the wall comfortably. Brooke sighed, staring out into the open gymnasium. She remembered being here all the time, getting the girls fit and conditioned. She remembered bugging the hell out of Peyton because the blonde was far from being cheery and it was a game they seriously needed to win. She remembered eyeing the boys during one practice, not even attempting to tell the girls to not stare. She remembered being here and suddenly, she felt horrible.

"It feels so wrong that I wasn't here with you guys," she admitted to Lucas quietly and he glanced at her, lacing their fingers gently.

"No, I'm glad you weren't," he told her. "I don't know…what I would have done if anything had happened to you. I honestly don't know what anybody would've done." Brooke shook her head.

"Lucas…"

"No, I'm serious. If anything had happened to you, I don't think any of us would have made it – even the people you're not friends with. Haley and Nathan would have never gotten back together, Mouth wouldn't even want to go to a game knowing that he wouldn't be announce anything about you, the cheerleaders and the student council would be lost, and Peyton..." Brooke sighed.

"And Peyton probably wouldn't be in the hospital right now," she finished. Lucas turned to her a sharp look.

"That is not your fault," he swore. "Peyton took that bullet for Bevin without even knowing it; she just thought it was glass. And if it were you, she'd do it all over again in a heartbeat and you know it." Brooke nodded, tears stinging her eyes at the thought of her best friend. Peyton was out of her surgery and was recovering. She could be discharged today and Haley promised that she would stay at the house with her until she was able to recover on her own.

"We're all gonna be okay after this, right Luke?" She needed his reassurance. Lucas Scott always had a calming effect on Brooke. He even was able to make her quit wanting to party so much, made her want to grow up a little. Sure, Brooke Davis still had fun. But she was tame now. But his reassurance…his faith was something Brooke needed. Lucas sighed and squeezed her hand lightly.

"I honestly don't know what to tell you, Cheery." Brooke giggled, swiping at some tears.

"I haven't heard that in so long," she said and Lucas pulled her into his side, crushing Brooke against him. She sighed and hugged him back, lower lip quivering with emotion as she closed her eyes and reveled in the moment. After a few minutes, she said, "I'm sorry about Keith, Luke. I know he meant everything to you." Lucas didn't say anything. He just rested his chin atop her head, staring faraway.

Because he would be alright. Lucas was in mourning and so was his mom. But after seeing Brooke, he knew he had to be strong. The strength it took for Brooke to come back to them, to face this madness with them like she was still a part of this class was admirable. And most of all, she was brilliant and loving. That was one of the things that made Lucas love her, what made Keith love her. And Lucas treasured that while he could. Brooke gave him a purpose, a sudden desire to grow stronger from this.

The boy saw the comet and he felt as though his life had meaning. And when it went away, he waited his entire life for it to come back to him. It was more than just a comet because of what it brought to his life: direction, beauty, and meaning. There are many who couldn't understand, and sometimes he walked among them. But even in his darkest hours, he knew in his heart that someday it would return to him, and his world would be whole again... And his belief in God and love and art would be re-awakened in his heart.

OOOOO

"Haley, this isn't my house anymore. We can't just walk in someone's house," Brooke said and yanked the smaller girl away. The former rock-star glared at the brunette and her vampire friend exasperatedly. "Besides, I should probably go wait for Peyton."

"You still have property in there," Haley reminded her and Brooke stared at her incredulously.

"Is this Haley James Scott trying to convince me to trespass on someone else's property?" Brooke inquired and Haley blushed. Shaking her head, Caroline smiled.

"Why don't we just ask?" The vampire strode up to Brooke's old house. Brooke and Haley exchanged looks before following the girl.

"Caroline, you can't just compel somebody to let you in there house." Caroline glanced at the brunette over her shoulder as she rang the doorbell.

"Why not? Nobody carries vervain here," Caroline replied smartly as the door swings open and a middle-aged male steps out. Caroline smiles at him brightly. "Hi. I need to check your house for something. You don't mind, right?" The man, compelled, nodded with a quirky smile and gestures welcomingly.

"Of course not. Please, come in. My wife and son went to the store. They're getting ice cream if you want any." Brooke smirked at Caroline, impressed, as she led her companions up the stairs to the master bedroom.

"So, why would your parents keep old journals from family relatives?" Brooke shrugged as she tapped on the floorboards, listening for the hollowest.

"How am I supposed to know why my parents do half of the crap they do?" She shot back and smiled in satisfaction when she got the sound she wanted. Nodding to Caroline, she and the blonde carefully picked up the long floorboard before her eyes fell on a book that had a string wrapped around it. "Found them." She reached in and grabbed the string, actually pulling up a stack of journals.

"Wow…how did you know they were there?" Haley asked as they replaced the floorboard and made sure everything was back in order.

"When I bought stuff that pissed my mom off, I'd hide in here before she got home. I knew nobody ever looked there anyway. And she'd rant and claim that I was hiding it and never thought to check." Brooke released the string of her stack and flipped through them, searching for any clue that Sophia was in here. Caroline glanced about the room, folding her arms over her chest.

"Why would Sophia's journals be here though? Wouldn't they be in Chicago if she had met Klaus?" Caroline questioned. That made since. She should have been living in Chicago if she had met Klaus and Rebekah.

"Sophia Davis-Butler was visiting Chicago with her newlywed husband from an arranged marriage," Brooke explained, noting that the first two journals were from Sophia. "He was working with some mob bosses there and planning to move her there. But she originally lived here in Tree Hill."

"But how did she know Klaus?" Brooke shrugged at that and Caroline's eyes fell on the DVD collection under the TV. Her eyes widened.

"OH MY GAWD! They have all of Jersey Shore," Caroline shouted and ran to the collection, completely distracted. Haley and Brooke laughed at her before Haley turned to Brooke a serious expression, a small smile on her face.

"Hey, Tiger?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks for talking to Lucas," Haley said and Brooke's eyes softened immediately. "He really missed you and it meant a lot." Brooke shrugged.

"We didn't really talk much." Haley shook her head.

"Still. I – we – couldn't reach him. And we didn't know what to do. You being here…it was enough for all of us." Brooke nodded, cradling the book in her arms gently.

"How are you, Tutor Girl?" Haley ran a tired hand through her hair, pushing the honey-blonde locks back.

"Taking it one day at a time," Haley replied. "I'm just…I'm so happy that it wasn't Nathan. And I hate saying that, but –

Brooke didn't let her finish. She just hurried over to the young wife and held her friend with one arm, squeezing Haley gently. Haley hugged her back, crying softly while Brooke stroked her hair gently.

"It's gonna be okay, Tutor Girl. You're gonna be okay – all of you are." Haley nodded and released Brooke with a sad yet happy smile.

"You've changed," Haley noted and Brooke gave her a curious look. "I don't know how and I don't think it's just because of Damon. But you changed." Brooke could only smile softly at Haley, placing a gently hand on the smaller girl's shoulder. Caroline, not really wanting to ruin the moment, slowly rose.

"We should probably leave," she said. "I hear wifey pulling up in the driveway."

OOOOOO

"Are you still moping, Nik?" Rebekah asked teasing, mock concern laced in her voice as she stepped into the room. Klaus glowered at her before returning his gaze to the fire, throwing a sketch of Brooke into the ever-burning flames. Rebekah smirked. "Do you honestly think that burning the pictures will somehow burn your feelings away?" Klaus turned to her a stony glare.

"Shut your mouth," he growled and Rebekah's smirk grew as she plopped herself onto the sofa. After dealing with the Salvatores and their unconventional brotherhood, Rebekah couldn't think of a better way to end her evening than to mess with her own brother.

"She's not Sophia, you know," Rebekah said and Klaus froze, hand squeezing at one sketch. Rebekah chuckled in amusement. "It's amusing that the person who becomes disappointed by others for embracing their emotions is the same one who's been moping for a love he lost years ago." Klaus turned around, glaring at his little sister.

"I said shut your mouth!" Rebekah didn't back down.

"You and Sophia were a tragic love, but Brooke isn't her. She loves Damon…truly loves him. Everyone can see it." That wasn't what Klaus wanted to hear and all he balled up all of the papers before tossing them into the fire. He needed a drink.

"It wasn't important then," he countered as he poured himself a glass of brandy. Rebekah sighed and turned in the sofa to face her brother.

"But it is now. Brooke loves Damon and she'd never leave him for you. And Sophia didn't love Daniel," she reminded him. "She was bound to that imbecile by loyalty through her faith. And through her family. But she loved you. And that, brother, is why she died."

"NOOOOOO!" Klaus thundered as Sophia threw herself before him just as Daniel Butler lunged, stabbing her instead. It had happened even before Klaus' instincts kicked in; he was a vampire and that measly knife would not have done anything to an Original such as himself. A cry of pain filled the air as Sophia's eyes widened, the blade sinking into her heart. Daniel's own topaz eyes widened and he yanked the knife from his wife's chest, causing another cry of pain.

"Sophie, I-I-I…I didn't –

"YOU IDIOT!" Klaus roared and in milliseconds, snapped the human's neck. Daniel's dead body crumbled to the floor, the knife rolling onto the cold, wet ground. Sophia collapsed into Klaus' arms and he lowered them both to the ground, ignoring the rain as it beat down mercilessly upon them. He cradled his lover delicately in his arms, putting pressure on her wound as her sweet blood seeped from her chest. "Sophia, you have to heal yourself." Sophia coughed weakly.

"My mother took my powers," she replied hoarsely and immediately, Klaus bit into his wrist violently, ready to feed her his blood. Before his wrist could come to her mouth, Sophia stopped him. "No, I can't become a vampire."

"I won't lose you," Klaus swore and tried again, but Sophia wrapped her dainty hand around his wrist.

"You were already going to lose me." Klaus stared at her curiously, noting that her breath was quickly becoming shallower. "I was going to leave Daniel. Being here as his wife…seeing you and never being able to touch you – kiss you – was the most unbearable pain of my life. But…but I couldn't be with you. Not without feeling like I lied to God…like I made a vow and broke it. Like I let everyone down.

"That's why my mother took my powers. Because I loved you and she knew that. And being with you would have made her hunt us for eternity and I would never be the thing that held you back." She coughed more and Klaus stroked the side of her face gently, watching the life slowly seep from those beautiful, haunting hazel eyes. "I'll come back, my love. I promise. Never let me go."

"Never. Sophia, don't…" Klaus wasn't one for emotion, but the tears fell without his permission, mingling with the rain that hammered upon her now colorless cheeks. He'd never dealt with a pain this intense over a woman, not since Tatia's refusal to admit if she even loved him.

"I…love…you," Sophia muttered finally and tried her damnest to at least peck Klaus' lips. But the life drained out of her just as their lips brushed and Sophia's eyes slowly closed, her body limp in Klaus' arms, leaving her love to cradle her now empty vessel.

OOOOOOOOO

"Okay, we got this," Brooke exclaimed as she helped Peyton up the stairs onto her porch. Haley was waiting inside, making dinner. Caroline was waiting for Brooke at the airport. The two girls sighed with relief as they made it to the top stair and collapsed onto the bench on the porch, triumphant and exhausted. Brooke, because she was so damn small and it was hard lifting a girl that much taller than her, and Peyton because she was not used to using crutches yet.

"I don't remember it being this hard when you had crutches," Peyton said and Brooke laughed. She remembered that time. She had made a mistake during a tumbling exercise and had to have crutches for three weeks. Peyton let her ride her back sometimes.

"That's because you let me ride your back." Suddenly, that idea sounded dangerous and fun to the girls and their eyes met as a knowing glint appeared in both of their eyes. "Wanna give it a try?"

"As long as you don't drop me." Brooke squealed and lowered herself slightly. Peyton hopped onto Brooke's back and Brooke wrapped her legs around the blonde's long legs. Peyton wasn't heavy; she barely weighed enough to be considered healthy sometimes in Brooke's eyes. But her height surely made it hard. "OH MY GAWD! I am so close to the floor right now. Brooke, put me down."

"Okay, okay," Brooke exclaimed and hurried to sit the tortured artist back in the bench. She plopped down beside her and the two best friends laughed at their own ridiculousness. After a beat, Brooke turned to Peyton and the blonde held up a hand.

"Don't." Brooke pouted.

"I didn't even say anything," Brooke whined.

"You were going to apologize for not being here," Peyton said and Brooke lowered her eyes, sitting back on the bench. Peyton sighed. "I'm not sorry you weren't here, Brooke. I'm sorry to tell you that." Peyton grasped her childhood friend's hand tightly. "If anything were to happen to you, I would not know what to do with myself. So, am I happy that you were in Mystic Falls instead of here? Hell yes!"

"Peyton…"

"No, Brooke," Peyton snapped. "I already hurt you once and a part of me will never forgive myself for doing that. And the thought of someone else hurting you – taking you away from us forever – isn't…I wouldn't be able to handle that." Brooke embraced Peyton at that, squeezing her best friend for all the blonde was worth. And Peyton returned the sentiment, rubbing Brooke's back comfortingly. "You don't always have to be everyone else's rock. As long as you're okay, we 're all going to be okay." They pulled apart. "I'm going to be okay, Lucas is going to be okay…Nathan, Haley, Mouth, and Bevin – we're all going to be okay." Brooke nodded.

"I love you, P. Sawyer." Peyton smiled.

"I love you too, B. Davis." They bumped foreheads for a minute and let the moment just pass by, not knowing when they'd be able to be like this again. "So, you get back on that flight and cuddle with that grumpy, asshole of a boyfriend that's waiting for you." Brooke giggled and smirked at Peyton.

"You two are never gonna get along, are you?" Peyton raised an eyebrow.

"Don't hold your breath," she replied dryly and they laughed.

"Hoes over bros?" Brooke held up her fist, reminding Peyton of the days they first made that their saying. They'd been younger, more carefree. But somehow, they grew up in a year and now those innocent days seemed so far away.

"Buds over studs," she replied and bumped fists with Brooke, never wanting to let this moment go. Even when Brooke went away.