AN: Hey everybody! Thank you so much to all that read and most of all to those who reviewed! Personal responses to your reviews are at the end of this chapter. Again thank you!!!

I bet I had you worried I'd disappeared again! I was on a business trip last week, and that caused the slight delay, so sorry for that!

Wow, there is a lot of Lucas hating going around and I'm loving it! :D I don't see that changing anytime soon, but maybe I can add some Brooke hating in as well!

I have to warn you that there is slight insinuation in this chapter of a sensitive subject. If anyone may be offended, please do not read. Again, I am wondering whether I need to raise the rating and I think that because of the future chapters, I might need to anyway, so keep that in mind.

So without further delay, on to the girls' chapter, enjoy, and please let me know what you think!

Chapter 12

The Other Plan

Jake regarded Brooke in amusement and some awe as she managed to keep bouncing up and down on her ten inch heels. She let out a frustrated sigh and sprinted towards the next shop where she resumed her bouncing trying to make out the people in the shop. They had been late at arriving at the airport since they were stalled by a huge traffic jam a car accident had caused and Brooke was in a horrible mood, blaming and cursing the police that took they're sweet time in clearing the debris of the car that had driven off the road, the jackass that drove his car off the road, the rain that had made the road slippery and caused the jackass to drive his car off the road…

By the time they had finally arrived at the airport, Rachel and Haley had already landed a long time ago. Rachel had called Brooke to inform her that they would take a look into the airport's shops while waiting for them to arrive. As soon as they parked their car Brooke had sprinted-despite her ten inch heels- to the shopping area and started a frantic search for the other two girls. Jake mused that they could just call and ask Rachel where exactly she was at the moment, but in the mood Brooke was in, he doubted any suggestion would be welcome, even if it would offer the solution to their problem. It was not like she kept standing still enough time for him to even make the suggestion even if he wanted to.

Finally, as they were towards the one hundredth or so cosmetics shop, Jake really had no idea which, Brooke let out and incredible high-pitched shriek, signaling that she had most probably spotted her girlfriends and their search was over. Her squeal unsurprisingly caught the attention of most people in the surrounding shops as well as all the passersby, and Jake discerned the amused face of Rachel among them walking towards their direction next to a slightly shorter girl with honey-brown hair that looked almost as ecstatic as Brooke did. The girl started running towards them, and Jake realized that Brooke was also running towards the other girl. Shaking his head he followed much slower throwing apologetic glances left and right to the people Brooke had practically shoved out of her way to reach her friend. The two girls embraced fiercely when they reached each other, and were still holding each other tightly when Jake finally reached them. Rachel approached at the same time, since she just like Jake had refrained from running through the crowded airport.

"Hey, Rach," Jake greeted with a smile leaning to kiss the redhead.

"Jakey," Rachel returned with a smile of her own. "This here is Haley… as you might have guessed, and as you can plainly see and like I have already told you, I am the only sane from our trio."

"Shut up!" Brooke that so far had seemed to be totally ignoring them in favor of Haley, tuned back in their conversation just at the right time.

"Oh, let her be, no one takes her seriously anyway," Haley smirked and then turned to observe Jake. Brooke had showed her some photos from their vacations when she had returned to LA before leaving for Tree Hill, but she had to admit that he looked much better in person. He had an inherent goodness about him, his eyes, and the way he was smiling at them, so Haley couldn't help but smile back. "I'm Haley," she offered, as Brooke was busy bickering with Rachel at the time.

"And I'm Jake," Jake returned.

"Oh, right!" Brooke exclaimed making a duh face. "You two haven't met each other yet!"

"I think we just did," Jake smirked.

"No! I want to do it!" Brooke whined.

Rachel rolled her eyes while Jake laughed, "go ahead, baby," he finally let out through his laughter as Brooke's pout was getting deeper.

Brooke moved again to give a sideways hug to Haley as she started her 'presentation', "Jake, this is my best best friend, Haley, well, my other best friend, besides Rachel. She's the one always, always taking care of us, and you owe her tons of gratitude as I would have probably starved to death without her," Brooke rumbled.

"Too right," Haley said nodding her head emphatically.

Brooke threw her a scathing look for the interruption, and went on, "I'm sure you're going to love her, and you so must do your best to win her approval! You have Rachel's, so you're half way there! But… you know, if Haley doesn't approve…and unlike Rachel who is…"

"Easy," Haley provided with a giggle.

"Exactly," Brooke agreed not really in the mood to catch the joke, "Haley's going to make you work really hard for it," she finally concluded breathless.

"Oh, boy," Jake chuckled while Haley kept nodding vigorously to show her agreement.

"And Hales!" Brooke exclaimed letting the girl go and moving next to Jake and letting his arm encircle her.

Rachel who was hoping they were going to finally move towards their car let out a sigh in frustration.

"This is my Jake! My future hubby to be! Didn't I tell you how gorgeous he is? Wasn't I right? Isn't he the cutest?" Brooke enthused.

Haley rolled her eyes.

"Brooke," Jake groaned as he felt that he was most probably going to blush or something if Brooke went on like this.

"What? It's true!" Brooke went on undeterred. "And he's also wonderful and so nice, and you're going to see for yourself very soon why I love him so much!"

"Yes, he's dreamy…" Rachel drawled sarcastically, "now, can we get the hell out of here? I'm tired and hungry!"

"Bitchy…" Brooke muttered to Haley.

Jake however seemed to agree with Rachel, they had attracted too much attention as it was and he felt more than a little uncomfortable.

"C'mon, the car is parked this way," he gestured and the three girls followed behind him and he had to chuckle again as he heard Brooke explain their cause for the delay and once again curse, the police that didn't clear the road of the car that had driven off of it fast enough, the car driver that had driven his car off the road, and the weather for being rainy and making the road slippery and causing the car to be driven off the road.

Jake had driven the girls at Brooke's hotel, where they had also booked them rooms and then left to let the girls rest and settle. He had proposed to take them out for dinner the same evening since they would have the time to rest by then. It had been only just after noon when they'd arrived at the hotel, but Brooke declined, as she preferred for the three girls to have that day just to themselves to catch up. She instead proposed that Jake would come pick them up the next day for an early lunch and a tour of Tree Hill. That had caused many snorts from Rachel who somehow doubted 'this hill place' offered any opportunities for sight-seeing. However, Brooke just ignored her and Jake agreed with her idea and left with the promise to arrange with his uncle not to go to the dealership the next day so as to be available any time the girls would wake up.

So now, about an hour after Jake had left and after both Haley and Rachel had the time to take a quick shower and unpack, the girls met again in Brooke's room where the latter had arranged for them to have lunch at her large balcony with the ocean view. Haley and Rachel had expected that now that they were alone, they would drop the pretenses of the light-hearted, cheerful mood they had been forced to display in front of Jake and talk about the very serious problem Brooke was facing. The problem that had actually forced both girls to abandon whatever they were doing in their hometown and rush to their friend's side as fast as it was possible.

However, as soon as they sat, Brooke fell head first in her food appearing to be both starving and enjoying it immensely, not leaving any room for any conversation to take place. Rachel and Haley exchanged a few skeptical glances, but decided to let her have this time. The discussion they would soon be having was bound to ruin their appetite, so having their lunch first seemed reasonable enough.

Still, after they had finished their lunch and sat to enjoy their coffees, Brooke did start talking, but not exactly about the issue both other girls were expecting. Instead, she started rumbling on and on about the town of Tree Hill, and what locations she should take Rachel and Haley to see the next day, and how she would make absolutely sure to show them the fabulous house she and Jake were planning to buy. Haley and Rachel were not exactly fooled by her excited blabbering, and after exchanging a few glances between them, Rachel sighed in resignation; she was going to have to be the one to bring Brooke down from her pretend high.

"As interesting as 'bush hill' is, how about you pause the audio guide and start talking about that other thing…" she said looking at Brooke pointedly.

"What other thing?" Brooke said assuming an innocent expression.

"Brooke," Rachel hissed impatiently.

"Oh, fine!" Brooke sighed, pulling her legs on the chair and sitting cross legged on it, "I was hoping we could forget about it for a while longer… you know, have some fun because I've missed you so much," she said with a pout, "but if you insist…"

"But have you?" Haley prodded, "have you really forgotten about it?"

"No, not really," Brooke grimaced, "how could I?"

"That's why we want you to talk about it, Tigger! After all, that's why we're here," Haley said sympathetically.

"You're right, of course you are," Brooke ascended. "So…. Jeez, I don't know… where should I start?"

"Well," Haley started, "how about what you two talked about when he first came here, in your room."

"You weren't that coherent in the phone," Rachel explained.

"Okay…" Brooke nodded and fidgeted nervously in her chair. "Well, the reception called me and told me Mr. Scott was here to see me. So I thought it was Jake, of course, but I open the door…" Brooke trailed off with a shrug.

"Fuck!" Rachel muttered.

"Exactly… You can imagine…" she hesitated and then continued in a low voice, "I'd never thought I would see him again. I knew I could never forget him or what he did to me, but I was so sure," she emphasized, "that I had left all that behind me. That I was finally moving on, you know?" she paused turning to her friends.

Haley and Rachel were listening carefully to everything Brooke needed to say. Haley was looking at her sympathetically and even Rachel seemed serious and understanding. However, both girls really doubted that Brooke had truly moved on, but they both decided to keep their mouths shut. Haley had made her opinion clear more times than enough, and Rachel believed that such things, one should come to realize by herself, otherwise no matter how many times others told her she would stubbornly denied it. Brooke had so far proved her right as she vehemently denied all the insinuations Haley had made that maybe her rushed wedding to Jake was still some sort of rebound from her failed relationship with Lucas.

"And just when I thought I was putting my life back in order… he's here, standing right in front of me… Seeing him again? I don't know…" Brooke shook her head and took a deep breath to calm herself. "He hasn't changed much," she whispered and her eyes seemed wistful, "it was like… like it hasn't even been a day since the last time I saw him, and in the same time like it's been forever…" she laughed self-depreciatingly, "I'm not making any sense at all, am I?"

"We understand, Tigger," Haley tried in a soothing voice.

"No, no, you don't," Brooke responded sadly. "You've never felt for someone the things I have felt for him…"

Haley looked at Rachel and cringed. Rachel just shrugged her shoulders at her. It was true after all. Brooke had both loved and hated Lucas to a degree the other girls didn't really understand. Rachel had never been in love herself, and though at times she had many people loathing her, she never reciprocated the feelings. No one had hurt her enough to cause her this much hatred. She didn't let anyone that close to her to be able to hurt her that way. Haley, on the other hand, claimed that she had been in love. And maybe she had loved Chase, the only serious relationship she'd ever had, Rachel admitted, but there was no chance in hell she had been so in love with him as Brooke with Lucas. There just wasn't any passion between them. That was why when things fell apart with Chase, Haley had no problems of forgetting all about him and moving on with her life.

Rachel focused again on Brooke who wasn't continuing with her story and seemed also absorbed in her own thoughts. Haley fake-coughed and got her attention again.

"Right, well, at first I guess we were both somewhat numb from the shock… but we soon recovered and he started with his old insults as usual…" Brooke explained, "and then he told me he came here to stop my wedding. My wedding to his brother. Finally, when he realized I didn't know what he was talking about… he didn't believe me."

"What?" Haley asked confused.

"He didn't believe I didn't know Jake was his brother," Brooke clarified. "The bastard thinks that I knew all along and that's why I want to marry Jake, to screw with his life once again."

Haley looked flabbergasted. Rachel however nodded, "it makes sense."

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Brooke exclaimed.

"No way, Rach, that would be sick!" Haley protested.

"I didn't say that I think that," Rachel rolled her eyes in exasperation, "I'm just saying that if you think about this from his point of view, it makes sense."

"Yeah, if you're an arrogant asshole, it does! It's been five fucking years! What makes him think that I still spare even one thought for him?!" Brooke fumed.

"Because you do?" Rachel said sarcastically. "C'mon, Brooke, think about it. Think about everything you did to him after your break up…"

"Which he caused!" Brooke yelled.

"That doesn't matter," Rachel said wearily, "all I'm saying is think about the ends you went to, to make him suffer… Why wouldn't he think you're doing it again?"

"Why are you taking his side?!"

Rachel sighed heavily and Haley thought it was a good time to intervene. "She's not, sweetie. But I can see what she means. It's such a big coincidence for you to be engaged to his brother, you have to admit you would have been suspicious yourself."

"Argh!" Brooke groaned, "not five years later!"

"Fine, whatever," Rachel said to urge Brooke to move on to other matters. It was obvious she was determined to deny even thinking about him anymore, though both Haley and Rachel knew that she did.

"Fine! Well, after that he said he was going to talk to Jake; tell him everything about my past, our past. And I told him that if he did, I would too… and I would make Jake believe me… and I would also say all kind of stuff from his past… and well, apparently I convinced him, because he kept his mouth shut yesterday at dinner."

"So you think you've convinced him to keep quiet?" Haley asked doubtfully.

Brooke bit her lip and hesitated for a second, "I think so, yes. But with him, you can never tell. I believe he's not going to say anything for now, but if he sees that he can't stop the wedding any other way, he may change his mind. Though, I think, he really doesn't want for everything to come out."

"What exactly are you holding over him, B?" Rachel asked suspiciously.

"Stuff…" Brooke said casually, "you know… about how he treated me after everything fell apart and…"

"Bull! You have something else, something from his past," Rachel declared rather than asked.

"I told you I did," Brooke admitted, "back then he used to confide in me so I know stuff nobody else does."

"Stuff you haven't even told us," Haley said skeptically.

"Why should I?" Brooke asked defensively, "they have nothing to do with you or me for that matter."

"So you're still keeping his secrets after everything he's done to you?" Rachel said with a challenge.

Brooke fumbled for words for a second but then set her face in a resolute expression, "I'm not keeping his secrets," she emphasized, "I didn't tell you because it didn't matter after he had left. And I am glad I didn't tell anyone back when he was still in LA, because now I have another weapon I can use against him. And rest assured, this time, I won't hesitate to use it when the time comes."

Rachel pursed her lips. She always believed Brooke hated Lucas after their break up. And even though she agreed with Haley that hatred was not the only thing she was still feeling, her keeping his secret still surprised her. It seemed that even when she was trying to hurt him as much as possible she was still protecting him at the same time.

"So if he tells Jake anything…?" Haley asked with trepidation.

"If he tells anyone even a word," Brooke chuckled harshly, "oh, then I'll talk too! I'll make him look so bad…" she said smugly. "I will tell his precious family everything about what their sweet little Lucas is capable of. I will make it so that they will never trust him again. So that no one believes a word that comes out of his mouth ever again. If he dares to say even one think about our past, I may lose Jake, but he will lose his entire family. I will make damn sure of that," she concluded with an icy voice.

Haley suppressed a shiver that run through her and looked worriedly at Rachel that had lowered her own head and was examining the table seeming much less affected than herself from Brooke's speech. She was ready to open her mouth and tell Brooke how wrong this all sounded, but Rachel raised her head at that time and gestured for her not to. Seeing Brooke's pale complexion and hearing how her breathing had already turned irregular, Haley just sighed heavily and slumped back in her chair.

"Let's go back to that dinner, yesterday," Rachel said then obviously trying to change the subject. "You didn't tell us how that went. And what about Jake's other brother, and his sister? You said his parents haven't returned yet?"

Brooke blinked a couple of times and then nodded to Rachel, "Jake's expecting his parents to return this weekend. And we'll have a more official dinner or something for them to meet me and , of course. I hope that at least goes better than the one yesterday," she sighed.

"Was it that bad?" Haley asked following Rachel's example in changing the subject and assuming a more light-hearted tone.

"God…" Brooke groaned, "I don't know who was worse, him with all his stupid remarks and hidden insults or Jake's sister with her twenty thousand questions game. I've already told, Rach, over the phone," she continued, "but you'll meet her soon enough and you'll see. Our 'baby Peyton,'" she cooed in an overblown impression of Jake's teasing tone and name for his sister, "should have been working for the FBI!"

Both other girls were by now laughing as Brooke exaggerated her every point.

"Oh, don't laugh! And Jake?!" she asked with a raised voice almost jumping in her chair. "What a pushover! He just let her drill me wit her questions throughout the dinner! He would be in so much trouble if I didn't have to deal with Lucas at the same time! I came so close to throttling sweet little Peyton and ripping off of her that mop of bleached curls she calls hair!" Brooke said gesturing wildly.

At that, Haley and Rachel burst out in full laughter, while Brooke just looked at them huffing. "I'd see how you'll laugh when she takes on your asses!"

After their laughter had subsided a bit, Haley asked again, "you said there was his other brother as well. Is he as dreadful as the other two?"

Brooke's face broke out in a full fledged smile, and Haley looked at her strangely while Rachel looked mostly intrigued.

"Oh, no, no, no. Thank God, no! Nathan, that's Jake's other brother, is a total sweetheart! He was so nice to me, and he's funny, and really interesting and-"

"He's hot, right?" Rachel interrupted with a smirk.

"Hot as hell," Brooke pretended to fan herself.

"Brooke!" Haley tried to say in a reprimanding tone but she was hardly able to keep the grin off her face.

"Well, well, well," Rachel drawled, "finally, something interesting in this hill town. Do tell."

"He's tall, dark, and ahhh…" Brooke said faking a dreamy expression and then after the girls laughed again she composed herself. "No, seriously, he's gorgeous. If I wasn't already with Jake," she paused thoughtfully for a second tapping her finger at her chin, "and if I hadn't been already with Lucas, I would totally go for that Scott!"

"Your loss, our gain," Rachel mused, "does he have a girlfriend or something?"

"Nah, when we had been at the café yesterday morning he told me he was single and he really enjoyed it."

"Café?" Both Haley and Rachel jumped in at the same time.

Brooke looked at them wide eyed. "Fuck! How did I forget? You're so not going to believe this!"

It was by then late in the afternoon, and the girls were still talking though they had moved from the balcony and were now sprawled around Brooke's bed. Brooke and Haley on it and Rachel on an armchair she had moved close. Brooke had talked about her strange meeting with Nathan and Jake's reaction that had merely laughed at the strange coincidence not reading anything into her almost flirting with his brother, showing to Brooke how much he trusted her as she confided guiltily to Haley and Rachel. She had also described in more detail the dinner and all the questions Peyton had asked, though she tried to not focus on the things Lucas had said.

When Brooke seemed to have completed everything she was meaning to say, including how she had asked Jake after the family dinner about how Lucas was brought into their family and what he had told her about his father and Lucas' mom, Rachel thought it was about time they started talking about their plans, because it was obvious that a lot had changed between the frantic Brooke who had called them two days ago, and the Brooke that was now casually narrating her dinner with Jake's family.

"What now? What are you going to do now? I'm assuming you have no intention of breaking off your engagement to Jake, after all," she asked looking at Brooke seriously.

Brooke raised herself further from the sprawled position she had been in and Haley straightened up as well.

"Break off my engagement? No, Rach, I have no intention of doing that," she said seriously.

Haley's mouth dropped open. "You can't still be planning to marry Jake now that you know Lucas is his brother!"

"I am not letting Lucas ruin my life again!" Brooke declared fervently.

"But how is that supposed to work, Brooke? There's no way Lucas is going to let you-"

"Let me? Let me?" Brooke yelled enraged. "Oh, he can try, Hales! Honestly? I want him to try and stop me! And then he will see exactly what I'm capable off!"

Haley shook her head, "but even if he can't stop you, how is this going to work? I mean, do you honestly think you can live in the same family with him? Brooke, c'mon, be serious!"

"I have to side with Tutor-slut, here," Rachel intervened much more calmly than Haley, "how do you see yourself and him acting as in-laws?"

Brooke smiled coldly. "I don't plan to have Lucas being a part of my new family for that long…"

"So you do have a plan about him," Rachel muttered in confirmation to what she had already suspected after their phone call.

"You said you weren't going to talk, unless he did!" Haley protested in alarm.

"You said it yourself, Tutor-girl. I doubt Lucas is going to just let me marry Jake. In the end, he'll have to talk… but by then, I will make sure he has already lost all credibility and respect from his family."

"H-how?" Haley stuttered.

From the three girls, she was maybe the one most uncomfortable with this talk. Brooke may have loved Lucas dearly in the past, but that love had turned to hatred and pain, a hatred Brooke harbored for five years and was now able to let out again. Rachel on her part was never particularly close to Lucas. She had hanged out with him, as for almost two years he and Brooke had been almost inseparable, but she never formed a real friendship with him. Haley, on the other hand, was different. She and Lucas had a lot of similarities in their character, and they had become very close friends the time he was with Brooke. That was why Haley herself had been hurt when she had learnt how Lucas had treated Brooke and was really disappointed to find out what her friend was really like. But still, she supposed she had cared for him and seeing also Brooke trying to hurt him had never been easy for her. It seemed even after this time it hadn't gotten any easier.

Brooke chewed her bottom lip and then seemed to come to a decision, "I know you won't like this, Hales, but there's nothing you can say that will make me change my mind. Lucas is out to get me, and this time he's not going to succeed. I'll bring him down before he has the chance to do the same to me. I really don't have another choice."

"Oh, Tigger," Haley sighed.

"What are you thinking?" Rachel enquired impatiently. She was sure Brooke had come up with some kind of screwed up plan, she just needed to know how screwed up it was.

"I've thought about it…" Brooke paused for a breath, "Okay. Look, if Lucas is going to say all those things about me, I have to be sure that everyone thinks he's telling all sorts of lies…And to do that, they must think that he's not trying to help Jake, but that he has his own agenda."

"It won't be difficult to show how much Lucas hates… well, you know…" Haley mumbled.

"Yes, Lucas hates me," Brooke agreed in a flat tone seemingly unaffected, "and maybe that is obvious or not… but I don't think it's enough. It doesn't mean that what he's saying about our past is all lies. I mean he would have his reasons for hating me, right? He might convince them that he's not only talking because as he will make it seem I had hurt him in the past."

"So?" Haley asked.

"So hatred is not the right agenda," Rachel muttered in understanding. "Tell me you're not thinking what I'm thinking, Brooke," she said with a sinking feeling.

Brooke shrugged, "Hatred is not the right agenda, no. I should make everyone believe that Lucas wants something else."

"Fuck, B!" Rachel cursed with a look that was mixture of amusement and worry.

"What?" Haley asked in confusion looking between the two girls.

"Well," Brooke explained with a deliberate tone, "nobody is going to believe Lucas if they're going to think that he wants to sabotage my wedding to Jake, because… he wants me all to himself."

"What?!" Haley screamed jumping to her feet. "No! Brooke, no!" she implored.

Brooke turned to Rachel, "what do you think?"

Rachel licked her lips as she seemed in thought, "you'll be playing with fire," she finally said.

"She's right!" Haley agreed frantically. "Why would you do that Brooke?! How are you going to do that?"

Brooke chuckled humorlessly, "How am I going to make everyone believe Lucas wants me for himself? Simple, I will make him want me again."

Rachel seemed thoughtful but not all that surprised or shocked, unlike Haley, "What!?" she screeched again seemingly unable to come up with any other type of response.

"And you're so sure you're going to succeed?" Rachel asked examining Brooke's expression closely.

The brunette laughed at that. "Puh-lease, do you really think I can't seduce Lucas? Even when he hated me, when he despised me, when he called me a cheap whore, he still couldn't say no to me. And from the way he looked at me yesterday, I know he still can't."

Haley had crumbled back on the bed putting her head in her hands. This was so wrong… so wrong!

"And you're going to remind him, right? " Rachel prodded. "You're going to remind him exactly why he wanted you so much."

Brooke smirked, "Oh, trust me, I won't have any problems with that. He's a man after all, there's so much thinking he does with his upper head, and we're not going to appeal to that. I'm planning to drive him crazy…" she mused smugly, "tease him mercilessly, I know how to make him tick after all," she smiled merrily, "I'm sure it will take me no time at all to bring him to his breaking point… and then all I need is for Jake to see Lucas coming on to me, coming on to me strongly, …and me desperately and vainly trying to resist him."

"Brooke!" Haley screamed again.

"That is harsh, B," Rachel commented.

Brooke's eyes hardened. "And what Lucas did to me wasn't? What he will try to do again, isn't? I have no other choice. He was clear. He's not going to let me live my life and I'll be damned if I let him get away with ruining it again. I told you, I will do whatever it takes, and I mean it."

"But what about Jake?" Haley said pleadingly trying to appeal to her feelings for the man she claimed she wanted to marry, "have you thought about how this is going to affect Jake?"

"He'll get over it," Brooke mumbled lowering her eyes trying to suppress whatever guilt she felt. "I will make him happy. I know I can," she said confidently.

"But you will practically accuse his brother of … of forcing himself on you!" Haley insisted shocked.

"Well, I wouldn't go that far," Brooke objected, "I only want Jake to be sure that Lucas was the aggressor and I am resisting him."

"With the way you two used to have sex, that won't be that hard to show…" Rachel said and Brooke glared at her.

"You have to think this over, Brooke!" Haley insisted.

"There is nothing to think about, I've made up my mind, Hales, and if you don't think you can support me, then you can leave."

"Damn it, Brooke! Do you have any idea how many ways this could blow up at your face?"

Rachel nodded thoughtfully, she was thinking probably along the same lines with Haley but felt pretty much resigned. Brooke had made up her mind, it was obvious. Neither she nor Haley had even been able to stop her when she was plotting her revenge on Lucas no matter how much they tried to show her that she would end up hurting herself as well. Rachel sadly realized that almost nothing had changed since five years ago. One way or the other, Lucas remained Brooke's top priority.

She didn't doubt that Brooke's plan had great chances of working, from Lucas reaction to her presence she was already convinced he still had unresolved issues and feeling with Brooke. So Lucas wouldn't be able to resist her if Brooke tried to seduce him, she was mostly positive about that. The question was, would Brooke be able to resist Lucas or would she be caught in, in her own game?

"I know it's risky," Brooke admitted.

"If you do this to him, he won't have anything to lose, and he will tell everything to Jake!" Haley reasoned, "Jake might not believe all the details, but you won't be able to deny your involvement with Lucas! How are you going to explain that?!"

Brooke looked at Haley sadly, "I told you, Tutor-girl, I might end up losing Jake anyway, but first I would have made sure that Lucas has lost everything."

AN: Hope you've enjoyed the chapter! On to some personal replies to all your reviews, that I so so so so… so much appreciate!!!

dianehermans: Thank you for reviewing so regularly! Yes, right now Lucas seems to hate Brooke… but you know they say there is a fine line between love and hate (to quote BDavisLScott23). :D As for Brucas in the end… Though I can read/write other pairings through a story… I must admit… my endgame most probably has to be brucas!

Love me some Julian: I'm glad you're enjoying this! About the Brucas background, bits by bits will be revealed as the story goes on, we just need to get some more characters introductions out of the way! Until then, you can feel free to make your own assumptions and I'd love to hear them!

YouCan'tFightDestiny: Hey! I'm so glad the fic excites you! What do you think about Brooke's plan? And I have to admit I look forward to writing Nathan trying to seduce Brooke… and seeing whether he succeeds or not! He is hard to say no to, right?

quibbler149: Thank you again for your extra long review! I'm so looking forward to reading it each time! I have to agree with most of what you say. A agree I might have made Nathan a bit naïve, but I guess I think that even if he didn't actually believe everything Lucas said, he would trust his brother more than a stranger that even Jake only knew for a month. As for Lucas, patience and we will find out why he seems to hate her so much…Now, whether or not Brooke will fall for Nathan's seduction… maybe…or maybe not. But I do agree for me, bad boys are way more appealing than sweet guys… sadly!!! And what do you think about Brooke's plans? Of course she would be planning her own revenge!

As for the show… I stopped watching sometime around season 4, in my country the show is brought some months after it has actually aired in USA, and from spoilers I already knew about the blond twins getting it on… and I didn't like how they didn't focus on Brooke at all… and yeah… I don't know I lost interest.

T.H.G4EVA: Hear hear for naughty Lucas! I love him too! As for finding out about their past, I do plan to put more flashbacks now that most characters have been brought together… but the progress will be gradual! :D

sunshine: Thank you!!! Yes, Lucas seems so evil, but he's not the only one!!! And he certainly has his reasons… though I know I'm being evil myself for not revealing them!!!

p0line: I love that you hate my Lucas so much!!! :D As for Nathan, well for my story to work I needed him a bit naïve, but I guess I believe as I said that though he doesn't completely believe Lucas, he trusts that he's interested in protecting Jake, and he has no reason to trust Brooke, a complete stranger. But Lucas is not the only one plotting, so maybe next time we can hate Brooke a bit as well! :D

Treenuh: Hahahah! One of the best compliments! Yes, I think I was going exactly for completely f*&^ed up!!! I hope you'll enjoy the rest!

leona: Thank you! I hope you've enjoyed the girls chapter! And maybe, Lucas is not the only devious one! :D

amelia: Thanks for your review, I hope you've enjoyed the update!

Long Live BRUCAS: Thank you! Yes, Nathan thinks there is a new plan, but Lucas isn't really convinced…I'm sorry that wasn't that clear. As for Lucas, I think you're exactly right! :D

fggt16: Hey! I'm so happy you're enjoying this even if you're not a brucas fan! I can't say I won't disappoint you in the end, but I do hope you'll keep enjoying the brathan and bake through the story as there will be plentiful! :D

BDavisLScott23: I loved your review! I'm happy you see Lucas that way, because that's exactly how I wanted to write him! About Nathan, yeah, you're right, he should have questioned Lucas more maybe, but I have to stress it's not that he believes he's telling everything, more like he trusts him more than Brooke and believes he wants what's best for Jake. I'm sorry he turned you off of brathan, I hope I can make you like them again as the story goes on! :D