Recovery

I was so excited that Luke was coming home. Everything could get back to how it was, get back on track. My brother was awake and doing well, Mom and Keith were pretty much inseparable, and I was about to be able to sleep in a bed again instead of a hospital chair. Life was good.

"Hey, easy there tough guy," Mom said as Luke tried to get into the drawer beside his bed. "You'll pop a stitch."

"It's just a drawer, Mom," Luke insisted. "I'm not helpless."

"You will be if you keep this up," I teased, sitting beside him as Mom went to the drawer.

"What are you looking for?" she asked.

"The book Keith got me," Luke said.

"Here it is," Mom said, getting it out and handing it over to him. "Keith's getting the car, got everything?"

"How are we doing today?" the doctor said, coming into the room.

"Like I had my spleen ripped out," Luke quipped.

"You're hilarious," I said. "Maybe your next tattoo should be the Chinese symbol for comedian."

Mom groaned as the doctor noted, "You'll be sore for a while."

"What about basketball?" Luke asked. "Will I get it back? The way it was?"

"Your shoulder was pretty badly damaged," the doctor said carefully. "Full recovery may not be possible."

Luke nodded, and I put my hand on his good shoulder, squeezing gently in support. Basketball was more than just a sport to him, to both of us really.

"Hey guys," Keith said, walking into the room. "Ready to go?"

We arrived home and headed for Luke's bedroom. Keith was getting the stuff out of the car as Mom and I fussed over Luke.

"Surprise!" Brooke said with a wide grin, having filled his room with plants and various gifts and had also rearranged some of his furniture.

"Wow," Mom said, taken aback.

"What? Bad idea?" Brooke worried.

"No, you just surprised me," Luke said.

"Then mission accomplished," Brooke smiled. "I Feng Shui'd your room. It promotes healing. I just wanted to say 'Welcome Home, Boyfriend'."

She kissed his cheek, and Luke asked for a minute alone with her.

"Keep it short," Mom advised. "You need to be in bed."

Mom closed the door and I couldn't help but quip, "I'm sure they'll end up…"

"Don't finish that sentence," Mom said, but a small smile broke through. "Come on, let's help Keith with the bags."

Haley and Peyton both visited Lucas throughout the day, while I tried to get Mom alone. Keith was always around though, and only when he offered to give Haley a lift home did I get to talk to Mom.

"So…" I said, sitting next to her on the couch. "Will Keith be staying here tonight?"

"Is this your not so subtle way of asking me about my relationship with Keith?" Mom smiled.

"Is that your not so subtle way of telling me there's a relationship with Keith?" I countered.

"Touché," she said. "We haven't really had time to talk about it, with the accident and all."

"But there will be a relationship to talk about?"

"Yes," she said, and I squealed, giving her a hug.

"I am so happy for you guys," I said. "I'm so glad you finally realised that you two are perfect for each other."

Mom laughed. "I might make some lunch. Wanna go check if Luke wants a sandwich?"

"Sure," I said, and went into his room to find it was empty. "Um…. Mom…"

She took off to find Luke, though we both suspected he was at the River Court.

I went to the mall, needing a new outfit for my date with Clay that night.

"Brooke?" I said in surprise. The normally bubbly girl was sitting on a bench, looking on the verge of tears. "Are you okay?"

"Didn't Luke tell you?" she asked. I shook my head. "He broke up with me."

"What?!" I exclaimed, sitting beside her. "Oh my God! I had no idea, I am so sorry!"

"I've been trying to get a hold of Peyton…" she said, then saw something over my shoulder. "Peyton!"

I turned to see Haley and Peyton together.

"You didn't get my messages?" Brooke asked Peyton.

"Really? No," Peyton said. "My phone's been whacked out all day. Are you okay?"

"Not really, no," Brooke said, and I put my hand on her shoulder. I wondered what on earth had happened between her and Lucas. The last I had seen, Brooke had been so devoted to him when he was in his coma. I couldn't understand what had gone wrong. "I said I wasn't going to do this, I said it wasn't worth it but it is," she said, starting to cry. "Lucas broke up with me."

"I'm sorry," Peyton said.

"I was looking forward to getting a chance to show him how much he means to me," Brooke said.

"Clearly that coma has knocked all the sense out of him," I said firmly.

"He said he just wants to be friends," Brooke said, wiping her eyes. I winced. There was nothing worse than the 'I just want to be friends' line. I know, I'd been there. "And every idiot knows that that's just code for 'go away'."

"If Lucas said he just wants to be friends, I'm sure he means it," Peyton said comfortingly. I rolled my eyes at her. Luke may be a nice guy, but every girl knew what that line really meant.

"How do you do that with Lucas?" Brooke asked.

"You, sort of, do everything you've been doing," Haley said. "Without the sex part."

"There's a first time for everything, right?" Brooke said, and once again I was struck by just how much Brooke cared for Luke. I couldn't imagine her being like this for any other guy.

"Brooke, I actually need your help," I said, eager to help her keep her mind off everything. "I have a date and nothing to wear."

"Fashion emergency?" she brightened. "I'm your girl."

"Great," I said with a grin that I would soon regret.

I arrived home loaded down with bags and walking with a slight limp.

"What happened to you?" Luke asked with amusement from the couch.

"Oh, this is funny to you?" I scowled. "I was trying to make Brooke feel better, asshat. What the hell happened? She really loves you, Lucas."

"I know," he said, looking guilty.

"Well then what happened?" I asked, dumping my bags on the couch beside him.

"I just need some time," he said, and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"You're hiding something," I said. "Need some time? Let's be friends? What the hell, I thought you were a good guy!"

Mom walked in and her eyes widened at the amount of bags. "Shopping spree?"

"I have a date tonight, and decided to ask Brooke to help me pick an outfit," I said, and Mom picked up one of the Victoria's Secrets bag with a raised eyebrow. "Probably for your own peace of mind, Mom, I wouldn't look in there."

She dropped the bag quickly and I gathered everything back up, heading to my room.

"Are you limping?" Mom asked with concern.

"Brooke made me get a Brazilian," I complained. Lucas' face reddened, looking horrified, while Mom just shook her head. "You try saying no to a heartbroken Brooke Davis, I dare you."

"You look gorgeous," Clay said, and the smirk on his face made me suspicious.

"Have you spoken to Brooke?" I asked, and the smirk grew.

"Maybe," he said as he started to drive. "Apparently, there's a Brazilian treat she's sure I'll enjoy."

"Oh God," I groaned, my head in my hands. Clay and I had only started having sex once we had become official, but still… the idea of Brooke discussing my sex life was embarrassing. "Well, not tonight anyway. Mom pretty much has us on lockdown at the moment she's being so overprotective. You should be proud you got me out of the house at all, mister."

"Please," he scoffed. "Your mom and Keith love me."

That was true. The way he had taken care of me in the hospital, and how he had gotten me home for a shower, meal and nap had forever endeared him in their eyes.

"If they hear the words 'Brazilian treat' they might not," I laughed.

He took my hand. "Good to hear you laugh again," he said.

"It's just great being out of the hospital," I sighed. "Everything's getting back to how it should be. Mom and Keith, me and you. Luke's recovering. Except for the part where he banged his head and apparently got over Brooke."

"Yeah," he said with a frown. "Brooke seemed pretty upset, even though she was trying to distract herself with her 'Makeover Beth Project'."

"Believe me, once you see the Victoria's Secrets purchases you'll be thanking her," I teased. "I just wish they'd get back together. You saw how she was with him the hospital. Almost as good to him as you were to me."

He pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant and grinned. "If we rush dinner we can head back to mine and…"

"If we skip dinner we can head back to yours and take our time," I murmured, kissing along his neck.

"Right, cancel dinner then," he said quickly, starting the car back up.

"So," Mom said with a smile as I ate breakfast at the café. "You got in late last night."

"Right on curfew," I said quickly.

"Have a good night?" she asked.

"Yep," I said, trying to be casual.

"Using protection?" she said, and I spat my orange juice everywhere.

"Oh my God!" I exclaimed, mortified. "Yes. Seriously Mom, I already had to endure this with Keith."

"We're just looking out for you," she said, heading to the counter.

"I need to eat breakfast elsewhere," I muttered as Jake approached the table beside mine to clear the dishes. "Hey, Jake."

"Hey Beth," he said. I didn't know him that well, but he had been nice enough when he'd come to visit Luke in the hospital. "Did you want a coffee or anything?"

"I'm good," I said, glancing at my mother. "Though I may have just lost my appetite forever."

"Safe sex talk," Jake grinned, and I groaned realising he had overheard. "Hey, as much as I love Jenny…"

"I know," I sighed. "Still…"

He laughed and answered his phone as Brooke walked in.

"Hey," I called her over.

"Hey," she said, attempting a smile. "How'd your date go?"

"Victoria's Secret was a big hit," I said with a grin.

"And?" she prompted me.

"And the Brazilian," I admitted and she grinned triumphantly. "How are you doing, Brooke?"

She shrugged. "The same."

"If it's too hard to be in the café…" I said.

"No, pretty much everywhere reminds me of Lucas so…" she looked at me speculatively. "You know, you've been there for me more than Peyton has. And I thought you would drop me as soon as Luke did."

"Brooke, you've seen my inner bitch," I reminded her. "If I didn't want you as a friend, I wouldn't have asked for advice about Clay, gone to the movies with you or asked for your fashion advice. I would have just told you to get lost."

"Good to know," she said with a nod. "So I know Luke needed some space, but I was on the Internet and I found this website on splenectomies and they recommended this herbal tea, so I picked some up for him."

She held up a bag.

"That's really nice of you, Brooke," I said with a smile. "I'll pass it along."

"Thanks," she said, but I could hear the slight disappointment in her voice.

"Or come by the house," I said. I really was Team Brucas.

"Okay," she said, her face brightening.

Luke was asleep, so we put on a movie.

"God, I love this movie," Brooke said.

"I know," I said with a wistful sigh. If only men everywhere could be like Ryan Gosling in The Notebook. We passed the tissues between us, sobbing as Noah and Allie drifted off together.

"I should probably check on Lucas," I said, checking the clock. "See if he wants anything to eat."

"Will you let me?" Brooke asked hopefully.

"Sure," I said, hoping the whole Florence Nightingale effect could work in our favour and get them back together. Brooke went down the hall and a moment later the phone rang.

"Hello," I answered.

"Beth?"

"Peyton?"

"Luke's collapsed," she said, sounding panicked.

"Get him to the hospital, I'll meet you there," I said quickly. "Brooke!" I called in a panic, hanging up on Peyton. I had to call Mom and Keith I was completely panicked. "It's Lucas, he collapsed. Let's go!"

She followed behind me immediately. Brooke drove me to the café where we picked up Mom, and Keith was going to meet us there.

We all rushed through the hospital, easily finding Lucas. We knew our way around pretty well now.

"Oh my God, Lucas, are you okay?" Mom said, rushing up to him. Brooke and I had linked arms, looking at Lucas with concern.

"Yeah, I think so," Luke said, his voice hoarse.

"The doctor said his fever is going down," Peyton added.

"Where were you?" Mom demanded. She'd already busted him once at the River Court, and she was really unhappy now.

"Peyton?" Brooke asked, and I was taken aback by the coldness in her voice. I attributed it to the panic about Luke though.

"I was down at the River Court," Luke spoke up. "I know I shouldn't have, but I had to get out. I guess I overdid it. I started feeling pretty bad, and then Peyton drove by."

"You're an idiot," I said affectionately, with a sniff. Even if I was annoyed at him for breaking up with Brooke, I never wanted him in this place again.

"Now you guys are here, I'll get going," Peyton said.

"Thank you, Peyton," Mom said.

"Sure, I'll see you guys later," Peyton said, walking out.

"I'm sorry," Luke said to Mom.

"You should be," she said. "Honestly, Lucas…"

"Look, Mom, wait," he said. "Don't yell at me now, wait til we get home."

"You gonna be okay?" Brooke asked, releasing our arms.

"Yeah,"

Brooke turned and walked out without a word. I was confused by her suddenly cold behaviour. After all, she had only just been bringing by tea for him. Regardless, I focused my attention back on Luke, trying to focus on the fact that he was okay and trying to calm my pounding heart from the phone call that had said he had collapsed.

Keith insisted on accompanying us home, just as worried about Luke as Mom and I were.

"Sit down," Mom said to Luke firmly. He did so, and I decided to go make him some of that tea. It couldn't hurt, right? "Now," she said. "Tell me why you and Peyton were really together."

I looked over at them in surprise, abruptly stopping. I hadn't given too much thought to what he was doing before, focusing only on the fact that he was okay.

"I told you," Luke said.

"Lucas, you're lying to me," Mom said. "And you wouldn't be unless you're doing something you're not proud of."

"I went to see Peyton," Luke admitted. "We want to be together."

I was dumbfounded. How the hell could he do this to Brooke?

"Behind Brooke's back?" I snapped.

"I broke up with Brooke," Luke corrected me.

"You didn't tell her about Peyton," I said. "She's been wondering why Peyton hasn't been there for her while she's been heartbroken!"

"It's a shabby way to treat someone who's really been there for you, Luke," Keith said quietly.

"Great, so you're all ganging up on me?" Luke said bitterly.

"I am so disappointed in you, Lucas," I informed him, turning and walking into my bedroom. I didn't get any sleep that night. I knew I had to tell Brooke about all this, but I didn't know how.

I just knew that she deserved to know she was being betrayed.

Author's Note: Hey guys, hope you are all enjoying this story. Reading some of your reviews makes my day!

I am heading overseas for the next six weeks, but rest assured I will be back and the story will be continued. Keep reading and let me know your thoughts :)