Author- Emily-Grace Mendes (Brookebynature)

Disclaimer- I own none of the characters featured in this chapter. i guess you could say I own the cab driver, but he doesn't have a name anyway...Oh! And I definately don't own Britney Spears. So don't sue me.

A/N- Well, a very very big thank you for the sweet reviews you guys have left me, I really do love reading them. This chapter is quite short, because if I had kept going,I don't even know where it would have ended. probabaly 10 pages later, so I'll give you this to read, and then the good bit starts. yay!

Life Is What You Make It

Chapter 14- Returning Home

"You've definitely got your passport right?"

"Jeez Luke I just showed you it like ten seconds ago!" Brooke replied, waving the small booklet in front of his face.

"Very funny" he laughed nervously "now put it back in your bag and make sure it's zipped up."

"Have you always been this paranoid when it comes to flying?" Brooke giggled, finding Lucas' current state amusing.

"I hate it." Lucas placed his hand on her leg, not allowing himself to get absorbed in his feelings for her. But when she put her hand delicately on top of his, he couldn't help but turn to face her, enjoying the smile that was playing along her lips.

"Well we could do something to take your mind off it." she suggested, wondering whether kissing him might just work. 'of course it would' she thought, but going to Tree Hill as a sort-of couple wouldn't help matters. In fact, it would confuse things that much more. So after deciding against the kissing thing, Brooke's next silent suggestion was the store.

"We could go stock up on magazines and candy" Brooke told him, pointing to the brightly lit store. Lucas nodded, a nervous expression still on his face.

"C'mon lighten up" she joked, poking him with her index finger and smiling. He couldn't help but smile when he saw those dimples emerge.

"magazines it is"

"Oh my God, Britney Spears is pregnant again!" Lucas exclaimed, lifting his head from out of the magazine just long enough to see Brooke with a stack of her own in one hand, two bottles of diet coke in the other.

"Well done genius" she giggled "the rest of America has known that for weeks."

"well nobody told me" Lucas muttered, going back to reading the article. Brooke smiled, at least it had taken his mind off of the imminent flight.

"last call for flight 47 to Tree Hill" the voice boomed over the speakers, causing a very jittery Lucas to practically pull Brooke off her seat.

"we're not going to miss the flight" she laughed, placing her bag over her unbruised shoulder.

"it just said last call" Lucas hissed, handing the ticket inspector his ticket.

"That's just to panic people like you" Brooke giggled, snatching her ticket from Lucas' hand after he had refused to let her look after it herself for fear that she might misplace or loose it.

"I'm not panicking" Lucas replied indignantly, feeling for the ticket stubs that he had just put in his pocket.

"Whatever you say"

"I hate that God damn turbulence" Lucas muttered, his shaky hand pushing the trolley to the cab rank.

"that was an eventful flight" Brooke added, thinking back to how Lucas had been practically hugging her the entire way. Not that she minded.

"Karen's Café, Tree Hill please" Lucas told the cab driver, opening the door to let Brooke get in first.

"Why thank you kind sir" she giggled and sat in, smoothing her hand along the tight leather seats.

"So I figured we'd go see my Mom first" Lucas told Brooke "then Nate and Haley."

"So I've got to keep carrying these flowers?" Brooke whined, waving the brightly coloured bunch of freesias in Lucas' face.

"I knew it was a bad idea to get them back in New York" he said. "But you wouldn't listen."

"yeah well these are really pretty."

"Doesn't Tree Hill have pretty flowers or something?"

"sarcasm's not helping right now Lucas."

"You nervous?" he asked, watching her face.

Brooke nodded. "I'm scared they'll hate me for leaving all those years ago."

Lucas reached out and placed his hand on top of hers, giving it a small squeeze. Brooke turned to face him and smiled.

"Besides" he started "you've brought enough gifts so they'll have to at least talk to you for a bit"

She smacked him lightly on his chest, but moved a bit closer, savouring the scent of his cologne as she rested her head on his shoulder. Lucas smiled and moved his arm around her so that she was more comfortable, stroking her hair as she shut her eyes.

"I wish it could just stay like this" she said softly, not realising Lucas had heard her.

"me too" he whispered into her hair as he kissed the top of her forehead. He'd managed to control himself now, allowing his lips to linger only a few seconds on her head before he withdrew them, making sure not to cause any uneasiness between them.

"Karen's café, Tree Hill" the cab driver announced as he pulled up alongside the familiar building.

"well pretty girl" Lucas started, noticing the wide dimpled smile appear on Brooke's face. He'd waited five years to call her that again, and it hadn't lost any of it's appeal. Brooke nodded, glancing up at the building she'd felt so at home in so many times before. "Here goes."

Please review.I guess shortchapters equal short reviews. (prove me wrong...haha) xxx