Hey guys. I just wanted to say how much I means when you guys review and PM me about this story. This story is my baby and I take much pride in her. I had some huge set backs that some of you know about and thanks for caring enough to let me know you guys are still with me one this. So here is the time jump I was telling you guys about and some more info will be revealed. This one is for all you ff readers that make my day, hell my year.

cHaPtEr 21

Vegas State of Mind

Five months. In that time he had gone from being worried sick about her to hating her. She had been the one to leave him hanging. The fact that he hadn't a clue in the beginning had infuriated him. About two months had gone by with no sign of her and he had resigned to the fact that she was nothing but a lying bitch. How could she let him go so easily. He was so damn sure she'd felt something for him but it looked like he was wrong again. When he'd come back he'd thrown himself into the organization. Word around town was he was ruthless. That's the way he wanted it. Not soon after he'd come back all the slime-balls in Vegas started kissing ass. They were afraid. They should be. He was a man who had nothing but time on his hands to make anyone who crossed him suffer. Soon he'd make his wife the best possible example. No one crossed Lucas Scott.

"Sir there is a call for you."

"I'll take I in the lounge Gretchen" he motioned for the assistant to leave him be. After his return to Vegas Dan made one hell of a right hand man. In the late hours of them doing business he had begun to see a side of his father he had never seen before. One night Dan had even admitted that the night he found out Richard had moved on them he was scared to death he had lost another son. When Lucas questioned him further about what he knew of Nathan's death he shut down.

Typical Dan Scott.

Also in that time he had done a damn good job of pushing the brunette out of his system. He missed her sometimes but those times were coming few and far in between. He was becoming the man he had to be to run an cut throat organization of the like he had to. He became heartless. He became dead inside. He became what he feared most. A cold unfeeling bastard.

"Scott" he answered nonchalant like knowing whoever it was probably wasn't all that important.

Was he wrong or what.

"Luke" the sound of her voice still shook him to his heart. He hated there was any woman alive that could ever make him feel a damn thing. Make him want to feel anything.

"What do you want?"

"I wanted to talk. Are you busy?"

"I'm a busy man mom. Whatever it is spit it out."

"I wanted to talk to my son" she said a little more forceful. "Mind telling me if he's around."

"I'm still your son mom. I have a lot on my mind."

"Do you know how heart broken Keith was when he realized you were gone? How could you do that to him-To us?"

"If this is another one of your guilt trips then you might as well stop now."

"Why because you don't feel guilt anymore? Have you become that much like your father that you don't feel sorry for anything?! What about your wife-"

"Don't start okay. Look mom it was nice talking to you. I have business to take care of."

"I guess you are like your father. Business always did come first….Goodbye Luke. I promise I won't bother you again."

With that his mother hung up the phone and he sat there holding the dead line for a moment longer. It felt like she had finally given up on her son. It felt like she was finally letting go. Even though in his mind he knew it was for the best, it didn't hurt any less. For the past five months she had been calling. Guess she snuck in just one time to say goodbye.

He hung up the phone and went to his office to look over some old files. In Brooke's absences he'd taken full control. He had come into his own and now no one questioned him. He was on top of the world on the outside but on the inside…he was screaming. He had been so hard at work fortifying his grip on the organization that he'd let a lot of things fall below the waist side. Finding his brother's killer being one. He opened his desk to find a few envelopes that he'd gotten over the past few weeks he had yet to open. One of them was marked URGENT. He placed that one aside as he sorted through the others coming across the envelope Richard Davis had given him the night he took Angel.

He should have thrown it away, burned it, did anything else but open it. He slid the letter opener in the opening and with it perhaps opened a Pandora's box. He turned it upside down finding two pieces of paper in it. One was a birth certificate. He noticed the baby name being Angel's but what he hadn't expected was for a one Rachel Gatina's name to appear in the mother's name section. He looked more into it seeing the father's name being none other than Tyler Davis. He set the paper aside looking at the other seeing it was a death certificate for a baby that had lived not even a few hours. Baby Davis was the kid's name. Brooke Davis being the mother's name.

He looked between the two documents frowning. His wife was a liar. He knew this but now he was fucking pissed. This was huge. What else had she lied about? He racked his brain wanting answers and knew there was one person to go to for some of them seeing as how his treacherous wife was still MIA.

"I'm coming!" she said marching to the door and being every bit as pissed. The second the red head opened the door she found a sheet of paper being flung at her.

"Wha-"

"I want the fucking truth." He said, more like growled at her after fuming the whole ride over.

"The truth was staring you right in the face Luke. What else do you want to know?"

"What else was she hiding? Where you two in on it from the beginning? I want to know why the hell you two thought you could play me!?"

He knew there was a lot more to be said about the duo. There was no way that Brooke and Rachel weren't in it together. He just didn't know what the end result was.

"WE had a plan and YOU screwed it up! You and you're little bar lackie friend. He was supposed to make you think she wanted more but he was too damn involved in screwing that cheap lounge act. I was supposed to have it all, the money the power and you have it and she fucking disappeared."

The redhead threw her hands up feeling more angry the more she thought about how she had been screwed over. Oh well, Brooke was gone and Lucas was there. It was better to be on his good side at the moment. If telling him the truth put her in his good graces then so be it.

"I want to know everything. From beginning to end I want to know it all." He growled walking into her apartment and slamming the door. She followed stopping at the bar to make a drink.

"You want one Mr. Scott?"

"Start talking" he demanded coolly as she scoffed. She liked this take charge Lucas. She poured him a drink anyway sitting across from him.

"Richard sent me to hook up with you. He knew Dan Scott was easing in so he wanted to bring you in before Dan had a chance. Only thing is Dan approached me first."

"So that whole night was a set up?"

"Yes it was. I fucked with the car we were riding in and made sure the three of us were on that rode the exact moment you were driving by. I had one of the guards fill me in on what direction you were headed when you left jail."

"And Brooke?"

"She wasn't in on it then but soon after" she said confirming what Brooke had told him a long time ago. "From what Brooke told me Richard was planning on collecting on little Angel's trust fund."

"Your son…how could you let him go to a monster like that?!"

"I didn't have much of a choice. When things went down between his dad and me I was the one who got the blame. Richie came after me with both barrels and between him and Brooke…lets just say I never would've been able to keep him."

"So you went to work for Richard instead."

"There was a time when everyone thought Angel was Richard's son. Everyone one, Brooke included, thought that highly of me" she said sarcastically. She remembered the hard slap Brooke had given her when they parted ways the first time. She remembers how broken Brooke had been after losing everything she held dear.

"So tell me about Brooke's baby" he started and saw the moment the red head froze up. "Don't lie to me either."

"Brooke's baby daddy was dead, she ran, the stress got to her, she had a still birth."

The way Rachel laid it out made it sound all simple when it was really heart breaking. That was why she had been so standoffish about kids, probably why she had been so taken with Angel. Her last connection to her brother.

"So what happened to the father?"

"Brooke never told you?"

"I asked a question" he shot back not wanting to force the focus on Brooke too long.

"Lee was cute. He had an amazing body. He was one of her body guards and a tech guy. She fell in love with him and was knocked up shortly after. From what I remember it was a bad situation. If you ask me though he's dead because of her."

"Because she pulled the trigger."

"Because he had to get away from her" Rachel said knowing that had only been a half truth. Lee had pulled the trigger so Brooke didn't have to but in her mind if Brooke got to have the happily ever after with her son, she wanted that with Lucas, at least she'd have the power that had been promised to her.

"So Brooke and this…Lee guy, he got her pregnant and died because of her?"

"You'd have to ask her."

"So you just let your kid go and never thought about getting him back?"

"It's not safe for him to be with me Lucas. The second I knew she had him I went to Richard and told him that was too far, that my son was not going to be a chess piece between the two of them."

"And he sent in a team for Angel. I'm assuming you're the one who added the price on her head. Dead or alive?"

"That's how things are. I had to make sure if I did get him back she wouldn't be able to get her hands on him again…No matter what you may think of me Lucas I do love my son. I loved his father more than anything….Things just got in the way." She slinked off the couch to pour another drink.

"Don't tell me Rachel Gatina has a soft spot."

"I have a heart. It's small but it's there. I had hopes for you and me you know"

"Like of slitting my throat and getting all the power for yourself."

"Only sometime" she laughed."

"I appreciate the honesty."

"Anytime" she turned to see him standing right behind her. His breath beating on her chest as he looked down into her brown eyes.

"Good to know" he smirked backing away slowly. He knew Gatina was trouble but she was a hell of a bedmate. He'd be lying if he had said screwing her again hadn't crossed his mind the moment he'd step foot back in Vegas. Sure they'd had a few late night sessions since he got back but he wasn't stupid. Rachel looked out for number one.

Tonight wasn't one of those nights though. He needed to keep it in his pants and keep a level head. He'd see her soon enough for that.

"Honey you really need to stop working so late." Keith chastised his wife as she came in, dragging as usual.

"I know but with Holly going off to school and newbie about to go on maternity leave I don't exactly have a choice" she laughed as her husband embraced her as she stretched out on the bed.

"How is she working out by the way?"

"She's doing good." Karen said trying to think about her words carefully. "The new guy came to pick her up."

"Oh really. Here I was thinking he was some made up character."

Karen was silent for a moment before she spilled what was on her mind.

"I called him today."

"Karen-"

"It was the last time...I promise."

"Karen we have to stay out of it."

"I know that. He's changed Keith. He's not my little boy anymore...He's Dan's boy now."

"I'm sorry baby."

She looked at he husband and smiled with slight tears, "Don't be. He made a choice just like we made ours." She took a deep breath and moved the conversation to lighter topics. "Enough about them, I want to know how my little girl is doing."

"She's fine…she's more like her big brother than I thought though."

Karen sat up to look him in the eyes. "What do you mean?"

"She asks those hard hitting questions Luke was well known for."

"Uh oh, what did she ask about this time?"

"When she could get a baby brother or sister."

"And you said?"

"I said that mommy and daddy are too old-"

"Keith Scott" she said slapping his arm hard.

"What it's true. I'm more or less close to grandpa than daddy these days."

"Don't go growing our baby up too soon. She's only six."

"But a grown up six, I had her tell me that today."

"She is so much like Luke isn't she?"

"Which is good. Luke is smart. He's lost his way but he'll find his way home eventually."

"How can you be so sure. We had everything ready for him and he never showed."

"He's still under Danny boy's influence. I can tell you all that power is hard to pass up" He said breathing in his wife's scent. He loved the feeling of her fingers drawing circles in his chest.

"You did."

"I did it for you and Luke. I had someone to give me a good reason to step out of the way of all that mess. None of that money or power could compete with the love I had for you and you had for me."

"Have, my dear husband. Have."

"Have. I Love you Karen Scott more than anything in this world."

"More than that damn car out back?"

She raised her brow when he sheepishly laughed. She always knew when to throw that car out on him.

"More than the car."

"Good answer, because you were seconds away from explaining to your daughter why you were going to be sleeping on the couch" she said snuggling into her husband's chest again. She loved her life. She really did, but her baby boy was missing and as long as he was away she'd always feel like a huge piece of her was missing.

She woke up feeling like her heart was about to explode. She had the same dream every night. She jumped when a hand went to steady her back and before she could even clear out her mind the door opened.
"Mommy…"
"Go back to bed kid" the man beside her said but Angel stayed put. It was evident the little boy didn't like him at all.
"It's okay buddy. Mommy is fine. Go back to bed."
He looked at the adults for a moment before turning to leave.
"That kid doesn't like me much."
"You still call him kid." She said moving away from the man on the bed and rolling to the side. She was drenched in sweat and breathing hard. She wanted to step outside for a minute to catch her breath.

"I'm going for a drive" she said putting on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.
"You seriously going to leave me here with him?"
"Just stay out of his way, he's probably going to go eat something and go back to bed." She said over her shoulder as she walked out the side door.

The wind in her hair made her feel okay, This small town was always dead after 10:30. It was a far cry from the city that was alive and moving from sun up to sun down.

"Small town life…" she muttered to herself as she took a swig from the bottle in her lap. She turned off the road and parked overlooking the court in front of her. She got out slowly making her way over to the bleachers off to the side. The bottle was turned up again as she tried not to break down crying. So many times he had told her about this place. So many times he had told her about this place feeling like home and it a sense it was the reason she picked that place to go.

Ever since she came to this place the first time she felt more and more connected to it. She had come to ask forgiveness of her sins hoping her son would one day forgive her. She had come to beg Lee for his forgiveness as well when she found his grave one night. But it wasn't until a few weeks ago she started having the nightmares.

She had felt sick to her stomach and now every night he haunted her dreams. Lee was disgusted with her for sleeping with Owen. Lucas was just disgusted with her in general. They'd call her a whore. They'd say she was a slut. They spit in her face and scream she was getting what she deserved, and that she'd never be worth the time or effort she pretended she was. Lee would say he was glad he died to get away from her and that he was happy she didn't get a chance to screw his kid up. Lucas would come in and laugh at how gullible she was. That he had played her perfectly to get what he wanted. Her money and power.

They'd tag team her till she was unable to breath from crying and that was when she'd wake up. She liked to come to the river court for peace. She had stumbled on it one night and figured out what the place was. Lee would talk about how free and happy he felt when he came there for a pick-up game of one on one. He'd spoken so highly of his home town and how happy he was that they'd get to raise their baby there. She'd figured out this was his home. Fucking Tree Hill.

Now all her dreams were ash. Here she was, trying her best to duck her father's hit, take care of Angel and try her best not to push Owen away since he was the last person she had. Even with him staying in the next room, she had never felt lonelier than when she was around him. The cool detached life wasn't working for her anymore. She missed how Lucas made her feel. She missed Lucas.

"Guess that dream woke you up too" she said rubbing her belly as the baby kicked. She turned the bottle of water up finishing it off and hating she couldn't drink a fifth of something stronger. "Don't worry, mama's got it all under control." She breathed as the kicking subsided. "All under control" she said finally getting a chance to breath.

His hand was literally shaking as he looked at the picture. There was no mistaking what he saw. He had come home and went back to his office to check on things when he saw that URGENT envelope still on his desk. He slid the letter opener across the top and turned it over to empty the contents. Never had he imagined he'd be angrier than he had been earlier than he was now. The truth was staring him right in the face.

There was no mistaking the photo was of his brother. It was a candid shot, probably someone having him followed but the thing that angered him more was the chocolate brunette with him. They were close, touching and laughing. He dropped the first photo and saw yet another candid shot of them, this time his brother embracing her from behind as they smiled. With every photo he became more sick at the thought of his brother touching her.

He punched the intercom to get his assistants attention.

"Gretchen" he growled and she immediately answered with a shaky 'yes sir'. "Get Haley James on the phone…NOW" he yelled sitting down and waiting.

"The line is ringing sir."

"Good" he said and told her to take the night off.

"Hello"

"Haley" he greeting sounding happy, he needed her to be caught off guard as much as possible to get as much out of her as he could.

"Hey I was just telling Jake we should call you….see how you were holding up." Haley had been worried about him since Brooke's departure. She had heard rumors of him getting pretty dark. The rumors only getting worse when she heard Rachel was in the mix. She'd wanted to help but her daughter came first. Riley Grace had been born a month ago and her heart ached that Brooke hadn't been there to see her, be there to live through it with her but she understood why.

"I was just about to step out, wondering if you two wanted some company."

"No that's good, Jake was beginning to think you hated him or something."

"Nah, so I'll see you guys in a bit."

Lucas had been nice enough to buy them a small house outside the main stream of the city.

"We'll see you soon."

He made it to their house in record time. He had given his driver the night off as well, needing to deal with this on his own. When he hopped out the car he noticed Haley had done a great job with growing the garden up in the front. She was practically made for house wife life. After he'd gotten back he'd given Jake a choice to stay or leave. Jake had picked to leave because he wanted to make sure his future wife and baby didn't catch any blow back from whatever was brewing in the city. Lucas had given him a generous severance along with the house as a baby gift. He'd been such a fool. When Rachel had told him about Jake being in on their little plan he'd felt betrayed.

He rang the doorbell fully exoceting the smile on Haley's face.

"Come on in, Jake is almost done with the food."

"So I see you've domesticated my old buddy."

"I did not such thing. I-" Lucas handed her a bottle of wine and she thanked him knowing she couldn't partake since she was still breast feeding.

"I figure old habits die hard and at least Jake and I could enjoy it."

"Ha ha, I suppose we could use it after dealing with a hormonal me."

The night went by without a hitch. Lucas observed how comfortable and happy the couple had been as they sat in their home entertaining him.

"And the bastard starts pointing at her and I almost lost it" Jake laughs as he tells the latest tale of some guy pointing Haley out. She used to be well known on the signing circuit in that town. It still shocked Jake that so many people loved her voice.

Mid laugh Lucas dropped his bomb.

"So which one of you want to tell me where Brooke's baby is buried." He said with a smile and almost laughed at how Haley chocked on her pasta. Jake just sat there confused.

"What" Jake asked looking from Lucas to his right where a pale Haley sat.

"She told you" Haley asked not believing Brooke would tell something so personal. Hell she had barely talked to her about it.

"So I take I you have the answer I need."

"Luke what the hell is this?" Jake asked not liking how pale Haley looked.

"I should be asking you the same thing. Since when was it worth to toss me over for a piece of ass? Don't bother trying to cover it up. I know the truth now" he said turning his attention back to Haley, "All of it…all but where I can find my wayward wife."

"Lucas you don't know all of it."

"I know she's the reason my brother is buried six feet under" he yelled wanting to get his point across but it was his turn to look on and see Haley's shocked look. She hadn't known.

"So I take it Brooke didn't tell you all about her and Rachel's plan."

"Plan-what plan?"

"The plan where they were going to out me and out her in charge. The plan where she planned on running away, the plan where she was going to take her brother's kid and live happily ever after."

Haley sat straight. Her brother's kid?

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh yeah, I had a feeling that my wife kept that a secret, even from you. Rachel had Tyler's kid."

"No-"

"Yeah, I saw the birth certificate myself. Makes since why she was so hell bent on keeping him after she got him back."

"Brooke wouldn't-"

"Keep something like that from you? But she did, She kept it from everyone but daddy dearest. Now if you would tell me where I can find her son's grave it'll make things better for you. I'll think about not tossing you two out on your ass."

"Now hold on" Jake started to say but stopped when Lucas' stare struck him cold.

"I had better faith in you man. I trusted you and you sold me out to these group of bitches."

"He's right" Haley chimed in. "We were using him but things changed…just like they did for you and Brooke."

"I don't want to hear that shit."

"It's true. I told you to be careful of her-"

"You also told me there were things you knew about her. I imagined the dead baby was one of them. I'll assume you had no idea about my brother."

"Your brother was Lee?"

"His name, his real name, was Nathan Scott and he is dead because of your fucking friend."

"Then you don't know everything" Haley hurried to tell him more but he was already poisoned against anything she would say. Rachel had done a good job of that.

"Jake get your woman and while you're at it I change my mind. I want you two out of here by the end of the week" he said turning and snatching from a very pregnant Haley's grip. "Unless you tell me what I want to know."

"Just because you're ready to condemn her doesn't me I am" Haley said with more conviction than ever.

"It's sad you're willing to trust her with everything…even now. She lied to you about the kid, condemned you for wanting yours, and still you have her back. You know what Haley she doesn't deserve your loyalty."

"That's where you're wrong Luke. You think you have it all figured out but you don't. You obviously didn't listen when I told you about her not being what she seemed. Don't worry, Jake and I will be out before the end of the week."

"Babe he won't throw us out"

"Yes he will. He's not the man I thought he was. He's so hell bent on making others pay now when he hasn't the slightest on what really happened" Haley said tears beginning to stream down her face as she looked at Lucas back.

"Of course he doesn't want to know how much Brooke loved Lee…he doesn't want to know how Lee really died and why? He also won't be interested in knowing how crushed Brooke was when she lost that baby" and Haley broke down. She remembers like it was yesterday. How Brooke had become a shell of her former self when her baby died.

"Tree Hill" she choked out as Lucas turned while Jake tried to console her.

"What?" He looked at her knowing there was no way that she would be able to lie to his face.

When he looked her in the eye he saw she was telling the truth. It was the last place he would look to find her.

"She wanted to be close to where she felt the safest….with you. She wanted to be happy and make sure Angel had something she never had. A safe place to grow up without the fucking mob to ruin it."

There was no way she was in Tree Hill and his parents didn't know. Keith knew everything. That he was sure of. What he didn't expect was for his own family to turn against him.

"Figures my own family would turn on me."

"You mean like your lying brother! The two of you are just alike. Lying and-"

"Don't you dare judge him."

"I will and I'll tell you why. I pushed them together, I made him see how much he really cared about her. He loved her" Haley yelled the last part hoping he'd understand. "Which is more than I can say for you."

"I don't do love. That's for dumbasses like you"

"Okay that is enough. I'm sorry I betrayed you but Haley is not the person who deserves your anger."

"So who do I turn it on Jake? You?"

"Get the hell out of my house. It is still my house till the end of the week. After that you can have it back and when you get it I hope it makes you happy Luke."

"The only thing that will make me happy is to make that bitch pay."

"Careful Luke" Haley warned, "She doesn't do well when she's backed into a corner. If you come at her with this she is going to find a way to hurt you back, Lee and that baby meant everything to her."

"Then she should be expecting what's coming."

He turned to leave and never once looked back. It was time to take a trip home and see his family. Apparently his wife had been under his nose the whole time.

"Order up" the cook screamed from back as Brooke waddled her way over to grab the food. Gone were the days of stilettos, high priced jeans or red leather skirts. She was a working woman now. A working mom. Angel had become such a joy. She was now regretting allowing Owen to stay. He had found them after they had been there only a few weeks. She had been so alone that she allowed him to stay. He had been trying to make head way with her but she wasn't having it.

"Here you go guys" she put the plates down smiling and the men smiled back.

"Thanks gorgeous" one of them said before chomping down on his burger.

"No problem" she said back gritting her teeth. She loved this new life but sometimes she just wished she could pistol whip a mother fucker.

"Penny" Karen called from the back and Brooke moved towards her. "Honey have you had a break yet. I'm sure that little one is probably dancing up a storm in there" Karen joked rubbing Brooke's stomach. Brooke knew she didn't mean anything by it but it bugged the hell out of her when people touched her. Her belly was even worse. She had daydreamed about stabbing a few people when some fat lady with a dress two sizes too short grabbed her arm and started rubbing her belly out of nowhere. She vaguely remembers slapping the lady and Karen having to apologize profusely. She had almost been fired that day.

"No problem" she gritted her teeth trying to smile and Karen stepped back. "I have a new girl coming in so if you wanted to take off-"

"Trying to get rid of me already" Brooke joked and Karen stopped dead in her tracks. She knew what it was like to be a young mother. She had her doubts about that big guy coming around being her husband now but she held her tongue. Sometimes women got lonely too.

"Penny…I just want to make sure you're not over working yourself. I was young and pregnant once remember. Although I got lucky with having Keith around both time…"

"Yeah Keith is a real prince."

"So I take it the guy that has been coming by isn't your husband now."

"That's Alec."

"He seems sweet on you."

Sweet on her. Hell no Owen liked to be the hero for her. What better way to feed that ego boost than to play daddy to her kids and keep her safe.

"Alec is…well Alec is Alec. He has this thing where he thinks that he owns me."

"I've had a man like that. Be careful with that one." Karen waited a beat to ask now that she figured that the Alec wasn't Angel's biological father and the chances of that baby she was carrying was her son's, well she couldn't let it go any longer. She had noticed a very defined line where a wedding ring used to be. Her son's ring "So you gonna tell me what went down with Lucas?"

"What makes you think anything went down with Lucas?"

"The fact that you answered that question with a question is a dead giveaway. The fact that you never seem to be smiling is another."

"Not everyone has a great marriage like you."

She sounded bitter. In the time Karen had gotten to know Brooke/ now Penny she'd realized she was pretty rough around the edges. Never would've pegged her as a motherly type unless you saw her with the child. Sometimes Karen used to wonder if she even wanted the baby she was carrying at the beginning but one night when Angel got dropped off and while they waited on a ride they read a bedtime story to the baby together. It had been one of the sweetest moments she'd ever had the pleasure to observe. It was like seeing the woman she first met when her son brought her home.

"Penny from what I see you deserve to be loved. Does Alec love you?"

"I could care less if Alec loves me."

"I know Lucas did."

Brooke paused. She had asked herself that question a million times. She had no clue if it was true or not. She's asked herself that question mostly at night when she was lying in bed alone and Owen would try to creep in. He didn't give her that safe feeling she had become accustomed to when she slept with Lucas.

"Doesn't matter about him either."

Karen detected the hint of bitterness in her answer that time. Where she seemed nonchalant about Alec she had emotion about her son.

"But you loved him."

"Why are we talking about my personal life now?" She countered knowing if she got defensive

Karen would back down. She usually did.

"I'm sorry I-"

"It's okay I just don't like to talk about him…"

"Just one more thing," Brooke rolled her eyes because right before Karen dropped it she always did that too, "Is the baby …I mean you can tell me to leave it alone but is that baby my son's?"
Brooke looked at Karen knowing full well what she would be admitting. Well maybe not admitting to her but she'd be admitting the real reason she came to Tree Hill. To start a family, build a safe place for her kids and raise them with the love her grandparents gave her.
"Yes. Yes he is."

"So you did know what the baby was? I thought you said-"

"Curiosity got to me. I wanted to start on the nursery and didn't have a clue of where to start without a color."

"I know what you mean. I was dead set against knowing what my kids where till I cracked under pressure. Going to every doctor's appointment knowing the doctor knew and all I had to do was ask…oh yeah I lasted a week after I said I didn't want to know."

"I'm going to head out. I'm a little tired" Brooke cut in. It always made her a little uncomfortable to listen to Karen talk about her kids. About her happy times when she was having anything but.

She walked the streets loving the feeling of the sun on her skin. She loved having not to worry about clothes, make-up or her hair. She could just get up in the morning and-who the hell was she kidding. She missed the fast paced life of Vegas but she knew it was better for her to be where she was for her baby and for Angel. She often walked home since it was so close and Angel was due to get out of school for a few hours.

She entered the house and immediately knew something was off. The sound of a gun cocking behind her clued her in. Her hands when to her stomach out of habit and she closed her eyes and swallowed the lump in her throat. Out the corner of her eye she could see a man's legs leading out into the living room. She assumed Owen had come home and met with foul play and hoped he was still alive but she couldn't care about him. She had to worry about her baby and Angel.

"Looking kind of frumpy there wife"

She heard his voice and her heart sank. She had heard from a few trusted sources back home how her husband had changed but she was more worried now he knew that Owen had been with her.

"You not going to turn around and greet me with a kiss…not even for old times' sake" he teased as he ran the barrel of his run down the couture of her back.

She closed her eyes and began to try and talk her way out of this because she had a feeling he didn't know or notice she was pregnant yet. She avoided turning to him and addressed him with her back still to him.

"I didn't realize we were still on good terms."

"Oh we're not. Not after you left. I should thank you though, without you there I've become quite the business man."

"Good for you….and Rachel I hear."

"So you cared enough to keep tabs on me…jealous?"

"Not of that second hand bitch. Careful with that one she's been passed around."

"So I hear the same about you…isn't that like the pot calling the kettle black."

"So we defending her honor now? How touching"

The tense conversation was thinly veiled with pleasantries that neither really had for the other.

"She's a hell of a lot more honest than you have been wife."

"Honesty is for the fallible to her. If she's honest it's because she thinks it'll work to her advantage."

"Spoken like a true liar."

"She and I are kindred."

"Is that why you thought you could take her son?"

She tensed. She was sure Rachel didn't spill that one. Probably fessed up after confronted but this had her father written all over it. The question was how much more did he know.

"I doubt she was truthful about that whole situation."

"So turn around and enlighten me."

"What do you want Lucas?"

The gun pressed into her back and it was then she let out a whimper. She was scared and he knew it. This whole situation was all off. Not even in his wildest dreams did he ever expect her to show him fear. This woman who had never been afraid of a damn thing. He turned her around and it took him a second to realize it but his eyes ran over her and he noticed the shirt protruding.

"What the fuck is that" he yelled stepping back suddenly and pointing the gun at her. His eyes were laced with confusion while hers were laced with fear.

"Answer me!" he yelled as she flinched. She hated being weak but there wasn't much she could do in her current state. With her pregnant she knew any move to take his gun would endanger her baby. So she did as he asked.

"It's a baby you moron."

"I can see that smart ass…." The wheels turned in his head. Was the kid his? Was this the reason she left? Hell she had been planning to leave since day one anyway. But this? A baby? "Is it…is it mine?"

"Yes" she answered without missing a beat.

"And you thought taking my kid away and playing house with that son of a bitch was a good idea?" he asked this time a little angered. The fact she took his kid without telling him was one thing but to shacked up with the same fucker that he despised was crossing a line.

"Owen and I didn't-"

"Pick your words carefully wife. If you lie to me I will make you pay." He growled stepping closer. She gulped at the closeness of his body to hers. Her hormones had gone into overdrive the last couple months and she hated that he could make her want to lose control, even now.

"I ran before I found out I was pregnant. My plan was to disappear but –"

"You decided to come here?" he said knowing there was more. He was purposely trying to rattle her.

"I came here because…." She thought about it. She really had never intended to see Lucas again. It was then looking into his cold eyes she decided no more running. She needed to unburden herself of it all. The lies, the deceit the heartache, she needed to share it with someone and since Lucas was so hell bent on knowing the truth. That was what he was going to get. "I wanted to put the past in the past and finally be happy. I lost my son and my first love-."

"You mean my brother" he wanted her to say it. He wanted her to finally admit what she had done so well to avoid but his victory was taken by the confused look on her face.

"Your what?"

"I want to know everything. Start to finish."

"What- Lee was your brother?"

"Stop with the fucking act! I mean it Brooke. I want to know everything. I want to know why you killed him."

Her face twisted to confusion. Apparently Rachel hadn't told her everything.

"I didn't kill him. He shot himself when my father found out about us before we had a chance to be ready to run. I guess your little girlfriend wasn't as honest as you thought."

"And you're going to fill me in" he said gripping her forearm and pulling her out the door she came. Her eyes briefly looked over in Owen's direction but turned to see her husband's eyes on her.

"Don't worry, lover boy will wake up with a hell of a headache but he'll live…for now."

So we get a little more of the puzzle it seems and there is still so much to go. Will our beloved couple find their way back to each other? How bout that shocker about Lee! I know some of you were thinking it was Nathan and some had other interesting ideas. Stay tuned for more of the excitement. It's all warming up to the big finale!