Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or its characters...I own nothing but this story's plot!!!

Chapter 25: Remember to Lock the Door

"We're home," Haley breathed a sigh of relief as she and Nathan walked into their apartment later that night.

"It has been a long day," Nathan told his wife, flopping down on the couch.

"Definitely," she had to agree, collapsing down beside him. They had spent the whole day at Brooke and Lucas's new apartment and they were both exhausted. "I feel like I moved muscles I haven't used in year," she laughed.

"Even though I didn't officially have workouts today, it was pretty much the same thing," Nathan told her, letting his body fall sideways onto the arm of the sofa.

Haley took in a deep breath as the observed the new silence that filled her once noisy apartment. "It's too quiet in here," she finally spoke, unable to take much more.

"I was just thinking the same thing," Nathan revealed to her. Once you got used to something it was hard to let go of it. "And I don't know how I'm going to deal with it."

"Me either," Haley confessed, leaning over into her husband. "Let's turn on the television," she suggested to him.

"Sure," Nathan answered, getting up to turn it on since the remote mysteriously disappeared with Brooke and Lucas.

"Knock, knock," went the door as soon as Nathan had moved.

"Maybe its Brooke," Haley shrieked, running to open the door. "Decided you don't want to move out—" She stopped mid-sentence when she saw who was on the other side of the door.

"Brooke moved out," Matthew practically growled back in Haley's face. He did not like this new piece of information at all. "Where to? Where is she?" He questioned, barging past the petite girl into the apartment.

"She's not here, that's all you need to know," Nathan said, stepping up and protectively grabbing his wife's shoulders. "And I don't think you should be here either."

"Just tell me where my wife is and I'm gone," Matthew offered gruffly. He turned his attention away from the couple to scour the apartment for any signs of Brooke.

"She's not your wife," Haley snapped, feeling brave with Nathan by her side.

"She sure as hell is and she always will be," Matthew warned, getting dangerously close to Haley's face.

"Whoa, back off, dude," Nathan told him, hostility rising in his tone. "I think it is time for you to go," he added with a push on Matthew's chest.

Matthew regained his balance from Nathan's shove and straightened his coat. "Fine, I'll go. But don't think I'll give up on Brooke that easily. I'll find her. And she'll be mine again, make no mistake about that," he proclaimed. And as quickly as he came in her was gone, slamming the door behind him.

Nathan locked it and then returned to his wife's side, where he wrapped her up in a bear hug.

"Maybe the quiet wasn't so bad after all," she mumbled into Nathan's chest.

And he just squeezed her even tighter.

The next morning Brooke was up at what she thought was an early hour. But upon exiting her bedroom she found Lucas was not only up, but he appeared to be cooking something.

"Well look who finally decided to grace me with her presence," Lucas teased from the kitchen.

Brooke rolled her eyes at him and continued on her route to the bathroom. She wasn't up for games, especially before she had even brushed her teeth.

"And look, it's only 11:15," Lucas continued to tease her. For some reason he found her irritated antics incredibly cute.

Brooke stuck her toothbrush in her mouth and then came out of the bathroom, giving him a deserved death glare. She went back in, spit, and emerged once more feeling about a million times better. "And just why are you making breakfast so late in the morning, almost afternoon?" She questioned with a raise of one of her perfectly groomed eyebrows.

"No reason really. I just figured you had to wake up sometime and when you'd probably be hungry," he rationalized.

"Mmm, hmm," Brooke hummed, folding her arms across her chest. "And it would have nothing to do with the fact that you only just woke up a little while ago yourself," she prodded him a bit further.

"I gave you my story and I'm sticking to it," he responded. "I was just trying to be nice, but if you don't want any…" he said waving the hot plate of toast in front of her face.

"I never said that," she countered and snatched a piece from the plate. "Buttery," she cooed after taking a bite. "Just like I like it."

"Me too," Lucas smiled, biting his own piece. "Haley always said my toast is like a heart attack on a plate. She won't touch the stuff. But she's the only complaint I've ever had."

"Well she's probably right in her thinking, but it's exactly the way I would have made it," she answered, finishing off her second slice and going in for another.

"Whoa, whoa," Lucas said, grabbing her tiny wrist. "I made those two for you. The rest are mine," he said. He actually didn't care if she ate some of his share; it was just fun to tease her.

"I'm still hungry," Brooke pouted and pulled her hand out of his grasp. "I'm not some ano-chick, you know. I actually do eat. Can't you tell?" She added, standing up and gesturing to her body.

Who was she kidding? Her physique was perfect. She had the kind of figure that drove guys wild and made girls green with envy all at the same time.

"What are you talking about?" Lucas answered her with a dismissive shake of the head, trying not to stare at her too long. Girls and their body issues. He had heard it all through high school with Haley, but he didn't see what Brooke had to complain about.

"Are you kidding me?" Brooke retorted. "My thighs are huge! I mean, look at this, I think I'm getting cellulite," she said, turning around and pulling up her sleep shorts to show him her upper leg.

Of course, she wasn't. "You are crazy," Lucas told her. "Your thighs are perfect," he added, forcing himself to be a gentleman and look in her face.

Brooke kind of blushed when she remembered what she was actually doing—practically showing her ass to her hot, male roomie. Lucas wasn't Haley or some other girl friend, he was a guy. And if this living situation was going to work she had to remember that, no matter how comfortable she felt with him.

She quickly turned around and let her shorts fall back into place. "I shouldn't have another one anyway. You enjoy. Thanks for the breakfast, Luke," she said, backing away into her room as quickly as she could. All the while not allowing herself to make eye contact with Lucas.

Later that day Lucas had to go turn in an article for his new job. He had to do it in person because not only did he have an article due, but he had to go over the one that was about to be published with his editor.

His being gone left Brooke alone in the apartment. She hung around for a little while an unpacked some of her stuff, but by 3 she was getting so bored with unpacking. She had to get out of the house.

She picked up her phone and called Haley to see what he friend and business partner was up to. She yanked her phone open and out of the charger as she dialed Haley's number. After 2 rings her friend was on the other end of the phone line.

"Brooke, what's up?" Haley asked her. "I was just about to call you."

"Well I was going to ask you the same thing," Brooke told her with a giggle. "If I don't get out of this house I am going to go crazy. I have already almost unpacked all the clothing I own," she told her as is that illustrated she had been at work forever.

"Well I was going to go pick up some groceries at the fresh market," Haley told her. "You want to meet me at my place and we can head down there together? I know it's not the most exciting thing to do, but at least you'll have some company," the blonde suggested to her brunette friend.

"That sounds great to me. And besides, maybe I can find something to try to cook Lucas for dinner tonight," Brooke mused, imagining herself as a little chef in a frilly apron as she cooked a gourmet meal.

"Wait, did I just hear you right?" Haley asked in astonishment over the words that had left her friend's mouth. "You want to cook? Either something is seriously up or you're sick or something."

Brooke cleared her throat and tried to come up with an answer satisfactory to Haley. Truth was, she had no idea why she had just said that. Or why she had the certain urge to do something for Lucas. "Well it's just I thought I might do something nice because Luke had made some breakfast this morning. I just wanted to return the favor," she offered to her as a response. And it was mostly true.

"Mmmm, hmmm, I see," Haley said, and Brooke could tell she was nodding her head on the other end of the phone line. "Just don't expect him to make a habit of it. You probably caught him on a good day," she explained to her. "But if you want to try to make something, I'm sure we can find a dish even you couldn't mess up," she laughed, teasing her friend.

"Good, because that's what I need," Brooke answered with a giggle. "I'll see you in like 20," she added, hanging up her phone.

She grabbed up her pea coat and threw it on over her outfit. Then she slipped her UGG boots over her legging clad legs. All she while she couldn't help but wonder what exactly had gotten into her.

After his editor had completely slaughtered his first draft of his new column, Lucas couldn't get out of the Magazine office fast enough. When he walked through the high rise's revolving glass door. He was pleasantly surprised to see he had a voicemail from his brother.

He dialed the voice mailbox number and listened to Nate's message. It said he was getting out of practice around 3:30 if Lucas wanted to grab a coffee or something.

Lucas looked at the clock on his phone. It was only 3:43, maybe Nathan was still downtown. He dialed his brother's number from memory and waited for an answer.

"Hey man, you just get my message?" Nathan opened up the conversation. No greeting, just straight to the point—typical Nathan.

"Yeah, sorry," Lucas said, rubbing his hand through his messy hair. "My meeting with my editor ran a little long."

"Uh oh, that doesn't sound good," Nathan responded, wondering what exactly had happened.

"Well it wasn't really good or bad. Just editing," Lucas explained. "You still want to grab that coffee or something?"

"Yeah, sounds great man," Nathan told him. "Do you have any specific place in mind you want to go?"

"How about Joe Black's on 83rd?" Lucas asked tentatively. "It has really good lattes," he added, hoping that would sway Nathan's opinion if he was on the edge. In reality he had no idea how their lattes were. He just knew there was a rare bookstore across the street he wanted to pop in before heading home.

"Okay, cool. I've never been there but I'm open to new things. I'll meet you there in abut 15," Nathan said.

"See you then," Lucas said for a farewell and hung up the phone. If he hurried maybe he could look around the bookstore for a minute before Nathan even showed up.

Brooke arrived back at her apartment later than intended. Damn that sale at Prada. She had hoped to beat Lucas home, but now that it was nearly dark she was sure he had beaten her here.

"Oh well," she thought to herself. "This bag is super cute and totally worth it." And maybe now she could actually get Lucas to help her make the Asian stir fry the nice woman at the fresh market had suggested for her to try. The woman had said her eight-year-old daughter could cook it, so Brooke should be fine. Unless of course the eight-year-old was a freaking cooking genius! Maybe the woman had conveniently left that out.

Brooke felt like collapsing into the floor of her third story apartment by the time she reached the door. She had thought she was in good shape but after walking her little legs off all afternoon she was starting to rethink things.

She unlocked her door and slipped inside, too tired to remember to lock it behind her. "I'm home," she called into the seemingly empty apartment. "Anyone home?" She asked as she took off her boots and placed her purse and new bag on the side table near the door.

She didn't immediately receive an answer to her callings so she dug out Lucas's wok and washed the veggies. Once she had them clean and cut up she poured them into the wok and started stirring, adding soy sauce ever so often.

With her attention turned to her work she faintly heard the front door creak open. And then came the sound of footsteps entering.

"You're home," Brooke cooed, eyes still glued to the food in front of her. "You'll never guess what I'm doing."

"You're right, never in a million year would I have pegged my wife for a budding chef," Matthew's voice rang out like a shot through the quiet apartment.

Brooke was so startled at the sound of his voice that she had been stirring with onto the floor, sending soy sauce flying all over her. She felt as if she had jumped ten feet into the air. Whirling around slowly, she found in fact she wasn't hallucinating. There on the other side of her kitchen's island was her soon to be ex-husband.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" Brooke struggled to get out of her mouth. Aside from Matthew taking her totally off guard, there was a far off look in his eyes that was making her feel rather uneasy.

"I came to see you," Matthew told her, starting to move around the island towards the brunette. "You didn't think I was just going to let you walk out of my life now did you?" He asked in a voice that was more creepy-mixed-with-threatening than full of love and devastation.

"Well how did you find out where I was living?" Brooke asked him, trying not to let him see that she was clearly rattled while she tried to retain her cool. "I know the people who know wouldn't have told you."

"Silly girl, you showed me. I watched you show up at Haley's and go shop with her. Then you led me right here, right to this little dump," He said waving his arms around at his surroundings.

"This dump, is my home now. And I'd like for you to leave. You're not welcome here," Brooke told him, moving around the island to get further away from Matthew.

"Well that's no way to talk to your husband. The man who gave you everything you ever wanted," He said, this time his tone condescending.

"Don't you mean the man who used me to get everything he wanted?" Brooke argued back, speaking through clenched teeth. She had finally found her bearings; he was not going to bully her.

"Well, well. It's nice to see you back to being the little spit fire you once were," Matthew observed, almost running over to Brooke and blocking her in between him and a corner of the kitchen counter. "But you see, that's just it. I don't have everything I want. There is one thing I'm missing."

Brooke rolled her eyes, trying to remain tough though now with his hands gripping her waist and pushing her into the cabinets it was hard. "And I guess that's me," she scoffed.

"Nice try but no cigar, honey," He told her. "But I do need you to get it. It's Davis Enterprises that I desire, as if you didn't know. I was next in line to take over, but ever since you started this separation nonsense your father has been calling your meekly cousin, Edward, in to help with more and more deals," he said running one of his hands through Brooke's silky hair. "And I feel my dream slipping away. I won't let it slip away," he sternly said as he slipped on hand over Brooke's throat.

Brooke began to squirm, trying to get away from him, and Matthew recaptured her tiny body. What little dishes that were in the cabinets rattling as he slammed her body up against the adjoining wall.

"You see, no one's getting between me and what I want," he told her. "And you're no exception, gorgeous," he added kissing her lips as he continued to hold her tight in his grasp.

"What the fuck," Lucas yelled, coming out of his room and throwing his ear bud headphones out of his ears. After hearing the commotion through his headphones he expected to find Brooke making some kind of mess, but not this.

Matthew jumped at the sound of Lucas's voice and released his hold on Brooke enough for her to break free of him. She ran over to Lucas who was now nearly right beside her and Matthew.

Lucas embraced the frightened brunette willingly in his arms, still not quite sure what he had encountered. All he knew was he was glad Brooke was safe. He kissed her head and protectively ran his hand over her hair and back, all the while glaring at their unwanted house guest.

Then he instructed Brooke to go phone the police. "Tell them there's been an accident," he said. Then he proceeded to deck Matthew clean across the face. And he fell on the floor, out cold.

Finally, an update for you all!! I am trying to be better but at the same time I am trying to wrap up my other story so I can start something new so I have lots going on...Anyways, that is still no excuse. I hope you all liked this chapter. The next one shouldn't take as long to get up. Anyways, thanks to everyone for reading and reviweing the last chapter!! You guys are the best!! Let me know what you thought about this one!! :)

Audra