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

Chapter 26: Remember Your Dreams

A few weeks had passed since the Matthew incident and believe it or not there were some good things to come from it. Brooke was finally able to get a restraining order against him. And that little piece of paper, according to her attorney anyway, was going to speed up her divorce proceedings nicely. Another thing in her favor was Matthew's failed attempt to file assault charges against Lucas. He had tried but once the police found out he had entered their home without permission those were dismissed.

Also when Brooke's father had found out about the harassment, he continued to cut back Matthew's part in the firm. Conrad Davis may be many things, and a father may not be one of them, but he sure had a head for business. And he knows a black mark on the record of any of his higher-up-employees can only work against him.

Also due to the incident, and probably moving in together as well, Brooke and Lucas had grown much closer. They talked more, as in they had more meaningful conversations. And Lucas was way more protective over Brooke. He had always known she was delicate under her strong exterior, but now that she had willingly let him see her vulnerable side he did not want to let her down.

So Lucas got ready for work, per his new routine, like he had every day for the past two weeks or so. He took his shower, went in and woke up Brooke, made them some breakfast, got dressed, told her goodbye, and left. Upon leaving he always called her once he was downstairs to make sure she had locked herself in. He wasn't ever going to let her forget that one again.

Lucas decided to walk to work today. Not only did he think the exercise would do him good, but he just wanted to gather his thoughts. He had been amply inspired to write as of late, which was great. Only normally he would head down to his spot in the park, but thanks to his new job he was stuck going in to the office day in and day out. So he was determined to use the only time he could be outdoors to get his thoughts in order.

He entered the building and walked straight to the elevator. There he punched in the number of the floor that the magazine was situated on and rode up. Once upstairs he was immediately greeted by Summit, another entry-level contributor like Lucas himself.

"Where have you been?" Summit hissed, trying to keep his voice down so he spoke through clenched teeth.

"No where. I'm not supposed to be here until 10 and it is only 9:45. What's the big deal?" Lucas asked as they weaved through the other desks on the way to their cubicles.

"The big deal is Leonard has been looking for you since he got here at nine. I don't know what he wants but me and some of the other guys stalled for you," Summit explained.

"Uh, thanks, I guess," Lucas told him, runniing his hand over the back of his neck. "Do you have any idea what this is about?"

"No idea," Summit responded wide-eyed. "It could go either way—good or bad. But you might want to pop into his office," he suggested. "That's what I would do anyway. I mean, don't you think it is better to find him before he surprises you with some sneak attack?" He asked him.

"Sure," Lucas said, sitting his stuff down into his cubicle. He was getting nervous and the last thing he needed right now was bad news. He straightened his shirt and held his head high, all that was left to do now was face the music.

"Have you come up with anything new lately?" Haley asked Brooke while they hung out together at her apartment that morning. It was a little after lunch and both girls were stalling the work they knew they had to get done.

"Ummm, a few things," Brooke answered her. "Nothing too spectacular though. I mean, I have been so busy unpacking an organizing that I have hardly had any time to do anything else."

"That's fine. I totally understand," Haley reassured her friend. "I'm not meaning to pressure you or anything. I just wanted to see where we stood on a line for the fall."

"I think I can have one. Just give me a little more time," Brooke told her friend. "Are there any new developments with the buyers? Do they want something sooner?" She asked, starting to get worried about her timeliness.

"No, well, they just want to see what they'll be purchasing. Just a roundabout idea, it doesn't have to be the entire line. Just a few key pieces to pacify the corporate bigwigs," Haley said, trying to calm her friend but still not let her get too calm.

"I understand. They don't want to go into this blindly. This year will be the first time our stuff is in their stores and they want to know what they're getting into. Who wouldn't? But you can't rush perfection," Brooke joked, sending a wink in her friend's direction.

"I know, I know," Haley laughed. "But you already have some things and I can help you come up with a few more. And by that I mean I can talk to you and keep you on task while you sketch."

"That sounds about right," Brooke laughed with her friend. "I have a few more I can tweak and then I'll have about fifteen pieces. That should be enough for a line, right? Then of course I'll add some more later, but that should be enough to pacify them."

"Yeah, I'm sure that will be perfect," Haley answered. "Oh and guess what?" She started again with an enthusiasm that immediately captured Brooke's interest. "I got an email from this store in England and they were at the market and they are very interested in the line. So, they want us to send them some samples and if they like it they want to carry it in their store!" She screamed, grabbing her friend's arms.

"Are you serious?!? Haley, that's amazing! Getting our line somewhere overseas, that's huge," Brooke gushed. "Okay, I am getting on those sketches right now," she said, whipping her sketchbook out of her oversized Prada bag. "Now you, you get on those phone calls or emails or whatever you have to do to get these deals done!"

"Already on it," Haley answered her. She had already moved to the corner of the room and was sitting at her computer desk furiously typing away on her emails.

"So they actually want to give you a feature? Lucas, that's incredible," Brooke gushed; she sat down her slice of pizza and ran around the table to give him a hug.

"Yeah, I'm pretty excited about it," Lucas revealed. It felt great finally sharing his news with Brooke. He had wanted to tell her all day, but the only problem was he had wanted to see her gorgeous face when he told her because he knew her expression would be totally worth it. He was right. And thus the wait till dinner time to share the news.

"Well we have to get some wine," Brooke suggested, sitting back on her side of their table at Mama Mia's.

"I don't know if that's necessary," Lucas resisted. He wasn't sure he could trust himself with Brooke once they both had a little alcohol in them.

"I insist," Brooke continued. "This is a celebration. It's not every day someone just beginning a new job gets selected to do a feature article," she said, talking with such pride as if he had just been elected president of the United States. "I'm so proud of you," she added, squeezing his hand as she waved to the waiter with her other one.

"Thanks," Lucas replied, slowly. "Damn," he thought, "I knew I should have invited Nathan and Haley to dinner too."

"What have you done all day, wifey?" Nathan asked Haley when he arrived home from practice that evening.

"Nothing much," she answered walking over to give him a hug. "I've just been looking at some new options for the clothes, more ways to get the brand name out. And trying to get Brooke back at work. We can't have a line without designs, you know."

Nathan nodded his head at her. He could sense Haley had been going at it nonstop. She tended to do that once she got an idea in her head. She was one of the most determined people he'd ever met.

"How was your day?" Haley proceeded to ask him before he could get a word in edgewise.

"Tiring," was all the answer Nathan could suffice. There was no other real way to describe his day.

"Well that's descriptive," She said with an eye roll, playfully jabbing him in the side with her index finger.

"Coach just didn't cut us any slack, that's all. And we had to stay late. Cal just can't lose the attitude, you know? And everyone's tired of it, especially Coach," He explained to his wife.

"Well it sounds like someone needs to put Cal in his place. And someone else need a relaxing night alone with his wife," Haley suggested, grabbing his hand and dragging him to the sofa.

"That sounds exactly like what I need," Nathan told her as the two flopped down on the couch. "What's for dinner first? I'm starved," He told her, rolling his head from the position it had landed in to look at her face.

"Hmmmn, I could whip us up something. Let me go see what I have in the kitchen that's quick and easy," she said, patting his leg and getting up from the couch.

"Sounds awesome. You know I'm not picky, but quick would definitely be good," Nathan told her.

"I've got some chicken and french-fries I can cook," Haley called over to him as she pulled the bags out of the freezer.

"Perfect," Nathan said. "Hey, once you put those in the oven, you want to play me at Guitar Hero?" He asked her.

"Sure," she agreed. "I'll probably suck though. You know how great I am at video games," she added sarcastically.

"Haha. This isn't Halo, Haley. I'm sure you'll get the hang of this one," Nathan tried to encourage her so she'd get excited about the game. He knew video games weren't her strong suit but he loved that she would try them, at least once.

"Okay, but if I'm no good you can't laugh unless I do. And you can't try to give me pointers unless I ask for them," She instructed him, setting the timer on the oven and coming back into the other room.

"You've got yourself a deal, little lady," Nathan said, taking his wife's hand and shaking it. "I won't say anything."

"Alright then, let's play," Haley agreed. She was actually ready to learn how to do something her husband loved.

One too many glasses of wine later, Brooke and Lucas were back at their apartment still celebrating his feature article.

"So it's going to be like on the cover of the magazine and everything?" She asked him, still totally fascinated by his achievement.

"Yep, right next to the picture of whatever celebrity will be gracing the cover that month," He responded with a nod of his head.

"Wow, that's huge. And I know writing for a magazine is far from your dream job of being the next Thorough," she said waving her and around in the air as she spoke.

"You mean Thoreau," he interrupted to correct her mispronunciation with a laugh.

"Yeah, whatever," she said waving him off. "Besides, that is so not the point right now. The point is…" She trailed off her sentence.

"The point is what?" He asked her, not sure where she was going with this.

"Huh?" She asked, looking up at him quizzically.

"You were saying something about making a point and then you just kind of stopped," he told her, trying to trigger her memory.

"Oh, well I guess it wasn't that important because I have no idea what I was going to say," she giggled out. "Oops!"

"No worries," he assured her, with a pat on the shoulder. "But enough about me, if I am getting bored talking about the story then I know you have got to be way over it. You are probably only still talking about it to be nice and make me feel better," he said.

"No way," Brooke said, with a look of sincerity in her cloudy eyes. "I am so excited for you. I think it is awesome that you are chasing your dreams and starting a future. I'm just glad I'm the one with you when it is all happening," she said, cuddling into his side.

"I'm glad you're here too," he told her. Lucas instantly pulled her small frame closer to him on the sofa. He didn't even have to think about it, it was as natural as breathing. He pulled her down with him and they reclined sideways on the couch's cushions.

"I don't know when I got so sleepy," she told him with a yawn, as she let her eyes flutter closed.

"Yeah, I'm pretty tired too," he told her, staring down at her angelic face. Even though he was tired he could stay awake and watch her like this all night. He bent down and kissed the tip of her tiny nose, ever so gently.

She opened her eyes just s smidge, to greet him with a dimpled smile. She raised her head and kissed him back on the lips lightly. "Night Luke," she whispered as she nuzzled her head back into the spot where she fit so perfectly

"Goodnight Brooke," he answered, letting his head fall on the throw pillow next to him, but he didn't want to go to sleep; he already felt like he was dreaming.

Sorry this one is kind of short but I really just wanted to get something posted for you guys because I know it has been forever!! That being said I still hope you all enjoyed it! I am trying to crank out some more before school picks up to full speed so we'll see how that goes. Thanks so much to everyone who left a review last chapter!! Reviews are love! :)

Audra