Thanks for all the reviews. Hope you enjoy this update.
"How are you feeling today?" Karen asked Lucas as she took a cup of coffee into his room. She saw that he was sat at his desk and his bed was still neatly made.
"Like crap mom." he replied.
"Did you sleep at all last night?" Karen asked him softly as she handed him the coffee.
"No I couldn't. I feel so bad for breaking Brooke's heart the way I did." He replied before he took a sip of the hot liquid.
"Why don't you go and see her?" Karen suggested. "Try and explain again your reasons why you called it off."
"I don't think that she'll want to see me," Lucas replied with a sigh. Karen hated how upset he looked. "I can't blame her. I should never have told her that we should get married before I go to Iraq."
"I understand why you did though Lucas," Karen told him. Lucas looked at her curious. "You wanted to call her your wife just in case you didn't come back to us didn't you?"
"Yeah," Lucas admitted. "But as much as I wanted to do that I realized that it wouldn't have been fair to her to make her a widow before she's even finished high school if the worst happened."
"I understand that too," Karen told him. "Maybe if you try telling her your reasons again, she'll understand that this isn't the end of the world."
"I don't think that Brooke is ever going to forgive me for what I've done," Lucas told her. ""I don't think I deserve her forgiveness either. I made her so many promises and I broke every single one of them yesterday. What kind of person does that make me?"
"It makes you human Lucas," Karen told him. "Nobody is perfect and we all break promises that we've made."
"I didn't want to do that to Brooke," Lucas told her as he looked at her with eyes full of tears as he put his coffee down. "I wanted to make her happy."
"I know you did sweetie," Karen told him as she gathered him into a hug. He then held on to her tightly and let his tears fall. "That's why you should go and see her."
~X~
"Princess are you awake?" Richard asked as he headed into Brooke's bedroom. He stopped in his tracks and was surprised to find that her bed hadn't been slept in. He frowned as he knocked on the bathroom door. He waited for a few moments and got no response, so he opened the door and peeked inside. He found that it was empty. He then did the same with her closet and discovered that she wasn't in there either. He then checked the other upstairs rooms before heading back down to the kitchen where Victoria was waiting. "Brooke isn't here."
"What do you mean she isn't here?" Victoria asked in a stunned tone.
"Her bed hasn't been slept in and there's no sign of her at all." Richard told her in a worried tone.
"Did you check to see if her car is gone?" Victoria asked as she stood.
"I'm going to check now," Richard told her as he headed to their garage. Victoria followed him. Sure enough her car was gone. "Where the hell is she?"
"I hope she hasn't gone and done anything stupid." Victoria said worriedly.
"Let's try calling her first," Richard said as they headed into the house. "Then if she doesn't answer, we can start to panic."
~X~
Brooke sat in her car looking over at the house that she had called her second home for as long as she could remember. The sight used to fill her with so much joy but now it only filled her with sadness. She had been sat there for about an hour. She had been re-arranging her closet all night and had gotten the sudden urge to go and see Lucas. She had then crept out of the house, climbed in her car and drove to the Scott's. However, once she had parked across the street she had found herself unable to get out of the car. She saw the front door open and her breath caught in her throat as Lucas came out. She looked at his face and saw that he looked like she felt and it was obvious that he had been crying. She kept her eyes on him as he headed to the mailbox. As he went to open it he looked up and caught sight of her car. He then quickly went over to it and was surprised when Brooke indicated him to get in the passenger door.
"You were the last person I expected to see when I came out for the mail," Lucas told her softly. "How long have you been out here?"
"About an hour," Brooke replied. "I had the urge to see you but when I parked I couldn't bring myself to get out of the car."
"Is that because of what I did yesterday?" Lucas asked in a guilty tone. Brooke nodded. "I am so sorry Brooke. I know I must seem like a monster to you right now, but I called the wedding off for all the right reasons."
"What are they exactly?" Brooke asked.
"I don't want you to have to grow up too soon Brooke," Lucas told her as his eyes filled with tears. Brooke looked into his eyes as he continued. "You should be able to enjoy your high school days without the burdens of adult life. If I had married you yesterday you could have been a widow before you were eighteen. And if the worst happens to me when I'm over there, it isn't fair to leave you the sole responsibility for a baby that we made together. Not when you have all the added pressures of high school and college."
"What makes you so sure that I was going to go to college?" Brooke asked.
"I just assumed," Lucas replied in a surprised tone. "Do you want to go to college?"
"Wow that makes a change you actually asking me what I want instead of making the choice for me." Brooke said in a bitter tone.
"Brooke yesterday wasn't a decision that I made lightly," Lucas told her. "It was the hardest thing that I've ever had to do. I knew that I would break your heart, but it affected me too. I wasn't making a decision just for you."
"Well it sure felt like it," Brooke told him. "The only reasons that you've given me for why you called it off have been how you think it would affect me Lucas. Even though I can see your point in those reasons, if we got married or not should have been a decision that we made together. You shouldn't have taken it upon yourself to just go ahead and call the whole thing off."
"I know the way I went around it wasn't good Brooke and I can only apologize for that," Lucas said in a genuine tone. "It doesn't mean that I stopped loving you though. I love you more than ever Brooke, I really do."
"Then why did you call the wedding off?" Brooke asked. "And don't give me those excuses again. I know there's something else that you're not telling me. I have a feeling in my gut that you're keeping something from me."
"You're right I am," Lucas admitted. He took a deep breath before he spoke again. "I think that if we waited until I got back from Iraq to get married and have babies that it would make me even more determined to come home because I'd still have those things to look forward to experiencing with you."
"Then why didn't you just tell me that yesterday Lucas?" Brooke asked in almost a whisper.
"I didn't want to say the words out loud in case it jinxed us," Lucas said as he closed his eyes. His tears slipped out from beneath them as he did. Brooke wiped at her own tears before she started her car. Lucas opened his eyes as she pulled away from the curb. "Where are we going?"
"We need someplace private to talk," she told him as she kept her eyes on the road. "There are still some things that we have to sort out Lucas and sitting in my car parked across from your house isn't the place."
~X~
"What's taking Lucas so long in getting the mail?" Karen asked Keith in a puzzled tone. "His breakfast will be freezing."
"I have absolutely no idea," Keith replied with a frown. He then stood as he said. "I'll go and check."
"I'm surprised he's up and about," Nathan said in between sips of his coffee. "The way he sounded yesterday made me think that he was going to be holed up in his room until we had to leave."
"Yeah me too," Haley agreed. "I think Brooke's going to be the same so that she doesn't have to run into him."
"I was afraid that's what he was going to do so I made him come out of his room," Karen said as Keith returned. "What's he doing?"
"I don't know," Keith replied with a frown. "There was no sign of him at all and his car is still in the driveway."
"Don't tell me he's wandered off," Karen said with a sigh. "That's all we need."
"There was a car further down the road and I wasn't sure if it was Brooke's or not." Keith said as he sat down.
"Don't tell me she's kidnapped him and she's not going to let him go until he marries her?" Nathan asked in a slightly joking tone.
"That would be funny if she did." Haley said with a slight chuckle.
"Let's just hope that they've gone somewhere private to discuss what happened yesterday." Karen said as the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it honey." Keith said as he stood and headed towards the door.
"I wonder who that could be." Karen said in a curious tone. She got her answer when Keith returned with Victoria and Richard.
"Good morning," Richard said. Victoria copied his actions. "Have you seen Brooke at all?"
"Take a seat," Karen said and Richard and Victoria sat at the table with them. Karen went to get them some plates. "Help yourself."
"I thought I saw Brooke's car going down the road a few minutes ago," Keith told him. "I take it Brooke is missing too?"
"Who else is missing?" Victoria asked.
"Lucas," Karen told her as she handed them a plate each and sat back down. "He went out to get the mail and didn't come back."
"Let's hope they're going to have a mature conversation about yesterday." Victoria said with a sigh.
"Let's hope that that was Brooke's car and they are together," Richard corrected. "I'm going to wait a few hours before I try her cell again. That way if it was Brooke's car and Lucas was with her, they've had a while to discuss things."
~X~
"This place is nice," Lucas said as he looked out of the window of the hotel room they were in. It overlooked the beach. He then frowned as he asked. "Why are we here exactly?"
"To talk," Brooke told him as she sat on the bed. "So you still want to marry me when you come home from Iraq?"
"Yes I do," Lucas replied as he sat beside her. "I want to be able to look forward to it Brooke. I want you to have the wedding of your dreams as well and not a rushed last minute one. You deserve to have all your family and friends there to share it. I don't want to deny you your dream wedding Brooke."
"I told Haley yesterday morning that I didn't care about a big fancy wedding. There was only one thing that would make it my dream wedding and that would be the fact that I was marrying you," Brooke told him. "I know I wanted a big fairytale wedding but none of that really matters Luke. Marrying you is the only thing that does."
"Now I feel even more of an ass," Lucas replied. "Do you ever think that you can forgive me for what I did Pretty Girl?"
"I did a lot of thinking last night Lucas. And from what you've told me today and the reasons why you called it off make sense," Brooke told him surprising him. "I forgive you Lucas. And I'm sorry for acting like such a spoiled brat yesterday."
"Brooke you have nothing to apologize for okay?" Lucas asked as he breathed a sigh of relief at Brooke telling him that she had forgiven him.
"Yes I do," she said as she pulled a face. "I kind of confessed everything to Peyton."
"What!" Lucas asked in surprise. "Peyton? Why her?"
"I was sat under the bridge crying and she came up to me. She was actually really nice," Brooke told him. "She saw me taking some pills and was worried about me."
"What pills?" Lucas asked in alarm.
"The morning after pill Lucas," Brooke told him with a sigh. "Even though it could already be too late for it. I was so upset that I just blurted everything out to her. She said that she's going to publicly apologize to Haley for putting her and the baby in danger too. And she wanted to call a truce to our fighting."
"I'll believe that when I hear about it," Lucas said as he rolled his eyes. "But really, she was nice to you?"
"Yeah, she sounded really concerned about me taking the pills," Brooke told him. "I just hope I don't live to regret telling her what I did."
"Same here," Lucas agreed. "I'm sure that if she does, you'll soon shoot her down in flames."
"You can count on it," Brooke told him as she managed a smile. It fell from her face as she said. "I'm so tired Lucas. I didn't sleep at all last night."
"Neither did I," Lucas confessed. "I was sat at my desk trying to think of how I wanted my funeral."
"I don't even want to think about that," Brooke told him. "I rearranged my closet. Luke can you hold me so I can get some sleep?"
"I sure can," Lucas told her as he slipped his sneakers off. He then pulled his hoody off and led down. Brooke slipped her own sneakers off and led down beside him. She snuggled against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. "I missed this last night."
"Me too," Brooke agreed. "I think it was another reason that I couldn't sleep."
"You just close your eyes and rest Pretty Girl," Lucas told her as he kissed her forehead. "I'll still be here when you wake up."
~X~
"I just got a text from Brooke," Haley said as she went into the front room of the Scott house a few hours later. Victoria, Richard, Keith and Karen looked at her expectantly. "She's says that she's with Lucas and they're okay. They're talking through things."
"Thank God!" Richard said in a relieved tone. "I was beginning to think that she might have gone off and done something stupid."
"She hasn't put where they are though," Haley added as Nathan came up behind her. "At least they're talking."
"I'm sure that's all that they're doing," Nathan replied before he realized what had left his mouth. He stood there looking uncomfortable for a few moments before the doorbell rang. "I'll go and answer that."
"Yeah make yourself useful." Haley told him with a smile. Nathan made his way over to the front door and opened it. He scowled when he saw who was on the other side.
"What do you want?" he asked in an abrupt tone.
"Is Haley in?" the person asked in a timid voice.
"What if she is?" Nathan asked angrily. "What do you want her for? Do you not think you did enough damage to her already?"
"Who is it?" Haley asked as she walked over to the door. She looked out and frowned. "Peyton what the hell are you doing here?"
"Have you got a minute?" Peyton asked. "I need to say something to you."
"What?" Haley asked as she folded her arms in front of her.
"I came to apologize to you for causing the crash." Peyton told her. Haley's jaw dropped in shock.
"Well you better come in then." Haley said as she stood back to allow Peyton into the house. Nathan closed the door before he followed Haley and Peyton into the lounge.
"Why is Peyton here?" Karen asked as she frowned.
"I came to apologize," Peyton told her sounding uncomfortable. "For causing the crash. I told Brooke that I'd apologize to Haley."
"When did you see Brooke?" Haley asked her.
"Yesterday," Peyton replied. "She was sat under the bridge and she looked really upset. I went over and we talked. We're calling a truce to this stupid rivalry thing. Brooke told me that I had to apologize before she would though."
"Well I'm waiting for this apology," Haley told her. "And you better apologize to Nathan too. You almost killed his baby as well."
~X~
"Okay I didn't plan on that happening," Brooke said to Lucas as she lay in his arms as she tried to regain her breath. "But it sure as hell felt good."
"That it did," Lucas said as he stroked her naked back. "It actually felt like my brain exploded when I came then."
"It felt like mine did too," Brooke replied as she stretched against him. "I think it's also the lack of sleep that aided that sensation."
"I think you're right." Lucas agreed.
"Did you manage to get anything planned for how you want your funeral?" Brooke asked as she stroked her fingertips over his sweaty chest.
"I didn't," Lucas admitted. "I tried but I couldn't because you weren't with me."
"Well we can work on that tonight," Brooke told him before she kissed him lovingly. "I don't want to spend another night away from you before you go away."
"Likewise," Lucas agreed before he kissed her again. "I'm just so glad that you forgive me Brooke."
"I couldn't stay mad at you not when what you said made sense," she replied. "It just took me a while to realize it."
"So does this mean that we're good?" he asked needing to be absolutely sure.
"Of course we are," Brooke told him as she looked into his eyes. "Otherwise we wouldn't have done what we just did."
"I just wanted to make sure," he told her before he kissed her again. "Do you want to go and get something to eat now? I'm kinda hungry."
"Sure," Brooke replied with a smile. "We have to get out of here soon anyway."
~X~
"It's good to know that you two are alive." Karen said as Brooke and Lucas strolled into the kitchen of the Scott house a little while later.
"Yes it is." Victoria agreed.
"Sorry I just bailed on you," Brooke said to Victoria and Richard. "We just had to sort some stuff out."
"And is it sorted?" Keith asked curious.
"Yeah it is," Lucas said as he smiled and took hold of Brooke's hand. "We worked through it and we're back on track."
"I'm so glad to hear that!" Nathan said in a relieved tone. "Because the last thing I need in Iraq is you whining."
"Hey Brooke, you'll never guess what happened earlier." Haley said as she shook her head at Nathan.
"What?" Brooke asked curious.
"Peyton came here and apologized for causing the crash." Haley told her.
"She actually did that?" Brooke asked surprised. Haley nodded. "Wow I didn't think she would."
"She said she spoke to your yesterday and said that she wanted to call a truce," Haley continued. "And she says that the reason she does that mental thing about running red lights at Thanksgiving is because that's when her mom died because she ran one."
"I forgot all about that," Brooke said. "What else did she say?"
"She said she's not going to give us any more of her bitchy comments and she hopes we can get along from now on." Haley told her.
"Wow," Brooke said as she sat beside Haley. "Today sure keeps getting better and better."
"It's going to get even better when we have dessert," Haley said as she smiled. "My mom's making caramel apple pie."
"Awesome," Lucas said as he sat beside Brooke. "I'm starving."
