A/N: So I've had this planned out for a while but the reviews have been duly noted and I hope almost everyone can be happy with the outcome!
Disclaimer: I'm playing in a sandbox s'all I'm doing Mark.
At five Brooke decided she wasn't getting back to sleep and that she needed to do something. As gracefully as is possible at eight months pregnant she slipped out of bed and stretched slowly. Lucas groaned slightly in his sleep and rolled over onto her side of the bed- taking advantage of the space she knew he had to be missing- and curled his arm around her pillow.
"You ok?" he murmured sleepily.
"Yeah I'm fine- just need a drink," she whispered.
"I'll get it," he said and began to shift.
"No no it's fine," she reached down to brush his cheek, "I need the walk."
"Mmkay," he scrunched back down into the pillow smiling slightly," don't be long."
She padded down the corridor, glancing in on Jayden as she did so and then made her way downstairs. It was blissfully quiet in the kitchen, only the faint sound of the ocean that got louder as she pushed open the window and breathed in deeply. She clicked on the kettle and then started as the baby kicked soundly against her stomach, "woah, I guess you couldn't sleep either huh baby?" She ran a hand soothingly across her belly and smiled happily, "not long now. I wonder if you're gonna sleep as much as your daddy likes to."
She made her way out onto the deck overlooking the garden and sat down on the swing Nathan had set up a few days ago. The peppermint tea was hot and she left it to cool for a while trying to get a hold of what she was feeling. God there was the kicking again and she jumped, "ok way too early for you to start feeling acrobatic in there honey."
There was a noise behind her and she turned to see Haley looking sleepy and holding a cross looking Grace. "Couldn't sleep either huh girly?"
Brooke snorted, "I don't think I've slept properly for the last five years and I doubt I'll be sleeping for the next eighteen years. Don't even start me on the nightmares I have about car crashes, drownings, possible psycho killers, evil men with sweets luring my children into cars."
"Not exactly something to look forward to," Haley said smiling slightly.
"Along with stretch marks and crows feet."
"Oh god don't remind me."
"Hales, you look amazing- no-one would believe you've had two kids- me on the other hand-"
"Do not start with me Brooke Davis- you're skinny as a rake under there- you're gonna have a baby and drop the weight like that," she snapped her fingers, "and I'm gonna look like the giant crone next to you guys in the wedding pictures."
Brooke laughed and patted her friend's hand, "but of course you'll be doing that as a favour to me considering no-one is allowed to look better than me on my wedding day."
Haley sniggered, "good luck telling Rachel that."
"Oh don't worry," Brooke waved a hand easily, "Mills is under strict instructions to get her drunk the night before so she looks really hung-over."
"Good plan."
They both giggled quietly, not really meaning any of it of course- they were just glad Rachel and her hot behind were still in the land of the living. Grace yawned against Haley's shoulder and her mother smiled down at her softly, "I can' believe she's nearly a year old."
Brooke was playing with Gracie's feet and shook her head, "it's unbelievable- time is going so quickly."
Haley bit her lip briefly and then twisted to face her on the bench, "Brooke-"
"Yeah hon?"
"I uh- I have something to tell you." She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear the way she had always done when she was agitated at school and Brooke frowned in concern.
"Is everything ok?"
"Oh yeah, at least I think so," she smiled widely suddenly, "ok... Nathan and I, we're- we're gonna move back in together."
"Wow," Brooke exhaled sharply, "oh Hales that's great! Are you sure?"
"Yeah I am. I think it's time we stopped talking about being a family again and actually, you know- became one. I mean it's been wonderful being here with you-" her brown eyes filled with tears suddenly, "kind of felt like we were back in school together you know?" Brooke nodded wordlessly and grabbed hold of her friend's hand to squeeze it tightly.
"And I can't ever thank you enough Brooke, really, for everything you've done for me- for us- over these last few months. I know it's been really hard for you too but, I'm really glad you came back and that you've been here." Haley swallowed hard, "I don't think I could have done this without you. And I really don't think I would feel half as strong or as confident about the next step if I didn't know you were there- you've been a wonderful friend."
"Oh god Haley!" Brooke wailed, "you're gonna make me cry and it's not even seven am!"
"I'm sorry!"
"No no don't be," Brooke leant forward and even though it was a squish with Gracie and the baby she pulled her close, "you don't have to thank me Hales but you're welcome anyway. And it goes both ways," she smiled quickly, "you listened when no-one else did. And god- you have helped me so much. I love you Haley James Scott and I'll always be here- I promise."
"Mmf," Haley's reply was muffled in Brooke's shoulder and they both laughed and sat up. Haley wiped her eyes and nodded, "I love you too Brooke Davis."
They were silent for a moment and then Brooke sat up and smiled bravely, "so when are you gonna be leaving us?"
Haley took a shuddering breath, "oh I don't know- as soon as I feel brave enough to pack up my room- it's been so easy being here you know? Somewhere to run to."
Brooke could relate, for her New York had been all about the running. "I know Hales- but you know, if you run forever you don't ever stop to see what you're missing... "
"I know, I really do know that now," Haley said nodding. "It's just scary you know?"
She nodded and squeezed her hand, "you and Nate both want to make this work, and I know you will."
"Thank you. I'm gonna sit down with Jamie tonight and have a talk about it."
Between them Grace suddenly wailed and Brooke started as another bout of kicking began, "looks like the babies are well and truly awake!"
"They have perfect timing," Haley said jumping up, "you want some breakfast?"
"God yes please!"
Brooke followed her back into the kitchen and sat down at the counter as Haley busied herself with cereal. She held Gracie tightly and kissed the top of her head, "I wonder what you're gonnna be when you grow up girly girl," she murmured softly to her. Grace replied by grabbing a strand of Brooke's hair and laughing delightedly.
"Buks!"
Haley turned round in surprise, "oh no honey, you can't be a writer- they all look like they need a shower."
"Hey!" Brooke flicked cold tea at her, "Lucas doesn't ever look like that."
The brunette snorted as she set out two bowls, "you should have seen him before you came back B; he uh- grew a beard."
"Oh god!" she grinned gleefully, "do you have pictures?"
"None that she can show you without a sudden and painful death following!" They both looked up to see Lucas glowering at his best friend and rubbing a towel across his hair. Brooke felt the familiar fluttering her heart always did when she looked at him. And today had the added bonus of the just showered and shaved look, her fiancée was pretty darn fine.
Oh, you think I was going to miss a chance to spend a night on the town with a soon to be best selling author?
God it is good to see you Brooke.
"Dude come on," Haley said laughing, "I said you used to look like that- at least you've showered today- you're already proving me wrong about writers."
"Damn straight," he retorted gruffly before bending to kiss Brooke and the top of his niece's head. "Don't you two ever sleep?!"
"Baby was feeling really active this morning," Brooke explained, "and Hales and I don't technically need all that beauty sleep you and Nate need."
"Ha ha," he said sulkily.
"Thank you," Brooke beamed up at Haley as she placed a bowl in front of her and Brooke grabbed the Cheerios.
"Brooke that is not a healthy breakfast!" Both Haley and Lucas frowned at her and she sighed as Lucas swiped the bowl away from her and replaced it with a banana.
"Guys come on! I've practically become a vegetable patch for the last two months the amount of healthy stuff you're making me eat!"
"At least we're letting you walk around," Lucas teased.
She jabbed him in the arm with her spoon.
At seven Brooke made her way into Jayden's room to wake him up. "Rise and shine jelly tot it's time for school!"
"Goway! M'sleepin'!" Jayden pulled his pillow up over his face as his mother opened the curtains, "nooo nosunmom!" She rolled her eyes.
"Jayden Davis do not make me get a cold flannel!"
He threw back the duvet in a split second and sat up in bed, "I'm up, I'm up! You're mean," he said turning to stick his tongue out at her. His hair was sticking up and he looked adorable.
She laughed, "hey careful there," she reached out to tap his nose, "the wind might blow real hard and end up making you face stick that way."
"That's not true- Uncle Nathan told me it wasn't."
Brooke looked at him incredulously, "are you implying your Uncle Nathan knows better than your mother?"
He attempted to look up at her innocently, "no..."
"Jayden!"
"He does know about a lot of stuff though mom."
"What? Like what?!"
"He knows lots about basketball and he can lift all the giant weights me and Jamie can't and he can do this wicked thing on my ninja game."
"Unbelievable," she muttered before collapsing on the bed beside him, "yeah well does your Uncle Nathan know how to make cookies from scratch?"
"Do you momma?"
Her mouth fell open in surprise, "you are getting cheeky in your old age mister!" She jabbed him in the ribs and he rolled over laughing.
"Mom stop!"
He was careful not to kick her stomach and she felt a flash of pride at her boy being so careful. She lay on her back and he crawled up next to her, resting his head in the crook of her neck. "You smell nice."
"Aw thanks honey."
He yawned and nestled closer, "do I have to go to school today? Pleeease can't I just stay with you?"
Suddenly she was less proud and more suspicious, "are you trying to be all sweet and polite to me so that you can stay home?"
He sat up, his blue eyes big and wide, "no!"
"Jayden Sawyer Davis, where are you learning all these tricks?!" He shrugged, still attempting to be innocent and she rolled her eyes, "you are so your mother's son." She sat up, "come on trickster, you've got teeth to clean!"
She waved Lucas, Jayden and Jamie off at eight fifteen and felt another twinge in her stomach. She grabbed hold of the hall dresser in surprise. "Wow you are really active today baby!"
Millicent arrived twenty minutes later and shooed Brooke back into bed, "you are supposed to be off your feet at all times Brooke!"
"You know, it's nice that you all care and all but I have taken care of myself for, oh I don't know, twenty four years now!" She scowled as Millicent pulled the covers over her feet, "you're all treating me like glass!"
"That's because right now, you're made of very fragile glass honey. So shut up and let us treat you like that ok?"
She sulked for a moment more and then Millicent pulled out the giant wedding planner and she slapped her hands with glee, "this is more like it!"
Haley appeared with Grace and collapsed on the bed next to Brooke, "oh good wedding stuff..." She pulled a face, "does that mean I have to try more dresses on?"
Brooke attempted to swat her with the wedding planner, "that is not the enthusiasm I need Mrs Scott!"
"Oh my god- people are going to be calling you that soon Brooke," Millicent interrupted.
Brooke hesitated, "oh man I hadn't thought about changing my name..."
"I like Davis," Haley said softly, sitting back and playing with Brooke's hair while Gracie tried to eat the corner of the planner.
"So do I but- it's Luke you know?"
"He could always become Davis," Millicent suggested innocently.
Haley sniggered, "Lucas Eugene Davis. Hey maybe I should make Nathan, Nathan James!"
"Did you ask Luke what he thinks?"
Brooke shook her head, "I should really. And I guess I'll have to ask Jay too. I know he's Davis at the moment but now he knows Luke is his father and his name is Scott..." She fell silent, there was still so much to do before they got married and- she started as the baby kicked again, "ouuuch! That one was hard!"
"You ok?" Haley leant forward and Brooke caught Millicent peering at her over the top of US Bride and almost laughed.
"You guys I'm fine! The baby's just active is all."
I don't like you guys to see me like this.... vulnerable.
It's how I always see you Brooke, that and your beauty.
The door bell went at nine and Millicent raised an inquisitive eyebrow, "it'll be Doctor Sloane," Brooke explained.
Millicent nodded and jumped up, "I'll go get it."
When she returned twenty seconds later she was flushed and when she spoke her voice was breathy and low, "just this way Doctor." She came in, flipping her hair as she did so and Haley and Brooke exchanged quizzical looks, before realizing why.
Brooke felt her mouth drop open in surprise, "uh-"
"Hello ladies, I'm Doctor Sloane." The most gorgeous man in a twenty thousand mile radius walked in after Millie, all tall with cheekbones like razorblades and silvery hair and a little bit of stubble that worked. He smiled widely and fixed steel blue eyes on her. "You must be Miss Davis?" He held out a hand and she nodded weakly, taking his hand.
She shook herself and then nodded more vigorously, "yes yes, hi, please- call me Brooke."
"Doctor Shepherd told me you'd say that." She blushed and Dr Sloane smiled at her as he wiped his hands clean with a disposable antiseptic soap. "How are you feeling today?"
"She's been feeling grumpy," Millicent interrupted from behind them, still batting her eye lashes furiously.
Brooke wrinkled her nose at her and then smiled brightly at Doctor Sloane, "nothing too serious. Although baby Scott has been pretty active this morning."
"Uh huh," Dr Sloane was silent for a second as he took her blood pressure and then pulled out a mini ultra sound pack.
"Have you been a doctor long?" Millicent asked from the corner of the bed where she was leaning forward and practically falling into Dr Sloane's personal space. Behind them Haley snorted and hid her face behind 'Special Bride'.
"Since I graduated medical school," he said, flashing her a wide smile. "So eleven years."
"Oh so that makes you-"
"Way too old to remember," he grinned again and Millicent threw her head back laughing... and nearly fell off the edge of the bed.
Brooke caught Haley's eye and grinned. This was hilarious.
"Brooke, the last time the baby kicked, would you say it was for a prolonged period of time?" Dr Sloane was suddenly frowning slightly as he looked closely at the screen.
"Um, I guess," she bit her lip, "why?" Haley caught her hand wordlessly and squeezed it quickly.
He gave her a quick reassuring smile, "there's nothing to be worried about."
"Ok but you've got the same face my fiancé makes when he's about to tell me there's no more chocolate in the house or something and that's normally a bad thing so-"
"Please don't panic Brooke; it isn't good for you. Everything's going to be fine." He hesitated as he stood up, pulling out his phone before turning back to her, "but if I'm not mistaken I would say you're in labour."
She stared up at him in surprise. Beside her she felt Haley's arms go limp and the magazine she was clutching fell to the floor. "Are you joking? No way! I would know. No, no there has to be a mistake."
"I would estimate you've been having contractions for a while now?"
"No- I- it's too soon. This isn't right." She turned and grabbed Haley's arm, "Hales tell him- I've been fine all morning!"
"Brooke, it's ok."
"Someone needs to call Lucas like right now," she suddenly screeched. "Get Lucas on the phone NOW!" Haley jumped up off the bed and began scrolling though her cell phone numbers.
Dr Sloane crouched down beside her, taking her hand, "Brooke listen to me, you're fine. Your baby is going to be fine. This isn't uncommon and at thirty three weeks the risks are all low. We're going to get you to the hospital and everything is going to be ok, alright?"
"I knew Doctor Shepherd should have come today," she growled at him, "this is totally your fault!"
"I-"
"She's not normally like this," Millicent cut in quickly.
"It's ok I-"
"Millicent stop defending me to your stupid crush; I'm about to have a baby because of him!" She was suddenly out of breath and she cursed aloud. "God this is ridiculous, I am not having a baby today! I would know," she added, "I would know right?"
"Some women don't realise they're in labour until minutes before they give birth," Dr Sloane said from the door where he was calling an ambulance.
"Well that's very helpful but I am not one of those women! I have given birth before! See the six year old in that picture? Yeah, I pushed him out of me and I remember every minute leading up to that serious pain! I was at thirty six weeks, I woke up, did all the right exercises, packed my bags and I took a cab to the hospital not a freaking ambulance a month early!" She lay back down, folding her arms, "and that is how this one is happening too."
As if to contradict her the baby gave another big kick, that ok, did kind of feel more like a contraction and she gasped. "Oh for the love of- this baby is so like Lucas it's untrue."
"It's alright," Dr Sloane bent down and pulled equipment out of his bag, "you haven't progressed very far."
"What are you doing?" she said suddenly, her eyes snapping to the gloves and mask he was setting down on the bed.
"I may have to deliver here depending on how long the ambulance is."
She paled suddenly, "what?! I don't think I can do this right now."
The doctor gave her another smile, "you can. You've done it before right?"
"Yeah I'm sure it'll be like riding a bike," she shot back, "Hales where's Lucas?"
"He's stuck in traffic honey- look speak to him now ok-" Haley held out the phone.
The doorbell went and Millicent jumped up, "I'll get it- hopefully it's someone with epidurals for all of us."
Brooke threw a pillow at her and then took the phone, "Luke?"
"Hey pretty girl, I hear we're having a baby today."
"Luke this isn't funny!"
"I know babe, I know- I'm just trying to- look never mind, I'm on my way I promise. You gonna be at the hospital?"
"Uh huh- Luke please- I don't want to do this by myself."
"I'll be there as soon as I can Brooke- just, just stay calm."
"Easy for you to say broody you're not about to give birth!"
"Hey I'm sure i'll need some pain killers too before the end of this. You know me and my low threshold for pain."
"Ha ha."
"Is the doctor there babe? Can I talk to him?"
"Yeah hold on-" she looked up, "um Doctor Sloane- my fiancé would uh- like to talk to you."
"Of course."
She felt another wave of pain, they were getting faster and she paused, holding the phone close, "Luke please come soon."
"I will, I love you ok? We can do this, you can do this."
"Ok," her voice was small but she took a breath and nodded, "I love you too."
"Alright honey the ambulance is here-" Millicent re-appeared and strode towards the closet, grabbing a bag, "I'm gonna pack up some stuff. Hales, you're gonna go get Rachel- she'd be pissed as hell if she missed this and I know she'd find a way to blame me. Brooke you're gonna sit pretty and keep breathing ok, you can do that right?"
"I think I can cope with that," Brooke muttered through gritted teeth.
"Great," Millicent smiled brightly up at Doctor Sloane, "are you breathing too Doctor?"
He laughed, "I'm trying."
"God," Brooke growled, "I'm giving birth and she's flirting with my doctor, someone up there really hates me."
This is all about courage. Nobody is going to believe this coming from me!
I would.