A/N: this chapter was hard to write- having never been in labour myself I never quite know how it would go but um, I hope I got some kind of realism and this is probably how it would go down if I were having a baby and my three best friends were with me. i.e. with lots of people getting in the way and having a million different conversations lol.

Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or any of the characters. I'd have um, killed a few of them off by now if I did. *cough Mouth*

Hey Luke, we've been through a lot, me and you. And I wouldn't have made it through today or a couple of days without you.

"Ok Brooke, breathe, one two three, breathe one two three, breathe-"

"Millie if you say breathe one more time I'm going to make you cry," Brooke ground out between now extremely painful contractions. All her friend had done on the short drive to the hospital was say breathe over and over again, Brooke was about ready to hit her with a blunt instrument.

"But it said in the book-" Millicent pouted.

"Yeah well whoever wrote that book definitely hadn't given birth. Ouuuuch."

"Hey hey, remember? Breathe in-"

"Dammit Millie stop!" Brooke looked at Dr Sloane desperately, "aren't I supposed to be high on painkillers right now? Not still able to hear the ramblings of my loony friend?!"

Dr Sloane gave her an apologetic look as Millicent scowled over at her, "I'm sorry Brooke, you're past the time we can allow for an epidural so-"

"What?! You want me to do this with no drugs?!"

"Well-"

"Oh my god you're useless! Get out!"

"Brooke-"

"No I mean it, you're fired pretty boy! Out!"

"I-"

"Now!"

Dr Sloane looked surprised and a little hurt but nodded, "maybe it's best if I- I'll uh- just be outside for a moment until- you know- Doctor Shepherd gets here."

Millicent rushed out after him, "Mark wait-" before leaning back round the door and pointing at Brooke, "Brooke I swear to god if you made him cry you are so dead."

"I'm the one giving birth here!" Brooke retorted.

Millicent groaned in exasperation and then disappeared and Brooke squeezed her eyes shut, trying not to shout too loudly. "Someone please get me a real doctor!!"

"Woah looks like I got here just in time for the party," Rachel said smirking and sauntering into the room. "Damn girl, you look terrible."

Brooke attempted to sit up in the hospital bed to swipe at the red head but couldn't muster up the energy to stretch far enough; instead she opted for glowering, "you call this a party?"

"Honey anything where you're shrieking and crying counts as a party in my book-" she smirked and lifted up her phone, "smile!"

"Rachel stop it!"

"No come on- you look so unhappy- it's priceless!"

"Rach!"

"Gattina!"

Rachel whipped round, hiding her phone behind her back and gave Haley an attempt at an innocent smile, "hey James, how's it going?"

"Give me that phone right now and leave Brooke alone!" Rachel pouted but Haley held her hand out expectantly, "now."

"Fine. Spoilsport," she threw herself into the chair beside Brooke's bed and looked around, "why did you get rid of the eye candy anyway?"

"Because he is obviously an incompetent fool!"

"He's a doctor honey, which means- and no offence here- but it means he's smarter than you."

Brooke glared at her and then looked at Haley, "I will kill her, you know that right? I'm sure there's some kind of law that lets you off the hook for stuff like that when you're giving birth. I can't be held responsible for my actions!"

"Shush Brooke, this isn't good for your blood pressure," Haley said soothingly, running a hand through her friend's hair, "remember, deep breaths." She demonstrated, "see? In... and out."

"I'm sick of breathing in and out!"

Behind them Rachel sniggered and Haley turned to narrow her eyes warningly, "I will make you wait outside Rach."

"Sorry," she said quickly, "here Brooke," she leant forward and rubbed slow circles over Brooke's palms, "that help?"

"Yes," Brooke exhaled trying to relax, "wow, where did you learn to do that?"

Rachel shrugged, "dated a masseuse a while back."

"Ohh yeah, I remember, Caleb right?"

"Something like that," she scrunched up her nose... "Or maybe it was Jonas."

Haley snorted, "they sound nothing alike."

"Hey shut up, just because you're socially inept and only ever dated one guy doesn't mean the rest of us-" Rachel stopped whatever she was about to say when Brooke suddenly grabbed at her hand, squeezing tightly and yelled, "ooohh my god Brooke! Brooke, let go of my hand, let go now!"

Brooke released her hand as the contraction ended and Rachel held up her hand loosely, "oh jesus. And now I have a broken hand."

"Rach I'm sorry!" Brooke reached out to apologise and Rachel pulled away.

"Uh uh- you stay over there preggo and I'll just keep my hands over here- I need these in good shape for-"

"I swear Rach if you finish that sentence I will video the birth of your first child and put it on youtube!"

Rachel pouted, "I was going to say I need them for my photography you dirty minded thing!"

"I am not dirty minded- I'm well behaved!"

"Yeaaah."

"Ladies!" Dr Shepherd appeared and Brooke looked up hopefully.

"Do you have drugs for me Dr Shepherd?"

He pulled an apologetic face, "I'm afraid not Brooke," he sat down beside the bed, flipping through her chart and feeling her pulse, "you wanna tell me why my colleague was um, thrown from the room?"

"I'm sorry," she began, Haley made a sound that could have been disbelief but she ignored it, "I just- I just need to know my baby's gonna be in good hands and-" she hesitated, "I am really sorry about shouting at him though."

Doctor Shepherd suddenly grinned, "I think he'll live, right now, you're allowed to make it all about you- so, you're about-"

"Oh!" She sat forward suddenly and screwed up her face, "oooh oh man, they're getting closer together right?" she asked breathlessly.

"Yeah," Haley glanced at the clock, "every minute and a half."

She bit her lip, "is Luke here yet?"

Rachel shook her head and grabbed Brooke's phone, "I'll call him again- god I'm gonna kill him," she added under her breath.

"It's. Not. His. Fault," Brooke said breathlessly, "he didn't know I was gonna be having the baby today- it's all Sloane's fault!"

"Brooke," Dr Shepherd cut in, "no-one could have foreseen you were going to go into labour today."

"But it's too soon right?" She looked up at him, her dark eyes fearful, "it's too early."

"You're over eight months," he said frowning, "and every test has come back clean so far- as far as things go Brooke, this could be a lot worse."

"That... doesn't sound very reassuring," she said finally.

He smiled quickly, "let's just try and get through this one step at a time ok? Try not to worry too much- you'll get through this, I know you remember? You're a fighter."

"I-"

"Brooke?" Lucas was at the door, wide eyed, his hair at all angles and he was panting, "Brooke!" He came forward into the room, blinking hard, "woah spots..." He staggered slightly and then sat down next to her, "are we- are you there yet? I mean," he took her hand, kissing it, "you ok?" He blinked to focus on her face and she frowned.

"Luke- are you you?"

"Yeah I'm fine, I just ran here from- from Freemont Street, I just need a minute- but how are you?"

"Luke that's like two miles- you shouldn't be doing that with your heart!"

"Babe I'm fine I swear, I just-" he took a breath and then grinned, seemingly more focused, leaning back towards her, "I didn't want to miss this."

She exhaled had and squeezed his hand, "I'm so glad you're here; I-" she gasped as another contraction ran through her.

"Mmhmm," Lucas sat forward and finally caught his breath, pulling away his own mangled hand, "yeah I'm glad I made it too." Ouch, he mouthed at Haley, she smiled back in amusement.

"Pfft two miles- boy you are so unfit," Rachel said shaking her head mournfully.

"Shut up red- I'd like to see you try doing that," Lucas shot back. "And why are you here? You're not helping!"

"I was helping way before you got here Scott."

"Guys," Haley hissed, "we're trying to keep Brooke calm."

"Haley I'm right here!"

"Besides I wasn't saying I could do it Lucas, but I know Owen runs like five miles every day."

"Well that's great for Owen but I'm not Owen."

"Yeah, you got that right."

"Guys!"

"God Rachel you're so-"

"Brooke," it was Millicent flying into the room, "did it happen yet?"

"No!"

"Shut up Lucas."

"Me? I'm trying to enjoy the birth of my child here!"

"I cannot believe you think this is going to any kind of enjoyable experience Luke, I'm trying to push a person out of me!"

"Now see what you've done Luke?"

"Shut up!"

"Alright," Dr Shepherd threw a hand in the air suddenly, "anyone who is not about to give birth or become a father, out!"

There was a chorus of arguments but he stood firm, "we need some calm in this room. I know you all want to be there for Brooke and Lucas but you can be there from outside ok? Right now Brooke needs to concentrate."

For a second there was a stunned silence and then Rachel scowled at Lucas, then at Doctor Shepherd before turning and smiling sweetly at Brooke, "you need anything Brookie?"

"Yeah," Brooke said through gritted teeth, "for this baby to be born."

"Ok well, you get to work on that."

"We love you sweetie," Haley said softly, smoothing the sheets underneath Brooke. "You're gonna be fine."

"Just try and keep breathing," Millicent added before hesitating and looking sheepish, "you know- you can do it your way if you like it better, I'm sure that book was stupid."

"You were only trying to help Mills," Brooke said wearily, "thank you."

"Just try and keep breathing full stop ok?" Rachel added, dropping a kiss on the top of her friend's head, "we'll be right outside."

"Mmkay," she waved to them all weakly before collapsing back on the pillow, "Luke?"

"Yeah, I'm right here babe."

"Mr Scott if you could just move up here-" Dr Shepherd gently manoeuvred Lucas up towards the head of the bed and began pulling down the sheets. "Brooke are you ready?"

"No," she shook her head heavily, "I am so not ready."

Lucas took her hand once more and kissed her temple, "sure you are Brooke- you're always ready for anything remember? Nothing you can't handle. And I've got your back," he added softly.

She almost smirked, "what you wanna do this for me?"

"Um- I wish I could?"

"Liar-"

"Alright Brooke when I say push-"

It was harder than it had been with Jay. Maybe because she'd been younger or just generally more agile or something. Or hell maybe because she'd had some damn drugs last time. She groaned loudly, damn Sloane, damn Shepherd! She grabbed the front of Luke's tee shirt, "damn you Scott! Damn you!"

He looked like he was torn between the desire to laugh and to look apologetic, "oh babe I'm sorry!"

"Goddd-"

"That's good Brooke, keep going."

"Oh Brooke," Lucas sounded completely in awe, "did you really do this once before as well?"

"That's. Really. Not. Helping. You. Jackasssss aaah!"

"And again Brooke," Dr Shepherd tried to call serenely over the screaming.

"No," she shook her head stubbornly, "that's enough for now."

"Come on, you can do it, I know you can do it baby."

"You sound like a stupid Nike add Luke."

He tried not to get offended but honestly- she was really mean in labour.

"Ahhhh my god, we are so not having more children!"

"You'll be over the worst soon, just-"

"I know I know, push, I'm trying!"

"We've got a head, keep going Brooke."

"I'm gonna diiie!"

"One more push," Dr Shepherd continued, he had definitely heard worse shouted and threatened during a labour. "Ten fingers."

"Holy sh-" Lucas felt light headed as he watched, "oh my god Brooke, how-"

"Don't even ask!"

"But, woaaah, god that's-" Lucas felt light headed.

Brooke seemed to have lost the ability to speak.

"It's a boy!"

"Is... he... ok?" she asked breathlessly.

"Yep, ten fingers, ten toes!" Dr Shepherd lifted him up carefully, beaming at them, "congratualtions! Just give us a minute to check him over and he'll be right with you."

She collapsed on the mound of pillows, "oh thank god- and he's breathing and everything?" Her eyes followed the nurse as she moved him to the set of scales and cleaned the new baby up.

"He's fine," the nurse smiled reassuringly, "would you like to hold him?"

"Uh huh," nothing sounded better in the world. Lucas was dancing around excitedly beside her.

"God Brooke you were incredible."

"Yeah, I know right?" She cracked a smile and he laughed and bent to kiss her.

"Here we go," the nurse bent down with a bundle of white blankets, "does he have a name yet?"

Brooke hesitated and looked up at Lucas, "we uh- we hadn't really finished deciding."

"He'll just be baby Davis for now then," she said smiling.

"Baby Scott," she corrected and Lucas looked at her in surprise. She met his eyes and watched them melt into warmth and love, "baby Scott," she said again, more firmly. It was possibly the first time in years she had seen Lucas this close to tears.

"Ok, then here's baby Scott for the first time, congratualtions mom and dad."

"Heh, thank you," she took the bundle gently and gazed down happily. "Hey there baby boy."

"Woah," Lucas breathed quietly, reaching out to touch a tiny hand, "he's amazing. And he's so small Brooke!"

"I know... God he's really here," she said softly, "I can't believe it. I can't believe we made two beings so perfect."

Lucas smiled up at her and then looked back down at the baby, "this is perfect," he said firmly.

"I love you," she murmured softly to them both.

"And I love you," he whispered. After a moment he tore his eyes away and straightened up.

"Luke where-"

"I'm gonna go get Jay, I want him to meet his baby brother," he stopped by the door and grinned widely at her, "god do you have any idea how cool it is to say that?"

"I know honey," she smiled back before glancing down at her new son and then flashing a wicked look his way, "see you in a minute then dad."

He exhaled, still smiling, "and it feels really good to hear that."

Do you really think there's one person in this entire planet that's right for you?

I do.