The Scars Behind My Mask

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone from one tree hill.

Lucas voiceovers in this style of writing


Henry James wrote: Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create that fact.

Nathan sat with Rachel in Karen's café, Jessica making gurgling noises from beside them.

They had been sitting in silence ever since the two arrive; which was about 15 minutes ago. Brooke and Lucas were standing at the counter talking to Karen.

"What's on your mind Nate?" Rachel asked softly. Cooper's death seemed to have really affected Nathan but he had a hard time in showing it. He believed that he had to stay strong for everyone.

"Nothing's on my mind" Nathan answered simply as he gently pushed back some of Jessica's hair which fell on her face.

"You haven't spoken more than two words since we got here" Rachel pointed out "Just talk to me?" Rachel asked gently pleading with him.

"There's nothing to talk about Rachel" Nathan responded stubbornly "Cooper's dead and left Brooke and I a hell of a lot of money for someone who told me he was bankrupt"

"Well maybe he was having some financial troubles but sorted them out…I mean Cooper could always get himself out of a lot of messes" Rachel suggested

Nathan shook his head "Something just isn't right about this"


"So what time are you heading off?" Karen asked the two teens.

"Soon" Lucas answered "We just need to wait for everyone else to arrive" he said.

Lucas, Brooke, Nathan, Rachel, Jake, Haley, Bevin, Tim and Mouth were all heading out to Rachel's parents cabin for the weekend. To get their mind off all the drama from the past week.

"This weekend is just going to be about having fun" Brooke said with a small smile, this was one of the first times Lucas had seen her smile since Cooper died.

"Well I am pleased for you both; we all know that you deserve this Brooke, you and your brother" Karen stated nodding towards Nathan.

Brooke followed her gaze to her twin, as selfish and heartless as it sounded the one good thing that came out of Cooper dying was that it had brought Nathan and herself back together, and that was something that Brooke was grateful for.

"Hey guys" Rachel smiled as she approached them with Jessica in her arms. "Are you both ready?" Rachel asked, she hadn't seen Brooke this morning since she stayed over at Lucas's last night.

"Yep" Brooke said giving her a small smile "Hey Jess" Brooke smiled as she took Jessica out of Rachel's arms and bounced her niece on hip. "Are you going to be a good girl for Karen and Keith this weekend?" Brooke asked cooing to her.

Lucas smiled as he watched his girlfriend interact with her niece; he knew that Brooke would make a great mother someday.

The bell on the door of the café rung and they all turned their heads to see Mouth, Jake and Haley walk in.

"Hey guys" Haley smiled as the three of them approached them.

"You all ready?" Mouth asked.

"Yep, although Bevin isn't here; she is late as usual" Rachel stated as she flipped out of her cell "I will call her now" she said before walking away.

"So…how big is this cabin anyway?" Haley asked looking at Brooke after they had all seemed to form into a small awkward silence.

"It's pretty big" Brooke stated "We hung out there for the weekend last summer" she explained as she continued to hold Jessica.

After the shooting; Jake and everyone else had found out about Jessica being Nathan's daughter. Jake was a little hurt that nobody told him but he got over it.

The group formed into another silence and nobody really knew what to say; they just hoped the whole weekend wouldn't turn out this way.

"So how's your shoulder Brooke?" Jake asked softly as Lucas frowned.

"It's getting better. It still hurts from time to time" Brooke admitted "But its healing"

"Well I'm glad" Jake said giving her a small smile "And are you ok? I mean after everything with Cooper and all?" Jake asked again.

"She's fine" Lucas cut in as he wrapped his arms protectively around his girlfriend.

Jake sighed at Lucas; couldn't he see that he just cared about Brooke?

Brooke was about to speak but Rachel cut in before she had the chance.

"I just spoke to Bevin; she is running late so we have to pick her up on the way" Rachel explained.

"Ok" Everyone nodded.

"Nathan! Come on we are leaving!" Brooke called over to her brother who still remained seated at a table.

"What about Tim?" Nathan asked approaching him.

"Oh!" Rachel said "I completely forgot he was coming" She admitted as Brooke let out a small laugh.

As if on cue Tim strolled through the doors "What's up hommies? You guys ready to party?" he asked in his usual chirp tone.


"This is nice Rachel" Bevin smiled as they all entered the cabin a few hours later.

"I know" Rachel smiled "So the bedrooms are down the hall but nobody take the master room as that's mine" Rachel pointed out as everyone went in hunt for a bedroom.

"What do Rachel's parents do anyway?" Lucas asked as he and Brooke entered a bedroom with a double bed.

Brooke shrugged "I don't know actually" she answered honestly.

"You don't know? Isn't she like your best friend?" Lucas laughed

"Well it's not like I ever see her parents anyway, I think I have only met them a couple of times" Brooke admitted "Anyway…enough about Rachel; what about you and Jake?" Brooke asked confused, she could sense the tension between the two a mile off.

"What do you mean?" Lucas asked pretending to play dumb. The truth was that he and Jake hardly uttered two words to each other since Jake came into his room trying to give him advice about his girlfriend four days ago.

"Don't play dumb with me" Brooke stated "Have you guys fallen out?" Brooke asked.

Lucas shrugged "Not really…we just couldn't agree on who was the best Bobcat player" Lucas lied.

Brooke rolled her eyes "Boys…so, what do you want to do tonight?" Brooke asked with a raised eyebrow.

Lucas gave her a small smile "Are you ready for that? I mean…you are still grieving and I don't want to take advantage of that" Lucas said softly.

"So you don't want to have sex with me because I just lost my brother?" Brooke asked annoyed.

"No! No! That's not it…I mean of course I want to its just I don't want to push you into it" Lucas explained.

"And you're not" Brooke said as she wrapped her arms around his waist "I miss you" she whispered.

"And I miss you to baby, I just wanted to make sure you were ready that's all" Lucas said softly as he kissed Brooke's forehead.

"I am ready" Brooke smiled as she leaned up and kissed him softly.


"So what's the deal with you and Lucas?" Mouth asked as he and Jake sat outside on the deck.

"He just a bit pissed at me that's all" Jake sighed as he leaned his head against the back of the chair he was sitting on.

"Why?" Mouth asked curiously.

"I tried to give him some advice on Brooke and he took it the wrong way" Jake explained "I was just trying to help"

Mouth nodded "Well why don't you just try and explain that to him?"

"I would but he seems to spend every moment at Brooke's side and I don't really want her to know that I was trying to give advice to people on her" Jake said "You know what Brooke's like…she doesn't think she needs any help from anyone"

"Well this weekend is all about fun Jake…so you and Lucas need to solve this problem fast because everyone needs to get along for both Brooke and Nathan's sake" Mouth explained.

"I know" Jake agreed "I will try and talk to him later"


"I hope you aren't going to sit here all weekend and sulk?" Brooke asked as she entered Nathan's room.

Nathan sat up from his position lying on the bed to face his sister. "Not all weekend" he replied giving her a small smile.

"I miss him" Brooke said quietly as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"Me to" Nathan sighed "But this weekend is all about fun though right?" Nathan said lightening the mood.

"Right" Brooke smiled as Nathan stood up and pulled her in for a hug "It's good to have you back sis" Nathan admitted.

"I know" Brooke smiled as she wrapped her arms tightly around her brother.


"What's up Scott?" Rachel asked as she entered the kitchen to see Lucas sitting alone.

"Nothing" Lucas answered as Rachel took a bottle of water out of the fridge and passed it to him.

"Well you better turn that frown upside down for tonight because we are going to some club a couple of miles away" Rachel explained.

"We are?" Lucas asked confused.

"Yep" Rachel answered "So spread the word around please" she said before walking out of the room.


Brooke walked out of Nathan's room and colided directly into Jake.

"Oops, Jake sorry" Brooke laughed.

"It's ok" Jake smiled "So Rachel tells me we are heading down to some nightclub tonight" Jake explained.

"Oh right" Brooke nodded

"So how have you been Brooke? It feels like we haven't talked in a while" Jake said softly.

"I'm doing ok I guess…I mean Lucas is helping me through it and I have Nathan back which is good…but it still hurts you know?" Brooke said sadly.

"I know…what we went through together in that school was life changing, it was something we should never of had to go through" Jake sighed.

Brooke nodded "I don't know what I would have done if you didn't find me"

"You would have thought of something…besides, if I hadn't of found you then I don't know what I would have done either" Jake said giving her a small smile.

"I never got the chance to thank you anyway Jake…for everything that happened that happened that…how you helped me"

"Don't apologize Brooke; anyone else would have done the same thing" Jake pointed out.

"But it wasn't just anyone though, was it? I mean I don't think I would have left that closet if it wasn't you" Brooke stated.

"We both helped each other that day Brooke" Jake commented.

Brooke gave him a small smile "But still…thank you" she said as she pulled him in for a hug.

"A-Hum" Lucas faked coughed as he approached them; he couldn't help but frown at the sight in front of him.

"Hey Luke" Brooke smiled oblivious to the looks Lucas was giving Jake.

"I'm going to go" Jake said hesitantly before quickly leaving.

"What was that about?" Lucas asked.

"Oh it was nothing…come on boyfriend, you need to help me choose an outfit to wear for tonight" Brooke smiled as she dragged Lucas towards their room.


The group sat together tightly in one booth as they ordered their drinks with a fake I.D.

"Who's up for a dance? Brooke?" Rachel asked as she slipped out of the booth.

"Maybe later" Brooke answered as Rachel shrugged and dragged Bevin off with her to the dance floor.

"Wait for me girls" Tim smirked as she ran after them.

Nathan rolled his eyes at his best friend.

"Why did we invite him again?" Brooke asked.

"Because he feels that I haven't spent much time with him lately" Nathan answered "Besides if Tim wasn't here then who would he have to laugh at and tease?" Nathan grinned.

"Good point" Brooke laughed as she rested her head on Lucas's shoulder.

"Who is that dancing with Rachel?" Mouth asked pointing towards Rachel who was grinding up against some guy…to close for Nathan's liking.

"Some guy who wishes he wasn't born" Nathan muttered as he got up and approached them.

The remaining of the group watched as Nathan 'kindly' shoved the guy out of the way and begun dancing by Rachel's side.

"Wait? Are those two dating?" Mouth asked confused.

Brooke shook her head "No but it's obvious they like each other"

"They actually look good together" Haley surprisingly commented.

"I know! They should totally hook up but they won't listen to me" Brooke stated.

"I asked Nathan about it a while back and he denied liking her" Jake pointed out "But you can see the chemistry from here" he laughed.

"Maybe we should set them up?" Brooke asked excitedly.

"Oh I wouldn't go that far Brooke" Jake laughed "You know what they are both like; stubborn as hell"

"Oh come on Jake! You saw how jealous Nathan got when he saw that guy dancing with Rachel! And they were only dancing! Imagine what he would be like if she actually went on a date with someone else" Brooke smirked.

"What are you suggesting B.P?" Jake grinned.

Lucas frowned at the nick name; B.P? Brooke hated her middle name.

"I say that when we get back to Tree Hill we set Rachel up on a date" Brooke said excitedly.

"Uh, baby?" Lucas said hesitantly

"Yeah?" Brooke asked smiling as she looked up at her boyfriend.

"Uh…do you really think that Rachel is the dating type? I mean it's Rachel" Lucas commented

"So? Rachel can go on the odd date every now and then" Brooke said in a matter of fact tone.

"Yeah but it's going to be hard to convince her to actually go on the date…and what if she actually likes the guy?" Lucas asked, not sure if this plan was a good idea.

"Then we will make it someone who we know she won't like" Jake cut in

"Someone like Tim" Brooke smirked.

"Exactly!" Jake agreed "This is a great idea Brooke" he smiled.

Lucas glared at him. Was he purposely trying to suck up to his girlfriend? Whatever he was trying to do, Lucas didn't like it.


A/N: Well? Sorry it took me a little longer than normal to update! I have just been so busy! But it's here now and I hope you all review because I love to see your feedback! So thanks and I will update soon!
And I know I promised loads and loads of Brucas in this chapter but there will be much more on the next! I promise!