Chapter 3

Some People Say There's No Place Like Home

Welcome To Tree Hill. Where everybody is somebody. Brooke read the sign as she entered the city where she grew up. The city where her life changed forever and here she was, back there and desperately wishing she was somewhere else, anywhere else. She winced at the too familiar surroundings. Old wounds that Brooke had been trying to close suddenly opened.

On the way to Lucas' mom's café, she passed her old house. She had lived in that house her whole life. The grass was a little less green and the new owners had replaced our old green shutters with new, white ones. She bit her lip remembering, everything. That was the last place she saw her parents. Open wound number one.

There it was. The café. She watched Lucas climb out of the 4Runner and pull Lilia out of the backseat. He was beaming, so excited to finally see everyone. Brooke wished that she could feel the same way as Lucas. It wasn't that she hated Tree Hill it was just... well, she hated Tree Hill.

Lucas held Lilia above his head and said, "Here were are Lil. Home sweet home." He held her close to his chest and held his hand out to Brooke. She slowly crawled out of the driver's seat and looked around like a nervous animal leaving its mother for the first time. Her hand reached his and he pulled her arm, saying, "B, come on."

His hand on her back leading her into the café made her feel all the more comfortable. She turned around to make sure Eliza was following them. She was, but she was several steps behind talking on her cell phone to someone unknown. Eliza shifted Reed on her hip and switched ears on her cell phone. "I said Tree Hill not Glee Pill..." Brooke looked at her with puzzled eyes and Eliza shrugged her shoulders. She remained outside while Lucas and Brooke entered the café.

The two sat down at their regular table. Lucas, over the table, handed Lilia to Brooke. She handed her a pacifier and Lilia began sucking away. Eventually falling asleep. Lucas saw his mother from behind the counter. He waved to her and she came over.

Hugging her son she said, "Lucas you look great!" Karen sat down next to him in the booth and kissed him on the cheek. She looked over at me and said, "Brooke, you look amazing. Can't even tell you had a baby less than a year ago."

Brooke gave her a half smile. "Thanks. I have been working out."

"Hopefully not too much." She said reaching over the table to hold Lilia. "Don't want to leave the baby away from her parents for too long." Karen ran her hand over the baby's head and kissed her head. She looked up at me and smiled.

There is no winning. Brooke thought to herself. "No. Lilia and I spend almost all day together while Luke is in class or basketball..."

"And then I watch her while Brooke is in class and then at night we have dinner together..." Lucas said winking at me.

"Unless he has a basketball game, then Lil doesn't get to see him at night but then the next morning he comes over right when he wakes up so he can see her." Brooke smiled back at Lucas and then looked at Karen, who appeared to not even be listening.

"Well," She said handing the baby over to Lucas, "Sound like you two have gotten into a good routine. The makings of a perfect marriage."

The couple immediately looked at each other. Chills went down Brooke's spine. She shivered. Lucas' eyes opened the widest they had ever in his life. Shit, Lucas thought to himself. He knew how scared Brooke got when she realized she might be tied down. He watched her carefully, reading her every move.

She chewed on her bottom lip as she always did when she was panicky. Next she moved her hair from side to side, another sign of Brooke Davis nervousness. He kicked her under the table. She flinched and narrowed her eyes at him.

Karen noticed the tension between the two, "Well I better get back to work. Do you both want your regulars?"

The both nodded and Brooke said, "Could you bring a little milk?" She pointed to Lilia, "I have a bottle, but I am out of milk."

"Yeah, I'll be right back." Karen said as she walked away.

Lucas reached for Brooke across the table. She pulled away from him. "What is with you?" He asked, leaning back in the booth. He put his hat on backwards and awaited her answer.

"Nothing." She paused and took a sip of the water that was sitting on the table. Looking up at him she said, "Marriage? What is she talking about?"

"She is just talking Brooke. It doesn't mean anything." Lilia began to stir in his arms. He rocked her back and forth until she calmed down.

"Good." She said, pushing away the glass of water.

Karen came back to the table with the drinks. Milk for Lilia, Vanilla Coke for Lucas, and a Diet Dr. Pepper. She sat them down and then left.

"What is that supposed to mean?" He asked, leaning forward raising Lilia over the table to make sure not to smash her.

"What are you talking about?" Brooke chewed on her straw and took the baby from Lucas. She woke up, "Hey sweetie." She said running her hand over Lilia's dark brown hair. Her ice blue eyes looked up at her mother. Brooke fell in love with her all over again. She held the baby up to look at Lucas, "Look at those eyes." She winked at him and continued, "We know where she got those."

He shook his head. He couldn't stay aggravated at her. "Where is Eliza?" Lucas asked looking around the café and then pulling the window blinds over to one side and looking out.

Brooke did the same and finally saw her standing next to her car still talking on her cell phone. "Go out there and get Reed from her. He is going to freeze."

Lucas stood up to go outside and kissed Brooke and Lilia on the head. "Be right back." Brooke nodded and watched him go outside.

Karen came back and brought the food. "So, how is everything?" She asked, as she sat across from Brooke. "How are you doing?"

Confused, Brooke was hesitant to answer. What was she talking about? As far as Brooke knew, she was fine. She narrowed her eyes at Karen and cocked her head to one side, "I'm good." She paused and took a sip of her drink, "Thanks."

"Just making sure. I knew how eager you were to get out of here but I didn't know how you were doing with the whole "family" thing."

Family thing? Brooke asked herself. Was she trying to make me feel miniscule or was it just happening. She threw a French fry into her mouth like nothing was wrong, "Nope. We're doing just great."

Not a minute too soon, Lucas came back with Reed. "Mom, this is Reed Thomas. He is Brooke's roommate's son."

Brooke anxiously awaited a reply from Karen. She prayed that she would not say something that would sound stupid. She was just glad the fragile Eliza wasn't in the room.

"What a cutie." She said running her hand down Reed's back.

Wow, Brooke thought to herself, No stupid comment.

"You all get along well don't you Brooke."

I spoke too soon, Brooke thought. "Yeah, well we have a lot in common." She said, playing Karen's game.

Karen wasn't trying to be rude to Brooke; it just came out the wrong way. She didn't really have much to say to her. They didn't have anything in common other than Lucas. But because of that, Karen knew she had to chat with Brooke. She felt bad for the way things out of her mouth were sounding because she could tell Brooke was a little taken aback by the comments.

The door rang and the three turned toward the noise. Eliza walked into the café and came over to their table. "So what have I missed?" She asked taking a seat next to Lucas. She watched Brooke shake her head. "Oh." Eliza looked up to see a woman standing in front of her. She put her hand out and shook the woman hand. "Eliza Thomas. I go to school with Lucas and Brooke."

"Karen Roe. I'm Lucas' mother." She nodded her head at Lilia, who was in Brooke's arms. "And Lilia's grandma."

Again, the bell on the door rang and the group turned around. A tall brunette guy walked in followed by brunette girl with a pea coat on. She pushed her hair over her shoulder. "Haley!" Brooke cried out, jumping out of the booth baby in tow.

Lucas followed after Brooke and shook the tall guy's hand, "Hey Nate." He gave the girl a hug and said, "Hales, you look great."

She curtsied at him and said, "Why thank you. You don't look to shabby yourself Luke."

Eliza carried Reed over to the group. Brooke did the introducing. "Everyone, this is Eliza Thomas, my roommate, and this is her son, Reed." She pointed to each person as she introduced her to the two new members to the group, "This is Nathan Scott, Lucas' half brother." Nathan was the tall brunette. He had on an Abercrombie sweatshirt and stonewashed blue jeans. He was a good looking guy, but that was the last thing Eliza needed. "Haley James, Nathan's wife." Haley was a pretty girl, long brown hair and a cute figure. She was shorter that Brooke and Eliza.

They moved to a larger table and talked about everything. College, dating, kids, finals. You name it they talked about it. That was until she walked in the door. Brooke hadn't talked to her in months. "I didn't think she was coming." Haley whispered to Nathan. Brooke's second wound opened when she saw Peyton Sawyer walk back into her life.