Lucas carefully balanced the tray's arrangement that included bacon, scrambled eggs, toast and coffee. It was well after noon and a little late for breakfast but it had been a long night. First his flight had been delayed causing him to get in at one in the morning. It had been five days since he had seen his wife and needless to say, a marathon lovemaking session had followed. Brooke certainly had been happy to see him but he could tell something was wrong. She looked tired and stressed and slightly sickly. He knew she's had a lot to deal with lately and he hoped the simple but sweet gesture of breakfast in bed would be a welcome surprise.

"Wake up, sleepy head."

Brooke stirred and finally sat upright on the king sized bed. She managed a small smile as her true love fed her a forkful of eggs.

"Mmmmm…delicious, Broody. I might consider putting you on the payroll."

A talented woman of many skills but cooking sadly wasn't one of them.

"Glad you like it. So, how you feeling this morning, or maybe I should say afternoon?"

"Okay", she shrugged

"The truth?"

"Maybe a little tired but I'm fine."

She didn't look fine. Her normally expressive eyes were dull and huge bags loomed underneath them. Her skin was pale and clammy.

"Well lucky for you, Mrs. Scott, I have a day of blissful relaxation planned for you. After your breakfast in bed, there will be a nice, hot bubble bath drawn for your pleasure. Then I was thinking maybe you could spend the rest of the afternoon getting pampered at that spa downtown you like so much. I've already called Henri LaFrance, that French chef you like so much to come over and make us a candlelight dinner fir two and I even sprung for a violinist", Lucas smiled proudly. "What do you think about all that?"

"I think it's wonderful and I think you're wonderful for going to so much trouble but did you forget about the party tonight?"

"No but that's work, Brooke. I was hoping we could do something just the two of us that didn't involve you being on duty."

"Trust me, I'd much rather spend a romantic evening with you but unfortunately duty calls. This party is the social event of the season. I have to be there to represent Sascha Naj. Some very important people are going to be there, besides, it's for the Mayor of New York City."

Lucas sighed. Brooke was always on the go and it all seemed to finally be catching up with her.

"You look really tired baby and I'm worried about you. You've been running around like crazy the last few months with work and parties and everything. You've gone above and beyond for that company. Hell, you deserve a night off."

"I can't…"

"Brooke, if you're sick people will understand."

"I'm fine, Broody. Besides, that's what doctors are for. Now come on. Let's find you something to wear so you will look amazing standing next to your equally amazing wife."

He gave her a quick kiss and conceded. There was no point in arguing. Brooke Scott was as stubborn as they came and once her mind was made up, there was no going back.

"Brooke Scott! You look amazing! Is that Armani?"

Lucas looked on with a smirk as Felicia Snyder greeted his wife. She was a Park Avenue socialite, the daughter of a former U.S. Senator and married to a much older and financially connected investment broker.

"But of course", Brooke grinned. "Your dress is fabulous as well. Let me guess…Prada?"

"Valentino. My Harry had it imported straight from Italy, you know."

Talk about lifestyles of the rich and stuck up.

"And how is your husband these days? I haven't seen Harry in ages. We must do brunch soon", Brooke said in her fakest voice.

"Let me bring him over, darling….Harry? Harry, dear, you do remember Brooke Scott?"

"How could I forget such a lovely face?" Harry smiled as he kissed Brooke's hand.

"Is that Calvin and Kelly Klein in the corner?" Felicia asked. "Oh please excuse me, I must have a word with them."

Brooke smiled as the plan had worked and she had the older man all to herself.

"Harry, Harry, Harry. Just the man I wanted to see", Brooke purred as she linked her arm in his. "I have been dying to talk to you about the newest launch for Sascha Naj. I am planning the fashion show of the century!"

"And let me guess…you need my help."

"Couldn't do it without you but trust me, this is going to pay off in the end…big time. I have so many ideas. Let's take a look at the big picture, Harry. The most exquisite party this city has seen in years, the hottest models modeling the hottest clothes. An audience filled with famous designers, movie stars, TV stars, athletes, musicians, rappers…you name it. I can see the society page now…my name in big print next to a fabulous photo of me sipping Cristal sitting next to P. Diddy. Now what do you say?"

"I say that this is going to cost a lot of money."

"Nothing you can't afford", Brooke said, pinching him and batting her eyelashes. How could Harry Snyder resist?

"I will assist with the investing, Mrs. Scott but there will still be lots of boring fundraisers in order to get this rocket off the ground."

"Perfect! Boring fundraisers are my life, besides you'll be working with me. It'll be fun, Harry."

"I'm quite sure", he said in a rather sarcastic tone.

"I know, I know. A handsome, incredibly wealthy, extremely established, successful man like yourself is not interested in Brooke Scott's boring little fundraisers. You'd much rather be on your yacht…sailing to Saint Tropez…basking in the sun with a bunch of pretty girls…like Danielle?"

Brooke's eyes twinkled with mischief at the mention of Danielle's name and the visible discomfort of Harry Snyder that ensued. Brooke had saved her best card for last…it was a known fact from the city's elite gossiping mill that Harry Snyder had been having an affair with Danielle Barrett, wife of a prominent and respected New York journalist. Everyone seemed to know except Harry's unsuspecting, fickle little wife, Felicia.

"Mrs. Scott…", Harry fidgeted.

"Oh Harry, don't give me that. I'm not stupid."

"No. No one said you were."

"So you'll help me?"

"Set up a meeting with my secretary next week. I…um, I look forward to doing business with you, Mrs. Scott."

Brooke smiled, relishing her victory. A few feet away her own husband stood, smirking in awe of how his wife always seemed to get her way.

"What?" Brooke asked.

"God, you are so good when you're bad", Lucas grinned.

"What can I say, Broody? A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. Now let's ditch this place. We've been social enough for the whole season."

Lucas smiled as he took her hand. The big party scene had never been quite his deal. He only went to those sort of things for Brooke and he was always thrilled when the night would end and they could back home. But the normally happy couple was on edge for a different reason that night. There was something to do when they got home, something more important than basketball games and high profile fashion shows…something that could change their lives forever…

Brooke sat on the bed anxiously twiddling her thumbs.

"Is it time?" she asked.

Lucas looked down at his wristwatch

"Yeah, it's been over three minutes. Are you gonna go or do you want me to?"

"I'll go", she volunteered nervously.

Brooke stood up and walked to the master bathroom. On the sink counter, there was the home pregnancy test. Her period was late and they were crossing their fingers that this would be the news we had been waiting for. Her hands were shaking as she reached for the stick. Brooke mouthed a quick prayer and looked, hoping with every fiber of my being that there would be two pink lines. Like so many other times, there was only one line. Her heart sank…they still weren't pregnant.

Lucas instantly saw the hurt on his wife's face as she emerged from the bathroom. She valiantly fought to hold back tears but they spilled down her cheeks anyway.

"Hey, hey, hey. Babe, stop crying, it's alright", he comforted her. "Don't cry, Brooke. I know it's hard and it hurts but we have to be patient."

He held me as she sobbed and put forth his best effort to make her feel better.

Brooke could feel herself slowly coming to a breaking point. She had waited so very long for this and if she knew for sure that one day it really would come to them, then maybe it would have been easier to relax. But after a year of constant disappointment, she couldn't help but to get a little discouraged. What if they would never be able to have a kid?

Brooke was quiet for the remainder of the day. Often time she would visit Central park on her lunch breaks and just watch the children play. She loved kids and wanted to mother a child more than anything. It was funny how most people thought she had it all…she was beautiful, rich, successful and married to a wonderful and handsome man who loved her. Her days were filled with meetings, luncheons and excitement while her evenings consisted of dining in the finest restaurants, partying at the hottest clubs and hobnobbing with the rich and famous. To some that was the perfect existence but Brooke would have traded in extravagant parties and the VIP lifestyle for runny noses and dirty diapers in a heartbeat.

That night, she and Lucas lay in bed. They were both awake but quiet, really not knowing what to say to each other.

"Luke?" she whispered.

"Yeah."

A question had been burning in her mind and she had to know the answer.

"If you had known that I wouldn't be able to give you a baby, you know, in the beginning and everything, would you still have married me?"

"What?"

"I'm serious. I want to know."

Lucas cut the bedside lap on and tuned to face his wife. His face wore a shocked, hurt, and angry expression.

"What the hell kind of question is that? Jesus, Brooke!"

"Lucas..."

" I love you, Brooke, and you know that. I love you more than anything or anybody in this world. You are my life! Because of you, I am the happiest man alive and I wouldn't trade that for anything. Now I want for us to start a family as much as you do but if that doesn't happen right away of if it doesn't happen at all, then we will work through that. There are plenty of kids that need a good home and loving parents so we could always adopt. Whatever happens, it won't change anything between us. I love you."

Lucas wrapped her up in his arms and held her close to his bare chest. Brooke felt like crying but the tears simply would not fall. Emotionally she was drained.

"Know what's funny, Broody? We spent the majority of our younger years with rubbers and pills and patches and foams…anything to keep a pregnancy from happening and now it's the one thing we want most. It's a baby, you know, it's supposed to happen so easily and naturally. I just don't understand why we aren't getting pregnant. Something is wrong with me."

"Nothing is wrong with you, Brooke. It's just taking a little longer than we'd like. We just have to be patient, babe."

"We've been patient Luke and honestly my patience is running out. Why do we have to be patient? Nathan and Haley didn't. She got pregnant with Aidan practically on the honeymoon and now they're expecting another baby."

"We're not Nathan and Haley. We're Lucas and Brooke. Our time will come, Cheery, I promise."

Luke's words fell on deaf ears.

"I feel like less of a woman", she whispered in the darnkness.

Lucas held her tighter and gently stroked her back. She knew he loved her and meant every word of what he said but it was hard. The mental and emotional frustration she was feeling was utterly indescribable.