"I wish I had brought my snow suit so I could go skiing."
Brooke rolled her eyes.
"Gordon, you don't own a snow suit and you've never seen a slope before in your life. You hate skiing."
"Yes but I do love that scrumptious ski instructor I saw when we got here", he grinned.
"Gordie, you love anything with two legs and a…"
"Oops! Watch it, Miss Thang. Not too much, now. Besides, I think I could spend the rest of my life with him. Anyway, I gots to get my beauty rest. Can't sit up here with you two hags."
"Later, Gordie", Brooke said as she managed a small smile. "Have a nice nap."
He kissed her on the cheek.
"Look, I know I play around and talk a lot of smack but I'm here for you, Diva. I know this is hard for you and anything you need…"
"I know. And I appreciate it."
"Love you."
"Love you too, Diva."
Brooke and Peyton watched as Gordon disappeared into one of the bedrooms. They were just beginning to settle into the rented guest cottage. Brooke was exhausted but too tired for sleep. Her brain felt like it might explode.
"Is he always like that?" Peyton asked with a smile.
"Always", Brooke laughed. "And that's why I love him. Don't know what I'd do without my Diva."
"You okay?"
"Yeah", Brooke nodded uneasily.
"Scared?"
"A little."
"You're gonna be alright. I know this isn't easy for you."
"No, you don't know Peyton. That's the thing. And I pray to God you never have to find out."
Peyton sighed and curled up on the couch.
"That's where you're wrong, Brooke. See, I do know. Not about having a husband cheat on me or dodging paparazzi but I do know about what you're getting ready to go through tomorrow."
"Wait. Pey, are you saying you've…"
"Yeah."
"Oh my God. When?"
"Two years ago. We had just moved to Chicago. Jake had just started a new job and things weren't going so well with my art. We had Jenny to think of and boom…it just sort of happened very unexpectantly. We'd always been so careful but there I was…pregnant."
"What happened?" Brooke asked with interest.
"Jake and I talked about it and we thought about it and talked about it some more and in the end we just decided that it wasn't the right time to be having a kid. So we made the appointment and we did it."
"How…how was it? Did it hurt?"
"It sucked", Peyton laughed in spite of herself. "Yeah, I mean it hurts a little sort of like really bad cramps but they give you medicine and stuff. You can control physical pain and it fades after a while. Sometimes there are far worse repercussions."
"You regret it?"
"Honestly? No. I think we made the right decision for what was going on in our lives at the time. Was it hard? Yes. Do I still think about it? All the time. Look, I'm not trying to tell you what to do but this is a huge decision. This is something that will affect you for the rest of your life. If an abortion is right for you and you truly think it's best, then do what you have to do. But if there is any doubt, any second chance…just be careful because you'll have to live with your choice forever."
"I don't know what's really right anymore", Brooke said in a sad voice. "Everything is so mixed up lately. I feel like the whole world has gone crazy but I know it's not. The whole world is just the same now as it always has been and always will be. It's just that my own little private existence has been turned upside down. It's like having fifty different people living inside my head all giving me different advice. My mind is logical and rational and angry…but my heart doesn't know what to do, you know?"
Peyton held her friend's hand.
"It's been a long day and an even longer flight. Let's just get some sleep, okay?"
Brooke nodded and the two went to their respective rooms. Brooke curled up in a ball and tried to fight the tears that escaped from her eyes anyway. It was all so overwhelming, almost too much for one person to take, she thought as her tired eyes finally closed. Hours later all three were interrupted by incessant pounding at the door.
"I'll get it", Gordon finally called out.
"What if it's a robber?" Peyton joked. "Maybe you should let me get it."
"In that case, I should with your broad shoulders. Whoo child, you know I am a lover and not a fighter", he said as he made his way to the front door.
Gordon wondered who it could be. Maybe some type of Room Service. Maybe even the gorgeous ski instructor, he thought with a smile. He swung open the door and couldn't have been more shocked if it were Jesus Christ himself.
"Hey Gordon", Lucas sighed.
"Oh no you didn't honey! This is getting crazier than 'Who Shot JR?'."
"Can I come in? Please."
"Come on, I guess. Aren't you a sight for my sore, pretty eyes? Diva, is not going to like this. How did you get here?"
"Trust me…it wasn't easy."
"Done went from the NBA to the CIA with your sneaky, handsome self."
"Gordon, who is it?" Brooke hollered from the back.
"Uh…um, it's somebody for Peyton", Gordon lied.
"Me?" Peyton asked.
She made her way from the bedroom and gasped as she got a good look at the visitor.
"Lucas! What in the world? How did you get here? How did you find us?"
"I had to…"
"Okay, what are you two up to?" Brooke yawned as she walked into the living room.
Her eyes locked with her husband's and the room became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
"Brooke…" Lucas called out as his heart instantly melted when he saw her.
"What the hell are you doing here?" she asked coldly.
"Brooke, I…"
"You've got five seconds before I call the police. Please leave."
"Brooke, please", Lucas broke down in tears. "Please don't kill our baby."
Another tension filled bomb dropped as Peyton and Gordon stood open mouthed.
"Gordon, um…can you please help me with that, you know, the thing I asked you about doing earlier?" Peyton hinted.
"What thing?"
"You know…the thing."
"Child, I don't know nothing about no thing. But I do know I'm trying to stay here and get the real scoop on this drama fest."
"Gordon!" Brooke said in a stern voice.
"Okay, okay. I done said too much. Come on, Broad Shoulders. Let's go work on your…thing", Gordon said as he grabbed Peyton's hand and dragged her to the back.
Husband and wife were left alone to stare at one another. Raw and uncontained emotion was heartbreakingly etched all over Lucas' face while a steely hostility took over Brooke. They hadn't seen each other since the day Brooke had walked out on him almost two months before.
"How do you know? Let me guess, Blabbermouth 1, Haley or Blabbermouth 2, Chantal?"
"Haley was worried sick and she told me everything. Brooke, I am begging you, don't do this! You can hate me, divorce me or whatever because I'm a jerk and I deserve it but give this child a chance at life. No matter what, that baby inside you was made out of so much love."
"Love! Love, huh? The love that cost me everything? The love that drove you into the arms of that hoochie mama? Lucas, please!"
"Brooke. I'm just as scared as you are. But this is our baby. This is another living human being that is apart of us. Please. Just, trust me."
"Trust you? Yeah cause that worked out so well for me the last time. Lucas, tell your story walking."
"I…I can't believe you didn't even tell me."
"And I can't believe you didn't tell me about your little girlfriend in Sacramento."
"Hey, come on, you can't cut me out of this. I'm just as much apart of this as you are."
"Oh really? Because as far as I am concerned, my life is no longer any of your business. But I'm not surprised you're here with your little song and dance. A kid might be just what you need to boost your public image. I hear everybody knows you're a piece of lying shit these days. Wouldn't want to lose your deal with Sprite, huh?"
"That's not it, Brooke."
"Oh that's right. You're a one woman kind of guy. Speaking of which, how is your tabloid loving hussy?"
"Brooke, I have not seen that girl and I do not talk to her. She has nothing to do with this. My mistakes have nothing to do with this. This about you, me and our child."
"Just checking. They say the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree so I'll stay tuned to the Enquirer to see if you pulled a Dan Scott and knocked up that piece of trash, too."
"Brooke, don't shut me out. Okay? We can deal with this together."
"We are not together or did my lawyer not make that clear enough to you already?"
"Brooke…"
"What part of stay away from me do you not understand?"
"I don't want to argue. You don't even have to say anything. Just listen. My dad didn't want me, okay? Not just that he didn't want to claim me, he didn't want me to be born, I always thought that when I started a family it would be with you and we'd be happy and settled…"
"We were happy and settled until you went slut crazy in Sacramento."
"Look, I know I hurt you. I am so sorry for that. I know you hate me and as much as that kills me, I do understand it. I sunk lower than low and losing you is the big consequence. I hate it but I accept it. But I know how much you wanted this baby, Brooke. Don't do this. Don't have an abortion just to punish me. I already made a huge mistake that I have to live with everyday. Brooke, don't trade places with me, I beg you. I know you want this baby still and I want it too. I may have ruined my chances at being a husband but I swear to you before God that I will do whatever it takes to be a good father. I let you down before. I won't do it again. I promise you."
Brooke broke down as she stared at the broken man in front of her. So much pain and confusion from one night of bad decision making. Had he suffered enough? Hadn't they all suffered enough.
"I hate you!" she screamed as she began to beat at his chest with her fists. "I hate you for what you did to me and to our marriage! I fucking hate you so much! This is all your fault, you heartless son of a bitch! You did this! You took vows and we promised to love and protect each other for eternity! In one night, one stupid night you traded all that for a piece of ass? How dare you! How dare you come here? You have no right, no right at all! How could you cheat on me, Lucas? I did everything for you! Why?"
Lucas was still in tears and he restrained her, gently wrestling her tiny arms as they both fell to a heap on the floor in sobs.
"I never ever wanted to hurt you", he cried. "I am a bastard. A stupid, worthless, inconsiderate bastard and I ruined what we had. Without you I just feel like dying, Brooke. You are everything to me, you always will be. When I got those divorce papers, I felt like someone was stabbing me in the heart. I fucked up so bad and I don't know how to fix it. All I want is for you to come home. I know things can't be okay like they were before but maybe we can try to work it out. No matter what, please, please I beg you, do not go through with that abortion tomorrow."
"Just leave", she cried. "Oh God, Lucas just get out of here. Please."
"Luke, I think you better go", Peyton said quietly as she and Gordon emerged from the back.
"Pey…"
"It's okay", she whispered. "I understand where you're coming from and I know you're upset but your being here right now is just adding gasoline to the fire. Just let us talk to her and calm her down, okay? I'll talk to you tomorrow…before she does, if she's still gonna do it."
Lucas could only nod. It was out of his hands now. All he could do was get a hotel room in the city and just wait.
Back at the cottage Brooke could only cry. There were no magic words or easy fixes. A decision would have to be made and it would have to be hers alone. All Peyton and Gordon could do was hold her.