Brooke and Lucas sat on the chair in Dr. Parker's office. She was now 13 weeks pregnant, her growing belly concealed by a silk Donna Karan button up. It was the second counseling session since Brooke had agreed to try to work through the marital issues. Her sudden compliance had been a shock for Lucas for a secret thrill nevertheless although he was still weary about getting his hopes up. She was still angry and at times her tone directed towards him could be a little hostile but at least she was there. At least they were trying. At least it was a step in the right direction.

"Brooke, let me ask you a question", Dr. Parker began as he tapped a pencil on the arm of his chair. "Prior to the indiscretion in Sacramento, what were your feelings toward your husband, Lucas?"

"I loved him very, very much", Brooke shrugged. "We were happy…at least I thought we were."

"Did you think you'd be together forever?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I guess I did. I mean, I didn't get married with the intention to get divorced. When we said our vows, I really meant them and I thought Lucas did too. You see, I come from a crazy family. I always had money growing up but my parents weren't around a lot. They were always working or off on trips and stuff. When I was younger, I got stuck with the nanny most of the time and when I was 12 and they thought I was old enough to stay by myself, that's what happened. I'd get left alone a lot."

"And how did that make you feel?"

"I don't know. I mean, it was my life. I'd wonder why it had to be that way sometimes or when I saw my friends with happy parents who loved them and spent time with them and were home every night, I'd get really sad. But most of the time I just dealt with it. I had no choice. That's just the way things were until…"

"Until what?"

"Until Lucas came along", Brooke sighed.

"What do you mean?"

"Before it was just me. I had my best friend, Peyton Sawyer, and we spent most of our time together but other than that, I was pretty much alone. I had other friends and I was popular but I couldn't really open up to people. I guess inside I was hurting but on the outside I chose to be the happy go lucky, always smiling cheerleader. Then I discovered boys and they discovered me. They really seemed to like me and the attention was so nice. I wasn't used to it. Looking back now, I see they were only using me. Either it improved their social status to be seen with Brooke Davis or they just wanted to get in my pants. And most of the time…well, most of the time, I let them. I'm not proud of it but it happened. I loved the attention and I wanted them to like me so I put out. And when I realized that these people didn't really care about me, I kind of put a wall up. I had to turn my heart off so I wouldn't get hurt. And it worked. I didn't give a damn about any of those guys until I met Lucas."

"And what was so special about Lucas?"

"He was different", Brooke remembered with a fond smile as both Dr. Parker and Lucas watched her. "I can't explain it. He was very quiet and brooding and…mysterious. Most of the guys were jocks or nerds or players or preps…whatever they were, you could figure them in out ten minutes after meeting them. But Luke wasn't like that. He was interesting and complex. He was kind and sensitive. He didn't try to pretend to be something he wasn't and what you saw was what you got. The same truth that was inside of him is what he desired in every aspect of his life and it's what he wanted from everyone. Lucas was the first person to treat me like a lady. He made me feel special and wanted…truly wanted and not just for some fling in the back seat of a car. He broke down that wall almost instantly and I fell in love for the first time."

"And how was it? Was it like to be loved by him?"

"Perfect. It was wonderful to experience those emotions with him and know that he felt the exact same way about me. It was hard for me to let my guard down and open up at first but the deeper I fell in love, the more I trusted him."

"And how was it when you two were having difficulty conceiving?"

"It was hard. When we decided we were both ready for a baby, I got off the Pill and we thought it would just happen…but it didn't. Month after month was one disappointment after another. Then after a year, we were just devastated. I thought something was wrong and we'd never have a baby. I felt like a failure as a woman and as a wife."

"How do you feel now?"

"This pregnancy is bittersweet. Finally I'll get to have something I've wanted for so long and I am happy. I'm excited about the baby and being a new mom but at the same time it's hard because this is not the way I envisioned it. I thought Lucas and I would still be together and happy and sharing everything as a family. I always had this big picture in my head of when it's time to have the baby and Luke would be all nervous and we'd go the hospital and I'd get to yell at him when I'm in labor", Brooke said sadly. "Now it looks like I'll be yelling at Gordon or Chantal."

"In your heart and mind, do you think there is still a chance for your family? Do you want to reconcile with Lucas?"

"In a perfect world, yes but there is nothing perfect about this world or our situation. It sucks. I love Lucas, I really do. In less than six months we're going to be parents of a baby and there is nothing more than I want for our relationship to be as strong as it was say eight or nine months ago but that's impossible now, Dr. Parker. I miss my husband and every day I think about what it would be like to wake up next to him every morning and sleep beside him every night. I think about how much fun we used to have and how much we enjoyed each other's company. I still want to talk to him and be close to him and laugh with him and gross him out with my pregnancy cravings. I want to make love to him again but every time I come close to seriously trying to get back together with Luke, I get these thoughts...these awful sickening visions of him having sex with another woman. I think about his hands...his mouth all over her and I can't handle it."

Dr. Parker nodded and Lucas swallowed hard as Brooke wiped away random tears.

"Okay, Lucas", he said. "I'll ask you a similar series of questions. What is your opinion of your relationship with your wife prior to the incident?"

"We had a great relationship", Lucas stated. "I was happy. I really, really love Brooke. I always have. I mean, when we first met ten years ago, she sort of had this reputation as a shallow, flirty cheerleader. And one night we hung out and we talked and I got to know the real Brooke. I think I fell in love that night because I saw the other half of me. She completed me. I loved her fun and crazy side and she always made me laugh. On the other hand, we could talk about everything. I opened up to her a lot about my childhood and not having a dad and she understood that. Brooke supported me in everything and she was just a total sweetheart. And when we got married, it was perfect. I felt so blessed that I had found the woman who was going to be my life partner. Then we talked about having kids and we started trying and things got complicated. I never gave up hope but I felt like it was consuming our lives and driving us apart. I guess I should have communicated more, I don't know. But we had problems for a while. Through it all though, I never blamed Brooke or stopped loving her. I just made a mistake. A stupid, inconsiderate, awful, inexcusable mistake. I can't explain it, I can't justify it and I won't try. All I can do is be man enough to admit it and apologize and try to fix it."

"What are your feelings about the state of your marriage now?"

"Right now Doc, I'm just happy to be here and I'm happy that Brooke is here. I feel like it's a positive start towards the right direction…whatever that is. Sometimes I feel hopeful and I think we can move past the pain and go on with our family. Nothing makes me happier than dreaming about being with Brooke again, loving her and having her love and trust me again. I just want us to live together and raise our baby together and grow old just like we always planned. Then I think about the last few months and the horrible thing I did. I know I really hurt my wife and that hurts me more than anyone could ever know. I see where her pain and hate are coming from and I understand it. Our marriage could be damaged beyond repair and even though that very thought it worse than death itself, I know I have no one to blame except myself."

"Before me I see two people that have been together for a very long time. I see two people in so much pain but despite the hurt, they still love each other very much. Now an innocent third party is about to enter the picture. The question is, can this marriage and can this family be saved? In my opinion, I think it can. It's not something that will be easy or happen overnight but with commitment, devotion and a little effort, I have no doubt that it can. Brooke, your two major issues are forgiveness trust. Will you ever be able to trust your husband again? Can you forgive him? And truly forgiving him will be the hardest part in all this."

"I can't forget, Dr. Parker…"

"No one is asking you to, dear. You're only human. Forgiving betrayal by a loved one is never easy but if you choose to take that path, it's something you will have to stick with and work at constantly. You can't decide to forgive Lucas and then every he makes you mad or something triggers your visions of the affair, throw it all in his face. Letting go is the hardest part."

"I know", she said quietly.

"Lucas, how would you like to resolve this? If we could come up with a starter solution, what would you want right now?"

"For Brooke to move back home."

"Oh no", Brooke shook her head. "I can't do that."

"Okay, let's compromise. Brooke what would it take for you to move back to the Greenwich home? Not yet as husband and wife but let's say Lucas moved into your guest cottage. You'd still be close enough to begin working things out and sharing the pregnancy together."

"Dr. Parker, I don't know…"

"Just think about it. What would it take?"

Brooke thought long and hard.

"An HIV test first of all", she blurted out. "Lucas did cheat on me with that skank and who knows where she's been before him?"

"Alright. Lucas, is that something you'd be willing to do?"

"I already did", Lucas nodded. "I took and HIV and general STD test. Everything came back clean and I have paperwork if you need proof. Brooke, just so you know, I did use a condom with her. I know that doesn't make it all better but I just wanted you to know."

Brooke only nodded, fighting back more tears.

"Once Lucas presents those documents to you Brooke, is there anything else you could think of?"

"A lie detector test. I need to know where Luke's head is. I need to know if there have been other women."

Dr. Parker smiled.

"Well, well, well. You two might not believe this but this is your lucky day. Guess who has been certified as a licensed polygraph administrator? Lucas, would you be willing to take a test in the future?"

"I'll do it right now", he said, looking Brooke in the eye.

"Very well then. Brooke, do you have any objections?"

Brooke shook her head as Dr. Parker began the set up. It was too tense and awkward to look at Lucas just yet. In the minutes it took the therapist to set everything up, Brooke thought her heart might beat right out of her chest. Finally, a half hour or so later, everything was prepared and Lucas was in the "hot seat", Brooke sitting a few feet away as Dr. Parker asked a string of questions. When they were done, the results were ready almost immediately.

"Brooke, as you heard, I asked Lucas a series of questions that have come up in our sessions. The results go as follows...I asked Lucas excluding the one night of being unfaithful in California, had he ever cheated on you. He said no and he was telling the truth. I asked if he ever had any intention to be unfaithful again. He said no and he was telling the truth. I asked if he loved the woman he slept with and he said no. He was telling the truth. I asked if he had ever once stopped loving you, Brooke. He said no and was telling the truth. I asked if Lucas was sorry and remorseful for his one night stand. He said yes and according to the test was telling the truth. May I remind you these lie detectors are admissible in a court of law and bear an accuracy rating of 99.87 percent. The results are conclusive."

Lucas and Brooke both immediately broke down after Dr. Parker disclosed the outcome of the polygraph. With shaking hands he went over to hug his wife and although her body tensed at first, she eventually relaxed. Lucas could not contain his sobs as he held her. It felt so good to have Brooke back in his arms again.

"I am so sorry I hurt you", he whispered. "Please. Please come back home."