Brooke smiled a tired smile as she turned her key in the lock of the front door. She was surrounded by luggage and more shopping bags than one could count. Thank goodness the limo driver had been kind enough to assist her in getting her belongings inside.

"Ma'am, should I take these in a particular room?"

"Just the storage area behind the laundry room", she instructed.

When he was done she gave him a sweet smile and a fifty dollar tip. Sighing, she closed and locked the door behind her, letting out a soft moan as she rubbed the aching muscles of her neck. Home, sweet home, she thought as she headed to go upstairs. When the living room lamp seemed to turn itself on and Brooke took notice of the shadowy figure sitting on the loveseat, she let out a bloodcurdling scream. Her eyes focused and a few seconds later, she made out the image of her husband.

"Lucas Eugene Scott", she said with a shaky laugh. "What are you doing here? I ought to beat out of you what you scared out of me."

"How was your trip?" he asked quietly.

"It was okay, I guess", she shrugged.

"Just okay? What did you do?"

"A lot of work but it all paid off in the end. The whole week was a huge success. And of course Gordon and I shopped till we dropped and I had a couple relaxing days at the spa. Other than that, I just hung out and took in the sights and a lot of food with Jess and Chantal."

"And don't forget Felix."

"Excuse me?"

"Your little friend, Felix Colwell. Seems like you two had a pretty great time together."

"We work together, Lucas."

"Yeah?" he asked, thrusting the newspaper at Brooke that had her on the cover with Felix. "Since when did the Foxtrot become part of Sascha Naj's daily assignments?"

Brooke's eyes scanned the paper for the first time. Lucas watched as her lips curled into a small smile.

"People will print anything these days", she shook her head. "Anyway, I'm going to bed. It's been a long day and a long week and I'm way jet lagged from those million time zones. I guess I'll see you tomorrow, Lucas. Good night."

"Wait", he said standing up. "I'm not done talking with you."

"What?"

She hoped she was imagining his overly hostile tone.

"You heard me. I want to know what is going on with you and this Felix dude?"

"Nothing is going on, Lucas. And even if it was, is it really any of your business?"

"Damn right, it's my business and it will be as long as you're still my wife and still carrying my child."

The situation would have been funny except for the deadly serious look on Luke's face.

"You don't own me, Lucas. Yeah, I'm still your wife but it's in name and on paper only or have you forgotten that?"

"No Brooke, I haven't because you seem to really like reminding me on a daily basis."

"Oh that is so lame! Grow up, Lucas."

"Are you fucking him?"

Brooke stopped dead in her tracks. She could feel her temper rising and her cheeks burning. How dare he confront her with such a question?

"What did you just say to me?"

"Brooke, you heard me. I asked if you were sleeping with him."

"That is none of your goddamned business and you have no right to ask me that!"

"Brooke…"

"Not that I owe you an explanation but for the record, no I'm not having sex with Felix Colwell or anyone for that matter."

"So…so you're not cheating on me?"

Brooke laughed out loud as she opened a closet door, then looked in the kitchen before bending down and checking underneath the furniture.

"Brooke, what are you doing?"

"I am looking for Ashton Kutcher because I know I'm being punked right now. That has got to be the only logical explanation for the way you're acting. Cheating on you? I cannot believe you can say something like that with a straight face. You have some nerve. Fidelity is not a can of worms I think you want to open right now."

"Yeah, I cheated and I've been upfront and honest with you about it."

"And that makes it okay? Your nobility all of a sudden makes up for everything?"

"That's not what I mean. If you're doing this to get back at me…"

"It's not always about you Luke or have you not figured that one out yet."

"This guy is just using you, you know. He's an asshole. He…"

"Shut up. Stop it right there. You don't know a damn thing about Felix Colwell so don't even go there. He's a good person and he's been nice to me and he's my friend."

"Yeah, I'd say he's been pretty nice to you", Lucas said, grabbing Brooke's right hand. "This is a pretty expensive looking ring. Did he give it to you?"

"Yes. Yes he did."

"So you can wear his ring and not mine?"

"This is a friendship ring and I can wear it because Felix and I are friends. Your rings were given to me out of love and trust and commitment and fidelity. We have none of the above now so I think it pretty much evens out."

"I don't like that guy."

"You don't know that guy and you don't know me anymore either. I don't even think you know yourself and that's the sad part."

"Brooke, when are you gonna get over it? Huh? What? What do I have to do? Yes, I cheated on you and I lied and I betrayed you and I hurt you. And I am sorrier than you'll ever know and no it won't happen again. What else do I have to do to prove that you? What do you want from me, a kidney? Because I have told you with my words and with my heart and I have bent over backwards trying to prove it to you with my actions. And I actually thought we were getting somewhere. I thought we were working things out. But that's never going to happen until you let go."

"Let go? Damn you! Let's see, when am I gonna get over it? When I can trust you again, when I can look at you again and not see you having sex with another woman. Don't you stand here and get all high and mighty and turn this around on me. You made a mistake and it's a colossal one. And we have come a long way and I have tried my damnest to move forward with you but it's hard. I have been through hell and back, Lucas."

"I know you have but so have I. Brooke, please. I am begging you right now and yeah I'm not to proud to beg because that's how much you and our love and our daughter mean to me. Please. Baby, what do I have to do? Just tell me because I will do anything."

"It's not just something you can do. It's not some easy fix. Your lies nearly killed me."

"I know and I'm sorry but it's not like that anymore. Why won't you just believe me?"

"Because I can't! Don't you see? I am scared out of my mind to let you in again and I'm not going to let you in because I can't handle it. Despite the baby and your profession of your undying love and your trillion apologies, guess what, Lucas? You still don't get to have me. Not my mind, not my soul, not my spirit, not my body, not my heart and certainly not my trust."

"Brooke, I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want to divide our family."

"Family? What family? You divided our family a long time ago."

"You know what? You're right. I'm not even gonna argue with you about it this time, Brooke because you're absolutely right. All this is my fault. I was an idiot and I cheated and I hurt you and it destroyed our family. I did that, one mistake in one night. But if you could temporarily forget about that one night, think back to all the other nights of the last ten or so years. Think about all the nights I was there for you. The good times when we laughed and talked and shared our hopes and dreams. The times I loved and protected and respected and believed in you when no one else did. The times we took care of each other. The nights we made love, Brooke. The years I spent trying to be good enough at basketball so I could give you security and a nice life and anything your heart desired. Think back to me, the real Luke. The guy you married, the guy you love and the guy that's standing in front of you now. All I ever wanted was to love you and make you happy and give you everything."

"Yeah and you did a grand job. You know what Lucas? I never wanted everything. All I wanted was you, your heart. We may have had ten great years but yeah one night did spoil it all for me. Our trust is out the door. You gave me everything…whatever! If that's what helps you sleep at night because it doesn't nothing for me. I'll tell you what. If it makes you feel better, you can have your everything back. Will that make us even? Take your money and your boat and your jet and your expensive jewelry and this God forsaken house!"

"Brooke, stop it!"

"And while you're at it, take the cars and the dog and hell, even the clothes off my back."

"Brooke…"

"Here", she said, removing her shirt and throwing it at him. "You want the clothes off my back? Fucking take them!"

"Brooke, will you stop? Please."

"What? What else do you want from me?"

"You", he said quietly. "What I've always wanted, Brooke. Just you."

She felt hot, salty tears stinging at her eyes as they threatened to fall.

"Don't say that to me."

"It's the truth", he said in a soft voice as he inched towards her.

"Lucas…"

She was silenced by his kiss. She pulled away, infuriated, pulling back her right hand to let it land across his face. She hit him as hard as she could over and over. There were no tears, just pure anger. Lucas grabbed both her arms and pinned them to the wall.

"Get off of me, you son of a bitch!" she screamed. "I hate you!"

The more she yelled and hit at him, the more he restrained her. Finally when she was all but out of energy, he let her go. She looked at him, enraged like a wild animal. She came at him again but instead of her hands assaulting his body, her tongue assaulted his mouth. It was a passionate, steamy, emotion filled, angry kiss. Lucas kissed back and they did so feverishly until their lips were sore. Her hands tore at his shirt, removing it so quickly that her nails left scratches on his shoulders and chest. Picking her up carefully, he carried her upstairs into the master bedroom they once shared. There in that familiar spot, they continued kissing and tearing off each other's clothes.

"Is it okay?" he asked breathlessly. "I mean, for the baby."

"Doctor says it's fine."

He nodded and let his lips guide him to the sweet spot of her lower neck.

"Wait", she said, sitting up.

She got up and walked over to the closet to a bag Gordon had left once when he had slept over. She reached in and pulled out something before returning to bed.

"Here."

"What's this?"

"Luke…"

"No. You have to wear a condom."

"But I…"

"I don't care. You have to."

He sighed and reluctantly complied. Once they were naked, he looked at her pregnant body in awe. God, she was beautiful. He stared at her and then began to explore her body with his hands and mouth. She moaned out in pleasure. It had been so long and he felt so good. They both whimpered and groaned as they bestowed pleasure on each other. When she felt the thickness of his arousal against her thigh, she thought she might die from want. And in one thrust he was inside her. Over and over, he moved in and out of her body, hard enough to bring her to ecstasy and gentle enough as not to hurt her in her fragile condition. They made passionate love for hours and like so many times before, released simultaneously in a mass of arms, legs, sheets and blankets. They lay there still and quiet for a while, hearts pounding, skin flushed.

"I missed you so much. I needed to feel you, Brooke", Lucas whispered as she absently stroked her back.

She rolled over to face him.

"Luke…"

"I love you."

"Lucas…"

"You love me, Brooke?"

She could only nod as the tears spilled down her cheeks. Tears turned into sobs and she could no longer control herself.

"Brooke…"

"I…I think you should leave."

"Baby…", he said as he felt his own tears well up in eyes.

"Please."

He simply nodded and got dressed and went back to the guest house. That night husband and wife took the routine pattern of lying in two different beds in two different homes, crying their eyes out. It hurt but not so much from regret. It hurt because it had been so right.