Author's Note: Flashback sequences written in Italics...
"Mom, are you sure I'm doing this right?" Lucas asked again.
"Honey, it isn't brain surgery", Karen laughed into the phone receiver. "If you mixed the batter exactly the way I told you then you should be fine. The waffle iron is fool proof. Just make sure your timer is set so you won't overcook them."
"Burned waffles sound like a real treat. I wish you were here to make them for me."
"Son, I know I spoiled you but me flying all the way to New York City just to cook a simple meal for you? And who eats waffles for dinner anyway?"
"I do. And we'll see how these bad boys turn out although I'm sure they won't be as good as yours. Nobody makes waffles like Karen's Café. Best in North Carolina."
"Flattery gets you everywhere, my boy. Now tell me what you plan on doing the rest of the evening."
"Let's see, since I am living the exciting life of an NBA Superstar. First, I'm going to eat my waffles, which I will enjoy with a nice glass of chocolate milk, thank you very much. I might hit the gym later and in the meantime I am going to watch my game against the Timberwolves that I TiVo'd and critique my every move. After that I hope to be in bed by midnight."
"Sounds like fun", Karen chuckled.
"Actually I'm waiting on Brooke to stop by. Last time Harmony slept over, she left that purple stuffed monkey of hers, you know the one she can't sleep without. I've been on the road all week so needless to say Brooke is pretty anxious to pick it up and she was in the city with Gordon tonight."
Although maintaining a home in the Connecticut guest cottage, Lucas had made permanent digs in the Manhattan loft.
"You okay with that, Luke?"
"Yeah…I am. Life is what it is. Maybe it's time to quit hoping for the impossible and deal with what's in front of you."
"You'll be okay, honey."
"I know, Mom", Lucas said as there was a knock on the door. "Mom, Brooke's here. I'll call you tomorrow, okay? Thanks for the recipe."
"Anytime", she smiled. "I love you, my boy."
He put the plate down and walked over to the door. He didn't know why she just didn't use her key. He had told her a hundred times to do so but with each day of their separation, the pair found themselves being more and more careful around one another.
"Package for Lucas Scott?"
A courier was on the other side of the door instead of Brooke.
"I'm Lucas Scott", he said, taking the bundle.
"Oh shit! I didn't know I was delivering to the Lucas Scott! Oh man, can I have your autograph?"
"Sure thing, dude", Lucas obliged as he signed for the package and the fan.
"Tough luck fouling out against Golden State the other night, man."
"Yeah, those are the breaks, I guess. Thanks for the delivery", Lucas nodded with a hefty tip before shutting the door.
He sat back down and opened the package, a lump forming in his throat as he realized what it was. Divorce papers. After months of drama and delays, there they were. Just waiting to be signed and filed and "just like that", five years would be over in an instant.
He looked them over, carefully eyeing the fine print on down to the line where the signatures were required. Hers, just a few spaces over from his, had already been signed. In her familiar cursive scrawl, he could make out the words, Brooke Rebecca Davis Scott. An overwhelming sadness engulfed him as he stared at the pages of documents. His whole life with her began to flash before his eyes:
She had been going on for weeks about wanting to connect with her husband on a more intellectual level so Lucas had convinced her to read one of his books. The team was on the road for a four game stretch and he jokingly told her they would discuss the highlights of the book upon his return. To Luke's surprise and delight, she had read the book and they'd had an interesting and somewhat stimulating conversation about it. That was a part of Brooke Scott people didn't see everyday. Now they were in the pool room of Nathan and Haley's California mansion, living it up in private while enjoying bottled beer. She never ceased to amaze him, not even as she sunk a difficult shot into the pocket.
"Married six months and I didn't know my wife could shoot pool this good", he quipped.
"Well Broody, there's a lot you don't know about me."
"Really? Like what?"
"Like… I love it in the summer when there's lightning at night. And up until the fourth grade, I called squirrels squirrlers. And I love beating all the handsome men that I marry at pool. Wait…oh my God. A smile. Is Lucas Scott actually having fun?"
"Fun is my middle name."
"Sure it is, Eugene", she teased. "Lucas, you're like the most serious guy I've ever met."
"I am drinking, I am shooting pool and I'm having a nice little intimate date with my beautiful wife who I happen to love very much when I should be in the gym or on the court working on my fade away. Does that make you happy?"
"A little."
"Well, just as long as you don't feel cheated. You read a book, I drink a beer. We're even, right, Cheery?"
"Wait, did you think this was the thing you had to do with me?"
"Well, yeah."
"No. This isn't the thing. This is just… drinks before the thing. Bottoms up, Broody."
"I'm scared. What exactly did you have in mind?"
"Question, Husband. What is your take on take on tattoos?"
"I don't know…depends."
She smiled as she kissed his neck and seductively unbuttoned her pants, removing her thong underwear line aside.
"So…what do you think?"
He stared at the tattoo of what appeared to be a smiling face drawn in pink on the inside of her hip.
"I think…I think that tattoo is very sexy", he moaned, kissing her soft lips.
"Right answer, Stud. That's exactly why you are going to get one."
"Tattoo?" Lucas laughed. "Who, me? Never, babe."
Several beers and passionate kisses later, Lucas Scott found himself at a downtown L.A. tattoo parlor, getting inked with a brooding face drawn in blue. Her "Cheery" to his "Broody". It was amazing the things she could talk him into…
Lucas smiled at the thought. It was so long ago when they were just a couple of newlywed kids. What the hell had happened to it all?
"Babe, I was thinking…"
"Oh no. That can't be good", Lucas joked.
"Lucas Eugene Scott", she wailed before playfully punching him.
"Okay, okay."
"Now be a good husband and listen to your wife's brilliant idea. Now, I want you to sit back and relax, put your feet up while I get you a cold beer."
"This sounds like it's going to cost me some money…"
"Luke! Be serious, please."
"What? I am."
"Honey, I just wanted to share my ideas about decorating our new house when we move to Greenwich…"
"Cheery, you can have all the ideas you want but we are not, not I repeat, exceeding the already too expensive budget I have placed for you in decorating", he pretended to scold as he picked up the latest Sports Illustrated.
"For your information, this particular idea is already covered within our stupid budget", Brooke pouted, taking the magazine away from him. "Take a look at this…"
Lucas semi looked over the plans and quickly handed them back.
"Looks good, babe."
She knew he hadn't even read them.
"Good. So there won't be any protest when I paint the bathroom pink."
"Pink?" Lucas asked as he threw the magazine down.
"That's right", she smiled triumphantly.
"Pink? Like the master bathroom?"
"Yes."
"Aw baby, pink? Come on now. We can't have a pink bathroom. You know what would happen if the guys saw that? God forbid, Nathan? I would never live that down. They would clown me for years."
"Pink is elegant."
"Pink is not manly. Seriously, Brooke. How am I supposed to take a shit in a pink bathroom?"
"You don't like pink?" Brooke asked innocently as she began to unbutton her blouse slowly.
"Brooke…"
"What? I like pink", she said, kissing his neck.
"No pink."
"No pink?" she grinned, sliding her tongue a trail down his belly to the elastic band of his boxers.
"Mmmmm, pink is…nice."
She had seduced him on that very couch. Her kisses and sexy but sweet stripteases had coerced him into many acts against his good will.
She lay on the bed in her dark blue negligee as Lucas joined her, his eyes never leaving hers and he softly moved the rose petals all over the exposed skin of her body.
"I love you, Brooke", he whispered.
"I love you, too", she smiled, the candlelight casting a somewhat angelic glow against her creamy skin.
It was a night they had both dreamed about forever. It was to be special…magical. Sure over the years they had made love thousands of times but this was different. It was the start of the rest of their lives together, their honeymoon, their wedding night.
"I've waited for this, Brooke…for so long", he said, playing with the new wedding band on her finger.
He kissed her, just staring at how beautiful she was, realizing how happy he was, excited at the prospect of him spending the rest of his life with her. She looked like the angel that she was, softly stroking his face but other than that, not making a move. She seemed so timid and reserved. Her vulnerability touched him.
"What's wrong, baby?" he whispered.
"Lucas…do you think…"
"What? Tell me, Brooke."
"Nothing, it's just that…do you think we'll always be this way?"
He knew exactly what she meant.
"Yeah", he smiled.
"I love you. I mean that, Luke. I really, really love you more than I've ever loved anybody. And this moment…well, I just hope we'll always be this way. I…I hope you never get tired of me."
The mere notion made him chuckle out loud.
"Tired of you? Mrs. Scott, you aren't getting rid of me that easily. I just hope you never get tired of me. I love you, Brooke. You're my whole world."
His whole world. She was and always had been. Now it was the end of the world as he knew it. It was no sense in prolonging the pain. The inevitable end had arrived. Sighing, he slowly removed the wedding ring that had adorned his left hand for the pat year and a half. Picking up the pen, he went to sign his name to the papers, paperwork that would ultimately finalize the end of their marriage.
A sharp shooting pain shot through his chest. Lucas knew he'd gone a little overboard with the syrup and waffles but he was really hurting. He could barely breathe, like a man twice his size was sitting on him. He gasped for air, the pen falling from his grip as Lucas fell to the floor. He could feel himself drifting in and out of consciousness.
He thought about his little girl. Would he ever see Harmony grow up? He thought about his brother and all the years they had shared…as well as lost. And Haley. Sweet, funny, original, darling Haley. And his mother and of course Brooke. He thought about Dan as well. A man he had fiercely loved and hated, sometimes all at once. His entire life literally flashed before his eyes. Everything was growing smaller…blacker. He couldn't breathe or see or hear…
"Luke? Lucas, it's me Brooke. You in there?"
He heard her from the other side of the door and he tried to call her name. His voice was reduced to a baited gasp of breath.
"Luke!" she knocked.
Still no answer.
"Damn", she muttered out loud. "Where the hell is he? He better not be at the gym, he knew I was coming. If I don't get that damned purple monkey and I have to stay up half the night with my screaming child again…"
Her rant came to an abrupt cease as she saw him on the floor. Maybe he was taking a nap or perhaps looking for something. Peering close, she saw that it was neither one. Her blood ran cold.
"Lucas! Luke, oh my God! Lucas, can you hear me? What happened? Are you alright?"
His face had turned an eerie shade of bluish purple and he didn't seem to be moving or breathing. It startled her and she screamed out loud as his hand grabbed her wrist.
"Brooke…", he managed. "Brooke. Don't, don't…let me die."