Sorry it's been ages since I last updated, I've been ill! Here's a nice long chapter to make up for it. As always, thanks for all the reviews, they're really fab. Enjoy the chapter, I'll try to have the next one up sooner, but everything gets a little crazy around Christmas…

Lucas was sitting at his desk reading when he heard the rat-a-tat-tat of Brooke's signature knock. He got up, smiling, and made his way to the door to let her in.

She greeted him with a kiss, "Hey sexy, what's going on?"

"Um…I'm reading," he said, laughing as she rolled her eyes.

"Shock horror," she muttered, "Well, I hate to sound predictable, but you wanna stop reading and make out instead?"

He grinned and didn't even have to reply before her lips were on his and her arms were wrapped firmly round his neck. She walked towards his bed, forcing him to walk backwards until he hit it and they fell back onto it.

"Ow," something hard was jutting into him, and he pulled it out. "Stupid book," he muttered as he tossed it across the room.

Brooke giggled as he rubbed his back, and pulled him up so he was sitting with her straddling his lap, kneeling on either side of him. She continued to kiss him and pulled out her loose ponytail with one hand, brushing her hair over one shoulder. His palms moved up her thighs and a small moan escaped her mouth into his. He kissed down her neck as her fingers ran through his hair, which she was pleased to see was growing out again. She leant her head back as he reached her collarbone, where he was stopped by the edge of her top, so he moved back up her neck to kiss the tender skin below her ear. He tugged gently on her earlobe with his teeth and then moved his lips to her ear.

"You know when you said about waiting…to…you know…" he whispered.

She placed her hands on his face and pulled it back to look at him. His eyes were bright, "Hold that thought," she whispered, "Tonight."

"Tonight?" he repeated.

She nodded, "We can go back to my house."

"OK," he smiled, and kissed her once more, breaking it off before it could become too deep.

"You can carry on reading then I guess," she said, and she stood up off his lap, and picked up his book from where it had landed on a pile of clothes. "But can I stay? I'm bored."

"Of course, we can go somewhere if you want?"

"Uh uh," she shook her head, "we're going out later, and I'm really tired anyways."

"OK," he took her hand and pulled her back onto the bed, taking the book she offered him, and leaning back against the headboard. She slipped on the jumper of his that she had picked up from the floor, and curled up next to him, resting her head on his stomach. He watched as she closed her eyes, and lightly stroked her hair. He sat for a few minutes, looking at her, a content smile on his face.

"I thought you were going to read," Brooke opened her eyes, to find him looking right at her.

He blinked, surprised that she was awake. "I was, I got…distracted," he smiled at her.

"I didn't realise me sleeping was quite so interesting."

He bit his lip, looking abashed, and she rolled her eyes, smiling, before turning her head so she was no longer facing him, "Go back to reading," she said, "I can't sleep if you're staring at me."

"Brooke, it's like, 4pm, why are you so tired? And you've slept loads of times when I was staring at you."

"I'm tired because weekends make me lazy, and," she turned to face him once more, "and, never when I knew you were, perv."

He hit her shoulder lightly, "it's in the rules that boyfriends are allowed to watch their girlfriends sleep!"

"What rules?? And I don't mind really, it's kinda cute," she shrugged.

"Plus," he struggled to defend himself, "you look really beautiful when you sleep."

She raised herself on one arm and leaned up to kiss him, "You're too sweet," she said, and he smiled. She returned to her earlier position and soon her breathing evened out, and he eventually dragged his eyes away from her, to get back to his book.


An hour later Brooke had woken up, but was still lying with Lucas on his bed; her with her head resting on his shoulder, half asleep, and he was leaning against the headboard, idly playing with the fingers of her hand which lay on his chest. The pale pink T-shirt she was wearing exposed most of her arm, and his eyes travelled to her wrist, which as well as her usual mix of hair bands and bangles, sported two other bracelets he had noticed her wearing every day recently.

"What are these?" he asked, slipping his fingers under them.

"Hmm, what?" Brooke roused herself, and lifted her head slightly of him.

"These bracelets, you wear them a lot."

"Yeah, every day," she murmured, "They're kind of special."

He waited for her to continue.

"This one," she fingered the friendship band, made from faded red and pink thread, "Peyton made for me, at camp after fourth grade. I made her a purple and blue one. And this one," she indicated the charm bracelet off which hung many silver and brightly coloured charms, "my Grandma got for me, when I was born."

Lucas stayed silent, Brooke hardly ever talked about her family, and he'd never heard her mention a grandmother before.

"She said she'd give me one charm, every year, on my birthday, till I was 18 and all the spaces were filled up," there was silence for a second, and then Brooke continued, quietly, "but she died when I was six. When I was 10 and my parents starting going away more they used to bring me a charm from wherever they went. That way, I didn't mind them not being there so much because I knew when they got back, they'd always bring a present. But then they went away for longer and longer, and were here less and less, and it didn't really make me feel better any more. I stopped wearing it when I was 13, and they stopped bringing me charms," by the time she finished speaking Brooke's voice was almost inaudible, yet Lucas could sense the feelings of abandonment and loneliness emanating from her. She buried her head further into his neck, and didn't speak again.

He stroked her hair softly, "I'm sorry," he whispered,

"It's not your fault," she whispered back, then she looked down at the bracelet again, "the six silver ones are the ones my grandmother gave me," she said, pointing them out, evenly spaced between the wide variety of coloured charms. He pointed to one link that wasn't filled, "There's an empty one."

"Yeah, when I stopped wearing it it wasn't quite full," she explained. "I thought I'd lost it years ago, but I found this and the friendship bracelet when I was sorting through things to sell, and I guess…I just wanted to wear them again. I only stopped because I thought they were babyish, and I don't think anyone would really call me immature," she chuckled, "unless they really knew me."

Lucas pondered this last comment, amazed at the enigma that was Brooke.

"They're beautiful," he said finally, looking down at her once more, "I'm glad you're wearing them again."

She smiled, and reached a hand to his cheek and kissed him gently. "They mean a lot to me," she said, "I never told anyone about the charms before," she added, looking right into his eyes.

He smiled back at her, and wrapped his arm around her a little tighter.


"What time is it," she murmured, a little later.

"Um…about six," he replied.

"I'd better go get ready," she pushed herself up.

"You can just go like that, we're not going anywhere too fancy," he said, sitting up too.

She gave him a look, "Lucas, this is me we're talking about, I cannot wear one outfit all day."

He laughed, "Alright, actually, if you're gong to change, can you wear that red top, that's kinda cut, down here," he joked, pointing to the middle of her chest.

She hit him playfully on the shoulder, "No! I got a new top the other day anyway, so sorry, no old favourites." She laughed as his look of mock disappointment. "If you're very lucky though," she said, moving her lips to his ear, "I might wear that leopard skin bra you always liked," she raised one eyebrow, and he smiled, remembering the time she'd left it in the back seat of his car. She winked at him, and kissed him briefly, before heading out the door, calling "pick me up at seven," over her shoulder.


Lucas arrived at Brooke's house at the appointed time, and was greeted by a call of "Just give me a few more minutes" from upstairs. He chuckled to himself as he heard the sounds of Brooke hurrying around in her room, and settled himself on the sofa, picking up her TV guide to keep himself occupied.

Fifteen minutes later Brooke came down the stairs, dressed in a jeans skirt and dark turquoise top. Lucas, who nowknew most of nest week's TVschedule off by heart, stood up, "You ready?"

"Yup," she smiled, and there was a pause as he made his way to the door. She cleared her throat. He smiled to himself, knowing what she was hinting at but teasing her by staying silent. She went for a less subtle approach and hit him on the arm.

"Ow! What was that for!?"

She gave him a withering look.

"Oh!" he said, in mock realisation, then sincerely, "you look gorgeous," she smiled and he kissed her on the forehead.

"Thank you! Now we can go," she skipped out the door pulling him behind her.

They drove to the Tree Hill movie Theatre, where they saw a couple of their friends from school, and said hi briefly, before going inside. A few younger girls saw them, and quietly drooled at Lucas and death-stared Brooke. Brooke saw one of the girls she'd heard talking in the bathroom, and smirked to herself as Lucas slipped his arm around her.

"Do you want to get popcorn?" Lucas asked.

"I don't know, what are we seeing?"

"Well we need to decide that too," Lucas laughed, "how about I'll go get some food and stuff and you go pick a movie."

"Okay, but get…"

"Sweet popcorn, I know," he interrupted, and she smiled.

They saw Ocean's Twelve in the end, although Brooke regretted it when the movie had started because it was really good, and she couldn't decide whether to make out with Lucas, which she could do any time, or watch the movie. Making out with Lucas won in the end, but when she broke a kiss for the third time to see what was happening, and it just happened to be when Brad Pitt was on screen, Lucas said she should just watch the rest, after all, they'd have plenty of time for that later…


"That was awesome!" Brooke exclaimed as they came out into a cool evening.

"It was pretty good actually, though next time how about a movie with less actors you love in it?!"

"What about Julia Roberts? And Catherine Zeta-Jones?"

"Yeah I guess. You're more beautiful than both of them though."

She smiled at him, "Good answer."

"And…" he nudged her.

"What?"

"I'm hotter than Brad Pitt?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever!" she giggled as he hit her, and then pulled him in for a kiss.

"You wanna skip dinner and head back to mine?£ she whispered,"I think I've got some Ben&Jerry's, and maybe a little whipped cream…" she let her sentence hang and raised one eyebrow suggestively.

"Yeah, I'm really not that hungry, I think we could definitely skip dinner," he said quickly, laughing with her, and took her hand as they made their way to his car.


Brooke could feel Lucas' lips moving down her neck as she fit the key in the door. She turned it and stepped through, turning around as she did so, and finding his mouth with her own. She reached for the light switch to turn it on, but then stopped. It was already flipped down, and the lights were on. She broke the kiss, and looked around, just as she heard a voice.

"Brooke, darling, we were wondering when you'd be home," her mother came into the hall, wearing a tight smile.

Lucas subtly wiped her lipstick of his mouth, but kept one arm around her. Brooke was stiff, and crossed her arms protectively across her chest.

"I didn't know you'd be home, or even in the country for that matter."

Her mother brushed off her icy tone with a wave mof her hand, "Yes well, we thought it was time to check how everything was. I'll be in the living room,if you and your…friend want to join me."

"This is Lucas," Brooke introduced him and her mother just nodded and left.

Brooke turned to face him, "I'm really sorry, I didn't know they'd be here, um, I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Are you sure? I can stay if you want?"

"No it's okay, thank you for tonight," she kissed him, letting it linger for a second before tearing herself away, and then turned to follow her mother.

Lucas stood in the hall for a minute, unsure of what to do. He didn't want to leave Brooke like this, but she didn't seem to want him to stay. Finally he left, shutting the door quietly behind him.

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