AN: I'm so sorry I haven't updated in a long time. I've had so much going on lately... this was just put on the backburner. Not to mention the fact that I encountered a small bout of Writer's Block... but I'm back now, have no fear. Oh, and thanks for all the reviews.

Countrybutterfly0102: I seriously considered your suggestion to put Peyton with Skills and while I don't think I'm going to do that in this fic, it's a story just begging to be written...

Tardychick06: I have to say I also considered your suggestion of Tim, but I decided to make him the comic relief in this story. I thought it might be too much to go deeper into his character when I'm doing that to so many already...

Countertiger-x: Thank you so much. I've read some of your stories as well and I have to say I like them. They're very original, which is hard considering how many different fics are out there.

x3Tinkerbell07: Thanks so much for your reviews. I guarantee you that this is a Brooke/Jake fic. I will be bringing a new character in for Peyton... it's just a matter of timing.

Lysser8312: Thank you. Well we all know that Luke and Brooke have some loyal, if not severely emotionally challenged, friends. I never actually saw the show where Brooke thought that she was pregnant, but I thought that was how Karen would react. Plus everything was going so well... I needed some drama.

Starryskyangel1: While I admit to not liking Peyton I couldn't do that to her. Anyone related to Tim is bad news...

Melissa: Don't worry; I'm not going to put Peyton with a male Peyton. It just wouldn't work; they'd both be too wrapped up in their own problems. I think that's the reason Luke and Peyton didn't work out.

Hanna: Felix... that's an interesting thought... Just kidding, I wouldn't saddle anyone with Felix, though I think he's an interesting character.

Ann: I think you're right. Lucas needs to find himself before he could be in a relationship. Don't worry though... I've got a character for him in the back of my mind. As for Karen and Luke, there will definitely be a lot more interaction between the two, but not quite yet...

OTHlover04: Thank you, I try my best.

Gossy707: Thank you. I try to keep the characters as close to the ones on the show as possible. I agree with you though; Brooke and Jake probably wouldn't have worked out in the show. They're too different.

Christine: Your review was the one that made me reconsider the Leyton deal. I'm not a fan of the whole Leyton thing either and you're right, if the two of them got involved the group would become just a little too interbred for my taste.

"So," Brooke said as she lay entwined with Jake on his big brown couch and Jenny played quietly in her playpen. "Tell me about your brothers and sister."

"Well," Jake said. He wound pieces of Brooke's hair through his fingers, "Ben, Benjiman, is my oldest brother. He's twenty-eight. He's married to my sister in law, Sadie, and they have two kids, Ella and Bonnie. Erin, my sister, is the next oldest at twenty-five. She's pretty cool as far as older sisters go; she never tried to dress me up in girl's clothes or anything... My friend Rafe, you know him, he's on the basketball team..."

"Rafe MacNamara?"

Jake nodded. "Yeah, he told me that when he was little his older sisters, Keely and Hayden, used to dress him up... You probably shouldn't mention that I told you that." Brooke made a noncommittal noise. "Brooke."

"Fine." She smirked. "What would they dress him up as?"

Jake laughed. "I don't know."

Brooke sighed. "Fine."

"Anyway Erin's cool, I don't think she has a boyfriend right now, but we haven't talked in a while." Brooke nodded. "Adam's my other brother. He's twenty-two. He goes to Duke."

"Basketball?"

"No," Jake shook his head. "Adam's studying Earth Sciences. He was always into baseball anyway. So were Ben and Noah actually."

"Who's Noah?" Brooke asked curiously.

"Noah's like Adam's right hand. He's my surrogate brother, Jenny's godfather too."

"Really?"

Jake nodded. "He taught me how to play the guitar. He's awesome. He goes to Duke with Adam."

"He does?" Brooke asked yawning. Despite the fact she truly was interested in Jake's family she was barely staying awake.

"Yeah," Jake answered "He's in the Arts program, studying music."

"Hmm..." Brooke said snuggling closer to him. "Tell me more."

"There isn't much more..." Jake said, kissing Brooke's temple.

"Sure there is..." Brooke retorted her words were muffled in the crook of Jake's neck.

"Well, one time, when I was four, Ben tried to use me to pick up chicks."

"What?"

Jake smiled "He used to have me run up to girls on the street and then he'd come 'rescue me'." (AN: My Aunt honestly did this with my mom.)

"Are you kidding me?"

"Nope. It worked though. Sadie was the one who called him on it."

Brooke laughed "Luke better not do that with my kids."

Jake laughed at that "Don't worry Brooke... I'll watch out for it. I know how scarring it can be on a child."

"Thanks, boyfriend."

Jake smiled and buried his face in her hair. "You're welcome."

Lucas stood on the Riverside Court not really doing anything; mostly staring into space. When he realized he was crying he tried in vain to wipe his tears away. He finally gave up and sat down in the middle of the court, crying. If anyone was supposed to understand it was supposed to be his mom. "Luke? Man, what are you doing?"

Lucas looked up as Skills approached. "Nothing." He replied hastily, wiping at his tears.

"Are you crying?"

"No,"

"Then what's going on?"

Lucas weighed his options in his head: he could (a) not tell Skills and have him think that he was a weirdo and be hurt that he found out through someone else. Or (b) he could tell him and risk hormonal Brooke's wrath. Then Lucas shook his head, Tim had been there, everyone was going to find out anyway. "Brooke's pregnant."

Skills stared at him for a few minutes, not saying anything. "What?"

"She's pregnant." Lucas said slowly, as if talking to a four year old. Then he started making gestures towards his stomach. "There's a baby inside her."

"How'd it get there?" Skills asked before realizing what he had said.

"Well," Lucas said, grinning "When a man and a woman-"

"Shut up." Skills said punching him in the stomach. "You know what I mean."

"Am I the father?" Skills nodded. "Yeah."

"You seem to be at peace with it."

Lucas shrugged "After Brooke told me I freaked a little, but honestly... now, despite being scared shitless, I'm kind of excited about it. I've been trying my whole life to prove to myself that I'm not like Dan and now I know I'm not."

"Is that the only reason?" Skills asked quietly. "Because if it is-"

"It's not." Lucas interrupted "I couldn't do that to Brooke."

Skills nodded "Good. You've hurt that girl enough." He then tossed Lucas the ball Lucas had failed to notice he was holding. "So, we gonna have a Lucas Jr. to show the ropes to or a Brooke Jr.?"

"Could be both." Lucas said casually as he sunk two baskets in a row.

"Both?" Skills asked "Like twins?"

"You're quick tonight..." Lucas teased his friend.

"Shut up, you asshole." Skills grinned, pushing the blonde and stealing the ball.

Skills was a smart guy, he knew basketball wouldn't solve Lucas' problems, but it, he, could help shove them to the back of his mind for the time being.