Brooke stopped laughing as soon as the three reached Karen's Café. "Haley? I thought we were going to get your paycheck."

"We are." Haley said, exchanging a glance with Peyton.

"You work at Karen's." Brooke groaned in realization.

"For years."

"I can't go in there."

"Brooke…" Peyton said worriedly.

"No," Brooke said backing away, "You do remember what happened the last time we were here, don't you? I'll remind you; none of it was good."

"Brooke…" Peyton said again, this time much more impatiently.

"Peyton-"

"Luke's working here again." Haley blurted out suddenly.

"What?" Brooke and Peyton both looked at Haley in surprise.

"Um," a foreign voice interrupted Haley's attempt at an explanation. "Excuse me…"

"We're trying to have a conversation here." Brooke told the stranger.

"Um…"

"Go away." Brooke said shooing the man away, as one would a pesky dog.

"I'm sorry, but-"

"Listen," Brooke turned towards the man "explain what you want and go away." She crossed her arms over her chest and began tapping her foot impatiently. "Well?"

"You're standing in front of the doorway."

"What?"

Peyton smiled apologetically at the man, "We're really sorry." She grabbed both Haley and Brooke and led them away from the door. "Okay," She rounded on Haley when the three of them were a sufficient distance from the door. "Explain."

"Well, I don't know the whole story, but as soon as Luke found out about… well, you know, the whole thing with your mother and father…" Brooke nodded impatiently. "He came here to ask his mom for his job back. He thought you might need the extra money…"

Peyton and Haley both watched Brooke carefully, anxious to see her reaction. The red head placed a hand on her stomach and shook her head, but her friends were pleased to notice, there was a slight smile on her face. Her expression changed suddenly as she looked anxiously at Haley. "So, Karen… is she, you know… how did she…" She looked up at the grinning brunette and glared. "Haley."

"Yes, Brooke?"

"You know what I'm trying to ask you."

Haley nodded and struggled to hold in her mirth "I do, but please continue anyway."

"Look, Tutor Girl, do you really want to get into this with me?"

Peyton watched, amusedly, as Haley paled. "Uh, I don't really know much Brooke. Honest. Luke just told me that he got his job back from his mom…"

"Come on, Brooke," Peyton urged, "just go in. When have you ever been afraid of anything?"

Brooke looked uncertainly at her friend before shaking her head and squaring her shoulders. She nodded at Peyton and linked arms with Haley. "You're right. Let's go Tutor Girl."

"Hey Karen!" Haley called out as she entered the café.

"Haley?"

"Yeah. Where are you?"

Peyton and Brooke hung back as their friend approached the counter. "I'm in the kitchen. If you're looking for your paycheck it's-" Karen's voice trailed off when she spotted Brooke. "It's…"

"In the back." Haley filled in, uncomfortably, "I know."

Peyton glanced between Karen and her best friend uneasily. "Uh, Hale, why don't I-"

"Yeah." The brunette nodded wildly. "Come on."

"Brooke." Karen greeted uneasily, not even noticing as Haley and Peyton hurried into the kitchen. Or as the few Sunday customers made their way out of the café.

"Karen." Brooke's shaky voice was much more confident than she was, which was saying a lot.

Karen set the tray of pastries she was carrying down on the counter. "You look…"

"Fat?" Brooke asked sarcastically.

The older brunette smiled slightly despite the tension between them. "Would you like to sit?" she gestured to one of the stools.

Brooke watched as the café owner flipped the sign to 'closed' before sitting down gratefully. "So…"

Karen sat next to the pregnant girl and gave her one of the fresh pastries. Brooke accepted it and began to eat slowly as Karen struggled to find words. "Brooke," she began slowly, "I overreacted. I apologize for that. I just…"

Brooke looked at Karen wearily "It's probably not something a mother wants to hear about her teenage son."

Karen smiled ruefully "No. Not really." She sighed, "I'm sorry Brooke."

The red head grinned. "Hey, it wouldn't be Tree Hill if there was no drama, right?" Karen chuckled. "I heard Luke asked for his job back." Brooke said after a few minutes of silence.

Karen nodded. "He said he wanted to help you out."

Brooke placed a protective hand on her belly. "That's what Haley told me too."

"I don't need anyone else here at the café, but I could probably think up something for you to do at Tric."

Brooke shook her head. "That's nice of you Karen, really, but I'll be okay. Besides Doctor Hopewell told me I'd have to start doing school by correspondence soon anyway. I probably wouldn't be of much use to you."

"How far along are you?" Karen asked curiously.

"About 26 weeks." Brooke answered, rubbing her belly. "The doc said that with twins it's important not to go into preterm labor."

Karen nodded. "Lucas was early."

"Really?"

"By about a month. He was in an incubator for two weeks." She paused for a second. "It was the scariest two weeks of my life."

Brooke's eyes locked with Karen's and in that moment the two women felt a strong bond. It was a mixed feeling of pride and love and fear that only another mother would know. The auburn haired girl's eyes widened suddenly, startling Karen. "Whoa…"

"What is it?" A smile lit Brooke's face. She grabbed Karen's hand and placed it on her stomach. Karen's concerned look shifted into a smile as she felt one of the babies kick against her hand. "Is that the-"

Brooke nodded gleefully "I've been feeling it for a while, but no one else has been able to." Haley and Peyton chose that minute to reenter the café. Brooke grinned at the two and waved them over excitedly. "Guys, come here!" She placed one of each of their hands on her belly. "Can you feel it?"

A slow smile spread across Peyton's face. "Brooke-"

Haley squealed when she felt one of the babies kick her palm. "Oh my God! Brooke!"

Karen slipped noiselessly from the room as the three girls started jumping up and down in their excitement.

It took a full ten minutes for the girls to calm down enough to realize that Karen was no longer in the room. "Where's Karen?" It was Peyton who asked the question on all of their minds.

"I don't know." Brooke looked around the room.

"I'll go check upstairs." Haley suggested.

"No need." Karen said, coming back into the café. "I'm right here."

"Karen?" Brooke asked, confused, as the older woman set a wrapped package in front of her.

"Open it."

Brooke was speechless. "Karen…" The small white and green teddy bear was wrapped in a soft blue blanket, while the yellow and pink bear was wrapped in a pink blanket. Each of the bears had a small silver bracelet fastened around their necks.

"Lucas told me you didn't have names yet, so you can get them engraved when you do… I just thought they might want something from their grandma."

Brooke hugged the older woman tightly; there were tears in both of their eyes. "They're perfect."

It was half an hour later when the girls left the café. Karen leaned heavily against the door and wiped at her cheek as another tear fell. She smiled as she turned off the lights. "I'm gonna be a grandma."