Author's note: Here's another Chapter of the Vacation for your reading pleasure. BTW I don't own the lyrics to Phantom Planet's California.

Chapter 4

The day Lucas had been dreading finally arrived. The day that they would leave for California. He hadn't managed to talk his way out of going, so he sucked it up and took it like a man. Well after his mother had packed his stuff and bodily put him into Keith's truck. When they arrived at the car lot the whole gang was there plus Brooke and Peyton.

Haley walked over to where he was sulking leaning on the side of Keith's truck.

"I'm glad you decided to come."

Lucas grunted in response.

"Still not pumped up about the trip?"

Lucas just looked at her as if she'd grown another head.

"Nathan isn't in the best mood either. I kind of bribed him into going," Haley continued.

That piqued Lucas' interest, "Bribed him?"

"Yep."

"With what?"

Lucas didn't know what Haley could give Nathan to talk him into getting on that RV and going anywhere with Dan.

"You don't want to know."

Lucas' eyes widened, "Haley James Scott, I didn't know you were that kind of girl."

Haley rolled her eyes, "Anyway, what made you decide to come."

"My mom, she can be very convincing."

"She picked you up and put you in Keith's truck didn't she?"

"Yep."

Haley laughed and then she frowned, "Maybe I should have done that with Nathan, I'd probably be a lot less sore."

"Okay ew." Lucas said not wanting to think about Haley and Nathan's sex life.

Nathan was his little brother and Haley was like a little sister anyway. Although he used to suspect she had a crush on him last year. Another reason why he assumed she hooked up with Nathan, but he didn't dare make a comment.

Haley smirked at something over Lucas' shoulder.

"I think things just got interesting," Haley said walking away and leaving Lucas standing there shocked.

When he did turn around he saw Haley talking with Brooke and Peyton, both girls had bags of stuff.

Lucas' brain couldn't process this, he stood there staring with his mouth half open blinking rapidly.

"Are you going to help us with this stuff or stand there drooling?" Brooke asked.

"You–You two are going with us?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah why in the hell us would we be lugging around all this stuff." Brooke said.

Lucas finally regained some semblance of his composure and rolled his eyes and walked over to help.

"At least this trip won't be boring," He muttered picking up one of Brookes heavy bags.

"Damn girl what you got in there cement blocks?"

"Shoes."

"Same difference." Lucas said with a smirk.

Brooke laughed whacked him in the back of the head.

Dan stepped off of the bus just as Lucas made his way to the front.

"I'm glad you came son." Dan said.

Lucas glared at his father, "Whatever," he said pushing past the older man.

"Brooke, it's good to see you too." Dan said.

"It's good to see you too Mr. Scott. Thanks so much for inviting me."

"It was my pleasure Brooke." Dan said.

"Was he flirting with me?" Brooke asked once they'd gotten on the bus.

"God. I hope not." Lucas said.

Brooke giggled, "He is kind of hot, if you're into deadbeat Dads."

Lucas gave her a look, "If you want him you can have him."

"No thanks."

Lucas laughed at the casual manner she had just rejected Dan.

Damn it he was actually starting to enjoy himself.

"You know you look awful handsome when you smile like that, you should do it more often." Brooke said pushing past him and sitting down the bag she was holding.

She brushed past him making sure to rub against him as she did. Lucas guessed that it was another part of his penance. He could look but he couldn't touch the price he paid for being unfaithful. And he wanted to touch her so bad, but he knew that he was likely to hurt her again. He valued her friendship too much to lose it.

He was eyeing Brooke in her tight track pants and the baby tee that fit in all the right places.

"A little help here," Nathan croaked from where he and Keith were trying to lift a huge carton of stuff.

"What in the hell is that?" Lucas said.

"Make up and CDs. We all put our stuff in one bin." Brooke explained.

"Put that down on the bottom." Dan said from outside.

Lucas watched trying hard to suppress a snicker as his brother and his uncle lugged the huge carton back down the steps.

"Well, are you guys ready to go?" Deb said a she climbed dup the stairs.

"We've jus got a few more things and we're gonna be locked and loaded." Brooke said.

Deb smiled and stepped off the bus.

"I don't remember you being that cheesy." Lucas remarked.

"Shut up. We've got more crap out in the car." Brooke said brushing past him again making sure to rub herself against him again.

Lucas sighed and followed her off the bus.

"Coming through lazy people." Haley said walking past with more of Brooke's luggage.

Peyton followed smirking rolling two suitcases over to where Nathan and Keith were putting stuff at the bottom of the bus.

"We're not lazy, we're just too cute to be carting luggage." Brooke said, "Isn't that right Lucas?"

Lucas nodded, earning grunts and eye rolls from those actually doing stuff.

He saw his father and stepmother standing off to the side neither of them actually doing anything either.

He shrugged, hoping that it wasn't some inherent laziness.

"How much crap did you bring?" He asked Brooke.

"Well, I brought things I actually need."

"You needed thirteen suitcases full of stuff?"

"Well, some of it is stuff I didn't want my parents to sell while I was gone." Brooke explained.

"You could have asked me and we could have stored some of it at my house in the attic or in the utility closet." Lucas said.

"I tried telling her the same thing." Peyton said.

"Is that all?" Keith said before shutting the bottom.

"Uhhuh."

"We forgot Rainbow Bright." Nathan said picking up a plush Rainbow Bright doll.

"No!" Peyton screamed.

"She stays with me!"

Lucas looked at Brooke curiously, waiting for an explanation.

"Peyton's mom used to um…call her Rainbow Bright when she was little." Brooke explained.

"Oh. I didn't know that."

"Well, with all that sucking face there really wasn't time for her to explain." Brooke said.

"I thought you said you were over it."

"I'm just a tiny bit bitter okay."

"I really am sorry Brooke."

"I know. It's just not easy." Brooke said.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"With what?"

"If this is situation is uncomfortable for you…"

"This is going to be the best vacation ever, I'm sure of it." Brooke said beaming.

"You should really market that optimism. You could make a ton." Lucas said.

"Why don't I lend you some? The other broody people out there will have to just pay." Brooke said.

Lucas laughed. Maybe this whole vacation wouldn't be much of a disaster.

"Alright, everybody on the bus!" Dan yelled.

"Oh joy." Peyton snarked as she passed Lucas and Brooke.

"P. it's gonna be to totally fun wait and see." Brooke said.

We've been on the run
Driving in the sun
Looking out for Number 1
California here we come
Right back where we started from

Hustlers grab your guns
Your shadow weighs a ton
Driving down the 101
California here we come
Right back where we started from

California! Here we come!

On the stereo
Listen as we go
Nothing's gonna stop me now
California here we come
Right back where we started from

Pedal to the floor
Thinkin' of the roar
Gotta get us to the show
California here we come
Right back where we started from

California! Here we come!