Equal But Opposite Reaction
By: Sari
Disclaimer: No, I don't own OTH. If I did Brooke and Lucas would be back together and Felix would be in a ditch somewhere. Haley wouldn't be going insane and she and Nathan would be back together.
Summary: AU Brucas. Successful bachelor Lucas Scott meets hard to get, feminist Brooke Davis and a rollercoaster ride occurs as both begin to fall in love.
Part 11
"When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle." – Edmund Burke
Brooke waited impatiently at the terminal looking around for her two friends and their daughter that had been her extended family since forever. Jake and Peyton, the dynamic duo and fated couple since they had met were coming down to Palm Beach to spend their vacation with her, Lucas, and everyone else. In the past month the large group of friends that they now consisted of had become closer. She was glad for that. She had gained so many friends in the last month than she had in her whole time in New York. It was one more thing she had to thank Lucas for, the feeling of acceptance that everyone around him had given her since she'd met him.
Her eyes lit up as she saw the blonde mass of curls. As long as Peyton never changed her hairstyle she could be recognized anywhere. No one in America had hair as wild as Peyton's. "P. Sawyer! I'm over here!" She yelled waving her arms at the couple. She laughed happily when Peyton dashed around the crowds of people and hugged her while Jake and Jenny tried to keep up.
Brooke bent down and scooped up the six year old girl. "How's my favorite niece?" She made faces and played with her before remembering they were in the middle of the airport. "So how was your flight?" She asked while directing them out of the crowd.
Peyton looked around the airport dazed. "The flight was crazy Brooke, some nutcase started screaming about bombs and they had to ground the plane for a couple of minutes to calm him down and it turned out he was a paranoid schizophrenic so they escorted him off."
Brooke snorted loudly, trying to stifle her laughter. "Are you serious?"
"As a heart attack." Peyton said. "Wasn't there a nutcase on the place honey?"
Jake bobbed his head up and down while looking around the airport. "We need to get our bags."
Brooke rolled her eyes. "Jake, you're such a guy. Come on it's this way."
"I'm taking that as a compliment, I wouldn't want to be such a girl." He joked. "Where's Lucas? I didn't think he'd let you out of his sight now that you decided to forgive him."
Brooke laughed again. "Lucas isn't in the position to put up a fight. He's probably in the bathroom throwing up or passed out on the couch." She said. "Before we had our heart to heart he got himself smashed at a club we were at."
"Poor guy, Luke could never hold his alcohol." Jake commented.
"So tell me, what's been going on since you've been down here. Well, besides the whole 'Serena conspiracy to break up' drama." Peyton said while scanning for her luggage. "I think I've heard enough about that girl to want her break her in two if I ever see her."
"Get in line behind Nathan, Haley, Nancy, and Luke." Brooke said. "They're all out for blood. It's gotten to the point where if anyone spots her they call Luke and me on our cells for permission to beat her to a pulp. Usually we say no since we can't be there."
"Good call, I wouldn't want to miss that even either. Plus, the girl needs a group beating. Not several beatings."
"So what's been going on? How was meeting the dreadful parents?" Peyton asked.
"It was actually pretty good. After the whole ritual interrogation every parent does they immediately warmed up to me. Nancy, Luke, Hales, and Nate were exaggerating about Dan's evilness. The guy is just over protective." Brooke said. "Wait, there's your bags grab it!"
Jake grabbed their two bags and they headed toward the car. When they reached it and had piled in Brooke took off towards the hotel. "Besides meeting the parents we haven't really done anything. Luke took me to this restaurant called Medieval Times. It was really corny but we had fun anyway and the boys have been visiting old buddies and going to their old school."
"I remember the Medieval Times." Jake said laughing. "Our class went there in middle school. I thought that place was awesome. I got to say it feels good to be back here."
Brooke gasped. "I completely forgot you grew up here Jake. Nate and Luke told me about Jenny's mom. Aren't you scared she might come back?"
He rolled his eyes. "Nikki has no legal rights to Jenny and I haven't seen her in almost 5 years. I doubt she even remembers she has a daughter." He muttered bitterly. "Nikki was a sociopath with no conscious."
"Didn't she send us some letters a few years back?" Peyton asked confused.
"Yeah, she wanted to see Jenny but she never followed through. Let's just hope she either moved out of Florida or doesn't ever hear about us being here." He said. "I don't want her randomly popping up at our hotel room."
"Did you know Serena?" Brooke asked.
"Yeah, the girl's been evil since elementary school. Lucas was just blind to it because he practically grew up with her. Luke thinking she was evil is like him saying Haley is evil. Not a possible thing."
"Well at least I don't have to worry about you defending her." Brooke said smiling slightly. "I'm guessing you're not opposed to me stoning her if I see her in the street."
"Actually, I'll back anything. Running her over would be the best trick otherwise the girl won't leave you alone."
Brooke laughed loudly as she pulled into the hotel parking lot. "Come on you two. I'm pretty sure everyone is by the pool area. They're usually there this time of day."
They dropped off their luggage with the bellboy to be deposited in their hotel room and then followed Brooke to the back of the hotel where the pool was. "Wow this place is beautiful." Peyton exclaimed. "I'd so live here."
"Hey guys!" Brooke greeted Nathan, Haley, and Nancy who were lounging around the pool.
"Hey Brooke, welcome to Florida Peyton, welcome back Jake" were shared all around before the trio pulled up chairs and set them around them. Nancy held Jenny in her lap. "Where's Luke?" Brooke asked.
Haley shrugged. "Probably making the toilet his new best friend, he looked awful this morning."
Brooke looked worried. "You haven't checked on him since then?"
"He's fine Brooke, Luke's a big boy. I'm sure he's on the phone with some clients or something. He'd make any excuse to get some alone time and do work after not doing anything for more than a week."
Brooke fumed. "That is something Lucas would do." She flipped her hair. "We need to go to lunch or something; I'm going to go get him from wherever he's hiding. Are we going to go out to eat?"
"I think we should!" Nancy chimed in. "This whole hotel food thing is really overrated. Seriously, I've tried like everything on the menu here."
"Nance, that's because you're a pig." Nathan teased. "You do justice to the family pastime."
Nancy set Jenny down, glared at him, and then tackled him into the pool dunking him under the water as they began to play fight. "Nathan you are SO going down!"
Brooke rolled her eyes. "If those two were anymore like teenagers."
Haley laughed. "That's what we love about them. How about we go to the Cheesecake Factory? It's big and it's not too fancy."
"How's the food?" Peyton asked.
"It's great you'll love it. They give you really large servings too." Haley said.
"Okay, so Cheesecake Factory it is." Jake said. "We're going to have to take two cars, four in each."
Brooke waved her hand. "We'll figure it out."
"Hey you two imbeciles!" She shouted at Nathan and Nancy who were still struggling with each other in the pool. "Get out and go get ready, we're going to the Cheesecake Factory in 10 minutes!"
"Yes mother!" They chorused.
Brooke flicked them off before going up stairs to get Lucas.
Lucas was occupied in a conference call when Brooke entered the room. He put a finger to his mouth to signal quiet before finishing up his conversation.
"Yes, I won't be available for at least the next week and a half. Yes, I know you don't like my other agents but my life does not revolve around your schedule. I'm your agent not your babysitter!" Brooke laughed as she listened to Lucas's side of the conversation. He looked frustrated but at least the there was no trace of a hangover.
He slammed his cell phone shut and turned to her. "Hey Brooke."
"You feel any better?" She asked.
"I don't feel like I'm going to puke up my stomach anymore." He said cracking a smile. "It was pretty bad this morning but I'm okay now."
Brooke looked remorsefully at him. "I'm sorry I didn't stay and help."
He brushed her apology off. "It wasn't necessary and you had to pick up Peyton and Jake—which by the way—are they here?"
She nodded fiddling with his shirt. "Yeah, they're downstairs with Nance, Hales, and Nate. They brought along Jenny."
Lucas grinned. "Good, I can play with my favorite god daughter."
"You're only god daughter." Brooke reminded him. "It's funny how you two didn't even know you lived in the same city, yet you're still Jenny's god father."
"Well she was born in Palm Beach, I was at the hospital with him and Nikki and everything!" He said defending himself.
She kissed him. "Calm down Luke, I didn't mean anything by it. Speaking of Nikki, do you know if she still lives down here?"
Lucas shook his head. "No, Nikki and I weren't friends. I can ask Anna or Felix later on. Why?"
"Jake doesn't want to be blind-sided by Nikki's arrival. He'd be more careful if he knew she was in the area."
"I'll make sure and call then, Nikki is crazy I'd want as much warning as humanly possible." He muttered.
Brooke glanced at the clock on the wall. "Oh shit, I forgot I was supposed to be getting you so we could leave. We're going to go eat lunch."
"Alright then let's go, I'm already dressed."
They headed downstairs to the lobby and ran into Haley. "I was just about to come and get you guys." Haley said. "Jake, Jenny, and Nate are riding with me. You, Luke, Nance, and Peyton can go in Luke's car."
"Fine with me." Brooke said.
Everyone got into their respective SUV's and they started the drive over to the Cheesecake Factory.
"Nance we need to find you a boyfriend." Brooke declared as Luke maneuvered the busy city streets.
Nancy snorted. "Brooke, keep your matchmaking tendencies to yourself. I'm perfectly fine being single. Men are a hassle that I have no time for."
"Nance, whatever happened to that one guy you was dating back in New York?" Lucas asked.
"Are you talking about Danny? That guy was obsessed with Nathan and thought I'd bring him to all the family functions if he went out with me." She said bitterly. "Being Nathan's publicist really screws up any possibility for a love life. Instead of the guy worrying about you, they're worrying about if they can get an autograph or not."
"What? Nance why didn't you ever tell me that?"
"What were you going to do Luke? Tell Nate to stop being MVP?" She softened the tone of her voice. "Luke I'm fine, I'm okay with not having a boyfriend. You know I'm independent I don't need anyone to support me."
"If you say so." He said doubtfully.
They arrived at the newly remodeled Cheesecake Factory in West Palm Beach and waited for the other SUV to pull in behind them. When the others got out Peyton took Jenny from Jake and they walked in. Haley groaned as she caught sight of someone all of them didn't want to see.
"Guys, guess who's decided to make an appearance. If I didn't know any better I would think she was stalking us."
Brooke followed her line of sight and saw her. "Oh damn it, does Serena not have anywhere else to go but plan where and when she's going to meet us?"
"Apparently not." Nancy said. "Who's for going over there and dragging her out by the hair and beating the shit out of her?"
"Hey little kid nearby!" Peyton reminded her.
"Sorry Jenny!" Nancy said to the little girl. "But she gets me angry."
"How about we ignore her for now?" Nathan cut in. "If one of you just goes up there and hits her you'll be thrown in jail. Her dad is the mayor you know."
The group grudgingly went to their own table located outside and were ordering their food. They had just begun to forget that they had even saw Serena when she came up to their table with a smile on her face.
"Wow, I didn't think I'd see Jake Jagielski in this town again. It seems like this month all my high school friends are coming out of the woodwork."
"I think your mistaken Serena, I never was your friend in high school. I just tolerated you because you were Luca's girlfriend." He muttered rolling his eyes. "Is there a reason why you're here?"
"Well, someone certainly woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. I was simply trying to make conversation." She said haughtily.
"The point is, Serena or whatever the hell your name is, no one near this table wants to talk to you. Maybe you should take a hint and go back to your own table so we can eat our food in peace." Peyton snapped.
She looked at Peyton. "And who are you?"
"She's my fiancée Serena, not that it's any of your business." Jake answered.
Serena smiled wickedly. "That isn't Nikki's little girl she's holding is she?"
"No, it's our little girl she's holding. Nikki stopped being her mother when she walked out on us."
"Well, did you inform Nikki of that? Because I'm sure she's still under the impression that she had a daughter that you stole away from her. I'm sure she'd be grateful if I gave her a little tip about your whereabouts."
"Are you threatening to tell Nikki we're here?" Peyton said incredulously. "You really have nothing else to do with your free time do you?"
"No it's her side job. She likes to ruin people's lives. It gives her great joy." Brooke grumbled.
"Actually Brookie, Nikki is my friend. I thought I'd do my civil duty and tell her where her daughter is." She spat.
Nancy gasped in surprise. "Wow, Serena you actually know about the concept of friendship? You could have fooled me!" Nancy chirped sarcastically. "You should know better than to come by where you're not wanted."
Serena stepped forward as if to hit Nancy only to be stopped by Nathan grabbing her arm. "Don't start anything you can't finish Serena. There are seven of us and one of you. I doubt your lackey's are going to try and save you. I suggest you act like an adult and walk away. I don't want to hit a girl but you're pushing it."
Brooke smiled triumphantly. "See Serena, let me tell you about the real concept of friendship. When you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us and we don't take kindly to threats. Go ahead and run to Nikki about who you just saw. You're just digging your grave deeper and when one of us finally gets tired of your bullshit you're not going to be too happy with the outcome."
Serena's eyes narrowed and she growled. "Brookie, you don't seem to know just how powerful my father is. You're not in New York right now, you're in Palm Beach where you hold no ground so I'd watch what you say to me."
"No Serena, you should watch what you say to my girlfriend. I don't think it'd help your father's campaign to know that his daughter has been running around acting like a prostitute and threatening guests of Palm Beach. I'm sure the tabloids would eat that story up." Lucas said. "Wouldn't they Nance? You're a publicist you write up all kinds of stories all the time don't you? I'm sure it'd be a walk in the park for you to embellish a little and send it into the newspaper."
Nancy smiled. "It wouldn't be a problem at all."
Serena's face paled and she stepped back. "Let's see how cocky you get when you have a custody battle hanging over your head Jake. You know how influential my family can be when it comes to helping out a friend." She warned.
She turned around and stalked back to her table leaving the occupants laughing hard.
"I feel like I'm in high school again." Haley said. "We have people plotting against us now."
"Thank god we only have a week left here." Brooke added. "If I had to deal with Serena any longer I'd murder her. That girl is pure poison."
"Do you really think she's going to tell Nikki about us being here?" Peyton asked Jake worried.
"I have no doubt in my mind." Jake said. "But the courts wouldn't allow Nikki to have her, they couldn't allow her. Jenny knows us, she knows you, and she knows Brooke, Haley, Nate, and Nance they're not going to take her away from her family to go to a vindictive bitch like Nikki."
Peyton's eyes filled with tears and she let Jake pull her into a hug. "I couldn't lose my baby Jake, I love Jenny…she's my daughter not Nikki's."
The others watched them doubts filling their heads concerning what Serena, an obvious nutcase, could do to them.
"We're not going to let Serena do that to you okay?" Lucas reassured Peyton. "She's evil, but you guys aren't who she's after she hates me and Brooke. All she was doing was making empty threats."
"I don't know Luke." Jake said doubtfully. "But I hope you're right."
TBC
A/N: Whoo, who guessed that if Peyton and Jake came down I'd bring in Nikki? Nobody? Well hah, that means I'm cool! Question: Does anyone know Nikki's last name on the show? This is going to be the last problem that the group deals with before heading back to New York.