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 12

"The life most pleasing to God is that which is spent in most usefulness to our fellow-creatures. A man cannot love his God, and hate his brother: he cannot expect mercy, who shows none." – S. M. M'Corkle

Lucas and Brooke sat in Lucas's rented Escalade watching the Mill's estate. Lucas had originally wanted to face Serena alone, tell her to back off of Jake and Peyton but Brooke had insisted on coming along. He had thought at first it was because Brooke didn't trust him around Serena but he figured now she just didn't want him to deal with woman's jibe remarks alone.

He sighed again and then drove up to the gate ignoring the concerned look that Brooke was sending his way. "Lucas Scott and Brooke Davis for Serena Mills" He said when the gateman asked for identification. They were let in and he drove around the circular drive and parked in front.

"Ready to deal with the snake?" Brooke asked cheerfully.

Lucas groaned. "Not particularly but I don't really have a choice. It's my fault that this is all happening."

"It's not your fault, its Serena's fault for being obsessed with getting back at you for something that happened years ago."

Lucas nodded, not believing anything she was saying but smiled so she wouldn't think he thought any different. "Let's just get this over with."

They were greeted at the door by the butler and taken into a sitting room where snacks and drinks were waiting for them. Neither of them took anything, not wanting anything from the woman that was wreaking havoc on their lives.

Serena walked in a few minutes later. She was looking prim and proper as usual. Lucas couldn't believe he had been in love with her for such a long time. The girl was truly evil in an angel's disguise.

"Well if it isn't the too sweet duo Lucas and Brooke." Serena said dryly. "Considering how both of you pretty much threatened me yesterday I'm curious as to why you chose to give me this visit."

Lucas cleared his throat slightly and tried to push down the nasty retort he had rolling around in his head. "Serena I want to apologize for yesterday. You were upsetting people I consider my family and I'm very protective of my family."

She smiled slightly. "You forgot that I grew up with you Lucas, I know that."

He closed his eyes; she was going to be difficult. He could sense it already. "You know a lot about me Serena, and I know a lot about you, or at least I thought I did. Why are you doing this? Why are you screwing with so many people for a stupid mistake I did years ago?"

She smiled again but this time sadly. "Lucas, I can't answer that for you. I'm angry, I've always been angry at you for what you did to me. Do you know how hard it is to live your life knowing that the person you were certain you were spending the rest of your life with cheated on you, and then pretty much ignored you when you tried to reconcile? Then years later he comes back and you're still in love with him but can never have him because he's in love with someone else." Serena wiped away her tears angrily. "I hate you for doing this to me Lucas, I hate you!"

He dropped his face in his hands and rubbed it tiredly. "Serena, what do you want me to do? Break up with Brooke? It's not going to happen. Is that why you tried to break Brooke and me up? Well it didn't work."

"I know, and it just made me angrier that you'd do anything to go back to her but you basically ran away when it came to me."

"I didn't leave Palm Beach because of you Serena, I left because of Dan."

"With no regard to anyone else here." She spat.

"So is this why you're terrorizing Jake? Because he's my friend?" He asked.

"Don't flatter yourself Luke, I may hate you, but not enough to target each and every one of your pathetic friends. I was telling you the truth in the restaurant. Nikki and I are friends and she deserves to know where her daughter has been."

"It's funny how you decide to do the right thing when it helps you." Brooke commented her first words since she had entered the house.

Serena shot a look filled with hatred at her. "How exactly does this help me? That little girl is not my daughter."

"Yeah but her father just so happens to be a close friend of Lucas. You'd get back at him anyway you can Serena, no matter how much you try to deny it. You hate him, everyone knows that now, but going after Jake is not going to help you get over Lucas." Brooke said.

"Shut up you little bitch, you have no idea what I'm going through." Serena snapped.

Lucas could see Brooke was reaching her breaking point but was surprised when she answered her calmly. "I'm not going to say I know exactly why you feel the need to make Lucas's life your personal target but I do know how it feels to be disappointed by a person you love. A year ago I was engaged to a man named Tim Smith and he was absolutely wonderful, or so I thought. I found out that he had been sleeping with my friend Theresa for half a year. What he did to me almost ruined what I have with Lucas because I was angry and bitter. He made me believe that all men were evil, and that no one could be trusted."

Brooke grabbed Lucas's hand, that topic was painful even if she didn't have any feelings for Tim anymore. Serena stared at Brooke for awhile. "I'm not going to pretend I cared much for that story." She said coldly.

"Serena don't act like this." Lucas pleaded. "I'm sorry for what I put you through, I'd take back all the pain I put you through but I can't change the past."

Her gaze softened as she looked at Lucas's apologetic face. "Brooke I'm sorry for almost destroying what you and Lucas have. I'm sorry for being such a bitch toward you; I'm usually not like that."

Brooke nodded. "Are you still going to tell Nikki?"

"I wasn't lying when I said telling Nikki wasn't all about Luke. Nikki is my friend and contrary to what all of you seem to think about her she is a good person and she deserves to know the whereabouts of her child." Serena insisted.

"Alright, we're not going to argue with you." Lucas said defeated. "But Serena, what good is going to come out of this? The courts aren't going to allow Nikki to take Jenny away from Jake. Not after this long."

"You may be right Lucas, in fact I'm pretty sure you are right. But if I had a daughter that I hadn't seen in years, I'd want to see her—if only for a day."

Brooke bowed her head at that. "I didn't think of it like that." She said softly.

Serena smiled slightly. "Of course you didn't, you're only looking at it from your friend's point of view."

Lucas stood up as did Brooke and Serena and he hesitated for a moment before giving Serena a one-armed hug. Both she and Brooke looked surprised at his actions.

Lucas sighed. "Serena, I know when I left things with us were left unfinished and I'm sorry that it took me five years to realize that my actions hurt others, and knowing you so long and seeing what my betrayal turned you into—it hurts. I just want to say that I'm so sorry, from the bottom of my heart for doing this to you and I hope…" He paused and took Brooke's hand in his. "I hope that you can find someone to make you as happy as Brooke makes me."

Serena wiped away a tear. "Thank you for saying that Lucas."

He nodded and turned to leave. "I want things to get better between us Serena, you have my cell number, just call if you ever need something."

She nodded. "I'll do that, and Brooke I'm sorry I made you doubt Lucas, he's a good man."

Brooke squeezed his hand. "I know, I'm reminded every day that he is."

They left the house and stood there in the afternoon sun contemplating what to do next. Lucas had his arms wrapped around Brooke's waist and his head resting on her shoulder. Brooke leaned back and kissed him softly. "What you said to Serena was beautiful, I think that's what she needed to hear."

He smiled. "I'm glad I can finally feel as if I'm at peace with her. I don't want anything like that to ever come between us again."

"Well then let's just hope there aren't any more ex-girlfriends waiting to sink their claws into you."

He laughed. "I'm pretty sure all the ex-girlfriends that have reason to hate me are either dead, in a different country, or can be taken care of."

"You sound like a mobster." She said giggling.

They got into the car and drove around for a bit, both of them not wanting to go back to the hotel yet. "Let's go out for an early dinner." Brooke suggested.

"We should tell Jake that we couldn't convince Serena…" Lucas said.

She shook her head. "What difference would it make? He didn't even know we were going over there to talk to her."

"You're right…let's go to Emerald Coast, it's a really nice Japanese restaurant."

"Sounds good to me."

They arrived back at the hotel minutes to seven after being gone all day without contacting anyone. It was refreshing to have the day to themselves, even if they had to make a detour to Serena's house, but despite how it had started the visit had ended with closure. Something that she knew Lucas needed, no matter how much he said that he loved her.

"I don't want to go upstairs yet, it's been great being just you and me. As soon as we get up there it'll be us and everyone else." Lucas said nuzzling her neck.

Brooke smiled. "I'd love to go somewhere where it would be just you and me but we did invite all these people."

He sighed. "You're right…once again. Come on…" He took her hand and they playfully kissed and nipped at the other while waiting for the elevator to get to their floor. They walked hand in hand down the hallway and Brooke stopped abruptly when Lucas gasped at a woman walking just a bit ahead of them.

"Nikki?" He asked in disbelief.

The dark haired woman turned around and smiled in recognition. "Lucas Scott." She replied in her smooth voice. "Serena told me to expect you here."

She looked over to Brooke and smiled congenially. "And you must be Brooke. It's a pleasure to meet you I'm Nicole Green"

"I'm not sure whether I should say it's a pleasure to meet you or why are you here." Brooke replied honestly.

Nikki smiled as if she had expected that response. "I'm sure from what Lucas has told you about me you probably think I'm a nutcase."

"She has no reason to think that Nikki, I didn't talk with her about you." Lucas said.

"That's surprising. I would think you, Jake, Nathan, and Haley would try to poison everyone you meet against me. You did it in high school, why not now?"

"Because in high school you were a different person and from what I already went through with Serena I didn't want to expect you to be a certain way." He answered.

She smiled fondly. "You were always the level-headed one." She said. "So I'm guessing you're not going to fight me if I want to see my child?"

"That's not my decision Nikki." He said softly. "But from how you were in high school I know why Jake doesn't want you near her."

"People change all the time Luke." She reminded him. "It's a part of growing up."

"Why don't we get Peyton and Jake?" Brooke suggested.

"Wait here and I'll go get them." Luke offered.

They waited in the hallway both unsure of the other. Brooke was worried, from the description of Nikki's past behavior given to her by Jake she had more than enough reasons to hate her but Nikki was right, people changed all the time. They grew up and they recognized that what they were doing was wrong and therefore made amends.

"Nikki…" Brooke started.

The woman looked at her. "Yes Brooke?"

She hesitated. "I wanted you to know that I don't hold the things that you did in your past against you and I don't want you to not be able to see your daughter. I know that you've made mistakes, and I'm hoping that Jake can see it as well. No one deserves to never know their own daughter."

Nikki nodded. "Thank you, I'm glad that you understand."

Lucas came out then, with Peyton and Jake in tow. Peyton smiled slightly at Nikki and Brooke ushered them downstairs and onto a secluded corner of the pool deck where it would be warm and comfortable and probably no one would disturb them.

They sat there awkwardly for a few minutes before Peyton spoke up. "I guess I should introduce myself since we don't know each other." She started. "I'm Peyton Sawyer, Jake's fiancée."

"Nicole Green, but I'm sure you know me as Nikki. Once nickname's start it's hard to get them to go away." She said smiling disarmingly.

"Why are you here?" Jake asked bluntly not wanting to prolong this meeting any longer.

She flinched and Brooke barely caught the hurt that flashed through the brunette's eyes. "I want to be able to see my daughter." She requested softly.

"I don't think that's going to be possible." Jake grounded out. "You made it more than clear that you wanted nothing to do with her when you left."

She closed her eyes guiltily. "Jake, I'm not going to sugarcoat my actions back then. I was an idiot that had unprotected sex and had a child. I was scared and my parents were refusing to help me. I didn't want to be tied down, not after I had gotten into UM. I'm sorry that I left without a notice but I didn't want you to try to stop me."

"It's not an excuse." Jake said unforgiving.

"Believe me I know that, and I regret every day that I didn't see my little girl grow up. But I'm here now and I want her to get to know her real mother."

"Peyton is her real mother, the only real mother she has had and for you to just waltz in here and demand to see her is not going to work. What do I do when you decide to leave again? When you decide that your job is more important than your own daughter?" He yelled, and then quieted down so he wouldn't attract attention from the other guests.

"Jake I've changed! I'm not the brash teenager that you knew me to be. I'm more responsible than I was before, I'm more grounded, and I know now who I want to be and where I want to go." She smiled softly. "I'm not threatening to take her away and I'm not plotting on making your life miserable. I just want the chance to get to know my daughter."

"What do you think Lucas? You think she's changed?" Jake asked Lucas.

Lucas shrugged. "From what I see now compared to how she was then she's changed a lot, and definitely for the better."

Nikki smiled gratefully at Lucas. "I don't know…" Jake said doubtfully. "Nikki, I want to think that you're serious about this but you haven't given me a lot to work on."

"Besides…" Peyton added. "You sent us letters a while back saying the same things. That you had changed and wanted to see your daughter but you never followed through!"

Nikki's eyes narrowed. "Whose fault was that? It certainly wasn't mine. I wrote you and you never replied, by the time I wrote again you're address changed and where was I to get that address from?" She accused. "I'm not a magician Peyton, I can't magically find people if they don't want to be found."

"Why now? If you would have never gotten a heads up from Serena you wouldn't have known we were here and we would have left and your life would have gone unchanged so why is it that you need to see Jenny?"

"Jenny?" She commented wistfully. "Is that what you named her? That's a beautiful name."

Jake nodded. "She's a beautiful girl Nikki."

"Why now? Because I have the chance to." Nikki answered simply.

"I'm sorry but that's just not good enough for me. Please, don't come back and don't pursue this." He said softly.

Nikki's eyes narrowed and her eyes welled with tears. "What right do you have to keep me away from my own daughter?"

"My daughter." Peyton said in the same tone as Jake. "She's been my daughter and she recognizes me as her mother. What's the point of introducing her to someone that means nothing to her?"

"You didn't have her did you?" Nikki asked. "I didn't think so, so therefore she is not your daughter."

"Peyton is her mother in every sense of the word Nikki." Jake said.

She stood up brushing away her tears. "I'm not going to let you take my daughter away from me, I wanted to be civil and you're the one that shot me down so I'm taking you to court."

"Take me to court all you want to, they're not going to take her away from me." Jake said.

"Why can't you get it through your thick head that I don't want to take her away from you? I just want to be able to see her!"

"Why can't you get that I don't want your crazy ass anywhere near her?" He shot back.

Nikki whirled around and stalked out the hotel.

"Jake that was uncalled for." Brooke said immediately.

"You don't know Nikki like I know her Brooke so don't try to hound me for this." Jake said obstinately.

"She's changed Jake, does she really look like the type of person that's going to hurt Jenny? She just wants to see her kid."

"Whose side are you on Brooke?" Peyton demanded. "Why are you defending her?"

"Because you two are being unreasonable!" Brooke shouted. "You're attacking her for mistakes that she's obviously sorry for. Why do you want to continue punishing her for it?"

"She deserves each and everything I said to her." Jake insisted. "I'm not about to take back what I said. She's a crazy bitch, and she always will be one."

"You two are being ridiculous." Brooke muttered.

"Brooke, stop acting like this has anything to do with you!" Peyton said angry. "Jenny is my daughter and I'm not going to let that woman take her away from me!"

"You're forgetting that Jenny isn't your daughter and Nikki clearly just said she doesn't want to take her away from you. Stop letting your insecurities hurt that little girl!"

"Look, we don't want or need your input to stay out of it." Jake said icily. "We're going upstairs."

Brooke watched sadly as her two best friends left then turned to Lucas. "Do you think I was wrong to tell them that?"

He stayed quiet and moved closer to Brooke so he could kiss her forehead. "I think that you're an excellent judge of character and even I admitted that Nikki has changed. I don't know why Jake and Peyton are so scared of letting Jenny see Nikki but they're also right when they say it has nothing to do with you. Even if we know what the right thing to do is logically and the best thing for Jenny it is ultimately their decision."

Brooke nodded giving up and leaning back into Lucas's comfortable embrace. A few minutes later she spoke up again. "I want to leave early."

"What?" He murmured against her neck.

"Florida…I want to leave earlier. This place, it's not fun anymore. Day after day we just find ourselves deeper in the action."

"Do you want to go back to New York or finish off the week somewhere else?" He asked.

"You'd really leave early?" She asked surprised.

"Brooke, if you're unhappy here then we'll leave. I want to see you happy, because when you are so am I."

She smiled. "Thank you."

"Anything for you." He said. "I love you, remember?"

"I know." She kissed him softly claiming him as hers once again. "I know."

TBC