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 18
Brooke slid into the seat of the newly vacated table at the café across from Peyton's gallery. In favor of being friends than enemies, Peyton had invited her to dinner in order to apologize. At least that's what she hoped she was here for. She wasn't in the mood for a fight. She had been on a perpetual high ever since she had told Luke she was in love with him and heard of Haley's pregnancy.
She looked up and smiled slightly as Peyton rushed in blonde curls messily pulled back into a rushed pony tail. "Hi Brooke, I'm so glad that you came. I didn't think you would after our last talk." Peyton said nervously sinking into the seat across from her.
Brooke shrugged. "I didn't see the harm in coming." She answered carefully. "Unless there's a reason why you're so apprehensive. Are you going to ask me to testify again?"
Peyton shook her head twisting the white napkin in her hand into knots, a habit she had picked up during high school. "I asked you here to apologize once again. When you told me last time that you wouldn't even hear me out until I believed what I was saying I took that to heart and I realized that I was acting irrational and taking out my fears on you and for that I am truly sorry. I know you were acting in my best interest, and you were right, if we hadn't been so stubborn and had actually listened to you and Lucas we wouldn't be in the predicament that we are in now."
Brooke eyes widened and she sat back heavily in her chair. "Well Peyt, I have to say you really surprised me. I thought you and Jake would be too proud to apologize to me."
"Jake doesn't know I came here today. In fact I think he'd be pretty pissed off if he knew about it. He was really hurt that you weren't siding with him. He felt like you were attacking him personally."
She sighed. "That wasn't my intention Peyt, I would never attack Jake…you two are the people I've known the longest and I consider both of you my best friends. Why would I jeopardize that by going after him? I love Jenny like she was my own daughter, I don't want to see you two deprive her of her biological mother."
"I know Brooke…" Peyton started.
"That's right you should know Peyton. Your mother died so you know the full effects of not having a mother, and I know you try your hardest to be the mother that Jenny needs but you can't take the place of her biological mother! You can't ever have that bond with her Peyt. I love you, and I don't want some stupid decision of Jake's to come back and bite both of you in the ass!"
Peyton's eyes filled with tears again and she hurriedly brushed them away. "I know you're right Brooke, I do…it's just hard you know? There's always that fear that maybe once Jenny gets to know Nikki she won't need me anymore…I don't want that to happen."
"Jenny will always need you Peyt, you don't have to worry about that." Brooke assured her.
Peyton nodded. "So are we good?"
Brooke smiled. "No hard feelings Peyt, you're like my sister I can't stay mad at you for long."
Peyton laughed obviously relieved. "That's good. This was the first big fight we've had in years, it was absolute torture not being able to talk to you, and it made it worse that you've become best friends with Haley and Nancy."
Brooke raised an eyebrow. "I must admit that I do spend a lot of time with Haley and Nancy but that's because I'm in a steady relationship with their best friend. Of course I'll see them a lot. They were good friends to me when you and Jake were being total bastards. We got close, but no matter how close we are you are my best friend and you will stay my best friend."
"How are things going with Lucas?" Peyton asked.
If it was possible the smile that broke out on Brooke's face seemed to light up the room. "I'm guessing things are going good." Peyton commented laughing at her friend's reaction.
"I finally told him I loved him a couple days ago." Brooke admitted. "It felt so good giving him that reassurance finally and finally being able to admit it to myself was even better."
Peyton squealed. "Details!"
Brooke shrugged. "It wasn't anything special. It was the same day you and Jake came to the office and I was telling him about what went on and he made me believe that I wasn't screwing up my friendship with you guys as usual and I just told him how I felt. I gave this long speech that basically said that he was good for me and I loved him." Brooke grinned at the memory. "I think I even saw some tears."
Peyton's eyes filled with tears again. "I'm so happy for you Brooke! It's about time you found yourself a good man that actually treated you well. So when can I expect a ring to be on that finger?"
Brooke burst out laughing. "We've been going out a couple of months Peyt, I don't think we're quite ready for that yet. In fact, when are you and Jake going to get hitched? You've been engaged for as long as I can remember." Brooke teased.
"It hasn't been that long!" Peyton protested a red tinge gracing her face. "We've been so caught up in work and taking care of Jenny we haven't gotten around to planning it."
Brooke shook her head in disbelief. "How long has it been now? I think it's been a YEAR since he asked you to marry him Peyt!"
"And it's going to be even longer since we have to pay to go to court." Peyton said bitterly.
Brooke gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry Peyt, but you two will get there. I know you will."
"Always the optimist Brooke." Peyton said idly.
"Not always, just since I met Lucas. I think he's rubbing off on me." She said sheepishly.
Peyton giggled. "I wouldn't be too surprised if you two got married before Jake and me"
Brooke's cell phone rang interrupting their conversation and she gave Peyton an apologetic smile while she answered it. "Hello?"
"Hey beautiful." Lucas replied. "You said you weren't working today so I was wondering if you wouldn't mind dropping by my office."
She raised an eyebrow. "Right now? I thought I told you I was going to have lunch with Peyton today."
"You did, but my visitor didn't know that you had a lunch date." He informed her vaguely. "I'm assuming then, that you are still with Peyton?"
"Yeah…Luke what is this about?" She asked confused.
"Nikki is sitting in my office right now requesting that you come and join us for a brief chat."
Brooke's eyebrows shot up higher and she stole a glance at Peyton who wasn't paying her conversation any attention. Instead the woman in question was engrossed in her salad that had just arrived. "Luke…can you handle that without me?"
"I'm sorry to pull you away from your lunch with Peyton but I'd rather not." He pleaded softly. "I like having your opinion on certain matters."
She sighed. "I'll be there as soon as I can."
"Thank you, I love you B." He said.
"I love you too Luke." She responded disconnecting the call.
"I'm guessing it's something that can't be avoided." Peyton said once Brooke had turned back to her.
Brooke nodded. "I'm sorry, but…"
Peyton waved her hand. "No it's fine, I'm glad that we cleared the air between us."
Brooke stood up bidding her goodbye. "So am I Peyt, I'll call you later."
Lucas didn't know what to expect when Nicole Green walked into his office. The fact that he hadn't seen her in almost three weeks now was proof enough to him that this was completely random. It was true that both he and Brooke had said that if she needed anything she could always contact them but that was simply being polite. "Call me if you need anything" was one of those phrases that you threw out there not really expecting it to ever happen.
Of course if he had to be wrong about something he just had to be wrong about this.
Now they were waiting in limbo until Brooke decided to arrive. He had called her, albeit a little regretfully knowing that she was trying to salvage her friendship with Peyton, but Nikki had insisted that they both be around so she could tell both of them her news at once.
He let out a thankful sight of relief when Angela, his secretary, ushered Brooke into his office. He stood up and walked over to her hugging her briefly and whispering softly into her ear: "I'm really glad you showed up just now, sitting here in silence was starting to get to me."
She smiled and took a seat next to Nikki while he returned to his office chair.
"So Nikki, we're both here why don't you tell us the big news you have?" Brooke suggested to the brunette.
"Well, when you two left Florida you said that you agreed with what I was trying to do, and that if I needed any help that you would be there for me. Let me first say that I am very thankful for that. In Palm Beach I have a reputation and I doubt many people would ever offer me any help besides Serena and her family." Nikki started straightening her short black skirt. "With that said, I've decided that because of Jake and Peyton's refusal to let me even see my daughter has changed my mind quite a bit about what I want exactly from them…."
Brooke cut her off. "I've already heard, you're petitioning for joint custody."
Nikki looked surprised. "I was under the impression that you weren't on speaking terms with your friends."
"That may have been the case in Florida, but we could hardly stay mad at each other for long." Brooke replied smoothly. "I'm sorry for interrupting, please continue."
"Yes, well I was hoping that you and Lucas would speak on my behalf." Nikki said.
Lucas looked at her incredulously. "You've got to be kidding me Nikki. You don't expect us to speak on your behalf when we won't even speak up for Jake or Peyton."
"No, I don't expect you to do that, but the judge is more than likely going to call Brooke as a character witness for Peyton and you as a character witness for me. I just want you to tell the judge the same thing that you told me. That I've changed and you think I deserve the right to see my child."
He gave her a helpless look. "By defending you before my friends were mad at me for days, if I testified for you it'd be even worse. Nikki I'm sorry but I don't think I can do this for you."
She gave him a determined look, a steely glint in her eyes. "Whatever happened to the Lucas Scott who stuck by his morals and didn't care what others thought?" She challenged him. "The Lucas Scott that told me so many years ago when he first met me that even if the whole world was against me, he wouldn't stop being my friend because others thought he should."
Brooke watched the exchange with interest; even now she was still learning things about Lucas's rocky past. Lucas on the other hand looked slightly guilty. "I figured you would bring that up." He said softly. "I was just thinking about the first time we met…" He trailed off before perking up considerably. "Alright Nikki, I don't think you're going to get the same answer from Brooke but if the judge does ask me any questions I promise I'll tell the truth."
Brooke spoke up then. "Lucas is right, I do support what you're going after but I won't alienate my best friends by testifying on your behalf."
Nikki bowed her head in defeat. "Lucas as long as I have your support I know that today wasn't a complete waste. Thank you for hearing me out at least Brooke." She said standing up.
"Wait, are you going to be staying here in New York until the meeting with the judge?" He asked.
She nodded. "I'm staying here with Serena, we decided it'd be best to get everything settled before returning to Florida." She paused at the door a thoughtful look on her face. "We barely got a chance to speak to each other while you were in Florida, and I know Serena wants to make up for what she did to you while you were there so I was thinking maybe we could hang out later on…" She suggested.
He smiled amicably. "That's fine Nikki, you have my cell phone and office numbers just give me a call when you guys have a time and place."
"Alright, see you soon then Luke, and it was nice talking to you again Brooke."
Brooke gave a half-hearted wave to Nikki and waited until the door was closed firmly behind the brunette before she turned a full on glare on her him. "What the hell? 'Of course I'd love to go out with you Nikki!'" She mocked. "'Although my crazy ex-girlfriend who tried to ruin my life will be there!'"
He sighed. "Serena apologized and you said you were fine with it."
She snorted. "That was before you decided you needed to 'catch up with her'" She growled. "What do you need to catch up on? The bitch is rich she must not do anything but sit around and shop all day long!"
He walked over and sat on his desk in front of her with an amused expression on his face. "It's not funny!" She demanded jumping up to yell in his face.
He grinned and pulled on her wrist so she toppled on top of him. Wrapping his arms securely around her he said: "You're jealous."
"Jealous of what?" She protested. "I have nothing to worry about, I am very secure about my place in this relationship."
Lucas turned her towards him at looked at her. "You're right, you do have nothing to worry about because Serena and I have no chance of ever getting back together. I'm going to visit her as an old friend and that's it. She knows from seeing us in Florida just how much I care about you and love you. She wouldn't try to get between what we have Brooke." He reassured her.
She relaxed against him. "I knew that, didn't I just tell you that?"
He kissed her hard on the mouth. "Of course you did."
It was almost nine at night when she finally arrived back at her apartment. She was called in to work to make some last minute decisions with the magazine so she had forgone her usual place at the Friday night dinner table with Haley, Lucas, Nathan, and Nancy. Instead she was going to spend her Friday night at home alone, something she hadn't done since she had started dating Lucas.
Turning the key in the lock she paused when she heard her next door neighbor calling her name. "Yes Francie?" She asked.
"Long time no see Brooke, you've got some busy activity in there today." She informed her.
"What?" She asked confused.
"Your curly haired friend was here directing some men around I think." Francie said a knowing smile on her face. "You're one lucky girl Brooke, go inside and see."
Brooke took Francie's advice waving her goodbye to her neighbor and stepping inside her apartment. She gasped in surprise and her eyes filled with tears as she looked around the small apartment. The living room was littered with bouquets of every type of flower from orchards, to lilies, and even carnations. Every color and type of flower flooded the entryway, living room, and hallway.
In the kitchen a note was tacked to the refrigerator that simply said: "Look inside." She followed instructions and inside the fridge was a fully prepared meal ready to be heated and a chilled bottle of champagne. Taped to the bottle of champagne was another simple note that said: "Take a glass and walk to the bedroom."
Once again following instructions she made her way inside her bedroom that was crowded with bouquets of roses and looked around for the note she knew she would find. Trying hard to control her tears she picked up the note and read:
A wise man once said, or maybe not a wise man but one that was in love, that a "perfect love is rare indeed—for to be a lover will require that you continually have the subtlety of the very wise, the flexibility of the child, the sensitivity of the artist, the understanding of the philosopher, the acceptance of the saint, the tolerance of the scholar, and the fortitude of the certain." I believe that when I found you I gained all these things, but more importantly I gained someone who understood me implicitly, someone who completed me, and someone I knew finally would end the searching that I had been doing all of my life. I had finally found that person that did all of these things when I met you. There isn't many ways to say this phrase. I love you. I love you with all of my heart and all of my soul and I know that no other person will ever be able to affect me the way that you do.
It's barely been three months but I know already that you are the person that I want to spend the rest of my life with. It's too early in this relationship for me to propose to you, but I want you to know that it's coming, and hopefully with luck someday when we're both truly ready I'll be able to give you the ring I so desperately want to give you today. So for now I'll settle with having you near me always, and sealing this with a promise.
From the day you've met me you've had the key to my heart, maybe now is the time to give you the key to something else, another man clearly in love said: "Come live with me, and be my love, And we will some new pleasures prove Of golden sands, and crystal brooks, With silken lines, and silver hooks."
Forever yours,
Lucas
Taped to a red satin pillow was a black velvet box and inside were a key and a beautiful platinum ring. At that exact moment the phone rang.
"You're wonderful." She managed to choke out still staring at the contents in the box.
"Will you move in with me?" He asked softly.
She laughed, tears pouring down her cheeks. "Did you really think I'd say no?"
TBC
A/N: Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! No authors note needed. Just for clarification if you read the note hard enough the ring in the box is NOT an engagement ring, it's a promise ring.