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 19

"Bad habits are like a comfortable bed, easy to get into, but hard to get out of." - Anon

For all intents and purposes, Brooke Davis had never attended a basketball game. Basketball fell under that wonderful category of sports and that was one category a girly girl never even touched, especially this girly girl. The only thing she could probably tell you about basketball was that it had some hot guys. Take her boyfriend for one and his equally hot brother, but sadly, that's as far as her knowledge went.

Upon hearing that she had never attended a basketball game her newly adopted family, consisting of Nancy, Haley, and Nathan with her overly eager boyfriend Lucas decided to take her to Nathan's latest game which would be held at home in New York.

That is why she was currently suffering a headache in her courtside seats at the Knicks versus Heat game at Madison Square Garden.

"SO HOW ARE YOU LIKING IT?" Haley yelled into her ear.

Brooke gave the girl a tight smile. "BESIDES THE FACT THAT I'M GOING DEAF IN ONE OF MY EARS, MY HEAD IS POUNDING, AND I JUST BROKE A NAIL I'M PERFECTLY DANDY!" She yelled back.

Haley laughed at her before turning back towards Lucas. Brooke shook her head in amusement. It wasn't that she wasn't enjoying herself but she couldn't be all happy because her head currently felt like jackhammers were making a permanent home.

Brooke caught Lucas's eye and signaled to him that she was going to go stand in the lobby. The game would be over soon anyway, and if she wanted to survive the photo shoots and after parties she needed to get rid of this headache and fast.

Pushing her way past the noisy crowds of people she found a relatively quiet spot outside and sat down prepared to sit out there until the game was over. Unfortunately the god's weren't smiling on her today because she was interrupted almost five minutes after she sat down by someone she definitely did not want to see.

"Theresa?" She asked in disbelief staring at her former best friend. She gave a bitter laugh and took another swig of her Evian. "As if this day could get ANY worse." She muttered. "What are the odds I'd see you again at a basketball game?"

"Tim has season tickets." She replied coldly. "Don't think too highly of yourself Brooke, I certainly didn't plan to be here the same time or place as you but it happened so how about you act like an adult for once in your life."

Brooke rolled her eyes. "Tim must be training you in the ways of making a good comeback." She said appreciatively. "At least I don't have to worry about you crying because of something I said."

Theresa seemed to have caught sight of Brooke's platinum ring because her eyebrows seemed to jump off of her face. "See something you like?" Brooke drawled.

"Didn't think you'd get engaged so quickly Brooke, at my engagement part you were so bitter I thought that boy you were dragging around would run away as quick as humanly possible."

"Oh no, in fact the same boy I was 'dragging around' gave this to me, and not even as an engagement ring." Brooke said in a cool even tone. "Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Theresa, you're losing your gold digger touch. I thought you'd sniff out how rich Lucas is by now."

Brooke could barely contain her laugher knowing that Theresa was ready to explode at any minute. "Lucas? Is he the guy that was hanging all over you at the party? What a shame that he has to buy your love."

Someone cleared their throat from behind Theresa and both girls looked up in surprise. "Trust me, I don't have to buy anyone's love." Lucas said confidently. "A girl like Brooke shouldn't be seen in anything less than perfection and perfection is what that ring is. Now I'm sure you don't quite understand the concept of real love and showing affection, I doubt that bastard of a husband you married knows anything about how to treat a woman, but Brooke here does so please don't try to trivialize what she's told you."

Brooke crossed the sidewalk to stand next to him and gave Theresa a nasty smile. "Well Lucas I couldn't have said it better myself. Is the game over already?" She asked all too sweetly.

They heard the makings of a growl but Brooke knew Lucas wouldn't end the game when they were so clearly ahead. "Nathan has to sign some autographs, you know being the MVP of the Knicks will do that to you, and I may have to answer a lot of questions but then we'll be on our way." He smiled slightly. "The after party is going to have us up until all times of the night, are you sure you'll be up to it?"

Brooke looked at him mock concern filling her eyes. "Luke shouldn't I be asking you that? It must be tough work maintaining a business that grosses over 180 million a year. All those sport and movie stars always calling us and dealing with the press; sometimes I wonder how you can handle it!"

"Don't worry about me Brooke, as long as you're by my side I can do anything." He said grinning at the corny line.

"As entertaining as it is to see you two go back and forth I have better things to do with my time!" Theresa seethed. There was rage in the woman's eyes and Brooke was almost afraid she might attack them. "There's Tim now, I'll leave you two lovebirds alone."

Apparently Lucas was having way too much fun. "No! I haven't seen Tim since the night of your engagement part and we hit it off ever so well. I have a few minutes before the game will officially be out and I have to join my brother, why don't Brooke and I come over and say hello?"

She gritted her teeth. "Sure, I'm sure Tim would love to see the both of you."

Barely holding their laughter the couple trailed behind Theresa as she reentered the stadium. They could tell when Tim spotted them because his face immediately took on an impassive expression.

"Tim!" Lucas called with false enthusiasm. "What a coincidence it is meeting you here, how have you been?"

He looked at Lucas strangely. "Just fine Lucas, how's the business coming along?"

Lucas smiled widely. "Oh you know the usual: traveling, going to basketball games, get paid thousands for overseeing my clients." He paused spotting Nathan coming out of the lobby dressed in sweats being approached by the paparazzi. "Matter of fact, duty calls, I have to go save my brother from the masses. Brooke are you coming?"

She nodded waving snobbishly to Theresa and Tim. "Maybe we'll be seeing you soon?" She asked sweetly.

Tim rolled his eyes. "I doubt it Brooke, and it was just wonderful seeing you again Lucas." He said sarcasm heavily laced in his voice.

Brooke and Lucas watched them walk away waiting for them to be a safe enough distance before bursting out into hysterical laughter. When they had finally caught their breath Brooke grinned at her boyfriend and kissed him. "Thanks for playing along." She said. "I don't know what possessed me to do that."

He shrugged. "They had it coming, plus I enjoyed it. Now let's go save Haley and Nathan before their whole life story appears in US Weekly."

She chuckled. "What's the harm in that? It happens anyway!"

Brooke snatched the drink that Haley was about to guzzle down. "Alright Hales, pregnant women should not be drinking alcohol until the baby is born, and that is an order." She chastised while downing the drink herself. "Although I understand what would drive you to drink here. This place is filled with chauvinist pigs otherwise known as basketball players and bimbos trying to hit on our men."

After a brief question and answer session with the paparazzi the group had been ushered into a limo and driven to the after party for the Knicks since they had won the game. Once again, it was Brooke's first time being at one and she was quite sure she didn't like it at all. Everywhere she turned she could see money hungry scavengers sizing up Lucas like he was the only man within a fifty mile radius.

"How do you deal with it?" Brooke asked exasperated as she glared daggers at a strawberry blonde girl who was approaching Lucas.

Haley shrugged. "You get used to seeing it happen and you take confidence in the fact that he won't cheat on you." Haley glanced at her smiling. "Which you don't have to worry about Brooke, Luke isn't going to cheat on you, not with any of these girls at least. He's probably dated at least half of them."

"Oh yeah I forgot." Brooke commented bitterly. "Lucas was quite the player before he met me."

"Brookie, get over it. Lucas is attractive and before he met you he was under the impression that it was absolutely hopeless for someone to see anything in him besides his money so he played the field."

"So if Nathan had been like that you wouldn't have minded?" Brooke asked.

"He was like that." Haley said smiling. "In high school, before we started dating, but I got over it."

"You didn't like him to get over it!" Brooke protested.

Haley giggled. "That's true." She pointed towards Lucas. "I think you better go save Lucas from the blond chick. She's getting too close."

Brooke looked over to Lucas and assessed the scene before growling. "Did I ever tell you I hate blondes?" She stalked over to Lucas and made a show of wrapping her arms around his waste and kissing his neck. "Hey sweetie, Hales is getting kind of tired don't you think it's time to go?"

He looked at her surprised. "Brooke I'd like you to meet Nina Argermeyer, she's another one of the publicists that works exclusively at Promotex."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Brooke Davis his girlfriend."

The woman smiled brightly. "It's so nice to finally meet you! Lucas is always talking about you but I'm glad I finally have a face to add to the name."

Brooke tried to smile brightly but failed miserably. "Can't say I've heard a single word about you."

Nina's bright smile dropped in caliber. "Well…" She shot Lucas a helpless look. "Like I said it's been great meeting you, enjoy the party!" The girl practically raced away, probably running from the bad vibes that were virtually radiating off of Brooke.

"What WAS that?" Lucas asked amazed. "Did I just see the reemergence of the jealous Brooke?"

She scoffed. "Jealous, me? Like I told you before that never happens." She traced small circles on his arm. "It's not my fault Ms. Argermeyer was all on you like you were the new God."

Lucas laughed. "Whatever Brookie, I must say the jealous Brooke is quite sexy." He murmured beginning a trail of light kisses along her jaw. "Were you serious about Hales?" He asked in between massaging her shoulders and showering her face with light kisses.

She shook her head. "Hales is having a fun time people watching."

"Where is everyone else?" He asked.

Brooke scanned the crowd. "Nathan's by the bar, I'm guessing Hales will be dragging him home soon before he totally destroys all the work he's been doing with AA, and Nancy has found herself a new catch. I don't think we'll have to worry about giving her a ride home."

He nodded. "I'm going to go gather up Nate, and I'll meet you and Haley outside. This party is starting to annoy me."

Brooke laughed watching him go. "Just starting?" She sneered shaking her head. She made her way back over to the table where Haley was sitting.

"You didn't forget about the pregnant lady!" Haley said awed. "I was convinced I'd have to find my own way home."

"Lucas is off getting your alcoholic husband and then we're going so let's head outside."

Haley nodded. "Just think, in a month I won't even have the willpower to come to these types of parties."

Brooke snorted. "From what I saw today I don't really think you'd be missing anything."

The two women waited impatiently outside until they saw Lucas and Nathan exit the building. Lucas dragged along Nathan and threw him into the limo giving both Haley and Brooke apologetic smiles. "Somehow I think that you don't really want to see Nathan drunk." Lucas told Haley intuitively.

"Oh really?" She asked sarcastically. "What was your first clue?"

Brooke laughed and let the driver shut the door behind her. "No use snapping at Luke Hales, yell at Nathan tomorrow when he has his hangover."

Haley smiled evilly. "Rest assured I'll do a lot more than yell. Didn't he promise he'd stop with the drinking?"

Lucas nodded. "He did but Hales this is Nate we're talking about. I think you should be a little bit more understanding he just won the game."

Haley looked at him as if he had two heads. "Where did my level headed best friend go?" She asked dazed. "Did you just condone Nathan's drinking? The world must be ending."

He laughed moving Nathan's unconscious body so he wasn't lying on him. "I'm not condoning anything, I'm just giving a reason for why it happened. I'll talk to him about it tomorrow okay?"

She nodded doubtfully. "These talks don't seem to be helping."

"He has a kid on the way Hales." Brooke added. "He's not going to fuck this up. Maybe this was just a fluke."

Haley laughed loudly. "Now that is just wishful thinking."

The limo finally pulled up to their building around 3:30 that morning and the couple was absolutely exhausted. After watching Lucas wrestle Nathan upstairs and then talk Haley into going to sleep and not murdering her currently inebriated husband Brooke swore she would pass out from laughter. Instead, after receiving many death glares from Lucas she had waited patiently in the limo until they could make their way home. She smiled slightly to herself, she like the way that "home" sounded. It wasn't just Lucas's house anymore it was both of theirs, together.

"Wake up Luke, we're there." She said shaking him from his slumber. He made a noncommittal sound and buried himself deeper into the plush interior causing Brooke to laugh at his antics.

"Come on Luke, you have a perfectly capable bed upstairs. Why don't we make use of it?" She asked.

He groaned. "Are you propositioning me? Usually I'd be all over it but I'm too dead tired right now."

She smacked him lightly. "I wasn't propositioning you, you horny bastard. Now can we get upstairs anytime this morning? Both of us have to be at work in about 4 hours."

Lucas and Brooke made their way upstairs and stumbled into the bedroom not even bothering to change out of their party clothes. "I told you it'd be a late night." Lucas said smugly.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not the one currently falling over myself trying to get into bed."

"When are you going to sell you're apartment?" He questioned her.

"I was hoping never. What's the harm in keeping it for sentimental value?"

"Are you planning on leaving me anytime soon?" He asked genuinely worried.

She shook her head. "I'm not leaving you Luke, I just want to keep my apartment. Is that really that much of a crime?"

He propped himself up on his elbow looking at her strangely. "This conversation is serious de ja vu." He complained. "One of my ex girlfriends said the exact same thing. Three weeks later she skipped town and told me that I was too overbearing."

Brooke giggled. "Luke, you're girlfriends all have a trend of being amazingly stupid so I wouldn't look back on them as reference." She smiled at him. "I'm not going to come up missing anytime soon. I love you, and I'm not going to leave you. I want my apartment for the sake of having it. Just like you have your house in Palm Beach and your apartment in Chicago for the sake of having it. It's not really uncommon to have houses that one normally doesn't use Luke."

He sighed sleepily and gave up. "Alright…I'll leave you alone about selling."

"Thank you. Plus I think Elizabeth wants it."

"Why didn't you just say that in the first place?" He exclaimed.

She smiled kissing him gently on the nose. "Because Luke, you're cute when you're worried. Now go to sleep."

He growled playfully but complied, asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.

TBC

A/N: Shorter chapter than usual but it's a filler. It doesn't have a point. Everyone give a big round of applause to my new beta: Teresa. –waves at her- Her first beta will be this part and coupled with the fact that I took forever to write it that would be why this part took so long to be uploaded. My apologies.