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 24

Warning: Language!

"Holding anger is a poison. It eats you from inside. We think that hating is a weapon that attacks the person who harmed us. But hatred is a curved blade. And the harms we do, we do to ourselves." - Mitch Albom, The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Elizabeth made her way to her office knowing that once again, this day was going to be bad. It was pouring outside and she had been utterly soaked, she had been followed once again by the paparazzi, and she was late. Horribly late. Taking away time from the website she needed to be building for another sports team Lucas had assigned her—the third assignment of that kind this week.

She sighed, her office door was open and she didn't want to deal with Lucas this morning. He'd probably demand an example of what she'd been working on and truthfully, she hadn't been working on much of anything.

"Lucas…can you come back for…" Elizabeth stopped talking when she recognized the face of New York City's most adored singer.

Yeah, her day was definitely not going good.

"I'm not Lucas." Haley said coolly.

"Oh trust me, I noticed. You would be the scorned soon to be ex-wife Haley James-Scott. We never got a chance to actually be introduced did we? I'm Elizabeth Davis." She said as she crossed the room over to her desk. "So don't get me wrong it's wonderful to meet you…I'm actually a big fan of your music but why exactly are you here?"

"I figured it'd be worthwhile to actually meet with the woman—excuse me little girl—that my husband left me for."

Elizabeth's eyes narrowed. "I don't have the time or the patience to fight with you. You want to blame someone for your ruined marriage? Blame yourself or Nathan. I had nothing to do with it."

She could tell that Haley was fighting the tears so she softened her tone. "Look, I'm sorry okay? It's shitty the way your marriage ended. You and Nathan have child coming and it sucks that he's not going to be there to support you like a husband would but I didn't wish that on you. I didn't start working here or start being friends with Nathan for the sole purpose of hurting you or that child. When I gave him that ultimatum I didn't expect to come out the victor."

Haley watched her in silence, and then spoke up a few minutes later her voice quiet and a faraway look in her eyes. "Do you think it's pathetic that I thought this baby would save our marriage?" She asked her.

Elizabeth closed her eyes tightly; she didn't want to witness this. "No."

"I thought that with a baby on the way Nathan would be forced to become the model husband again. That he would stop the drinking, the partying, all the away games and just focus on us. And it worked, for at least a little while, and we were once again the model family of New York." She said, teary brown eyes gazing into Elizabeth's pained blue ones.

"Who would have thought all you had to do was pay him a little bit of attention and he'd immediately change it all for you?" Haley laughed bitterly. "I wonder where the hell I went wrong."

"Don't compare yourself to me, it's not worth it." Elizabeth said softly. "Why are you here Haley? Is this making you feel better?"

Sad eyes instantly turned angry. "Closure." She spat. "I thought it'd be good for me to try to make amends."

"Is it working?"

Haley laughed bitterly. "Not really, but I'll have to force it won't I? It's not like you're going anywhere. You're Brooke's sister for fuck's sake."

"Yes, sometimes I hate that fact as well." Eliza deadpanned.

"What the…well this is awkward." Nathan said from the door directly behind him stood Lucas looking just as surprised as Nathan was.

"Hales, do you usually come to my building to harass my employees?" Lucas asked irritated.

"It's a one time affair, don't worry your pretty little head over it Luke, it won't happen again." Haley answered.

"You're damn right it won't. Hales I don't really know what you were thinking when you came here but this wasn't the time or place to start any type of confrontations." He growled.

She held up her hands in a sign of defeat. "I'll wait for you in your office."

"That'd be a good idea."

Haley stood up slowly and made her way to the door stopping and looking back at Elizabeth she gave her a cold look. "Well, this Friday is our usual dinner at Luke's maybe you can show up and replace me there as well."

As Haley made it outside the door Elizabeth quickly called after her. "You should work on the bitchy diva act some more that comment was positively lame."

"Jesus, what the hell am I going to do with you two?" Lucas muttered as he followed behind Haley.

"Well now that we're alone." Nathan said rolling his eyes. "Did Haley try to curse you out?"

Elizabeth grinned. "Operative word being tried, I'm a hard one to crack. I think that pregnancy is screwing up her mind. First she was ice bitch, then she was sentimental teenager, then she became the diva. Next time you see her in court tell her to keep a better leash on her split personalities."

He laughed and dropped into the seat Haley had vacated just a few minutes earlier. "I'll make sure to mention that after the custody hearing."

"Haley have you gone off the deep end?" Lucas yelled slamming his office door shut behind him. "Are the hormones making you wacky? Did you forget to take your medication? Did someone steal your Gucci bag?"

Haley rolled her eyes.

"What possessed you to come here today and attack Elizabeth?"

"Why are you defending that whore?" She asked.

"Damnit Hales, she's not a whore she's Brooke's sister and Nathan's current girlfriend!"

"And the bitch that broke up my marriage."

"She didn't break up your goddamn marriage!" Lucas shouted. "Jesus Hales, I know you're pissed and you want somebody to blame but Elizabeth's not the person. If you want to blame someone all you have is you and Nathan. You two were ultimately the only ones who could have saved your marriage!"

"Look Luke, I'm not going to sit here and listen to your self-righte…"

"Haley shut up okay? I'm self-righteous all of a sudden? How many times have either you or Nathan come to me about your asinine problems that I didn't have to help with? Yeah…I figured too many times to count. All I ever try to do is help you so don't get an attitude with me" He growled. "And I have every damn right to yell at you, you came into MY office screaming shit at MY employees, you want to go do that shit? Do it out on the street…it's the perfect setting for acting like the ignorant teenager you're emulating!"

Haley looked slightly ashamed. "You're right, I shouldn't have done this here…I didn't know what I was thinking."

He snorted. "Obviously. Hales, I'm pissed right now, so can you just go?"

She sighed. "Yeah…alright…Luke I really am sorry."

"Go home and take care of that baby you're carrying."

Haley gave him a shaky smile and left closing his office door gently behind her.

Lucas swiveled in his chair and looked out the window at the city streets. He groaned to himself and curses his terrible conscience. Grabbing his cell phone he punched in his best friend's number. "Hales, apology accepted."

He could hear the smile in her voice. "Thanks Luke…"

"And I was being an ass a few minutes ago, I didn't mean to blow up at you."

"Yes you did, but I don't mind I needed it. I'm acting like a jealous and ridiculous ex-wife. I'm acting like Serena's mom."

"Yeah, you are sort of acting like Serena's mom."

"I'm in the taxi now and I can't get over how stupid I must have looked to Elizabeth this morning. That's not how I wanted things to go."

"Yeah Hales I could tell, you hardly ever get into any fights let alone start them. You usually leave that to me."

"Well I can't run to you for this one can I? Nate and I fucked this up all on our own…I fucked this up all on my own."

"Glad to see you finally realized that." He remarked dryly.

"Don't be a smartass." She warned.

"I'm sorry Hales…" He said feeling genuinely guilty. "For everything."

"Me too Luke, guess we're not the perfect Palm Beach trio anymore right?"

He chuckled slightly. They had been called the Palm Beach trio in high school because although they weren't snobby, others had told them that they emanated a 'back off' vibe. Like no one could ever intrude in the world they had created for themselves. "I guess we're not." He said finally. "Have you guys told Dan, Karen, and Keith?"

Haley groaned. "I'm not telling that bastard anything…and Karen and Keith are in New Zealand."

"Right." He said feeling foolish. "The wedding and work has been keeping me busy, I haven't had time to call my own mom."

"It's okay Luke, it's understandable."

"Doesn't make it any better though." He said sighing. "I got to go Hales…clients are calling me."

"I forgot, you're a working man." She teased.

"Unfortunately…Hales, I love you."

"Love you to Luke…I'll see you later."

Brooke waltzed into Lucas's office and shot a winning smile his way as she threw herself into one of his desk chairs.

"Hello oh wonderful fiancé of mine!" She exclaimed happily. "What's up?"

He looked up at her with an amused expression. "Work, work, more work, and a little bit of family drama in between. How about you?"

"Oh you know the usual idiotic freelance writers, competitive magazines, and incompetent assistants."

"Yet you're still 'happy-go-lucky, I'm way too perky' Brooke." He noted. "You must lend me some of the drugs you're on."

She grinned again and patted his hand. "Was today that horrible?"

He laughed. "Oh no, it was about a thousand times worse but you made my day better just by coming here."

"Glad to see nothing stops those compliments." She said. "What happened?"

"Let's see…I got a call from Angie that Haley stormed into Elizabeth's office and proceeded to curse her out, I got in a fight with Haley then called back and apologized, two of my newest clients just got new representation, and my parents have decided that you need some help with the wedding so they're coming to New York all the way from New Zealand!" He sighed and ran a hand down his tired face. "This day can't get any worse, its only noon!"

Brooke winced. "Wow, Haley versus Elizabeth showdown can't believe I missed it. Did Elizabeth win?"

"I think it was pretty even but Elizabeth insists that she won."

"As she would, she's a Davis—we don't back down."

He rolled his eyes "Right."

"What's this about parents coming to New York? I thought they were having fun in New Zealand." Brooke asked.

"Mom called for an update on what was going on and my answer was not satisfactory enough for her. She basically chewed me out and told me that I was giving you too much responsibility and that she and Keith would fly up here by the end of the week."

Brooke smiled. "Your mom and Keith I can handle as long as Dan doesn't make an appearance I'm fine."

"Don't hold your breath." He said sighing again. "He'll be up here sooner or later. Hopefully later."

"So how was the meeting with the wedding planner?" He asked.

"Jenny's a doll!" Brooke gushed. "She's a slightly annoying one, but I can't knock her methods—she delivers. The flowers and decorations for the wedding are perfect. I absolutely adore them and she brought an example of the invitations. They are beautiful."

"When are we sending them out?"

"This weekend." Brooke said grinning broadly. "We're getting married Luke!"

"I know Brooke." He said laughing at her. "I kind of asked you."

She swatted at his arm playfully. "Did you give me the names of everyone you wanted invited?"

He nodded. "Did you get in touch with your parents?"

"No but I gave Jenny the last address they gave me so hopefully they'll call back. I don't want to have to resort to using Dan to walk me down the aisle." She pulled a face. "That'd just be disgusting."

Lucas chuckled. "That's my father you're talking about!"

"Yeah, unfortunately." She leaned back in her chair. "Did you ask Nate to be your best man yet?"

"Did you ask Peyton to be your maid of honor?"

"Yes as a matter of fact." She said sticking out her tongue.

"I'll ask him on Friday."

"You better." She glanced at her watch and groaned. "Duty calls."

He grinned up at her. "Back to the rabid pool of fashion magazines?"

"Yes hubby-to-be." She said kissing him lightly on the lips. "I love you."

"I love me too." He said smile growing larger. "But I think I have some room in my heart for you."

TBC

A/N: I don't know where that last part came from…