Megan stared at her reflection in the large vanity mirror. She was the picture of perfection. A traditional Southern bride. The white gown fit her to a tee, an image of pure loveliness. Make up had been expertly applied and there was not a flaw in her perfect creamy and smooth skin. Her hair had been styled into a classic updo with beautiful golden curls spiraling out the sides. It was her wedding day. It was supposed to be one of the greatest days of her life. She was supposed to be happy…but her face told a different story.

"Come in", she said softly as she heard the knock on the door.

Brooke.

"You all set?" the brunette asked.

"Yeah, I just have to put on my veil.

Brook nodded and smiled nervously.

"I just dropped by to see how you were. Um, I probably know I'm like the last person you want to see right now but I really wanted to apologize. I should have said something earlier but I was embarrassed."

"Brooke…"

"You trusted me with a really big secret and I let you down by blabbing to Lucas who in turn told Nathan. He shouldn't have had to find out that way that he was going to be a dad. I'm really sorry, Meg."

"It's okay. I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at myself. You're right. I should have told Nathan a long time ago."

"But he knows now, right?"

"Yeah."

"Is he happy?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I think so. He loves kids."

"Good. Then it all worked out, I guess."

"Yeah…I guess."

Megan's voice trailed off sadly.

"Uh oh. I don't like the sound of that", Brooke said, pulling up a seat. "What's the matter with you?"

"Nothing, I…"

"Megan, come on."

She took a deep breath.

"Okay. You know things had gotten really bad between Nathan and me lately. After the Dominican but even before that. Ever since he found out he was still married to Haley."

"Yeah."

"I don't know. I just felt like something was going on."

"Like what?"

"Like Nathan is still in love with Haley."

"We've been through this and…"

"And what? Are you going to tell me I'm being ridiculous? Because I don't think so, Brooke."

"No, I just…"

"Remember all that stuff with you and Luke and Peyton back in high school?"

"I've spent the last seven years trying to forget but since you brought it up…" Brooke said ruefully.

"Ultimately, it came down to a choice and Lucas, at the time, chose you over Peyton even though he secretly loved her."

"Yeah…"

"You knew, didn't you?"

"What?"

"When he was with you that it was her he really wanted."

Brooke closed her eyes. That had been a long and painful time ago but she remembered it just like it was yesterday. She knew exactly what Megan was talking about.

"Yeah…I knew. I didn't want to know because sometimes we…well, we see what we want to see instead of what's really there. It hurts too much to face it. But I did know. I saw it when he looked at me and when he looked at her."

"A woman's instinct never lies, does it?"

"No, I guess not."

"I know, Brooke."

"Know what?"

"Whatever it was they had, it was beautiful and special and just magical. And very real. Nathan never got over that. I don't know if he ever will. Being with me was just a way to cope because he couldn't have her."

"Oh Meg…"

"It hurts", she said softly.

"I know but Nathan does love you. You have to know that. And now this baby changes everything."

"It does. He's back with me because it's the right thing to do. He doesn't want to abandon our child."

"He loves you."

"He loves her."

"How do you know? I mean, think about it. How do you really know? It could just be…"

"I heard him."

"What?" Brooke stopped.

"I heard him say it", Megan whispered. "He thought I was sleeping…but I wasn't. It was when he found out about the baby. He came back to me and we argued because I accused of being there only because of the baby. He denied it of course. We talked. And we made love. And it almost had me convinced. God, Brooke I was so happy. Because I thought we were going to be happy. I thought everything was okay. He held me and he called out to her. I heard it as plain as day and I'll never forget it. I told him I loved him and he whispered, 'I love you, too, Haley.'"

"Megan…"

Brooke reached out to her and the women embraced.

"Brooke, I don't know what to do", she cried.

"You love him, don't you?"

"With all my heart."

"You still want to marry him?"

"Yes, I do. A part of me hopes that'll he eventually get over her. That the baby will make it all better. That one day we'll be a normal, happy family."

"Sweetie, I'm sorry but there's no guarantee that will happen. It might and it could and for your sake I hope to God that it does. But…it might not."

"I know. So this is the part where I make a choice. I can either walk down that aisle and smile and pretend everything is wonderful and marry him and hope that he changes and he grows to love me like he once loved her and that this little baby will complete our lives. Or…"

"Or?"

"I can save us all a lot of pain and maybe a little of my dignity and get out now. Just slip out before anyone sees me."

"Megan, I know you're hurting and I know this is tough but Nathan does love you. And he loves the baby. You have every right not to marry him but if you do then…I don't know. Just do it the right way, I guess. Don't just leave, especially leave him at the altar. Don't hurt him like that. Don't humiliate him. If you do…then, you're just as bad as Haley and what she did. Six and a half years ago she nearly destroyed that boy. Don't you finish it."

Megan wiped a tear.

"I don't know what to do. I love him. I love Nathan so much. And I want this to work. Gosh, I don't want to be stupid about it. But at the same time I am and I can't help it because I feel like I'm grasping at straws and trying to hold onto something that could never be, something that's based on the principle of a lie."

"I don't know what to tell you. Meg, this isn't my call. I can't tell you whether or not to marry Nathan. That has to be your decision and I hate to rush you but it's one that you're going to have to make real soon. You're supposed to be getting married in hours."

"I know."

"So are you? What are you going to do?"

Megan stroked the diamond studded cross that lay between her breasts as she closed her eyes and prayed to her God for guidance. She loved him. She wanted desperately, more than anything, to be Mrs. Nathan Daniel Scott.

But she wanted him to love her, too. Really love her for Meg and not because she could be the quiet little trophy wife who was nothing more than a replacement for the one he had lost. Despite her strong love, could she do it? Could she really handle it? Was she prepared to live the rest of her life knowing she was someone's second choice? Knowing she had been kept around because of the child she was carrying? Knowing every time he looked at her or made love to her, that it was really Haley James he was wishing for.

"I know what I should do, Brooke", Megan sighed wipong her eyes. "I just don't know what I'm going to do."