Brooke smiled as Lucas finally emerged from the locker room. Gym bag slung over his shoulder, he had changed into his less than fashionable yet seemingly comfortable ensemble of jeans, a plain tee shirt, and flip flops. She just shook her head at him.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Go ahead, Davis. You look like you're dying to speak so you might as well just say it. It's the flip flops, isn't it?"

Brooke tried to hide her grin.

"They're a total fashion code red but uh…the rest of the package isn't so bad so I guess I can let that one slide."

"Flattery gets you everywhere", he shrugged, putting an arm around her as they exited the First Union Center.

"Good game, Lucas!" a young fan yelled from the other side of the parking lot.

"Thanks, little man."

"Can I have your jersey?"

Brooke raised an eyebrow as Lucas pondered for a minute before unzipping his bag and pulling it out. He used a marker to scrawl his name on it before tossing it to the excited kid.

"That was really sweet of you", she smiled.

"I'm a sweet guy", he teased.

"You have your moments. But poor kid…I'm sure that jersey is good and funky by now after 48 straight minutes of hard playing."

"Just a little sweaty."

"Yuck!"

"You never complained before", he winked.

"Well…take me out to dinner first and maybe, just maybe, if you're lucky then I might let you sweat on me later."

"Dinner, huh?"

"Yeah, I'm a cheap date. Hell, forget the Filet Mignon, I'll take a number 7 at McDonald's right about now."

"Let's swing by my place first", he said, opening the passenger door for her before hopping in on his side.

They made the drive, Lucas quiet as Brooke happily chatted about everything and nothing at all. He was nervous but she didn't seem to notice that or the fact that they passed the turn to his street. When he pulled up to a curb in front of a random building, he put the car in park and pulled the key from the ignition.

"Where are we, Lucas?"

"Brooke, can we talk?"

"We are talking."

"I know but uh…"

"What's on your mind, Broody?"

"You like it here, don't you? Philadelphia, I mean?"

"Yeah. It's nice."

"And you like me too, right?"

"You're pretty okay in my book", she teased. "What's up, Luke?"

He took a deep breath. It was now or never.

"You know how I feel about you, Brooke. These past few weeks have been great. It's like starting over for us and things are really going great. I feel happy, complete even. And I'm glad you flew up and saw my game tonight. It meant a lot to have you in the stands."

"I'm glad to be here", she answered softly.

"Then don't go."

"Excuse me?"

"Stay. Stay here. In Philly with me."

She laughed out loud.

"I can't. You know that."

"Why?"

She saw that he was serious.

"You know why."

"Brooke…"

"Lucas, I care about you. And I'm happy, too. This…whatever it is we're trying to do now, well I like it. But we agreed to take things slow. I don't want to rush and have everything be all messed up like it was before. But besides all that, my life is back in Tree Hill. That's home for me. My friends are there and my career is there."

"But where is your heart?"

"Please don't do this. Lucas, for the first time, I feel like everything is going right. And I have myself to thank for that. I know when I was younger I was more carefree and laid back and more interested in where the next party was instead of my future but things have changed. I've changed. I buckled down and I got serious and I finished college and started a job I love. It's something I enjoy and I'm good at it and people respect me for it. Do you know what that feels like? My success is because of me. And not because of how I look or who I sleep with or how much money I have. That feels good. Independence feels good. Please don't ask me to give all that up."

Lucas sighed.

"Come with me."

"Where?"

"There's just something I want to show you. Please."

She nodded and got out, taking his hand and following his lead. Brooke watched with interest as he fumbled with keys and finally unlocked the door. He found a light and flicked it on as they stared at nothing but empty space.

"Where are we? What's all this?"

"Well, I had liked the name Brooke Davis Designs but uh…does it really matter now?"

"Lucas!"

"At my place right now my assistant just covered the floor with rose petals and a bunch of lit candles that spell out I Love Brooke. Dinner is waiting for us and after we made love, I was going to ask you to move here with me. When you protested about your job, I was going to tell you about this building space I leased for you and the assistant I hired for you and show you all the research and folders and stuff that's done so you could set up your own Interior Decorating agency."

Brooke's jaw fell to the floor. She looked around, not believing what she just heard.

"Lucas, this is…oh my God! All this is mine? You did this for me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I love you and I want to be with you."

"This…this is too much. I can't do this. It would never work."

"Why not?"

"Because…because, I don't know. It just wouldn't. Face it. It's us, Lucas. If it wasn't for bad luck, then we wouldn't have any luck at all. I can't do this and it's unfair of you to ask me to. My life in North Carolina was going fine until you decided to breeze back into it and turn everything upside down. I'm all for trying the dating thing again when did taking things slow turn into me moving to Pennsylvania for you? Sure I can get another job but I like where I am now. And suppose I sacrifice all that for you and come here, what am I supposed to do while you're off on the road for most of the year? Lucas, I don't want to be the little trophy wife or girlfriend or whatever who spends her days shopping and getting pedicures. Maybe a few years ago that would have been a hell of a plan but I've changed."

"I know. I respect that. I like who you are and I don't want you to change for anyone. Even me."

"Then why go through all this?"

"Because I am crazy, head over heels in love with you and have been for the last five years. Do you know what that's like? To emotionally ache for someone so much, so long that it physically starts to hurt? Maybe buying the building was a mistake but I know how much you love what you do and I just anted you to be happy. I wanted to prove to you that you could still work and be independent here. Nothing would change except you and I would be together all the time. I know it's unfair asking you to give up everything and move here but I didn't have another choice. Believe me, I tried. I begged for a trade to Charlotte, hell I even would have taken a pay cut so just I could be closer to you but the Sixers wouldn't let me go."

She looked at him with tears in her eyes.

"But you love Philadelphia and your team and the coaches. You mean, you'd give all that up for me?"

"Yes, Brooke. A thousand times yes."

"Why?"

"Because you're worth it. And because I love you."

"Luke…"

"All that stuff we said about Nathan and Haley and how they lost true love. You said you didn't want it to happen to you. Well neither do I. I don't want to lose you. I just want you in my life. Sorry if I went about this the wrong way but I didn't know any other way. And I had to give it a shot, Brooke. I'm sorry."

He started to walk away.

"Does Philly get cold in the winter?"

"What?" he asked.

"You heard me. I asked if it's cold here in the winter."

"Yeah."

"Okay", she brushed by him. "At least I know to pack my moisturizer."

"What?"

"Moisturizer. For my face, Broody. My skin gets wicked dry in the winter time."

"Brooke, are you…"

"And I can put my plants over there. And I can hire a few more people. And my office is there…"

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"That I'm moving here? Yeah. I'll give it a shot. You went through a lot of trouble and besides, Brooke Davis Designs sounds kind of catchy."

"Yeah…it does", he smiled.

"Oooh, Broody, does this mean I'm the president of the company?"

"Uh…yeah, sure. I guess. Whatever you want, babe."

"Kick ass! Brooke Davis, or Madam President. Wow. This keeps getting better and better."

"Brooke, are you sure?" he asked quietly. "Because I want you to be sure."

"I'm not sure. I'm scared out of my mind and a million things could go wrong but I choose to follow my heart. Because it's telling me, 'Don't be an idiot and let this guy get away again'. I love you, too Lucas and that's the only thing I am sure of. Life is about gambles and risks and sacrifice and you've done all those for me. Now it's my turn. I guess I'm meeting you halfway."

"You're amzing, you know that?" he kissed her.

"Yeah? You're pretty freaking amazing yourself."

"So this is it, huh? We're really going to do this?"

"We are. And now you're stuck with me so no take backs, Mister. And no hair in the sink, or dirty socks lying around and oh definitely remember to put the toilet seat down."

"Any other rules, Madam President?" he grinned.

"Um, none I can think of at the moment but I'll have a list drafted up on an official memo for you in a few weeks. I'll have my new assistant do it. God, I like the sound of that!"

"I know you do. How is she? The woman you hired."

"Nice. Professional. Knowledgeable. Hard working."

"Is she pretty?"

"I don't know. I guess."

"Prettier than me?"

"Not possible", he answered, not missing a beat.

"Good. Because I can't have anybody working for me that's prettier than me. That would just bug me. So it sounds like this might just work after all."

"Well", he held her close. "Welcome to the City of Brotherly Love."

She leaned in and gave him a sweet, lingering kiss.

"Right now, it feels like the city of just love."