Disclaimer: I don't own OTH or these characters.

Author's Note: You guys rock! Thanks SOOO much for the great reviews, I am so happy you like it. Here's the next chapter... I thought it was time to throw in Lucas to the mix. By the way, do you want me to add spoilers for the next chapter at the bottom? If so, let me know. Keep the reviews and suggestions coming!

sweetgirl73: I read your review, and totally agreed with everything you said. Like you, I am usually a die hard Brucas fan, but Brathan caught my attention. And yes, I will be building their relationship up. I definitely won't have them jump into something too quick. thanks for the suggestion!

S.: me too! here's your wish...

Ababy99: Thanks, I wanted show a side of their friendship that wasn't full of drama.

Belle-Baby: LOL I love that quote too! Thanks!

Mony19: Thanks!

Chapter Three

I'll Let You Know

Two weeks later, Brooke had been hard at work on designs for the store. Her fashion line was called Cheery. It was a nickname Lucas gave her a long time ago, and even thought things between them had ended badly, she loved the name. Tricia had also loved it, so it just sort of stuck. She and Tricia got along great.

She had visited Karen a few times when she was on a lunch break. They were becoming fast friends. Brooke had learned that Karen was still with Andy. The two had gotten married in a small ceremony three years ago. Lucas had been the best man, and Deb had been the maid of honor.

On this particular day, Karen was taking a break and eating lunch with Brooke. The café wasn't very busy at that time.

Brooke asked, "So, Lucas is back, right?"

Karen nodded. "Yes, he is moved into his home and everything. He moved in last week."

"Cool. I have to go visit him sometime."

Karen smiled at her. "He'd like that. I mentioned that you were back in town."

Brooke nodded. "Can I ask you a personal question? You don't have to answer," she said quickly.

Karen smiled. "Of course."

"Well, are you done with kids? I mean, Lucas is out of college now, and I was just wondering if you and Andy were ever going to... you know."

Karen thought for a minute. "We have discussed it. As you know, he is so much younger than me. He really wants children, or at least one. I do too. I would love to have kids with him. It is definitely an option."

Brooke nodded. "If I ever get married, I think I would wait a few years until I had kids. I want children, but I think I would want the first few years of marriage just to be about me and my husband."

Karen smiled. "You are very smart, Brooke."

"I try," she said modestly. She then grinned. "Anyways, I was just curious."

"Nothing wrong with that," Karen said. She wiped her mouth. "Anything else?"

Brooke shook her head. "No thanks. I'm stuffed. I should be getting back." She stood up and threw her stuff away.

She said good bye to Karen and turned around. She bumped into someone. Flustered, she apologized, "I'm sorry..." She trailed off when she saw she had ran into Nathan. "Nate."

He flashed her a smile. "Hey. No big deal."

She brushed a strand of brunette hair out of her eyes. "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged. "I am on a lunch break, so I figured I would come visit you. I stopped by the store, but the woman told me you were here."

Brooke smiled. "Well, I'm glad you came by." He smiled back at her. As weird as it sounds, he was finding himself actually enjoying her company. A lot.

They started to talk about his work when the door opened again. "Excuse me," the person said.

"Oops, Nate I think we're in the way," Brooke laughed. She turned around to apologize when she saw the person was none other than Lucas Scott. "Lucas!" She exclaimed.

He did a double take when he saw it was her. "Brooke? Brooke Davis?" She nodded, smiling from ear to ear. She hugged him, and he engulfed her in his arms. "My mom mentioned that you were back, I guess I just didn't really believe her."

Brooke stood back, next to Nathan. "Well, here I am. How are you?"

"Good," he said, nodding. "And you?"

"I'm great," she said honestly.

Lucas finally noticed Nathan standing next to them. "Hey, man. How's it going?"

Nathan said, "Pretty good."

"What are you doing around here?" Nathan rarely came by Karen's Café, let alone in the middle of the day. He usually just skipped his lunch break because he had no one to eat with.

Nathan was about to reply when Brooke said cheerfully, "He's here to see me. We were just leaving." She gave Lucas one last hug. "Luke, you have to let me meet Crystal. Your mom says she is awesome. I'll catch you later, okay?"

Without giving him a chance to respond, Brooke was pulling Nathan out of the diner by the hand. Lucas was left very confused. Since when did Brooke Davis ditch him for Nathan Scott?

Outside, Brooke was doubled over laughing while Nathan was grinning along with her. "What the hell was that? 'You have to let me meet Crystal.' " He mimicked.

She giggled. "Its so weird between us, especially since we haven't seen each other in six years! It was getting stuffy in there, and I wanted to leave." She put her hands on her hips, and stared at him intently, pretending to be upset. "Do you have a problem with that?"

Nathan grinned. "Hell no. Come on, lets get out of here." He draped his arm around her shoulders, and she slipped her arm around his waist. Together they walked down the street, away from the café.

They kept walking until they reached the Tree Hill public park. They sat together on a park bench. Brooke was still sipping on a Coke she had been drinking while she eating with Karen. She held it out to Nathan, but he declined.

He stared at her, until she finally said, "What? Do I have something in my teeth or something?"

He laughed. "No. I was just thinking. You have changed so much since high school. You aren't as wild. Your different."

"More mature?" She guessed. He flashed her a shy smile, as though he was embarrassed to insult her. "Its okay. In high school, I was crazy. My hormones were all out of whack. College changed me. I grew up. I'm not that crazy, easy girl I was in high school. I have much more respect for myself now."

He nodded. "I can tell."

She teased, "You aren't exactly the old Nathan Scott, either. You have definitely changed."

"How?" He challenged her.

"For one, you aren't an ass anymore." They both laughed lightly. "For another, you are more understanding. Back in high school, you and I couldn't have a civilized conversation without beer or sex coming up. Or an argument."

"We did argue a lot, didn't we?"

"We sure did," Brooke murmured. "But we had fun. You were definitely a different guy once you started hanging out with Haley. You went all saint-like on us. Freaked us out, dude."

"Us?"

"Me, Teresa, Tim. And Peyton."

"Yeah. I guess I was just so intimidated by her. I felt I had to be nice and good if I wanted to be with her."

Brooke said softly, "You really loved her, huh?"

He tensed up. "Yeah, I did."

"Do you now?"

He looked at her sharply. "No. She was my first real love. Don't tell Peyton, though. I mean, the only thing Peyton and I had going was the sex. Not that it wasn't good," he said quickly. "But Haley and I... we were good for each other, you know? I will always love her. I am just not in love with her. I don't love her in the romantic sense, but I don't want bad things to happen to her."

"That's good," Brooke said. "When Lucas and I first broke up, he could have died and I don't think I would have cared. I gave him my heart, and he passed it on to Peyton like a note is passed in middle school. I'm like you. Lucas was my first love, and he knows that. I haven't found a second love, and I don't know if I ever will. I do know that I will always have a place in my heart for Lucas, though. I wasn't his first love, though. That place will always belong to Peyton."

Nathan sighed. "Want to hear something strange?"

Brooke nodded. "Sure."

He hesitated. "I haven't dated since Haley. Not once." Brooke looked at him in surprise. This was Nathan Scott we were talking about. "I know its been about five years, but right after we got divorced, we went into our senior year. I pretty much pissed and drank that year away. Then, I went to college. God knows how I made it through that. After college I got a job at Athletic Apparel Inc. and put all of my effort into it. I got in this awful wreck and it was like an epiphany for me."

"I heard about that," she said softly. She knew it was a touchy subject with him.

Nathan looked off, not making eye contact with her. "Yeah, it was pretty screwed up. The kid in the other car, he was so close to dying. I called the hospital every day for the next month. I could never have forgiven myself if he had died."

"How old was he?"

"Ten," he sighed. "Now he is thirteen. I don't know him or anything. I felt so bad, you know? I got lucky, though. I was put on six months probation and tons of hours of community service."

"Nate, it sucks that you had to go through that."

He finally looked at her. "Yeah, but it turned out to be okay. If it hadn't happened, I might be in a hole in the ground. I was so messed up back then."

Brooke nodded, and decided to change the subject. "Well, I can't say I haven't dated, because I have. But I never put my heart into the relationship. I just went through the motions. I was really focused on college and everything. Crazy, right? Brooke Davis, serious scholar."

He shook his head. "Its not crazy. We have more in common then I thought," he said, flashing her an amazing smile.

"I guess we do." They were quiet for a few minutes. "Want to know something about me?"

"Always."

She took a deep breath. "Ever since I found out about Lucas and Peyton, I have been afraid to let myself love somebody else. I guess I just keep thinking, well I thought Luke was a pretty great guy, and look what he did to me. He hurt me so bad. Why wouldn't other guys do the same to me? So, I've had relationships, but I never let myself go. Pretty sad, huh? Its been six years, and I am still scared guys are going to hurt me just like Lucas did. Guys are guys, right?"

Nathan slid closer to her. "Brooke, not all guys are like Lucas. Lucas was an ass. I know he's my brother, and I'm not saying I was the perfect boyfriend or husband, but at least I never cheated on Peyton or Haley." He said sweetly, "Lucas doesn't have any idea what he gave up, because you are a great girl. If any guy cheats on you, then he can go to hell because you have a ton going for you, and you are gorgeous."

Brooke smiled at his kind words. "Thanks, Nate," she said softly. "You're a really great guy, you know that?"

"Yeah," he scoffed. "Tell that to Haley."

"Hey," she said firmly. "Haley was just like Lucas. She didn't know what she was giving up. She probably goes to bed each night regretting everything she did. Sure, she has a record deal. But she doesn't have that special love in her life. I'm sure she knows that."

Nathan sighed. He tried to brighten the mood. "Anyways..." He said loudly. Brooke softly laughed. "I better get back to work."

She nodded. "Same here." They both stood up and started their walk back.

"I'll walk you there."

"Thanks." She held up her drink. "Sure you don't want any? Otherwise, its going to waste..."

He grinned, and took it from her. "Well, I guess I could drink it. There are starving kids in China, right?"

Brooke threw her head back and laughed. "Right," she agreed. After a few minutes, they arrived at Brooke's store, Flirt. "Thanks for coming to talk. Its nice to know I have a friend."

He leaned against the side of the building, to where he was almost shadowing her. "Sure thing. Listen, what are you doing this weekend?"

She thought for a moment. "Nothing. Why?'

"Saturday night, what do you say we go to the movies? There is a new movie out, House of Wax. It's a horror film, but it could be fun."

Brooke said lightly, "Are you asking me on a date?"

He got flustered. "What? No, no. Just friends type thing."

"Okay," she agreed. "I'll go with you to the movies. As friends."

"You got it." He started to walk away. "I'll call you," he said, with a wave.

Brooke waved back. She whispered, "Can't wait."