So I stayed up till 3.00am finishing this so I could upload it on Saturday night for my fabulous readers, but then FanFiction wouldn't let me log in! I had really wanted this to be up on Sunday, but the internet had other ideas, sorry!
Thank you for your lovely reviews! Common consensus seems to be that Karen should be with Andy, so that's the way I'm going. It was pretty split about Deb and Dan so they're half together (you'll get what I mean).
Here are some replies for people with questions/suggestions:
Mrs. Mariano: Hmm…mistletoe – I'll see what I can do! And yes, once a jerk always a jerk, but even jerk's can be nice at Christmas!
Alex: Nope they didn't have sex, just shared a bed. Sorry that was confusing!
bballchick2404: sorry Karen's not going to be with Keith. An engagement ring would be so cute, but they're not quite there yet!
BlueSilverLining: But of course I need motivation! Cos you know, the hotness of BL just isn't enough ;)
Iloveoth: Yeah I know the feeling, it would be great if they got together straight away…but then how could I write about all the unresolved sexual tension I have planned!
Once again thank you to everyone! Hope you enjoy the next part…
They arrived at the airport just before Jake and Peyton did, and so met them as they came through the gate. They both seemed tired, but happy to be back in Tree Hill and with their friends again.
After a pit stop at Jake's house to drop off Jenny, because his parents were dying to see her, they all headed off to the Rivercourt to do some good old hanging out. Lucas was overjoyed to find Skillz there, just back from Duke for the holidays, and the guys inevitably started playing basketball.
Nathan passed to Lucas and he took it to the net, dodging round Jake to tip it in.
"Okay, this is totally unfair, dog. You two cannot play on the same team!"
"You wanted to be the other captain, man!" Lucas said, laughing at Skillz.
"Because I thought you'd let me have the other Scott."
"Hey, I'm not that bad," Jake interrupted.
"You're better than me, dude," Skillz assured him, "But, no offence, they's both better than you!"
"Okay, I'll tell you what," Nathan said, "You can have the girls."
"What?" Haley's voice came across the court from the bench where they were watching.
"You'll play right? Give Skillz here a little support."
"Um, Nathan? We suck," Peyton pointed out.
"Y'all date basketball players," Skillz said, "You can't be that bad."
"I don't," Brooke chipped in.
Skillz just rolled his eyes, ignoring this comment, as it was totally void. Brooke and Lucas as good as dated.
"Yeah, Hales, you're…okay."
"I can't even bounce the ball Nate."
"Would you just come and play? I don't want to have to switch teams," Lucas groaned. He missed playing with Nathan, and he wanted to take any chance he could get.
"Fine," Brooke conceded, grabbing the others' hands and pulling them up. "Jake, we apologize in advance."
They came onto the court, and Nathan passed the ball to Skillz. "Aight, we're shooting that way," he pointed, "Just…try to remember that."
Peyton rolled her eyes. "We said we sucked at basketball, not that we're stupid."
"Sorry. Okay, ready?"
Nathan looked to Lucas. 'I'll take Jake, you take the girls,' he mouthed. Lucas chuckled and nodded.
Skillz held up the ball, and they began to move, trying to get free of their markers. The girls spread out and Lucas was hard pushed to cover them all. Peyton got free on one side and Skillz passed to her, Nathan moved a little towards her and she passed to Jake, the pass just tipping Nathan's fingers but finding its target anyway.
Jake moved up the court, Nathan catching up with him after a few seconds, and looked for a pass. Haley was standing near the net and Jake laughed as he saw her waving her arms in the air.
He passed to her but Lucas dodged in and hit it out of the air just before it reached her, catching it again and moving back down the court.
"Hey!"
"Sorry Hales!"
Lucas passed to Nathan who shot a three pointer from outside the circle. It swooshed through the net, and the two brothers high-fived.
"That is so unfair."
Skillz just shook his head.
They continued playing, Jake and Skillz organising their little troupe of players so Nathan and Lucas had a harder time getting to the net.
The girls also proved rather good at distracting the guys. Nathan performed a perfect interception to get the ball, had taken it halfway down the court and was looking for a pass, when he realised that Lucas was still up the other end, where Brooke was talking to him, a hand resting on his chest.
"Er, Luke! I can't do much 1 v 4!"
Lucas turned around, "Sorry man!" By the time he could get down there however it was swamped with players, and Nathan's pass was intercepted. Jake took it down the other end and shot it for a basket.
Nathan shook his head at Lucas, who sent a playful glare in Brooke's direction.
"What? We're losing, you gotta do what you can."
Lucas chuckled and came up behind her, sliding his hands onto her stomach where he began to tickle her. "Oh yeah? Well I call it unfair tactics."
Brooke giggled as he tickled her harder, and tried to push him off. "Luke! Come on, get off!" She wriggled out of his grasp and Lucas let her go, grinning.
The game began again and Lucas scored, and then the ball changed over and Jake got the ball to Peyton in the circled, where she shot and got a basket.
"Go P.Saywer!"
Jake turned her round in his arms and she laughed.
"Come on Brooke, if Peyton can do it, so can we!" Haley said.
In the end they both scored too. Brooke got a three pointer, that bounced tantalizingly on the rim before going in, and Haley received a pass from Skillz and was immediately marked by Nathan, but he eased off a little to let her get a shot in.
The game eventually broke up as unruly tactics broke out on both sides. It was also starting to get very cold, and Jake and Peyton went to sit on the side, wrapped in Jake's warm coat.
Nathan and Haley joined them, and Lucas picked up the ball, spinning it on his finger.
"Are we eating out somewhere later?" Peyton asked.
"We could go to Karen's again." Nathan suggested, "Otherwise we won't all be together."
"Yeah, that would be cool."
Brooke wandered over to where Lucas was standing as the others made a plan, and tipped the ball out of his hands. He looked at her but let her keep it, and she bounced it up the court and tried to shoot again from the edge of the circle.
It bounced off the backboard and out, and Brooke made a disgruntled noise. Lucas chuckled and came up to her, scooping the ball up from where it was bouncing on the ground.
"You can do better than that. I taught you how to do those."
"I forgot how," she said, turning to him with a pout. He smiled, and handed her the ball. "Fine. Come on, I'll show you again."
He stood behind her, his hands resting lightly on her hips. "Try again."
She did, and it bounced of the rim, coming back towards her. She caught it, and Lucas placed his hands over hers on the ball, "Like this." He moved his hands taking hers with them, and shot the ball. It curved in a perfect arc and went in.
Brooke turned to him and grinned, "Cool."
He chuckled and kissed the side of her head. "Come on, your turn."
Nathan watched them as Brooke went and got the ball, and Lucas showed her the hand motion again. Haley had been talking to Peyton and Jake, but her eyes noticed where he was looking and she shook her head. "God they're so cute together."
"It's driving Luke crazy."
"Being apart?"
"Yeah. He talked a little about it yesterday. I think he was okay this quarter, but he said, seeing her again…I think he's struggling a little."
"Well yeah, I mean, they knew it was going to be hard."
"Are you talking about Brooke and Lucas?" Jake asked, overhearing the last sentence.
"Yeah," Haley said. "How's he been, at college?"
Jake considered this. "Pretty good actually. He seems to be having a good time…sometimes though, when he's hanging out with us and something from high school comes up, he gets a little quiet. I know he misses her."
"Yeah, she misses him too. But I think she prepared herself a little better…or maybe she's just better at hiding her feelings."
A whoop came from the court; it appeared Brooke had got one in.
"What, like right now?" Peyton chuckled, referring to Haley's comment, as Brooke threw her arms round Lucas' neck. Haley laughed, "Okay, so maybe not all the time."
That evening Brooke and Peyton went back to Peyton's house after they'd all had lunch at the café. Peyton sighed as they walked into her room; memories flooding back as she saw all her art still on the wall and a pile of LPs next to her record player.
Brooke flopped down on her bed and looked around. "Seems like forever ago, huh?"
"Yeah…college changes lots of stuff."
Brooke chewed her lip. "How're things with you and Jake? Lucas said…you were a little rundown."
Peyton looked at her and hesitated, and then sat down on the bed. "Um…it's hard. We don't really have enough time to do much just together anymore…we get a little stressed out."
Brooke sat up and wrapped an arm round her best friend, rubbing her back. "It must be hard looking after Jenny with everything else you have to do."
"It takes up a lot of time doing it on our own…but it's not too bad. I mean, I love her so much and I don't mind giving up my time for her. I just wish Jake would believe that. I know I'm not her mother but…I want to take care of her."
"And Jake wants you to too."
"He keeps saying it's not my responsibility, that I shouldn't have to spend my college years looking after his daughter."
"He just wants you to be happy Peyt. He doesn't want you to feel obliged to do anything you don't want to."
"But I do want to!"
"Well then you have to make him see that. He will…he just thinks he's trapped you into something you didn't want."
"Yeah, that's what he says. I just can't make him see that I knew what I was getting myself into. I chose this, and I don't regret it."
"I'm sure he'll understand eventually. It'll just take a while to get used to everything."
"Yeah," Peyton sighed. "I just wish it wasn't so hard."
Brooke nodded. "But at least you're together, right?"
Peyton looked up at Brooke, and saw her sad eyes. "Yeah…we'll get through it."
On Christmas morning Brooke and Peyton woke up to find a new layer of snow covering Tree Hill. They both giggled as they looked out of the window onto the clean brightness of the garden.
"Wow…it really makes you think anything's possible, doesn't it?" Peyton said, looking out. "I mean…it's so beautiful…it's like magic."
Brooke smiled at her, "Yup. Christmas magic!" Her eyes shone. "You know what else is magical? Christmas presents!"
Peyton laughed, "Way to ruin the spiritual moment Brooke! And we're opening them all at Dan's later, remember?"
Brooke groaned, "Can't we just have one now? Please!"
Peyton rolled her eyes. "Fine." She went over to her closet and took a present wrapped in pink paper off the top shelf. "Here you go."
Brooke's eyes lit up "Is this from you?"
Peyton nodded, "Just a little something I picked out for my favourite gal pal."
Brooke smiled, and went to get Peyton's present from her bag. Peyton took it, grinning at the paper, which had pictures of CDs all over it.
They both opened them at the same time, and they're cries of delight were exactly the same as they saw what the other had given them.
Brooke had given Peyton a T-shirt, which was an original from a 'The Clash' tour, as well as a framed collage of photos of them both from high school.
Peyton had given Brooke some guitar pick earrings, and a copy of Vogue from the month she was born.
"This is so cool!" Brooke exclaimed, flicking through the magazine to look at all the photos of glamorous models in 80s styles.
"I found this little shop in San Francisco that had all these old magazines in it, and I was flicking through them and thought of you so I had to get you one. You remember when we used to dress up in your mom's old clothes? Trying to look like the models in her magazines?
Brooke laughed, "Oh my god, yeah! That was so much fun."
Peyton looked down at her collage, at all the pictures of them. "We had a lot of fun."
Brooke grinned, "We sure did P.Sawyer. And about that, I did one for some of the others too, so don't show them till they've opened there's okay?"
"By some of the others I assume you mean Lucas?" Peyton asked, chuckling.
"And Hales! I couldn't find enough pictures of Jake so he'll have to share yours. And Hales' is kinda for Nate as well."
Peyton nodded, "I can't wait to see them."
"Well then we should get going!"
Peyton was having Christmas lunch with her dad and the Jagielskis, so they wouldn't just be on their own and she and Jake could be together with Jenny. Brooke was going to Dan's with Lucas and his family, as Karen had insisted as her one-time surrogate mother that Brooke should come.
Peyton and Jake were coming after lunch to have a big Christmas tea with them all, when they would all open their presents.
Brooke arrived at Dan's house at about midday, a little nervous about lunch. All the Scotts under one roof was always a recipe for disaster. She rang the doorbell, and waited for a few seconds before it was opened by Haley.
"Oh my gosh thank god you're here!" she said, hugging her.
Brooke was a little taken aback but laughed. "Is it that bad already?"
Haley stepped back. "Keith just arrived, and Karen's here with Andy…I'm telling you you could cut the tension with a knife. And Dan's parents aren't even here yet! Merry Christmas by the way," She added, chuckling.
Brooke grinned, "Merry Christmas to you too Tutorwife!" She came in and left her bag of gifts for everyone by the door.
They both stopped outside the door to the living room. "You ready to enter the madness?"
Brooke nodded, and Haley opened the door.
"Brooke's here!" Karen said, as soon as she saw her, standing up and coming over to her. "Brooke why don't you come and see Deb in the kitchen?"
Brooke hesitated before Karen hustled her out of the room. She saw Lucas suppress a laugh, and stand up to leave the room too. "I think I'll just go and see if there's anything I can do," he said, before exiting. Haley made a face at him, desparate to leave to but stuck there with Nathan, who was squirming under questions from his father.
"I cannot tell you what a relief it is to get out that room!" Karen said. "Why did I ever think this would work?"
Brooke shook her head as they went down the hall and into the kitchen, where Deb was checking some things that were cooking.
"How's it going?" she asked, as Karen came in, and then she saw Brooke and came over to give her a hug. "How's college?" she asked, "It's so good to see you."
"It's great!" Brooke said, "It's good to see you too. Looks like you've got a good thing going hiding out in here."
"Well I have to," she said, her eyes twinkling, "I'm in charge of all the food, seeing as I'm the Mrs of this house and all."
Brooke gave her a questioning look.
"Dan still hasn't gotten around to telling his parents that we're no longer together. So today I am as his wife, and therefore, I am in charge of Christmas lunch. Which means I am watching Karen cook."
Karen laughed.
"Speaking of cooking," Lucas had just come into the room, "You wouldn't possibly need any help, would you?"
"Not really…but you can stay in here for a while anyway!"
Lucas grinned, and shut the door behind him. He turned to Brooke and gave her a look.
Brooke laughed, "Sorry!" She came over and gave him a hug. "Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas to you too Cheery. Although I don't know how cheery you'll be once we're through with this lunch."
Brooke shrugged, "We have presents to look forward to."
Lucas chuckled, "Good point. That'll keep me going." The doorbell rang and Lucas groaned, "And I think we're really going to need something to look forward to, because it sounds like the folks are here."
In the past couple of years, Lucas had got to know Dan's parents. But his meetings with them had always been a little tense.
He opened the door a crack and then looked back at Brooke. She gave him a comforting look and then gently pushed him out.
"Lucas. Good to see you boy," Royal clapped Lucas on the back, "And who's this beauty, I don't believe we've met."
"Um, this is Brooke."
"Hello Brooke, nice to meet you."
"We've met Brooke dear," May interrupted him, "She was there after graduation. Lucas' girlfriend."
Lucas and Brooke made vague attempts to rectify this comment, but Royal had already begun talking.
"Oh of course! Sorry m'dear, I got a little tipsy that night, as Danny boy can tell you."
Brooke smiled. Oh well, if Deb and Dan were still married according to Royal and May, it wouldn't make much difference if she and Lucas were together too.
They all moved back into the living room, where everyone else said their greetings, and then they all sat down. Dan and Royal immediately started talking about basketball, and Nathan rolled his eyes.
Haley gave him a sympathetic look, and turned to the others. "Okay, we've been trying to work out an emergency plan to get out of here, you know, in case everything gets too terrible."
"We could always use the 'caw'" Lucas said.
The other all looked at him. "Um, Luke?" Brooke said.
"Like a raven."
Brooke was still looking at him like he was crazy.
"When we want to leave, we 'caw'."
"Okay…" said Haley slowly, "Alternatively, we could just make up some excuse like, we have to go pick up Peyton and Jake."
"We could do that," Lucas agreed.
Brooke chuckled, "'caw', what the hell is that?"
Lucas gave her a hurt look, and she giggled.
Lunch in the end was reasonably okay…not exactly a warm family meal, but bearable.
After Deb almost flipped out Dan and Royal agreed to stop discussing basketball, and the prospects that season of the Princeton Tigers and Stanford Cardinals, and eventually Keith and Andy got talking about cars, and the awkward silence between them disappeared.
Nathan answered his father's questions about college calmly, and then was left alone to talk to Haley and the others. And Lucas was sitting opposite Brooke, so got through the meal by catching her eye whenever things got tense, at which point she would make a face behind her hand, and he would have to fight to not crack up.
Eventually it was over, with Royal only calling Brooke 'Haley' and Haley 'Brooke' three times, and they all went back into the living room to open their presents.
Brooke clapped her hands as Haley began bringing presents out from under the tree. The doorbell rang and Nathan went to get it, and let in Peyton and Jake, carrying Jenny, wrapped up in a mini parka and scarves.
Once they were all assembled and sitting down, with piles of presents around them, Nathan kicked of the Christmas carnage by opening his present from Haley, a new watch engraved with a message from her on the back. He kissed her and thanked her, and the others took this as their cue to start.
Even with the many complicated issues bubbling under the surface with the people in that room, it would have been hard not to enjoy that hour, as people went back and forth from the tree, and presents were thrown across the room. Piles of wrapping paper began to form on the carpet, and there were cries of joy from every corner as people opened gifts and then went to thank the giver.
Brooke sat back in the corner of one of the sofas, and watched the scene before her. Jake was helping Jenny unwrap a present in the corner, while Peyton smiled at them both. Royal was clapping a hand on Nathan's shoulder, as he tried on his new sneakers, and Karen was giving Andy a kiss as he fastened a new bracelet around her wrist.
"Savouring the moment?"
She turned to face Lucas, sitting next to, and grinned. "Yeah…it's really nice, isn't it?"
Lucas nodded and smiled. "Do you want your present now?"
"Hell yeah!"
He chuckled and handed her a box wrapped in dark red paper. Brooke raised an eyebrow and took it, shaking it before carefully opening the paper.
It was a camera: old fashioned, with a long lens. Brooke turned it over in her hands, a smile forming on her face as she looked at it.
"It's beautiful Luke."
"I figured, you always like taking pictures, and you take really good ones, so you should have a proper camera."
She looked up at him and nodded, "I love it."
"Good."
She smiled and pulled him over to her, kissing him on the cheek. "Thank you. Does it have any film in it?"
"Yeah I put some in before I wrapped it."
She grinned, "You just think of everything." She lifted the camera and took a picture of his smile.
"Since we're on the topic of pictures, you should open your present." She handed him a large package, wrapped in blue paper.
"This doesn't look like socks…"
She rolled her eyes, and waited expectantly as he opened it, pulling of the paper to reveal a large leather album. In silver letters on the front the words 'Raven Years' and then the dates of their junior and senior year, were stamped.
Lucas looked up at Brooke, before opening it, and running a hand over the thick cream pages.
The first one had the Ravens crest in the centre, but as he turned the pages he saw the rest were almost all covered with photos. There were ones of him with the guys at the Rivercourt, and with Haley, and all their friends, and many of him and Brooke.
Brooke smiled as she watched his face. She leant her head on his shoulder as he continued to turn the pages, stopping finally on a picture of him and Brooke from years ago.
"Your mom helped me put it together," Brooke said quietly, "We found all the pictures a few days ago."
"You had this in your room," he said, touching the picture.
"It's a copy. Don't worry," she chuckled, "I still have pictures of you."
He smiled and turned to her. "This is amazing Brooke. Thank you."
"No problem. It was fun."
He kissed her forehead, and then she leant her head back on his shoulder. Lucas began from the beginning of the book again, and they looked through all the pictures together, remembering when they were taken.
Later that afternoon they were all sitting watching an old movie on TV, their presents surrounding them.
Brooke was still sitting next to Lucas on the sofa, her camera and new shoes in her lap, as she couldn't bear to part with them.
Haley and Nathan were curled up in a large armchair, Haley wearing a new necklace she had received from Dan, and the collage of pictures they had received from Brooke on the table next to them.
Jake and Peyton were sitting with Jenny between them on the floor, Peyton with her head leaning against Jake's shoulder, both of them forgetting their troubles for a few hours.
Brooke shifted in her seat, and rested her head on Lucas' chest. He wrapped an arm round her so she was more comfortable, and rubbed her back. Brooked sighed contentedly, and Lucas smiled. A movement in the corner caught his eye, and he saw Nathan whisper something to Haley, and then she leaned up, capturing his lips in a kiss.
Lucas looked back at the TV, feeling a slight tug at his heart.
Larry arrived that evening to pick up Peyton and Brooke. They wrapped up in their coats, and said goodbye to everyone, and Brooke thanked Karen once more for her shoes.
Jake came into the hall with Jenny to say goodbye, and Lucas followed him.
"Oh, I left my bag in the kitchen," Brooke said, and headed off down the hall. Lucas followed her into the dark kitchen and pushed up the dimmer switch on the light a little so they were bathed in a warm glow.
Brooke picked her bag up from the table and turned to Lucas. "So…pretty good Christmas, huh?"
He smiled, "Yeah."
She paused, and then glanced upwards, spotting something on the ceiling. Lucas followed her gaze, and chuckled as he saw what it was.
"C'mere." Brooke pulled him towards her, and kissed him gently on the lips, only holding the kiss for a second.
"Merry Christmas Broody," she whispered.
"Merry Christmas Cheery."
It was a few days after Christmas, and Brooke was hanging out in Lucas' room. Peyton and Jake were on a date, and she was bored, so she'd come over to…well, just to see him.
"So have you chosen a major yet?" Lucas asked, as he flopped down on the bed next to her and glanced at the magazine she was reading.
"No," she said, "And that's kind of a sore point."
He laughed, "Sorry. Can I help?"
"You could give me any ideas you have, cos I've got nothing!"
"Okay…well what do you like?"
She gave him a look, "You know what I like Broody, I like shopping…and parties…and….cheerleading. None of which I can do a major in!"
"I'm not so sure, I think I've heard of people doing party planning or something," he joked.
"I want something serious! That I can get a job from. I just don't know what."
"How about politics? You made a pretty great student president."
"That was a popularity contest. I can't get into the White House just on good boobs."
He leant his head to one side, thinking, "You never know…they're pretty great boobs"
She threw a pen at him and he laughed, "Seriously though, you were great. And it wasn't just a popularity contest, people really thought you made a good president."
She shrugged, "Well it's a possibility. I did write an article about the election once…"
"You write articles?"
"Yeah just a few; Carrie works on the college paper and they always needs stuff so sometimes she gets me to do it at the last minute."
"Really? Well what about journalism?"
"What like writing for the New York Times?" she asked, pulling a face.
"Yeah, or Cosmo or something."
"Oh of course, because that's more on my level."
"I didn't mean it like that! You could write for whoever you want, I just meant you might find that more fun."
She considered it, "Yeah maybe that would be cool actually…"
He grinned, "Glad I could help!"
Brooke narrowed her eyes and then stood up, going over to his computer and logging onto the NYU website to research journalism majors.
Lucas watched her chew her lip as she navigated her way around.
His loved how she threw herself into everything; how when she set her mind on something she would push to get what she wanted.
She sat back to read what she had found and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. His eyes traced the curve of her neck and he sighed, leaning back on his pillow.
The day before they all left, Brooke got a message from Lucas asking if she could come over. Telling Peyton where she was going, and ignoring her playful comment of 'of course', she grabbed a bag and left.
"So, what's going on Broody?" she asked, as she made her way into his room and sat down on his bed.
"I've been…thinking about some stuff," he said, as he sat next to her, "and I wanted to talk to you about it."
"What's up, Luke?" Brooke asked, watching him closely.
Lucas sighed, and hesitated, and then looked up and met her eyes. "I want to be us again Brooke."
He saw Brooke's eye flash with pain for second, and continued. "I still love you as much as last year, and I know you still love me too. I want to be with you, and even though it's long distance or whatever why does that matter? It's not like it could be any worse than this. We should be together Brooke."
Brooke looked at him sadly. "Luke…we talked about this. We decided, both of us decided it was for the best."
"Well we can change our minds. All I know is, I want to be with you…with whatever restrictions. I just don't see any point in us not being together."
"It won't make things any easier Lucas. So for a few days every couple of months we get to be a real couple…that won't make the rest of it any easier. We made this choice when we chose our colleges…you know that as well as I do."
Lucas looked into her eyes. "So you don't think it's a good idea."
"Luke…of course I want to be with you…but we agreed, it's not…it's not practical. It just wouldn't work."
"It's not practical? Why does that matter?"
"Think about it. It just wouldn't work."
"We wouldn't be able to see each other very often, but you'd still be my girlfriend."
"So it's about some label?"
"No! We'd be together."
"But we wouldn't be. We'd still be on opposite sides of the country! We'd get lonely and - "
"And you wouldn't be able to be with anyone else. Is that what this is about?"
"No! But think about this realistically. Why do that to ourselves? Why struggle to have a relationship when we can't even see each other." There was a pause and she sighed. "Lucas, you know there is no one else I would rather be with than you. But while we can't be together we agreed it was best if we broke up. You know it's what makes sense. And we agreed we would see other people. You don't want to go through college worrying about how every thing you do could hurt someone on the other side of the country."
"I don't? Or you don't?"
"Luke…"
"I thought you missed me?"
"Of course I do. Lucas, I missed you like crazy. And it sucks not being able to be with you. It sucks. But at the moment that's how it is, and trying to change things won't make it any easier."
Lucas was silent, and then nodded quietly, his face blank. He leant back against the headboard of his bed, not looking at Brooke.
"Just think about it Luke. I'm gonna go, okay? But I'll see you later."
He nodded, and she reached up and kissed him on the cheek, her hand stroking his hair.
She stood up and hesitated at the door for a second, before leaving.
The next day at the airport everyone was a little tearful as they said their goodbyes. Jake, Peyton and Lucas were all flying out on the same flight, and Haley, Brooke and Nathan were driving north that afternoon.
Most of the parents had come to the airport, and the kids all hugged them first, before they said goodbye to each other.
Lucas was quiet, smiling occasionally to his mom and Andy, but avoiding Brooke's eyes.
She had told Peyton and Haley what had happened, and they had comforted her as a few tears began to fall. Peyton said she had made the right decision, and that Lucas would see that too eventually.
Brooke hugged Peyton and then turned to Lucas. He looked down, and she tipped her head on one side, raising his chin with a finger and holding his eyes. She wrapped her arms round his neck, and felt him hug her back, and turn his face into her hair.
"Bye," she said, as they broke apart. "I love you."
He nodded, but his expression was still hard. "You too."
She hesitated, her hand lingering on his arm, and then turned away.
She stood with Nathan and Haley as they watched the others walk through the gate. Nathan wrapped an arm round her and kissed the top of her head as she felt tears form behind her eyes.
She didn't know what she wanted to tell him…she couldn't find the words. She just felt as if things had been left unfinished…she didn't want him to go just yet.
Kind of a bummer, huh? Please don't hate me, there is a method to this madness and their problems will be resolved. The next chapter is when things really get going and I promise you will love it. Please leave a review, I really love every one I get! Oh aslo, TITLE! I'm freaking out that I still can't think of one - someone help please!