Chapter 12- Confessions

"What's going on Lucas?" Keith looked puzzled. He had seen Lucas look so serious only a few times before.

"You might want to sit down for this." Lucas gestured to a some nearby chairs, both Keith and Lucas sat down. "I found something out a little while ago, and while it probably would have been better for me to have told you back then, I didn't and I'm sorry, but I have to tell you now."

"Lucas, you can tell me anything, you know that."

Lucas sat silent for a few minutes, wondering the best way to approach this. Finally, he decided that just spitting it out was the only way to go. "Dan hired Jules to fall in love with you and then break your heart. His plan didn't work though because Jules fell in love with you." Lucas looked over at Keith to see his reaction.

Keith was just sitting there, with his mouth open in shock. Minutes passed where an awkward silence hung in the air. After what seemed like forever Keith sprung up from his chair, "While I could be angry that you didn't tell me sooner than what, an hour before my wedding, I know that it was hard for you to tell me and I appreciated you finally doing so. But right now, I have to go and find Jules, she is the only one that can explain this." With that Keith fled the room.

Keith searched up and down, throughout the gigantic church, looking for his bride. His search was fruitless on the first floor so he continued upstairs. He frantically opened the door to each little room. Finally he found her.

"Keith, don't know you know it is bad luck to see the bride before the wedding?" Jules started to tease but then noticed the look of grave seriousness on her fiancée's face.

"Don't you know that it is bad luck to marry someone because their brother is paying them to do it?"

A look of horror crossed Jules' face. "What are you talking about Keith?"

"Lucas told me Jules, told me that Dan paid you to make me fall in love with you, and then break my heart. Is this true?"

"Just hear me out Keith. I had hit rock bottom, I was in a bad relationship and needed to get out, but I was broke. It was bad Keith, I was being physically abused. I couldn't stay, but without money I couldn't go. So, I put an ad in the paper saying that I would do anything legal for money. Well, Dan saw it and called me, saying that he would pay me a very large sum of money to do something for him. He saved my life Keith, paid for my house and all my bills, gave me money to live on. At the time it seemed so easy, make you fall in love with me. Of course I could do that. But then something happened. I fell in love with you for real. I do love you Keith, you have to believe me." Tears were streaming down Jules' face. She was practically pleading with Keith to believe her.

"Say we do this, say we get married, what happens then? I don't really know anything about you." Keith was still struggling to apprehend all of this news.

"I say the first thing we do is cut off all of my ties with Dan. It will be hard, I will be broke, I obviously don't make much at the bar, but as long as I am with you, that is all that matters. It really is Keith, you are the one for me. I just wish that it hadn't happened under these circumstances."

"I won't lie to you Jules, marrying someone that I am coming to realize I don't even know scares me." Keith stepped closer to Jules and took her hands. "But walking away from you because of Dan scares me even more. If you swear to it that you will tell me everything, and the truth about everything, then I saw we do this. Because as it stands, I can't imagine my life without you, and I don't want to begin having to imagine it."

"Nothing would make me happier. And I swear to you, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I will never lie to you again, I will never hide anything from you again. I promise. You have to know, I wanted to tell you all of this, I have wanted to tell you all this for so long, but I was so scared I would lose you. I just didn't know what to do Keith. I am sorry." Jules' tears started to flow down her cheeks once again.

"It's okay, we will get through it, together." Keith wiped her tears away with his thumbs. "Now, we both have to ready for a wedding, for our wedding."

"I have some make up touch ups to do." Jules laughed a little.

"You look just perfect to me." Keith looked off into the distance for a moment, "I have something to go and take care of Jules, but I will see you at the altar." He kissed her forehead and walked out of the room.

Jules stood there stunned for a minute, but then smiled. It was all out, now her and Keith could start their life together with the truth.

ooooOoooo

Dan heard a car speed into his driveway and come to a screeching halt. Glancing out the window he was shocked to see Keith run from his car up the steps to Dan's beach house. Dan went to the door and opened it just as Keith was about to knock.

"Hey big brother, shouldn't you be getting ready to get married?" Dan asked, playing dumb to the whole situation.

"Yeah I am, I just wanted to let you know that you are uninvited to my wedding." Keith paused for a minute to catch his breath, "I know about all of it Dan, you paying Jules to break my heart. So I don't want you there, ever. I don't want to see you or hear from you ever again. You got that?"

Dan just stood there looking stunned, he wondered how Keith found out. "Fine, then your done. No more job at the dealership for you."

"Ha, you think I need that job? I don't. I would rather be poor and on the streets than ever accept a paycheck signed by you again." Keith turned around and headed back to his car, pausing for a minute he made one last comment, "Listen closely Danny, we are done. This is it, no more. As far as I am concerned you are nobody."

Keith hopped into his car and sped away, leaving Dan standing at his front door stunned.

ooooOoooo

Brooke was sitting there watching the beautiful ceremony unfold, tears of joy were streaming down her cheeks. Jules' vows had been solemn and heartfelt. Keith was about to begin his.

"At a point when I was at my lowest in my life you saved me Jules. You picked me up from the dark and brought me towards the light. Everyday since I met you has been an adventure. You stand here before me absolutely radiant, but not just because of the dress and the hair, but because of your inner beauty. We have all made mistakes, and I want us to look past ours, together. You have been like a guardian angel to me Jules, and I swear to you that I will be there for you every day of our lives."

Brooke reached into her purse for another tissue. She loved weddings. She was mostly glad that this one was still going on. Lucas was really upset about having told Keith the truth, but now Brooke knew that it was the right thing.

After drying her tears Brooke looked up at Lucas, as though he could feel her eyes on him he looked back at her. Brooke felt a flutter in her stomach, as did Lucas. It was right then that Brooke knew Lucas and her were in this for the long haul.