Authors Note: Well I'm back. I only have one final left and then I'm done forever. Sorry about the lack of updates, but real life took over. Anyways here's the next chapter. Hope everyone likes it and doesn't think I'm way out there again. Please R/R. Thanks to everyone who has so far I really appreciate it.

Chapter 15

Brooke was upstairs putting clothes away when she heard the backdoor slam shut. She knew what it meant, Lucas was home from court and things did not sound so good. She went downstairs in search of him and found him in the kitchen nursing a beer.

"Things went that good?" Lucas shot her a dirty look.

"Apparently, my traveling does not create a stable home. Especially since I'm a single father. The judge seems to agree with Lisa on this one. See according to her I'm gone 80 of the time and then when I'm home I don't spend time with the kids at all."

"That's not true at all. Did you tell the judge you have a nanny?"

"No, of course not. Wow Brooke that's a great idea, why don't I go back and tell him that."
"There's no need to get nasty Lucas. I'm only trying to help."

"You want to help, build a time machine and make it so I never get together with Lisa." With that Lucas chugged his beer slammed it on the counter and stormed out of the kitchen leaving Brooke there dumbfounded. Not knowing what else to do she called Karen.

"Mom, what are you doing here?" Lucas had come home from his practice only to find his mother standing in the kitchen doting on her granddaughter.

"Brooke called me. She's worried about you. I've come to offer my moral support. Lucas honey, why didn't you tell me what was going on?"

"I'm not a kid anymore, I don't need you or Dan or anyone else for that matter fighting my battles for me." Lucas went and picked up his little girl. This whole mess tore him up inside. He could not imagine a life without Francis or Jason. "How was school today?"

"Good. I made you a picture." Francis pointed to a picture hanging on the fridge. Lucas walked over to look at the picture. "We had to draw our family. See there's you, Max, Jason, Brooke, and me. Teacher said Brooke could be my mommy because I don't have one." Lucas looked at the picture and knew there was no way he would let Lisa take his kids away from him. He would do whatever it took to keep his family together.

Lucas sat in his study. He had just gotten off the phone with his lawyer and the house was empty. Karen had taken the kids out to Chuck-e-Cheese for dinner and Brooke went out with some friends. Things were not looking good. He and his lawyer kept going over different options for the custody battle, but nothing was turning out all right.

Lucas believed Lisa abused drugs, but he had no proof of it. He felt she was out to get money, but had no proof of that either. All his theories and ideas wouldn't work out because he had no proof. If things kept going this way Lisa would have the kids by the end of the month.

"Lucas I had a breakthrough." Luke looked up and saw Brooke burst into his study all smiles. She came and sat down next to him on the couch. "So you know how the judge says you travel too much and I'm not a good nanny. Well, what would he say if you were married and your wife stayed home all day long to take care of the kids?"

"I don't know. That'd probably help some."

"Yes it would. So here's my proposition. Let's get married." Lucas stared at Brooke dumbfounded.

"Excuse me?"
"You heard me. Let's get married. I know the kids; I've been your nanny for six months now. We can say we fell in love, whatever we want. But if you're married it will give you a better chance at keeping Francis and Jason. That psycho Lisa will have nothing on us if we do it."

"Brooke, that's preposterous. Any judge will be able to tell it's a sham. The courts, not to mention Lisa, will watch us constantly. There's no way we would get away with it."

"Stop being so pessimistic. It could so work. Watch." Brooke moved closer to Lucas and wrapped her arm around his neck. She started stroking the back of his neck. "So baby, how was your practice today? Your mother has the kids, how about we go upstairs and make good us of that king sized bed?" Just as quickly as she had started Brooke moved away from him, much to his chagrin. "So what do you think? Am I good or what?"

"You're good all right, but I still don't think it'll work. How do you go from being the nanny one day to my wife the next?"

"Hello, we just said I was the nanny because of your celebrity status. Also I sleep in a separate room because I don't believe in sex before marriage. I'm living in the house though so the kids can get used to me before we get married. Case closed."

Lucas looked over at Brooke. She seemed so excited over her plan he didn't want to let her down. Plus the thought of being that close to Brooke excited him a little as well. "Fine I'll call my lawyer and see what he thinks."

"No need. I already called him. He thinks it's brilliant. Thank you. Now I need to go to the drug store and buy some bridal magazines. After all, I do have a wedding to plan. Bye baby." Brooke kissed him on the cheek and with that hurricane Brooke left the room.

Lucas picked up the phone and called his lawyer back who confirmed he had talked to Brooke and thought it was a good plan. They decided to meet the next day before Lucas' game to go over the details.