Authors Note: This chapter has been a long time coming, sorry. I've had massive writers block and truth be told this story isn't exactly going in the direction I had hoped. Any suggestions would be appreciated. As always read and review and if you haven't go read Nathansraven story "The more things change the more they stay the same". It's a Naley and is wicked excellent.

Chapter 17

"Hales, where are my earrings? I can't find my earrings anywhere." Haley went over to her friend and picked the pair of diamond studs off the dressing table.

"Right here reject." Brooke grabbed them from her and quickly put them on. "Would you calm down? You're a nervous wreck." Brooke shot her a look.

"Easy for you to say miss I-elope-to-Vegas. I have to walk down that aisle in exactly thirty minutes and lie about my supposed love for Lucas in front of everyone." Haley sat down next to her friend and put her arm around her.

"Look I have no idea what's going on through your head right now so I'm not even going to try and pretend. I do know though that you and Lucas do love each other, maybe not romantically but at least platonically. The vows don't ask you specifically which type of love it is." Brooke looked at her friend and almost began to cry.

"When did you become so wise?"

"I've always been, you've just chosen not to notice." Brooke laughed and wiped the tears away that were starting to form. She reached over and hugged Haley back.

"I just want to thank you for being there for me these past years. You're my best friend ever and although we'll both be married hags soon you'll always be my best friend."

"Ditto."

Lucas stood waiting with Nathan. In a few minutes the music would start playing and Brooke would walk down the aisle. True to her word, the wedding was small. Only close friends and family were there, Lucas would say less than twenty people. It was the reception he was worried about. According to Brooke only 200 people had RSVPed so far but that didn't mean that others wouldn't show up.

Brooke, Lucas' lips formed a small smile when he thought about her. These past few months she had become one of his best friends. He didn't like to think about where he and the kids would be without her. His mind drifted back to the night at the club when they had made out in the bathroom. They were both drunk, but it was still a good night. He periodically wondered what would have happened if they had gone further.

He looked over the crowd. Karen and Deb were beaming; they were made for this stuff. They had so much fun planning this wedding they were discussing opening a wedding planning business with Jules. He glanced over at Dan who wore a smirk. Much to everyone's surprise he had been thrilled with the news of the wedding. When Lucas had married Peyton he had refused to attend out of protest. He had yet to accept the fact that Nathan and Haley had married. If Lucas didn't know better, he would swear that Dan was up to something.

"Luke." Nathan poked him in his side signaling they were about to start. Lucas looked down the aisle and smiled as Jason walked down the aisle looking bored out of his mind. Out of everyone, Jason was the most opposed to wearing the tux Brooke had picked out for him. After much begging, pleading, and bribery he had relented. Next Francis walked out with Max walking right next to her. The dog went the speed of Francis as she threw flower pedals every which way smiling the entire time. Unlike Jason she had been thrilled at the idea of wearing the dress Brooke picked for her. Her favorite part was that it billowed out when she twirled.

Lucas looked at Nathan as Haley came down the aisle. The way Nathan looked at her was unbelievable. He gazed at her so adoringly and her at him it warmed Luke's heart. Just by the way they looked at each other he knew they would last. Luke was jealous at what they had. He had loved Peyton deeply, but sometimes wondered if they were missing out on something by only dating the each other.

Finally it the wedding march began to play. Everyone stood up and looked down the aisle and out came Brooke. Lucas' breath caught in his throat as he saw her. She looked gorgeous. She had chosen a pale yellow strapless gown. Brooke said she just didn't feel right wearing white. Her hair was pulled up and she wore a diamond choker her grandmother had given her. To Luke she was the most gorgeous being in the world at that moment.

She soon reached the altar and Lucas went down to get her. She linked her arm in his and the two smiled at each other. They went up and stood in front of the judge. As the ceremony began Lucas finally felt okay. Even though he knew they were getting married for reasons other than love, to the outsider they appeared very much like a young couple in love. As the ceremony started all the worries Lucas had been having slowly dissipated. Their wedding might not be real, but they were friends. And by getting married Brooke was guaranteed to be in their life longer than anyone had expected.

Lucas was tired. It had been a long day. After the brief ceremony, there was the reception. To Lucas it seemed like everyone in Dallas had shown up. Brooke didn't want a sit down dinner and instead had a buffet so people could eat whenever they wanted. The entire time a DJ played and dancing occurred. After greeting everyone Brooke had dragged him out onto the floor for their first dance. Refusing to be ordinary Brooke had picked Bon Jovi's "Beds of Roses" for it. The rest of the night was a blur of drinking, dancing, socializing, photographs, and eating. By the time it ended, both Jason and Francis were asleep in the arms of someone.

After changing the newlyweds left for the nicest hotel in the Dallas area. Since he had a game in a day they couldn't go out of town for their honeymoon. Currently Lucas was in the bathroom changing for bed. He had no idea what would happen when he went out there. The two had never discussed sex as part of their marriage, but the thought had crossed his mind more than once. He decided to play it by ear and left the bathroom.

"So I was thinking I could sleep-" Lucas abruptly stopped talking as he looked at the bed. Sitting on it was Brooke in nothing more than a flimsy black nightgown and a wicked grin. She got up on all fours and crawled towards him.

"What were you thinking handsome?" she purred. Lucas was at a loss for words. Only in his wildest dreams had this occurred.

"That, I, um, could sleep on the couch if you wanted." By this point Brooke had gotten on her knees and was looking up at him.

"No, I don't think so." Without a word of warning she grabbed him and pulled him onto the bed with her. In one swift motion he was on his back and she was straddling him. Brooke started to run her hands up and down his body feeling his rock hard muscles. "I'm impressed. Maybe this basketball thing is good for something after all." Before he could respond Brooke had captured his mouth with hers in a searing kiss. Lucas instinctively wrapped his arms around her and brought her closer to him.

They continued to kiss as Lucas's hands began to roam. He couldn't get enough of her. He wanted to touch every single part of her body at the same time. It had been a long time since he had sex and his body was aching for it. When they finally broke apart they stared at each other hungrily.

"Maybe marriage won't be so bad after all." Brooke smirked right before Lucas shut her up by kissing her again.