Chapter 4 A Long Weekend

Brooke was packing her stuff she saw a piece of paper that had Lucas's number on it. She sighed and picked up the phone.

"Hello."

"Kate it's me." Brooke said

"Oh hey getting ready to leave?" she asked

"Um no…I'm going to stay for a couple more days. I haven't seen these people in ten years a weekend just wasn't long enough." Brooke explained.

"Ok I can handle things here. Just call me when you head back."

"I will. I'll call and check on things later Leila's waking up."

"Alright give her a kiss for me." Kate said

"Of course. Bye." Brooke put the phone down and picked up Leila. "Well baby girl looks like we're going to be here for a couple more days."

Lucas was just leaving work when his cell phone rang. "Hello."

"Hey it's Brooke."

"Oh hey. I thought you were leaving tonight." He said

"I was…but I decided to stay a couple more days. Catch up with everyone you know."

"Well I'm glad. We should have lunch tomorrow."

"Yeah sounds good."

"Ok I have to edit some chapters but I'll call you later."

Brooke smiled. "You better."

Peyton and Haley were both at the café when they saw Brooke and Leila come in. "Hey Brooke I thought you were leaving." Peyton said

"You know its funny, for the place I couldn't wait to run away from for some reason I can't leave." Brooke said

"Well good. You can have dinner with us." Haley said a little boy about Leila's age was in her lap. "Well this must be Leila. This is Ross. You two can play together." Haley said

Brooke sat down but couldn't take her eyes off the little boy, it made her think about her little boy. Haley's phone started ringing.

"Oh I need to take this. Will you guys watch him?" she asked putting Ross in his highchair.

Peyton saw Brooke looking at Ross. "Are you ok?" she asked

"Yeah…just thinking."

"Is it hard to see a baby about Ryan's age?"

"Sometimes…but every time I look at Leila I see Ryan and Travis but I just have to get passed all that."

"That has to be hard though." Peyton said

"Yeah it is…but I have Leila she keeps me going." Peyton nodded. Haley came back.

"Ok that was Nathan I have to go Molly's sick."

"Oh that's not cool." Brooke said

"Brooke we have to do something before you leave."

"Yeah." Brooke said

"Ok bye ladies." Haley got Ross and left.

"Brooke I know you said that you're passed everything that went on between us back then…but I can't. I hate that I hurt you. I know that you were hurt by Lucas and I just added to that."

"Peyton that was ten years ago. I've gotten over it. Why is this still bugging you?" Brooke asked

"I have a hard time believing that. If you were over it, then how come you didn't ever call me when you were getting married or when you were pregnant. Why would something as huge as your husband and son dying and you don't call me?"

Brooke looked at Leila and then back at Peyton. "When I met Travis it was my time to start over, the stupid slut that I was in Tree Hill didn't exist. I guess I just wanted to get passed that be somebody different. My entire world revolved around Travis and of course my business. Then I had Ryan and Leila the three of them became my world…then that was taken away. I didn't talk to anyone unless they bombarded themselves into my life. I realized that I needed my friends…that's why I'm here I guess."

Peyton nodded. "Peyt…don't take what I said the wrong way. I was young and upset back then. I realized that life is short and I can't spend it all being mad about something stupid. So I regret that I lost ten years with my best friend."

Peyton smiled which made Brooke smile. "Well I think we have some time to make up for."

"Yeah we do." Brooke agreed.

The next day Brooke met Lucas at a restaurant. He was shocked that she didn't bring Leila with her. "Hey where's Leila?" he asked

"She's with Mrs. McFadden."

"Mouth's mom?"

"Yeah, Mouth and Erica live near me so when she heard I was coming here she offered to keep Leila."

"That's good. you look great by the way."

Brooke smiled it had been a while since a man had told her that. "Thanks."

They ate and talked for a while. There was one question that had been on Brooke's mind ever since she saw him. Finally she got up the nerve to ask

"Lucas can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why are you still single?"

"Um that's hard to answer…truthfully its you."

She was shocked. "Me?"

"Yeah. Brooke no woman has ever compared to you. I don't want to settle."

Brooke nodded "You shouldn't settle for anything Lucas…but I'm not the same person I was back then."

"I can tell…you're more at ease, happier, not as closed off. Was that all because of Travis?"

"Yeah mostly. He told me one day that if I never put my heart on the line again I would be missing out on everything good in the world, so I did. I don't regret anything about it."

"I'm glad you're happy." Brooke nodded and started playing with the ring around her neck. "Brooke?"

"Its nothing."

Lucas looked her in the eyes. "You can talk to me."

"When I met Travis I was angry at the world, at you, at my parents, and most of all at myself for letting all of you in. he showed me that I deserved better, that the whole tough girl façade that I put on didn't have to be a façade I could actually not let all those things bother me. I fell in love with him…I let him take care of me…and he gave me everything I never knew I wanted. But…sometimes I wonder if I was really in love with him or the fact that he supported me emotionally and financially. Plus he loved me for me, no questions asked." Lucas nodded. "Don't get me wrong I know I loved Travis still do…but I don't know if he was my soul mate."

"I think if you have to question it then its not really there." Lucas said

"Yeah makes sense. But I love my kids and he was a wonderful husband and father…and I'm rambling sorry."

Lucas smiled "No its ok. Your face lights up when you talk about the kids."

"They…Leila is my life." Brooke said

"What happened? If you don't mind me asking."

She shook her head. "Leila and I were asleep, she'd been up the whole night before with a cold. Travis took Ryan to get some breakfast…an 18 wheeler swerved into their lane and forced them off the road."

"Brooke I'm sorry."

She nodded. "Thanks…ok no more depressing stuff."

Lucas nodded. "Ok I think we should go get some ice cream."

Brooke smiled "You know the way to my heart huh?" he laughed.