Nathan had been doing his best to keep the business afloat in his mother's absence. He had been doing a damn fine job, not to say that there weren't any kinks. As with any major management change, there were always new glitches to work out, so many minor things liable to fuck up and go wrong…and boy did they ever.

But Deb's Den remained in business and continued to make a profit and that was all that really mattered. Any other problems would be ironed out later, including the most prevalent one…employee scheduling. The schedule was all over the place and the workers' hours were longer. But at Deb's Den, it was more like a family so no one really minded. They sucked it up and did whatever they had to do without complaint.

Brooke especially didn't mind. She didn't have anything else to do anyway. And when business out front had slowed down and a couple of the others had taken off, she took it upon herself to complete the unfinished inventory. Except for the obvious blistering cold, it wasn't a hard job and one that had to be done. Deb had showed her how before and sure enough the job was done in less than an hour.

Brooke might have paid attention on how to conduct and document an inventory but her attention span had all but disappeared when Deb had explained the importance behind the door. And it was a harsh reminder when she went to leave, clipboard in hand, only to find the door stuck from her side. She pushed, pulled and tugged with all her might but it was of no use. The door wasn't budging…Brooke was trapped.

"Okay", she began talking aloud to herself. "I'm okay. I can do this. Don't panic, Davis. You're gonna be alright."

She kept the pep talking going as after an hour it was the only thing keeping her sane. Her mind was beginning to wonder. It was like the claustrophobic people who got stuck in elevators. It was more mental that physical. The second their brains knew they were stuck, it caused premature panicked feelings of not being able to breathe and such. After an hour, Brooke swore she could feel ice sickles forming on the tip of her nose.

She sank to the floor and hugged her knees to her body, trying to keep warm. God, he couldn't remember a time when she had been so cold. Well, once during that trip to the lodge in Maine. All her friends had been there and it had been a good time. Like most of their get togethers, it had been one non stop long weekend of partying. Then on the last night, after one two many shots, someone had the bright idea to go out to the frozen pond for moonlight ice skating. Brooke Davis was always at the center of the party, always the most fun and daring of the group. Between hitting the keg again, she had been one of the first ones to volunteer to lace up her skates. The others joined her and they had fun for hours. It was when the party was winding down that the real trouble started.

Brooke heard it as soon as it happened. She'd never forget that sound as long as she lived, the ice cracking beneath her feet. It was louder than one might think, so loud that at the precise moment, it was like time stood still. The night and her crew grew quiet, all eyes wide and terrified, focused on Brooke.

"Don't move!" someone had shouted.

And she didn't. Fear her paralyzed her. But it didn't matter. The fragile ice gave way beneath her small weight and she collapsed along with it. The water was freezing! No, freezing wasn't the word. It didn't do it justice. It was so cold it felt like someone was puncturing her over and over again with a dozen or so sharp knives.

"Help me!" she screamed.

She only got it out once as her yells and pleas soon turned to nothing more than gasps. Brooke was fading fast and she knew it. So that's how it would end? She would freeze to death before she drowned and in less than a minute, she found herself praying for death. At least then it would be over. She wanted it to be over. She could no longer take the pain. Or the cold. God, it was so cold!

Just when she was on the brink of unconsciousness, just as her body temperature had taken a dangerously low drop, she felt the hands. It felt like the grip of God but it wasn't. Just a handsome stranger.

"Brooke, right?" he had asked. "Your name is Brooke? Can you hear me? Talk to me."

Her lips, almost frozen, barely moved.

"Thank you", she managed to whisper.

He smiled at her with his sparkling green eyes and dark spiky hair.

"You're okay. You're gonna be just fine."

Brooke hadn't thought about that frightful, fateful night in forever. But the bitter cold of the present, being trapped in a freezer had all brought it painfully to life. She closed her eyes and bit the inside of her lip to keep from crying. She thought about her friends and her family. She thought about the handsome stranger. She wondered what they all were doing at that very moment.

Shivering, Brooke felt herself fading into sleep. She was all of a sudden inexplicably exhausted. She feared that if she closed her eyes, it might be for the last time. Yet she couldn't seem to keep them open. And at the last moment, the last second, just when she thought it might all be over, there they were again. Arms reaching out to her. He was certainly handsome but a stranger he was not.

"Brooke, are you okay? Brooke…"

She was so relieved to see his face that she broke down right on the spot.

"Lucas", she sobbed.

"What happened? How long have you been in here?"

Her eyes widened and she frantically grabbed at his shirt.

"No! The door! You can't close the door, Lucas! It's stuck! No one will find us in here! We'll freeze to death!"

She was damn near hysterical as he tried desperately to calm her.

"Brooke, it's okay. Just calm down. You're alright. I know about the door, that's why I propped it open. See? You're safe now."

She heard the words but they seemed almost too good to be true. In her state, all she could do was nod. She was too weak to even stand so he gingerly lifted her off the floor and carried her out to the front. It was warm out there and apparently after hours as no customers were in the front and not even Skills was at his doorpost. Lucas sat her down in front of the fireplace and wrapped a blanket around her. He disappeared but returned shortly with a mug of hot chocolate. He watched her drink up and attempt to get warm. Only when the color returned to her face, did he feel like everything was going to be okay.

"How'd you know where to find me?" she asked softly.

"I didn't. The schedule has been so crazy lately, I don't know who's coming or going. I just thought your shift had ended and you'd gone home. I had some stuff to transfer from the little freezer to the deep one in the back. I was on my way out about to lock up for the night when I saw a foot sticking out from the corner."

She breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"I was never so glad to see your face."

He smiled a little bit.

"Thanks…I think. Um, how long were you in there?"

Brooke shrugged.

"I have no idea. It felt like forever. It was so cold…"

"You feel better now?"

She nodded her head.

"Much. Thanks."

"Well, you definitely look better. Why don't you sit here for a while?"

"But…"

"It's okay. Just until you get your strength back. I'll stay here with you."

Brooke looked around.

"Gosh, I am such an idiot."

"It was a mistake, right?"

"Yeah but Deb tried to warn me about that stupid door. Besides, I've made this kind of mistake before."

"What do you mean?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Nothing. I just, well…me and some friends got wasted and decided to skate on a frozen pond in sub zero temperatures on a winter night and I was the dumb ass that fell in."

Lucas chuckled.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to laugh."

"I'm sure. It's okay. I don't care. That's what I get for trying to pull a stunt like that."

Lucas shrugged.

"Oh well. Shit happens. I guess it's just meant for you to die via freezing to death."

Brooke looked at him.

"I never thought of it that way before."

"It just wasn't your time to go then…or now."

"Maybe", she said softly.

Lucas stood.

"More cocoa?"

Brooke shook her head.

"I'm good."

"Alright. I've got a few more things to do before I lock up. I should be done in about ten minutes. Then I'll give you a ride home. Is that cool?"

"Yeah. Um, thanks."

He winked at her.

"Not a problem…Friskie."

"Friskie?" Brooke repeated.

"Yeah. Sounds like you're a walking miracle. And wasn't Friskie the name of that cat in the 9 Lives commercial?"

She just gave him a weird look.

"Uh…no."

"Oh", Lucas shrugged. "My bad. Well, I happened to like it. Can I call you Friskie from now on?"

"Not if you expect me to answer."

"Friskie it is, then."

"Why not?" Brooke mumbled out loud. "I'm sure you've called me worse."

She closed her eyes and let the events of the night flash through her head. The tears fell uncontrollably. Brooke couldn't stop them and for the time, she didn't want to. It felt good to cry and she'd had a lot to cry about. That night at the pond, it had changed her life forever. And now in a similar incident, Lucas Scott had come to the rescue. Was that some kind of foreshadowing?

"You ready to get going?" he asked a few minutes later when he returned.

"Yeah", she nodded wiping her face and trying to hide the tearstains.

"Let's roll, then. Hey, I know this might not be he right time but thanks for getting the inventory done."

Brooke shot him another mean look as she opened the door to his truck and climbed in.

"You're welcome", she said in a sarcastic voice.

"Besides, that was Haley's job anyway."

"She had to leave early."

"Figures", he muttered.

"Not because of you. Not everything is because of you, Lucas. Anyway, she had something really important to do."

"Like see her lawyer?"

Brooke shrugged.

"Hell, if I know. It's not my business and she didn't tell me what it was about. All I know is she left before the dinner crowd. Someone picked her up and…"

"Who?" Lucas asked quickly.

"I don't know. A friend, I guess. Some guy."

"Nathan?"

Brooke rolled her eyes.

"No. Nathan is not 'some guy'. I think I know your brother when I see him."

Lucas took a deep breath as his jaw tightened. Some guy? What guy? He was in a hell of a position to throw stones but the thought of Haley with some guy, any guy other than him, had him seeing red. After all she was still his wife.

"You warm enough?" he mumbled, noticing she was still trembling.

"I'm fine. You okay?"

Brooke noticed she wasn't the only one shaking.

"Yeah", he finally sighed. "Never better."