Author's Note: The pictures of the OTH charity softball game are up. I have posted them on my photo album (dot) com. In order to view them, use this site and click on my screen name. The link to the pics is under my homepage. If you have trouble accessing anything, let me know. And if you click under the homepage section and it still diverts you to my myspace account, try again in a couple of hours because it can take a while for profile changes to take effect om this site...

Brooke couldn't wipe the smile off her face. She was anxious. Her palms were sweaty. Butterflies churned in the pit of her stomach. But it was all in a good way. She was practically giddy. It was the big day…well, technically the day before the big day. Nathan's race in Darlington. And Brooke Davis, dressed in jeans a Cooper Lee Enterprises Inc. tee shirt and sneakers was on her way to South Carolina, sans make up with her hair in a messy bun. She smiled to herself. If the people who knew her way back when could only see her now. They'd never believe it. Hell, she didn't believe it herself.

"Brooke, you sure you don't want to come in, honey?" Deb asked, peeking her head outside the door.

Brooke gave a toothy grin.

"Nah. Haley should be here any second anyway."

"I know but it's really chilly out. I don't want you to catch a cold or something."

"I'm fine."

Deb sighed with a smile. Kids. Even though they were grown ups she could never quite manage to stifle her motherly streak. "Wash your hands, put on your jacket, blah, blah, blah". It never seemed to end but she couldn't have it any other way.

Like any mom, Deb was nervous anytime her only child partook in his job of professional racing. The constant worry of him being injured was always there. But it was his life and his choice and she had no choice to respect it. Even though he had begged her to come along and join the gang for the big race, she had declined. After all, with practically everyone going, someone had to watch over the Den…right?

Truth be told, it was an excuse. Deb could have worked something out but she had chosen not to. She just couldn't bear it. It was too hard to sit center stage and watch it all go down live and in her face.

"Suit yourself, but there's a pot of hot chocolate on top of the stove if you change your mind."

Brooke nodded. Hot chocolate sounded good and nobody made it like Deb but she was too excited. She could barely contain herself. On pure energy alone, she probably could have made it to Darlington on foot. Where the hell was Haley? And just when she couldn't take it a second longer, she heard a vehicle coming down the road.

Yes! Finally! It was about damned time! Picking up her bag, Brooke ran to the curb but her smile quickly faded. It wasn't Haley's car. And it wasn't Haley. The black F-150 came to a halt and the door opened. It was Lucas and Brooke frowned.

"Hey", she managed.

"Hey", he said in a gruff voice. "I see you're all packed and ready to go."

"Yeah. Um, just waiting for Haley."

"Haley?"

Brooke rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I think you know her. About 5'3", pretty, blondish, reddish hair…"

Lucas shot her an exasperated look.

"I know who she is. I, I just didn't think she was really gonna come."

He looked sad for a bit but Brooke chose to ignore him.

"Well, she is. She's on her way to pick me up and we are going to have an absolute blast this weekend!"

"Yeah. You keep saying that and I keep telling you it's more to this weekend than just running around the track looking cute. It's gonna be hard work and Nathan is depending on us…all of us."

Lucas sounded like a broken record.

"Duh", she said dramatically. "I know that."

He smirked and nodded at her.

"Well then. I guess time will tell."

"I guess it will."

He shrugged.

"No time like the present then…right?"

Brooke narrowed her eyes as Lucas reached down and picked up her packed bag.

"Uh, what are you doing?"

"What does it look like? Damn, girl. What the hell do you have in here?"

"Necessities", Brooke protested. "Now put that down, please."

Lucas dropped it.

"Suit yourself. I was just trying to be a gentleman but good luck lifting that thing up and over in the bed of my truck with your little arms."

Brooke proceeded to fold her little arms.

"That won't be necessary, thank you very much. Considering I am not riding with you."

Lucas looked down and checked his watch.

"Oh yes you are."

"Oh no, I'm not!"

"Unless Haley comes around that corner in the next 30 seconds, I'd say you are riding with me."

"Lucas…"

"What, Brooke? The work starts now. We have a lot to do to prep. What did you think, everything just miraculously comes together 20 minutes before Nathan gets in the car?"

"No, I…"

"Look, we have stuff to do. You're the one that wanted to be on his street team."

"Yeah, but…"

"But what? No, buts, kid. Now let's roll."

Brooke bit her lip. The last thing she wanted was to take a ride with Lucas Scott anywhere. She could only imagine the worst possible scenario having to be alone with him all the way to South Carolina. The very thought itself was unbearable.

"Um, look", she stammered, trying to buy precious time. "I just talked to Haley and she says she's on her way."

Lucas chuckled.

"I was married to the girl, remember? Hell, I still am. There's one thing you'll learn about Hales. She's a good girl but her speed is on permanent S for slow. She means well but the odds of her picking you up on time are slim to none. Let's see…there's Eastern Standard Time and Central and Mountain and Pacific…and then there's Haley Time."

Damn!

"Well, look, I really, really don't want to be rude. I mean, I can't just leave her. We had this all planned out."

"Okay", he shrugged nonchalantly. "But I am the crew chief and the leader of this team. All my other guys are in place ready to work. The second I set foot in Darlington, we'll be ready to roll. If you're not there…"

"Look, I'll be there. Jesus! Don't be such a prick about things."

Lucas grinned.

"I'll see you at the track in a couple of hours…or at least I hope so. If not, you'll be watching all the action from the stands tomorrow."

He gave her a wink and hopped back in the truck, cranking it. Brooke shivered, half from the cold, half from that obnoxiously loud music, whose bass rattled windows of homes all the way down the block. She looked on as he put the truck in reverse. Giving one last hopeful look for Haley to come around the corner, Brooke sighed in defeat.

"Wait!" she called out.

Lucas stopped.

"You talking to me?" he rolled down the window.

"Who else?" she made a face. "Okay, okay. Maybe Haley won't be on time. I guess you win. I have to ride with you."

"Don't sound so excited about it."

"You're a real prince", she scoffed.

"And you're not exactly a picnic. Now get in. We need to hurry and get down the road."

"Fine. But I must warn you, we might have to stop a few times."

"Why?"

Brooke looked embarrassed.

"I don't know. Ever since I was a little kid, there's something about road trips that makes me pee a lot."

Lucas just shook his head.

"There's a cup in the holder."

Brooke looked horrified.

"There is no way you expect me to pee in that thing!"

"Why not? It's super sized."

"You're disgusting, Lucas", she pouted.

"And you're an easy mark. Now come on. We're burning daylight."

Brooke looked up and silently asked God what she had done to deserve hours on the road with Lucas Scott? But God didn't answer back, probably because He was laughing so hard. Brooke had no other choice.

"Fine. Let's just go and get this over with."

"Alright. What are you waiting for?"

She looked down at her bag.

"Aren't you going to help me?"

"No."

"Lucas", she stomped her foot.

"What?"

"It's heavy."

"Don't I know. But you'll manage."

"Lucas Scott!"

"What? I offered my assistance earlier but you declined."

"But…"

"Brooke, just sling it over the side."

She dragged the bag to the back of the truck mumbling four letter words under her breath the entire time.

"I'm gonna throw my back out", she said as she lifted it.

Lucas chuckled.

"No, you won't. You're a tough girl, remember? You're on the Nathan Lee street team. There's no whining in racing. Now put some muscle in it. Come on! You can do it. Girl power!"

"Ha, ha", Brooke grunted as she finally slung the bag into the bed of the truck.

"See, was that so bad?" he grinned when she returned and climbed in front.

"Don't talk to me."

"It's gonna be a long trip with no dialogue."

"So."

"Okay. And you better not have messed up my paint job on the bed either."

Brooke just rolled her eyes as she reached for the radio knob. Lucas smacked her hand away.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?"

"What are you doing? You're not allowed to touch any buttons up here."

"Whatever. I am so not listening to that crap all the way to Darlington."

"You my dear, don't have a choice. Well, you do. I mean, there's always a choice. I think I know of a Greyhound station along the way. Should I drop you off?"

If looks could kill, he would have dropped dead right there. He didn't even hide his growing smile as she quietly sulked in the passenger seat. Both studied each other out of the corner of their eyes. Yeah, it was going to be a long trip…a long day…a really long weekend.