"We could have done this at my hotel."

Linda Davis rolled her eyes.

"Please. I absolutely refuse to step foot in something called the Red Roof Inn and I certainly didn't raise my daughter to frequent such establishments. In fact, it's bad enough that the best this godforsaken town can do is a sorry excuse for a Hilton."

"Mom, please…"

"Brooke Penelope Davis, what on earth have you done?"

Henry stood up.

"Yes, Linda. Please. Lower your voice, darling."

"Henry, what do you propose we do? Our only daughter runs away from her wonderful life like a spoiled, inconsiderate brat. No letters, phone calls or e-mails and while we're fearing the worst, scouring vacant warehouses, fields and river bottoms for her mutilated corpse, here she is in Mayberry happily serving up French Toast and wearing blue jeans from Target."

"Mom, I'm sorry."

"As you should be, young lady."

"Linda!"

"No, Henry. I won't bite my tongue. Not about this."

"But you're upsetting Brooke."

"Upsetting Brooke? That's funny. Dear, did you just so happen to forget how many nights in the last few months our sweet little Brooke here had us upset? Do you need reminding of the sleepless and tearful nights, the agonizing searches that included hundreds of concerned volunteers? Do you not recall pleading to the press and to the public to help look for her?"

Brooke continued to sob.

"I…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you guys worry so much."

Henry took a seat beside his daughter.

"Maybe you didn't mean to but of course we worried, Brooke. Your mother and I love you very, very much."

"I love you guys, too, Dad. And Mom…"

Linda closed her eyes.

"Brooke, I don't know if I'm ready to hear you right now. Please be quiet."

"You hate me", the young woman whispered.

"No, Brooke. I don't hate you. I could never hate you. You're my daughter, our only child. As your father said, I, we do love you. I love you more than words can express and that's why all this hurts so. I am beyond relieved that you are safe, alive, and well and I want nothing more than to wrap my arms around you and hold you but that feeling is only surpassed by the one that wants to ring your neck and throw your ungrateful little ass right out that window."

Brooke wiped away her tears and regained an element of control. She knew her sobbing would solve nothing.

"Mom, I said I was sorry. Not calling you guys and letting you all think I was dead was a horrible thing to do and I have no excuse. If I could do it all again, I'd take that part back…but, but, I don't regret coming here."

"Why, Brooke? Why?"

"I love my life here. I like who I am now."

"And your life before was so terrible? Well, please excuse us for being loving parents, good providers and giving you everything you ever wanted or needed."

"That's not what I meant. You and Daddy are great parents. I love you both. You always gave me the best and by most standards people would say I've led a pretty amazing life. I can admit that but I can also admit that it just wasn't the life for me. And I wasn't a very good person on the inside. I needed something different so I went for it. Maybe I didn't always handle things the right way and for that I'll probably spend the rest of my life apologizing for it. But I did what I had to do at the time and…well, I'm not sorry for that."

"You have a dream job. Your clothes…your clothes are fit for royalty. Wonderful friends, a beautiful apartment, a loving family…and I did mention your prince of a fiancé? You're a smart girl, Brooke. A law abiding, charity giving, God fearing citizen. The whole world is at your feet. Tell me, what is so incredible about this little place that it had the power to change your life?"

"I am changed, Mom. I think more and I'm more aware and I'm kinder. But most important, for the first time I feel free. There's no pressure to be some big named magazine writer. I get to wake up, go to Deb's Den, work with some really cool people and serve some nice customers. Things are quiet and simple and real and so far from superficial. I am a happier, all around better Brooke."

"And it's all because of this move?"

"Most of it, yes."

Linda frowned.

"Or maybe it has something to do with that boy, that scruffy blonde young man you've been running all over town with."

Brooke sighed.

"He has a name, Mom. Lucas Scott. His name is Lucas."

"I don't care about his name. I just want to know what he has over you. What is so damned special that you'd completely erase your friends and family from your life?"

"He didn't do anything. Luke wasn't making me stay. He never held a gun to my head. In fact, he knew nothing about my past or what I did or who I was. Lucas didn't know a thing until Killian showed up to have him falsely arrested for kidnapping."

"Then what is it, Brooke?"

"What can I say? Mom, he's just a man. Lucas has vulnerabilities and faults and flaws. He tends to screw up a lot and sometimes he loses his way but beneath that temper and the trouble, lies this gentle, beautiful human being who is so incredibly smart and caring. I didn't want to and I sure as hell didn't plan it but I totally fell for him."

"Oh Brooke…"

"We just complete each other. I swear, I have never been that much in sync with another person before. It's unreal but everything just makes so much sense with us. I can't really explain it."

"Well try. Or at least wake up and smell the coffee. In your foolish and premature mid life crisis, you have no concept of how many bridges you have burned beyond belief. Just thank your lucky stars that a solid family name counts a long way in this world. Do you have any idea how much money this is going to cost your father and me to make this mess go away? We'll be writing checks in the five figures for years to come donating to every event, cause and charity from here to Timbuktu all to save face, let alone help you salvage your apartment, your job and what will be left of your reputation and status in society."

"Mom…"

"Did you know it's a felony, punishable by law, to fake your own death?"

"Are you kidding? I mean, come on. I so did not fake my death."

"Well, what do you think it looks like? I'll tell you, it looks bad, daughter and people are going to talk. I must warn you that the first few weeks back home will be torturous."

Brooke took a deep breath.

"I…I'm not sure I'm going back."

Linda Davis' head spun around so fast that it would have fallen off from sheer momentum alone had it not been attached to the rest of her petite body.

"What? Brooke Davis, repeat what you just said."

"I said I don't want to go back. That's my right. You know, the saying is, home is where the heart is. If that's true then my heart is right here in Tree Hill."

Linda threw up her hands in frustration.

"Really, Brooke, the drama is not necessary. At least it's good to know all those expensive acting lessons you took when you were a teen didn't completely go to waste."

"I'm not acting. It's the truth. It's how I feel."

"This is nonsense! Do you hear me? A bunch of ludicrous nonsense! Grow up, Brooke! You are going back to New York and we're all going to forget this terribly embarrassing and unfortunate incident ever happened. That is final!"

Brooke summoned courage she had never had before.

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"I, I said no. I won't go back. I'm staying here. I won't leave Tree Hill."

Out of fury and emotional reflex, Linda drew back her hand and let it land as hard as she could against her daughter's face. It was the first time she had ever struck Brooke.

"Mom", Brooke gasped, clutching her reddened cheek that stung from the impact.

"My God, Linda, get a hold of yourself! What have you done?" Henry stepped in, grabbing his wife, desperately trying to shake some much needed sense into her.

He finally released his wife and the woman fell back onto the bed. She took one look at her crying, cowering child and burst into tears herself.

"Brooke…oh Brooke. Honey, I am so sorry. Oh sweetie pie…"

She reached out to Brooke but the younger woman quickly pulled away.

"Do not touch me", she cried.

Linda hung her head in shame.

"Just look at us. Look at me. I'm not a mother, I am a living, breathing monster. Brooke, I love you so, so much. You're my baby. And all that time you were gone and I didn't know what happened to you…not knowing if you were alive or dead, safe or hurting, cold or scared or hungry. My heart broke into a million pieces. I physically ached for you every night. The pain was indescribable. Now that you're in front of me I long to wrap my arms around you and never let you go. But it's like I don't even know who you are anymore. That kills me, Brooke. You are killing me softly. I fear for you…so much. From the moment you were born I held you in my arms and I vowed to give you the world yet at the same time protect you from it. Don't do this. Please. Not to me or your father…not to yourself. I beg you, don't ruin what's left of your life. It's still there. Honey, it's not too late to get it all back. Go home. Go to your real home and your real life, not this unrealistic fantasy. Stop this while you can, while there is still time. Killian loves you. He is willing to overlook your bad judgment and subsequent infidelity. My God, after all you've done, the man still wants to marry you."

"Mom…"

"He's a good man, Brooke and he will give you a secure and comfortable and wonderful life. Killian has a great heart and you can still be this new and improved Brooke, just be it with him in New York. Just please. I don't know what else to say. You're destroying all of us! I don't know how much more my soul can take…"

Linda gave way to an avalanche of tears and pain racked sobs. She cried so hard that she could barely breathe. It broke Henry's heart to see his wife in such a state but it didn't compare to what their daughter was feeling inside. There it was, all the proof Brooke needed to see the damage and destruction her actions had caused. She looked at both her parents and the visible hurt etched all over their shattered faces. It was her fault…all her fault. Brooke Davis was the one who had brought such unspeakable pain to the ones she loved most.

"Oh Mom", Brooke ran over to her mother and held her. "Mom, I didn't mean it."

Henry kneeled down and cradled both his weeping girls.

"Brooke…"

"I'm sorry, you guys", Brooke could only tearfully keep repeating. "I am so sorry…"