Chapter 24… so I am going to give you guys a quick little update on Chapters… 24-26 are basically your general what you've been reading… but in 27 I've skipped some time because basically… I am ready for Allie and Chloë to be able to talk and interact… plus I have some awesome story lines planned for it… so I just wanted to warn you guys… I think if I keep going at this rate I am going to run out of story lines and its going to get boring… Sooo! Chapter 27 is VERY interesting… hahaha. I am also going to try and right more dramatic… meaning everything isn't going to be so happy go lucky as it has been… I've got plenty of Drama planned… and some of it is kinda… not really the way I usually write BUT… I'm sure you guys will like it and you all know me… I am WAY too big of a Brucas to do anything bad to Brooke and Lucas (I know everyone of you started worrying as soon as they read this haha) Anyways! I just wanted to inform you guys! Enjoy this chapter and of course… the most important thing… THANK YOU for the reviews! I love them… I can have total writers block and then I sit down and read some reviews and I come up with like 20 ideas! Hahaha anyways Thanks! And ENJOY!

"Lucas… wake up" Brooke whispered thumping his shoulder. That was sure to wake him up, of course it was probably going to put him in a pissy mood but he'd get over it.

"No… we need sleep" Lucas grunted pulling Brooke back under the covers with him and kissing her.

"We cant, your mom is going to be here any second with the girls and unless she wants to see us… like this? We have to get up"

"We can't keep doing this…"

"What? Telling your mom we are 'planning' but are really… not 'planning'? We've only done it 3 times! Besides… she loves having the girls around and as much as I miss them when they are there, Lucas you and I have to do this" Brooke insisted patting Lucas's head like he was a puppy. She loved the way he just rolled his eyes at her and then smiled.

"Have sex?"

"I prefer the terms bond, or connect"

"Uh huh" Lucas sighed kissing her again. He knew as well as she did they both had to get up, but maybe if he was lucky she would decide against it and they could just not open the door when his mom came and go back to sleep.

"Seriously… that's how we communicate! And we're 23! We're supposed to be having sex, we're not doing anything wrong here, We are 2 loving… almost married adults who like Jacuzzi's and really really need time to themselves every once in a while"

"I know that, I'm not complaining babe… I'm saying what we cant keep doing is living off of 3 hours sleep"

"Oh… that well the girls sleep through the night now… basically in their own beds" Brooke giggled knowing he wasn't going to by it. Allie and Chloë slept in their own beds maybe once a week tops… and when they were in Brooke and Lucas's bed they were up until at least 11 playing and reading.

"When you make them"

"Uh huh… because night before last I was so the one who went in their room at 1 AM and brought them to bed with us… oh wait no! That was you…"

"Chloë was coughing" Lucas laughed but Brooke wasn't buying it.

"She sneezed once"

"Right and last week when you cried for 2 hours because my mother kept them for another night?"

"That was totally unfair! I had those babies and I should be able to pick them up whenever I want!" Brooke giggled punching him in the shoulder. They were never going to get anything done at this rate… but she didn't really care as long as they stayed like they were right now.

"It was 3 AM"

"Your point?"

"My point… we've turned into parents" Lucas sighed taking Brooke into his arms and kissing the top of her head. He felt her tense up as the word 'parents' came out of his mouth. It seemed like longer they had the girls the scarier it got… not just for Brooke but for both of them. As the girls got older and started acting more like real people reality was kicking in. Before long they were going to be walking and talking in complete sentences and he and Brooke were going to have their hands full.

"No! Never! Take that back! Lucas…" Brooke whined

"We have!"

"No… Ok would parents do what we did last night? Some porn stars wouldn't do what we did last night… and what 'parent' dress the way I dress? And talk to them the way I talk to them?"

"Ok so we're really hott, immature, kinky parents" Lucas laughed causing Brooke to giggle. How unfair was that? She didn't even get to mope properly with him around.

"That's better… and that's why we're the best! Because we connect with our kids way better than all those other weirdo old parents…now get up! From today until Saturday we have to spend as much time as possible with the girls before we leave them for…a week" Brooke whispered. She could barely get the word 'week' out of her mouth. It stung too much… she had issues leaving the girls for 1 night with Karen who was just a minutes away. What was it going to be like thousands of miles away for a week? Torture… that's what it was going to be.

"Don't think of it so much as leaving them, think honeymoon"

"Still…that's like forever! What if they forget who I am?"

"Brooke… you're their mother" Lucas said reassuringly. He could already see the tears starting to swell up behind Brooke's eyes. He could also tell she was trying to fight them off by venting about stuff that made no sense… to Brooke it wasn't as simple as saying 'those are MY babies and I don't want to leave them'. Instead it was all Karen's fault… which was fine with him… he liked to think that way too.

"What if YOUR mother brain washes them into thinking she is their mother and turns them into those little frilly dress kind of babies with the stupid little bonnets and tights?"

"Then you can never let her see them again"

"Fine… but their going through that whole separation anxiety thing from us right now! I mean you see them whenever you leave for practice or I go shopping without them! You'd think were never coming back! And for all they know we aren't!" Brooke cried burying her face in Lucas's chest. Partly because she didn't want him to see she was crying over this stupid… and party because his chest smelled really good.

"Brooke… it's just a week"

"Fine…but if we pick them up and they are calling her"

"Mama" One of the babies babbled interrupting Brooke perfectly. She could have sworn Karen had been standing in the doorway, just waiting for the perfect moment to bring them in.

"Babies!" Brooke squealed snatching Allie and Chloë from Karen before she even had a chance to get in good.

"They've been cranky all morning wanting you 2, Especially Allie! I tried giving her, her kitty but she just screamed and wouldn't take it"

"That's because the Pink kitty is Chloë's mom… The bunny is Allie's" Lucas said kissing both the girls head as Brooke sat them on the bed next to him. He had to admit it was really, really going to suck not having them around for a week. Not getting to see their little smiles and hear their babbling all night long.

"That explains a lot. You 2 are going to have to write all this stuff down for me before Italy, after the 2 of you left last night they screamed for 2 hours!"

"Don't tell me that! Chloë? Did you scream for 2 hours? You did? Ok Allie… who screamed louder? You or your sister?" Brooke asked talking to them as if they were adults. Lucas watched as they both stared at her blankly as if they understood her exactly, and then giggled causing her to laugh and tickle them both.

"They were pretty much even. Did you 2 get much done"

"Oh yea…"

"We got a ton done" Brooke said not looking Karen in the eyes. They couldn't have been anymore obvious… lying wasn't either of them's strong point and it was showing through right about now.

"Definitely"

"I don't want anymore grandchildren for at least 5 more years… I'll see you 2 later"

"Ok girls… which one of you told?" Lucas asked squinting at the girls once Karen was gone. He had to admit Brooke had been right about the frilly dresses, bonnets and tights. Allie and Chloë didn't look like his girls without their short little 60's style dresses Brooke always dressed them in with the diaper covers that showed through.

"Don't blame them! You're the one still in your boxers…"

"We see that… Hey girls, I brought James to play with you" Haley interrupted walking in with James and Nathan. It drove Brooke crazy how Haley never really dressed James. Here he was almost 7 months old and she still had him out in public in baby blue sleepers that buttoned up the stomach.

"Tutormom, baby… Luke you get dressed, I'll take the girls shopping with Haley and I"

"Shopping? For what?"

"Not really shopping I guess… mostly picking up dresses, inspecting stuff… me bossing everyone else around! That sort of thing… Allie and Chloë might learn something, god but we have to change their clothes first, Girls… don't look in a mirror" Brooke sighed taking a baby in each arm. At least her arm muscles were nice and tone for her strapless wedding dress.

"Ok you do that… I'm going to"

"Sleep? Sorry broody… you and Nathan have to go do the whole whatever guys do before a wedding thing"

"Which is?" Lucas asked wiping his eyes. He had no idea what he was supposed to be doing 2 days before the wedding… and neither did Nathan. Which meant they were going to spend yet another day watching basketball and discussing Dan.

"I don't know… have some man to man talk or something"

"Ok?"

"We'll watch basketball" Nathan said shrugging his shoulders. He assumed that's what guys did before their wedding. That and get drink and he was guessing Lucas wasn't really in a drinking mood.

"That works too"

Karen waited outside the café for the wedding planner to meet her. Of course she was doing all the catering and today was cooking day… or at least the start of it. Deb was already in the café cooking up a storm with the help of Andy and some new employees they had hired just for the wedding. So she really didn't have time to sit around and wait for a wedding planner to get there. That was Brooke's job, but she assumed from the way Brooke looked this morning with Lucas she was probably just now getting out of the house good and if everything was ever going to be ready by Saturday then Karen had no choice.

"Karen, I'm sorry I'm late" Betsy Jenkins, the wedding planner Karen had picked out for Brooke and Lucas said running across the street to meet Karen.

"Its ok… what's the problem?"

"Does Brooke really want this wedding on the beach?"

"Yes… at sun set, why?" Karen asked seeing Betsy's smile change instantly into a frown. Sadly Betsy was also a huge publicist and felt that everything in the wedding needed to show well on Lucas's basketball career.

"Well… is she sure she doesn't want it in a church?"

"Would you like me to call her and ask her?"

"No… no, she's a little scary when it comes to this wedding. I just thought since Lucas is well who he is and the press is going to want a little bit of this, maybe they should have a traditional wedding, in a church?" Betsy asked hoping Karen would agree. She was sure Brooke would understand… after all being the fiancé of a star basketball player she had to understand the ways of the business.

"Brooke and Lucas traditional? Please… Brooke wants the beach which means she is going to get the beach or else Lucas will hurt us both"

"Ok… ok the beach it is. But is it really appropriate for the babies to be up there with them?"

"What do you mean?" Karen sighed… this was going to take all day. So far Brooke had vetoed everything Betsy had said, so Karen didn't even know why she was even there anymore. Hadn't she learned anything from listening to Brooke? It was Brooke's way or no way when it came to 2 things in her life. Her children and her wedding.

"I mean its bad enough showing Lucas is getting married. Girls love him… but rubbing in their face that he also has 2 babies, it's not going to help things"

"Haley and I will be holding the girls, and I have a feeling as much as Brooke paid for their dresses, she is going to want them to be seen"

"Right… ok so this was pointless. I'll call you if I need anything else" Betsy said shining a insanely fake smile and pretending to understand the whole arrangement.

"You do that"

"One last question… whose walking Brooke down the isle?"

Haley and Brooke spent the day getting manicures, pedicures, shopping and doing absolutely nothing useful for the wedding. Which was exactly what Brooke had planned in the first place. She had spent the past 4 months on this wedding and today was her last free day to spend with Haley and the girls before all the real wedding craziness kicked in. So of course it was girls day. Since they were already staying in Tree Hill anyway Brooke took Chloë and Allie with her to get their first manicures and pedicures. Which consisted of them dipping their hands in the water and crying… but at least she got some good pictures for their baby books out of it. Next came the hard part… The thing she had been dreading all day.

After she dropped Haley and James off at the café to get some lunch she and the girls drove into the high school parking lot and sat there for a minute in what had been her parking spot for the 4 years she had been there. It was amazing the things you could buy in high school if you had the money. Now it being 5:00 the place looked like a ghost town… except for a few teachers' cars.

"Ok Girls… lets go in and visit… I have a few crack whore teachers I wanna show you off too, and then we have to go visit someone, Sound good? I know it does… because you 2 have a brilliant mother, no matter what these teachers try and tell you in here. Wait until I tell them I was in law school…"

The halls still looked exactly the same…right down to the corny 'take a look, its in a book' posters that had been there when she was. That school was in need of a serious make over. No wonder she had had so much drama in high school… she had to have something to take away from the dullness that was school. And then something to take away from her home life. It was a wonder she was able to get through high school and become a functional person at all now that she thought about it. She couldn't imagine what it would have been like if she hadn't had Lucas there to keep her straight.

"Knock knock?" Brooke asked walking up to Whitey's office doorway. It was too hard to actually knock with a baby in each arm playing with her earrings.

"You mean people actually do knock in this town? Brooke… come in!"

"Hey Whitey… I brought you some company"

"Well I heard the rumors but I didn't think it was true! Let me see these two" Whitey asked taking both the babies from Brooke. He looked really happy to see them and the girls didn't seem to mind the fact that he was holding them. Whitey always had that way about him with kids.

"This is Allie and Chloë"

"Definitely Scott's… too bad they aren't boys, having twin Scott's on a basketball team could get me another undefeated season"

"Talk to Nathan and Haley about that one… Lucas and I are finished!" Brooke laughed winking at the girls who were fascinated with Whitey's lack of hair. Something they had never before seen in their lives.

"Well you did good… future twin cheerleaders. Now what can I help you with Mrs. Davis… almost Scott"

"You're the only one who ever gets that right… ok so here's the thing."

"There's always a thing with you kids" Whitey laughed rolling his eyes at the babies then at Brooke. He definitely hadn't changed at all the past couple of years.

"Right… well I need to ask you a favor"

"Always a favor"

"So in high school you were always there for Lucas, I mean between him and Nathan's issues I don't know how you ever slept" Brooke smiled trying to get to the point of why she was here… but it wasn't happening anytime soon. She was too nervous and Allie and Chloë weren't helping by trying to eat Whitey's pens.

"Yes… but now you get to deal with his issues"

"I know… and I'm happy too… but I was kinda wondering if you could help me with one of my issues now"

"Of course. I think you're probably the only one who didn't try to run me 6 feet under with complaining in high school" Whitey chuckled like only Whitey could. When she was little she had always imagined that Santa Claus had looked something like Whitey… that is of course until Tim had told her at the age of 5 that there was no Santa Claus.

"So you got your wedding invitation right?"

"Its right here…"

"Good, ok so now for the favor" Brooke sighed looking at her watch. She had to meet Lucas for dinner in an hour with the girls and at this rate she wasn't going to make it.

"Out with it sweetie!"

"I need somebody to walk me down the isle"

"What about your daddy?" Whitey asked frowning. Not exactly the desired effect she had been going for but she guessed he did deserve an explanation why her father or mother wasn't going to be there. She knew it didn't make sense… she couldn't image her and Lucas not being there with Chloë and Allie got married but she and Lucas also thankfully weren't her parents.

"He's not real big on the whole me marrying Lucas thing. In fact he's not exactly speaking to me right now… and even if he was I don't think I'd want him to do it anyway. You were way more important to both Lucas and I growing up and it would mean a lot if you could do this for us"

"You know Camilla and I never got around to having kids. We'd planned to have a daughter and a son. She was really into little girls and I needed a basketball player. Of course when that didn't happen the kids here became like my kids. But at the end of the day they had their parents and well… Brooke, I'd love too"

After listening to Nathan whine about getting James to shut up for an hour Lucas finally got fed up and decided it was time for drastic measures. If he didn't something, anything fast Nathan was going to end up just like Dan with James… only instead of pushing him too hard, he might just start ignoring him completely. At least that's the way it seemed to Lucas. No, Nathan had never seemed like the 'fatherly' type… but Brooke had never seemed like the 'motherly' type either. And in a lot of ways Brooke and Nathan had so much in common. They both had their insecurities and fears about relationships and love. They had both been so hurt by the people they loved most in the world that there had come a point for both of them where they had just given up on love completely… only Brooke had fought to get love back… while Nathan just waited on the sidelines not really caring whether or not he ever had it again or not. Of course he loved Haley… and after everything they had been through they were finally happy. But Nathan still had that fear behind his eyes. The same fear behind his eyes Brooke had had so many times in their relationship when they first got back together.

For a long time Lucas tried to ignore it…the sad looks Brooke got whenever he got a letter from Peyton. The worried conversations she would have with him until 2 in the morning… making him reassure her that they were ok… making him promise to her on a regular basis that he was where he wanted to be, and that if he ever had any doubts like before he would talk to her about them and she would understand… when really she was the one doing all the doubting. Finally one day when Nathan and Haley were back in town for a few days Nathan and Lucas had talked and believe it or not Nathan out of all people had showed Lucas what was wrong.

They had been playing basketball one day while Haley and Brooke were shopping. What else was knew? Lucas had spent the whole day complaining to Nathan about how he just couldn't for the life of him understand why Brooke was so afraid to commit to anything with 'them'. And Nathan spent the whole time looking at him like he was an idiot.

"I think we'd probably be actually dating by now if she didn't try and change the subject every time I brought it up." Lucas sighed shooting and missing the shot. How was he supposed to play like this? His mind was too focused and worried about him and Brooke to do anything but think about her.

"Maybe she's scared"

"I know she's scared… but she wont tell me she is, she claims she trusts me and us but whenever the R word comes out of my mouth she freaks"

"Relationship? Luke, man I think she does trust you… she's Brooke and if she didn't she wouldn't be with you. What she doesn't trust is love" Nathan said making a shot. That was the first meaningful thing that actually made sense that Lucas had heard Nathan say in a long time.

"Hints while she'll sleep with me but not commit to anything?"

"Exactly I mean look at it logically. She trusts you again because you have proven to her she can. She trusts herself now because she had to prove to herself she could. Now think about Brooke, and think about love. When has she ever seen love turn out ok?"

"What do you mean?" Lucas asked. Here it was… Nathan's advice, with the lectures he had been giving everyone lately Lucas could have bet he was Whitey's son and not Dans.

"I mean look at you. You have had a life full of love Lucas… your mom, Keith, your friends and pretty much everyone but Dan. You know love is possible and you trust and believe in it. Now look at Brooke. Take her parents. They don't love each other… Her mom married her dad for his money and him for her looks. They are abusive to each other and probably to Brooke too. So she looks to you 2 hoping that maybe she can find love… what happens? You screw her over with her best friend. Then she sees your mom and Keith fall, Dan and my mom, Jake and Peyton… Haley and me. Everyone she has ever seen love have gotten hurt. Everyone she has ever let in have hurt her… Maybe that's why Luke"

Nathan had been right and Lucas had had to work hard as hell to show Brooke she wasn't going to get hurt again. It hadn't hit him until later that maybe Nathan had the same problem… Everyone who had ever loved him or he had loved had hurt him in one-way or another. Maybe it wasn't that he didn't love James… it was more that he didn't know how too. He'd only been back in Tree Hill for a few days and already Dan's wrath was affecting him again. This town really sucked… 2 days before his wedding and here he had to pick up the pieces of Nathan's life. Well not this time…

"Come on…" Lucas said handing James to Nathan and putting on his sweatshirt. He figured if they left now they he might could make it back to meet Brooke and the girls for dinner… without Nathan and James.

"Where are we going?"

"To make you deal with your shit"

"What?" Nathan griped. There was no telling what Lucas had planned. For all he knew Lucas was going to push him off a bridge to take care of whatever he thought was wrong with him.

"I'm tired of listening to you gripe about being a better father, Haley gripe about you, James cry! The only people's griping I should have to listen too is Brooke, Chloë and Allie's. Not yours…"

"Dude… your supposed to help me"

"Not on this I'm not"

"Who am I supposed to talk to about this then?" Nathan asked. He figured he had Lucas here. There was no one else… Lucas was the only one who understood what it was like to be a father and the son of Dan.

"How about the reason you are like this dude! Dan"

Brooke pranced into the café with the girls to see how the cooking was going. It smelled pretty good which she guessed was a good sign. She didn't know anything about food so she figured she'd leave that to the professionals. But of course there was no harm in going in and seeing what they were cooking… and making a few suggestions of her own before going to meet Lucas.

"Hello my slaves" Brooke giggled sitting on one of the tables to watch everyone cook. At least the looked like they knew what they were doing and Karen seemed to be bossing them around enough for the both of them.

"Brooke… Hey girls" Karen smiled walking towards them. Allie and Chloë both let our screams at the site of her apparently thinking Brooke was going to leave them with her. Poor things were going to be miserable while she was gone with Lucas.

"Babies don't cry… I'm not leaving you! Look! There's Grandpa Andy! You love him"

"Yea… not so much anymore"

"That sucks… smells good in here" Brooke said in her most cheery voice to make the girls smile and laugh while she bounced them up and down on her knees. She called this toning of the thighs… the best kind of work out.

"Thanks… Wanna taste?"

"Nope… Lucas and I are going out to a nice dinner with the girls tonight"

"Remember… tomorrow is a hectic day! Rehearsal dinner, everything depends on tomorrow" Karen said nervously. Brooke found it funny that Karen seemed more nervous about this whole thing than she did… in fact Brooke was barely nervous at all… just the usual little pre wedding jitters.

"I know… that's what Betsy is for, according to her I just have to smile and look pretty!"

"Ok then…so no cold feet?"

"I'm nervous… but happy nervous" Brooke laughed comforting Karen. She couldn't understand why people kept asking her that… my god she already had 2 babies with Lucas and had lived with him for basically the past 7 years… what was she going to do? Suddenly decide she didn't want to marry him?

"That's good… Felix called"

"Did you tell him for the millionth time he isn't invited?"

"Yes… he said to tell you to give him a call" Karen sighed giving Brooke the 'look'. The look being 'If you hurt my son I will kill you'. Yet another thing she didn't understand about Karen…

"Felix… that sexy beast! I want him so bad! Maybe he will take me back and we can run away together! Karen… chill out! I'll let Lucas call him… maybe while on our honeymoon! Just to rub it in"

"Speaking of the honeymoon… can we talk for a second about that?"

"Sure…" Brooke sighed walking into the back room with Karen. This was crazy… she couldn't wait until this whole wedding was over and they could get back to their normal lives in Chapel Hill without the stress of weddings and Karen.

"Ok… Now its obviously no secret that you and Lucas, well"

"Aren't virgins… yea I assume the baby in each arm kinda gives that one away"

"You 2 just be careful. I know you love those girls… I see them with you and I couldn't be happier for you 2. But we both know you 2 aren't ready for any more kids… and I just don't want you getting yourself into another tight spot. I know you don't regret keeping the girls but I also know how much easier life would be for you 2 if you had waited maybe 5 years or so to have them" Karen said. She knew it was risky bringing this up with Brooke but it had to be done… she couldn't bare the thought of them having to go through all of that again while having Allie and Chloë still to take care of.

"Karen… chill out. Lucas and I have this under control. I promise you, we both know we aren't ready for more kids… but at the same time we aren't going to stop having sex just because we're scared, just trust us ok?"

"Ok"

"And what about you and Andy? Shouldn't the 2 of you be working on a family? I've always wanted a sister or a brotherish person" Brooke laughed trying to lighten Karen up a little. At this rate she was going to give herself a heart attack by tomorrow morning.

"We're still trying to decide on what's the best way to go… and Brooke you have Nathan"

"Yea… I try not to remember that considering the dreams I had about him in middle school"

"Right… ok, well you 3 better get going" Karen laughed rolling her eyes at Brooke. Seeing her stand there with those babies and hearing her talk were like an oxy moron. The more she thought about it the more she knew Lucas and Brooke should still be spending time as kids… they were so young and having to take on so much responsibility… luckily they were both doing surprisingly well with it.

"Yes… my little minions, lets get going… so much more corrupting to do before dinner"

"What are you going to do without those 2 in Italy?"

"Don't remind me! Anyway it's a Honeymoon… Lucas and I will think of something… speaking of… come on girly girls, we need to stop by Victoria Secret" Brooke giggled

Lucas, Nathan and James drove up to the beach house where surprisingly Dan was sitting out on the front porch. Perfect… now Lucas could just drop James, and Nathan off and he could leave and meet Brooke. But while walking up the steps to the door Lucas realized it wasn't going to be that easy. One Dan hadn't seen him in forever, and two Nathan wasn't going to stay unless Lucas stayed. This was starting to seem like a bad idea after all. Now was the time to call Brooke and let her know this could take a while.

"Dan" Lucas said shaking his hand once they got up on the porch. Talk about awkward… not to mention the fact he wasn't even invited to the wedding.

"Lucas… good to see you son. Nathan, James"

"Right… lets talk"