YAY! Chapter 43! So I JUST finished writing Chapter 47... the last chapter and let me say... it was HARD! haha Its taken me almost a week to write... but I finally finished! Thank the lord! haha anyways... let me go ahead and say THANK YOU SOOO MUCH to Kaela... my Beta reader, the person who saves me when I have TERRIBLE writers block... without her, there wouldnt be a story! So we love her very much! haha and of course, thank you SOOOO much to you guys! I love you all soo much! So now i am going to go write some for my new one, Chaos Theory... I will be posted when this story is finished... so check that one out too! Enjoy this chapter!
"Uno" Brooke yelled putting a card on top of the card pile. She was so kicking Lucas's ass…
"How the hell do you have UNO?"
"I just do"
"We haven't been playing 4 turns! I think you're hiding cards" Lucas laughed looking at all his cards. He had at least 20…
"Me? Cheat? Lucas I believe that's your area of expertise…"
"Ouch"
"Sorry… You walked right into that one" Brooke giggled kissing him on the cheek. She never thought she'd see the day where she could actually joke about that.
"Don't you need more than 2 people to play this game anyway?"
"Nope! Peyton and I used to play this on road trips all the time…"
"You and Peyton played cards…" Lucas laughed. That was hard to believe… Peyton Sawyer playing cards. Brooke maybe… but Peyton…
"Yep… and whoever lost had to flash the car next to us… we were like 10"
"I'm tired of cards"
"Me too… what now?" Brooke asked laying back against his good shoulder. They'd been playing Uno all night.
"We could sleep…"
"Sleep? Why would be do something boring like that?"
"You look tired" Lucas whispered leaning his head against hers. There were points in they're uno games that he thought she was going to fall over asleep into her cards.
"I am tired… but I'll stay awake for you"
"Remember when we used to do this every night"
"Lay in a hospital bed?" Brooke laughed
"No… lay here like this and talk"
"Yea… but that would always lead to sex, and I'm sorry as I can be Broody but we are not having sex in this hospital room where psycho Alex could walk in"
"I thought the Alex bashing was over" Lucas yawned. They had spent an hour arguing about her and had finally reached a compromise…
"It was… sorry couldn't help it, speaking of… I need to call Peyton and tell her how much this girl hates me, Peyton probably doesn't even remember her"
"Peyton… knows her"
"How?" Brooke asked confused. Peyton couldn't have known her any better than she did… in fact she wasn't sure Peyton knew her at all.
"Um" Lucas thought for a minute and then kissed Brooke. For a minute he thought she just might have fallen for it when she kissed back… but no luck.
"Don't kiss me! You only do that when you know I'm not going to like something your going to tell me!"
"That summer you went to California…"
"Did you sleep with her?" Brooke sighed expecting the worst. She wasn't even going to be that shocked or mad really if he said yes… but it did make her hate Alex that much more.
"No… god know, I didn't even date anyone that summer, I was waiting for you. But… Alex did come back for a week or so, she came to Carowinds with Peyton and I"
"You said you hadn't seen her in like 10 years"
"All I remember about that summer was missing you" Lucas smiled as Brooke rolled her eyes at him.
"Yea… uh huh, not working L. Scott, spill"
"And… she kissed me"
"Ew! Didn't she know you were pining over me?" Brooke asked. From what she had heard from Peyton and Haley… Lucas had spent that whole summer pining for her… and only her.
"Did any of the guys you were off kissing know about me?"
"Continue…"
"Anyway… it wasn't a big deal, she left… and I was going to tell her about you, she just hated you so much… and I was going to tell you, but" Lucas started but Brooke finished for him.
"I hated her so much"
"Exactly…"
"Thank god high school's over…" Brooke sighed laying back into his arm. She could have turned this into a fight, but she really wasn't in the mood. She liked laying there with him and she knew if she started the fight… she was going to have to get up.
"I did miss you that whole summer pretty girl" Lucas whispered kissing her. Now she was really glad she hadn't turned it into a fight.
"I missed you too"
"Brooke… out of the bed" Alex said from the doorway…
"What? Why?"
"He just had surgery…"
"So?" Brooke whined refusing to get out of the bed. Lucas didn't seem to have a problem with her there…
"He needs to rest"
"Alex…" Lucas started but Alex broke in this time.
"Lucas, no I'm sorry but you are never going to rest if she's laying there with you"
"I'll rest better if she's here"
"Fine… I just have to look you over. Too bad you're in Charlotte Luke, I just got transferred to Tree Hill actually. We're starting a orthopedic unit there" Alex smiled seeing Brooke cringe at her words.
"What did I do in a past life to deserve this?" Brooke whined burying her head in Lucas's chest.
"She means… we actually live in Tree Hill. I commute"
"You're kidding!"
"He will be once I buy back our house in Charlotte" Brooke whispered, not bothering to lift her head.
"Fine… fine. Let me just look at your, a tattoo?"
"Brooke branded me" Lucas laughed trying to cheer Brooke up. It seemed to always make her feel better when the tattoo was brought up.
"Hey! Its hott! Plus ours match sorta"
"You have one on your arm too?"
"No… It's hidden…" Brooke giggled
"Ew"
"Not like that… well sorta like that"
"Lucas!" Karen yelled from the doorway. There was no way any of them weer getting any rest tonight…
"Mom"
"Brooke, I'm so glad you made it! Keith called me and said you were on your way"
"Mrs. Roe!" Alex smiled hugging Karen. What a suck up…
"Mom… you remember Alex"
"Alex! Sweetie! Hi!"
"Its so good to see you" Alex smiled hugging Karen again. This girl was good Brooke had to admit… sucking up to the Mother… but Brooke was better.
"You too, wow! Look at you all grown up"
"Yea, I saw Lucas and I was so shocked and Brooke"
"Speaking of… you 2 know just because it's a bed, you don't have to both be in it" Karen laughed rolling her eyes at Brooke and Lucas
"I told her that's what the chairs for"
"If you 2 don't mind…" Lucas sighed motioning for them to leave. It was so much more peaceful with just him and Brooke in there…
"Right, sorry… Brooke, you wanna come out here and fill me in while Lucas rests?"
"Sure… sleep, I'll be back" Brooke whined kissing Lucas's forehead before getting up.
Brooke shut the door to Lucas's room tight, so maybe he could get some rest while she was gone. This at least gave her time to call Haley. If anyone knew the real Alex it would be Haley… after all Haley had been their friend too. Of course her cell phone had no signal and the line for a payphone was a mile long. That was just her luck today… plus she was stuck in the lobby with Karen and Alex…
"Its so good to see you!" Karen smiled hugging Alex, this was just too much! Who hugged that much?
"Same! Only I wish it weren't under these circumstances"
"How is he?" Karen asked turning to Brooke for answers… that made Brooke happy, just to see Alex look pissed.
"He's good actually… we were playing uno for like 3 hours"
"You got here fast… Where are the kids?"
"With Keith and Jules… I didn't even get to have a long goodbye with Rylan, and the girls have no idea what's going on… I didn't know what to do!" Brooke said hugging Karen. Now it was her turn… Karen loved her luckily… it wasn't like most mother/daughter in-laws.
"You should have stayed with your kids… he's fine here" Alex snorted
"He's my husband… I wasn't just going to leave him stranded here alone"
"Brooke… you remember Alex right?"
"Yea…" Brooke smiled glaring at Alex while Karen wasn't looking.
"Wait… why is it when I see you 2 standing here the words mutual hate come to mind?"
"It's been 10 years… we're over that" Alex laughed smiling sweetly at Brooke. Brooke just wanted to slap her… hard.
"Of course…"
"That's good to hear… so Alex… our Lucas did good didn't he?" Karen asked hugging Brooke again. Brooke could see Alex's face turning redder by the minute. It was fabulous.
"I have to say… I never saw it coming. I always thought it was going to be Haley"
"Me too for a while… then Peyton, then he started dating Brooke, then Anna… I gave up guessing, Lucas loved his women in high school"
"Really now… he was a player?" Alex asked hoping the answer was yes.
"No… not really, I mean that one time… but now that I look back I think it was always Brooke… if he wasn't with her he was trying to find a way to be… We have so much to catch up on… here, sit. We'll all 3 chat and let Lucas get some rest"
"Good idea"
"Ok" Brooke smiled reluctantly. This was the last thing she wanted to do. "Chat" with them about how they never imagined Lucas with her… what fun.
"So… Lucas and I were talking about our pacts earlier. Remember those Karen? I hope Haley followed them better than he did… Especially the sex one"
"Lucas wasn't too bad about Sex before marriage was he Brooke?"
"Just me… and Nicki… and me, a lot of me…" Brooke grinned. Maybe this was going to be more fun than she had thought.
"Sure… I just can't believe Lucas fell pray to the typical cheerleader"
"Well… he was a 16 year old boy… and, she was Brooke Davis. You were the instigator right?" Karen laughed looking over at Brooke.
"Of course I was… but he didn't give it a 2nd thought…in fact I'm not so sure he gave it a 1st one"
"I guess I just always saw him as a better man…"
"A better man? They don't come better than Lucas, you've been judging him all day… you don't even know him"
"I know that when I left he had goals, he was going to College, becoming a writer, settling down once he had the money… did you even know any of this? That he wanted to stay married for 5 or 6 years before having kids? Now I come back and he has a tattoo, he's a basketball player! And he's married to you. Brooke Davis… who still looks exactly the same as she did in high school only with slightly bigger boobs, what did he buy those for you?" Alex asked. Brooke couldn't believe she had just said all of that in front of Karen. She must have really hit a nerve…
"Alex…" Karen said shocked. She couldn't believe what had just come out of her mouth.
"You know I'm right Karen…"
"You whore! Why does it bother you so much that he married me?"
"What happened to being over what happened in high school? As his mother I don't know what to say to either of you really other than… Brooke, yes… Lucas had much different plans before he met you… but as his mother, I don't think he would have been nearly as happy. Alex… you left a kid who was so sheltered, he didn't know anything about the world… That's the way I wanted it. I was pissed when I found out about him and Brooke in high school. I wanted her out of my son's life… and when he cheated on her I have to admit, I felt a sense of relief. I didn't realize until after I got to know her that there's a reason people like Lucas end up with people like Brooke. Lucas made his choice… and as far as I can tell my son is as happy as I have ever seen him. I think it's the 2 of you who need to stop fighting and realize that he loves you both… in different ways, but he cares none the same… ok?" Karen asked trying to play mediator.
"You are completely right Karen. Brooke… I am sorry. I guess I just remember Lucas from the summer we spent together, and well… he's just so different"
"Oh My God…" Brooke sighed rolling her eyes Alex. She couldn't believe Karen was actually buying that line of crap!
"Brooke"
"Fine… I need to go call Keith"
"Brooke takes some getting used to but she is a sweet girl" Karen said once Brooke was out of earshot.
"I guess… I mean for Lucas to marry her she has to be right? I was just wondering what kind of a mother she makes… I always saw her as someone who would marry some guy 30 years older than her and spend all his money… not with 3 kids"
"Brooke puts up a front to everyone but Lucas I think… he's the only thing, other than her kids who loves her because she's her… and for him, I don't know what it is about her that makes him so happy, but as long as he's happy… I'm happy"
"I know Lucas must make a great dad" Alex smiled, she knew there was no better way to make nice with a guy than through his mother.
"He does… those kids are everything to him and Brooke. I never thought 2 people with such messed up childhoods would make such good parents"
"I can't wait to meet them…"
Brooke sat outside the hospital on a bench with her cell phone. She had called Keith, and talked to Allie and Chloë for a little while, while they told her all about their day and what they had done. Keith had said the 2 girls had refused to let anyone other than Jules around Rylan… and that they had spent the day coloring Lucas get well cards. It made her wish so much that she was home with them right now… she would have stayed on the phone all night listening to them giggle and talk if Jules hadn't finally hung up. So now… she was stuck here, she thought about going back in, but she really wasn't in the mood to talk to Karen… or Alex. And Lucas was hopefully asleep… Finally she decided to call Haley… and get as much information on this Alex girl as possible.
"Hello?" Haley yawned into the phone.
"Haley… ok so"
"Brooke… do you know what time it is?"
"Yes… and this is important" Brooke whined not caring what time it was… it wasn't like it was going to kill Haley to help her with this…
"Fine… but if the phone woke James up I will hurt you"
"Just listen! I need you to tell me everything you know about Alex"
"Alex Eason?" Haley asked shocked. She hadn't seen that one coming.
"Yea…"
"Um… she's really earthy, remember me when you first met me?"
"Yea…" Brooke asked wanting Haley to hurt up and get to the point.
"Times that by like 100"
"Ah… what about her and Lucas"
"She always had a crush on him… but he didn't like her I don't think. I remember they kissed that summer you were in California… but he turned her down… Why are you asking me this stuff?" Haley asked curiously.
"Because that little bitch is here…right now and I think she has a thing for Lucas"
"Brooke… Lucas loves you, he was never into her… don't worry about it. Now can I go back to bed?"
"Sure…Thanks" Brooke sighed. This had been no help. Haley had just told her everything she already knew…
"No Problem"
"Brooke… it's freezing out here, Lucas is asking for you" Karen said walking up behind Brooke and scaring her.
"Sorry… I was just checking on the girls and Rylan"
"Good news is I just talked to Alex… and Lucas gets to go home tomorrow"
"Thank god" Brooke smiled sliding over to make room for Karen.
"And she'll be there next week"
"I knew there had to be a catch"
"Brooke" Karen laughed.
"Sorry… I'm just stressed. And no! I'm not depressed or on Anti-depressants"
"Ok?"
"Long story…"
"Ok… I'm going back up" Karen said giving Brooke a quick hug.
"I'll be there in a sec… hey isn't that Alex?"
"Yea"
"Whose that?" Brooke asked pointing to the little kid walking beside her.
"A patient?"
"Mom, can I play with the gloves again" Brooke and Karen both heard the kid clearly
"Woah"
"Lets not jump to conclusions"
"Looks like Miss Sex before marriage is a liar! That kids like 7! That means she had him when she was like… 17 or 18!" Brooke shrieked. She knew there had to be something in this whole mess that made Alex not so perfect… no one was that perfect!
"She could have adopted him?"
"Are you kidding me? That kids got lanky bitch whore's child written all over him!"
"Brooke" Karen ½ laughed ½ scolded
"He does! At least I think it's a he"
"Lets just go back upstairs"
"This makes my while year!" Brooke giggled grabbing her purse
"That she obviously had a kid at 17?"
"No… well yes! Karen! All she has done today is judge me for not being married when we had Allie and Chloë! This is crazy! Come on… we have to get in the elevator with them!"
"Brooke" Karen yelled after Brooke, trying not to make it to obvious what was going on.
"Faster!"
"Brooke!"
"Made it… Oh hi Alex! Who is this?" Brooke asked as the elevator door closed, with all 4 of them in it.
"Abner"
"Abner like as in Little Abner?"
"No… his name means light" Alex sighed
"Ok?"
"Do you really want to do this here Brooke?"
"Do what?" Brooke asked suddenly getting a bad feeling in her stomach. Karen had a look… a bad look.
"Lucas means light" Karen whispered
"So?"
"Alex"
"I know… I should have said something, I just didn't want him to feel like Dan" Alex said patting Abner on the head like a puppy.
"What is going on?"
"When did this happen?"
"The summer that I came back… I don't know what happened" Alex whispered. That's when Brooke finally got it.
"Wait… no… no"
"Brooke" Karen sighed
"No… Lucas told me about that… he said you didn't sleep together"
"He was probably trying to protect you"
"Why should I believe you? You've been lying all day" Brooke said just as the elevator door opened to their floor. She wasn't even that upset… she didn't believe this girl for a second. Lucas would have told her… he told her everything else… He wouldn't just flat out lie to her about something like that.
"I wouldn't lie about this… Brooke. This is Lucas's son"