Thank you to whoever nominated me as Best New Author at the Tangled Web Awards! I'm very grateful. This chapter is for you!

Chapter Eleven: Green Tigering The Gold

Brooke awoke with a start and sneezed loudly. Recuperating long enough to brace herself for the one that followed, the teenage brunette sighed and attempted to get out of bed. After a sudden rush of dizziness that overcame her, she flopped back down into her bed and remained there.

Karen came in ten minutes later with laundry and frowned at the sight of the young woman still in bed, "Brooke, it's almost ten past six. You have to get up."

"Tried that. Felt dizzy. Not doing it again," came the reply. Brooke noticed that her voice now sounded like Kermit the Frogs.

"Hmm, you don't sound well. Let me feel your temperature," Karen said as she put the palm of her hand on Brooke's forehead, "You do feel slightly hot. Maybe you should stay home today," she suggested.

"But I have cheerleading practice today! Can't I stay home tomorrow? I have an algebra test then," she questioned.

"And risk you infecting the whole cheer squad? From one cheer captain to another, I don't think it's such a good idea." Karen said. "Rest it out. It must be one of those 24 hour things. I'll get you some honey and lemon for your throat."

Brooke sighed as Karen left the room and wondered what she was going to do all day.

Almost an hour later, when Karen had left for the café, Brooke managed to pull herself out of bed. Although she wasn't feeling any better, she decided that sitting in bed all day wasn't her idea of a day off.

She pulled on her nightgown and walked slowly down the hall and into the kitchen. She peered into the fridge and looked at the contents of it. Frowning after finding no edible pieces of food that didn't require at least some effort; she closed it and made her way into the living room.

Lucas entered from his room. He looked at Brooke and then thought for a moment, "Aren't you supposed to be in school already?" he asked. Brooke sneezed in reply, "Oh, never mind." Lucas said, "Have you had any breakfast?" he asked.

"No because that would require some effort and I don't have any energy," she explained, "Speaking of, I'm just going to sit down on this couch because my legs are pretty much turning into jello."

Lucas watched as she slipped onto the nearby couch and sighed contently as the weight was lifted off her legs. He opened up the fridge and took out some ingredients.

"So breakfast. I was thinking some toast, a tea, followed by either orange juice or some kind of energy drink."

"You don't eat all of that," Brooke stated.

"I meant for you. You look like death and quite frankly, it's a little scary." Brooke shot him a look.

"You don't have to do any of that," Brooke said, "Although a little toast might me nice, and I could do with some orange juice. Oh, but I want something hot like tea first. But not too weak because it's all milky and urgh, and I like it strong."

Lucas laughed, "Coming right up."

"Wait a minute! You can't cook!"

"I think I'm pretty okay with throwing bread in a toaster and boiling some water, Brooke. You just rest it up. I think we have some flu medicine somewhere too. I'll find it for you." Lucas informed her.

"That's sweet. Although don't you have… grounded things to do? Like chores?" Brooke stifled a yawn.

"I am grounded, yes. But that does not mean I can't take care of my favorite live-in… whatever you are to me. Plus, I'd rather not hear you coughing and sneezing all day long," Brooke stuck out her tongue at Lucas and managed to find the remote so she could see what was on TV.

"Oooh, E! True Hollywood Story is on," she said to nobody in particular.

Lucas busied him with making breakfast for them both and proudly arranged the food in the shape of a funny face. A little childish, but Lucas was sure it would bring a smile to Brooke's face.

But by the time Lucas brought the tray of food to her, E! True Hollywood Story was softly revealing the exploits of Shannon Doherty was being broadcast to the girl fast asleep on the couch.

Lucas couldn't help but laugh and gently set the tray on the coffee table, and found a nearby blanket to cover her with. He settled himself down on the couch next to her after grabbing his own breakfast and gently turned up the volume slightly.

This was one E! True Hollywood Story that looked pretty damned interesting.

Brooke awoke and sighed, her stomach grumbling loudly. She looked at the TV screen and squinted slightly to look at the blurred images flashing on the screen. She cast a glance to Lucas who was heavily interested in what was being shown.

"Are you watching E! True Hollywood Story?" she questioned. Lucas almost jumped out of his skin.

"You're awake!" Brooke nodded, "And this is EPSN," he told her attempting to change over the channel and failing miserably.

"Why would ESPN be interviewing Luke Perry?" Brooke arched an eyebrow at him.

"Okay, you caught me. But that is only because Jennie Garth is totally hot."

"You are such a guy," she complained as her eyes rested on the food tray in front of her, "What's this?"

"That's your breakfast. It's probably cold now but that's because you were dead to the world by the time it was ready. I could make you some more if you'd like," he offered. Brooke smiled, touched at the thought.

"No, it's okay. I like cold toast," she said, "Hey! It's in a funny looking face," she grinned as she took a slice. Lucas smiled.

"Want to watch a DVD or something?" he asked. Brooke shrugged.

"Okay, I'm not that tired anymore. Don't you have chores to do?" she asked.

"I'd rather take care of you," Lucas told her as he opened the DVD cabinet, "So what do you want to watch? The Fast And The Furious? I think Coach Carter is supposed to be good."

"Isn't that about basketball?" she asked. Lucas nodded and Brooke shook her head, "Nothing about basketball or cars… or war! I hate those movies."

"Well, what do you want to watch? Oh, and we're not watching Bring It On or any crap like that," Lucas told her.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Because I said so, that's why."

"I'm the patient here! You have to see to my needs," Brooke coughed for dramatic effect. Lucas sighed and ran his hands through his short hair.

"How about we compromise? You pick a number, say like four, and I'll choose the fourth DVD and we both watch it, no arguments, okay?" he suggested. Brooke nodded and closed her eyes.

"Um… seventeen," she said.

"Seventeen?"

"It's my favorite number," she said as she watched Lucas count the seventeenth DVD, "So what is it?" she asked.

"Uh…" Lucas looked at her, "The Notebook," he said pulling it out.

"Oh, goodie. I haven't seen that one! Stick it in," she said far too excitedly for his liking.

Lucas looked cautiously at the cover, "This looks sappy." Brooke gave him a look.

"It's a love story, of course it's going to be sappy. Come on, put it in!"

"How about we choose another?" he asked.

"Lucas!" she cried, "You said we have to watch it. You have to do good on your end of the bargain. I would have watched freakin' Hoop Dreams if pulled that one out!"

"Can we?" Lucas asked hopefully.

"No!" Brooke told him defiantly, "We are watching The Notebook and we are going to enjoy it…also, I might need some kind of cough sweet because I sound like a frog!" Brooke said just before she descended into a fit of coughs. Lucas stuck the DVD in the player and fished out some cough medicine to give to her before settling down beside her to watch the movie.

Brooke held her hands to her chest as the climax of the movie. Just as the scene cut away into the end credits, she let out a deep sigh and wiped away a few stray tears.

"That was… amazing!" she announced, "Wow."

She glanced at Lucas who seemed glued to the screen and was facing away from her.

"Didn't you think it was great? Lucas?" she asked. Lucas eventually turned to Brooke.

"It was alright," he said finally.

"Are you okay?" she asked sensing some weirdness in his tone, "Were you crying?" she teased.

"I'm fine. I had something in my eye and then…" he pointed to the screen, "It was pretty sad, okay?"

Brooke laughed, "You cried!"

"Just a little," Lucas insisted, "Can we watch something…manly now?" he asked. Brooke was still laughing when he took the DVD out of the player and put it back in its case.

"Sure, you can watch your Fast And The Furious or whatever testosterone-filled flick you want – but I know the truth," she said proudly.

"If anyone finds out about this…"

"Don't worry," Brooke told him, "They will!" she giggled. Lucas narrowed his eyes at her but shook it off, breaking into his own smile.

"You're sorta crazy, you know that?" he said. Brooke nodded.

"Yup, but that's why people love me," she said. Lucas just laughed, "What do you want to do now?" she questioned.

"What time is it?"

"Almost ten." Brooke replied scowling, "God, time goes so slow," she complained yawning again.

"Want to play a game?" Lucas suggested.

"I thought you wanted to watch a movie," Lucas shrugged, "So, what game?"

"Twister?" he suggested.

"Yes, get the sick girl to play Twister. I'll end up sneezing and losing. Pick again!"

"Monopoly?" Brooke shook her head, "Life? Mousetrap? Hungry Hippos?"

"What are you, four?" Brooke said.

"Fine. Scrabble?" Lucas suggested.

"That sounds fun," Brooke said brightening slightly as she cleared the coffee table for the board game.

An hour and a half later and Brooke was throwing dictionaries at Lucas.

"That is so not a word!" she complained. Lucas ducked from the latest dictionary being aimed at him.

"It's more of a word than 'Blahniks',"

"That's a designer."

"But it's not even a word! You can't do that!"

"Well, you can't really expect me to believe that 'eyases' is an actual word." Brooke told him.

"It's in the dictionary, Brooke!" Lucas insisted rapidly turning pages of the Scrabble dictionary to prove it to her.

"I don't want to play this game anymore," she complained.

"You are such a kid," he told her.

"I am not!" she retorted.

"Then prove it. We're going to start another game – we'll just pump it up a notch." Lucas grinned.

"How?"

Lucas said nothing but cleared the board, leaving only three letters on it.

"S. E. Oh my god, this is rude Scrabble!" Brooke said as her eyes widened.

"You up for it?" Lucas asked. Brooke looked at him and grinned.

"Question is, Lucas Scott, are you?" she said as she placed more letters on the board. Lucas' eyes widened this time.

"Brooke Davis, I didn't even know you knew that word!" Brooke giggled.

"There's a lot you don't know about me, Lucas," she said simply, "Your turn."

"We could make this really interesting and play str-"

"Not if my life depended on it, Lucas."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm all icky and gross and, quite frankly, it's a little disturbing. What if Karen or Dan came home and saw us?" she told him.

"That's a 'no' then?" Lucas said looking slightly dejected.

"Uh huh," Brooke said, "I mean, normally, it would be quite funny – if there was alcohol involved – but not when I'm feeling like crap." Brooke said.

"So, what you're saying is that in other circumstances, you would do it?" Lucas questioned.

"Maybe."

"Hm. I think I'll hold you to that," Lucas said grinning. Brooke rolled her eyes as she watched the word Lucas was spelling out.

"Stripper. Ha-ha, you're funny," she said shaking her head.

Karen Scott arrived home early armed with chicken soup. She'd decided to let her friend, Deb, take care of the café while she attended to Brooke. As she put down her bags, she wandered into the living room to see if Brooke was there.

"Brooke, I'v-" she stopped suddenly as she surveyed the scene in front of her. Lucas and Brooke were sprawled out on the two couches, an abandoned game of Scrabble between them. She sighed at the scene before she bent over to read the words on the Scrabble board.

"Lucas Eugene Scott!" she cried, "Brooke Elizabeth Davis!"

The two quickly awoke.

"Karen? You're home!" Brooke said sleepily, her voice still croaky. Lucas rubbed his eyes.

"What is this?" she asked gesturing to the Scrabble board. Brooke looked down at the board and turned red, casting a look at Lucas.

"We were just playing Scrabble…" Lucas began.

"I can see that, Lucas. In case you weren't aware, there are other words in the English language besides…" she looked for words she could repeat, "…than what you've got here. I'm disappointed in both of you."

"Mom, it was just a bit of fun," Lucas defended.

"Aren't you grounded, Lucas?" Karen said crossing her arms, "I want you in your room and doing your homework… now!" she said. Lucas sighed and got up, stalking off to the confines of his bedroom.

Karen then looked at Brooke and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Karen. He was just trying to make me feel better," she insisted.

"I know. Brooke, but I didn't let you stay home to keep him company. He's being punished and I would appreciate it if you could abide by the rules Dan and I set. I think you should be well enough to go to school tomorrow, don't you?" Karen handed Brooke the chicken soup.

Brooke just nodded and accepted the food gratefully.

"I'm going back to the café, do you want anything?" Brooke shook her head.

"The soup's enough, thanks Karen," she said.

"Just be glad it was me that walked through that door and not Dan," were Karen's parting words as she left the house.

The rest of the day, Brooke and Lucas tried keeping out of each other's way. Brooke managed to shower and get ready in the early afternoon and Lucas spent time in the gym.

However when their paths did meet, they were usually filled with small smiles and sly glances at one another.

Brooke couldn't help but think that this was one of the best sick days she'd ever taken.

To Be Continued…