I know I promised this chapter earlier but my parents decided to move me up a few days earlier so I've been busy with that.

Also, in answer to a question, Brooke won't be 18 for a while yet. According to the timeline of this fic, her birthday is around February.

Chapter Thirty Six: Soon You Will Disappear

Brooke tried her best to focus on what her physics teacher was explaining to the class. She knew she had to pay attention, but her thoughts were on other things.

After the disastrous dinner where Dan had erupted at Brooke and Lucas; the young girl tried to keep a low profile at the Scott house. She spent time in her room when Dan was around, and kept well out of everybody's way.

Similarly, Lucas was now suffering from the silent treatment from his father – not that he minded too much. This gave him a chance to follow the doctor's advice and rest long enough to be given the okay to return to school.

Karen had been a godsend to both children, who appreciated her attempts to stop Dan from throwing both teenagers out of the house. What they hadn't realized was that it had affected Karen's relationship with Dan. While Karen hadn't agreed with Dan and done her best to curb his anger; neither she nor her husband talked to one another – especially since he'd decided to spend more him at the dealership rather than at home.

Things in the Scott household had become subdued and very tense.

She was softly nudged out of her thoughts by Peyton, who slyly passed her a note. Brooke looked down at the quickly written message.

'You okay? You seem a little distracted. P x'

Brooke took out a pen and scribbled out a reply.

'I'm fine. Just thinking about some stuff. I'll tell you after class. B x'

Looking up to check that the teacher's attention was on something else, she passed it back the blonde, who read it and gave her a nod.

Ten minutes later, the bell rang and she was immediately accosted by her friend.

"So spill," Peyton said as she packed away her books. Brooke got up and slung her bag over her shoulder. "I didn't hear from you all weekend."

"Let's just say it wasn't really the best weekend I've ever had," Brooke let out a sigh.

"What happened?" Peyton asked. Brooke waited until the last few students filtered out of the classroom before explaining.

"Dan threw me out of the house," Brooke revealed as her friend's jaw fell open.

"Are you kidding? Why? What happened?"

"Lucas told Dan he didn't want to do basketball at University. Apparently Lucas got placements for Literature and Poetry, but you know Dan…"

"What does that have to do with him throwing you out?" Peyton asked.

"I defended Lucas' choice, and Dan accused me of poisoning his mind and stuff." Brooke groaned and put a hand to her head, "It was really bad, Peyton. We were yelling across the dinner table and it was just… horrible. It reminded me of how it was with my parents. Either it was them yelling at each other, or them yelling at me."

"Brooke…" Peyton began trying to offer words of reassurance.

"What have I done, Peyton?" Brooke asked, suddenly horrified at her actions, "They took me into their home and I screamed at them. I stuck my nose in where it doesn't belong and now I'm out on my ass. They were so nice to me and I repay them with telling them that they're wrong? God…"

"Brooke, it's not that bad," Peyton told her, "I'm sure a lot of things were said in the heat in the moment. I know you, Brooke; I know that you have opinions about everything, and that you can't keep your mouth shut for a second-"

"Are we supposed to be making me feel better or worse?" Brooke snapped.

Peyton sighed, "But that's what I love about you. You stand up for what you believe in. Whether it's for a friend's education or against a dollar-raise on the price of a cup of coffee…"

"That's just plain extortion," Brooke muttered.

"The point is that whether you should have or not, you stood by Lucas' side and supported him. I'm sure that means a lot to him."

"I guess…"

"What about Karen?" Peyton asked. "What did she have to say?"

"She was great actually. She offered to pay for Lucas' college because Dan refused to and she stopped Dan from throwing me out there and then."

"So what's happening now?" Peyton asked, "Are you still there?"

She nodded, "For now… but Dan wants me out when I turn eighteen so…"

Peyton pulled her friend into a hug, "Well you know there's always space at Casa Sawyer. Now… in a few months… on your birthday. Whenever. We can bake cookies and eat ice cream all day."

Brooke chuckled dryly, "Thanks Peyton, but I think I'm going to stick it out for a while. I don't want to leave Lucas and Karen now. It's been too quiet around the house. Everyone is tip-toeing around each other. It's just like after… Lucas and I broke up," she dipped her head to the ground.

"You know what they say, Brooke," Peyton reassured, "When you're down – the only way is up… so what do you say we blow off last period and go shopping? We'll even drag Haley out of the library and take her with us."

The offer sounded tempting, and though Brooke knew that they'd all be in trouble if they were caught, nodded her head, hoping that a couple of hours of shopping would ease her mind.

"Fine… but we're not going in crappy music stores so you can talk about Keane and the Quaser Chips."

"Kaiser Chiefs, Brooke. Kaiser Chiefs!" Peyton said for what felt like the umpteenth time.

"Pah-teyto. Pah-tah-toe." Brooke grinned.

------

"Tough break, man," Nathan sympathized with his older brother as Lucas told him about the events that weekend.

"Tell me about it."

"At least you got it all out in the open. I mean, what else were you going to do? Carry on trying to make Dad happy and get yourself killed?" Nathan shook his head, "So what if he's pissed. At least you can now get on with your life."

"It's not that simple, Nate," Lucas told his brother, "Things are bad at home. Even more so than when you left."

"Mom and Dad not talking?" Nathan asked. Lucas shook his head.

"Dan spends more time at the dealership than at home. And when he does, everyone's walking on eggshells. Mom's sleeping in the guest bedroom."

"It's only been a few days…" Nathan tried to reassure, although he was concerned about his parent's relationship. He may not like his father, but he respected that his mom did. "They'll get back on track."

"I hope so. Although I doubt Dad and I can ever get back on track. He took it pretty badly."

"Please," Nathan sighed as he sat next to Lucas, "Dad doesn't care about anyone but himself. So he can't live vicariously through us. Big deal. It's about him he realized people have their own lives; he can't live ours out for him, and we can't live his."

Lucas didn't say anything.

"Besides, it doesn't matter. You're leaving for college in… four months? Have you picked one yet?"

"No, not yet. I want to give it more thought." Lucas replied.

"Well, make sure you pick one far away from Dad."

"Actually, I was thinking of staying close to home. Not too close, but close enough for visits and stuff."

"Why?" Nathan asked, "I thought you wanted to get away from small town life? Isn't that what you kept talking about all those years ago?" Nathan reminded him.

"But you're here. And Mom. Jake, Haley and everyone's here."

"We're not going to lose contact." Nathan promised his brother, but seeing the look on Lucas' face, he realized he wasn't the one Lucas was concerned about, "You don't want to leave Brooke, do you?"

Lucas sighed, "I know we broke up… but sometimes it feels like we didn't. Especially now. We've been getting along and it seems like we're moving forward. Plus, she's got to move out next February if Dad gets his own way. I don't want to come back to Tree Hill and find her gone."

"Come on, Lucas. Brooke won't go that far. Where else is she going to go?" Nathan asked.

"New York?" Lucas suggested, "She's got friends there. Her grandmother left her a huge trust fund. She can go anywhere she wants to once she graduates. Even before then, if she wanted too. There's nothing keeping her in Tree Hill, Nathan."

"There's you." Nathan said.

"I'll be at college when she gets out." Lucas shook his head.

"Then there's Peyton and Haley. Me…" Nathan continued, "I think you've underestimated her. Brooke's not the type to just abandon her friends."

"I guess. I don't want her to feel like I'm abandoning her or my mom. I want to stay close to home." Nathan nodded.

"Look, Lucas, you don't have to make this decision yet. Don't think that you're pressured to make it because Dad is mad at you, and don't think that you have to chose a college close-by because of Brooke or Mom. This is your decision, Luke. It's all for you."

Lucas sighed heavily and ran his fingers through his hair, making a mental note to get it cut.

"Anyway," Lucas decided to change the subject… slightly, "Did you get the HCM test done?"

Nathan nodded his head, "Yeah. I'm okay." He answered, "Keith is too."

"That's good," Lucas replied, "I'm glad."

"Has Dad taken the test?" Nathan hazarded, wondering if his stubborn father cared about his health.

"What do you think?" Lucas asked, "Mom's stopped trying. She figures that if he wants to risk his own health because he's too ass-headed to accept it, then it's his prerogative. But I know she wants him to take it – and so do I."

"Yeah, I guess," Nathan agreed, earning a questionable look from Lucas, "He may not see me as his son anymore but that doesn't change the fact he's my Dad. Dan Scott maybe an arrogant ass… I don't want him to die."

Lucas patted his brother on the back, "Don't worry… I have a sneaky feeling he'll outlive us all."

"Yeah…" Nathan chuckled, "The world is crazy like that." He checked his watched and sighed, "I guess I'd better be getting home. Haley cooked my favorite tonight."

"Pork chops?" Nathan nodded with a grin, "Any special reason?" Lucas asked.

"I don't know…" Nathan replied.

"Maybe she's pregnant, dude!" Lucas teased. Nathan went a ghostly white.

"What!" Nathan's eyes went wide.

"Relax, Nate," Lucas said, "I was kidding. I'm sure she's not."

"We always use protection…" Nathan said suddenly very scared.

"I know, Nathan…"

"Well, except that one time – but that was three months ago and I'm sure that if she was, she'd have told me earlier. Unless she doesn't know…"

"Okay, um, Nathan, just go home and stop panicking." Lucas advised as he turned his brother towards the direction of his apartment. "It was only a joke."

"Yeah, how funny it was too," Nathan said dryly, "And f she is – I'm blaming you."

Lucas chuckled and watched as his brother left the Rivercourt and headed to his home. Once he was alone, Lucas reached into his backpack and pulled out a brochure. Under the dim lights of the basketball court, he looked at the campus and extra curricular activities. There was no doubt that the university itself was renowned and one of the best there. He just hoped that it'd give him the opportunity to exert his independence, without feeling completely disconnected from his life in Tree Hill.

As he closed the brochure, he knew with certainty that that was the place for him. All he had to do was accept the place – and tell everyone else.

------

"You're home late," Brooke commented as Lucas walked into the Scott household. She turned the page of her book.

"Hmmm," Lucas replied as he set down his backpack and slumped into the nearest chair, "I was at the Rivercourt with Nathan." She arched an eyebrow at the mention of the Rivercourt, "Don't worry. I didn't play. We just talked."

She nodded, "Everything fine?"

"Yeah, although Nathan's panicking about Haley being pregnant."

"What!" Brooke's eyes went wide and Lucas held up his hands.

"She's not pregnant. I was just kidding around but Nathan didn't find it funny."

"I wonder why," Brooke said as she returned to her book. Lucas craned his neck to read the title.

"Catcher In The Rye?" he questioned, "I didn't think that was your type of book."

Brooke shrugged, "Let's just say I can relate. Anyway," she put the book down, "What have you been up to?"

Lucas shrugged, "Just thinking."

"About?"

"College," Lucas replied. Broke tore her eyes away from him.

"Oh?" she tried to hide her concern. Even though they had broken up, the subject of Lucas going away still hurt her.

"Yeah," Lucas also found it difficult to talk about.

"Found anywhere nice?" Brooke asked, trying to remain cool about it.

"Actually, I have," his answer surprised her. She hadn't expected him to have already decided. "I'm going to Duke."

"Duke?"

"It's a good University. Their department of English is pretty interesting." Lucas said.

"Is it… close?" Brooke asked. "It's in North Carolina, right?"

"Yeah… it's about two hours away so I can always come up and visit."

"Good," Brooke replied, "I'll hold you to that."

Lucas nodded. "I just need to accept the place and it's done."

"Wow," she said, "That quick, huh?"

Lucas nodded, "That quick." He cleared his throat, "So, you want to watch some TV?" Lucas picked up the remote.

"Actually, I'm pretty tired," Brooke excused as she got up from the couch, "I'm going to head to bed."

"Okay then. See you in the morning." Lucas said. Brooke gave him a smile and left the living room. Once in her bedroom, Brooke turned to her calendar.

It was already April. She counted the months left until August – when Lucas would be moving off to Duke University.

There were just four months left.

To Be Continued…