Author- Emily-Grace Mendes (Brookebynature)
Disclaimer- I don't own the characters or the show, only this story (which actually has a title i didn't steal from somewhere)
A/N- I really do seem to be in the mood for one shots lately, so hear's another one. I have a sequel in the back of my mind for this, so let me know what you think!
Don't Let Me Leave
Her bag is packed, but she doesn't really know why she's still staring at it. It's been packed for the past month.
She takes it out of the closet most nights, telling herself that she's leaving.
But it always gets put back there. By her, no one else.
And she just doesn't know why she can't leave.
--
She wants to, there's no denying that. But at the same time, she doesn't.
Her hazel eyes scan the room, for a reminder of him. There's many, the main one being the emptiness.
Every time she sees that emptiness she thinks of him, because she knows that he's the only one who can fill it.
He can't be bothered, he doesn't know.
Or he just doesn't want to.
--
Brooke knows he's at the office right now, she knows he'll have his head in front of a computer screen, staring at numbers that are beginning to muddle together, loosing all sense.
But he won't walk away.
It's as if it has a hold on him, and he doesn't know it.
But she does. And she's tired of it now.
She always was.
--
The bag only contains one set of pyjamas, a tooth brush, flannel and clean underwear. She figures she doesn't need anything else.
She doesn't even know if she'll ever need what she's packed.
But she won't unpack. Unpacking means she's giving up, she's not fighting any more.
Brooke Davis always fights.
Only she's Brooke Scott now. Maybe that makes her a different person.
Different by name, different by nature?
So the bag stays, but she puts in back inside the closet where it often resides, shutting her eyes tight to stop the flow of tears which may escape any minute.
--
He's had enough warning now, she's decided. She'd dropped him enough hints that she'll leave, but he's still not home.
The bag is screaming her name, metaphorically of course. Bags don't really scream.
She picks it up and holds in it front of her, before settling on placing it on the bed.
She really is leaving this time, she still doesn't want to. But she knows she has to.
She's embarrassed, she's upset, she's angry. But most of all, she's hoping. Hoping that he won't let her leave, that he'll come home, take the bag from her hand and tell her that he's sorry, beg her not to leave.
And Brooke knows, that if he does that, she'll stay.
But will he come?
--
She sets a time: 10 o clock. If he's not home, she's leaving, she's sure of it this time.
The shower runs, drowning out her thoughts. She has a little time to waste while she waits around. Waits for 10 o clock to come.
She's hoping for, and dreading that time at once.
And he's still at the office.
--
Her car keys are on the table, and it's 9:45. Only fifteen minutes left.
He'll come.
Her shoes are by the door, and it's 9:55. Only five minutes left.
He'll come.
Her coat is draped over her body, tears clouding her vision as she scans the room one last time, her gaze fixing on the note she left him.
It's 9:59. Only one minute left.
He's not coming.
--
It told him she didn't want to leave, told him that her hand was shaking almost too much to write these words. It told him everything he already knew, and everything he didn't want to hear.
And when he sinks onto the bed, his hand clasped over his mouth in order to stifle his sobs (though he doesn't know why he feels the need to) he finally gets it.
She's not coming back.
And when he finds the red feather that he saved all those years ago from the costume party at Tric, he unclasps his hand, the tears flowing freely as his sobs fill the room, the room that she had found so empty because he wasn't in it.
It's Lucas now, who finds it empty when he goes to sleep at night, and wakes up in the morning.
It's Lucas who misses the scent of her vanilla shampoo when he walks into the bathroom.
It's Lucas who appreciates everything about her, and it's him who realises that it's too late.
And he knows that all she wanted, was for him not to let her leave.
Please review xxx