Title: Beautifully Broken Author: D. Sollers

Summary: SPOILERS for episodes 3.16 - 3.17

Realizing she isn't what Lucas needs now, Brooke decides its best to end their relationship right before summer vacation. Brooke seeks solitude in California, while Lucas leans on a confused Peyton for support. What happens when Brooke comes home from vacation with an old friend only to find that Tree Hill isn't how either one of them left it.

Couples: Anyone who knows me knows that this story is BL & NH. I am not a big fan of Peyton, but I do try to make sense out of her character. However, I do love Jake. Will also follow a close friendship between Karen and Dan

Author's Notes: There have been a lot of spoilers out right now about episodes. This is based loosely on SOME of those spoilers. The spoilers include: the hostage situation, Peyton getting shot and Keith dying. With the news that OTH might be canceled at the end of this season, I decided that I would write the end of this season even before it began. Now, most Brucas fans are probably upset by recent spoilers about the Peyton/Lucas "era" (whatever if you ask me) being revisited and to be honest I don't blame any of them. Remember- the faster you review the faster I update

Disclaimer: I don't own One Tree Hill or any of its characters

Chapter One-
I will be here

"If tomorrow morning if you wake up

And the sun did not appear I will be here.

If in the dark we lose sight of love

Hold my hand and have no fear I will be here.
I will be here when feel like being quiet

When you need to speak your mind (I will listen)
I will be here when the laughter turns to crying

Through the winning the losing and the trying

We'll be together, because I will be here"
- "I will be here"

Brooke watched as Haley placed the microphone down and bid farewell to Keith. The pews were full of family and friends, all with separate memories of the man they had grown so fond of. In the front row stood a distraught Karen who had only begun to know Keith again. Brooke turned towards Lucas and caught his eye. After just a second of looking at her, he turned away and brought his arms around his grieving mom.

As people exited the church, they offered loving words and deep sympathy to Royal and Mae Scott. The older couple said nothing but watched what was left of their dynasty. Their two grandsons stood on opposite ends of the church, divided by the people closest to them. Memories of their own sons entered their thoughts and were both saddened in knowing that one was never coming again.

Brooke watched as Haley joined Nathan in front of the casket. "He was supportive of us when no one else was," she could hear Nathan tell Haley. Guilt ran through Brooke as she realized that she had been one of those who had been against the married couple. But she was feeling guilty about everything recently.

She joined the couple but said nothing. It had been only two days since the fatal shooting and still she couldn't believe what had happened. In less then forty eight hours her whole life had changed. Although no one had voiced it, she was sure everyone blamed her for the tragedy. As tears entered her eyes, she felt a tiny hand slide into her own and looked down to see Haley's hand. Haley smiled sadly at Brooke and squeezed it.

"We're going to get through this," Haley whispered to her friend. "All of us"
Brooke nodded her head in agreement but wondered silently if Haley was right. She was sure that Karen's life seemed to be falling apart and as she turned to Lucas she could tell her relationship with him was falling apart as well.

……

It had been hours since they had lowered Keith into the ground but Karen still couldn't force herself to leave the site. She stood under a willow tree, staring down at her lovers grave. Tears fell freely down her cheeks as she thought about the time that had passed and the things that she had missed all of those years. Her hand rested at her stomach as she fell to the ground in sobs.

"Keith I am so sorry," she whispered to the grave. "We missed out on so much and if I had just said yes to you in the beginning when you first asked me to marry you none of this would have happened. This is supposed to be the happiest time of my life and I don't know how to do this without you."

She had been pregnant before, 18 years ago. And Lucas had been the best thing that had ever happened to her. But at 36, she wasn't ready to go through it again. Fear and self doubt got the better of her as she continued to cry. "How am I supposed to do this?"

A firm hand reached out and touched her shoulder and she didn't bother to turn to see who it was. "Lucas- I told you to go home. I wanted to be left alone," Karen said as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

The man walked towards her and sat down. "It's a good thing he went home then," Dan said. Karen shut her eyes knowing that she had no energy to argue with the man beside her. He had caused so much grief and so much pain to everyone she had cared about and she wanted nothing to do with him. Especially at a time like this.

"What the hell are you doing here Dan?"

Dan stared at the ground beneath him and looked at her. When had he become this monster? Had he always been this way? Years ago, before the money and the power had gone to his head he had loved his brother. "Keith was my brother."

"And you wanted him dead!" Karen yelled at him. She stood up and wrapped her arms around herself in comfort. "Don't get it Dan? You won. Your brother is gone and nothing is going to bring him back."

He nodded his head and Karen couldn't help but cry. The truth was, Dan Scott hadn't won anything. His wife had tried to murder him, both of his children hated him and the woman he had never stopped loving was in love with his brother, who had just died.

"I didn't want this to happen," Dan admitted truthfully.

"You expect me to believe…" as she said the words, she stared at the father of her child and realized that he was being honest. For years his eyes had seemed cold and distant but in that moment, Karen found something unfamiliar shining through.

Sorrow.

Loyalty.

Regret?

"Do you think he's up there?"

Dan stayed quiet for a moment and then turned to her. "If there is a heaven, he's up there."

……

"Okay Luke- I put the lasagnas in the refrigerator and I cleaned up the plates and the cups so you wouldn't have to," Brooke said as she walked into her boyfriends bedroom. He had his back to her, staring down at a photo. "Is there anything else you need?"

Lucas said nothing and Brooke leaned against the door frame. "Lucas, how about I warm you up something to eat. You haven't eaten all day," Brooke offered. Still, Lucas said nothing. "Lucas, what's wrong?" She cried.

Brooke realized what she had said before he had a chance to say something and she walked towards him. Bending down so that she was at his lap she looked up. "Baby, I know you're hurting. And I know that you're angry that this has all happened. But your mom needs you to pull yourself together. We all do," Brooke pleaded. She knew that he was hurting and more importantly she knew that she wasn't helping him.

"Lucas, I can't do this. I don't know what to say to you to make this better and I wish I did. I wish I could tell you that I know what you're going through. But I don't. Maybe you need to talk to Peyton," Brooke offered.

Lucas laughed and pushed her away from him. He stood up and walked towards his closet. He brought down a box from the top shelf and threw it on the bed. "Don't do this Brooke. Don't make this day about us and Peyton."

Brooke wasn't sure what to say. "I didn't mean anything by that, I just thought she could help you," Brooke said. She walked towards the bed and sat down on it. "I just figured you'd want to see her…"

"Brooke, enough already!" Lucas yelled he slammed his closet door shut and turned to look at her. "My uncle just died! He's gone Brooke, he's not coming back. And all you can do is think about your stupid theories and your insecurities about Peyton. YOUR BEST FRIEND."

Brooke held her mouth open in surprise and then stared down at the floor. She couldn't believe he had said that to her. She nodded her head slowly and stood up walking towards the side door. "You know what Lucas? This has nothing to do with Peyton. This is about you and me. Maybe it's best if we just cool it off for a while," Brooke offered.

Lucas looked at her and nodded his head. "I just need some time to figure some stuff out," Lucas agreed with her.

Brooke crossed her arms at her chest. "I've heard this before. I should go."

"It's not like that Brooke."

Brooke nodded her head and opened the door towards the outside porch. "If it wasn't you would ask me to stay." She waited for a minute to see if he would but when he said nothing she turned around and walked out the door. As she walked down the porch step, she held back the tears that had been forming in her eyes.

Their relationship had fallen apart.

Brooke turned back to stare at his house, and realized that her fears had all become reality and the promises he had made to her had been broken. Had they just broken up? Suddenly she couldn't hold the tears any longer.

……

Haley placed her key in the apartment door and turned the handle. "Brooke?" She called out as she shut the door behind her and took a look at the apartment. There were two suitcases at the door. "Brooke, what's going on?"

"Hales, hey. I was hoping you'd come home," Brooke said as she entered the living room from their bedroom. Haley looked down at the suitcases and then back at Brooke.

"What's going on?"

Brooke placed a tiny box on the counter and then looked at Haley. She wrapped her arms around her friend and shut her eyes for a minute. "I know we probably should have talked about this but it hasn't been the right time. I was accepted to do an internship in Los Angeles for a clothing line and I accepted it."

"That's great Brooke! But…"

Brooke cut her off.

"It's a summer thing, I will be back in time for freshman year at Duke."

Haley looked around the apartment and sighed. "I'm going to miss you, the apartment will be empty without you," she said.

"It doesn't have to be." And for the first time in days, Brooke smiled mischievously. She raised an eyebrow and turned to her friend. "There's always Nathan. This was you alls apartment. I just rented it for a while."

Haley leaned against the counter and shook her head. "What about Lucas? Brooke, he really needs you right now."

"Lucas and I broke up," Brooke stopped Haley from saying anything else. "The truth is we've been having problems for a while. And with Peyton getting hurt and Keith dying… I guess we both just realized we're on two different paths."

Haley hugged her best friend. "I love you Brooke."

"I love you too tutor girl."

Brooke pulled away and brought a letter out of her pocket. "One more thing? Can you give this to Lucas? Not today, not tomorrow…but somewhere down the line?" Haley nodded her head and Brooke grabbed her two suitcases. "I guess it's time to go."

"Already?"

Brooke nodded her head and opened the door. "My car's all packed and I am ready to go. Take care of everyone for me okay?" Haley nodded her head and watched as one of her best friends shut the door behind her.

Haley looked down at the letter in her hands and sighed to herself. The school year was coming to an end and everyone's lives were changing. She wondered to herself just what fate had in store next.

TBC…
Well, that was chapter one. Love it? Hate it? Please take a few minutes to leave a review