Hey guys! I'm SOOO sorry that it's been so long since the last update, but I didn't realize how long it had been. I just started school again and working different hours. But everything should be fine now and it shouldn't be that long between chapters ever again. Thanks to Cari for becoming my beta for this story!

Chapter 7

Sarah Beth closes her eyes and She dreams she's dancing Around and around without any cares and her very first love was holding her close and the soft wind is blowing her hair

Brooke took a deep breath and stepped into the kitchen where she heard her mom and Lucas talking, Haley and Peyton trailing behind her. Lucas glanced up when he heard them come in and his eyes widened in shock.

"So, what do you guys think?" Brooke fingered her super short hair. Peyton had cut it into a pixie cut, leaving the hair long enough to style.

Lucas smiled. "It looks great. Just like anything else you do."

"It looks very grown up, Brooke," her mom looked behind her to Haley and Peyton. "Which one of you cut it?"

"I did, Mrs Davis," Peyton shrugged.

"You did a great job, Peyton. You could always become a hairstylist if you want." She walked over to Brooke and wrapped her arms around her. "It really does look good, sweetheart. And it's probably better this way."

Brooke nodded numbly before pulling back from her mom. "I want to go out for awhile. Is that okay?"

"Oh, I don't know Brooke. That's probably not a good idea."

"Please Mom? It's not like the three of them are going to let anything happen to me," Brooke's eyes were silently pleading with her mom.

"Fine," Her mother sighed as she looked at the four of them. "If you guys let anything happen to her you will be in major trouble. And you have to wear your mask."

"But Mom!"

"No buts, Brooke. You're not even supposed to go out, so be glad that I'm letting you go. Now go before I change my mind."

Brooke nodded and headed back to her room where she put on one of the surgical masks that the hospital had given her. "Let's go."

They all piled into Peyton's car, Lucas and Brooke in the back. "So where to, Brooke?" Peyton turned around the face her.

"Well let's pick up Tutor Girl's husband first. Then I want to get some food." She paused. "And then maybe some shopping?"

Lucas turned to her. "Are you sure you're up for that?"

Brooke shrugged. "Well I always thought that I'd be up for shopping, but we'll see. And all else fails you guys can always push me around in a wheelchair, right?"

Haley nodded. "Sounds good to me. Let's go get my husband."

Peyton laughed as she faced forward and drove off.

After picking up Nathan they had headed to the mall where they ate at the food court before starting to wander around the mall. After about fifteen minutes, Brooke started to get tired and stopped at a bench. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea."

Lucas smiled and lightly kissed her. "Stay right here. I'll be right back."

Brooke shrugged. "Okay."

Lucas came back in about five minutes pushing a wheelchair. "Lucas! I was joking about that."

Lucas shrugged. "I can't deny you a shopping trip. Your wheels, m'lady."

Brooke shook her head. "Lucas, people are already staring because of the mask." "Since when have you cared what people thought?"

Peyton shot at her. Brooke shrugged. "I guess I don't if you guys don't."

Everyone rolled their eyes. "Why would we care?" Nathan laughed. "Me and Lucas have the three prettiest girls with us."

Brooke scoffed. "You mean the two prettiest."

Haley laughed. "Brooke, even with that mask on you're gorgeous."

Brooke smiled. "Thanks guys..." They wandered around the mall for about an hour together until Lucas broke away from the rest of the group, leading Brooke away.

"Hey, where are we going?" Lucas smiled as he leaned down next to her ear. "I wanna talk to you for a minute, if that's okay."

Brooke nodded. "Yeah, that's okay."

He stopped them at a bench near the fountain and after sitting down he turned her to face him. "So, I have a question to ask you Miss Davis."

"Oh, yeah? What's that?"

"Will you go to the prom with me?"

"The prom?" Brooke shook her head. "I can't go to the prom, Lucas. I have no hair. I have sores in my mouth and I still get sick all the time."

Lucas placed his hand over her mouth. "No excuses, Brooke. You CAN go to the prom and I want you to be my date. We can go with the group."

Brooke shook her head. "No, you should take Peyton."

Lucas laughed. "I can't. Peyton has a date."

"She does? With who?" Brooke was shocked that her best friend hadn't told her that she had a date to prom, before remembering that she had blown her off for the last week or so.

"Mouth."

"Mouth? Mouth and Peyton?" Brooke was once again shocked.

"Yeah. I think that they're going as friends, but Peyton told me she had tons of fun with him the night of the Fantasy Draft date night. So when he asked her to prom she said okay."

"I still don't know, Lucas...I won't have any hair."

"I don't care, Brooke. And you should know that you're up for Prom Queen."

"Me? Prom Queen? How? I haven't been there."

Lucas shrugged. "I think it might have to do with our campaigning for you. You're still enrolled in school so you're eligible."

"But I don't want anyone's pity vote, Lucas," Brooke glanced down at her hands in her lap.

"Brooke Davis, if you wouldn't have gotten sick you would've been in the running. What makes it any different now? People may feel sorry for you, but that doesn't mean that they'll vote for you."

Brooke shrugged. "I guess that would be okay." She looked up at Lucas, her head tilted. "I'd really like to go to prom with you, Lucas."

Lucas smiled. "Good, because I was going to make you go either way." He leaned over and kissed her. "I really do love you."

"I love you, too."