Everyone erupted into applause. Lucas nodded and smiled at the crowd and walked down. Brooke walked towards him, although it was a little hard for her to see where she was going through her tears. They embraced each other. Over Brooke's head, Lucas saw all his friends, pouring their hearts out through their eyes. The sight of his friends crying almost made him cry, but of course, being a boy, he didn't. Brooke held onto Lucas until the applause died down. Then she planted a fat kiss right on his lips, smearing Victoria's Secret kissing gloss all over Lucas's face. They walked back down, where all the women and girls bombarded him with kisses on the cheek. Karen, Peyton, Haley, even Rachel…everyone. Lucas's cheeks were sticky with lipstick and lipgloss, but of course, his favorite flavor would most definitely be the stuff on his lips. He licked it off with satisfaction, and he could have sworn Keith was saying from heaven, "You little horndog." And despite himself, Lucas laughed.

All of Keith's friends were over at Karen's house afterwards. People had been taking turns visiting Karen and Lucas, bringing food, flowers, and helping clean the house. Brooke and Lucas headed to his bedroom. She kicked off her satin black Gucci pumps and flopped down on his bed. He got in right next to her. She sighed as she stared at the ceiling.

"Hey, Brooke."

"Ya?"

"What should I do?"

Brooke turned over on her side and faced Lucas. "About what?"

"Everything. I mean, should I go to Jim's funeral? How am I supposed to get over something like this? Am I supposed to get over it?"

Brooke ran her hands through Lucas's hair. She whispered, "You know, I'm probably not the best person to ask."

Lucas looked at her. He knew what she meant. Sure, Peyton could help him out. But nothing was more comforting than Brooke's soft, beautiful voice. "Will you please just tell me what you think? It's important to me."

Brooke smiled. "Well, I think best friends can forgive each other anything." Lucas knew she was referring to her and Peyton, and he found that her mentioning that made him love her even more. She continued. "But forgiveness isn't pardoning what they did. What Jimmy did was wrong on every level, and all the forgiveness in the world doesn't mean that you agree with his actions. It just means…well, I don't really know, actually."

Lucas laughed. Brooke could always make him laugh.

"You know what else is kind of weird? I haven't even cried since Keith died. It feels so strange… but you know, guys don't cry."

"I've seen a guy cry before." Brooke said.

Lucas actually seemed interested. "Really?"

Brooke nodded. "You know I would love you just as much if you did."

Lucas's face tightened.

"Lucas, everybody loved Keith while he was on earth. He was an amazing uncle, brother, fiancé, dad, and friend."

Lucas's face tightened some more. Tears already began to form at the back of his eyes.

"But because of the way he died, everyone will remember him as all of those things, and something else: a hero," Brooke finished with a shaky voice.

Lucas quietly said, "It's just not fair. He was gonna be my dad. He could've been my dad years earlier, but I don't feel cheated of our past. What I feel cheated of is the future we'll never have. He was gonna be my dad!" He choked up, and a solitary tear dripped down his face. Brooke was shocked. "I know, honey. I'm sorry."

That night for the first time, Brooke saw Lucas cry.