Title: Forever

Author: D. Sollers

Subject: a one shot based on last nights episode. Brooke confronts Lucas (a missing scene). I have read the spoilers and I know what is supposedly supposed to happen. HOWEVER, this is my story and I want to do it right. Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with One Tree Hill, if I did Jake would sooo be staying! And with me lol

Author's Notes: I know I have like a billion stories to update but after last nights episode I couldn't resist.

A lump caught in her throat and Brooke blinked back tears. As she heard Haley's confession, she couldn't believe the words. Lucas had Dan's heart disease. Both Haley and Lucas had both hidden a life threatening disease from her. She walked away from Haley's apartment and didn't even manage words to her friend. Haley called out to her and was comforted by a concerned Nathan. "Is she okay?"

"I don't think so Nathan. I really don't."

Brooke got into her car and laid her head against the steering wheel. She thought back to the first time Lucas had lied to her and the devastation it had caused her. His betrayal had cost her not only her heart, but her best friend. And after everything they had been through together, she couldn't believe he had done it once again. No, Haley had to be wrong. She grabbed her cell phone from her purse and franticly dialed Lucas's cell. When it went straight to his machine, she called the house line.

Again, no answer.

As she placed her key in the ignition, she remembered a moment from their past and she knew, without any hesitation where he was.

/flash back starts/

"This is my world Brooke. Or, it use to be."

"I have been here before."

"I know, but I never told you what this place is to me. It's not just a court, it's where I came from… where I belong. It's my world."

/flashback ends/

"Lucas, is it true?"

Brooke managed to say moments later. She was standing in front of Lucas, her arms crossed over her shoulders. Tears were flowing freely and she didn't even bother to push them away. She needed to know the truth, she wanted to hear it from him. Lucas looked up at her, tears in his own eyes. He couldn't say anything but simply nodded his head.

Brooke rolled her eyes and stared at the basketball in his hands. Had this been his reason for risking his life? Did he honestly believe a game was worth the risk? She whimpered and looked up at him, disapproving of his choices.

"Why didn't you tell me? I could have…"

Lucas dropped the ball and closed the distance between him, wrapping his arms around her. She hesitated, not wanting to let go of the situation they were in but softened under his embrace. "I didn't want to lose my world Brooke. The game, my friends…you."

"So you lied to me?"

Lucas shook his head. He had told Whitey that telling his mother was going to be the hardest thing he had to do. Somehow, he hadn't remembered telling Brooke. He had hidden it right under her nose and he had known it was going to cause issues with their relationship. She begged him to be honest with her and he had hidden not one, but two life altering decisions.

"Brooke… there's something else."

Brooke pulled away from him and sighed. There was always something else. What was he hiding now? She had seen that face before, the one where he was about to confess something serious. Brooke knew that whatever it was, judging by the look on his face… it wasn't something she was going to like.

"Lucas…"

"When I was in the library with Peyton, during the shooting…"

Brooke took a few steps away from him and shook her head. Had he just said Peyton? This had something to do with Peyton? All of her fears and uncertainty came flooding back and she turned to walk away from him. If something had happened between the two of them, she wasn't sure she was ready to hear it.

"She kissed me Brooke."

Anger raged through her and she turned back to look at him. "No," Brooke said as she shook her head violently. There was no way that Peyton would do that to her. She had told her that she would never do anything to betray their friendship. Peyton knew just how much Lucas meant to her. She couldn't have done it.

"It's true Brooke. It was a simple kiss and it didn't mean anything to either of us."

Brooke snickered. "A kiss always means something Lucas."

"She was scared Brooke. We were both scared. She knows I love you and that I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize this."

Brooke nodded her head sadly. "You just did."

She looked at him for a moment and then turned to walk away., leaving a sad Lucas standing on the court. Brooke got back into her car and started the engine before turning to look at him once more. She fought back the tears that were falling from her eyes and she blinked to push them away. Where was she going to go? Back to Peyton's, to confront the friend who had kissed her boyfriend? Back to an apartment she had given up because of Nathan and Haley.? Mouth was mad at her.

For the first time in what seemed to be forever, Brooke Davis felt alone. As she drove away from the river court, she turned on a familiar street. Finding herself parked in front of Lucas's house, she turned the engine off and climbed outside the car. What was she doing there?

Brooke slipped into the unlocked door and walked across the room, her fingers running over his nightstand. There were numerous photos of the two, some of Nathan and Haley and one of Keith and him. Sadness rushed through him as she thought of Keith and everything he had lost the chance of. Marrying Karen. Seeing Lucas graduate. Seeing Lucas with kids. Having another child. Growing old with Karen.

Could she turn her back on her own future? There was signs everywhere telling her that she and Lucas were destined for each other. They were planning the beginning of their lives together, applying for the same colleges and talking about decisions that needed to be made. Lucas made it apparent just where his heart was and she had finally started to believe him.

She pulled back the blanket from his bed and slipped inside the covers, bringing the cover back up around her. Brooke placed her head on the pillow and shut her eyes, knowing that Lucas would be home soon and she would have a relationship to fix. But somehow, as she drifted off to sleep, she knew everything was going to be okay.

…...

Lucas opened his bedroom door and flipped on the light switch, amazed at seeing Brooke once again in his bed. He smiled down at her sleeping form and ran a single finger down her face. She looked beautiful, even without any makeup. Did she realize just where his heart was? Did she know how much he loved her?

Lucas didn't think she did. He had just discovered it for himself, only an hour before. As he watched her drive off, he thought about his life and all the decisions he had made. He was wrong to hide his condition from her and he knew that. He was even more wrong to keep Peyton and his secret from her.

He had promised if he got another chance with her, that he would never let it go and he meant that. There was nothing in the world that was going to keep him away from her. He loved her too much. She was his world now, his everything. Lucas sat down on the bed and Brooke wrestled against the sheets. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled sadly.

"Hey…"

"Hey…"

Lucas smiled at his girlfriend and pushed her hair back behind her face. Brooke sat up slowly and looked down at her hands. She wasn't sure what she was going to say but she knew she had to say something. "Lucas I'm sorry about what happened at the river court."

"I understand Brooke."

She shook her head no and continued.

"No, I don't think you do. You have no idea what it feels like to feel threatened by someone's relationship. I love you Lucas more than anything in this world and I know that what you and Peyton had… was real. It's hard competing with something like that."

Lucas grabbed a hold of her hand and squeezed it gently. "You don't have to compete with Peyton. I've told you, I'm in love with you Brooke. Not Peyton."

"Now," Brooke corrected him. "You're in love with me now. What about the future? A few months from now? Two years?"

Lucas wasn't sure what to say. He wasn't sure what the future held, he wasn't sure where he wanted to be. All he knew, was that he pictured her beside him. Everyday. "I'll still love you Brooke. I need you, now more than ever."

Brooke bit her lip and slowly edged towards him. She leaned into him and placed a kiss on his lips. "I love you Lucas and I'm here for you. Whatever you need. We're going to get through this."

The hesitation in her voice was gone and in it's place a certainty that made Lucas want to believe her. If anyone could rescue him from his hell, it would be Brooke. He smiled slightly and nodded his head, knowing that she was right. Whatever life had to offer the two of them, they were going to deal with it together. But as he looked down at her and brought his lips crashing down on hers, he prayed to forget everything he was going through and have the ability to just be in the moment with her.

"Stay with me," he whispered into her ear.

She nodded her head wordlessly as Lucas lowered her to his bed, tucking his hand underneath her head. "Stay with me forever," he whispered before he kissed her lips again.

Brooke smiled against his lips. Forever, she liked the sound of that.

the end...
Alrighthy guys, there it is. Just a little short one peice, please review :-)