Chapter One Hundred and Three: When The Sun Shines Again

When Lucas was still sleeping, Brooke slowly got out of bed. She used the shower and had gotten changed before he'd even stirred, and within an hour she'd awoken Devon and Hayden and was feeding them breakfast. She even had time to make a gloating call to Haley before Lucas awoke.

Stretching out in their wide bed, he was surprised not to collide with his wife. Though they had been growing apart, one of his solitary consolations was that they still shared a bed. It was something he liked to remind himself of when he felt like he was losing her.

Pulling a hooded sweatshirt over his bare chest and not bothering to change his boxers, Lucas ran downstairs, following the sounds of his sons. He found the three of them in the kitchen. He noticed immediately that Brooke was wearing designer jeans and a new shirt instead of her usual morning outfit of her bathrobe and slippers.

"Where are you going?" asked Lucas, attempting to sound amicable.

"Huh?" she asked, attempting to coerce five year old Devon into eating his breakfast.

"You're all dressed up. You going out with Haley?" he asked.

"No, just… out," she said vaguely.

"Ah."

"What?"

Lucas stared at her for a second. In some ways she was the exact same girl he'd fallen for, in others she was completely different.

"Meeting anyone?"

"Why don't you tell me, because it seems like you're more well informed than I am," she said suspiciously. Lucas made a jerking gesture with his neck and Devon ran from the room to join his little brother.

"Maybe to see a guy? Maybe Chris Kellar?" he asked. Brooke, in her astonishment, was unable to appear ignorant. Her face betrayed her instantly.

"How did you know?" she demanded.

"I found out by accident. Months ago. Why don't we talk anymore?" he asked. "Why do you need him? Why haven't I ever been enough for you?"

"He gets me," she said simply.

"I know you, Brooke. I've lived with you for years. Why can't you ever believe that?"

"Because. You didn't marry me because you loved me."

Brooke ran from the room. And Lucas didn't so much as lift a finger to stop her.

Chris Kellar raised his eyebrows in confusion as the brunette jumped out of the taxi and in to his arms, sobbing wildly.

"Did uh, something happen?" he asked hesitantly, leading her to a park bench.

"We can't make it work anymore," she said pitifully. He looked down into her pretty, tear streaked face, her shining hazel eyes.

"You could, if you really wanted to," he said.

"Yeah, like you and Haley did?"

Chris fell silent for a moment.

"I've yet to meet someone who could really come between Nathan and Haley," he slowly admitted.

"There's only one," said Brooke, laughing. "Haley."

Chris laughed appreciatively. If she didn't have two kids and a perfect Manhattan life, it might almost be worth it to screw around with her again. He'd never met a woman quite like Haley.

"We weren't even that close in high school. I don't even like you that much," said Brooke tearfully. He slung an arm around her and kissed the top of her head.

"You don't really like Lucas, either. He bugs you," said Chris.

Brooke fell silent, contemplating this.

"The two emotions don't go hand in hand."

"Like and love?"

Brooke stared down at her hands. Her mind flashed to her two beautiful boys, to her extended family, to everyone she cared about. Everyone who would be horrified if they'd known what she was doing right then. Brooke was a little horrified all by herself. Who on Earth would cheat on Lucas, one of the New York Scotts, with Chris Keller, the scrawny indie musician? It made no sense.

Not that she'd cheated.

As this thought passed through her mind, she was suddenly quite sure that he was going to kiss her. The much more startling revelation was that she was equally certain she wanted him to.

As Chris' lips descended toward hers, Brooke reminded herself that this was what she wanted. That Lucas and her weren't going to work out.

Their lips met. Wetly. He awkwardly slipped his tongue in to her mouth. Hesitantly she wrapped her arms around him and attempted to fit her face and neck in to his.

"Wow." Brooke pulled away. He was looking expectantly down at her. "Haley put up with that for all of high school?"

She pulled out of his arms.

"This was a mistake, Chris. Stay out of our lives," she said.

He watched in surprise as she began to run down the path toward the street. Even as it began to rain, she ignored the taxis and ran home.

Home to Lucas.

"LUKE?" she called into the large, alarmingly empty house. She held her breath until the familiar slow footsteps began their way down the stairs.

He stared at her a moment, his light blue eyes stern.

"I was kind of thinking you wouldn't come back," he said.

"I'll always come back. God, he kissed me. Just now, like thirty seconds ago. I didn't kiss back, I promise. It was awful. I'm so sorry. I love you. I always have. He's nothing to me. I never slept with him. He wasn't even worth our time to begin with. We need to make this work," she said. Slowly he walked toward her.

"Why?"

"Because I can't live without you, you idiot."

Suddenly and without warning he swooped down and captured her lips in his. He ran a hand through her wet hair, inhaling her familiar scent as she curved her body in to his and deepened their kiss.

As she wrapped her arms around his neck, he put his arm behind her legs and swept her into his arms. Once they'd stumbled into their bed, she broke away and looked back into his eyes, wide with anticipation.

"Let's make a baby," she murmured, kissing him again.