Hey guys! So the 1st story idea definitely won by a landslide... haha whichi is good for me because I already have like 5 chapters of it written, and I have yet to write the last one to this one, so I should probably get on that! Anyways! Thanks SOO much for the reviews and input! I really appreciate it and I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!
"How's Brooke? She wasn't her usually perky self this morning…" Marshall sighed watching as Lucas pushed Ella back and forth in the swing at the park. Lucas left Brooke at home with Peyton, Larry… and of course baby Lyric Sawyer to help pack, Brooke for Paris and Peyton for home. After talking about it, Peyton and Larry both agreed that maybe she'd have an easier time adjusting to being a mother if she were home with her dad. Which meant Lucas was going to be in New York alone all summer, at least until Lyric's paternity test was back and Haley kicked Nathan out for good. Or maybe it was Jake's baby… either way Lucas still had a feeling Nathan was going to be out on his ass.
"She had the flu last week and now having to pack… she's pretty much unbearable to live with…"
"She perked up some when she saw Ella"
"That's because Ella takes her crap" Lucas laughed shaking his head. Brooke had been so stressed lately with her upcoming trip… not to mention none of them had had any sleep in the past 3 weeks. Lyric was really living up to her musical name… screaming 24/7 and Brooke definitely wasn't dealing with it well and was driving everyone around her crazy.
"You don't take her crap?"
"Depends… we're kinda been at each others throats the past few days, she pulled the whole 'You only want me to go so you can sleep with Peyton while I'm gone' line… I swear she's psychotic. I want her to go because I know its good for her and she's going to regret it if she doesn't"
"Women are crazy things… enjoy her while she's still hott, because after they loose their looks… there's nothing to them" Marshall laughed, finding it funny how much this was getting to Lucas. He was guessing that Brooke and Lucas must not have fought very much.
"99 of the time she is my best friend, I'd do anything for her… but that other 1 she worries me to death"
"What fun would life be without that other 1? Be glad its not the other way around, you 2 are just fighting because she's leaving… you're both going to miss each other and you're young and stupid and wont admit it… so what did Peyton name that baby anyway?"
"Anna Lyric Sawyer" Lucas sighed still trying to figure that one out…
"Brooke want one yet?"
"You're lucky Brooke hasn't run away with Ella yet…"
"You 2 are really good with her you know, you're going to make great parents one day" Marshall smiled patting Lucas on the shoulder. He usually avoided the college crowd, being a judge and a man in his 40's… but Lucas and Brooke definitely weren't your typical college students… and since he'd never had a son of his own, it made him feel good to give Lucas advice when it came to things like this.
"If Brooke doesn't smoother me in my sleep first… where's Patty today anyway?"
"She… had some things to take care of"
Brooke sat on her bed wanting to cry, in fact she could feel the tears swelling in her eyes… again. This whole week had been way too stressful for her, and it wasn't helping that she and Lucas were about ready to kill each other… plus the screaming baby, and Peyton's over the top hormones, Brooke was starting to wonder why she wasn't more excited to get out of this hell hole. She wished she could just get everything packed already so she could meet Lucas and Marshall at the park with Ella… At least Ella listened to her and made her feel better… All Larry and Peyton were doing was whining over the whiney baby.
"Hey Brooke… you need any help?" Larry asked starring at the demolished room. Brooke had clothes scattered from one end of the room to the other, this definitely wasn't the Brooke he had known since the age of 6.
"I don't know anymore…"
"What's wrong?"
"I'm still debating if I really want to do this…" Brooke sighed looking down at her half empty suitcase. What was she talking about? It wasn't even debating anymore… she knew she didn't want to go to some strange country with people who didn't even speak the same language as her. The only reason she was even considering this was because Lucas was so proud of her for getting it.
"Why? Brooke… as your former hot dad crush, I'm not giving you the choice"
"Larry…"
"Brooke… no, I'm telling you the same thing I'd tell Peyton. Lucas is just a boy" Larry smiled, knowing it always came back to the same thing with his girls… and sadly… it was usually the same boy too. Lucas had this affect on both Brooke and Peyton… he had since high school. He made them both want to be everything they could. Selfishly in when the girls were in high school Larry had wanted Lucas and Peyton together, just because he seemed to help Peyton through so much… but it was clear now who Lucas wanted… and who Brooke needed.
"Who says…"
"We both know that's who this is about, if you didn't have him… would you think twice about going?"
"No…" Brooke said letting out a bigger sigh.
"See"
"But if I didn't have him, I might not even have the opportunity to go… he's everything to me and if this trip means messing us up, then it's not worth it"
"What does Lucas want?" Larry asked knowing this would knock some sense into Brooke. Lucas wanted Brooke to go, everyone wanted Brooke to go… except Brooke.
"He says he wants me to go…"
"Then go"
"You'll keep Peyton away from him?" Brooke finally asked giving up on fighting it… it was pointless. She'd just have to come up with a really good reason not to go… maybe some terrible disease.
"I swear… I'm sewing underwear on that girl"
"If this goes bad… I'm hunting you down Papa Peyton"
"You wont even have to hunt… now finish packing"
Lucas sat on the part bench with Ella while she explained to him about the "duckies" in the pond. Usually Marshall and Patty were all up under him trying to get Ella to talk to them too, but not today. Patty wasn't even there, and hadn't been all day… and Marshall seemed so pre-occupied about something that Lucas could have said or done anything… and Marshall really wouldn't have cared. He just kept asking Lucas a bunch of weird questions about his mom and the rest of his family, things about Brooke and her family… some things that Lucas didn't even know the answer too. Either way it was starting to creep him out.
"Dree duckies" Ella giggled holding up only 2 fingers, she definitely hadn't mastered counting yet.
"3? Did you count them all by yourself?"
"Yeaya… go plway"
"Why don't you go build me something in the sandbox?" Lucas asked figuring she should probably try and find out what was wrong with Marshall.
"Okays"
"How are you and Brooke financially?"
"Um… fine I guess?" Lucas said, shocked by yet another completely forward question.
"Between you're writing and her clothes… you make a steady income right?"
"Yea… it's not bad"
"How long before you give that girl a ring?" Marshall asked, again catching Lucas off guard. His mother didn't even ask him these kind of questions…
"When she gets back…"
"Why not surprise her?"
"She wants to pick it out… its some ring that matches the one I gave her for Christmas" Lucas said, starting to get kind of weirded out by Marshall's questions.
"So you know what it looks like? You could buy it if you needed too?"
"Yea, I guess… with the way she's been lately she might just kill me"
"But you could…" Marshall asked… Lucas could tell he was thinking really hard about something.
"Yea…"
"And Brooke really doesn't want to go this summer?"
"She says she doesn't… she's been looking for an excuse for days now" Lucas laughed wondering what she would have come up with by the time they got home this afternoon.
"Then why is she going?"
"Because she has no reason not too"
"I have a very powerful job … you know that right?" Marshall asked. Changing his tone completely…
"Sure?"
"Patty left yesterday morning Lucas… packed her bags, left a note… she's not coming back"
"I'm so sorry" Lucas was completely shocked. He knew they didn't really get along… but he figured that was just something that happened after being married that long.
"Ella's adoption papers… I can't… and I don't want to raise a child by myself… I know that she'd be better off with 2 parents… I'm willing to make you and Brooke a deal, that is if you want it. You're 19… way too young for me to be doing this… the trouble I could get into is un-heard of, but if you and Brooke want her… I can make it happen"
Lucas didn't know what to say… in fact for a second he wasn't sure he was even hearing Marshall right… of course he and Brooke wanted Ella, but it was a want, like something you cant have… the thought of actually getting her hadn't even ever crossed his mind.
"You'd have to be checked up on once a month… at least for the first few, I could do that… just to minimize anyone saying it wouldn't work…You're financially sound, you have a nice place, supportive family, and you two love her… I'd rather see her with you two, 19 or not… then with some family with 3 other kids that she doesn't know… things might be easier if you gave Brooke a ring though…" Marshall sighed scratching his chin. He had put a lot of thought into this…Sure Lucas and Brooke were 19, in college and not married… but whose to say they'd have any more trouble than some 30 year old couple married for 10 years… as far as he could tell, Brooke and Lucas seemed like fit parents… 19 or not.
"I can do that… this, this is legal right?"
"There's no law saying you can't be 19 and adopt… but of course we never have 19 year olds wanting to adopt…It's the same as a 19 year olds parents getting killed, and they get custody of their younger siblings… we just provide assistance if they may need it. Since we already have papers, and I'm the man to come to in this state for adoptions… we shouldn't have a problem, my best friend Mark's a social worker, I've been telling him about you guys… he's hesitant about signing… but he owes me a few favors…and of course I am going to want some kind of grandpa status"
"Of course" Lucas said, still not able to come up with anything but simple answers.
"Now I need you to think about this… talk to Brooke, take Ella with you, really think about this… if you cant, or you're not ready… then you're not and I don't want you to do it… but if you can be 100 sure, then she's yours."
Brooke sat in the completely uncomfortable chairs in the doctors office waiting room. She found it completely ridiculous that they'd make her have a physical before leaving the country… she had her own doctors at home she trusted more then these people in New York… maybe that was a reason not to go. Actually she liked that one… the doctors here were crazy and wouldn't let her go! Lucas definitely couldn't argue with that one.
"Brooke Davis?" A nurse finally called from the door. It was about time… this had definitely given Brooke way too much time to sit and brood… she was starting to feel like Lucas.
"Here we go…"
"Ok sweetie… all we need to do is just run a few tests, make sure you're ok to fly and what not"
"Sure…" Brooke sighed sitting down on the table.
"Any problems I should know about?"
"Nope… but if you wanted to tell me I just couldn't go… that would be ok"
"Sexually active?" The nurse asked ignoring Brooke.
"Yes"
"No cell phones"
"Sorry… it's my boyfriend" Brooke said turning her phone on vibrate. She wasn't really in the mood to talk to him right now anyway… with her luck she'd just start crying again.
"Can he wait?"
"Guess so…"
"Any drug use?" The nurse asked making marks all over Brooke's chart.
"No"
"Drinking? In the last 48 hours?"
"Sadly… no" Brooke sighed… maybe she and Lucas would go out tonight… they probably couldn't drink since fake Ids weren't exactly working for them here in New York, but at least she'd get to spend some time with him.
"Are you an alcoholic?"
"No!"
"Well then take this seriously…how many sexual partners in the past year?" The nurse asked. Brooke really wanted to slap her now… was she an alcoholic… stupid whore, Brooke wondered how many sexual partners she'd had in the past year… probably 0.
"1"
"Are you sure?"
"I think I'd remember if I slept with someone else… thank you" Brooke sighed shaking her head… this was completely pointless.
"Ok, we're just going to take some blood…"
After trying Brooke about 10 times, Lucas gave up and took Ella to run some errands with him. He'd come up with the perfect plan, he'd buy the ring Brooke wanted… and make Ella give it to her… that way, she really couldn't get mad. Not that he thought she would anyway… She was getting the 3 things she wanted more than anything in 1 day… She didn't have to go to Paris, plus she was getting Ella and a ring. The more Lucas thought about it, the more nervous he got about the whole thing. His mother was going to kill him, not to mention everyone he knew was going to think they were crazy. But it wasn't that big of a deal… They usually had Ella 3 days a week anyway, and it wasn't like they had any other responsibilities other than the dog… plus they'd have the whole summer to get used to having her there, and they'd deal with everything else in the fall. Lucas just wished it was going to be as easy as it sounded…
"Ok… we're getting ready to spend a god awful amount of money on a ring, so when we have no money to send you to college one day… this is why" Lucas laughed picking Ella up so she could see all the jewelry in the case.
"Pwretty"
"For $200, I wish Brooke would agree with you on that one… ok that's the one, you like it?"
"Nowa… that one" Ella said pointing back to the pink heart shape necklace.
"Unless you want to see me die today… it has to be this one, sorry babe"
"Bwut its pwink"
"But Brooke wants blue in hers" Lucas laughed showing her the ring again.
"I want pwinks"
"But it's not a ring…"
"I wear its" Ella smiled, of course making Lucas give in… he guessed he was going to have to learn how to say no at some point, but not today.
"You'll wear it? Somehow I don't doubt that"
"Can I help you?" A man asked from behind the counter.
"Um… let me get the pink heart"
"Fwor me"
"For you…" Lucas laughed shaking his head at her. She was more excited over the necklace then anything else they'd ever gotten her. He guessed she probably hadn't ever had a piece of jewelry, except her earrings from when Brooke got her ears pierced.
"Sir… this isn't really children's jewelry"
"I nwot chilrens, I Ella"
"You're sure?" The man asked giving Lucas one last chance to say no, but Ella already had her hands around Lucas's neck hugging him and grinning.
"Special occasion…"
"Anything else?"
"That ring"
Brooke laid at home on the couch flipping through her itinerary for the trip. It was full of nothing but work it seemed like… she wasn't sure when she was even going to get to see Paris! All of this was giving her another headache… plus she was starving. Larry and Peyton had left with Lyric about a ½ hour ago… stealing all the descent food in the house, and since Lucas wasn't home yet she didn't want to do anything… in case he wanted to go out or something. Finally she heard the doorknob turn and Lucas and Ella appeared. It was about time…
"Hey baby girl… boyfriend… nice to see you finally decided to come home" Brooke sighed not bothering to get up… for as long as she had waited today they could come to her.
"We had some stuff to take care of…"
"I'm sure…"
"Feeling better?" Lucas asked kissing her forehead; she still looked a little pale from last week and she was definitely still kind of whiney.
"Yea… Ella, look at that necklace! It's so pretty… did that whore Patty give it to you?"
"Nowa…" Ella laughed climbing into Brooke's lap.
"It was all me"
"Wow… you've got him more whipped than I thought, good job girlie"
"Where is everyone?" Lucas asked noticing how unusually quiet the place was without a screaming baby.
"The apartment is officially ours… Peyton and Larry left with Lyric about 30 minutes ago"
"Sucks that we have all these extra bedrooms…"
"I guess I can decorate them when I get back or something… maybe Nathan will need a room… maybe Gucci should have his own room" Brooke giggled waiting for him to start arguing that his name was Sherlock.
"Its gonna be so quiet here without Lyric"
"Peace…"
"At least the bedrooms already pink" Lucas sighed thoroughly confusing Brooke, but she wasn't in the mood to de-code his cryptic little messages tonight, she just wanted him to keep rubbing her back the way he was.
"I likes pwink"
"I know you do, you're wearing $200 worth of it"
"Lucas… why won't my E-ticket come up online? I've gotta check in" Brooke whined ready to throw down her lap top and let Ella jump on it.
"Because Ella and I cancelled it"
"What?"
"And we bought you something even better…" Lucas smiled handing Ella the ring box to give to Brooke
"I buyed it"
"Oh My God…" Brooke gasped almost dropping the box after she opened it. Inside was of course, her blue and white diamond platinum ring… 3 times bigger than the one on her finger. She definitely hadn't been expecting that. With all Lucas's talk lately about how they needed to wait until they were at least 21, and such… he'd really blind-sided her.
"See… now that's why we got her the blue one…" Lucas whispered to Ella who was sitting in his lap watching.
"Lucas… I, Oh my god"
"She happy?" Ella asked apparently confused by Brooke's lack of response to the ring.
"I think so…"
"I thought… I thought we were going to wait"
"I was going to take you to get it when you got back from Paris anyway… but this way… you get the ring and Ella" Lucas said waiting for Brooke to watch on… she was still pretty much speechless at this point.
"What?"
"Give her the letter Ella"
"Dear Brooke, hope Lucas did good on the ring, I couldn't help him with that… but I can with this, enjoy you're fiancé, and you're new daughter. – Marshall. I think I'm delirious from the flu still, Lucas how…we're 19…I.." Brooke said, and then dropped the letter. She was still completely confused by all of this.
"Brooke, I love you… I'll love you the same whether we're 19 or 30, so what's the difference if we start now?"
"I think this is the cheesiest thing we've ever done"
"Of course it is… but that's how it's supposed to be" Lucas smiled and then kissed her. He knew how much she hated cheesy… but she wasn't getting out of a cheesy marriage proposal… no matter how hard she tried.
"I get to call you fiancé instead of boyfriend now"
"I knew that was coming"
"But how do we get Ella? Lucas… as far as I know… which isn't a lot, but 19 year olds can't adopt kids" Brooke said wiping the stray tears from her cheeks.
"They can when they have an adoption judge and a social worker on their side…Patty left Marshall, and he doesn't want her to go back to the children's home"
"Are we going to be able to handle this?"
"We definitely wont get bored… I lost her at the mall twice today" Lucas laughed, then realized he didn't know where she had gone now either.
"Lucas!"
"Hey… I found her again…and its not like we have too many other responsibilities…"
"This is the craziest thing we've ever done" Brooke smiled. She wasn't sure that they were thinking doing this… but if Lucas, Mr. Sensibly never do anything crazy agreed to it, it couldn't be but such a bad idea.
"You wanna do it right?"
"Of course… when can we like, officially have her?"
"That might be Marshall calling you right now" Lucas said feeling Brooke's phone vibrate as she sat in his lap.
"Nope… just the crackwhore doctor telling me I'm free to go to Paris… oh damn… cant go now, hold on… Hello?"
"Miss Davis?"
"This is she…" Brooke said, much cheerier than she had been earlier.
"We're calling about your blood test"
