((sorry about the long wait!))

CHAPTER 11: I'm Nobody Alone

Brooke stared at him in shock. This couldn't mean what she thought it did...could it? But why would this happen to him, after all he'd already been through. "Felix? California? Lucas, what are you talking about?"

Lucas coughed a little before he could speak. "You told me at Keith's almost-wedding that your dad had gotten a job in California. If that was two weeks ago-"

"Luke...the accident was two weeks ago, the wedding was four...you can't remember anything after the wedding?"

Lucas watched her, and shook his head. "I...no, Brooke...I don't...I'm sorry." He watched her with sadness in his eyes, and despair. He was trying to remember something...anything...but he couldn't. The last thing he remembered was driving home from the wedding...then he remembered waking up in the hospital. But his memories didn't connect, he could remember getting out of the car fine...but then Brooke claims there was an accident...and her arm was in a cast. "Were...were you in the car too?"

When Brooke looked up at him again, she had tears slipping down her cheeks, and she nodded. Even though Lucas couldn't remember the month that had passed and the things that were now making Brooke cry, he still remembered the way he'd felt about her before all of that happened. He hated to see her cry because of him. "C'mere," he murmured, pulling her clsoe to him in a gentle hug.

Brooke could feelthe weakness in his arms, which made her cry even harder. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry this all had to happen to you," she sobbed.

"Shh...I'm here now, Cheery." Lucas replied soothingly. For a second, Brooke thought he'd remembered, but her heart told her that he hadn't.

"Lucas!" Haley cried from behind them. Brooke pulled away and turned to see Haly and Nathan standing in the doorway. She stood slowly, and then turned for a minute back to Lucas. "I'll be back later...I'm sorry I have to go," she whispered. As she walked out of the room, she tuggd Haley and Nathan just outside the door. "He can't remember..." she sobbed.

Haley and Nathan gave her shocked looks. "W-what do you mean, he can't remember!" Haley questioned, fear gripping her heart. She saw the pain in Brooke's eyes and knew she was telling the truth.

"He...he can't remember anything past the wedding." Brooke leaned back against the wall, her head back against the wall as well. Haley turned to look at Nathan, and he pulled her to him in support. "He...he asked me if Felix knew that I was with him...and why I wasn't in California. I can't stay here...he doesn't remember that we're together...I can't," Brooke muttered, shaking her head. Nathan nodded, and squeezed her shoulder.

"Just call if you need anything, okay? I'll come and get you if anything changes."

Brooke nodded, and walked away. Tears were falling down her face endlessly as she walked away from the man she loved...even though he didn't remember it. She made her way to Karen's house, and called her nae frantically. She was beginning to panic...Lucas really didn't remember their confessing their love for each other...he didn't remember her finding out about the HCM, he didn't remember her coming back to be with him. It was all gone.

"Brooke, what's wrong? Sweetheart, it's okay...come here," Karen insisted gently, hugging Brooke as she sobbed. Andy watched this in silence, worried about what could have caused Brooke to break down like she was.

"Lucas is awake," Brooke began. Karen gasped and pulled back to look into Brooke's eyes, confused as to why she would be so upset. "But...but he can't remember...anything...after the wedding." She sobbed into Karen's shoulder when the older woman hugged her again. "I couldn't bear to be there anymore, knowing he doesn't remember."

"Shh, shh, it's okay...I understand. Are you going to stay here for a little while?"

Brooke shook her head. "No...I think I'm going to go for a walk. Tell Lucas I said I'm sorry, will you please?" Karen nodded, and Brooke headed back outside. She walked for what seemed like hours, just thinking about Lucas and how she could possibly get him to remember what had happened. She realized that she was nobody alone...she was nobody without him.

Squealing tires and a blaring horn made her look up, and see that a car was coming at her...and she knew the driver. She was frozen with fear, until the car came to a stop against her legs. She breathed a sigh of relief, and continued to walk, trying to get away from the driver as soon as possibe.

"Brooke, wait!" Tyler called, jumping out of his car and running after her. She ignored him, so he grabbed her arm...her casted arm. Brooke winced, and spun to face him, and grabbed his arm to pull him off of her.

"What do you want?" she snapped. Tyler followed her as she walked to the other side of the street. She subconsciously noted that they were close to the hospital. "Can't you just leave me alone?"

Tyler pushed her back against the wall of a random store, and kissed her jaw. "Get off of me!" Brooke cried. Tyler jsut smiled, until someone tapped his soulder from behind him. He turned in curiosity, and was met with a fist to the face.

"I beleive the lady asked you to get off of her. And if you don't stay the hell away from her, you'll regret it for a very long time, I promise you that." Tyler growled in frustration, ad looked at Brooke from the ground. "Your loss."

Brooke didn't even see him leave...her complete attention was locked on the man before her. "Lucas...what are you doing out of the hospital? How-"

Lucas cut her off with a gentle, lingering kiss. Brooke was shocked, and concerned at the same time. When they finally pulled away, Brooke held Lucas' arms as he swayed a little. He laughed a little at himself, but then started humming 'Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again'. Brooke gasped. "You remembered!"

"I could never forget you for long...but I'm so sorry I did at all. I love you, Brooke."

She smiled, and gave him a tender kiss, before she pulled away and smakced his arm lightly with her good hand. "Now let's get you back at the hospital before you pass out on me." So they walked back to the hospital together, Lucas leaning on her for support, and Brooke ecstatic that Lucas' memory was back...and that he'd come and saved her from Tyler. Things were defenitely going better...