Chapter Seven:
"Time takes pleasure in kicking our asses. For even the strongest of us, it seems to play tricks. Slowing down. Hovering. Until it freezes, leaving us stuck in a moment. Unable to move in one direction or the other. Time flies. Time waits for no man. Time heals all wounds. All any of us wants is more time. Time to stand up. Time to grow up. Time to let go".
Lucas POV
"Lucas Eugene Scott, wake up", someone screams in my ear and it makes me wake up screaming.
I open my eyes and look to see Haley smirking over top of me.
I turn my head to my alarm clock and groan out loud since it says eight am.
"Haley why are you here".
She rolls her eyes at me and takes the covers off. "I had this feeling that you needed to talk to me. I woke up and just thought there's something wrong with Lucas".
I chuckle at her comment and sit up in my bed. "There is no way that's true".
"Whatever Lucas, am I right or wrong"?
Of course she is right. I nod my head lightly and try not to smile at her amused facial expression.
"Okay old man I'm going to put on a pot of coffee and then we can have our chat in the kitchen", Haley announces and walks out of my room.
"Yes mam", I grunt and roll back over in bed. Any morning I would be happy to spend time with my best friend, but not after getting five hours of sleep.
After a minute I stumble out of bed, knowing if I don't come downstairs in the next five minutes she'll come back in here. And a mad Haley is not what I want to see today.
Walking down the steps I can hear Haley already putting the coffee on and I smile.
I walk to the kitchen table and sit down. Haley grabs two cups out of my cabinet and fills them. She walks over and puts one in front of me and I reply a small thanks.
"Why do you look like crap", Haley huffs and takes the seat across from mine.
Rolling my eyes I take a huge sip of coffee and try to jolt awake. "I didn't go to sleep till four because I was writing and had to talk to Meg".
"About what at four in the morning", Haley laughs and I look up at her then.
"I told her", I replied and suddenly the room goes silent. Haley seems to be debating on what to say. I would be too.
"Well what did she say"?
I sigh and take another long sip. "She was pretty upset. She was more confused though".
"Why's that"?
"Because she thinks Brooke lied".
Haley doesn't reply again and I can see it in her eyes she has something she wants to say, but won't.
"But I got Meg to finally forgive Brooke. And I think we're going to see her before the game tonight", I add to get Haley to talk.
"Well I think that is a great thing. I love Brooke and all, but I'm tired of being her messenger for you guys", Haley sasses.
I smile at her comment and stand up to refill my cup.
"What about you, are you forgiving her", Haley mumbles and I turn around to look at her.
"Yeah, I am. It's time to move on now. I finally faced reality last night", I let out and lean against the counter.
"Which was", Haley questions.
"Brooke isn't coming back to me".
Haley frowns and stands up to walk over to me. She hugs me tightly and I embrace her back.
"I'm sorry buddy", she whispers and leans her head to kiss my cheek.
"Thanks Hales", I whisper back and let go of her. "All that matters in my life is Megan, my family, writing, and the team. When I want to start dating again I'll tell you okay".
Haley nods and walks back to get her purse from the table.
"Well I'm glad you seem so calm about this. You really have grown up Lucas Scott", Haley smirks.
"So have you Haley James Scott", I smirk back and she smiles.
"Aunt Haley", Megan calls from her bedroom and I hear her start racing down the hallway.
Haley smiles brightly and turns around in enough time to hug Meg. My heart swells in the good way seeing them hug. Haley has loved Megan since she was born and it goes both ways.
"I was actually just leaving. I need to start cooking breakfast for my household. You guys want to join", Haley asks.
I look at Megan and smile sadly, "We've got plans for breakfast already, don't we".
Megan immediately groans and wraps her arms around Haley. "Can't we do that later"?
"We have the game tonight and we have to leave at two because its two hours away", I announce. She sighs and hugs Haley.
"Oh don't be dramatic, you get to spend the morning with your favorite person ever", I laugh and it earns laughs from them both.
"Yeah you're right", Megan chuckles and sends a wink my way. "Well if we're going to breakfast, I better be choosing where we go".
I roll my eyes at her request but nod. "Deal", I spat out and she grins.
"Great I'll call Mom after my shower. See you later Aunt Hales", Megan announces and quickly kisses Haley's cheek and heads to her bedroom where her bathroom is connected too.
"That girl is a character", I crack out and Haley laughs along with me.
"You want me to bring my family along today", Haley says and I shake my head no.
"Thanks but I think we're going to need to have this conversation in private. There are some things Megan has to tell Brooke".
Haley's face immediately goes pale and her eyes start to water. I have a similar reaction, thinking about what this means. What it could change in our everyday lives. My poor daughter, oh how I wish she never got this disease.
"I love you Luke, call me if you need anything", Haley musters up and hugs me one last time.
"I love you too Hales, thank you", I reply and squeeze her back.
She doesn't look behind her as she walks out the front door towards the driveway. I walk to the window and see Haley open her car door and sit in it. She starts wiping her eyes and I can tell by looking at her she is crying.
I try not to get emotional seeing Haley upset because I can't. I have to be the stronger person right now for Megan. I respect her wishes and I have to be encouraging for her. Because everything is going to be okay, it has to be.
I look at the clock in the living room and see it's almost eight thirty. I probably should shower and get dressed. I knock on Megan's bathroom door and wait for her to respond so I can talk to her.
Instead I hear her singing Taylor Swift's song 22 and laugh. The only reason why I know it's that song is because every time I'm in the car, Megan has to listen to it.
"Megan", I yell and she still doesn't hear me. I open the door to the bathroom and say her name again.
"Oh my gosh you're totally ruining the best part of that song", Megan screams and I can hear her huff.
"I was just trying to tell you I am going to take a shower ".
"Oh okay Dad. I'll call Mom when I get out. I'm thinking the café for breakfast", she announces and I smile. Like I didn't already know that's where she wanted to go.
"Okay sounds good. Don't forget to take your medicine either", I say and she groans.
"Already took it now get out", Megan says and I immediately do what I'm told.
Oh I hope everything works out later, just for Megan. She needs her Mom.
Brooke POV
It's about nine in the morning when I hear my phone start going off. Hoping that whoever is calling will just leave a message, I try to fall back to sleep.
My cell phone keeps ringing though and now has me worried. What's going on?
I stumble out of my bed and walk towards the desk I have my cell phone at. I pick it up since it's ringing and see that is says Megan.
"Hello", I yawn in the receiver.
"Hey good morning Mom", Megan says cheerfully.
"What's up baby", I mumble and try to wipe the sleep out of my eyes.
"Can Dad and I take you out for breakfast", she asks. My eyes go wide at the comment; she wants to spend time with me? And so does Lucas?
"Yeah sure, give me a half hour to get ready. Where do you guys want to meet at", I reply and start getting excited. After everything they still want to spend time with me, especially Lucas.
"Dad says I can pick so were going to Karen's Café", Megan says.
At least I know I'll be having a good meal. "Okay sounds great, see you there", I answer and hang up. A nice hot shower is calling my name.
35 minutes later…
The walk to the Café takes about ten minutes since the hotel is just down the street.
From the street I can see into the window that Megan and Lucas are already there. They are sitting together in a booth and seem to be laughing. It makes me walk a little faster knowing I get to spend my morning with a smiling Megan.
I walk into the café and grin brightly when Megan looks up to make eye contact with me.
"Hey Meg", I cheer and walk over to hug her. She hugs me back and I sit across from her in the booth.
"Good morning Lucas", I shyly add and he nods at me.
"Good morning Brooke. Thanks for having breakfast with us", Lucas replies and seems to be really happy to see me.
"Thanks for inviting me", I smile and wink towards Megan.
"It's not every day that the famous Brooke Davis is in Tree Hill", Megan smirks and picks up her menu to look through it. Not that she needs it. There is only one thing Megan eats for breakfast, and that is chocolate chip pancakes.
It was always a tradition in our family to go to Karen's Café every Saturday morning for breakfast. I wonder if they still keep it going even though I'm not a part of it.
"Well I'm here now and opened to spend all of my time with you", I say and try not to yell when I see Megan roll her eyes.
"Good morning", Deb cheers as she walks over to our table.
"Hey Nanny Deb", Megan smiles brightly and stands up to hug her.
"Hey Meg, how are you feeling today", Deb asks and my head shoots up.
"I feel great", Megan answers in a low voice and Deb smiles sadly at her. Why would she ask that? Why wouldn't Megan feel good?
"It's good to see you Brooke, I didn't get much of a chance to talk to you at the party", Deb says to me and I grin.
"It's great to see you too Deb", I reply.
"Well I'm guessing the usual for the two of them, what can I get you", Deb requests and I laugh at her comment. Of course they still come here.
"I'll just have what their having", I answer and she laughs.
"Okay three short stacks of chocolate chip pancakes and three coffees", Deb announces and walks off towards the kitchen.
"You two are still so predictable", I let out and they both roll their eyes in sync.
"Hey I get eggs and bacon every now and again", Lucas protests and I look to Megan whose mouthing liar and laugh.
I stare at Megan then and notice her appearance. When did she get so skinny? She's wearing a long sleeve t-shirt and I can see how little her arms are. I look up to her face and see it's really pale and tinier. It doesn't have that fullness it used to and I'm pretty sure I can see her cheek bones. She's has always had the chunkiest cheeks ever, and now there's barely anything there. Her eyes have dark circles under them and they are sluggish as well. I know my own daughter and I can tell when something is off. Why haven't I noticed this sooner?
"What's wrong with you Meg", I suddenly blurt out and start freaking out at Megan and Lucas's expression. Both of their eyes went wide and Lucas seems to be in red alert.
"What do you mean", Megan mutters and I look towards Lucas to see he is staring at Megan. What is going on?
"Deb asked you how you were feeling and you look terrible", I stutter and she releases a gasp.
"Just because I didn't put on makeup this morning doesn't mean you can make fun"!
Ignoring her outburst, I look to see Megan's hands are shaking on the table top and reach over to hold them. "Why are you so shaky", I practically shout and cringe at how cold her hands are.
"I'm just starving that's all", Megan mumbles and I look her in the eyes and know she is lying.
"Megan what is wrong", I yell and I can see Megan start to tear up. Why is she starting to cry?
"Brooke there's something you need to know", Lucas begins to say but before he can finish Megan reaches over to Lucas's hand and holds it.
"Let me tell her Daddy", Megan whispers and Lucas nods his head. I see a glimpse of his face and see his eyes are starting to get red. Lucas is crying too?
"You two are starting to get me scared, what is going on", I croak out and feel like my throat is getting tighter.
"I'm sick Momma".
CLIFF HANGER !
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