AN: Rough timeline: Story begins June 2011 – Jamie's fifth birthday. Brooke is attacked: November 2011. Lucas and Taylor become a couple: February 2012. Sam's rescue: April 2012; Lucas and Taylor's wedding: May 2012. Lucas and Taylor split up: January 2013; Letter to Brooke, sent in February 2013, read in April 2013. Brooke returns to Tree Hill in May, 2013, age 25.
Chapter 13
They stop by the supermarket to buy some ice cream. Cookies and Cream for Nora and Lucas, Chunky Monkey for Brooke, and for Peyton, as Brooke herself insists. "Of course, Chunky Monkey! Are you stupid, or what?" She pokes Lucas with a stiff finger as she speaks. "You think I wouldn't know PSawyer's favorite ice cream?"
She glares at him. Lucas is both floored and utterly entranced by this appearance of mercurial Brooke. His reply is a little less than articulate. "Ehh..."
"Just stop drooling, Broody! I know I look good." She shakes her head in mock dismay. "If I wanted a dumb monkey for company I could have found one in New York."
Lucas guffaws. Brooke gives him another glare, with a bit of amusement around her eyes. He walks past her, shaking a little with suppressed laughter. "Sorry..."
She leans heavily on sarcasm. "I'm glad I'm still able to amuse you, Lucas Scott."
Lucas keeps walking forward, stealing a glance at Brooke, planted in the middle of the aisle, arms firmly crossed under her breasts. "You most certainly are."
She smiles and tosses her pink hair back in a flirty little move. "It's your turn to amuse me, then.."
Lucas reaches the cashiers, quietly thinking about the little gauntlet Brooke has thrown his way. Brooke approaches him and he finally replies in a slightly melancholic tone. "I'm not sure I was ever able to amuse to you."
Brooke pulls him down by the shoulder, while standing on tiptoes. It looks like she's about to whisper something in his ear. Instead, she bites his earlobe, hard, but not enough to draw blood. Around Brooke, Lucas is in a constant low state of arousal. The sharp pain ignites it in a nearly uncontrollable flare. He stretches, rubs his injured earlobe between two fingers and gives Brooke a smoky look of stark, naked hunger. Brooke preens a bit under his gaze and then saunters ahead, giggling like mad. Of course he amuses her. He always did. He just needs a little help.
Staring at her retreating back, Lucas shakes his head. 'I'm screwed. I'm so, so screwed...'.
=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=
Lucas parks in front of his old house, right behind Peyton's Comet. Brooke is a little antsy about meeting her best friend, so she grabs Lucas' hand as they walk up to the door. Lucas knocks, and Nora opens the door, a big smile in her pixie face. Shorts, flip-flops and a loose floral print top partially covering a very cute second trimester baby bump. She squeals and gives Lucas a big welcome hug. "Hi, Lucas! So good of you to come by." Then she notices Brooke, who is still holding Lucas' hand for dear life. "Oh, hi!" She gives Brooke an appreciative checking out. "Nice!" She lets go of Lucas and extends a hand. "Pleased to meet you, cutie. I'm Nora."
Brooke frowns at her a bit. "Brooke." She gives Nora a limp little shake. "We've met before."
Nora laughs. Her obvious sunny mood loosens Brooke a bit, and makes Lucas smile. "Of course we did. Sorry."
Brooke answers in a short growl. "No problem."
Lucas walks ahead, going for the kitchen. Nora and Brooke go sit at the living room. "Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. Peyt was just finishing preparations."
Brooke nods, pointing her chin at Nora's bump. "Congratulations, I guess. How far along are you?"
If anything, Nora's smile gets even brighter. "Twenty weeks. I've just begun to feel him move."
Brooke can't avoid feeling a little envious. "Wow. A boy."
They turn to see Lucas and Peyton coming in. Peyton is barefoot, with an apron, a light blue summer dress and a white chef's cap. Peyton is sweaty and a little flushed, her green eyes bright. She gives Brooke a sharp stare, without a lot of warmth. "BDavis. Long time no see..."
"It's good to see you too, P. Congrats on the baby."
Peyton's eyes turn to Nora, and her face softens into a loving smile. "Yeah. Thanks."
Still, Brooke is a little put off by the chilly welcome. "I hope you still like Chunky Monkey."
Peyton turns back to her. "Yeah." She points to the family room. "Dinner is ready. Luke, will you help me set the table?"
"Sure." He turns to Brooke and Nora and bows. "Duty calls, ladies."
Nora mocks him in a light tone, talking to his back. "Hey! Who are you calling lady, mister?" She giggles a bit. "I'm sorry for Peyt's chill."
Brooke answers in a dry tone. "You're not the one that should apologize."
"Hey. My house, my wife and you're a guest."
"Your wife?"
"Almost a year now." Nora notices Brooke's disappointment. "Sorry again. We tied the knot in Atlantic City, just us, Larry, Lucas and Taylor."
"I was supposed to be her maid of honor."
Nora sighs. "Sorry."
"It's all right, I guess. What about Derek, Nathan and Haley?"
"Derek was overseas. And Nathan and I don't really get along."
Brooke frowns."Why?"
"I get the feeling he doesn't approve of us."
Brooke looks skeptical. Nate may be a jerk, but he's not a caveman. "Did he ever say anything?"
She shakes her head. "Not in so many words... it's not just that. He's so damn... male." Nora makes a disgusted face. "Besides, this little UST between him and Peyt. It just bugs me, that's all."
"Him and P.? Unresolved sexual tension?" The fuck. Maybe. Brooke shakes her head in disgust. "What about Lucas, then? And Peyton."
Nora laughs. "I heard the story, Pretty Girl." She places air quotes on her pet name. "Love written on the stars, right?" She turns serious. "Peyt and Lucas are close, sure, but kinda like a pair of twins. Lots of love, no real tension." She giggles. "Nathan, though... if Haley didn't have that boy wrapped tight around her little fingers, what can I say? I'd worry." She smiles and rubs her bump.. "Maybe a little."
Brooke doesn't really know what to say, so she just adds noise. "Hmpf."
Nora shakes her head. "You're too close to see, I guess."
Peyton's voice comes from the family room. "Dinner is served, guys."
Dinner is vegetarian lasagna with garlic bread and a beautiful garden salad. Choice of white wine and grape juice, with no takers for the wine. It smells great and tastes even better. Nora does the honors. Peyton and Nora behave like a young, expectant couple in love straight from central casting. It makes Brooke a little extra uneasy.
Brooke decides to break the awkward silence. "Have you guys chosen a name?"
Nora replies, with a slightly whiny tone. "I wanted Larry. Mommy and grampa vetoed it."
Peyton adds. "It's too old fashioned."
Brooke loves Larry, but she agrees with Peyton. Lucas drawls a suggestion. "What about Mick?"
Nora brightens. "After Peyt's sperm donor and Jagger." A pink tip of a tongue appears between her lips. "I sure like it."
They all look at Peyton, who looks pensive. "I'm not sure... " Peyton has very mixed feeling about Mick, which didn't really resolve themselves. Even after he died and left her the recording rights to some of his work. "Let me think about it."
There is something else bothering her. Brooke knows the question is inappropriate, but her curiosity gets the better of her common sense. "Is Lucas the father?"
Lucas and Peyton jump like someone poked them with a sharp stick. Peyton replies a little too fast. "No!"
Nora looks at Peyton and Lucas with a quiet smile. "C'mon guys..."
"Sorry, I shouldn't have asked."
"It's no secret." Nora places her hand on top of Lucas' in a little caress. "We asked. He turned us down. So, we went to a bank. He promised he'd stick around and do the uncle thing."
He intertwines his fingers with Nora. "With pleasure."
Peyton snickers. "Get a room, you two."
Nora's eyes flash, a little annoyed. "You take him to a room. If I can take the pinkette for a spin."
Peyton and Lucas smile, and Brooke scrunches her face. "You're not really my type, Nora."
"Oh, but you are mine, sweetie. And who knows? Maybe I could teach you something new."
"I thought you liked them tall and blonde." Lucas adds in a teasing tone.
"Oh, don't you wish, baby." Nora gives him a gentle slap on the arm. "I like them hot, smart and prickly. And concave in the right place." She gives Brooke a smoldering look. "These two are just prime."
Peyton makes a put upon face. "You guys see? I marry the bitch, and she still has the balls to flirt with the guests. Right in my face."
Nora blows Peyton a kiss. "It's the pregnancy hormones, sweetie." Brooke finally decides she likes Nora after all.
After the ice cream, Lucas and Nora go take care of the clean-up, and Peyton takes Brooke to Lucas' old room, which will be their nursery. It's empty, except for paint supplies and an unfinished magic woods scenery covering one of the walls.
Brooke takes it in for a bit, and sighs. "You still got it, PSawyer. This is shaping up real nice."
"Thanks." Peyton presses her lips together in a thin line. "Do you have a problem with Nora and I?"
Brooke inhales, thinking fast. She wants to be honest, but she doesn't want to spoil her chances of rebuilding something with the blonde. "No." Peyton looks doubtful. "I do have a little problem with lesbian Peyton, though."
"What problem?" A bit angry.
Brooke replies slowly, and her tone is cautious. "We were intimate, P. We slept together. Many times. You were my first kiss." Brooke looks straight into her eyes. "Did it mean something different to you than it did to me?"
Peyton's anger disappears, turned into doubt. She opens her mouth to reply, thinks better, puts a finger up to signal Brooke to wait and frowns. After a few seconds, she replies softly. "Yes. I think so. It wasn't like I had a crush or anything. But I did enjoy it a bit more than you, I think."
The acknowledgment makes some of Brooke's unease dissipate. She nods gravelly. "I can probably live with that."
Peyton also relaxes, clearly pleased with Brooke's response. "Are you staying for long?"
Brooke turns in the direction of the kitchen and smiles. "I'm staying for good, I hope."
While Peyton and Brooke talk, Nora dries while Lucas washes. She uses the time to question Lucas, gently. "Are you really ready to move on, sweetie?"
"No. Not really..."
"So? What are you doing?"
Lucas sighs. "It's Brooke. More Brooke than before, too."
"And?"
"She comes through the door, my common sense flies right out the window."
Nora giggles. "I see... ow!" She puts her hand on her bump.
"What?" Concerned.
"The little asshole kicked me!"
Lucas relaxes and smiles. "I see... He's trouble already."
"That's my middle name." She grabs one of Lucas' hands, dries it and places it carefully on her bump.
Lucas feels the movement and smiles brightly. "There you are! Nice to meet you."
It quiets down and Nora sighs. "He likes you."
Brooke and Peyton watch the end of the little scene, which Peyton breaks up in a joking tone. "I hate you two!" She hadn't felt her son moving yet.
Lucas and Nora exchange a glance and Lucas replies. "Sorry!"
"You'll get your turn."
Later, as they exchange farewells, Nora whispers in Lucas' ear. "Common sense is overrated."
He just smiles and nods.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Brooke wakes up with a start, her heart beating fast. She knows it was a bad dream, but she can't recall what it was about. It's almost three in the morning. She tries to get back to sleep, but gives up after a bit. She decides that a cup of warm milk might help. Careful not to make any noise, she goes down to the kitchen. Warm milk in hand, she notices one of the sliding doors to the patio is open, and decides to close it. Much to her surprise, Lucas is outside, leaning against the railing, staring at the sea. She knocks softly, trying not to surprise him. He turns around and smiles, when he sees it is her. She asks in a slightly mocking tone. "Brooding much?"
He snickers. "Just thinking. Couldn't sleep."
She walks to the railing and reclines against it, her back to the sea, a few inches from Lucas. "Can I ask what you were thinking about?"
"This and that."
"So I can't..."
"You can always ask."
Brooke smiles. She loves the way Lucas challenges her, without ever making her feel stupid. "Tell me one thing, then."
Lucas thinks about it for a bit. "What about a trade? I tell you one thing, you tell me one thing."
"Oh, I love these games."
"I know you do. Go ahead."
"All right. Why did you turn them down? Nora and Peyton, I mean."
"Hm."
"You don't have to answer."
"But if I want to ask my question..."
"Then you have to answer."
"All right." He points to his chest. "HCM".
Brooke frowns. "I get it. It's a fifty-fifty chance, right?"
"Right."
"But it's not that bad. You and Dan..."
Lucas cuts her off. "We are lucky. It's often a lot worse."
Brooke stays quiet for a while, mulling this. "So, you're not having children? Ever?"
"I did a vasectomy." He smiles, a little sadly. "Doing it without a condom is nice."
Brooke cries, an old dream of hers turning to ash. "This fucking condition. It wasn't enough..."
"Hey!"
"What?"
"It's not a big deal. You should know."
"What do you mean it's not a big deal? It's a huge deal. I know how much you love children."
"Brooke, we both know it's not about the blood. Angie taught us that. Dan and Victoria too."
Brooke recalls the relief when she found out she was not pregnant junior year. Relief, and a little bit of disappointment. But she knows he is right. "Yeah. You're right."
She turns back to the sea, and gulps down her milk, still angry with the unfairness of it. "What about your question?"
Lucas is staring at the sea again. Lost in thought. After a little bit, Brooke shoves him sideways, shoulder to his chest. He looks at her, startled, as if he had forgotten she was there. "Sorry," he mumbles.
"You question?"
"Hm." He stretches out and yawns. "All right. Here it goes. What are you doing here?"
Brooke looks at him, thinking. "It's complicated."
"Simplify it."
"All right. Ultimately, I came looking for you. I need you."
"You need me." She nods. "Why? What for?"
"That's the complicated part. To answer that, I need to tell you a story."
"Tell me, then."
"It's a long story." She yawns too. "Can we continue this tomorrow?"
Lucas grabs her in a hug. "All right. Tomorrow."
Brooke circles his torso with her arms and hugs back tightly, enjoying his smell. "Let's go to bed."
