A/N: Hey guys! I'm sorry it's been ages! I have not forgotten about you. I've just been struggling with life.. I hope it hasn't affected the quality of this story. Thanks for your patience and all your encouragement after last chapter and while waiting!
It was over a week later than originally planned when Brooke was finally expecting Mia and Haley over for the meeting. She tried to get her sweet little boy dressed and ready for a day 'to work with daddy', but the boy wasn't helping her much. Brandon had always had a special gift of being exceptionally cheery in the mornings. But he didn't channel the cheeriness to playing or getting the day started efficiently. No, being his father's son, Brandon was being especially sweet and affectionate. Brooke was used to waking up to the little boy's kisses and cuddles. However this morning the sweet trait wasn't at its best. It was still as lovely as ever, but not that practical with only limited time to get ready.
"You look really pretty today, mama." the boy beamed and tried to brush her hair instead of putting on the light blue button-up shirt Brooke had chosen for him. Brooke glanced at the clock realizing Julian would need to leave in five minutes.
"Thank you handsome, but we really need to get you dressed now. You know you get to go to work with daddy today." she picked up the shirt and got to helping him.
"Yes!" the boy squealed while helping his mom with the shirt. "And Uncle Lucas will be there. Daddy said I get to be Uncle Lucas's asssisstannt!"
Brooke chuckled at the boy's weird, excited pronunciation. "Well then, all the more reason to get ready quickly."
Brandon thought for a second, nodded and gave his mother a big smooch before running off to get his things.
He almost ran into Julian, who walked into the living room with little Ellen in his arms. "What's up with our boy?"
"He's excited about the day. Getting ready." Brooke gave her husband a kiss took the baby from him.
"Mm, it's going to be a good one." Julian smiled. "So you're hanging out with Mia and Haley today? What's that all about? Why's Peyton not joining you?"
"Because.. We will try to work something out for Peyton. And we don't need her interfering in our quest for her happiness. Not just yet, anyway." Brooke smiled coyly. "So Do Not tell Peyton about today!"
Julian nodded in hesitant agreement, but did not have a chance to reply before Brandon ran back to his parents with a back-bag on his shoulders, ready for the day. The doorbell rang at the same time and the next five minutes went in the haze of good-bye kisses and welcoming Mia.
"So.. Not that I have anything against having you here, but why did we need you here? I mean Haley knows Lucas better than anyone and I have similar history with Peyton. Haley never really explained it." The two women and a baby left in the house sat down in the living room.
"I think she asked me here, because I had promised my help and knowledge if this ever became something you two wanted." Mia started carefully. As much as Brooke had always fascinated her, this meeting was quite awkward.
Luckily Haley marched straight into the living room just then. Mia looked at her a little surprised. "No knocking or ringing the door bell? How'd you get in?"
Her question got both Haley and Brooke into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. "Brooke, or any of us really, rarely locks the door."
"Good to know!" Mia smiled and hugged Haley.
"Anyway, before we get down to the business. I have bad news for you." Haley continued. "I double-checked the North Carolina marriage law and it requires at least 6 months' separation before you can file for a divorce. We know it's over, but as long as Lucas and Lindsey are still officially married, I know Peyton won't even consider anything. She's been through too much. She won't risk it."
Mia and Brooke both nodded their heads in agreement but stayed quiet just processing the disappointing news.
"Maybe it's a good thing. I know you both believe in Lucas' love for her. But he screwed up big time. He shouldn't just be let off the hook with it. I won't allow Peyton to be his rebound from a failed marriage. We might need the time." Brooke finally spoke up.
"So what, we're just gonna wait around for 6 months and then see where they're at?" Mia was still clearly frustrated. "I have been waiting for almost half a decade. Peyton would NEVER be Luke's rebound. You two of all people SHOULD know that."
"Mia's right. Since we set up this meeting, we shouldn't just wait and do nothing. We just need to take it slow." Haley challenged Brooke, though soon saw she agreed as well.
Brooke sighed. "So slow. How the hell do you encourage progress but slow when it comes to Lucas and Peyton?"
Haley chuckled. It was quite true. The two had never just dated casually. They shared a long history and overwhelming amounts of love for each other. Slow wasn't an easy thing to pull off. All or nothing were much more natural options.
Mia raised her hand a little awkwardly. Haley and Brooke both seemed to understand each other from a perspective she had never gotten to see. She felt a little out of place, but she had an idea. Actually one she had believed in for a long time. "I was thinking music."
The two looked at her interested to hear more.
"Brooke, you asked why I was here. And the reason is that I was there when Lucas decided to write a love story trilogy based on music that Peyton had discovered. He took my songs and created a character who was a writer, pining for this brilliant, beautiful blonde music lover. While staying loyal to Lindsey's marriage they still had this big passionate love letter exchange in the form of Luke's Who You Are Without Me trilogy." Mia confessed.
Mia looked at Brooke and admired how expressive her face was. You could see how the beautiful brunette was scrolling back her memories of the trilogy. "And Peyton answered right back. The way she took on the project - how she pushed me to write even better, make new Lucas-worthy material, how she accommodated Lucas's needs in the creative process and used all her business contacts to make the trilogy even more successful than Ravens.."
"..It was Peyton's way of loving and caring for Lucas the way she always has." Brooke finished the sentence.
"And vice versa. Intentional or unintentional, I truly believe one of Lucas's motives was also to bring Peyton and her music to full potential." Haley reminded. "It offered important new ventures for Red Bedroom."
The three women smiled and nodded in agreement. Everything made more sense now.
"Lucas and Peyton.." Brooke laughed quietly. "It's like they found a new way to THUD each other when the connection was otherwise at risk."
Haley let out a giggle but Mia just looked at her confused.
"Anyway, what was your idea about the music?" Haley brought them forward with the topic.
"We agreed that they should build the inevitable relationship slowly. I think that requires a lot of self-reflection. I think we could affect their playlists. Bring in songs that will make them think of everything that's happened. Their relationship and then little by little also the future." Mia explained.
"Oh and music.. I like it!" Brooke squealed.
Haley smiled. "Lucas, too, uses music to deal with things. But how do we get music to work for the right purpose?"
"Oh, come on! It's not like there's much left for us to do anyway. They already love each other they just need to learn to trust it and decide it's alright pursue the love. With two music geniuses and my brilliant self this should be a piece of cake." Brooke rubbed her hands together excited.
There was a slight break in the action while the production coordinator was on the phone with the studio executive's assistant. Everyone else was just casually chatting while waiting. They were settled in Tric's backroom, which had just enough chairs for everyone in the production team plus little Brandon.
Julian could feel his phone vibrate in his pocket. He glanced quickly at Brandon, but the boy was settled tight by Lucas' side. He had been given his own script, which he was coloring similarly to how Lucas had color-coded notes on his own version.
Pay attention to the music Lucas listens to!
That's all his dear wife had said. No I love yous or I miss yous. Not even wishes for a good day, checking in on their son.
Nice talking to you, too, dear! What's this about? J
It didn't take long until he got Brooke's reply.
My best friend's happiness in life may depend on it. Still no telling her, though! Love.
Julian smiled. He had known when he married Brooke his life with her would be anything but boring. That he'd be kept on his toes for the rest of his life.. And he still wouldn't have changed a thing.
Okay. You got it, babe. Just tell me all about it tonight.
Before Julian could hit send he felt a soft nudge on his side. Brandon was standing behind him, his one hand tucked in Uncle Luke's.
The little boy looked up to his 'uncle' waiting for him to speak up. "They told it's gonna take at least a half hour, I promised Brandon we'd go see if his aunt P. is at Red Bedroom."
"When?" Julian scowled.
Before Lucas could answer he felt a pull towards the door. Brandon was certainly no longer interested in talking with his father. "While you were flirting with your wife." Lucas answered half way out the door. "At least I hope it was Brooke."
By the time they reached the door to Red Bedroom Records, Lucas had caught up with the little boy. They stepped into the office a subconscious giddy smile for the prospect of seeing Peyton plastered on both guys' faces.
"Well, well if it isn't my favorite boy and his new-found-uncle." Peyton smiled right back and spread her arms for Brandon to run straight to her lap.
Lucas gave the two some space and did not make it all the way through the room. He just shyly followed the godmother-godson interaction.
She raised her eyes from the little boy's embrace and smiled at Lucas. Somehow the sight took her back to when they were 16 years old and she almost ran him over. The same kind of mysterious, sort of poetic look in his eyes. She couldn't read that face back then. She had been too angry and frustrated to even try. Looking back, she thought perhaps the biggest reason back then was that she had been scared. That look had serious consequences and wrapped up in herself she hadn't been ready for his love.
Everything had changed since then. Twice over. Yet she still lacked the guts to try and read the expression in his eyes. Perhaps she wouldn't even have a word for it. It was indescribably enchanting and she wasn't the writer..
"Are you just going to stand there or do I get a hug from you, too?" her eyes sparkled as she broke free from the spell of his gaze. He laughed awkwardly and and walked over to give her a brief hug.
"What are you up to?" Lucas asked and sat down on a chair in front of Peyton's desk.
"Oh! You'll NEVER guess what happened today.." Peyton's eyes are shining as she replies to Lucas and receives a kiss on her cheek from Brandon.
"Robert Smith called you up and asked if you might sing the Cure to Red Bedroom?"
Peyton's face fell. "No, nothing quite THAT cool. BUT.. I got asked on a date!"
Now Lucas's face fell, but Peyton continued without recognizing it "By. Your. Brother!"
Lucas burst to laugh. "Nathan asked you out? That's so high school.."
"No, this is a step up from high school. In high school I was yet to meet Brandon." Peyton laughed and the child in her lap beamed as she gave him another cuddle. "Besides, Nathan hardly ever asked me out when he was my boyfriend, if you know what I mean.."
"Uncle Nathan?" Brandon butted in. "Uncle Nathan was your Boyfriend, aunt P?"
Peyton looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "Yes, honey. But that was a long time ago."
"But uncle Nathan is aunt Haley's true love.." the boy was trying hard to make sense of it all.
"That's right buddy. We hadn't even met aunt Haley back then. We didn't know yet." Peyton tried to explain.
The boy nodded compassionately and gave her a big hug. "First my daddy and then Lydia's daddy.. You've been with everyone, but where's your true love?"
Good question. The adults both knew Julian and Nathan weren't quite everyone, but the question was still valid. Peyton hugged the boy back tighter and couldn't help a few tears falling down her cheek.
A knock on the door brought them from the deep thoughts. It was a P.A. popping his head in and telling Lucas and Brandon they were ready to continue. Brandon gave a quick kiss to his godmother's forehead and jumped up running towards the door. Lucas rose, too, but he turned around at the door to finish the earlier conversation. "Hey, Peyt, what is the date?"
"A basketball banquet in New York. With Haley's pregnancy she wasn't feeling up for it and I guess she trusts me by now." Peyton winked. "Thanks for stopping by!"
He nodded and waved her good bye as Brandon was already dragging him towards the meeting. Tric was surprisingly busy for that time of day so they had to scamper a little getting to the other side of the bar.
In front of the right door Brandon stopped and turned to look at the man he had come to adore. The boy tugged his hand signaling to kneel and get to his level. Then he whispered "You should ask aunt P out on a date. Aunt P deserves a true love, too. And my mama won't let me get married until I'm 25."
A/N: I hope you liked it. Coming up in the next chapters, Lindsey will have big news for Lucas and Nathan taking Peyton to New York.. I don't dare to promise when I'll have it written, but even if it's been ridiculously long since my last update - I'm not giving up on this story. One day it will be completed.