Perfect Fit

by Clavyus

This story begins with the fake proposal. Everything up to that point is canon. Instead of the kiss, Lucas and Brooke reconnect, initially as friends. It turns out that, one year after graduation, they had both matured a lot, and that changes dramatically the way they relate to each other. This is a Brucas fic.

9. Chapter 9

Thank you for your reviews. This is my favorite chapter in this fic so far. As usual, I own nothing related to OTH.

Chapter 9 – Carry on

The cab dropped Lucas and Jamie in front of the little picket fence house. Instantly Haley runs at them. "Jamie, Jamie, I missed you so much!" Jamie jumps up and down in the bjorn and uses his word. "Mommy! Mommy!" Nathan is right behind Haley, giving Jamie a kiss. "Missed ya, JimmyJam. Hi, big brother." Haley gets Jamie out of the bjorn, carries him in while Nathan helps

Lucas with the suitcases. "Hi, brother-in-law. We missed you too. Let me take care of young master Scott here, and I'll want to know everything. Both you and Brooke have been awfully short on the phone, and I know it's been an interesting three days."

Lucas smiles. "You have no idea. It's all good, so take your time and I'll make a full report. I could use a beer, though, as lubricant."

"Coming right up, big brother. Do you want one, Hales?"

"Sure."

"So, first tell me about the practices I missed. How is the team?"

Nathan updates Lucas on the team, while Haley puts Jamie on his pj's, makes him a bottle and settles in a chair with the baby, a bottle and a beer by her side. Nathan takes another chair, while Lucas stretches on the couch. "So Luke, report."

Lucas picks up the phone, and dials Brooke. "Let me first call Brooke. I think she will want to be a part of this conversation." Brooke answers. "Brooke Davis."

"Hi, pretty girl. We've just arrived home. I'll put you on speaker so we can all talk."

"Hi Scotts. Thanks for lending us Jamie. He was a total doll."

"Hi, tigger. We miss ya. And thank you for the babysitting." She smiles at Nathan. "We put it to good use."

Lucas gives a mischievous smile, and starts with the lead. "We are engaged."

"Ha, Peyton took the ring! How did that go?"

"Not Peyton, us. Brooke and myself."

Haley starts talking fast. "C'mon Luke! How could that happen? I know you are kind of flaky, but Brooke would never, never do that to Peyton. Even if she was still in love with you..."

At the same time, Nathan stands up, smiling to himself and turns to them. "I knew it!"

Lucas and Haley turn to Nathan and say at the exact same time. "You did?" Brooke starts giggling on the other side.

Nathan looks at the two of them, pretending to be annoyed. "Do you guys share the same brain? Of course I knew it. I don't think these two ever really quit pining for each other. It was just a matter of time. Congratulations. I am very happy for you two."

Brooke says. "Thank you champion, your blessing means the world to us. I hope tutormom comes around too. You know, you are right to be surprised, but the whole story will explain my side a little bit."

"Oh, tigger, I'm already around. I am surprised, but very happy for the two of you. I need the whole story though."

And so Lucas and Brooke tell them the story, beginning from the fake engagement. "...by the time I got to her office on thursday, we were into one another so badly we could hardly breathe. So, when Brooke told me that, if I offered her the ring that moment she would take it, I did. I mean, I didn't offer her the ring, cause I didn't have it there, but I offered her myself, forever. And she said yes.

I know she didn't plan to say that, she was pretty much just venting, as she usually does. But, most of the time, Brooke is amazingly on the level, so I wasn't really afraid she would say no.

Nathan laughed. "So, you guys got engaged, and then you kissed for the first time in almost two years. I'm not calling the two of you crazy because we were the ones that married at seventeen and became parents during high school graduation, but, good job. You give us a run for our money. But now you needed to deal with broken Peyton. That couldn't have been easy."

"Well, we still have to tell you the rest of the story, but even that is looking pretty good. When we parted ways at the airport, Peyton told me she was beginning to see that Brooke and I belong together, that we always did."

"That's very good, fiancee. I guess this is going to be a little easier than we thought."

Lucas continues to describe the last few days, and Nathan and Haley listen politely, until he gets to Peyton and Lindsay making out. First Haley asks. "How did you know, tigger?"

"They were acting weird, thick as thieves but a little embarassed. I know Peyton, and she does run that way a bit."

Then Nathan asked. "Is Lindsay pretty?". Lucas tells him that she is gorgeous and that Brooke actually invited her to do some modeling for CoB. Nathan then mumbles "I wish I had seen it...", which makes Haley frown and Brooke laugh.

"What, tigger? It wasn't funny."

"Luke said exactly the same thing, in the same tone of voice. Apparently it is not just a father, basketball and a history with a certain bony ass fake blonde that these two have in common. Although fake blonde in question was in the picture..."

"I'm glad we both seem to prefer brunettes in the end..., right little bro?"

"Spot on. Did you guys discuss when you'd like to get married?"

"I know where we would like to get married. A place at the beach in Tree Hill near Dan's beach house. I am right, pretty girl?"

"I like this idea, broody. We might want also to consider doing a big celebrity wedding in New York, just to promote your books and CoB. We haven't really discussed the "when", but it's going to take a while. We are going to deal with this long-distance thing for some time. For now, I really want to enjoy having Lucas back in my life, and in my bed, without worrying too much about the future."

"I completely agree with that, pretty girl. Specially the bed part."

Haley suggests. "Is it possible for us to get together and celebrate this a bit, maybe just the five of us?"

"Let me try something, tutormom. I have a friend who owns a private jet, and he has offered a couple of times to make it available, in case I want to go somewhere in a hurry. If the jet is available tomorrow, I'll come for lunch, and we can spend the day together. That way broody and I can act disgustingly in love for the day, something we haven't had the chance to do in public yet."

"Yuck, Hales. Do you remember these two last year? What did we sign up for?"

"That would be great! But Luke and Tigger, keep it PG-13, at least in front of my son."

"That ship may have sailed already, tutormom. You know I specialize in corrupting young Scott boys. You also knew that when you asked me to be godmother..."

"I had forgotten. Is it possible to take it back?" Haley laughs, looking at Nathan. "Maybe ask Peyton? Or Taylor? God, you are going to be family, tigger! My sister! You have no idea how happy that makes me feel."

"I have some idea, tutormom, cause I feel the same way. There is one thing that I hope you will not be upset. If Peyton accepts it, I will have her be my maid of honor. That's an old promise between us."

"I understand perfectly, tigger. Don't worry."

"Let us know about tomorrow. Bye, Brooke."

"Bye champion, tutormom, broody. Give tutorbaby a kiss from me."

"Bye pretty girl."

oooooooooooooooooooo

At nine in the morning Lucas was at the private aviation terminal of the local airport. Brooke arrived, wearing a very short, spaguetti strap bright green sundress, three inch white wedges and a high ponytail. There were two dozen people about at the terminal, and since every single male was staring at his fiancee anyways, he decides to provide a proper spectacle. He approached her close, so she was flat against him, placed one of his hands in the small of her back, and the other behind her head. He kissed her, first softly, and then deepening it into a hot french kiss, their tongues intertwining, as he leaned forward, she helplessly hanging from his body as he held her and kissed.

"Good morning to you, broody." And with a dimpled smile "Now, that's how a girl likes to be greeted."

"We aim to please, pretty girl. Your carriage awaits you. Any luggage?"

"No. I figured I could borrow anything needed from tutormom. However, I should probably warn you. I am wearing nothing under this dress."

"I noticed that. Any objection to beginning the day in the back of my Mustang on the way home?"

"I don't think so, my love. Just make sure we are not interrupted." And so Lucas found a secluded spot on the way home, and took a few minutes to greet his fiancee the way she really liked.

They arrive at the house, and it appears quiet. Lucas calls out, "anybody home?" and Haley can be heard faintly. "In the back." Lucas opens the front door and crosses the living room and the kitchen, on his way to the backdoor, when he notices that Brooke had stopped at the front door. As he approaches her, he notices her eyes are wet. "What is it, pretty girl?"

"This room..."

Lucas looks around, tiny living room, family room and kitchen combined. Second-hand furniture, toys and family pictures, old tv, some trophies, spotlessly clean. "It's home, pretty girl."

"That's right. It's home. I never really had this. The closest I've came were those months living at your mother's. You've been coming from work to this place, your borrowed, improvised family, for a whole year. I finally get it, Luke. You didn't go to California looking for Peyton. You went looking for this."

"You're exactly right. It was selfish of me and unfair with Peyton." Lucas places his hands on Brooke's shoulders and looks straight into her eyes. "But, in the end, I found it."

"Yeah, we both did. Until this moment, I don't think I had realized how much I want this, I've always wanted this, more than anything else. Thanks, Luke."

"There is nothing to thank, my love. Let's go see our family."

Haley was outside, wearing a bikini and lying on a recliner, with a book in her hand. She sees Lucas and Brooke, coming hand in hand and opens a huge smile. "Hey, guys. It's so good to see you together!". Then she looks again at them, taking in the slightly crumpled look and continues. "You two... nothing ever changes. Backseat of the Mustang, on the way from the airport?"

"Yup. Lotta catching up to do." And after checking Haley out. "It's so good to see you, rockstar. And looking very hot too."

Haley sets the book aside and gets up from the recliner, embracing Brooke in a big hug. "I've missed you so much Brooke Davis, soon to be Scott. Luke, would you mind taking Jamie inside, giving him a bottle and setting him down for a nap? He's been in the sun too long, and I want to catch up with my girl here. Nate went for a run and should be back soon."

"Sure. See you in a bit, pretty girl." Lucas picks up Jamie and offers his cheek to Brooke for a kiss. She kisses Jamie and gives Lucas a peck in the lips.

"Bye, gorgeous boys."

Haley watches Brooke following Lucas and Jamie with her eyes. "I know, tigger. Pretty hot pair, there."

"Yup... " Haley lies down again on the recliner, and Brooke pulls up a chair near her. "I've got it bad, sweetie. Worse than in high school. I was so afraid, so insecure, all kinds of things would get in the way. Now, he just turns my world inside out. And now I can see it's the same with him."

"It's crazy how it happened, though. I guess the two of you were finally ready. You were ready to let yourself go and he was ready to catch you. Both Nate and Karen always thought it was the two of you in the end. I didn't see it, although I probably should have. Did you tell Karen? She's going to be so happy."

"Not yet. She is coming to New York in three weeks, and we will let her know then. By the way, the engagement is on the down low, for now. We haven't told Peyton yet about that." Brooke pulls the necklace from her cleavage and shows Haley the ring hanging there. Haley screams.

"Holy cow, Brooke! Is it Keith's ring? Put it on, let look at it in its proper place."

Brooke undoes the necklace and puts the ring on her finger, extending her hand to Haley. "Yes it is Keith's. I guess I can keep it in my hand, while we are here. Please remind me to put it away before we leave. I have a little surprise for Lucas, but I wouldn't mind showing it to you first. After all, you gave me the idea." Brooke turns her back to Haley, and pulls her dress up. On the upper, outer side of her left buttock, a fresh tattoo, a tiny flaming heart, with the number three inside. "I had it done yesterday."

Haley traces around the tattoo with her finger. "This is a poweful statement, Brooke. He is going to flip out when he sees it." She frowns. "Do you think Peyton might have one of those somewhere?"

Brooke gives her a broad smile. "I don't care, sweetie, I truly don't." And a pause. "I love Peyton. You two are my sisters. But, where Lucas is concerned, I finally learned my lesson. Lucas is mine, and I am his. Where he is concerned, she can just go screw herself. Alone."

"Sounds like a good lesson, tigger. And high time too. Did you bring any clothes? Wanna borrow a bikini and come lie here with me? I have a tiny red thing, from Brazil, I think, that I haven't had the courage to use yet."

"That's sounds good, tutormom. I'll grab a couple of beers on the way."

Brooke puts on the red bikini and looks for Lucas, who in Jamie's nursery, sitting in a chair with the little boy in his lap, reading from an old nursery rhymes book. Jamie is almost asleep, so Lucas gets up, places Jamie on his crib and stands watching him, as Brooke comes and leans on him. Silently, Lucas and Brooke tiptoe out of the nursery and close the door. Lucas looks at Brooke and smiles, whispering in her ear. "This is one hot little Brooke. Love the outfit."

"I have a little surprise for you. Come hither, boy toy," pulling Lucas into his bedroom and closing the door.

Lucas heart is already beating faster, trying to imagine what kind of surprise red bikini Brooke had for him. "Pins and needles, pretty girl. What's the surprise?"

"I have a new tattoo."

Lucas looks at her, looking for it, and she turns around, pulling down the side string of her bikini, to show it. Lucas is speechless. He goes on his knees, eyes level with the little heart, and softly passes his fingers across it.

"So, fiancee, do you like it?"

"You know I like big romantic gestures. I've done my share, but you really are the best. After the eighty two letters, which is pretty hard to beat, this takes the prize." Lucas pulls Brooke down to her knees and gives her a deep slow kiss, of the romantic kind, that leaves them both tingling down to their toes. "I have an idea."

"What?"

"How about making a super close-up of that tat for the cover of my book?"

Brooke giggles. "You mean a super close-up of my shapely ass in booktores, billboards and millions of homes? Perfect. You are a true romantic too, broody dear."

"Assuming I hit it out of the park, I guess."

"I've heard rumors of a movie deal, sweetie. Lindsay and her father don't sleep on the job."

"How come I didn't hear anything?"

"They want you focused on the editing, and they wouldn't say anything unless it was a done deal. I think you should expect a home run, boy toy. I also think you should also expect to get lucky again, sometime today. This shapely ass is not done with you yet."

Lucas and Brooke head out to the backyard, where Haley is already stretched out on her recliner, book in hand. Haley puts her book down and smiles and looks at them. Brooke stretches on the recliner next to Haley and Lucas pulls up a chair, sitting next to Brooke. "You two look good together. In fact, you look better together now than you ever did in high school. I can't quite get why, though."

Lucas looks thoughful. "I think we know why. You remember, we had this crazy intensity in high school. It was great, but it was also a little exhausting and scary." He looks at Brooke, as if seeking her approval. She just smiles softly back at him. "The intensity is still here, perhaps even stronger. But this time, when we connected, we found something in each other that we didn't find before. We found home."

Haley looks at both of them. "I get it. I think Nathan and I always had this, in some way. That's probably why getting married felt right. I can also see this change in you. You appear more confortable together."

"That's right," Brooke says. "Actually, we both grew up a lot since graduation." She pauses. "There's something I realized today. We owe you guys big time, for giving Luke the time and the love he needed to heal after senior year."

"He gave back as much as he took, tigger. I am not sure Nate and I would have made it past this year without him being here. I saw Lucas healing and growing up this year. And I can see you've grown a lot too. What happened?"

Brooke smiles. "This may be a bit hard to believe, but mostly Victoria happened. I get strength and I learn self-assurance from her. I found out we are much more alike than I care to contemplate. Her inability to connect has been taught me to hold onto the people I love. When I saw Luke, hurting, lost, nearly two weeks ago, I knew I needed to grab him and never let him go again. Maybe just as a friend, or maybe as a lover or even maybe as a life partner and father of my children, I didn't care. My dear dried up mother finally taught me that whatever Luke and I have, it is too precious to waste." Brooke shakes her head and smiles. "Never mind the Hallmark stuff, tutormom, I have a question for you."

"What?"

"Is it just me, or a boy gets twice as sexy with a baby in his arms?" Lucas and Haley follow Brooke's eyes to see Nathan standing at the doorway, shirtless and sweating, with a smiling Jamie in his arms."

"I don't know about Luke, but that one certainly does."

"It works with Luke too." Brooke slowly passes the tip of her tongue across her lips. "I noticed that in New York."

"Good job, little brother. I may need to borrow my nephew more often."

"You can make one of your own, big brother."

"Well, I rather like that one." And looking at Brooke, "I have no problem practicing to make one of ours, though."

Nathan hands Jamie over to Brooke. "I'm going to take a shower and get ready to grill some burgers. Luke, please put some taters to roast, and prepare a salad. We should let the girls just relax in the sun."

"You got it little brother."

"We got a pair of good ones, tutormom. Good job."

"Don't I know it. I've had both of them to myself this past year. Isn't it amazing how good they turned out, knowing their father?"

"That's right, although I am not a prize as far as parents go either... Lord, our children will have Dan and Victoria as grandparents! Maybe we should adopt."

"Let's hope it's all in the upbringing. Although you and Nate seem to have done fine with crazy parents and crazy upbringing."

"And we owe a lot to you and Luke, tutormom."

"I don't know. Somehow, I think you would have both done OK. In the end, it's the heart that counts, and you guys have huge ones. Changing subjects, I've been dying to ask you, tigger. How is Peyton really doing?"

Brooke tells Haley the whole story of Peyton's visit, the move to New York, the new jobs, the idea of co-designing a grunge line for CoB with her. How professionally things seem to be looking up, and her reaction, bad, but better than expected, to Brooke and Lucas being back together. Finally Haley sighs. "Well, it appears the three of you have this business in hand. I am happy for all of you.

Brooke smiles. "The next challenge is Victoria. She is going to be there when I go back home tonight, and I have two big things to deal with her. I am changing the way CoB is run, and taking away some of her responsibilities, which is not going to happen without a fight, and on Wednesday, Luke comes home." And with a happy giggle. "To my bed. Hm. It's our bed now. It's only been three days! Anyways, Victoria is going to be difficult about this too."

"Good luck, tigger." Now Haley giggles. "You guys used to make me a little unconfortable, going at it like rabbits. Somehow, now it just makes me happy. I suspect that being around you two is enven going to improve my sex life. I am going to tell you something I shouldn't, but It's just too good."

Brooke's eyes light up. "What, tutormom, what?"

"Lucas told me last night that in two days back with you, he had as much sex as he had in a year and a half with Peyton."

Brooke gives a broad dimpled smile with that, but, after a moment, frowns. "I don't understand. My boy toy likes sex and he is damn good at it. Blondie is no slouch in that depertment either. What was the problem?"

Haley squints at Brooke. "I have a theory."

Brooke stares back at Haley, and it dawns on her. "Me. You think I was the problem."

"We can't know for sure, but it fits. At least from Lucas side. If he kept thinking of you while doing it with Peyton, just the guilt would keep him away. He could have been afraid to call her "Brooke" in the middle of things."

"If he felt like this, why did he stay with her? Why propose?"

"He was absolutely sure he had no hope with you, so I guess he was doing the best he could, trying to get over you. It was unfair with Peyton, but, to be honest, she asked for it."

Brooke seems to deflate a bit, shoulders sagging. "You know, I always felt very guilty for leaving Peyton behind the day of the shooting. But, thinking back, breaking up with Lucas was worse. I was insecure and afraid, so I left him behind. He was still trying to cope with losing Keith and basketball, and then he had to deal with losing the girl he loved, without even really understanding why. I abandoned him when he needed me, and broke both our hearts in the process."

"We were, and still are, children, tigger. These were big, adult issues, coping with multiple life-altering losses, and serious relationships. I am not saying you didn't make a mistake which cost the two of you a lot of unecessary heartbreak, but you can also let yourself off the hook quite a bit. You were not ready. Besides, it appears that everyone is finding their way to where they belong."

"You're right, tutormom." Brooke goes over to Haley and hugs her. "Thank you."

"Don't forget, sweetie, relationships are hard, even the good ones. You guys are in a romantic honeymoon right now, and that is great. But the difficult stuff will come. My best advice is to keep talking. Just keep talking"

ooooooooooooooooooooo

Nathan calls. "Hey guys, lunch is nearly ready. It's getting too hot outside. Can we eat inside?"

Haley gets up and grabs Jamie. "We will change and be right there."

Brooke comes to Lucas. "Can I borrow a shirt, maybe some boxers?"

Lucas gives her a wicked half smile. "I have just the thing. A little surprise for you." Lucas grabs her hand and leads her to his room. He gives her an old college jersey and hunts for a box in the back of his closet. In the box, he picks out a pair of tiny red shorts with "hot" written across the bottom. "Do you remember these?"

Brooke is not easy to embarass, but she look a little flushed. "Of course I remember. So you had them all this time? I swear I turned the apartment inside out looking for them."

During their non-exclusive fase, Brooke spent a few weeks trying to seduce Lucas. Several times, she used those shorts, together with tight tank tops, because she knew it drove him crazy. One of the first times they hooked up afterwards, she was again wearing them. As she was beginning to undress, Lucas stopped her. He told her: "I've been dreaming of these shorts, and of peeling them off you for weeks now. Please allow me." He went on his knees in front of her, kissing, biting and licking as he very slowly removed the shorts. The next day, Brooke was looking for the shorts and never found them.

"So, you stole them. I should have known."

"Yeah. You could say I borrowed them without asking. Now I am returning them. They look better with you inside anyways. They are clean, by the way. I washed them a few times."

"Why did you wash them?" Lucas just stares at her with a lazy half-smile. "Oh!" She jumps on his neck and gives him a long sloppy kiss. Once that was done, she looks down, and confesses in a small voice. "You know, I've had it as bad as you. Almost every time I've brooked myself all this time, I was wearing your grey hoodie."

She moves a few feet away and slowly removes the bikini bottom. She wiggles her tight ass at him. "Well, broody, since you removed them, you can put them back now. And take your time."

A few minutes later, Brooke puts on the college jersey, but she makes a knot on the side, making it into an improvised tank top. She twirls around for Lucas.

"You look like a wet dream come true."

When they come to the living room, and Haley looks at Brooke and frowns. "Wait, are these the lost shorts?" Brooke smiles. "They are! Brooke almost drove me crazy hunting for them." Haley turns to Lucas. "You had them! All this time..." she smiles. "There must be quite a story here."

"They look nice on her." Nathan adds, earning a sharp look from his wife.

Brooke smiles dreamily. "Let me just say I fully approve Luke borrowing them. But I'm happy to have them back." She touches Lucas softly in the arm and looks into his eyes. "It was a very nice surprise."

The two couples eat, drink, play with Jamie and joke among themselves, talk lightly about the past, their friends and their lives. Brooke feels, perhaps for the first time ever, that she is part of a real family. They toast to the engagement and to their future. Finally, Brooke persuades Haley to bring out her guitar, and play a couple of songs for them. After lunch, Haley and Nathan clean up and take care of Jamie, while Lucas and Brooke lock themselves in Lucas room, for some very slow, sweet and quiet lovemaking, falling asleep in each other's arms afterwards.

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Lucas is driving Brooke back to the airport. They have been quiet for a few minutes, simply enjoying each other's company. Brooke breaks the silence. "I'm tempted to lease a small private jet."

Lucas laughs softly. "That would certainly make long-distance life easier, pretty girl. But It's probably not a good idea. It's a big commitment , and with the expansion plans for COB, you will probably need to conserve capital."

Brooke frowns at Lucas, surprised by his business common sense. "I may do it as a personal purchase. You are right that it is not a good time for COB."

"We should be patient, my love, even if it goes against the grain a bit."

Brooke sighs. "You're right, patience." She giggles. "Not my strong suit."