The trio drove past the former residence of Karen's café, and Brooke had to ask, "How long has the café been closed, Luke?"

Lucas looked up from the road and turned to Brooke, "After Lily was born, Ma just wanted to get away from it all for awhile. She said she couldn't live in the same town that her daughter's father was killed in."

With that statement Brooke turned around to check on Jamie, but the young boy had fallen asleep only minutes from his own house. A small smile emerged from Brooke face, she had just met the boy but she was sure she could love him forever. Brooke turned her attention back towards Lucas, but she saw that he was looking in the rearview mirror to check on Jamie as well. "Wouldn't it be nice to be five again?"

The answer was two-folded. The innocence of a child was a world of wonder. If it could just be so easy to live without a care and see everything as pure, then a life long travel as a child would be well worth it. However, the five year old in the back seat's life was not without care, and too young was he thrown into the harshness that encased it. There was hesitance before Lucas answered, "Yeah."

"That didn't seem really reassuring, Luke."

"In actuality I would not like to be five again. It was the first time that I learned about Dan. It was my first recreational game, and all of the kids realized that Nathan and I had the same last name. I went home and told my mom about Nate, and she told me about Dan. And look what kind of hell he has invoked in my life every since. I really don't want to go back to five."

"I'm sorry," silenced Brooke. She felt as if she was on egg shells around him, she didn't know what to say. The wrong thing at the Scott's residence ended in an irate Nathan.

Lucas didn't intend for Brooke to feel bad about her comment. There was so much that she didn't know. So much had changed in the last four years, and it wasn't fair to penalize her for not being around. They continued their lives and they had neglected to remember about Brooke, it wouldn't be fair to assume that she had forgotten about them. "You don't need to apologize, Brooke. The innocence perspective a child has on the world is a beautiful thing, and yes, a typical five year old's life would be great to trade place with some day. But my five year old version of myself wasn't the greatest, and neither is the one in the backseat."

"Is Jamie okay?"

Lucas noticed Brooke concern encased in her question. He smiled to himself; Brooke is going to be a wonderful ally to the young boy. Then another thought entered his mind: how long was she going to be home? Before his answer could be asked, he had to answer Brooke's question. "Physically, he is as healthy as they come. And he was raised pretty damn well, he is intelligent beyond his years, he is polite, and he has high aspirations."

"Where does the but come in, Luke?"

"Right here. But Nathan's accident has taken a toll on the family, and it has really affected Jamie. This version of Nathan is not one that suits a five year old very well. He is hostile, he is rude, and he is not a father to a boy that really needs one. It is too much, and he doesn't understand how his father can go from so loving, to so distant. Nathan won't even tell Jamie that he loves him anymore. You need to hear that everyday." Brooke thought to herself how true that statement was, but how absent it was in her own life growing up. "I think that Jamie has become afraid of him. When Nathan gets angry – and this is a lot – sometimes he yells at him, and he has thrown things. One time it almost hit him. Since then Haley doesn't let Jamie out of her sight, or anywhere near Nathan without her. He is such a great kid; he should not be living in such an unsafe environment or constant fear."

It was too much for Brooke to take in. Here she was hours earlier feeling awful about herself, when there was a little boy more deserving of her tears. How was she to react after this? There was nothing that she could say that would make things better or easy the pain. "I should have been here," it was all she could manage, she felt guilty for living her life successfully when the people that meant the most to her where back in Tree Hill mourning their former lives. She thought that the reason they lost contact was because they were off pursuing their dreams, in retrospect they were living in their own nightmares.

"Brooke, please don't feel guilty for any of this. We are trying to figure it all out. Jamie has a good support system. All of the River Court boys are pseudo uncles to him; Skillz especially is incredible with Jamie. Nathan's accident was one wrong move, you could have never prevented it, no one could. So we are doing what we can to adjust the change in the ultimate path."

"Ice cream!" Jamie screamed before the duo had a chance to add to their conversation. The one thing that mattered more than the future right now was a five year old boy in the back seat of the car. They couldn't stay fixated on his future without dealing with the present. And this present was filled with ice cream. "Uncle Lucas, how many scoops can I have?" A smile beaming on the sandy blonde haired boy's face, as Lucas helped him out of his car seat.

"Well, I hate to break it to you little man, but your mom said only one," holding up one finger. Lucas noticed the change in the boy's smile, and couldn't deal with it any longer, "for her, and as many as Brooke is willing to buy for you!" He said tickling the now happy boy.

Jamie looked up to Brooke, "Can I have one hundred scoops?"

All she wanted was to see the little boy smile; it gave her a little hope. In the face of despair he could still smile, it was something she wished was easy to do. "Of course you can."

"I think I am going to like having you around," Jamie said grabbing Brooke's hand in addition to Lucas'.

This was a good preface for Lucas' earlier wonderment, "Jamie, I don't think that Brooke is going to be here that long, Buddy." He didn't want to set the boy up for disappointment, there was just too much of it in his life. Jamie faced dropped slightly from the ice cream high he was experiencing.

She didn't know where the words came from, but without her knowledge, these words slipped out, "Actually, Jamie, your Uncle Lucas is wrong."

"He is?"

"Yup. I have missed five years of your life already. Is it alright if I stick around for the next five?"

"Will you buy me ice cream whenever I want it?"

"As long as your mom says it is okay."

"Then you can stay forever!"

The trio smiled, and Lucas was a little relieved. He had to admit that he missed Brooke, and not in an 'I want to reunite with my first love' way, but he missed his friend. He missed the great woman she had become. He wanted to know her better. Brooke would also be a much needed addition to the mix, Jamie already took to her, and Haley could sure use an accessible female friend. As much as he feared for Jamie's well being in the environment he was newly placed in, some days he worried about Haley. She was so concerned about Jamie being away from it all as much as possible; that often he worried that she needed it as well. Lucas wasn't oblivious to it all, but Jamie seemed to be everyone's priority in it all.

"Can we please get some ice creammmm," Jamie droned.

Lucas opened the door while Jamie and Brooke walked hand and hand into the ice cream parlor, "How many scoops did you want again?" Brooke asked him.

"One hundred," he shouted in so much glee that any bystander would have imagined the boy had a picture perfect life.

"One hundred it is," Brooke said with the biggest smile she had shone in years. And it might actually be considered happiness. Maybe it wasn't just Jamie who was going to benefit from Brooke's return to Tree Hill; maybe this is exactly what Brooke needed to heal the broken girl she had become.

Jamie didn't quite make it to one hundred, more like three and a half, "That is a lot of ice cream," he declared.

"No my friend, that is a lot of soup," Lucas told him putting his spoon into it. He couldn't believe that Brooke actually bought one hundred scoops. She actually smiled as she paid. Her success must have been on a large scale, she just paid $250 for ice cream soup. He knew her though, why should this surprise him, Jamie's happiness was entirely more important than dollars. He really missed his friend.

"I think one hundred was too much," Jamie told looking at Brooke.

"Maybe it was," she smiled at him as she wiped the chocolate off of his face, "next time we will get 99." This caused Jamie is giggle, and his laugh was infectious. Whoever said laughter was the best medicine might have gotten their facts straight. At least for an hour, and sometimes that is all it took to change the course. Nathan knew it too well. But Brooke's path was stepping towards a brighter course.

An hour later the little boy was passed out on Brooke's lap – apparently he suffered from an ice cream coma. Lucas looked at his watch, "It is getting late, and I need to get him home." He gently placed Jamie in his arms and Brooke followed him to the car. She opened the door, and Lucas put Jamie in his seat. "Brooke, where are you staying tonight?" Lucas asked once they began driving towards his house.

It was her first care in a few hours, but the truth was she didn't have any intentions. "Umm, I was going to go and try and find a hotel or something."

"Brooke Davis, I know that it has been awhile, but you know this small little town of Tree Hill does not have a hotel or something," he added using her own words.

"I will find something."

"No need, you can stay at my place."

"What about Lindsey?"

"What about her? You aren't planning on sleeping in my bed or anything are you? Because if you aren't there isn't going to be a problem." Brooke really hoped that Lindsey was as great as she was showing right now, because Lucas needed a good girl, and he needed to be loved. "Brooke, it is late, and we have plenty of room. You might have to sleep on the couch since Jamie is here, but I bet he would love to see you in the morning."

She could fight with him as long as she wanted, but she knew it would end up with her staying with him regardless, so she gave up the fight. "Thank you, Lucas. I really appreciate it. I will find some place tomorrow, so I won't intrude too long," she had to put it in there.

"You can stay as long as you need. I mean permanent residency might not fare well when Lindsey and I get married, but until you get on your feet, you are welcome."

"Lucas, I mean it, thank you."

"Hey, if it means you are staying in Tree Hill, I am definitely going to lend a couch to you," this statement meant a lot to Brooke. The rollercoaster on her life had taken a toll on her, but the second she stepped foot in Tree Hill, the ride calmed down – at least a little bit.