The wheelchair squeaked as Lucas wheeled Brooke out the front door of the hospital. Brooke's eyes were trained on her son's face. "You're my sweetheart aren't you? Yes you are mommy's sweetheart," she crooned.
"He's going to be such a momma's boy," Lucas laughed.
"I'm ok with that. Yes I am." Brooke tickled Miles' feet.
"Well he's certainly not going to be a daddy's boy," Lucas mumbled. Mid- tickle Brooke stopped.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sighing heavily, Lucas stopped pushing the chair.
"It means that I haven't seen David here."
"He was going to come out a couple of days ago but then he got this big case thrown on his desk. And one thing led to another so he won't be out here for another couple of days depending on how long the trial takes." Lucas helped Brooke into his car.
"It just seems to me like maybe he'd take a break out of his hectic schedule to see his own son." Without a word, Brooke nodded.
"He'll be here when he can. And in the meantime, I've got people like you to take care of me."
"I'm happy to help and you know that you can stay with me as long as you want or need to. You know that right?" With a gurgling in her stomach, Brooke smiled up at Lucas. Her Lucas, who would always be there for her no matter what.
"I know that. And I really appreciate it. Everything you've done for me." Lucas smiled and planted a kiss on Brooke's forehead.
"Now you know you're going to have to let him go right. He can't sit in your lap all the way home." Reluctantly, Brooke handed Miles over for Lucas to strap securely into the car seat he had placed in his car earlier.
Brooke shifted the bag to her other shoulder and then unbuckled the car seat. As she tugged on her buckle the bag slid from her shoulder. She sighed and picked it up before attempting to pull the car seat out again. Lucas put his hand gently on Brooke's back and reached around her to help with the seat. Brooke could feel his heart beat and the warmth of him on her back. The two of them finally managed to unbuckle the seat, no small feat due to Brooke's sweaty palms.
"Tell you what, I'll get the bag and you get the baby," Lucas smiled as he slid the bag off of her shoulder.
"I appreciate you letting me stay here. Really Luke. I know you thought that you'd be rid of me once this little guy came along, but…" Lucas cut her off.
"I told you, you can stay as long as you want to. You're no burden to me. Besides it's nice to not have that big house all empty." Lucas opened the door to let Brooke in ahead of him.
"Surprise!" Shouts called from within. Confetti was thrown in Brooke's face as she stared from the streamers to the banner that read 'Welcome Home Brooke and Miles'. Brooke smiled. It felt good to be home. Arms opened wide, Haley and Peyton rushed to Brooke, Rachel trailing behind them.
"What's all of this?" a surprised Brooke asked.
"We didn't throw you a baby shower while the baby was still inside of you so we decided that we would do it now," Peyton explained.
"Aww thanks you three." After she set the baby on the ground, Brooke hugged Peyton and Haley and then Rachel.
"So where's the baby?" Haley squealed as she clapped her hands.
"Right here." Brooke picked Miles out of the car seat and handed him to Haley whose face broke out into a grin.
"Oh he's going to be a heart breaker. With that cute little nose and those bright blue eyes. I'll bet he got those from his father."
"David has brown eyes," Brooke corrected.
"Oh well sometimes these things can be a fluke," Haley said still staring at the baby. Then she bounced him off to go show him to the other guests of the party.
"I'll make sure she doesn't leave the premises with him," Peyton whispered as she followed Haley and the baby.
"You lost him already?" Lucas asked moving to Brooke's side.
"Haley's got him but it's all right this gives me hands free to get cake and open presents." With a grin Brooke walked over to the refreshments table.
Mounds of wrapping paper lay discarded in the corner. Various baby related items were piled up next to them. "Baby concert jerseys, no need to read the tag on this one. Thanks P. Sawyer Jegalski." Brooke held up the shirt for everyone to admire. Sitting next to her, his arm draped across the back of the couch, Lucas laughed. Suddenly the doorbell rang. "Who's ringing the doorbell? It's a party get your butt in here!" Brooke yelled. The door opened with a creak to reveal a bit disheveled looking man.
"Hey I hope I'm in the right place, I'm here to find my wife and son." Lucas's arm immediately fell from behind Brooke and Brooke stood straight up. Haley bounced Miles up and down a bit faster.
"David," Brooke whispered. At that moment, most likely sensing tension in the air, Miles let out a wail.
"Ah that must be my son." Closing the door gently, David walked over to Haley who reluctantly placed Miles in his arms. Miles didn't stop wailing.
"His name is Miles." The party became eerily quiet.
"Well carry on," David said. With permission the conversations resumed and people seemed to go back to the festivities. All except for the young couple and their baby, Lucas, and Brooke's three best girl friends.
"David you shouldn't have come here," Rachel spat.
"Look my wife may believe in your career as a professional hooker or whatever it is you do. And she may put up with you and think you're a nice person, but you have been nothing but rude to me since I met you!" David spat back.
"Hey. I'm a model because see I unlike you am attractive enough to be seen by people. I don't have to hide behind a desk!" Miles began to fuss. Brooke made a move to take him, but Lucas reached him first. Gently, he took the boy in his arms and rocked him back and forth. At once Miles quieted. "That's why you shouldn't have come back," Rachel said coolly.
"Look I didn't come back here to get attacked I came back here to pick up my wife and son and take them home."
"In case you haven't noticed her home is here," Peyton joined the fray. "Her friends and all the people who care about her are here."
"Who are you?"
"Her best friend." Hand on her hip, Peyton tightened her jaw.
"Everyone is not here. I am in LA. Her job is in LA. Her mother and father are in LA."
"Oh yeah those nice parents who were there for through everything in high school," Haley scoffed.
"Look this conversation does not concern you, whoever you are. This concerns me and my wife." Simultaneously, Brooke's three best friends crossed their arms.
A small voice broke the tension. "I want to stay." David turned to Brooke.
"What?"
"David I love LA and our life there, but when I came back here I realized that this is where I belong. My friends are here. My godchildren are here. And I think that this would be a much better place to raise my son."
"Our son."
"O…our son," Brooke stammered a bit. "This is where I want to be and I'd love you to come here too."
"What about your job?"
"I own the company, I can move it wherever the hell I want to."
"And where are we going to live?" This was a harder question.
"You can move in here." This came from Lucas who was still holding Miles. "We've already made a room up for Miles and Brooke has her own room that you can move into with her." Brooke looked to Lucas. He truly would do anything for her. She knew how this would pain him. Haley, Peyton, and Rachel all turned, shocked at Lucas's suggestion.
"I'll call my office," David resigned.
"Thank you." Brooke moved forward and kissed him. Four pairs of eyes were averted.
"I brought something for you," David grumbled. Then he moved out the front door.
"Thank you too," Brooke whispered and she pecked Lucas on the cheek.
"I did it for a selfish reason. This means I get to keep the two of you around a little bit longer." Their eyes locked and Brooke almost said something when she felt a body collide with her legs.
"David!" Brooke bent down and kissed her dog on his nose. "I missed you buddy." David drooled as he ran around the party.
"Well I just came to get you, but since that's not happening I've got to get going," David said rather reluctantly.
"Call me when you get there." Brooke kissed her husband again. "And thank you for bringing David here." David nodded, kissed Brooke again and then walked over to Lucas. He shook Lucas's hand and then patted Miles. With that he was gone.
"Well this is going to very Bob, Carol, Ted and Alice. Minus Carol," Rachel mumbled. Haley and Peyton gave her dirty looks.
Lucas bounced his knee a bit faster. Ten month old Miles squealed in delight. A glance at the clock told Lucas that it was well past four in the morning. "I don't know what your mother's going to do when she moves out of here," Lucas told the child. "I mean I'm an author and do my best writing in the middle of the night so while you're here things work out fine when you want to stay up all night. But when you and your mom and…David move out of here I don't know who's going to stay up with you." Miles gave an odd sound. "You know buddy you're feeling a little warm." Quickly Lucas pressed Ctrl S and picked Miles up, carrying him to the crib.
"He's not eating anything," Brooke pointed out to Lucas the next morning.
"Maybe he's not hungry." Lucas stifled a yawn.
"He didn't eat anything last night either." Brooke began to panic.
"He felt a little warm to me." Immediately, Brooke's hand went to her son's forehead.
"He's burning up."
"I'll get the car."
In the emergency room minutes later, Lucas paced back and forth. "What the hell do they think they're doing? We've got a sick baby out here."
"Sit down Lucas, I'm sure they'll call us soon." Brooke was seated with Miles in her lap. "Damnit! I still can't get David on the phone!" Brooke slammed her phone down. Ceasing the pacing, Lucas sat down next to her and threw an arm around her shoulders.
"It's going to be ok. Everything will be fine." Brooke looked up at Lucas, the man who was there for her with her sick baby.
"You sure?"
"Momma," Miles cooed. Brooke smiled down at her son and then at Lucas.
"Yeah," Lucas laughed. "I'm sure everything's going to be all right."
"Is there a Miles Davis here?" a nurse came in.
"Here." Brooke stood up. "Damn I need to call David." She began to panic.
"Hey you go on, I'll call David." Lucas pulled out his cell phone as Brooke took her son.
"Thank you." She planted a kiss on his cheek and then followed the nurse.
"Miles Davis? Very cool name," the nurse joked.
"Damn David," Lucas mumbled to himself as he punched numbers into his phone.
Brooke rocked her son back and forth. Two months had passed since the fever and she never figured out what it was. It still scared her every time Miles let out a little cough. She looked out the nearest window. David wasn't home. He was in LA, his trips back and forth becoming rarer and rarer. He was spending more time in LA. He had missed so many things with his son. Luckily Lucas was there for it all. This thought made Brooke smile. She remembered when she came home to find Lucas trying to change Miles. As Lucas turned to greet Brooke, Miles had let out a stream of urine proceeding to pee all over Lucas. But despite the peeing, Miles loved Lucas. That much was clear. He smiled every time Lucas held him and giggled when Lucas tickled his feet. In her arms, Miles squirmed. Brooke set him down on the ground.
"Honey I'm home," Lucas joked as he walked into the room.
"You done at the publishers all ready?"
"Yeah I'm done." Lucas set his bags on the ground. Immediately Miles moved towards him. As he reached the nearby table, he grabbed it and pulled himself up. On shaky legs, he toddled towards Lucas.
"Oh my gosh!" Brooke stood up. "He's…" but before she could get the word walking out Miles fell down.
"Hey buddy." Lucas picked Miles up. "I didn't know that you could walk."
"His first steps," Brooke smiled. "I wish I'd gotten it on tape so that David could see." Lucas's smile faltered. He still didn't like it when David was mentioned.
"He should have been here."
"It's his job."
"You had a job in LA and you moved it."
"That's different, I own my company he just works at his firm." Silence engulfed the room as Mile reached up and pinched Lucas's nose. Lucas laughed.
"I'm sorry for bringing it up."
"It's ok." Brooke had gotten used to the awkwardness and the passive aggressiveness Lucas gave towards David. "He's getting so big." She touched her son's head.
"Yeah he is," Lucas agreed as he looked into Miles' deep blue eyes.