Thank you so much for everyone who sent reviews! I was so happy when I read them. I know in the past chapters Brooke seemed very dependent, but in the following chapter she will be stronger...or at least I hope I can make her that way. Okay, I know I haven't updated in like 6 weeks time and I am truly sorry for that. I was away for 5 weeks and didn't get much time on the computer. When I did have time it was mostly spent talking to my friends. Anyway, here's chapter 5, I've been jotting down notes while on vacation, and I have been working on actually writing this for about a week. I know there are big paragraphs in here, making it look boring, but please bare with me. I just wanted to show Brooke and Lucas' thoughts. Anyway, here it is now, I give you, Come What May 5: Heart Melting, Mind Boggling!

Come What May

Chapter 5: Heart Melting, Mind Boggling

The wheels of her car aggressively move through the concrete roads of Tree Hill. With each turn there is a slight squeak from her tires. With each break there is an impact that almost sends her flying. She glances up on her front view mirror and for the first time she notices her tear stained cheeks and tears trapped in between her eyelashes. She wonders if she had really been crying that much. She didn't even know she was crying at all. Red light. Break. Her grip on the steering wheels tighten, she stretched her arms forcing her body away from the wheel, fighting the impact that could make her hit the dashboard.

Brooke is moving fast. How fast, she doesn't know. Where she's going, she doesn't know. What she's doing, she certainly doesn't know. She doesn't know because as she speeds through the streets, turns at ever corner, she's too preoccupied thinking of the one thing she vowed herself not to think about. For years it's been working, of course that is until now.

"I'm in love with you."

That's what he said. One short sentence. In that short sentence she felt honesty, hope, faith and love. She doesn't know the last time anyone had ever been so honest, hopeful, faithful and loving all in one sentence. Her grip on the steering wheels tightens once more as if making sure she isn't dreaming. But she already knows it isn't a dream, she knows he said it, he really said it. He said that one sentence that managed to melt her heart and boggle her brain.

After a few more right turns and a couple more left turns she finds herself in the river court. From where she is she can see Peyton's painting so she doesn't dare get off her car. She looks at the net, then shifts her gaze to the benches and finally to the river. The sky's redness reflects on the water and the sun light, though setting makes the river sparkle. After much debating, she finally gets out of the car. The river court is beautiful, of course that's because she ignores Peyton's painting. She makes her way to the benches where she always sat, cheering for Lucas. She dreams of getting married here, by the trees between the river and the court. Her long white gown would be in contrast to Lucas' neat black suit. The reception would be at the court which would be dusted with red and pick rose petals. The bride and the groom would be seated in front of the net; the band a few feet to their side and their families and friends right in front of them. As she thinks of this she can't help but imagine the cement floor being covered with Peyton's I Will Always Love You. Dream ends. Also, in her imagination, in her fantasies and dreams, she pictures Lucas professing his love to her. Each fantasy has different dialogues and settings, but it would all end the same way. Lucas would say that he loves her and that he always has, and Brooke would fall straight into his arms. Of course that didn't happen, she's in her car ferociously driving and he's probably still at her house dumbfounded. No one is in each others arms. Well, he's probably in Peyton's arms, she thinks.

. . . . .

Lucas, for over an hour has been sitting on the fourth step of the staircase in Brooke's house. Also for over an hour he's been staring at the still open door where he last saw Brooke. She had frantically run out the door wanting to get out of the situation and possibly get away from him. She was in such a hurry that she forgot to close the door. He doesn't close the door either; he just took a few steps back and sat on the steps of the stairs. It hasn't dawn on him that with the door open any passerby can see him staring into nothingness. He shouldn't have said it, he knows he shouldn't have. He repeatedly tells himself that along with occasionally calling himself stupid. But all of that doesn't change what happened. She ran way. Again. If he had not said it, that door would still be closed and both of them would be in the kitchen having dinner.

Does he regret saying it? No. Does he regret the way he said it? Considering the time and place, yes, he does. He knew she wouldn't fall straight into his arms, but he didn't think she would run away, not again. Maybe Brooke would throw stuff at him, yell at him, sure, hit him perhaps, but he didn't thinks she would run away, she always runs away. One would think that five years would change that. There were times he ran after her, and there were times he didn't. A grand example was when he didn't run after her when she broke up with him, changing everything.

Taking into consideration all that has happened to them since then, they were doing extremely well. They've built a friendship despite their broken hearts. During these past few months Lucas and Brooke have grown closer to each other; now he's afraid he'll never get that back, not yet anyway. He stands up from where he is seated taking his anger and frustration with him. Lucas roams around the house, not really going anywhere. He opens cabinets and drawers not really looking for anything.

He opens the refrigerator, there's still left over pizza which the two of them ordered a couple of days ago. Brooke had been too lazy to cook so they ordered food, tons of it. No one had wanted the last slice of pizza claiming they were too full and that the other should have it. Still, no one took it, that's why it just lay there. He slammed the refrigerator door shut, deciding he's going to get their friendship and closeness back. He's going to fight for her, he doesn't know how, but he will. He will do anything to have the girl who slipped away back in his arms.

. . . . .

With the right turn of the wheel, the right amount of pressure on the pedal, and the right movements on the stick, she parks her car by the sidewalk on the corner of two houses. Reluctantly, Brooke turns of the engine. She had not meant to come here; she had not meant to go anywhere. She doesn't even know what prompted her to come here. She opens the door of her car and shuts it again, hesitating whether or not to get out. She does this a couple more times before deciding that her car has had enough beating up and gets up from her car.

She walks to her destination and up the pathway all the while fiddling with the hem of her top. There are five cement blocks planted on the lawn leading up to the door. Five years ago, she thought she would be walking towards this door with ease. She thought this door would lead her to a place as if a second home to her. Five years ago she didn't think of this door she thought of Nathan and Haley's door and the comfort it would bring to her. Now she walks towards this door with hesitation. Brooke takes a step on the third block making it wobble. This takes her by surprise and she wonders if it had always wobbled. She wonders why she had not noticed it before. She wonders if it's because she has not been here lately. All of the wondering made her nervous about her visit to Haley's all the more. But nonetheless she continues her way towards the door and knocks.

Haley is surprised to see Brook on her doorstep. She hates to admit it, but she knows Brooke and herself have grown apart through the years. That's why she's more than glad that Brooke is here regardless of the reason.

"Hey," Haley greets, motioning for her to come in.

"Sorry if I had interrupted anything," Brooke apologizes while following Haley to the kitchen.

"Interrupt what? I was just watching an infomercial of a Hawaiian chair," Haley points to the TV where an infomercial of a chair with a rotating seat is playing as they pass by the living room and make their way to the kitchen.

"A Hawaiian Chair?"

"Yeah, it's supposed to 'work great on your abs," Haley says quoting the infomercial.

Brooke laughs, "I'm sure it does."

"So what brings you here less than 3 hours after that very eventful brunch?" Haley sees Brooke wince at the mention of their recent brunch, "So should I bring out the ice cream?"

"I just wanted to come check up on you," Brooke says although she knows Haley won't believe her, "No, need for ice cream," she smiled.

"Oh come on! You can tell me what's up."

"Nothing is up."

"'Nothing is up?' Must I recall to you the recent events that have turned everyone's thinking upside down?" Haley doesn't give Brooke time to answer and just continues, "I mean first there is some serious flirting between you and Lucas making Peyton jealous. Then I seem to have interrupted what seemed to be a very heated conversation between Lucas and Peyton. And then we have dinner, and for a few seconds I believed it was actually going to be decent. That was until Peyton brought up the comet, and we all well know something is always up when Lucas' book is brought up. Then Lucas basically spells out who the comet is making Peyton storm out the dinning room. Of course you being the best friend and the best person in the world, you go after her. And what we all thought was going to be a very peaceful conversation turned out to be a very serious confrontation. Then Peyton says something that makes us all gasp then you slap her and apologize quickly after. As if in a heartbeat Lucas is by your side hugging, soothing you," Haley pauses to take a breath, but before she speaks again, Brooke does.

"Are you done yet?" Brooke asks crossing her arms.

"Just about," Haley smiles. "And then you and Lucas share an embrace that not even Peyton's disappearance can come between it. And that embrace lasted for…oh, I don't know. 5 minutes!!"

"Okay, fine, something is up!" Brooke gives in throwing her hands up in the air, "It's Lucas"

"Forget ice cream, I'm bringing out the vodka," Haley jokes, but she thinks about it for a second and decides that they will need vodka. She brings out two glasses out and sets it where the sat and place the bottle of vodka between that.

"I'm definitely going to need that," Brooke says helping herself with the liquor.

"So spill."

"Uh…," Brooke starts and Haley can sense Brooke thinking about what she's going to say, "Well, he sort of told me he love me. No wait, he's in love with me," she explains.

Brooke expected Haley to be surprised, to not believe what she had just said. But after she said it, all she can see is Haley's big grin. "You don't sound so surprised," she let's Haley know.

"Oh I'm sorry," Haley pauses to get into character, "What?! You're kidding?! He's in love with you?!"

"He told you?"

"Well, I kind of figured it out with a little help from Lucas."

"And you didn't tell me, why?"

"Would you have like to have heard it from me or from him?"

"From him," Brooke admits.

"So what'd you tell him?" Haley asks anxious to know what happened between her and Lucas.

"Well, it just all happened so fast. We were just talking then next thing I know BOOM! He's in love with me. What am I suppose to say to that? He's not supposed to just say that out of the blue? Why would he say such a thing?! God! I was so stupid!" Brooke said all in one breath wanting to delay telling Haley what she actually said.

"Okay, Brookie we have to calm down, alright? Now tell me, what did you say?" But Brooke just mumbles something totally incoherent that even a one year old made more sense than her. "I'm sorry what?"

"I kind of told him that I had to go to a meeting…where writers weren't allowed…and since he's a writer he couldn't come. But I was allowed since I'm a fashion designer and it's a meeting for fashion designer," Brooke said in embarrassment. She didn't realize how ridiculous she must have sounded to Lucas until now.

Haley tries her best not to laugh at what Brooke had just revealed. She knew Brooke would make any excuse to get out of there but she didn't think she would support the excuse in such a way. "Did he forget his occupation that you just felt the need to tell him?" despite trying her best not to laugh, she gave in anyway.

"Thanks, I feel much better now."

"Sorry," the Haley went back to serious mode.

"Is it bad that after he tells me he's in love with me the first thing I think about is to run away and not to kiss him? Oh my gosh, it is! I'm so stupid!"

"No, you are just in love," Haley states.

"No I'm--," Brooke tried to protest but Haley didn't give her the chance.

"Oh sweets, there's no denying it."

"He's my friend…"

"…who you love."

"My best friend…"

"…who's in love with you."

"He can't be."

"Oh, but he is."

"I need some ice cream."

. . . . .

"Do you want to be with him?" Haley asks even though she knows the answer, she just likes hearing it.

"More than anything," Brook simply but honestly states, "I just don't know if I'm ready."

"I understand," Haley nods.

Brooke desperately wants to change the subject so she jumps at every opportunity, "Would you look at that, we finished all the ice cream."

"Yes, that's how long we took to figure this whole you and Lucas thing out."

"And it's not even figured out yet."

Just then the doorbell rings taking both Haley and Brooke by surprise. Haley wasn't expecting any visitors today, least of all Brooke. She gets up from her seat and looks through the peep hole of the front door. From where she is she whispers softly but loud enough for Brooke to hear, "It's Lucas."

As soon as she hears that she doesn't know what to do. She can't face Lucas, no, not yet. He'd probably hate her. She thinks about it, no, Lucas could never hate her. Still, she doesn't want to be seen, so she tells Haley just that.

"He's probably noticed your car," is Haley's reply. The doorbell rings a second time. "Coming!" she shouts.

"I parked at the corner; he probably just walked here and took the short cut." Brooke hides behind the island, sitting in the fetal position.

Haley mutters a 'fine' and continues her way towards the door and opens it. Of course she has to act surprised when she sees Lucas standing before her. "Lucas!" she greets.

"Hey Haley," Lucas mutters in a somewhat depressing tone.

"Oh no, I don't like that tone," Haley says in a sing-song way as if talking to a child.

"I totally messed up!" Lucas exclaims as he takes a seat on the couch.

"About what?" Haley asks although she knows what, she just wants to hear it and she's sure Brooke wants does too.

Brooke moves to the edge of the island, moving carefully as to not be seen or heard. She tries her best to hear Haley and Lucas' conversation, but with Lucas' shouting it isn't too hard. She did wish she could see his expressions though. She tilts her head ever so slightly to peek at where the two are.

"I royally screwed, that's what I did!" Lucas stands up deciding it'd be more comfortable for him.

"It's okay."

"I was so stupid! Why did I ever say that?"

"What did you say?"

"She just ran! I should have known she would run."

Now the two are having different conversations and Brooke just wishes that Lucas would pay attention so they would actually go somewhere. As if reading her mind Haley shouts.

"Lucas!"

"Yeah?" he asks as if he had just noticed her there.

"Just talk to me, not the wall. I'm sure I have better advice."

"Well, I…I told Brooke that I love her." Lucas said as casually as possible.

"And…"

"She ran away."

"Right."

"She didn't even give me time to explain!"

Knowing the Brooke was listening to her and Lucas' conversation, she decided to make Lucas say those things that he wants to tell Brooke but is too scared to actually say. "What would you have explained?"

Brooke kind of figured out what Haley was doing. But to be honest, she was kind of glad Haley was forcing Lucas to talk.

He let out a sigh. He wishes he was telling Brooke this, but there's a part of him that knows if Brooke were here, he'd be too scared to actually tell her, or simply her presence would make him speechless. But he decided that maybe telling Haley wouldn't be such a bad idea. Maybe it would help him say it to Brooke if she ever decides to show up.

"Everything!" he starts, "I'd tell her that I love her, I really love her. And that everyday I beat myself up because I didn't realize it then. Everyday I am mad at myself for having broken her heart so many times that I don't even know if I can ever fix it. I'd tell her that I hate myself for not even being close to being good enough for her. She deserves so much, Brooke. But I want to be the one for her. I love her Haley; I love her with every fibre of my being."

"And why do you love her?" Haley knows she's pushing it, but it just might work.

At this point Broke is bawling and she tries her best not to make a sound. So far it's been working. She wasn't ready for everything that Lucas had said and she's not ready for what he will say. She's almost scared to hear what he has to say, she fears that she'll hear those sweet words and just fall for him again. It's not that she doesn't believe him, she does. She's just scared.

"I love her because even though she just woke up in the morning and her hair is like a bird's nest and she's wearing oversized shirts and shorts and she has not even the slightest make-up on her face she still looks as beautiful as she does wearing a red gown with scarlet red lipstick. I love her because she has a laugh that is so contagious that even in my lowest moments just hearing her voice or laugh would make me feel better. I love the rasp in her voice that just draws you in. But putting all those physical things aside, I love her passion and determination she puts into her company. I love that she puts others before herself but I just wish that she would think to do something that makes her truly happy. And most of all I love the way she loves. I love her Hales, she's the one."

"She's the one for what, Luke?"

"You know what," Lucas says.

"I know, but I want to hear you say it."

"She's the one…for me. She's the girl that I want to spend the rest of my life with. I just know it. It's as if I've always know it. I know that to many people Peyton and I made sense, but to me nothing has ever made more sense than me waking up to Brooke's beautiful face every morning. She's the one I'm going to say 'I do' to. I just know it, no logic, just pure heart."

"Yeah?" Haley thinks that is the most beautiful thing he's ever said. Sure, his words are beautiful when written, but he's never seen or heard Lucas talk about someone with so much passion and love.

"Yeah!" With that Haley throws her arm around Lucas pulling him into a hug.

"Go get her!"

Behind the island, Brooke is smiling. Her smile reaches her ears as she hears Lucas' words. It's better than any love confession she's ever heard that she almost feels bad for not being there. As if on cue Jamie sees her and comes running to her making her presence known to Lucas.

"Aunt Brooke!" Jamie screams heading for the kitchen. Lucas' heart skips at the mention of Brooke's voice. He wonders why Jamie says Brooke's name and why he is running to the kitchen fast.

Slowly, Brooke gets up from where she was, knowing that in one way or another Lucas would know she was there. "Hey Jamie," Brooke greets with caution. Jamie pulls her to the living room where Haley and Lucas were. Haley takes Jamie from Brooke walking away knowing that Brooke and Lucas would need their time alone.

"Brooke?" Lucas chokes out.

"Hey! Would you look at that…you're here!" Brooke says nervously.

"Hey," that's all he says.

"You and Haley seemed to have a nice talk," she points out.

"How much did you hear?" he asks kind of embarrassed with his words.

"Not much, you know, snippets."

"Snippets?"

"Little snippets," Brooke assured him.

"So basically everything?"

"Basically, yes."

To that he groans. Sure that's what he had wanted to tell her earlier if she had not run away, but he probably would not have said all of the marriage stuff if she had been there; he didn't want to freak her out. Thoug he is glad that she's not mad, yelling or throwing stuff at him, yet.

"Sorry," he says.

"What for?"

He thinks for a moment which of the many faults he's sorry for right now. Then he tells her, "Everything."

"Luke…"

"I'm sorry for breaking you heart, I'm sorry for even thinking about cheating on you back then. I'm sorry for not fighting for you enough. I'm sorry I never saved you," she listens to him list all of the things he's sorry for and she wants to tell him that he did save her. From everything. "I'm sorry, I didn't let you in, I should have I know. I was just scared, I wanted to be so strong for the both of us, you know? I didn't want to seem so broken in front of you," she's nodding to everything he's saying as if telling him she understands and that it's okay, he's forgiven. "And I'm sorry for not going after you senior year when you broke up with me, I'm sorry I only said I'm sorry." At this point he sees tears in his eyes, she, too is crying. "But…I love you," there's that sentence again.

"You can't," she blurts out.

"What?"

"What about Peyton?" her voice is louder now, she doesn't know why. Then a million questions run through her head.

"She's just my friend now," he says in the same tone, he mumbles, "I think." After what happened at brunch he's not sure what Peyton and him are anymore.

"Yeah, now!" she's screaming now.

"I love you!" he too is screaming.

"Yet you asked Peyton to marry you!"

"And I am glad she said no! At the time, sure I was upset. I though the girl of my dreams had just turned down my proposal. But I was wrong; the girl of my dream rode on that carousel with me talking about our future. That same future was the one I had always thought of having with you, not her."

Ever since that night Brooke could not stop thinking about Lucas. She was so hurt that though they had fun she knew that Lucas had wished it was Peyton he was with and not her. But hearing him say all of those thing made her speechless. It sounds so true that she can't even doubt him. But she won't give in.

"What about your books, about her!" Brooke says emphasizing the's' on 'books'.

He paused, not knowing how to explain the two novels to her. He wants to correct her, tell her that neither of his books was about Peyton. He wants to tell her that it's just a book, but he knows it isn't. It isn't just a story. It's his story.

"I—I don—don't know," he stutters, "But I do know that the book wasn't about Peyton or at least it wasn't going to be. It was supposed to be about basketball, the love triangle that never ended, all that high school stuff. The editing ended up showing just one side of me, the one by Peyton, but Brooke I never meant for it to be like that."

Brooke couldn't argue with that. He already answered every question she was going to ask. So she moves onto her next subject.

"What about The Comet?" she shouts.

"What about it?" still, they are having a screaming match.

"Just…please!" Brooke is getting frustrated now.

"The comet is you! Who else brought me direction, beauty and meaning? Who else would always remain in my heart? Who else would I wait my entire life for? You, Brooke, it's you. And you did come back, and this time I am never letting you go again."

"Lucas," Brooke tries to stop Lucas from…well, making her fall for him. But it's too late, she already has.

"Brooke Davis, I will go to the ends of the earth, I will do anything and everything and I will fight every battle I have to, just to have you in my arms again. Brooke Davis, I am going to fight for you."

If Brooke was speechless before, she's even more speechless now. What else could she say anyway? He's already answered every question she's wanted to ask him. Actually, he's said and confessed more than she imagined he ever could.

"Lucas…"

Lucas could see Brooke struggling with her words, he smiles thinking it's one of the cutest things ever. But despite how cute and entertaining it is, he decides to help her out. "You don't have to say anything Brooke. I don't want things to be awkward between us because I really love the time we've spent these last few months. Just know that…I'm not going anywhere."

"Luke…," this time Brooke is determined to speak, "I do love you."

A small smile—okay, it wasn't a small smile, it must have been the widest smile she's ever seen on Lucas today—creeps into Lucas' face as she says those words. That's all he needed to hear from her, but he notices she's not done yet.

She continues, "I just don't know if I'm ready yet."

He understands, he's hurt her so bad years ago and he knows it will take a lot of effort to get her to trust him again, but like he said, he will do that. "I know. And I'll be waiting."

"You can only wait for so long," Brooke tries to contradict. She's doing it again, he knows. She's contradicting everything he's saying, but it's okay. He knows she's doing it just to make sure.

"I'll be waiting for you Brooke. Come what may."

Phew! That was worth one week of writing! I know...it's pathetic. Anyway, I hope you liked it and I hope you send reviews. I would also like to know what you want to happen and how you want Lucas to fight for her. I've got a few ideas, but I really want to hear other inputs. Thanks for reading!! I promise my next update won't take 6 weeks long.