Wow, it's been a month since my last update. I am terribly sorry, would you forgive me if I said it's because I was busy with moving houses and writing 3 essays in the frist 2 months of school? Oh and another one this week! Grade 11 sucks! Anyway, I love everyone who reviewed my story! Thank you! Thank you! And Naley and Jamie are in this chapter! Yay! The title is taken from Ian McEwan's novel Atonement. It's such a great book.
Disclaimer: I own probably 5 dollars worth of pennies! And still none of my favourite shows..
Come What May
Chapter 7: I'll Wait For You, Come Back.
It's morning, Brooke thinks. She can see light though her eyes stay shut. She makes no effort to get up, let alone open her eyes to the bright shine of the sun. Instead, she nuzzles her head closer to the comfort of Lucas' bare chest. She stops, Lucas' bare chest?!
With fear she opens her eyes. "Ahh!" she screams making Lucas jump up from his sleeping position. She moves away from Lucas and away from his tangled arms around her. She sits up facing him and he does the same.
"What?" Lucas asks still adjusting his eyes to the bright rays of the sun.
"First of all, why were your arms around me? Second, why don't you have a shirt on?" Brooke screams.
Lucas chuckles a little, earning an 'are-you-kidding-me?' look from Brooke, "Okay, firstly, you are the one who moved closer to me and therefore out of instinct, I wrapped my arms around you. But you can't tell me you didn't like it?"
Brooke gives him a death glare, she's about to respond but he speaks out first.
"Secondly," he smirks at her, "it was really hot and I don't know how to work your freakin' high tech air condition."
"You see, this is what I meant by not doing anything weird!"
"It was—," Lucas tries to reason, but this time Brooke cuts him off.
"No, I don't want to hear a peep from you, young man."
"Ok—,"
"Not a word. Now, as a punishment you have to make me breakfast."
Lucas stays silent just like she had asked.
"Fine you can talk now, but I still want my breakfast."
"Alright," he gives in. "What do you want for breakfast, Princess?"
"Hmm," Brooke ponders about it for a second, "Oh! I want eggs and bacon—no, no, I don't want bacon. I want potatoes and toast…but not together. And I want oatmeal—no, never mind, I want cereal, but don't put milk, just the cereal itself. And finally, pancakes and waffles. Blueberry pancakes and chocolate waffles," she states then adds one more thing, "This is the last one, I promise: Coffee—I change my mind! I want hot cocoa."
"And we're going to eat all that?" Lucas asks not being able to believe everything she's listed for him all in one meal.
"I don't know about you, but I certainly will."
Lucas gets up from the bed and so does Brooke; he stretches his arm and does his usual morning exercise routine that Brooke knows so well. But before he can stretch and bend his muscles Brooke speaks, "Put a shirt on for god's sakes, Prince Charming."
Lucas chuckles and takes his shirt from the day before, pulling it over his head. "Is this better?" he asks.
"Much," she answers. She goes into her dresser and changes into a casual pair of sweatpants and a simple shirt. When she goes back to her bedroom, Lucas is on his way out of it and she guesses he's going to the kitchen to start her breakfast buffet. But to her surprise he comes back and walks to her.
He walks to her and he can see confusion in her eyes, he chuckles a bit at the sight. He stops right in front of her and brings her to his arms. Surprisingly she wraps her arms around his waist. It doesn't feel awkward to do this, it's like they've been in each others arms for years. Her head is on his shoulder and he leans down and kisses the top of her head. Then he utters the words as clear as ever, "I love you, Princess."
He smiles at her and so does she, he knows she won't say anything so he walks away, still smiling, Brooke notices. Before he's far form her reach, she slaps his butt playfully. And when he turns around, she simply winks at him and heads for the kitchen giggling before he does.
She enters the kitchen and just stands, smiling from ear to ear. She leans on the counter and looks around the room, her eyes stop when she sees a white envelope neatly placed at the center of the coffee table in the living room. She walks towards it with hesitation, with each step she's closer to the envelope and the closer she gets the clearer the word is on the envelope: Brooke. It's his handwriting, she knows and remembers. She sits down on the couch in front of the coffee table. She brings her hand out to the letter and outlines the letters of her name with her finger before slowly taking it in her hands.
She's been too caught up with this envelope in front of her that she's failed to notice that Lucas had already been in the kitchen heating up a pan. She stands up and looks at him, "What's this?"
"It's a letter," he says as if it's the most obvious thing in the world…and well it is.
"I know that…but what is it for?"
"Most people read letters," Lucas points out.
"Right…should I do that?"
"It would be a waste of paper if you didn't."
"We don't want to waste paper."
"No, we don't."
"So I'll read this," Brooke says staring at the letter in front of her.
"Okay, I'll be here making breakfast."
"Okay," she says and takes her seat again on the couch. She just stares at the unopened letter. She doesn't know why she can't bring herself to open it. It wouldn't hurt, right? Yes, it would, though not purposely. She's received so many letters from Lucas in the course of the few months—months she thought were too short, but were surely the best few months of her life-- they were together. She has proof because until this day she still has every one of Lucas' letters. She can't bring herself to open the letter because it would remind her of the days in high school when she would just sit peacefully, reading his letters, memorizing it word by word and forever engraving it in her heart.
She doesn't know how long she's been holding on to the letter tightly against her heart, but it must have been long enough for Lucas to finish making breakfast. He walks towards her with a tray containing two plates with eggs, pancakes and waffles and two cups of hot cocoa. He then brings a second tray with potatoes, toast and cereal—no milk.
"You didn't read the letter," he tells her though he's noticed her just staring at it while he was cooking.
"Yeah…," she feels embarrassed, but he smiles telling her that it's okay.
"Well, you better get started, because there will be another one for tomorrow."
"Is this another one of your everyday thing?" she asks placing his letter safely on the pocket of her pants, careful not to crumple it.
"Yes. And that is just the tip of the ice berg."
"Can't wait," she says forking the eggs and sliding it in her mouth.
. . . . .
"Hmm," Brooke moans setting her plate down at the coffee table. The pancakes? Good! Waffles? Better! Potatoes? The best! Through out the whole time she's known him, she realizes he's never cooked for her, at least not a meal this good.
"I'm guessing you like it?" he asks with a grin on his face.
"If I had known you could cook like that, I would have never broken up with you." she jokes.
Curiosity got the better of Lucas and so he asked, "Why did you?"
"I told you..," No, she didn't.
"Please be honest, Brooke. I want to know."
"Because…," she tried to muster all her confidence, but it wasn't enough. She knew sooner or later she'd break down in tears. But not yet, she'll stay strong for as long as possible, "Because I was scared of being heartbroken again…but in the end I was still heartbroken."
"I don't understand," Lucas says leaning closer to Brooke as if searching her eyes for an explanation.
"Peyton…" she chokes out, her voice is hoarse, more so than usual.
"Always Peyton!"
"Listen!" she shouts gaining more courage. "I'm going to talk, you…you just listen, 'kay?" she asks softly to which she just nods.
"The day before Haley and Nathan's wedding, Peyton told me she was on love with you. My heart dropped 20 floors when I heard that, Luke. I knew from that moment nothing would ever be the same for us. You proved me right when weeks after that you got together with Peyton…"
He knows he was supposed to be shutting up and listening to her, but the moment she said those words clarity hit him. She had broken up with him after Peyton had told him she loves him. She didn't want to get her heart broken a second time—from the same two people. Her insecurities got over her, and maybe he could be mad at her or at Peyton, but he couldn't blame anyone any more than he can blame himself. He had proved her right by being with Peyton weeks after that.
"I'm sorry," he finds himself blurting out. He's said it too many times before that he's afraid to her it has lost its meaning. "I hope you can understand the depth of my apologies, Brooke. I…I'm so sorry for everything I have caused."
She just nods and hopefully that is enough for her to tell him it is okay. She couldn't bring herself to speak; afraid she'd break into tears.
After a moment of silence between the two, Brooke speaks again. "Why did you kiss Peyton? That night at Tric, the night you proposed to Lindsey? Why'd you kiss her?"
He almost forgot about that night. He shouldn't be surprised that she knows, of course Peyton would tell her he kissed her. "It was that nagging thing at the back of my head, you know? The one telling me, 'what if I was with Peyton?' If I felt that spark between that kiss then I would have known that I'm not suppose to be with Lindsey, but I didn't feel it. It just…wasn't there anymore. That's why I proposed to Lindsey. Little did I know, I should have kissed you," he chuckles. "But I know you'd never let that happen. You're too good to kiss someone else's man."
She smiles at him and his attempt to make this conversation slightly light. "So…that nagging thing at the back of your head is gone?"
"Yes."
"Okay."
"You know we're practically together." Lucas states flatly.
"What?" her head snaps around to face his.
He laughs soflty, "Yeah. Think about it. I picked you up at work yesterday and we hung out at your house and ate dinner. That sounds like I was picking you up for a date, huh? Then we sleep on the same bed and wake up to each others arm--"
"--unintentionally," she reminds him.
He smiles at her reminder and continues, "I made you breakfast and we had an argument. What more could spell out 'together' better than that?"
Brooke laughs at how ridiculous he can be, although it does seem like they're together, but not that much, "We don't kiss, makes out or have sex."
"Not yet," Lucas says playfully with a mischievous look on his face. And that's when Brooke playfully hits his arm. "Okay, I deserve that after what I did."
Brooke has a victorious smile on her face and she nearly jumps when her cell phone vibrates and rings. She picks up her phone and sees that the call is from Haley, she flips it open, "Hey you! Uh-huh, right. Okay, fine!"
She shuts her phone and turns to face Lucas just as he shuts his phone. She looks confused, but nonetheless she goes on, "Haley wants me to help her baby-sit Jamie. She has a lot on her plate apparently."
"Nathan wants me to play basketball with him, apparently Quintin and Skillz are busy."
"I think they think we hang out to much," Brooke tells him.
"You are probably right," he says chuckling.
"I'm going to head up to get dressed." she tells Lucas.
"So will I," Lucas says, his clothes are still up in Brooke's room.
. . . . .
Brooke stands again on Haley and Nathan's doorstep, this time she doesn't feel so awkward or reluctant. It took her quite a while to get here though, she had to take Lucas to Clothes over Bro's to get his car. She told herself that when they got together, they'd just share a car, then she mentally kicked herself for thinking too far ahead.
Haley answers the door with Jamie in tow. Jamie jumps in Brooke's arms with a giggle. Brooke turns her attention to Haley, "To what do I owe this pleasure to?"
Haley motions for her to come inside and says, "I can't let Lucas have you all to himself."
"Maybe he wasn't with me."
"But he was, wasn't he?"
"Yes," Brooke brings her head down and Haley has a victorious smirk on her face.
"Aunt Brooke?" Jamie tugs at Brooke's top, "Are you and Uncle Lucas together?"
Brooke smiles to the innocent boy and sets him down to the ground, "No, Jamie we aren't."
"But he said he loves you."
"I know. But it's more complicated than that."
"Do you love him, too?"
She's already told Haley and Lucas, what's the harm of saying it again? "Yes, I do."
Jamie shrugs and says, "I think you should be together."
This takes Brooke by surprise, even her 5 year old godson is rooting for the two of them. "And why do you think that, little man?"
"Because you're the one for him, Brooke Davis. And one of these nights, you are going to realize it."
Okay, now she's even more surprised. Jamie has been throwing her a lot of surprised lately. "How--what?"
"Uncle Lucas and I had a very long grown-up conversation yesterday," Jamie says proudly.
Brooke looks to Haley who just shrugs her shoulders, she's probably as clueless as she is. She turns once again to Jamie, takes his hand and lead his to the living room. She felt good to hear what Jamie had said. For so long she's been thinking that yes, Lucas is the guy for her, but is she the girl for him. "So what exactly did Lucas say?"
"It's a secret," Jamie smiles.
. . . . .
"Thank you for interrupting my time with Brooke," Lucas says once he steps foot on the river court.
Nathan tosses the ball to Lucas, "Well, you're going to be with her again tomorrow, aren't you?"
"Yes. Everyday."
"You guys are practically together."
"That's what I told her!"
"So Haley told me about yesterday. I'm sorry I missed it."
"Was I totally lame yesterday?"
"Not really, but saying "totally" is very lame, yes."
Lucas shoots the ball from where he is, "But that definitely isn't." The boys go on to play basketball each scoring their fair share of points. They stop after awhile because of Lucas's medical condition and sit at the bench.
"So do you think Brooke is going to cave soon?" Nathan asks after taking a sip of his drink.
"Nah, she won't let herself think of it that much, you know?"
"She'll come around."
"I know."
"Don't screw it up this time, man!"
"I think I've learned my lesson."
"Good. Because I'll have to kick your ass."
"In basketball? Not possible."
"You are just so funny today!"
The two laugh and after a while they are both silent, both lost in their own thoughts. Lucas' eyes gaze over Peyton's painting that is slowly fading. "Hey, did you know that Peyton told Brooke she loves me the night before your wedding?"
"No, but I guess that's why Brooke broke up with you."
"Yeah. Do you think I'd be with her if she didn't break up with me?"
"Don't take this the wrong way, but no. I believe in your love for Brooke, I do. But I think if you hadn't gotten with Peyton that second time, you'd always be wondering "what if?". Now that's gone and I know you know who you want to be with."
"Yeah," Lucas nods. Nathan's right, although he did love Brooke, back then being the stupid boy that he was, he would always be wondering how his life would be if he was with Peyton. Now he knows, his life wouldn't be nearly as good as it is now even though he isn't with Brooke yet. He would have been content, not happy. He would smile, sure, but never from ear to ear. And whenever he would turn around, he wouldn't see the girl he wants standing next to him when all his dream come true.
"Let's head on home. Haley's making dinner and she asked Brooke to help."
"Dun, dun, dun."
"You still don't trust Brooke's cooking?"
"No, man. It's Haley's cooking I don't trust."
"What's wrong with my wife's cooking?"
"Well…sometimes she just uses too much garlic."
"No, she doesn't!"
"There are other ingredients, Nathan."
The two went on for about five minutes arguing about Haley and Brooke's cooking, Nathan defending his wife and Lucas defending his…soon to be Pretty Girl.
. . . . .
"Lucas gave me a letter today," Brooke tells Haley while they are making dinner.
"Oh!" Haley gets excited, "What does it say? Tell me!"
"I don't…know what it says."
"You didn't read it."
"Well, no, I plan to, I do. But what if the letter sweeps me off my feet?"
"What if the letter sweeps you off your feet?" Haley says with a 'so-what?' look in her face.
"I just…I want to know he's serious this time."
"I understand. And I know you won't listen to me, but he is serious this time, he wants to be with you."
"Did Lucas have a secret conversation with you, too?" she glares at Haley.
Haley laughs, "No, only Jamie did."
"Do you have any idea what he said?"
"No, but maybe the letter will tell you a thing or two."
"If I read the letter does that mean I am excused from chopping onions?"
Haley sigh, "Fine. Go read your letter."
Brooke walks to the living room, it was quiet since no one was there. Jamie was up in his room playing with Chester or drawing. It was, she guesses the perfect time to read the letter. She takes out the letter from her purse and this time opens it instead of just staring at it.
Dear Brooke,
I don't know if you remember, but you once asked me if I think there was a love so strong that no person could come between it. I can't quite remember what I said (would it be over the top to say your beauty--and extremely low cut dress--distracted me? Just kidding), but I do remember you saying we'd have to wait and see. Like you, I've wondered if there was a love so strong. Do you see it now? I do. All I know is that yes, there is a love so strong that no person, nothing can come between it.
It's amazing that through the heartbreaks we've share and experienced, we can still manage to laugh at the end of the day. I think that's strong, whatever you call it, be it love, friendship or bond, whatever we have is strong. It's strong because it's survived two break ups, infidelity, death, and many more. Look now where we are, I am fighting for you, you may not notice it, but I am. And hopefully one day I'll win this battle and so will you, one day I hope what your heart tells you will overweight that of your mind's. I know it's hard to do that for the third time and my promises have probably lost all its meaning, but just have faith in us. I do. I know we've both made our share of mistakes, some more than others--i.e. me--but it's different now. I know I can't lose you again, I just can't. I won't.
Tonight, Jamie asked me if he could be the ring bearer on our wedding day. He didn't ask if we were getting married, let alone if we were together. It's as if he knows that we will be together and we will get married. It's as if he knows that I should be with you and you with me. He asked it with such innocence, but with such sureness, too. You should listen to him, Brooke, he's a smart one. I said, 'We'll see.' He also told me Lily would love to be the flower girl. It seems Jamie has our wedding all planned out. Brooke, what are you waiting for? Don't worry, no pressure, I just hope my letters will help you come back to me. I'll wait for you. Come back.
With love, Lucas Scott
. . . . .
"Honey, I'm home," Nathan shouts when Lucas and him enter his house. He smiles when Haley's faces comes into view, she's wearing an apron and gloves with tongs on her right hand. She lets go of the tongs and take the gloves off before walking towards his husband and best friend. There, she kisses his lips chastely.
Lucas--no matter how much he hates to say it--is jealous of her brother, he has the girl he wants, and at such a young age, too. He never made wrong choices like Lucas did. Nonetheless, Lucas greets Brooke with a hug and he could swear he saw the same look in her eyes. "I miss you, Princess," he tells her after kissing the top of her head.
"I missed you, too, Prince Charming."
"Remind me again why you two aren't together?" Nathan asks, breaking up Lucas and Brooke's hug.
"Talk more and we'll see who's not having dinner tonight," Brooke tells Nathan.
"Well, that depends, what did you cook?"
"Your favorite," Haley says.
"Okay, not a word," Nathan concludes. Haley and Nathan head to the kitchen and Brooke and Lucas are left behind.
Brooke and Lucas go to the living room where Jamie is.
"So, Lucas, mind sharing what you and Jamie talked about yesterday?"
"It's our secret."
"I want to have secrets!"
"Don't worry, you can have secrets between yourself and Lily."
"She's all the way in New Zealand."
"Not for long," Lucas says with a smile on his face. Nathan and Haley joins them in the living room after hearing what Lucas had just said. "I got a call from my mom a while ago, they're coming back. I don't know for how long or if it's for good, but they're coming back."
The joy and excitement in Lucas' eyes were evident, Brooke could see. "That's great!" Brooke pulls Lucas into a hug and so do Nathan, Haley and Jamie. "I finally have someone to have secrets with," Brooke says after the hug.
"What about me?" Haley asks putting her hand to her chest in a fake disappointment.
"At the end of the day, you'd just tell your husband my secrets."
"What about me?" Lucas asks, doing what Haley had done.
"My secrets are about you, Prince Charming."
The five of them enjoy each other's company, sharing laughter and joy. This is how it should be, Brooke thinks. She pulls Lucas to the side, trying not to make it obvious to Nathan, Haley and Jamie.
"What's wrong?" Lucas asks, he doesn't know why he automatically thinks something is wrong. Actually, his heart is beating fast, not out of fear, but because of happiness. He doesn't know why, but in his heart he can feel everything about to change.
"I don't think you'll have to wait much longer. I'll come back," Brooke simply says, informing him that he's read his letter and her way of telling him not to give up on her.
So tell me, how bad was Lucas' letter? It's not fair, Lucas is an author, it's hard to write a letter from him! But did I at least do him a little bit of justice? Does he deserve justice after what has happened this season?
Hmm, I'm not really sure about the whole Karen, Andy and Lily thing coming back, but now that I've written it, it's staying. I just kind of wrote it down as I was writing the Brooke and Lucas conversation at the end. What do you think about it? Oh and I don't know if the ending was confusing , but no, Brooke didn't give in...yet. So stay tuned for more! Oh, and please review, I love them!!