Wow. I know we've said it before but you guys are the bomb. It makes us uber-happy when we get tons of reviews from you in our inbox. :D

Enjoy chapter ten. Oh and we both hate Victoria.

Dedications to Brucasfan23, DavisScott8, Plus de ma vie and TeamxxBrucasxx for getting the game's answer. The correct answer was 'high school' if any of you were wondering.

I Love You

Sometimes, she just wished that things were simpler. Well, as simple as things could get in the small town of Tree Hill. Anything was simpler than crushing on your best friend's fiance. That and the fact that everyone wouldn't stop questioning her.

Today was different though; there was no questions or nagging feelings. She was going to confront her problem since she couldn't hide from it anymore; she was going to see her mother. She had booked a flight last night and she was currently on her way to visit the woman she called her mother.

"It's here." The taxi driver stopped the car and Brooke gave him a few twenties before exiting the car and staring at her mother's house. She took a deep breath and took a few steps forward until she was at the front door.

She knocked and waited until her mother opened the door before she rushed in and took a seat on one of the armchairs.

"Brooke?" Surprised. Nervous. "What are you doing here?" Then her mother took in her bruised face and arm. "What happened to you?"

"I think you know what happened Victoria." Victoria cringed and Brooke smiled inwardly. She had her right where she wanted her.

"I don't know what you're talking about dear." Brooke stood up and watched as her mother went straight for the alcohol.

"I see you haven't changed."

"I see you haven't either," she retorted. Brooke felt her anger growing by the second but she wouldn't let it consume her; she came here with a purpose.

"Victoria," she said quietly. Her mother averted her attention to her daughter. "I know what you did."

Victoria scowled. "What did I do?"

"My store was robbed." Victoria still seemed confused until a look of realization crossed her ace.

"You think I did this?"

"I don't just think it." Then Brooke stepped closer to her mother. "You're a cold-hearted bitch Victoria and it wouldn't surprise me that you would physically harm me to get your way."

"Brooke," she laughed lightly, as if it were a big joke. "I would never physically harm you, even if you are useless sometimes."

"That's just it. It's not always just the physical sense I'm talking about."

She scoffed. "Please, don't complain Brooke. You got everything you wanted."

"No, I didn't," she whispered.

"I put everything on the line for you and you blew it. I trusted you to take this company to its highest and you couldn't even do it."

Brooke, fed up with her mother's insults, slammed her hand down on the table. "No, you didn't put everything on the line for me. You did it for yourself and you know it."

"Brooke-"

"No. You were never there when I grew up and sure, having no parents and unlimited money was great, but it wasn't everything."

"I didn't even want kids," Victoria confessed. Brooke's face contorted into sadness while her mother continued. "Your father wanted a boy and when I got pregnant with you, he took that as an opportunity to screw every woman in sight. Then when I had you, he took off, spending money wherever he saw fit."

"I didn't even want a child. After you, I made sure I could never get pregnant again." Brooke sat up straight and a small smiled appeared on her face.

"Why are you smiling?"

Brooke grabbed her purse and made her way towards the door. "I want to thank you Victoria."

"What? Why?"

"Because now I know that it wasn't my fault," she said triumphantly. "You can have the company and the line if you want it."

"What-"

"There, are you happy now? You won Victoria. Congratulations!" Then, with the slam of the door, she was gone and Victoria sat down, confused as ever.

"Please?" Peyton had been trying to get Jake to bring Jenny down. "When can I see her?"

"Soon," he replied. She smiled on the other end of the phone. "I'm really glad we're friends again Peyton."

"Me too Jake." He smiled when she said that and it got quiet.

"So, where's Lucas?"

Peyton's features twisted into confusion. "I actually don't know. He's probably at work but who knows?"

"Do you want to go get lunch with me today?" Jake wanted to smack himself for blurting it out but it was too late.

"I-"

"As friends."

"I'd love to Jake." She smiled, got the details, and hung up; she was confused when she felt nervous though. Why should she be nervous? It was just Jake.

It was just Jake. Yeah right.

Brooke paced his office nervously. She didn't know what she was going to say to him. Her plane had touched down an hour ago and this was the first place she went to. It was wrong, yes, but a part of her wanted to see him. She needed to feel the comfort that came along with seeing him.

She took a breath when she heard the door knob turn but was surprised to find that it was Nathan.

"Isn't this Lucas' office?"

Nathan looked up, noticing her for the first time. "Yeah but I needed a break." She noticed something was wrong.

"What happened?"

He sighed. "Haley's pregnant." Brooke took a step towards him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Isn't that a good thing?"

He squeezed her back before they pulled apart. "Yeah but it's stressing. I mean, how am I going to tell Jamie?"

"I wonder why she didn't even call me," she pondered. Nathan caught onto the hurt expression on her face.

"She knew you were going through some things." Brooke nodded but she still seemed upset. "What happened with you?"

"I talked to Victoria."

He outstretched his arms and she hugged him again, feeling like she had an older brother to talk to now. "Thanks Nate."

The two jumped apart when the door opened. Lucas, stunned that the two were in here, looked back and forth between them. Nathan coughed and excused himself. Brooke glared at his back until he left the room and Lucas shut the door.

"What were you guys doing in here?" Her eyes widened when she realized that he thought she and Nathan were doing something.

"We were talking," she answered honestly. He glanced at her before looking through a few papers. "Did you think-"

"No," he answered quickly and she rolled her eyes. Men.

"What are you still doing in here?" Okay, that one hurt.

"I'm sorry. I'll just leave." Lucas sighed and walked over to her, grabbing her arm. He pulled her back to face him and she gulped when she noticed how close they were.

"No, I'm sorry. I've been...edgy lately."

"I just wanted to come and apologize for yelling at you the other night. I guess it takes two to tango and I wasn't exactly putting up a defense."

He smiled. "I'm sorry I made a move."

"I'm not," she muttered. Brooke looked up and noticed that he was closer, if that was possible. His arms went around her waist and pulled her closer to him; the butterflies in her stomach increased from a few to a hundred.

"So, is that all you came here for?"

"I talked to Victoria." He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I told her that she could have my company and the line."

"I'm sorry Brooke," he said caringly. She smiled a little but then noticed that he had gotten them closer, if that was possible.

"Lucas-" Her words became merely a whisper and his hand massaged her lower back. Her mind, like last time, was torn. She wanted this with him but what if he just used her or what if Peyton ever found out? She couldn't live with the fact that she had hurt Peyton; ironic huh?

She looked up into his bright blue eyes and could feel him coming closer. Their lips barely brushed when there was a knock on the door. Brooke jumped back so far that she hit the wall. Lucas was surprised too but went to open the door none the less.

"Hey Luke," Brooke could hear Haley's voice. "I just wanted to come and tell you something." That's when Brooke stepped out of the shadows. "Brooke?"

"Yeah, what are you going to tell him?"

Haley rolled her eyes. "You can listen too." Brooke knew what this was about but she nodded and took a seat.

"I...um, last week... I found out that I was...pregnant." Lucas just stared at her while Brooke looked at the ground. She had suddenly been hit with a wave of sadness. She didn't know why it chose now to hit but it might have been because she brought memories of Angie up.

Haley noticed this and sighed. "I'm sorry Brooke, I didn't mean..." Brooke held up a hand and Haley shut her mouth.

"It's fine Hales. It's not your fault." Lucas watched as Brooke began to look around the room, probably trying to rid the memories of her temporary daughter. He reached and grabbed her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers.

Haley didn't say a word about it; he would explain to her later. "That was all."

Brooke stood up and with hesitation, let go of Lucas' hand. She went over and hugged Haley tightly. "Congratulations."

"Congrats Hales!" Haley smiled at her two best friends before they did a group hug.

"I have to go but I'll see you later," she said, pointing to Lucas. Brooke waited until Haley left the office before she let a tear fall. Lucas noticed this and pulled her into a hug.

"It'll be alright Brooke." His words brought her out of her comfort zone and she stepped back.

"It was wrong for me to come here."

His eyes searched her while his face showed confusion and hurt. "Why?"

She threw her hands up. "This is wrong. This is so completely wrong Lucas! Why can't you see that? If Peyton ever found out...god."

"Brooke, it isn't wrong." He's right, you know.

"Yes it is," she struggled, fighting with her conscience. Why did it have to take Lucas' side; her stupid mind.

"But I love you Brooke." And that was when Brooke stopped her inner battle and stared at anything else besides him. Had she heard right? Those were the words she had always wanted to hear, right? Then why did she seem so afraid of them now?

"I-I...I have to leave." She turned to go but he caught her and spun her around before pressing her against the door. "Lucas?"

He softly kissed a small bruise underneath her eye and she couldn't help but sigh at his tenderness. Why did he have such control over her?

"What about Peyton? She's my best friend and your fiance." Lucas seemed to stop for a second and Brooke thought that he was going to go back to his right mind but he continued after a second and didn't say a word.

"Lucas?" She pulled his head back and stared at him. "I can't do this. She's my best friend and it's not right."

"Why not?"

"Why did you tell me you loved me?" That one took him off guard.

"Because I do."

"That's not good enough."

"Brooke, I love you because even though you have all these problems, you still seem strong. You care more about other people than you do yourself and you're a beautiful woman, inside and out."

She opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off. "And I love you because I made the mistake of choosing Peyton. I thought that she was the one for me but I was wrong."

She tried to back up but realized that she was against a door. "You were fine with Peyton when you were in Las Vegas. What made you change your mind?"

He smiled. "I saw you."

"But Peyton-" He cut her off when his lips touched hers. She couldn't stop herself from putting her arms around his neck. She smiled when he lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. For now, she would let everything go.

But she knew that this wouldn't last forever. It couldn't.

Ohh. So much drama, so little time. :D You clicky, we update!

So, anyone surprised? It really is slightly difficult to write this because even though I don't like Pucas, I still find Peyton tolerable and it's hard to not make her get hurt in this fanfic but it might happen. :d Sorry to all you Peyton fans. But wow. Poor Brooke.

Um, we'll update as soon as we can. It'll probably be monday since we don't update on the weekends. TGIF!

Game: There will be a temporary old character in the next chapter. This person will only be in this story for chapter eleven. That's it. So, have fun and try to win the game!