Author's note: I don't know if I've told you this before, but my university is actually located in Wilmington, where OTH is shot. So I know the town pretty well since I lived there for a while and will go back there in a few months to finish college and graduate. The cool part is that I can use my knowledge in my fics, and thus the restaurant where this chapter takes place, called The Oceanic, is a real restaurant that actually exists. It's right on the beach, and the view is honestly to die for. If you want to check it out, just type "Oceanic restaurant Wrightsville beach" in your search engine and you can see pictures of it ;-D

Anyway, I've finally settled down in my new apartment and things have calmed down here, which means that I've been writing again, much to my own happiness :-) So hopefully, if the muse keeps on cooperating, I will update a lot more frequently!

Once again, thank you all so much for all your reviews. We've gone past a hundred reviews and I cannot even begin to tell you how amazed I am. You all rock.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter… I promise the Brucas lovin' is not that far down the road.

Laurie.

Chapter 7: Hometown Glory

Round my hometown

Memories are fresh

Round my hometown

Ooh the people I've met

Are the wonders of my world…

Their dinner at the Oceanic was coming to an end, and Brooke knew it was time for her to speak. She quickly drank up her glass of wine before softly hitting it with her knife, the deep and beautiful sound of glass echoing across the table and in the restaurant. She loved the idea of toasts and the hope they always seemed to bring, but right now she'd just remembered the truth she'd conveniently ignored: she'd never liked actually giving them. She always ended up nervous when everybody looked up at her.

"I know the view outside of the restaurant is much more interesting than my actual toast," she began, trying to break the ice, "so I promise I won't be too long." Everybody laughed and she went on. "We've all grown apart during the past few years, for many different reasons. Life is hard and sometimes it's even harder to keep in touch. But getting together like this truly makes Tree Hill feel like home… So I wanted to start by thanking you all for coming tonight."

"As you know, Mouth and Millicent are leaving us tomorrow. They're off to find better jobs, take a chance on life, and build their relationship. And I won't wish them the best of luck, because they don't need luck. They have their talent, they have each other, and I know they will be just fine. So I wish them love, and hope, because it truly is all they need. Love is what it's all about."

She stopped for a few seconds. Her eyes met Lucas' for a few seconds and she instantly knew he remembered where those words came from.

"And I won't wish them friendship, because we all know they're going to be miserable without us," she said, winking at Mouth and Millicent. Each of her friends burst into laugh.

"That's right, B. Davis!" Skills said, causing more laughter to go around the table.

"Anyway… Before I finish, I just wanted to share this quote with you, because it seemed so fitting, as our two friends are about to leave us, and as we all try to make sense of this life. Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some people move our souls to dance. They awaken us to new understanding with the passing whisper of their wisdom. Some people make the sky more beautiful to gaze upon. They stay in our lives for awhile, leave footprints in our hearts, and we are never, ever the same. We're going to miss you guys," Brooke said, looking at Mouth and Millicent. "Don't forget us, 'kay?"

Millicent immediately got up and Brooke met her halfway before they hugged. "Thank you so much, Brooke."

"You're going to do so great, you know that?"

Millicent nodded. "You're going to do great, too. You're such an amazing person, and an amazing friend."

"Stop before you make me cry!" she said. She took a deep breath, but then Mouth came up to her and she knew she probably wouldn't be able to hold back anyway. Everybody was up by now, saying goodbye. She hated goodbyes.

"I'm gonna miss you, Brooke," he said.

She hugged him and held him tightly. "So will I, Anchor Boy. Don't change, 'kay?"

He shook his head. "I won't if you don't either."

Brooke laughed and shook his hand. "Deal!"

"And one more thing… I don't think you should give up yet."

"Give up on what?"

"You'll figure it out soon enough."

She stared at Mouth, confused, but before she could ask him exactly what he meant, her phone rang. "Don't move!" she told him. "I'll be right back."

"Hello!" she said in her phone. The restaurant was too loud so she walked by her friends and opened the door leading her outside, on the pier.

"Is this Brooke Davis?" a voice asked her.

"Yes, this is she," she answered.

She walked all the way to the rail and leaned on it. She was standing right above the beach. The moon was casting its light on the ocean as the waves crashed on the sand.

And as she was thinking how much she loved that place, the woman on the other end of the line spoke, and Brooke felt her life about to change again.

--

"Hey. Do you mind if I join you?"

Brooke shook her head no and Lucas walked up next to her. He leaned on the rail and took a deep breath. "You trying to hide out here?"

"Kind of."

"What's going on?"

She turned her head to look at him. "The adoption agency called. They said that I've done great with Angie and they're willing to let me adopt permanently."

"Brooke that's great!"

She smiled sadly. "Is it? I don't know anymore. I still think of Angie everyday, and it still hurts that she's gone. I'm not sure I'm ready to give my heart again that way."

Lucas reached out and placed his hand over hers. "You can't let that pain hold you back, Brooke. And this time, it would be for real. Isn't that what you wanted?"

She stared at him for a few seconds. Nothing seemed as clear as it had been before. "I guess so. Maybe I just need time to process the news. Plus things have been very good with Owen, and I don't want to scare him away, you know."

"He wouldn't want to be in your kid's life?" He found it hard to imagine. He'd been so happy to be in Angie's life, even if it had been for a short time only. It had been worth every single moment.

"It's not that simple, Luke. I think he would, now that I took the time to explain to him what it means to me. But maybe that's the thing – I'm not sure I want him in my child's life."

Lucas nodded. "Is that why he's already gone?"

"Nah. I haven't told him about the call yet. He had to go to work. Some people wanna get drunk out there."

He laughed. "I'm glad I'm not part of that crowd anymore."

"So where's Peyton anyway?"

She'd lost track of her best friend in between saying goodbye to Mouth and Millicent, the phone call, and spending time with Owen before he'd left for Tric.

"She left a while ago." There was a trace of sadness in his voice – bitterness even – that Brooke couldn't miss even if she had wanted to.

"What's going with you two? You barely talked the whole night and when I tried to ask Peyton about it she said she didn't wanna talk about it."

"I don't blame her. We, huh, had a fight."

"How bad?"

"We screamed. A lot. And then she left right in the middle of it. I tried to call her on it but she said she was just doing what I do best."

"She's not wrong." Lucas looked hurt by her words. "Come on, Luke, you know it's true. You always walk away from people when it gets too hard."

He let her words sink in. He didn't know what to say. Deep down, he knew she was right.

"What I don't get is why you would let Peyton walk away. I thought you wanted this more than anything else."

She observed his features as he struggled to find an answer to her question. She wasn't sure she was ready for his answer, whatever it was.

"Why does everything have to be so complicated?" he asked, almost to himself.

She stared out at the ocean. "When you figure it out, let me know."

They remained side by side in silence for a few minutes, taking in the view, letting their thoughts swirl around in their heads. Lucas thought that if everything could be as easy as being here with her, then he would be okay.

He saw her run her hands up and down her arms, trying to warm herself up, and he took off his jacket without thinking about it. She tried to protest but he didn't let her. He remembered doing the same thing the day Keith had almost married Julia. She'd look so beautiful back then.

He looked at her. She still did.

"Do you have a ride home?" he asked her.

She shook her head. "I was going to take a cab."

"I can drive you," he offered.

She studied his face. Finally, she agreed. She didn't want to be alone tonight. "Okay."

And right now, whether she would admit it to herself or not, Lucas was the one person she wanted to be with.

--

Lucas walked down Tree Hill High's empty hallways. He hadn't been back here since the night he had been suspended, six weeks ago. Looking back on that game, he wished he'd had enough sense to keep his feelings bottled up inside. He had almost ruined everything.

He entered the gym, his mind full of memories from the last time he'd been here. "Hey little brother!"

Nate threw the ball at him and Lucas caught it without flinching. "Nice catch. I thought you would have forgotten all about basketball now."

He laughed. "It's only been six weeks."

"Yeah, like you haven't been counting down the days until you can coach again."

Lucas threw the ball towards the hoop and scored. "True," he admitted. "So how's your game?"

"Pretty good, I think."

"It's great that you're finally playing again."

"Feels good," his brother answered as he scored and caught the ball again. "Things are good with Haley, Jamie's amazing, and Dan is finally gone from our lives. Not a cloud in the horizon." He threw the ball and scored. "How have you been?"

Lucas caught the ball and threw it back at Nate. His brother dribbled around for a while. "Not as good as you. For one thing, I'm the one without basketball now."

"It sucks, man."

"Yeah, it does," Lucas chuckled. But it was his own fault, and he had to live with it.

"How are things with your girl?"

"It hasn't been easy," he told Nathan, truthfully.

"But when you look at everything she sacrificed for you, you gotta realize how much she loves you."

Nathan passed him the ball and Lucas held it in his hands for a while. "We're talking about Peyton, right?" he asked him.

"Of course we are," his brother answered matter-of-factly. "Who else?"

Lucas threw the ball.

He missed the shot.

--

The song I used in the title of the chapter is sung by Adele (for those who don't know, although it's a very dear song to us Brucas shippers…)