Lucas pulled up to the river court, parked his car, and sat on a bench. He had been coming here to think whenever he had something on his mind for as long as he could remember. This was no exception. He wanted to respect Brooke's wishes, he really did but she was being ridiculous, he unconsciously clenched his fists as he thought of her bruises. What kind of a woman was Victoria? How could she do that to her own child?

"Hey handsome" someone called out from behind him interrupting his thoughts. He turned around and their eyes met. The woman he had always loved.

"Mom!" he shouted jumping off the bench he sat on and lifting her off her feet. He buried his face in her hair "What in the world are you doing here?"

"I missed you" she said wiping a tear from her eye "Oh, I missed you Lucas Scott"

'I missed you too mom….Is Lily here, and Andy" he asked looking back at her car

"Well they're in Tree Hill but they're back at home, you weren't there so I figured you were here, I told them I'm come and check...What's wrong Lucas" she asked pulling him back to the bench

"Why does something have to be wrong?" he asked quizzically

"I'm your mother Luke, and you're sitting here and not playing basketball, I know something has to be wrong"

"I guess you're right" he laughed "You won't believe this mom but Victoria hired someone to break into Brooke's store and steal her sketches, Brooke was there when it happened, and he-he the guy she hired…he beat her mom"

"Oh no! Poor Brooke….Is she O.K?"

"No, I don't think she is, I mean physically she's pretty banged up but you know Brooke, she wants to handle everything herself, she doesn't even want to go the police, and I don't know if I should respect her wishes or go to the cops anyway"

"Oh Lucas" she said pulling him into another hug "You'll figure it out, I know you will"

"I do have some happy news" he said smiling "Peyton and I are engaged"

"You're….Peyton…..engaged…..Wow!" she said

"You don't sound too excited"

"Oh Lucas, I am!" she paused "I do have one question though, do you notice that you told me about Brooke before you told me about Peyton?"

He looked at her "That's only because she was on my mind when you came….and everyone knows you give the bad news before you give the good news"

"Are you sure that's the only reason Lucas?"

"What are you saying Mom?"

"Is this what you want?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that, yes, I love her mom, I'm in love with Peyton Sawyer" he said taking Karen's hand in his.

She brought his hand to her lips "Congratulations then" she said

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"But the same words Lucas!!, the exact same words!!

I never sent that letter to Peyton

And I never sent my letters to you either but they still meant something. Just tell me, Why me …this time, why not Peyton?

I can't say anything bad about Peyton, she's my friend…and she's your best friend

That's O.K, you can say bad things about her

Oh Brooke…..the truth is I care about Peyton

Then what is the difference

The difference……The difference is I love you Brooke….I wanna be with you….not Peyton

But why? I need to know why

Because you kink your eyebrow…when you're trying to be cute, because you quote K-Moo, even though I've never actually seen you read, and because you miss your parents but you'll never ever admit that..And because I've given exactly two of these embarrassing speeches in my entire life and they've both been with you, I mean that's gotta count for something right…and because we're both gonna get pneumonia…but if you need to hear why I love you…I could go on all night

You did pretty good…."

Brooke shook the memory from her head and scolded herself for having daydreams about her best friend's fiancé, "You're not that girl Brooke" she reminded herself." He's not yours anymore". She put the last dress back on the rack, and hugged herself. It was starting to look like her store again. She smiled. She grabbed a broom and started sweeping up the broken glass on the floor when she heard the door open

"After this, I lock the damn door" she thought to herself looking up.

"OH MY GOD KAREN!" she squealed, dropping the broom and running into the older woman's open arms

"Oh Brooke honey" she said hugging her tightly "Lucas told me what happened"

"Oh" was all Brooke said not wanting to let go

"Lucas told me everything that happened Brooke"

"You're son's got a big mouth" Brooke said finally pulling away

"And a big heart" Karen said touching Brooke's shoulder "He's really worried about you Brooke"

"I'm fine Karen….I'll have the store up and running again by next week" she said walking to the counter and closing the empty cash register

"He told me about the engagement"

"Isn't it great" Brooke said quietly "I know they'll be happy together"

"Do you really think so Brooke?" Karen asked looking at her

"What do you mean, of course, they're soul mates"

"You won't hear me tell you that isn't true, I do think that Lucas and Peyton have a connection that can't be broken……….do I think she's the one for him…….no"

"You don't" Brooke asked her meeting her steady gaze

"The first day I met you Brooke, when you couldn't stop talking about how much you cared about Lucas…well actually you just couldn't stop talking"

They both laughed

"I never wondered if it was you from that day on Brooke, I think you're the one for Lucas…you still love him don't you."

"it doesn't matter now does it…He's engaged to Peyton, and I won't come between them, I won't' do to her what she did to me"

"I'm not worried" Karen said "People who are meant to be together always find their way in the end" She smiled.

"I missed you Karen"

"Oh I missed you too Brooke" Karen said pulling her into another tight embrace

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There are 82 letters in here and they're all addressed to you, I wrote them all this summer…one a day but I never sent this because I was afraid….

Brooke…..

I was afraid of getting my heart broken…like before…because you hurt me so bad and I was afraid to be vulnerable and I was afraid of you and the way that you make me feel and I know that doesn't matter now after what I did but I just thought that you should know….. This is how I spent my summer Luke…wanting you…I was just too scared to admit it…..

Brooke……I'm sorry….what you did with Chris…it's O.K

It's not, it can't be, it's too much to forgive

Well that's too bad because I forgive you

You can't

I just did, so you're just gonna have to deal with it….I'm the guy for you Brooke Davis, and I know I hurt you last time we were together but-

I love you

I love you too…pretty girl….

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"Lucas" Peyton said waving her hand in front his face interrupting his day dream

"What were you thinking about? I've been calling your name for the past five minutes"

"Sorry" Lucas said wrapping his arms around her as she sat in his lap

"Where do you wanna go for dinner" she asked

"I don't believe I haven't told you, my mom's here, she's making us dinner" he told her

"Your mom's here??…Lucas! How could you forget to tell me that…well…did you tell her?"

"Tell her what?"

"Lucas Scott…what's wrong with you? Did you tell her we're engaged?"

"Oh, yes, of course I did"

"Oh, I can't wait to see her, I'm gonna go get dressed" she said leaving for the bedroom

Lucas flipped open his phone and dialed Brooke's number; He was greeted by her voice mail.

"Hey, it's me, Brooke! I'm too busy to come to my phone right now; I'm probably with some hot guy doing something illegal in the back of his car, ha! I bet you I'm at work drawing fabulous sketches, leave me a message though, and I'll call you back if I feel like it! Bye!

Even though he had heard it before he couldn't help but laugh

"Oh Brooke" he said out loud "Why can't I stop thinking about you

Little did he know across town Brooke was thinking the exact same thing about him

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Look Brooke, I need you to listen to me O.K, I understand that you didn't know about the kiss and I'm sorry for springing it on you, but I meant what I said…. it didn't mean anything

A kiss always means something

O.K maybe you're right, but it wasn't a romantic moment and you would know that if you were-

If what…. I was there? As you so sweetly pointed out at the party, the party that I threw for you I wasn't there, was I?

Is it impossible for you to forgive me……I forgave you

For what?

For sleeping with Chris Keller

And you know what Lucas, I loved you for that……. you had such grace in that moment that I fell in love with you all over again, I can't believe that you would use it now as a bargaining chip!

No, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not, I need you to trust me and believe me when I tell you my heart's with you…but a part of me feels like ever since we got back together you've just been waiting….waiting to push me away

Oh...great….you kiss Peyton…AGAIN! And I'm pushing you away!...GOD! Why did I make everybody identical purses as wedding gifts?

I love you Brooke, I don't know how else to say it

How about how you show it, I am not pushing you away Lucas, I am holding on for dear life but I need you to need me back, OK why wouldn't you tell me about the kiss, and why didn't you call me while you were away and why won't you ever just let me all the way in……….we have to go and give our toasts now…about love

Please don't be mad Brooke

I'm not mad Lucas….I'm not mad

"Why can't I stop thinking about you Lucas" Brooke asked herself as the memory faded grabbing her keys from the counter, she picked up her purse, and locked the door behind her. "I've gotta stop this" she said out loud as she pulled out of the parking lot and headed for home "Those days are over, and they're never coming back"