Hey everyone, and thanx for the reviews – I get really excited whenever I get one, so I want you to know I really appreciate it! Especially to those of you who have reviewed every chapter : ) Anyways, here goes Chapter Five – let me know what you think!

Chapter Five

'Luke!' Nathan shouted angrily at his brother several hours later. 'What are you doing man? You're supposed to hit the ball, not let it hit you!'

On the other side of the net, the four girls high-fived one-another, congratulating Peyton for the shot that had caught her boyfriend off-guard and smacked him on the side of the face. 'Well, well,' Brooke taunted, 'I do believe that makes it ten-nine to the girls.'

'Cheating at math again Brooke?' Nathan smirked, 'there's no way you're beating us. It's nine each.'

'Hey, cheap shot!' Brooke complained, sticking her tongue out at the younger Scott as the others laughed.

'She's right though Nate,' Haley added, shooting a look of fake sympathy at her husband. 'Ten-nine. You're losing to a bunch of girls!'

'Yeah, well, I'm playing with a couple of girls too,' Nathan muttered angrily, glaring at his brother. 'And there's less of us,' he complained, as the girls continued to laugh, 'really you should have expected to win.'

The girls laughed harder. 'Because we clearly look like world-class volleyball players do we Nate?' Peyton mocked, gesturing to the four bikini clad girls. 'I can just see us in the next Olympics: Haley pushing a pram on court, Brooke making sure our nail polish matches our uniforms, Rachel screwing the umpire…'

'Hey!' Rachel objected, before being hit with six equally withering glances. 'Okay, maybe,' she concurred, 'but only if he was really hot.'

Nathan rolled his eyes. 'Well you know what I mean,' he countered. 'I'm playing with a sports announcer and a heart-attack candidate here, and you lot are all cheerleaders. You're all, I dunno, flexible and stuff.'

'Well you would know,' Mouth teased, 'you've slept with most of them!'

Lucas and Rachel burst into laughter as Nathan looked affronted. 'That was mean,' he protested feebly. 'And anyway, it's not my fault if no-one can resist the Nathan Scott.'

'Eww,' Brooke groaned, as Haley mock-glared at her husband and the other girls giggled, 'you sound like Tim!'

'Ugh, whatever,' Nathan made a face and picked the ball up, 'lets just finish the game.'

'Actually,' an unfamiliar male voice jumped in, 'we were wondering if we could maybe join in?' The group turned to face the voice and came face to face with four college-age guys, all tanned, toned, and topless.

'Hell yeah,' Rachel responded immediately, moving closer to one of the guys and holding her hand out to shake his. 'Hi, I'm Rachel…' she purred.

'…and I'm friendly,' Haley muttered to Peyton, who snorted with laughter.

'Sure man,' Nathan agreed amiably, 'we could use some decent players,' he added, sending yet another glare in Lucas's direction.

'Thanks man,' the guy responded. 'Uh, well, I'm Ryan, and these two are Rhys and Joel. And that,' he added, gesturing to the fourth boy, who was by now totally engrossed by Rachel, 'is Travis, but it doesn't look like we're going to get much sense out of him for a while,' he smirked.

Nathan grinned. 'Yeah, Rachel tends to have that effect on men,' he noted, hastily qualifying that statement after a pointed stare from his wife. 'I don't mean on me, Hales,' he added worriedly, scowling as Lucas made the sound of a cracking whip and the others laughed. 'Anyway,' he continued, slipping his arm around Haley's waist,' this is Haley, my wife, my brother Lucas, and Mouth, Peyton, and Brooke.'

'Hey,' the guys grinned in return. 'So,' Rhys asked, 'you guys play basketball?'

'Yeah, well, Nate and I do,' Lucas answered. 'Tree Hill Ravens.'

'Wow, you guys won State, right?' Ryan nodded his head, obviously impressed.

'Yeah,' a hint of pride was evident in Nathan's voice as he took up the story. 'It was a close run thing but-'

He was cut off by an impatient Brooke. 'Yeah, yeah,' she butted in, clearly unimpressed by the direction the conversation was taking, 'we were, I dunno, lots of points down, and then made some fantastic comeback, and Broody here scored an awesome three-pointer in the last second, and, yeah, that's it, topic exhausted.' She smiled sweetly before adding a final remark: 'personally, I thought the cheerleaders gave the performance of the night.'

Ryan grinned at the brunette as Lucas and Nathan rolled their eyes. 'So you're a cheerleader huh?' he asked, looking Brooke over appreciatively.

She nodded, giving him a flirtatious smile that showed off her dimples. 'Yup,' she confirmed.

'Maybe you could show me a cheer sometime?' Ryan suggested, obviously entranced by the girl, before realising how stupid his proposal had probably sounded. 'I mean,' he clarified nervously, 'I bet it's really demanding, all those, uh, flips and splits and stuff…' he trailed off awkwardly and Brooke grinned.

'Sure,' she agreed easily. 'But it's really not that difficult, I'm pretty flexible, right Nate?' she smirked at Nathan, remembering his earlier comment and he groaned.

'Ugh, that's so not what I meant Brooke,' he muttered as she giggled at the look of discomfort on his face. 'Oh never mind,' sighing he shook his head and picked up the ball from where it had fallen after the last game, 'let's just pick teams.'

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'Nice shot tutor-girl,' Brooke applauded as her friend volleyed the ball just out of Peyton's reach.

'Yup, my wife is awesome,' Nathan agreed, kissing the top of her head as she grinned up at him.

'So, is that eight-two to us now?' Brooke taunted their opponents laughingly. 'Hmm, maybe we should go in for the Olympics after all, what do you say Hales?'

'Well it's not fair,' Ryan pouted, 'how I am I possibly supposed to concentrate on hitting a stupid ball over the net when there's a beautiful girl directly in my line of vision.'

Brooke dimpled prettily, moving closer to the net where Ryan was standing. 'Well maybe I should come a little closer,' she purred, 'see if I can distract you even more.'

Ryan grinned, watching her. 'Yep,' he confirmed, his blue eyes locking with hers, 'I'm definitely fully distracted now.'

'Davis, that's cheating,' Rachel protested loudly, 'you can't just take our players out of the game like that.'

Brooke shrugged. 'It's not my fault I'm irresistible,' she pointed out, as Nathan rolled his eyes at her lack of modesty. 'But if it makes you feel better, I'll give my new boy-toy an incentive to win.' Smirking, she turned back to Ryan, licking her lips seductively. 'For every point you win, you get to taste a different part of me,' she murmured quietly.

Ryan smiled. 'But what happens if you win?' he teased in return, his voice husky as the thought of his lips on her flesh lingered in his mind.

A small smile crept onto Brooke's lips as she contemplated this for a second. 'Well, then I guess I get the prize,' she answered slowly, her eyes darkening with desire as they met Ryan's.

'Can we get on with the game now?' Lucas's voice broke the spell. 'You can fuck her in your own time,' he told the other boy harshly.

'Luke!' Peyton gasped at her boyfriend's words, but he just shrugged angrily and threw the ball into the air.

Ryan kinked his eyebrows questioningly at Brooke as the ball flew back and forth above their heads. 'Ignore him,' she whispered, her eyes filled with a mix of concern and anger as she watched her former boyfriend smack the ball over the net, narrowly avoiding hitting Haley. 'He's just an ex,' she explained dismissively.

Just an ex. Anger rose in Lucas's heart as Brooke's words reverberated in his mind. The ball flew towards him, and in a split second his mind was made up. Thwack. He hit the ball firmly and cleanly and with perfect aim. It hit Ryan squarely in the face and the boy gave a grunt of pain. Satisfied, Lucas allowed himself the smallest hint of a smile, before permitting the shocked expressions of his friends to register. 'Whatever,' he muttered, before turning and heading up the beach back towards the cabin.

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'Lucas Eugene Scott!' Lucas sighed as the cabin door burst open and an angry Haley James Scott stormed in, glaring at him.

'Good to see you too Hales,' he muttered sarcastically, pretending to be engrossed in the book in his lap. 'Ow!' he looked up suddenly, as a pillow hit him firmly across the forehead.

'A volleyball to the face would hurt a damn sight more,' Haley pointed out, crossing her arms and staring at her friend.

Lucas sighed. 'It was an accident…' he tried, but a snort of disbelief from his long-time best friend cut him off.

'Yeah right Luke,' she told him, 'I watched you do it. You deliberately smacked that ball into Ryan's face and I want to know why.'

The blond boy shrugged. 'He was annoying,' he murmured petulantly, sticking out his lower lip like a child.

Haley rolled her eyes. 'Because he was flirting with Brooke?' she asked, but was met with stony silence. 'Or because Brooke was flirting back?'

'Brooke can do what she likes,' Lucas retorted. 'I'm with Peyton, remember?'

'How could I possibly forget?' Haley replied in a voice laced with sarcasm. 'But then explain this to me Luke, if you don't care what Brooke does, then why the hell did you deliberately assault that poor guy, when all he'd done was talk to the poor girl?'

Lucas shrugged again, refusing to meet Haley's eyes. 'She's too good for him,' he answered finally.

Haley nodded. 'Well yeah, you're probably right there,' she conceded. 'But then again she was too good for you as well, so…'

'Oh well thanks a lot Hales,' Lucas raised his voice slightly, anger clear within it. 'Nice to know you think so highly of your so-called best friend!'

Haley let out a frustrated groan. 'Listen to me Lucas Scott,' she scolded the boy in front of her, 'I love you, you know that, but I will not stand by and watch you break that girl's heart again, got it?'

'How am I gonna break her heart Hales?' Lucas retorted. 'Shouldn't you be giving the overprotective mother-hen speech to our beachside Romeo? Brooke is nothing to do with me any more, I love Peyton!'

Haley rolled her eyes, realising that she had no chance of getting through to her friend. Men, she thought angrily. 'Fine, Luke, whatever you say,' she said out loud, before spinning on her heel and returning to the beach to join the others, shaking her head in disbelief at how obtuse the boy was.

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'Are you sure you don't want us to wait for you Brooke?' Mouth asked his friend as he and Rachel prepared to leave for the party that Ryan and his friends were throwing.

'No, its fine,' Brooke told him; smiling reassuringly from her place on the couch, where baby James lay happily in her arms. 'Nathan and Haley will be back from their walk soon, and then I'll get dressed and come and join you guys.'

'Wear your red dress,' Rachel ordered, bouncing into the living room, dressed to kill in a short, backless, black dress. 'It shows off your cleavage. Lover-boy won't know what's hit him.'

Brooke rolled her eyes. 'You know Rach, as a designer of a successful clothes line, you'd think I'd be able to choose my own clothes,' she pointed out affably.

Rachel shrugged. 'Fine, wear what you like,' she replied, propping one foot up on the arm of the sofa as she fastened her shoe. 'But if you want to get laid you'll follow my advice. Guys like things to be obvious.'

'Well that explains your outfit then,' Brooke taunted in return, as the redhead stuck her tongue out in response.

'Just because your fat ass wouldn't fit into this dress,' Rachel countered, fastening her other shoe, 'but don't worry Davis,' she continued, 'I'm sure some nice boy will find it in their heart to give you a sympathy screw.'

'Aww,' Brooke clutched her hand to her heart in mock gratitude, 'you're too kind Rach.' Grinning, she turned to Mouth who was waiting impatiently, 'okay, you can go now, we've finished bitching,' she told him. 'I'll see you later…and maybe you too,' she added to Rachel, 'although I won't count on it, I fully expect you to be flat on your back by the time I get there.'

'Bye Brooke,' Mouth rolled his eyes, and, grabbing Rachel's arm, he led her out the door before she could make a comeback.

'See you later, slut!' the redhead's voice floated in the air as the door slammed behind the two.

Chuckling, Brooke smiled down at the baby cradled in her arms. 'Well, guess it's just the two of us,' she told him, as he looked up at her wide-eyed. 'Yup, mommy and daddy have gone for a walk, and Auntie Rachel and Uncle Mouth have gone to a party. And,' she made a face, 'Uncle Lucas has taken Auntie Peyton out for dinner. Isn't that sweet?' the sarcasm dripped from her voice, and baby James cooed in seeming agreement.

Brooke laughed. 'Well, what do you want to do now?' she asked the infant. 'You could help me get ready for the party? Or we could sample all the different flavoured vodkas Rachel brought? Or I could tell you about all the naughty things your mommy and daddy have done? No? You don't think mommy would like that?' Brooke sighed, pretending to contemplate the possibilities as James watched her worriedly. 'I know,' she exclaimed triumphantly, tickling the little boy's tummy, 'I'll tell you a story.'

James gurgled delightedly and, taking this as a sign of encouragement, Brooke began. 'Once upon a time,' she paused for a second, as the baby stared up at her, waiting to be entertained, 'there was a handsome Prince named…Lucas.' James cooed, and Brooke chuckled. 'Yup, that's right,' she told him, 'just like your uncle. Anyway,' she continued, 'in the kingdom where Prince Lucas lived, there also lived a beautiful peasant girl named Brooke. Now Brooke thought Prince Lucas was very attractive, but she didn't know how to get his attention. So, one day, she broke into his car, and took all her clothes off.' James's eyes widened and Brooke giggled.

'But anyway,' she carried on, 'Prince Lucas wasn't like most of the boys Brooke knew, and so he didn't do what she had expected and have S-E-X with her right away. Instead, they got to know each other, and eventually went on a date, where Prince Lucas ended up getting drunk and getting a tattoo. But it didn't stop him from liking the peasant girl and so they spent a lot more time together. And before she knew it, Brooke was in love.'

Brooke sighed, hating the next part of the story, but knowing she would tell it anyway. 'Prince Lucas's mother, Queen Karen, had been away in Italy, and she was due to come back so the Prince went with his Uncle, Prince Keith, to pick her up from the airport. But on the way there, there was a terrible car crash and the Prince nearly died. Brooke was very upset, and scared her Prince might not get better, but he did. The only problem was, he decided that he didn't want to be with Brooke anymore, and it wasn't long before she found out why. You see,' Brooke told the infant, 'Brooke had a beautiful friend, Princess Peyton, and she loved the Prince nearly as much as Brooke did. And the Prince loved her back, and so the two of them cheated on Brooke, and broke her heart.'

A tear sprang to Brooke's eye as she remembered the events of which she spoke, and James grabbed her finger with his chubby hand and squeezed it comfortingly. She smiled down at him, and continued. 'Anyway, for a long time after that, Brooke hated Prince Lucas and Princess Peyton, but eventually she forgave them and they became friends again. And then, Prince Lucas realised he really did love Brooke, and he told her so. But she was confused, and scared of getting her heart broken again, and so she did some silly things, like having S-E-X with C-H-R-I-S K-E-L-L-E-R.' Seeing the quizzical expression on James's face Brooke smirked. 'Trust me angel, they're bad words,' she told him, 'just ask your daddy.'

'Now where was I?' she asked the infant who gurgled in response. 'Ah yes, that's right,' she remembered, 'Brooke was pushing Prince Lucas away. But the Prince forgave Brooke for her mistake and for a while the two were happy together. And then something terrible happened. A boy, who was very messed up, took a shotgun into school and accidentally shot Princess Peyton in the leg. She managed to escape to the library, and that's where Prince Lucas found her. He looked after her, but the Princess was scared she might die and so she told the Prince her secret, that she loved him, and they kissed.'

'Prince Lucas managed to get Princess Peyton out of the school safely, but not everyone was so lucky,' Brooke told the baby sadly. 'Jimmy, the boy with the gun, was so upset about what he had done he shot himself. And the Prince's father, Evil King Dan, he killed his brother, Prince Keith. Prince Lucas found his uncle's death very difficult, and he pushed Brooke away when she tried to help him, and she didn't know what to do. She kept trying, and trying, and eventually gave up. And then, the day before the Prince's brother Nathan was due to marry his beautiful wife Princess Haley,' James kicked his legs excitedly and Brooke smiled. 'Yep, that's mommy and daddy,' she agreed, before continuing, 'Princess Peyton told Brooke that she was still in love with the Prince.'

Brooke sighed again, lifting James higher and holding him tight, drawing comfort from his warm body. 'So, obviously Brooke was very upset,' she told the little boy, who nodded in understanding. 'She told Princess Peyton that they could never be friends again, and she told Prince Lucas not to talk to the Princess. But the Prince was confused, because he didn't know what had happened, and so he accidentally told Brooke about the time he had kissed Princess Peyton in the library, and of course Brooke got even more upset. Eventually, she decided that Prince Lucas didn't really love her or need her in the same way that she loved him, and so she told him that their relationship was over. Prince Lucas was upset at first, but after a while he realised he still loved Princess Peyton and so they got back together and lived happily ever after. And Brooke the peasant girl? Well she was left all alone.'

James let out a small sigh and Brooke grinned ruefully, realising her story had thoroughly depressed the infant. 'Well okay,' she countered, 'maybe that isn't the whole story. Brooke did become friends with the Princess again, after she forgave her for falling in love with the Prince, and after Princess Peyton forgave Brooke for having S-E-X with…actually,' Brooke hesitated, glancing at the little boy in her arms, 'I don't think mommy would want you to hear that bit. Lets just say Princess Peyton and Brooke were friends again. And Brooke wasn't really alone either. She had the two Princes and the Princesses, and her other friends Rachel and Mouth. But sometimes,' Brooke caught the glimmer of disbelief in James's eyes and corrected herself, 'okay, most of the time, Brooke found herself missing Prince Lucas and wishing more than anything that he still loved her.'

Outside the door, Nathan and Haley stared at each other in shock. Nathan was the first to speak. 'Brooke the peasant girl?' he smirked, as his wife shook her head.

'This isn't good,' she told him, worry evident in her eyes. Nathan wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, dropping a reassuring kiss on her forehead.

'She'll be okay,' he stated and Haley nodded, trying to convince herself that her husband was right. But as the two listened to their friend chattering away to their baby son, neither could claim to have much faith in Nathan's words.

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'Brooke?' Haley gently pushed open the door to the room Brooke and Rachel shared and stuck her head round.

'Hey tutor-girl,' the brunette answered distractedly, concentrating on applying a layer of mascara to her already dark lashes, 'what's up?' she added, putting the wand down and turning to her friend who stood awkwardly watching.

'Umm, nothing,' Haley hesitated, not sure how best to approach the subject. 'Are you okay Brooke?' she finally blurted out.

Brooke laughed. 'Yeah Hales, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?' she asked, confusion creeping into her voice as she studied the worried expression on the other girl's face.

'Well, umm, its just,' Haley took a deep breath, 'Nathan and I, we were standing out on the porch before and, well, we heard the story you were telling James, and…' her voice trailed off and she glanced up at Brooke uncertainly.

A stunned silence filled the room as Brooke stared at her friend for a second, her mind racing as she assessed how best to handle the situation. 'It was just a story tutor-girl,' she mumbled finally, picking up a lipstick and turning back to her reflection.

Haley sighed. 'Come on Tigger,' she told her friend, 'we both know it wasn't just a story. I've seen the way you are around him, how upset you were last night…you're still in love with him aren't you?'

A tear sprang to Brooke's eye as she considered her answer, and she brushed it away angrily. 'He's with Peyton now,' she replied calmly.

'That wasn't the question Brooke,' Haley pointed out firmly, placing a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder as the two of them studied the brunette's reflection in the mirror in front of them.

'No, but that's still the answer,' Brooke said sadly. 'Lucas is with Peyton, and that's all that matters.'

'Brooke…' Haley tried, but her friend sprang to her feet, desperately avoiding the young mother's eyes.

'No Hales, just leave it,' Brooke stated firmly, pouring vodka into a glass and tipping the contents down her throat in one go, 'please.'

Haley shook her head, her heart breaking for the girl. 'You don't have to hide it from me Tigger,' she told her gently.

Brooke laughed, a harsh, humourless sound. 'Yeah, tutor-girl, I do,' she answered, her voice rising slightly. 'I have to keep it hidden, all of it. Because I won't do this to Peyton, I won't.'

'Brooke…' Haley trailed off, staring helplessly at her friend, who was clearly on the verge of breaking down, 'it's okay…'

'No, it's not okay!' Brooke shouted, emotion rising up inside her. 'It can't be okay, Hales, it wasn't okay when Peyton fell in love with Lucas, and it's not okay now that I'm still in love with him!'

The words hung between them as the two girls stared at one another in shock. And then, with a heart-rending sob, Brooke grabbed her purse and ran, slamming the door behind her.