This story is written by brookescott134 and Brucas46Forever. We really, really hope you like this. Comments are greatly appreciated and they are what keep us encouraged to write. Remember that.
Summary: Sometimes people play hard-to-get because they need to know the other person's feelings are real, but sometimes, for some of us, we play too hard.
Rating: T
AN: Thank you all so much for all your reviews, we honestly weren't lying when we said they inspirer us, hence the quick UD. But as always, the more reviews we get the fast we UD, and this is really fast... ad least for us, so please let us know your thoughts, good, bad and in-between, we love to hear! Thanks again and hope you enjoy... here is Chapter 8!
When Your Sun Turns Black
Chapter Eight: Liars and Battlelines
It's hard to believe a story
that's been told so well
All these lines are sounding the same
Cross my fingers, hold your breath
Suburban legend, queen of that
-"Liars and Battlelines" by Rookie of the Year
Haley rang the doorbell for what seemed like the millionth time. Normally, she would simply barge in but considering the owners of the house have recently arrived from a long trip, she didn't want to be rude; but after the seventh ring, she huffed and opened the door, walking inside. "Brooke," she called into the house. "Lucas." Sounds of giggling and laughing could be heard from the room upstairs, echoing loudly against the marble floor in the entry way.
She knew she was being nosy, but she was drawn to the sound of happiness upstairs. Following the voices until they led her to the open door of Lucas and Brooke's room, she stood in awe at the scene before her.
"Oh, no, you don't," Lucas says as he reaches out to grab Landon who was unsuccessfully trying to avoid his father. He laughed as Lucas tickled him.
Shelby picked up a pillow and launched it at her father in an attempt to save her little brother. She giggled secretly as Lucas froze and looked at her deadly, yet playfully. Landon yelled and jumped into his laughing mother's arms.
Lucas slowly picked up a pillow and inched towards his daughter as she moved back. "No, Daddy, I'm sorry, I—" Her words were cut off as a pillow hit her stomach.
The pillow fell and she looked into the smug eyes of her father. She grabbed the feathery pink pillow and lunged at him.
"Pillow fight," yelled Landon, grabbing the nearest pillow and flinging it up at his mom.
"Why, you—" Another pillow hit her in the face. She looked up to see Lucas high-fiving Shelby. She gasped, and looked down to whisper into Landon's ear. A grin broke out on the little boy's face and he nodded eagerly.
The two pairs, pillows in each of their hands, flung at each other, and a pillow fight was started. Laughter and shouting was heard; it was a happy sight.
Pillows erupted into a mass of feathers and hair was pulled. Brooke sat up, a feather stuck to her lip. "Mommy," giggled Shelby loudly, "you have a feather stuck to your mouth."
Brooke looked at her amusedly. Lucas laughed and reached to pull it off her lip.
The laughter began to die down as Brooke and Lucas started into each other's eyes, losing sight of anything other than themselves. They inched their way to each other, and just as their lips were about to meet, a cough was heard.
The family turned to look at the sound, and as Brooke saw Haley, an almost guilty look flashed across her face, as if she was caught doing something she wasn't supposed to be doing.
"H-Haley, what a wonderful surprise," Brooke said, grabbing the pillow behind Lucas and smacking him on the head with it.
"Hey," he said indignantly, turning to his wife.
"What?" She smiled innocently.
"So that's how you want play?" Lucas said, raising an eyebrow, inching towards his wife.
"Lucas," she warned, backing away slowly.
"Brooke," he said in the same tone. Smiling, he chased after her and threw her over his shoulder.
"Get Daddy, guys!" Brooke yelled from over his shoulder. "Save me!"
At their mom's playful plea, the little monsters attacked their dad, sending both their parents flying into a heap of tangled arms and limbs at the front of the bed.
Brooke and Lucas were laughing hysterically as Lucas landed on top of Brooke, both children climbing on top of their father, laughing as well, as Lucas pinned Brooke to the floor.
"You guys!" she yelled. "Help!"
"Uh uh," Lucas said, his face inches away from Brooke. "They're my minions now." His kids were still sitting on top of him, forcing his face closer to Brooke's, and he rubbed his nose on hers in an Eskimo kiss.
"They like me more, I give them ice cream," she said, smiling delightfully. "You're an evil daddy," she said with the same smile.
"Kids," he yelled, grunting. "Who's the best daddy in the world?"
Above him, Shelby and Landon giggled, pressing harder into Lucas who in turn pressed harder into his wife. "You are!" they yelled.
Brooke smiled as she looked up at her husband. "And who's the best mommy in the world?" she asked.
"You are, Mommy!"
Brooke stuck her tongue out at Lucas, and desire took over him as he lunged to capture her lips. "Lucas!" she yelled as she tried to dodge him unsuccessfully.
"Okay, and who's the best aunt in the world?" asked a forgotten about Haley.
"Aunt Haley!" the two yelled, jumping off their father to run to their aunt, leaving their mother pinned to the floor.
Lucas laughed as he kissed Brooke's forehead, sitting up and helping Brooke up, too. Brooke let out a grunt as she got up, surprising Lucas by not pulling away when he pulled her small body close to his, wrapping his arms around her slender waist.
"Hey, Hales." She smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. We were kind of . . . . Yeah, but how are you?"
Haley laughed as her niece and nephew grabbed her legs. "It's okay, Brooke. That was a nice little . . . scene I walked in on."
Brooke blushed and Lucas laughed deeply, kissing her cheek.
"What did you need?" Lucas asked his best friend with a smile.
"Oh, nothing. Just dropping by to see how you were doing. I thought you would all be dead, but I sure was wrong."
Brooke laughed. "Yeah, I guess spending a week away from your minions gives you a lot of energy."
"Yeah, I guess so," Haley said, looking at Lucas and Brooke closely.
"What?" Brooke laughed as Lucas pulled her a little closer.
"Nothing," Lucas said, burying his head into the crook of her neck.
Brooke looked on, embarrassed. "Lucas," she said, looking at Haley apologetically. "Later," she promised him as she continued to kiss her neck.
He lifted his head up at her words. "Later?" he repeated smugly. "Really?" he whispered, inching his face closer to hers. He hadn't realized how much he actually missed her.
"Yes," she said, putting her hand on his mouth, pushing him away. "Later."
He played a disappointed face and she winked at him, effectively brightening him up.
"Okay, you guys," Haley, told them. "Kids in this room," she said in a loud whisper, pointing to Shelby and Landon.
The two laugh aloud and Lucas gave Brooke a small peck on the lips before she pulled away. "You should probably get back to bed," she told him.
"Okay, mom," he teased, causing her to hit him playfully.
"Watch it, mister."
"Yes, ma'am," he salutes, laughing as he kissed her forehead.
"Okay, guys, let's go have Tutor Mom make us breakfast while Daddy sleeps." Brooke smiled to Haley, taking her children's hands in hers.
Haley raised her eyebrows at Brooke and the brunette simply shrugged her shoulders as she walked out of the room. Haley turned to Lucas. "So, thing seem to be going good," she said, trying to bring up the conversation.
"They are." He smiled, picking up things around the room, trying to tidy it up a bit. "I'm still worried though," he confessed.
Haley's expression changed. "About what?" she asks seriously.
"I love Brooke to death, but she plays the whole hot and cold thing with me. One minute we are a happy family and the next minute she is threatening a divorce. I just—I never know with her," he explains.
"But thing seem okay now, Lucas. She seems really happy," she tells him.
"Yeah, and she seemed really happy in Chicago, too, but that didn't stop her from telling me things weren't okay when we got home."
"You didn't honestly expect them to be, though, did you?"
"Well . . . yeah. Why shouldn't they be?"
"Because, you are her husband, and she loves you; and when she found out you had a heart attack she was probably over whelmed with joy that you were okay, but that doesn't necessarily erase all the crap you two have been going through."
"Haley," he warned.
"Lucas, you now it is true." She sighed.
"Whatever, Hales. I should probably get some rest."
"Yeah." Haley sighed and started for the door. "Feel better," she said, turning to him slightly before exiting the large room. She made her way to the kitchen where Brooke and the children were laughing as they ate their cereal.
"Hey, Hales," Brooke calls. "Come eat with us."
Haley sighs and walks over to her. Touching her arm she says, "Brooke, can I talk to you for a second?" Brooke looks confused and nods, smiling at her kids before leading Haley to the living room. Haley knows Brooke is happy right now, and she doesn't want to spoil it for her, but she knows she has to.
"Is there something wrong Haley?"
"No, no, not really. It's just . . . you're happy right now, right?"
"Yeah," Brooke says slowly.
"Well, are you planning on staying happy?"
"I hope," Brooke says, clearly still confused.
"Brooke," Haley said, realizing she isn't getting the point. "Are you still planning on getting a divorce?" she asks, deciding to stop running around the question.
"Haley," Brooke sighed.
"What, Brooke? Look, Lucas is happy, okay, but he's really scared you're going to turn things around."
"Well, then maybe he should make sure I don't." She sighed before continuing in a softer tone. "Listen, I don't know what will happen, but him getting sick, that doesn't just take away all the stuff the happened before," she said, repeating what Haley had said moments before to Lucas.
"I know that, Brooke. But Lucas loves you. He does. And he doesn't want things to go bad from here."
"Haley, I don't know what you want me to say . . ."
"Say you'll take it easy on him, and that, whatever you do, you think really good about it first."
"Haley," Brooke started but gave up, knowing there was nothing she could say to make Haley understand this. "Fine, okay, yeah."
"Good," Haley says, and Brooke nods, moving to walk back to her kids. "And Brooke?" Haley says.
"Yeah?"
"Just remember that I'm here for you, okay?"
Brooke nods and gives Haley a small smile.
Haley returns it fully and says, "I know it is your first full day back, but I promised all the kids yesterday we could go to the park, if that is okay with you, of course."
"Yeah, that's fine," Brooke, says thankfully. "I think me and Lucas need to have a talk anyway," she adds, averting her eyes.
"Okay, well, then, why don't you guys go get ready and I will meet you back down here?" Haley smiled to the two small children.
"Okay," they both said, smiling to their aunt as they ran upstairs to change. They came back down a while later, giving their mom a hug and kiss 'good-bye' before running out to Haley's mini-van and driving away, leaving Brooke alone with a sleeping Lucas.
She cleaned up the bowls from breakfast and picked up a little around the house—pretty much anything she could do to avoid having to go upstairs—but after the house was spotless and there was nothing left to do, she finally decided to just get it done with. With any luck, he'd be sleeping, she thought to herself as she made her way up the stairs. Arriving at the large double doors, she realized she had horrible luck when she found him wide awake, reading a book. "Hey," she said softly, standing in the door frame.
"Hey, Brooke," he says, closing his book. They both don't know what to say now. "Did Haley take the kids?" he asked, already knowing she did.
Brooke nodded and stepped inside. She decided to stop beating around the bushes and just come out with the problem. "I'm happy, okay? I am, but it still doesn't change the past."
He sighs. "I know that, Brooke, but it doesn't stop me from wanting you, us, to be happy together."
"Yeah, but it makes it that much harder to be."
"Brooke, we're doing so good together right now—like this morning. Why can't we be like that every morning, Brooke?"
"Because it isn't that easy, Lucas. As great as this morning was, it's the first time that has happened in almost two years and that isn't okay."
"God, Brooke," he groans, running a hand through his hair. "Why does this have to be so difficult?"
"Because you made it be!"
"But I'm trying now, Brooke. I'm really trying."
"What—so after two years you finally pull your head out of your ass and I am just suppose to forgive you and take you in my arms and pretend we're a happy family now? No, Lucas, it doesn't work like that!" she yelled. Feeling a sharp pain in her lower back, she winced slightly, holding the small of it with her hand. "Damn it," she cursed. This was the fifth time in the last week her back, along with the killer headaches, has done that.
"Brooke," Lucas says, noticing her sharp intake of breath. "What is it?" he asks worriedly.
"It's nothing," she hissed as he moved closer to touch her.
"It doesn't look like nothing," he said, sitting up more in bed, trying to get her to sit.
"Well, it is," she insists.
"Brooke, just lay down, okay?"
"I'm fine," she insisted, getting annoyed with his pushiness; it wasn't helping the headache that she was starting to grow stronger.
"Brooke," he said. "Please, just rest."
"No, Lucas, you need to rest. I am fine—just haven't slept in a real bed in a week."
He sighs, knowing he wasn't going anywhere with her.
"Don't give me that look," she warned.
"What look?"
"That one you're giving me right now—like I am being a stubborn pain in your ass."
"I'm just worried about you, Brooke," he says, not wanting to fight with her.
"Well, don't be," she said pushing past him dramatically. "I'm fine," she said sternly, and with that she left the room.
He sighs, deciding not push it, and closes his eyes, trying to get some sleep.
Lucas was awoken later that day by the laughter of his children whom he could hear coming closer and closer to his room.
"Is he awake?" he heard Landon whisper loudly.
"I don't know," Shelby said, just as loud.
"Guys, I am awake," Lucas called with a laugh as his two children charged into the room and jumped on the bed.
"Daddy, guess what!?" Shelby said excitedly.
"Hey, guys," he says as he ushers them to him. "What's up?"
"Aunt Tutor Mom tooks us to the zoo!" Landon exclaimed.
"And we saw monkeys!" Shelby added.
"You guys!" Brooke sighed from the door way. "I thought I said don't bug Daddy."
"It's okay, Brooke," he tells her. "Tell me. What'd you guys do?"
"Luke," she cuts in. "You've hardly slept at all since you've been home; and did you remember your medication?" Brooke asked, walking to the bed.
He had forgotten, but he didn't want to tell her. "Yeah," he lied. "I took it."
"Are you lying?"
"Damn," he muttered under his breath. She could always see through him.
"We aren't sixteen anymore. I can actually tell when you are lying now," she scolded him.
"No, Brooke. I'm not lying." He hated that she thought he was lying, even though he actually was.
"Lucas, I just picked up your prescription when we got home. You haven't even opened it yet. God, you lie all the time! You think you would at least be good at it by now." She huffed and walked away, leaving Lucas and the children to stare at her retreating figure.
"Daddy's in trouble," Shelby said matter of factly.
"Kids," Lucas said, rubbing their backs, "why don't you guys go cheer Mommy up?"
"You cheer her up," Landon orders his father, looking at him as if he was crazy. "She's your wife." He sticks his thumb back in his mouth and glares cutely at his dad.
"Yeah, Daddy, you can'ts makes her sad no more," Shelby informed him.
Lucas sighs, knowing his kids were right. "Alright, you guys stay here."
"Gives her lots of kisses," Shelby told him.
"And tell her she's the mostest beautiful in the world!" Landon added.
Lucas laughs at his kids, praying to get the chance to do just as they told him.
Brooke was back downstairs, starting on dinner for her family, still completely annoyed and pissed off at Lucas. To think that just this morning she was wondering why she wanted a divorce. Well, leave it to him to prove it to her.
She angrily tore the lettuce for the salad. Lucas notices her state, and creeps slowly behind her, but she was too angry to recognize his presence.
"Shit," she cursed as she cut her finger. "God, damn it." She moved away from the cutting board and over to the sink.
"Here, let me see," he tells her softly, grabbing her hand.
"Don't touch me," she snapped, close to tears as she pulled her hand away, much like she used to.
"Brooke, let me see your hand," he tells her again, grabbing her hand gently.
She huffed, giving up as she let him examine her hand. She tapped her foot impatiently, making sure he knew just how annoyed with him she was.
He washes the blood off her finger and dries it up softly. After bandaging it, he looks up at her, still holding her hand. He kisses it, and grabs her other hand, pulling her closer to him. She resists, but he's stronger. He pulls her to him until they're pressed up against each other. She looks away, and he says desperately, "Brooke, look at me. ...Please," he begs.
"No," she says, much like Shelby or Landon would when they didn't get there way.
He sighs. "Brooke," he says to her again.
"Why do you lie to me Lucas? Why? ...Do you think I'm an idiot? Seriously? Is that it?"
"Brooke," he says sternly. "I just didn't want you to worry."
"Then take your God damn medication, Lucas."
"I am. I just forgot last night. It's not a big deal."
"Oh, yeah? And I am sure it wasn't a big deal all the other times until you landed in the hospital with me not knowing if I would ever see you again," she yelled.
"Brooke," he says softly. "I'm sorry. Okay? I am, but please, don't make this affect us. Don't turn this into another reason why you can't trust me."
"But it is, Lucas," she says remorselessly.
"No! No, it isn't. It is another excuse you give yourself to push me away. Give it up Brooke. It isn't happening. I am not going anywhere," he said, getting more upset as the conversation went on.
She sees he is serious about sticking around, and so she says sullenly, "Fine."
He looks at her, surprised that she would give up so easily.
"If you're not leaving . . . then I am."
And so she's packing up to leave
for good now
Battlines have drawn out love
And when we drive, we'll take the long way home
And I apologize for bleeding words
So? I know this chapter jumped a little, it went from happy family to Brooke threatening to leave but I hope you all see what we are try to bestow with this, if not, please ask, either in a review or a PM, we are not trying to rush the story, or make it choppy and/or jumpy, and truly hope it is not coming across that way, but if it is, please let us know! Anyway... please review, and hope you enjoyed!