"Should I bring anything else?" Brooke asked Peyton on the phone. She had packed all the necessitates but was debating bringing personal stuff to show Karen.
"What about Wyatt's baby book?" Peyton said.
"Yeah, I guess I should bring that too. Okay, well I'll let you go. Continue buying your supplies. See you soon." Brooke said as she hung up the phone.
Haley and Nathan were walking around seeing the city a bit, Jenny was with Nicki ( it was the one day out of the month that Nicki got her), Jake was at work, and Peyton was off buying art supplies. So, it was just Brooke and Wyatt at home. Wyatt was watching tv from Brooke's bed while Brooke was packing her suitcase for the trip to Tree Hill. Wyatt's bag was already packed. 10 outfits just incase, 3 sets of pajamas, his blanket, numerous toys, diapers, and everything else she could think of that he might possibly need.
She had just finished up her bag when she looked over at the clock. It was only 8:30. She sighed and went and grabbed Wyatt from the bed. "Come on baby. It's time to turn on the music videos."
Brooke and Wyatt went into the living room and Brooke turned on MTV and then tossed the remote on the couch.
She says she's no good
With words but i am worse
Barely stuttered out
A joke of a romantic
Stuck to my tongue
Weighed down with words
Too over dramatic
Tonight it's it can't get much worse
Vs. no one should ever feel like
"Dance Wyatt!" Brooke said as she looked through the books on the entertainment center, her hips swaying with the music. She looked through the books and found 'The Winter of Our Discontent'. She smiled and looked back at Wyatt who was in full dance mode now.
Dance, dance
We're falling apart to half time
Dance, dance
And these are the lives you love to lead
Dance, this is the way they'd love
If they knew how misery loved me
Brooke laughed to herself. He looked so cute and thank god had gotten more of Brooke's dancing genes. She grabbed the book from the shelf and continued looking for Wyatt's baby book. The video ended and another one came on, a slower one and Wyatt plopped himself down on the floor.
"That video tire you out baby?" Brooke asked as she grabbed Wyatt's baby book from the shelf. She looked back at Wyatt who just nodded his head, panting. "Come on. Let's go get some water." Brooke said as she picked Wyatt up and went into the kitchen. She had just filled Wyatt's sippy cup when another video started.
Rollin' down the highway
Like a rocket
Headed to town now
You can't stop it
Wyatt gasped when he heard the song come on and Brooke laughs a little.
"Here you go baby, now go dance." Brooke said handing Wyatt the cup as he runs back in to the living room. Brooke smiled to herself as she watched her son dance. She remembered when her, Peyton, Karen, and Deb danced to this song in Tric.
Got wheel in my hand
As I stand
On the floor
Of the board
Of this car
On the road
"Momma! Dance wit me!" Wyatt said holding his hands up the air.
"I'm coming baby!" Brooke said as she went over to Wyatt and began dancing with him.
Got this woman in the back seat
Yeah she's my wifey
In the middle of the delivery
Man she saves me
Brooke and Wyatt danced to the video until it was over and then wen over to the couch and plopped themselves down. Brooke handed Wyatt his sippy cup and took a drink and then held it up to Brooke.
"Momma thirsty?" Wyatt said as he motioned his sippy cup to Brooke.
"No thanks baby. Momma is fine." She said with a smile and kissed her son on the top of his head. "Alright Wyatt. We gotta talk."
Wyatt climbed into Brooke's lap and looked up at her.
"We are going to go and stay with Grandpa Larry for a little bit okay? And we are going to see Aunt Haley and Uncle Nathan while we are there too." Brooke said as she ran her hands through her sons hair.
"Yay!" Wyatt said clapping his hands.
"But, we are also going to meet some new people okay. And they are going to want to hug you and kiss you a lot okay? And that might be a little scary but they love you."
Wyatt nodded his head. "Aunt Hawey?" Wyatt was referring to how Haley reacted once she had stopped crying. She had picked Wyatt up and hugged him for a good 5 minutes.
"Yes, kind of like Aunt Haley." Brooke sighed. "Okay, well we have got to get ready to go. Let's go get you in to the bath." Brooke said as she picked Wyatt up and went into the bathroom.
Fifteen minutes later, Brooke came out of the bathroom, Wyatt bundled up in a towel in her her arms.
"Thank you for being a good boy during bath time." Brooke said as they went into Wyatt's room. She went over and opened Wyatt's dresser drawers. She examined the contents for a moment and then turned her attention to Wyatt. "What do you want to wear baby?"
Wyatt looked down in to the drawer, moving the towel on his head back a little so he could see. "Blue." he said pointing to the blue button up shirt in the drawer.
"Perfect." Brooke said as she took the shirt out of the drawer. "Now, Wyatt. I'm going to put you down for ONE second. And I want you to stay RIGHT there okay? I don't want you running around the house naked again." Brooke said to Wyatt as she lowered herself to the ground. "Are you going to stay there?"
Wyatt nodded a smile creeping on to his lips.
"Oh no. I am all to familiar with that smile Mister. Now, I'm not going to let go of you till you promise to stay there." Brooke said as she saw that crazy smile that she used to get in high school. If she remembered correctly, she got that smile right before she suggested getting tattoos on her first date with Lucas.
"Pwomise." Wyatt said.
"Okay. I'm trusting you." Brooke let go of Wyatt and went back up to the dresser and grabbed a pair of pants and a diaper. She turned back to look at Wyatt, only to find his towel.
"Wyatt!" Brooke yelled as she raced down the hall. Wyatt was at the end of the hallway, looking back at Brooke and giggling. "Wyatt, stay right there." Brooke said as she slowly walked towards Wyatt. She got about a foot before Wyatt took off running again.
"Wyatt! Your streaking again!" Peyton exclaimed as she saw Wyatt run past the doorway, only to be followed by Brooke, towel open and ready to catch him. "Run little man!"
"Don't encourage him!" Brooke yelled that was then followed by a squeal. "Hah! I got you!" Brooke said triumphantly.
Peyton walked into the kitchen to find Brooke holding a squirming Wyatt in her arms.
"You love making your Mom run don't cha buddy?" Peyton laughed as she set her bags on the counter.
"Good God. My son. The streaker." Brooke said shaking her head. "I'm going to go get him in clothes."
"Great. By then Haley and Nathan should be back and we can go." Peyton said separating her supplies.
" Peyton! Get your cd out! I don't want to hear this!" Brooke complained from the back seat of the car.
"It's good music!" Peyton said right back, turning it up slightly louder.
Do you feel like a man
When you push her around?
Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?
Well I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end
As your lies crumble down, a new life she has found.
"I'd have to agree with Brooke on this one Peyton. I don't want to listen to a song about how this girl gets beat up by her boyfriend." Haley said, leaning back in her seat.
"Fine." Peyton said reluctantly as she took the cd out. "Is a mix okay with you guys?"
"Fine." Haley and Nathan said in unison.
"As long as it's not depressing." Brooke added.
"Fine." Peyton said as she put a cd in the player.
We get high in back seats of cars
We break into mobile homes
We go to sleep to 'Shake Appeal'
Never wake up on our own
"Good choice P.Sawyer! I love this song." Brooke said.
"And that's the way we get by, To where we get by, And that's the way we get by, To where we get by!" Haley and Brooke belted out.
"Thank god I don't have to hear any more complaining." Peyton said as she turned the volume up and rested back in her seat.
We found a new kind of dance in a magazine
Tried it out it's like nothing you ever seen
You sweet talk like a cop and you know it
You bought a new bag of pot, said let's make a new start
And that's the way to my heart
To the way to my heart
Since Brooke was singing along with Haley to the song, she didn't even notice that they had entered Tree Hill until the song ended and she looked out the window.
You say you want diamonds on a ring of gold
You say you want your story to remain untold
"This is so ironic." Brooke thought as she heard the song come from the speakers as she continued to look out the window. Everything she used to see on a daily basis. It hadn't changed much.
But all the promises we make
From the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you
They were stopped at a red light now. Of course it was the light where right across the street was the bar she took Lucas to on their first date. They continued to drive and the memories just came flooding back.
You say you'll give me a highway with no one on it
Treasure, just to look upon it
All the riches in the night
They had finally gotten to Larry's and thank God because Brooke wasn't sure how much more of that song she could take. She didn't care what anyone's interpretation of it was because she had her own. And it definatly hit too close to home.
You say you'll give me eyes in a moon of blindness
A river in a time of dryness
A harbour in the tempest
They had gotten settled in but the song just kept playing in Brooke's head.
"Hey, can watch Wyatt for a little bit? There is something I want to do." Brooke asked Larry as he was playing with Wyatt on the floor.
"Of course. I don't get to see him often and this can be our bonding time before my granddaughter comes." Larry said with a smile. "Go. Do what you need to do."
You say you want your love to work out right
To last with me through the night
Brooke kissed Wyatt on his head and left. She started walking down the street not going any where in particular. She just need to try and clear her head.
She chuckled a lit bit. Clear her head? She was back in Tree Hill. If anything this walk was just going to keep her mind a working. She looked up and stopped.
You say you want diamonds on a ring of gold
Your story to remain untold
She couldn't believe she had walked here. Just across the street Lucas had forgiven her. Just across the street was the room that she had lived in. Just across the street was the house that Lucas grew up in. Just across the street was where his mother is living.
Your love not to grow cold
All the promises we break
She sighed to herself and crossed the street to the house. She went over on to the porch in front of the door that led to Luke's old bedroom. She stood there for a moment taking it all in. She wanted to go in. She really did. But she knew that she didn't have the right to just walk through that door anymore.
From the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you
"Shit." Brooke cursed to herself quietly as she wiped the tear that fell from her eye away. She promised herself she wasn't going to cry yet here she was, on Luke's doorstep, silently crying, as that damn U2 song mocked her. Reminding her of all the broken promises.
You
All I need is you
All I want is you
"You can go in you know." Rachel said from the sidewalk.
"What?" Broke said looking over at her, wiping her tears away.
"You shouldn't feel like you can't go in there anymore. You know that Karen would always let you in." Rachel said as she went up on to the porch by Brooke.
"It's probably not even his room anymore." Brooke said as she turned to Rachel and gave her a hug. "How have you been?"
"Good." Rachel said pulling out of the hug. "I didn't think you'd come back after last year."
"I wasn't sure I was going to. I was thinking about it after Whitey had called and asked. But then Nathan and Haley asked and I couldn't say no to them." Brooke said as they began walking down the street.
"Nathan and Haley?"
"They came to Savannah."
"So they obviously know now." Rachel said as the continued walking down the street.
"Yeah."
"Well I'm glad your back. I just hope you'll tell Karen this time."
"I'm gonna try."
Brooke was on the ground at the center of the rivercourt, crying. Wyatt was asleep in his car seat right next to her. She couldn't believe it had been a year. A year since she lost Lucas.
"Brooke?" a voice from behind her asked.
Brooke wiped away any tears that had fallen on to her cheeks and sat there for a moment, debating whether or not to turn around. She didn't plan on seeing anyone while she was here. It would be too hard. That's why she went to the rivercourt first. She knew people would come later.
"Brooke?" the voice asked again as Brooke was debating whether or not to turn around. She finally did and was surprised to find Rachel there.
"Rachel?" Broke asked as she stood up.
"Hey." Rachel said as she walked closer to Brooke and hugged her. "It's nice to see you again."
"You too." Brooke said as she looked down at Wyatt. Rachel followed her gaze and smiled.
"He's a cutie." Rachel said as she went down to Wyatt's level.
"Thanks." Brooke said unsurely. This isn't how she pictured Rachel reacting. This isn't how she pictured anyone reacting.
"Can I hold him?" Rachel asked as she stood back up.
"Of course." Brooke said as she picked up the car seat and took it over to the picnic table where she placed the car seat on top. She unbuckled Wyatt slowly and carefully took him out. He started to fuss a little, but quieted down once Brooke brought him close. When he was back asleep, Brooke handed him to Rachel who just smiled down at him.
"What's his name?" Rachel asked, pulling Wyatt's blanket over him.
"Wyatt Keith Scott." Brooke said as she smiled. "Lucas wanted him to have Keith's name."
"You guys discussed names beforehand?" Rachel asked, tiptoeing around saying that Lucas died.
"Yep. It nearly killed me though not to make his middle name Lucas. But, Lucas wanted Keith so." Brooke said as she watched Rachel with Wyatt.
"It's the way he would have wanted it though." Rachel said as she place Wyatt back into the car seat.
"So, you are doing better than the last time I saw you right?" Brooke asked as she re-buckled Wyatt in his car seat.
"Yeah, I've stopped sleeping around if that's what you mean." Rachel said with a laugh.
"That's good Rachel. I'm proud of you." Brooke said.
"Thanks. But, I should be proud of you. Look at you all mom like." Rachel said looking down at Wyatt. "So, how long are you here?"
"Just for the day. I promised Whitey I'd stop by, let him see Wyatt. He's the only person in Tree HIll who knew I was pregnant." Brooke said.
"Come on, let's grab a late lunch. I promise you we won't run into anyone." Rachel said as they began to walk towards their cars.
"I don't know Rachel..."
"Brooke, your in Tree Hill. You can't just hide out in your car all day crying. It's only lunch. Then you can stop by Whitey's."
"Fine."
"So, what are you doing later?" Rachel asked Brooke as they stood outside Larry's house.
"I think I'm having dinner with Nathan and Haley. I'm not sure yet." Brooke said.
"Alright, cool. Call me tomorrow and we can hang out and I can see Wyatt again." Rachel said as she started to turn around.
"Sounds great. Bye Rachel." Brooke said as she started to walk towards the door.
"Bye Brooke."
Brooke walked inside the house to find Peyton coming out of the living room.
"So, I haven't been in Tree Hill for almost 2 years and I have been dying to go to the record store. You wanna come?"
"I don't know Peyton." Brooke said quietly.
"Brooke, it's the record store. It's not like your going to run into Karen. And you wont have Wyatt with you if you do, so it'll be less awkward."
"Only if we stop by the mall on the way back." Brooke said after a few moments.
"Dear lord I have missed you!" Peyton exclaimed as she picked up 'The Joshua Tree' by U2, hugging it.
"Didn't you have that same reaction when Jake came back?" Brooke laughed as she turned her gaze out the window.
"Shut up. I have missed this store!" Peyton said, picking up 'Escape' by Journey, hugging it as well.
"Oh my god."
"What?" Peyton asked as she looked at Brooke and followed her stare.
There she was. On the other side of the street. She looked exactly the same except she had cut her hair like it was during their junior year. She put a letter in the mail box and looked across the street. Her and Brooke locked eyes. She looked shocked while Brooke looked terrified.
"I can't do this. I can't be here." Brooke said as she tore from Karen's gaze. "We have to go now. I can't talk to her yet." Brooke said as she began walking towards the back door.
"Yeah. Jim we're going out the back." Peyton said to Jim, the record store guy, and he nodded. She put the records down and followed Brooke.
"Hey Karen." Haley said as Karen walked through the cafe door.
"Hey Haley... I'm too young to be going senile right?" Karen said as she grabbed an apron.
"Yes. Where did that come from?" Haley said as she poured a customer some coffee.
"After I dropped Kirsten off at Deb's I went to go put put some mail in the mailbox across the street from the record store. I looked over at the record store and saw Brooke staring back at me. And I'm pretty sure Peyton was next to her."
"What?" Haley said slightly alarmed. She wasn't sure whether or not Brooke wanted Karen to know she was back in town yet but just in case she wasn't going to say anything.
"Yeah. I stared at Brooke and she stared at me for a good minute."
"Karen, Brooke hasn't been in Tree Hill for 2 years." Haley lied.
"But I could have sworn I saw her last year around this time."
"With a baby. Did 'Brooke' have a baby with her this time?" Haley said as Karen rung up a customer.
"No, but she could have left it with someone else."
"Who? Karen, I love you but maybe this is just wishful seeing. Maybe you want to see Brooke around town even though she isn't." Haley said trying to comfort Karen despite the fact that she was lying through her teeth.
"Your probably right." Karen said as she went back into the kitchen.
"You didn't see her Jake. She completely flipped out. Ever since we got home she has been in the backyard staring off into space." Peyton said cradling the phone between her head and shoulder as she washed the dishes.
"She just needs time."
"I know she needs time but she just looked at Karen and freaked out." Peyton said as she was drying her hands. She walked over to the back door to see Brooke on a lawn chair, Wyatt asleep on her shoulder. "She shouldn't have to deal with this."
"Do you remember what you told me about a month after you and Brooke moved in with me?"
"No."
"It was something Brooke told you right before I left. When you couldn't do anything to make everything better."
"She said 'Let those people know you love them. Stand by them even when it sucks. And you've got to figure out what makes you strong so you can kick ass for them when it sucks'." Peyton said with a smile.
"So, go, let her know that you love her and that you aren't going to go anywhere and that it will get better. I got to go. Love you."
"Love you too." Peyton said as she hung up the phone and looked at Brooke. She would leave Brooke alone a little while longer. let her have some time to think. Peyton walked into the hallway to find Wyatt's baby book on the hall table. She grabbed it and went over and sat down on the couch. On the first page there is a few ultrasounds and a couple pictures of Brooke standing to the side, shirt up, revealing her growing belly. Underneath the first picture of her reads 10 weeks.
Brooke is standing in Luke's room in front of his closet, her left hand on her small belly. Luke must have been taking the picture. Brooke smile is huge, and she looks genuinely happy.
Peyton turns the page and there are more pictures of Brooke, one every few weeks, ultrasounds scattered in between a few.
Peyton let out a small chuckle as she looked at the picture where Brooke was about 5 months pregnant.
"Peyton, I don't want to take this stupid picture!" Brooke whined as she reluctantly pulled up her shirt.
Peyton had pulled her up from the couch where she had been completely comfortable for the first time in weeks. She was in her velvet blue track pants and a white wifebeater, her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. She had been completely fine on the couch with her carton of Ben and Jerry's resting on her belly, but of course, Peyton had decided that they had to take her monthly picture NOW.
"Brooke, if you don't take the picture you're just going to regret it later." Peyton said as she tried to grab the ice cream carton from Brooke's hand.
"No!" Brooke exclaimed as she moved the carton out of Peyton's reach. "If I'm going to take this picture then I'm going to take it doing what I want to do right now, which is eat my ice cream." Brooke said as she stuffed a spoonful of ice cream in her mouth.
"Fine, Peyton said as she quickly snapped the picture.
And there she was. Shirt up, carton of ice cream in hand, spoon in mouth, looking slightly pissed off. Month 5 had definatly been a stressful month. Brooke was not the easiest person to live with, but add being pregnant to that and living with Brooke was like a living hell. She had constant mood swings, making her bitchier than anyone ever could have imagined and had round the clock cravings, including fries from this one place in California, and only wanted those fries. But, Brooke was also able to say that she was pregnant that month. She had never said it before. Well, as far as Peyton knew she hadn't been able to say she was pregnant till then.
Brooke couldn't believe how she reacted in the record store. One moment she was joking about how Peyton got with her records the next moment she was staring at Karen, wishing she could just go back to Savannah go into her shower, cry and cut herself.
"Why is this so fcking hard?" Brooke thought to herself as she rubbed Wyatt's back. She wanted to talk to Karen, she really did. She hadn't had a huge emotionally break down when she talked to Nathan or Haley. And they were related to him. But, she couldn't talk to Karen. And that made her hurt. The only person she really ever considered a mother, and she couldn't talk to her. tell her how much she still hurt that Lucas was gone. How she wished and prayed that maybe Karen would find the ultrasound that she had given Lucas and come and find her and tell her everything was going to be okay. That she'd storm into the delivery room the day Wyatt was born and help her through it because she honestly thought she wouldn't be able to.
"Peyton, I can't do this." Brooke said as she let go of the death grip she had on Peyton's hand. She had been in labor for 8 hours and the last time the doctor checked she was barley 5 centimeters.
"Yes you can Brooke. My hand on the other hand can not because I think you just broke every bone it in." Peyton said as she shook her hand in the air, trying to regain feeling in it.
"This isn't right Peyton." Brooke said quietly rubbing her belly.
"What?"
"This." Brooke said motioning to her belly and then to the room. "He should be here."
"I know he should Brooke. And you know that if he could he would be at your side letting you bitch him out for doing this to you." Peyton said smiling.
"I want Karen..." Brooke mumbled quietly.
"What?" Peyton said as she brought Brooke some ice chips.
"I want Karen. She knows how to calm me down. She is like freaking super woman."
"So you want me to call her?" Peyton said sitting down next to the bed.
"No. This is not how I'm going to tell her she is going to be a grandma." Brooke said as another contraction hit. "Hand!"
Peyton looked at her hand and then back to Brooke.
"Peyton!" Brooke yelled as Peyton reluctantly put her hand in Brooke's.
"Son of a bitch!" Peyton yelled as Brooke squeezed down.
"Sorry." Brooke giggled after the contraction ended.
"Funny. I swear, you are going to leave here with a baby and I'm going to leave here with a cast on my hand." Peyton said as she examined her hand. "So, I'm not calling Karen?"
"No. I can't tell her like this. it wouldn't be fair." Brooke said as the doctor walked in.
"Okay Brooke, I'm just going to check if you have progressed any since the last time I checked.
"Please tell me I have." Brooke said as the doctor checked.
"And you have! You're 10 centimeters. We can start pushing when you're ready."
"Now. I want him out." Brooke said, a pleading look in her eyes.
"Okay. I'll go get the nurses." the doctor said as she left the room.
"That was fast." Peyton said to Brooke. "Ready to be a mom?"
"You didn't just ask me that did you?" Brooke said sounding a little mad.
"No. I didn't I said 'That was fast' and then I shut up. I'm going to go get-"
Peyton said getting up to escape Brooke's wrath that Peyton knew would come.
"Hey, are we any closer?" Jake said as he entered the room, 2 water bottles in his hands.
"Jake." Peyton finished her earlier sentence when she saw Jake.
"Apparently I'm 10 centimeters." Brooke said as she began rubbing her belly again.
"That was quick." Jake said as he went and sat down on the bed opposite Peyton.
"Fast? I've been in labor for 10 hours. You call that fast?"
"Compared to most women it is. Nicki was in labor with Jenny for 3 days."
"3 days? Oh my god." Brooke said as she looked down at her belly. "Thank you."
"Me?" Jake asked.
"No, him. He knows that his mommy loves him thus wanting to get out faster. Jenny obviously knew that Nicki was a bitch and tried to cause her as much pain as possible!" Broke said happily.
"Alright, are we ready to become a mom?" the doctor said as she walked through the door.
"Don't say that!" Jake and Peyton yelled, as Brooke shot the doctor a death glare.
An hour later, Wyatt was in Brooke's arms, Jake and Peyton on either side of her.
"He's beautiful Brooke." Jake said as he stroked Wyatt's cheek with a finger.
"You did good Brooke." Peyton said as she gave her a side hug and a kiss on the top of the head.
"I did didn't I?" Brooke said as she looked down at Wyatt.
"OKay, we'll let you have some alone time with your son." Jake said as he and Peyton left the room.
"Hey there baby boy. You are the cutest thing in the world." Brooke said as she started to tear up. "And thank you for not putting me through the hell that Jenny put Nicki through."
Brooke just sat there with Wyatt in her arms for a little bit. It was hard to look at him. He looked exactly like Lucas.
"God, you look so much like your father. People are going to start to wonder if you're mine." Brooke said with a laugh. "You remember when Dad used to talk to you right? Of course you do. He'd talk to you constantly. He loved you so much Wyatt and he hadn't even met you. He was going to be a great dad. And I'm pretty sure if he was here right now, he'd already be telling you about basketball. Which, if you have HCM you will never play basketball do you hear me? Ever. And if you do, then I'll just have to lock you in a closet or something because I will not loose you like that. And if you do have HCM you will never stop taking your medication." Brooke said as she looked at Wyatt. "Sorry, you're barley an hour old, I shouldn't be lecturing you yet. Anyway, there sure are a lot of people that love ya. Peyton, Jake, Jenny, Larry. And I'm sure if your Grandma Karen knew she would be happy too. Same goes for your Uncle Nathan and Aunt Haley. It's my fault they aren't here. I should have just sucked it up and told them about you. Sorry. They should be here. But, on a happier note, I know someone who is going to be very happy to hear that you are born. And as soon as we get home, we are going to have to send him a picture of you in your Raven's jersey."