A/N: Hi everyone! Well I'm glad that you all liked the kiss in the rain. Despite their flirtations, I wanted their first kiss to happen in a meaningful sort of way and I hoped I achieved that. Yes... Peyton definitely wasn't the nicest person in the last chapter but her story will come soon enough. I hope you all continue enjoying this story!

Thanks for reading and reviewing.

Chapter 13 - Breathe

I can feel the magic floating in the air

Being with you gets me that way

I watch the sunlight dance across your face

And I've never been this swept away

All my thoughts seem to settle on the breeze

When I'm lying wrapped in your arms

The whole world just fades away

The only thing I hear is the beating of your heart

At some point during the night, the storm broke and allowed everyone who had been stuck in various places to finally make it back home. Karen felt tired and was half-asleep while she drove down the quiet streets. The tempting offer to go back to Keith's apartment instead continued to play through her mind. She had very nearly said yes but she knew she wouldn't get any sleep that night unless she was sure that Lucas had fared well throughout the storm.

Karen expected that he probably read a book by candle-light or had fallen asleep early. So it was a surprise to her, when she turned onto her street and saw a little blue car parked by the curb. With a sigh, she realized that her son's friend was still at the house. And knowing what little she did about the bubbly brunette, Karen wasn't sure what to expect when she walked through the front door.

The air was silent as she stepped into the deserted living room. It had Karen holding her breath, hoping for the best but expecting the worse as she quietly made her way to the end of the hallway. Slowly, so as to not startle anyone, she pushed open her son's bedroom door and found him curled up with Brooke Davis on the bed.

"Oh thank god," she murmured to herself and released the breath she had been holding. Relief flooded through her when she saw that both teens were fully clothed and lying above the comforter. Karen decided it was innocent enough and chose not to wake the two slumbering friends. The roads were still slick with rain water and the last thing she wanted was to send Brooke home in the middle of the night, half asleep and in such unfavorable conditions.

Back in her own bedroom, she thought about all the recent changes in Lucas' life and wondered how it would all work out.

A mother at seventeen, no one could accuse Karen Roe of being a prude. She knew what it felt like to be a hormonal teenager and though her son had always exercised good judgment in the past, a part of that was because Haley had really been the only female in his life. Aside from herself, of course. But things would be different now that Lucas was on the varsity basketball team. A position that ensured he would be surrounded by the cheerleaders and other girls who wanted the opportunity to date a star player. The kind of girls who usually didn't have much regard for the people they hurt as long as they got what they wanted.

It reminded Karen of her own time in high school. Just thinking about the way things had been throughout her four years made her nervous about Lucas' decision to join the Ravens.

As the former cheer captain and the ex-girlfriend to Tree Hill's top player, Karen knew the lifestyle that came with being an athlete or somebody who was close to one. There were the late night parties after the games, large amounts of drinking and sex whenever you could find the time and place for it. Debauchery was what her mother used to call it. Karen, or course, used to roll her eyes and wave away her mother's concerns. Now she could see what the older woman had been so worried about. Karen could only guess that it was worse now than it had been before.

The only real consolation was that the hazing had most likely been laid to rest once Whitey took over the team.

Karen didn't even want to imagine what sorts of things they'd do to Lucas if it still existed. Especially since Nathan was the captain of the team.

-----

The first time Brooke fell asleep with Lucas, she was concerned about sneaking out before he woke up. The morning after the storm, when her eyes fluttered open, her first instinct was to get up and leave again. She wasn't used to sleeping with someone beside her and worried about what Lucas would say at the sight of her still in his bed.

Then she remembered the kiss they shared out in the rain.

Her eyes closed as she relived the memory. Brooke thought about the feel of his body as he pulled her up against it and twined his hand in her hair. The thoughtful way he leaned down and into her, making up for her lack of height.

Lucas had kissed her for so long that when they finally separated to drag in gulps of air, her lips tingled and missed the feel of his against them.

The first time a boy dared to kiss her had been on the playground when she was ten years old. A few had followed throughout middle school and even more during her years at Tree Hill High. Yet no one had ever kissed her the way Lucas had. As if she was precious to him. It was reverent and passionate and made Brooke feel more in those fleeting moments than she had all the previous times combined.

And that scared her.

"Morning, boyfriend," she greeted with a smile when Lucas stirred beside her.

He looked adorable, she thought as she propped herself up on her side. Blue eyes glanced up at her and his brows crinkled in confusion for just a moment before the events of the previous night came flooding back to him. "Morning, pretty girl," Lucas said and smiled as he gently ran his fingers down her face. Cupping her chin gently, he leaned in and placed a chaste kiss against her lips. "How'd you sleep?"

"Okay," Brooke smiled. "I should probably get going though. I don't want you to get in trouble with your mom or anything," she said, unaware that Karen already knew about her presence in the house.

"You could stay for breakfast," Lucas invited, not quite ready to let her go yet now that things were so good between them. "She'd understand, you know. Her and my uncle Keith got stuck at his garage and I doubt she would have wanted you to drive back home in the middle of a storm," he assured, hoping to quell whatever insecurities she was experiencing.

"Wow, you must really like me," she teased. "We just got together last night and you already want me to meet your mom." Kissing his lips again, she couldn't resist the urge to stay close to him for just a little bit longer. "Are you sure she won't freak if some girl comes walking out of your bedroom at… 7:30 in the morning?" she asked after consulting the bedside clock.

"Probably. But once she quits screaming and calms down, I think it'll be okay," Lucas joked back.

"Not funny," Brooke narrowed her eyes.

"I thought it was," he smiled but only for a moment before it slipped away and was replaced by a more serious expression. "It feels good being here with you like this."

Brooke smiled to hide the worry she felt. She wondered if Lucas would still feel the same way if he knew all the things she hid about her past. Would he still look at her so sweetly? "So… breakfast?"

"Come on," he said but the way he looked at her, Brooke could swear that he knew what she was feeling.

Dressed in the sweat pants that were way too big for her and a large t-shirt, both a loan from Lucas after they came in from the storm, Brooke followed him down the hall to the kitchen. The scent of bacon and eggs instantly greeted the pair and Brooke couldn't help the sad smile as she thought about her own house in the morning. There was no breakfast or smiling mother waiting when she got up. There was just silence and a maid dusting the living room furniture. "Morning, mom," Lucas said, calling attention to their presence.

"Lucas, when you get the chance will you change the bulb in the bathroom? It burnt out this… morning," Karen trailed off as she turned and caught sight of the short brunette standing there in her son's clothes. "Hi, Brooke. Did you get the chance to call your parents last night so they wouldn't worry about you not making it home?" she asked while Lucas felt his girlfriend stiffen beside him.

For the first time in as long as she could remember, Brooke felt a small blush creep up her cheeks. The fingers that held Lucas' tightened almost imperceptibly as she smiled sheepishly. "Um, actually they're out of town right now so I uh… they probably wouldn't have worried anyway," she finished, embarrassed.

Nathan and Peyton were the only ones who knew how often the Davis parents spent away from home. Mostly because Brooke used to camp out at Peyton's house when the silence became too much to bare. It was the same for her curly haired friend only Peyton never really minded the solitude. Or if she did, it never showed. "Well, why don't the two of you sit down for breakfast?" Karen invited after clearing her throat, remorseful that her question had caused the young girl such embarrassment. "We have bacon and eggs and I was just about to make some toast."

"I'll get the plates," Lucas volunteered, shooting his mother a grateful smile.

Turning around to start the toast, Karen continued on as though nothing was out of the ordinary. "It's Keith's turn to cook the turkey this year and I practically had to beg him not to make that same stuffing."

Groans came from mother and son while Brooke sat at the table, her chin propped in her hand, looking at the two with interested curiosity on her face. "What was it that he put in it two years ago?" Lucas asked, eyes squinted as he tried to remember. "Raisins, cornbread and…"

"French dressing," both said simultaneously and laughed at the memory.

"See, each Thanksgiving my mom and Uncle Keith take turns with the turkey," Lucas said as he realized they were leaving Brooke out of the conversation. "And that person has full reign over the menu. But while mom usually makes all the traditional stuff, Uncle Keith likes to try out new recipes he finds on infomercials in the middle of the night."

"It's like punishment for your taste buds," Karen added, laughing.

"Sounds fun," Brooke smiled. The contrast between her holiday and the one Lucas shared with his family was more than a mile long. Usually she spent the day hanging out in Peyton's kitchen, sharing bits of gossip and a bucket of chicken with her blonde friend. They'd complain about people from school, Peyton would get sad that her dad wasn't around and Brooke would get angry that her parents weren't either. Afterwards they'd drown their sorrows with a bottle of vodka and by the time they woke up the next morning, the holiday was forgotten and put in the back of their minds for the rest of the year.

Though Brooke knew that even if she and Peyton were back on speaking terms, the upcoming holiday would definitely be different come Thursday. For one, Larry Sawyer had called at the beginning of the month and assured his daughter that he'd be home for the week. Secondly because Brooke didn't think she could spend another holiday angry at her parents for their absence. It just took up too much energy that could be better used in other places.

Plus if worst came to worst, she figured she could always take Nathan up on his offer to spend the day with him. Not that the idea of being around Dan Scott all day was in any way appealing. But it was nice to be around family from time to time. Even if that family was completely dysfunctional. "That's because you've never tried his cooking," Karen smiled back. "Which is really funny because he bakes better than anyone I know. Come to think of it, those brownies you love so much at the café are made from his recipe," she said as an afterthought.

"Seriously? Those brownies are heaven. They're practically better than se-seven chocolate chip cookies," Brooke quickly covered, hoping that Karen didn't realize she was about to say sex.

"Hmm…" Lucas closed his mouth to keep from laughing. Karen, thankfully, didn't say anything about the slip.

-----

"So I spent the better part of my night playing referee for Nathan and Peyton," Haley said later that day as she and Lucas talked on the phone. He was on his way to the Rivercourt to get in a few hours of shooting around and maybe a game or two. What with practice on hold for the Thanksgiving holidays, he wanted to make sure he didn't get rusty during his time away. It would just be one more excuse for Nathan and his pals to give him a hard time. "Of all the people for me to get stuck in the café with during the blackout… I had to end up with the two who have the most stamina for arguing. Not to mention a true talent for bitchiness."

Haley thought about the continuous glares and snide remarks that came from Peyton's mouth throughout the hours they spent together. Most were directed at Nathan but a few had been aimed at Haley simply because she existed.

"And you were right about Peyton's other side. The girl has some serious anger management issues." The broken glass Haley had to sweep up and charge Peyton for was proof enough of that. "God, it was a nightmare, Luke. I can't imagine how it could have possibly been worse than it already was," she sighed.

While he listened, Lucas couldn't help think that Haley's night had been the complete opposite of his.

Whereas she had to sit through fights and insults hurled back and forth between Nathan and Peyton, he spent his night kissing Brooke.

After coming inside from the rain, Brooke was a lot less freaked about the dark. With their clothes and hair wet, they continued to kiss , exploring each other with their hands and mouths until the power came back on.

Brooke had borrowed a few things to change into and once they were both dry, they laid down together on his bed. She had smiled and asked him when he first realized he had feelings for her. When he parroted the question back at her, she had boldly admitted that her crush began long before he had ever joined the basketball team. Except back then, she knew he had a thing for her best friend so she never made a move.

Lucas had been surprised to say the least and a little saddened by how adamant Brooke was about the reasons behind their first conversation. She said she needed him to know that it hadn't been about trying to keep him away from Peyton for her own selfish reasons but because she truly didn't want anyone to get hurt. Of course he believed her, he only wished that she didn't feel the need to explain herself because he already knew that she was a good person inside.

Afterwards Lucas stroked her hair and told Brooke that he knew her intentions had been honorable. Then she listened to him talk about different books and the weepy, depressing and cheesy music he liked.

At some point her head found a resting spot against the crook of his neck and when his arms came around her, she had snuggled up against him.

Hours were spent talking and kissing before they both drifted off at some point after two in the morning.

"So what'd you end up doing last night?" Haley asked tiredly, holding back a yawn as she stretched her arms into the air.

"What was that?" Lucas laughed after hearing a loud pounding sound on the other end of the line.

"Sorry. I was trying to stretch and dropped the phone," Haley admitted. "So about your night…."

"It was… interesting," Lucas said vaguely. He knew that his best friend would be more than a little surprised when he told her about the latest development with Brooke. It was what made him loathsome to tell her over the phone instead of in person. "You know, actually Hales something did happen. Something good."

"Okay…" she said slowly. "Out with it."

"Well Brooke was at my house last night when the storm hit," he began easily as he approached the court. From where he stood Lucas saw Fergie and Skillz already there and shooting around. "We ended up talking for a few hours and… and I finally told her how I felt. Turns out she feels the same way," Lucas admitted and took Haley's silence as a sign of shock. "Hales? Are you still there or did you drop the phone again?"

She heard the amusement in his voice and curbed the impulse to frown, knowing that he couldn't see it anyway. "So then the two of you are together now? Officially, I mean," she asked, biting her lip while wondering whether or not Brooke would tell him about the night of the party. She supposed she'd have to ask the brunette herself. The last thing she wanted was to be blindsided by Lucas' ire over the partial truths she told.

"Yeah," he said softly. "We are."

Haley knew he was happy by the way he spoke. So despite any concerns she had regarding Brooke's world, she put them aside and told Lucas that she was happy for him. "I bet at this time last year you never would have guessed that you'd end up on the varsity basketball team with the cheer captain as your girlfriend." It was said good naturedly because Haley wanted Lucas to know that she supported his choice and trusted his judgment.

It also didn't hurt that she knew Brooke would look after Lucas. And that she could now do it openly.

"Well even if it's for school, a month ago you wouldn't have guessed that you'd be spending your afternoons with Nathan," he quipped, grimacing slightly at the thought.

While he still believed his half-brother was a jerk, Lucas hadn't to admit that he hadn't pulled any big stunts since Haley began tutoring him. That wasn't to say though that he had stopped the insults, the glares, the shoving during practice or the ball hogging and criticism each time he missed a shot.

"Don't remind me," Haley groaned while her mind once again wandered back to the night before. "At least he's finally starting to pull his grades up a little so hopefully he won't need me for too much longer."

"Hey, Luke you just gonna stand there on your phone all afternoon or are you gonna play some ball?" Skillz called out.

"Hales…"

"I know, I know. Tell Skillz I could hear him across town," she said and hung up her phone. Tired was an understatement and Haley was looking forward to taking a long nap. She only wished she could get the angry voices of Nathan and Peyton out of her head long enough to fall asleep.