well hello there again! thanks again for really everything. i know i've been gone for like a billion years but i had to do some contemplating on this story as to who i want brooke to end up with. next thing i knew spring break turned into finals then summer and i'm officially a graduate and college bound! woot! but i'm gonna work with this story because i still have no clue what to do with it. what happens happens though! since i'm on summertime though i'll most likely be starting some new stories here so keep posted for that and check them out! i'd love to hear your thoughts on them and on this story as well. so as always keep the reviews coming and i don't own oth (even though i'd love to) much love!
special thanks to:
- mcwalterk
- dianehermans
- ciaranoelle
- forever-alwaysB-Davis
*RECAP*
As soon as Brooke stepped into the house she recieved a text message from Nathan. "if he comes home or tries anything, i'm only five minutes away."She got a nice laugh out of that and dropped her bags off by the couch as Karen grabbed her some pillows and blankets from the linen closet.
"The fridge is all stocked up so if you get hungry have at it, and you know how to run the thermostat if you get hot or cold. Extra pillows and blankets are in the closet or you can steal them from Lucas, I won't tell. And if you need anything else just let me know sweetheart."
"Thanks so much, Karen. I really appreciate all of this."
"It's the least I can do honey. Now it's getting late so don't stay up too late. Goodnight."
"Night, Karen." As Karen started to walk out, Brooke went over and turned off the lights and got settled on the couch. She tried to just shut her eyes, leave all unwanted thoughts out of her head, and go to sleep. But someone came through the front door, threw the lights on and their keys on the table. After a loud sigh the young man was about to call out for his mother but stopped himself after Brooke sat up on the couch.
"Do you min-"
He stood there for a second wondering if what he was seeing was a dream or not, while she sat there bewildered she had to face him already. "Brooke! You're back?"
"Umm, yeah. I umm heard about Peyton's dad and I just wanted to make sure she was okay. Well as okay as she'll be at this time." She grabbed Nathan's sweater that he gave her before they went their seperate ways for the night and she quickly threw it on, knowing full well being in just a tank top in front of Lucas probably wouldn't end well and it would kill his spirit to see her wearing Nathan's hoodie instead of his.
"Oh, yeah. I still have yet to go see her." He stood there awkwardly trying to make his next move as smooth and innocent as possible. "Do you maybe want to go with me tomorrow...you know to go see Peyton."
"Oh. I don't know. It kinda depends on Nathan because he's got the car, not me. But I don't really know. I'll just say maybe and shut up now."
He laughed and smiled, "Alright then. Well how was...well wherever you were?"
"It was good. A nice fresh start. We have a nice little apartment and we met a few people. We're considering staying there. Nathan and I, I mean."
"Oh, like permanentely, not just for the summer?"
"Yeah. For good."
"Oh."
"But we're only considering."
"I should probably go to bed. It's late. I'll see you in the morning."
"Okay. Night Lucas." She said as she got comfortable again on the couch as Lucas walked around to his room. As he shut the door behind him and leaned against it and whispered to himself "Goodnight my pretty girl."
*The Next Day*
"Brooke! Lucas! Time for breakfast!" Karen called from the kitchen. Lucas emerged from his bedroom drying his hair with a towel as Brooke walked in from the livingroom rubbing her eyes. Karen kissed her son as he walked in then Brooke. "How did you two sleep?"
"Fine." Both said at the same time, and both lying. Neither could sleep knowing the other was just in the other room. So many things left unsaid and undone made things extremely awkward between the two but both tried to put on a brave face for the other and Karen. They finished their breakfast and Lucas went back to his room to work on his laptop as Brooke helped clean up the kitchen.
"Thanks again for letting me stay, Karen. I really do appreciate it so much."
"Oh anything for you sweetheart," Karen replied. "Besides it's nice to have another girl in the house again. Haley's off on the road now, and I never really cared much for the Peyton girl. She caused too much trouble with my boy. But whenever you're around, you're just the sweetest thing."
She smiled genuinely. "Thanks, Karen. I've always thought of you as a mother. You're too kind sometimes."
"Well, I always say kill them with kindness."
"I like that theory."
Lucas came out of his bedroom again and cleared his throat. "Umm, Brooke? Can we talk?"
"Oh. Yea, sure."
Karen grabbed her arm as Lucas went back into his room, "Remember what I said honey, kill them with kindness."
Brooke smiled as she walked back to his room shutting the door behind her knowing full well an argument with Lucas Scott and herself can and will get ugly quick and she didn't want Karen to see it. He was sitting on the bed with his head held low and as soon as she saw him she crossed her arms and told herself to not fall for the pity party and to stay strong.
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why did you do it? Why her? Of all people why her? Why ruin what we had? What did I do wrong?"
He started to cry, "Brooke you did nothing wrong."
"Then why did you have to cheat on me with my best friend?"
"I don't know. She talked me into it. I knew it was wrong the whole time and I never really wanted to do it but she just kept saying she loved me more and you would leave me soon and I was just so confused."
"Really, Lucas? You're really going to resort to lying and blaming it all on her?"
"I'm telling the truth Brooke!"
"And i'm telling you that you're an asshole and next time you want to fuck my best friend, turn her webcam off." She turned to walk out of the room but he stood up and grabbed her swinging her around. She looked up at him and he took a step closer to her.
"If I could take back that day you know I would Brooke. I still love you so much."
"Well you can't take it back. And if you really loved me you wouldn't have cheated on me in the first place." She said as she pulled out her cell phone from her back pocket texting Nathan without Lucas noticing.
New text message: Natey :)
s.o.s. help!
"Just give me another chance. I know I messed up bad, but just give me one more chance to prove to you that I can be there."
As soon as Lucas said that, Nathan threw open the side door that lead straight into Lucas' room. "Get the hell off of her you fucking loser!"
"What the hell, Nathan?"
"Why can't you just get it through your head that she left for a reason. Because your a cheating dumbass."
"Just because your so called 'wife' left you for annoying bastard doesn't mean you can take all your anger out on me!"
"Stop it! Both of you!" Brooke screamed intervening between the two before things got too out of hand. She turned around and whispered to Nathan, "let's just go." He wrapped his arm around her and nodded. Before she left to shut the door she looked at Lucas, "we will finish this later."
