Hey guys, surprise. I have been off the grid for what, 4 years? I am very sorry for the delay, I have been suffering from a major writer block, but now I am back on this story, at least for now.
A.N. So, I know this story is mostly about the couple Brooke/Lucas, but I have decided to imply a little past Brulian in this chapter so that I can make a connection between Brooke's feelings and Lucas's feelings. While Lucas lost his wife in a car accident 3 weeks ago, Brooke has a failed marriage with Julian(whom she had been married to for 1 year) and a kid Steven from that marriage, who lives with his father in L.A., and who Brooke sees only at the weekends.
Chapter three.
Lucas woke up at seven in the morning. He actually slept in his own bed for the first time since his wife had died. He could still smell her perfume on the pillow next to him. God, he missed her! He missed her laugh, her smile, her eyes and everything about her. No, he couldn't accept that she was dead. But he had to for his daughters' sakes. He hadn't gotten out of the house, since he got out from the hospital. He hadn't seen his kids in 3 weeks. He got up and went to the kitchen to make coffee only to find Brooke sitting on the kitchen table.
"Good morning, Luke. How are you doing today?"
"Brooke aren't you supposed to be at the store?"
"Yes, but I called Millie and told her to replace me for today, so that I could check on you. And, how exactly are you doing today?"
Lucas hesitated before he answered. He didn't know it. Was he better than the day before? Maybe, he wasn't the one who could decide that, so he said:
"Well, depends. How do you want me to be doing? This morning is the first one that I don't want to start with a bottle of vodka for breakfast, so I guess I am doing better."
"Good to hear it! Now take a shower and dress up."
"Why?"
"Because you haven't had a shower in two weeks and you can't go out smelly and with your PJs."
"Out? Brooke, I don't want to go out."
" I don't remember asking you if you wanted to go out. We are going out in 20 minutes tops and that's final."
"But….."
"No buts, Lucas Eugene Scott!20 minutes! Chop-Chop!"
Lucas went in the bathroom. As he walked to the bathroom door, he remembered the time he dated Brooke. She was always so persuasive. If she wanted him to do something, he did it, without asking a question. And apparently from this day forward Brooke Davis had that effect on him-she could convince him to do anything she wanted him to do, and today was no different.
20 minutes later, Lucas was ready to go out with Brooke. When they walked out of the door, Lucas asked:
"Okay, you got me to get out. Now where are we going?"
"Nathan and Haley's house to pick up the girls of course."
"Brooke! I am not sure I'm ready to be their father. The last time a saw them I yelled at Danielle for breaking a vase. How can I face them?"
"Luke, how long has it been since you've seen your kids?"
"Two weeks."
"Exactly, two whole weeks! Luke, those kids need their father. They just lost their mother. Do you think they can afford to lose their other parent too?"
"No, I intend to get them back living with me, but not right away at the moment. I don't know if you've noticed that, but I am a mess, Brooke. How can I raise two kids at the moment? I can't even take care of myself. They are better off with Nate and Haley for now."
"And how long would that be exactly? Two- three years? Luke, I get it, trust me I do. You are worried that you won't be a good father now that Peyton is gone. But, you are lucky that you have the chance to be with your kids. When Julian moved away to L.A. with his mother and took my son away from me….it crushed me. I get to see Stevie only at the weekends. Do I feel insecure about being a single parent for two days every week? Hell yeah. The difference is, I want my son here with me, I would kill for my son to be right here in Tree Hill, in my arms, but instead Julian got the parental rights during the divorce. You, Luke have a chance to be with your kids for good, and you still don't want to take it. And why? Because you are hurt. But guess what, so are they. Do you think they are better than you? They just lost their mother, Luke!"
"And I just lost my wife!" yelled Lucas.
"I don't care! You are a father to those kids! You lost a wife, but they lost something bigger. They lost their parent! And they are about to lose the other one too! "
"What am I supposed to do? Forget that my wife is dead?!"
"You! It's always about you, right. You and Peyton! What about the girls and Peyton. Peyton wasn't only yours ,you know? And you are not the one who misses her the most! You knew Peyton since you guys were in High School, your daughters will have a few memories of her. They won't know their mother, as well as you knew her. The only thing that they would remember of her is her blonde curly hair and her green eyes. You'll remember her favorite color, her favorite flower, her voice, her favorite song. The girls are going to need you to tell them those things. In order to do that, however, you have to suck it up and accept your responsibilities a s their father."
"No, Brooke, I miss her too much. I loved her. I still do. How am I supposed to move on, knowing that she is dead! I am not sure that I will ever love again. Brooke, how long did it take you to get over Julian?"
"I'll let you know when I do get over him. I'm not saying to forget your love for Peyton, I'm saying to accept the fact that she is gone and she is never coming back. I know it hurts, but you have to be strong for your kids. That's what I'm doing every time Stevie is with me.
"Brooke….I will take them back eventually, but I think that in the state that I am now…I might end up hurting them even more.."
"Luke, take it from someone, and who .has to start a clothing line to get her parents' attenti,nothing hurts as much as being left behind by your parents."
" I didn't leave them alone. I left them with their uncle! I am going to take them back once I get better."
"Luke…that could take months, even years. You need your kids and they need you. So go to Nathan's and take your kids."
"Brooke…"
"Don't you Brooke me, Luke, you are your kids' father. They need to know that you are there for them. Do you really, want your kids to feel the abandoned by their father like you felt when Dan abandoned you and Karen? But you at least had a mom. They don't even have that."
Slowly, Lucas started realizing that Brooke was right. He did abandon his children. He was being selfish and put his own feelings before his children's feelings. But truth be told, he didn't know how to be a parent without Peyton. Peyton made all the parenting decisions, Peyton was the parent, who would punish the kids, when they did something wrong, or who would scold them, give them advice, all that Lucas had to do, is bring them chocolates, probably read them a story for good night.
"Brooke, I don't know how to be a parent without Peyton here. Peyton was the parent, that laid down the law, and I was always the cool parent that would take them to a aqua park, or the zoo, or something like that. I don't know how to say "no" to my kids."
"Oh, come on, Luke! You love them and they love you. They will listen to you, you just need to be there for them."
Lucas nodded and followed Brooke to Nathan and Haley's house. He just hoped that he could be a good father to his kids.
Okay, this was chapter three. I don't know when my next update will be, I promise I will update as soon as I can.