Authors note: So this jumos ahead a bit...hope you like it...read and review. I appreciate all of the reviews so far and think I will try to continue this one. I hope you like it...the timeline might be a bit off on some ages, please forgive me, I tried to calculate as best as I could...thinking the rest of the story will start with this chapter, no more jump in time...yet.
"Happy birthday dear Davis," Haley sang along with her friends and family as she and Brooke placed the cake in front of the three year old boy, "happy birthday to you."
"Make a wish baby," Brooke whispered in her son's ear as he sat on Lucas' lap, she kissed his cheek as he blew out the candles.
"Who wants cake," Haley asked as she started cutting the basketball cake.
"Me," Davis said with a grin.
"Me too mamma," a four year old Grace Penelope Scott said. Haley smiled as Brooke helped her by scooping the ice cream on the plates. It was hard to believe how far they had all come in the last year and a half. It was hard to believe how hard it had been seeing Brooke go through losing Julian and how strong she seemed now…
Haley James Scott liked to keep busy days like this. Today she had watched her best friend, her amazingly strong, brave, brilliant, beautiful best friend fall to pieces. Her heart was broken and she wasn't sure how any of them were going to help her. She stood by the window in her kitchen watching her two best friends sitting together. For a moment she thought maybe someday things would be ok.
"How are you holding up," Karen asked as she walked towards Haley.
"Ok," she smiled slightly.
"She's going to get through this," Karen said watching Brooke sit with Lucas on the sand, "she is so strong and brave, Haley, and she's got all of us. She's going to be ok someday."
"It's hard," Haley said wiping her eyes, "seeing Brooke this hurt, I just can't stand it."
"I know, it is hard," Karen said watching her son, "Lucas is trying so hard to hold everything together, to be the strong one right now. I don't know how he does it."
"I do," Haley said looking at the older brunette, "Karen you taught him that, Keith taught him that. You two were always so strong in the face of diversity, I mean Lucas had two great people to look to for that. And when Keith died," she said sadly, "you both carried on and moved forward, that takes a courage and strength so immense."
"Lucas has a big heart," Karen said, "and he loves her."
"I know," Haley whispered. The truth was they all knew it, even Brooke. When he had come to her on her wedding day it broke her heart, but she had moved on. She had fallen head over heels in love with Julian Baker.
"You ok," Nathan asked as he wrapped his arm around his wife pulling her from her thoughts.
"Yeah," she smiled as he kissed her cheek. The truth was Haley James Scott was ok, she had an amazing husband, a wonderful twelve year old son, a beautiful four year old daughter and amazing friends and family, "today is a good day."
"Come on buddy," Lucas said holding Davis' hand as he led the crying birthday boy inside the Naley house.
"What happened," Brooke asked as she immediately walked towards the blonde duo.
"He skinned his knee," Lucas said.
"There are band aids in the bathroom Brooke," Haley said as she finished clearing the table.
"Come on baby," Brooke said as she took Davis' other hand and led them towards the bathroom, "let me see it."
"It hurts mamma," the boy cried as she looked at the scrape on his knee.
"Hey," Lucas said as he knelt down in front of the small boy, "did you like your cake today buddy?"
"It was good," the boy smiled.
"And you got a lot of presents, huh," Lucas asked, Davis nodded with a Julian Baker grin on his face, "today is a good day huh?"
"Yep," he said.
"All done," Brooke said as she kissed the top of her son's head.
"It didn't hurt," Davis smiled as he looked at the band aid on his knee.
"That's because your mamma is amazing," Lucas said looking up at Brooke, "you're a lucky little boy."
"Can I go outside again," Davis asked.
"Be careful, buddy," she said, he ran out leaving the two alone, "thank you."
"You're welcome," Lucas said as he stood up, "that kid is something else."
"He is," she smiled slightly, "you're really good with him Luke, it means a lot to me. He needs that, I mean since Julian isn't…"
"Hey," he said wrapping his arms around her, "I told you Brooke, I'm always going to be here, I am not going anywhere." Brooke closed her eyes as she laid her head against his chest, she loved how he smelled, the sound of his heart beating, "I promise."
"Hey," Brooke said as she sat beside Peyton on the deck watching the boys play basketball.
"Hey," Peyton said as they watched Jenny and Lily in the pool together, Haley was sitting with Grace and Sawyer watching, "remember being that age?"
"Yeah," Brooke said shifting her attention to the boys, "I'm really glad you guys made it today."
"Me too," Peyton said, "Sawyer really wanted to be here. And of course Jenny, she's got this huge crush on Jamie."
"Of course she does," Brooke smiled, "he is a Scott boy."
"True," Peyton said.
"I remember the crush you had on Nathan in junior high," Brooke smiled, "god that was so long ago. Look at us now, you and Jake, Nathan and Haley, Luke."
"About Luke," Peyton said, "I know that it's none of my business, Brooke, but if there was something…"
"No, Peyton, it's not like that," Brooke said quickly, "Luke and I are friends, that's all."
"Well if it were something, Brooke, I think it would be rally great, for both of you," she said, "Luke is a great guy."
"Yeah," Brooke said. The truth was she knew how amazing Lucas Scott was. He had been by her side every step of her life in the last year and a half…
"I got him to sleep," Lucas said as he walked in to the living room where Brooke was sitting.
"Thanks," she said wiping her eyes. This week had been so hard, she had buried her husband a week ago today and it was so hard for her. "I know this isn't fair to him, Davis deserves so much more than me."
"Hey," he said sitting beside her, "you are amazing with him Brooke, he's lucky to have you, we all are."
"I don't know how to do this," she said, "it's hard, what do I do when he asks questions? How do I explain it to him? I can't even wrap my head around it and he's fifteen months old."
"You'll be ok, Brooke, you and Davis will be ok, I promise," he said wrapping his arms around her.
"Thank you," she sobbed into his chest as he rubbed her back, "I can't do this alone, I'm not strong enough to do this."
"Brooke you are one of the strongest, bravest people I know and you are going to be ok," he said.
"Don't leave me Luke," she said in almost a whisper, "please promise me you'll stay, you'll help me."
"I promise Brooke, I'm not going anywhere."
"All I'm saying is he cares about you Brooke, a lot, and her cares about your son," Peyton said.
"I know, and I care about Luke, a lot," she sighed, "and Sawyer too, but it's not like that, Peyt, we're not in high school anymore."
"Ok," the blonde said with a slight smile, knowing that Brooke wasn't ready to admit what they could all see, "but I will say that you should never rule out what has always been there, look at Karen and Keith."
"We're friends, Peyton," Brooke said sadly, she wasn't ready to face the reality that she felt in her heart just yet.
"Thank you," Brooke said with a smile as Lucas carried in the last of Davis' presents, "you didn't have to do all of this."
"It's no problem," Lucas smiled as he sat the bags down inside her front door.
"You're really great with Davis, today he had so much fun with you guys," she said as she sat down on her couch, "playing basketball and laughing with the boys."
"I had fun too, I love spending time with him, he is amazing Brooke," Lucas said with a smile, "I can't believe how big he is getting already."
"I know," she sighed, "three already, next thing you know he'll be driving. But, I'm glad you're here for him Luke, it means a lot to me, and to him. I really appreciate everything you have done for us, these last few years have been hard for me, Luke, and you being here, it means a lot."
"Brooke there is nowhere else I'd rather be," he said, "Sawyer, she's my daughter, and having her and having this…"
"Can I ask you something, Luke," she asked, he nodded, "can you promise me that you'll put yourself first sometime, I mean you do so much for me and Davis, sometime you gotta be selfish and do something for you. I don't want you to miss out on a great life for us, Luke, you gotta be selfish and put what you want first, ok."
"Can I tell you a secret," he asked, she smiled and nodded, "this," he said motioning between the two of them, "this is really pretty selfish. I love spending time with you two, Brooke, this is where I want to be, being a part of this, having Sawyer, this is what I want."
"Ok," she smiled at him, "because I think this is what I want too," she stood up and walked towards him, she wrapped her arms around him and rested against his chest, "I love you Lucas Scott."
"I love you Brooke Davis," he said as he kissed the top of her head.
"You are a great friend Luke," she said as he rubbed her back.