A/N: Back again! Lol here is the next UD. I"m not even going to mention the time thing anymore, because I feel guilty. Anyways, this chapter gets a little... heavy, shall I say, toes the "M-rated" line at one point. But it is very general, and not nearly as graphic as some of the M rated fics, so I think ti should be ok. Just a warning, even though it isn't that bad. It's like what the show would show. So yeah, review when your done please!

The ball beat rhythmically on the cracked asphalt of their beloved court, keeping measure for the symphony of their heavy breaths. Once, twice, three times he pushed the ball down to have it return to him; he stood still, keeping in the same spot, making sure his opponents were rooted to the ground. Then, faster then they could react, he barreled past them and took the rock to the basket.

Nathan's shot floated lightly through the net, an easy layup with Skills yards behind him and Lucas guarding Q across the key.

"Oohh," Q taunted Lucas after Nathan sunk it. "Don't you just playing till three after morning practice. You feeling it yet, Coach Scott?"

Lucas put his head down, hands on his knees as he panted. "Yeah, but I'd be feeling it less if Skills would step up and play some defense." He nodded at Skills, to let him know that he was just kidding.

It was just past three-thirty; the sun blazed down on them and cast blinding rays off the river. Q, Skills, Nathan and Lucas had jogged down to the Rivercourt after morning practice had ended three hours ago, and had been playing ever since. Right now, Q and Nathan were dominating, but the strain showed on all four: Nathan and Quentin had already taken their shirts off and sweat glistened over their torsos and their red faces, and Skills and Lucas merely played defense, too tired to take the ball on attack.

Nathan caught the ball as it came down. "That's destiny, man." He tossed the ball to Lucas. "Loser take out."

"Destiny?" challenged Luke. "This is destiny." He shot the ball for a perfect three, ripping up a twenty-five footer. Q didn't even have a chance.

Gravel crunching under tires interrupted their taunting. "Mrs. Scott and J. Luke," Q unnecessarily announced as Jamie and Haley climbed out of the car. They waved, then sat down on the picnic bench to watch.

A wide smile spread over Nathan's face as he watched them. Lucas seized the opportunity to take the ball from him, dribbled once and threw it to Skills for a basket. "Game," Skills called.

"And it seems the old school Rivercourt boys take it again," Haley said, sticking her tongue out at Nathan, who had chased unimpressively after realizing what had happened. All four laughed. "Nathan, I'm embarrassed for you."

"Hey!" Skills, Lucas and Nathan all said at once. Then Skills rolled his eyes and threw the ball to Q. Lucas jogged over while the other guys shot. He was panting hard.

"What's up, Luke, not up for another game?" Nate asked, but it wasn't mockingly; Nathan just sounded bored.

Lucas shook his head, grimacing. "Nah, I'm done for today." Looking to Haley, he said, "So, what brings you to our world over here?"

She shrugged. "Just wanted to see what's up, Jamie wanted to see all of you. But what happened to morning practice?"

"Well," he said, gesturing around, "Morning practice still happened. It's just, you see, after morning, there comes this thing called afternoon. It's kind of like the thing I explained with summer and fall." He stopped short, laughing, as Haley hit him. Lucas seemed to have caught his breath now, and the grimace of pain was gone. He sat, relieved, on the bench with her. "No, it wasn't too bad," he added seriously, "We ended then just jogged down here."

Jamie ran towards the court, immediately taking the ball Q handed him. Haley watched, then said, "So how is the team doing?" She nodded at Q.

"Well we made postseason, if that means anything."

Haley leaned forward. "Luke, that's great!"

"We scraped through, barely. We made it by one league point, Hales," said Lucas. His voice had a touch of bitterness and he sounded anxious. "I don't know if it'll even be worth it, 'cause there's the distinct possibility, or probability, that we'll be done within one game."

"You'll do fine," Haley said confidently, crossing her arms over her chest and sitting back to watch them shoot.

Lucas snorted. "This coming from the girl who had no idea who The Bobcats were and thought that you get extra points for the difficulty of shots." But he had no trace of bitterness anymore; Lucas was just teasing her again. She gave him a look, and he relented. "I'm sorry. I'm just stressing with the playoffs and my mom and sister and Dan—"

Jamie interrupted form the blacktop. "Momma! Can I stay with Uncle Skills tonight?" He sat up high on Nathan's shoulders. Haley looked at Skills. He shrugged.

"It's alright with me. The guys have been missing the kid."

Haley laughed and rolled her eyes. "Ok, it's fine with me. But no staying up late, and no girls!"

"Fine," both Jamie and Skills sighed in harmony.

Q came over and grabbed his bag. Skills and Nathan followed, finished with their game. "Hi, Mrs. Scott," Quentin said. "I'm finishing up that report on Les Miserables, be done in a few days, ok?"

"You better," said Haley, quickly adopting that teacher voice that Brooke teased her about. Quentin nodded, and Haley, rising, looked at Nathan. "Are you coming home with me, or going back to the school?"

Looking at Skills and Jamie, who stood there also, Nathan said, "I actually have to head back over to the school, we have some stuff to do real quick. But I'll be home by six, ok?"

Haley opened her mouth in a mock incredulous glare. "Are all my boys leaving me today? Jamie with Skills, Nathan to basketball, Lucas on a date… Which still sounds weird, by the way." Lucas had told her earlier.

"Hold up, hold up: Someone actually wants to date Lucas Scott?" Quentin exclaimed, holding his hands up for attention.

Lucas turned his head away from the jibe, laughing. He had expected as much. "Which reminds me, I gotta go get ready for that." He moved off towards his car, his back to the catcalls that were coming after her, cracks still coming from Skills, Q and Nathan. Even Jamie got one in, while Haley's laughter laid the background.

After Lucas was gone, the others moved off, walking as a group to their respective cars. "So, are you really going to be ok without me for day, Haley?" Nathan smirked as they walked towards the street and Haley's car. Skills was to drive Nathan back to the school, drop him off, then Nathan would run home when he was done. "I know I can be pretty sexy, but try not to miss me too much."

"Oh, believe me, it won't be a problem. I've actually got some music to work on, so I might call Chris Keller," she shot back over her shoulder with an angelic wave. Skills and Nathan stopped in their tracks.

"Damn, that was a low blow," Skills said seriously, shaking his head. Nathan just bit the inside of his cheek and gave a small, demure laugh that was mainly devoid of humor.

"See you at six," Haley said sweetly out the window as she drove past them. She blew a kiss to Jamie.

"That girl is too crafty for her own good," Nathan said with a snort of disbelief.

"So, ever since then, I've stayed alone at Brooke's house," Peyton said, shrugging. "Brooke is living with Lucas and Karen, and we haven't had a chance to talk about anything, so I've just stayed there."

Carefully scraping the last bits of his sundae out of the cup, Derek thought for a while before responding. "But why won't you two talk? I get that you're both mad over Lucas, but doesn't what you and Brooke have transcend this triangle thing?"

Peyton shrugged again and put her hands into her pockets. Coming out to the Riverwalk today had been a good idea; it was warm out, there were people around, and she and Derek could really talk without having the awkwardness of being the only two in the room. "That's the point: It sounds like it should, but it doesn't. Lucas means so much to me and Brooke, and sometimes we put our relationships with him before our friendship. It's not a conscious thing, it just happens."

"Are you sure it's not a conscious thing?"

Peyton stopped short. "Who are you, Doctor Phil?"

Derek laughed. "Hey, sorry. I just feel like I have to play the role of the older brother: wise, protective, advising, you know. Textbook."

"Gotcha," Peyton nodded, "But I can figure it out myself."

"I've missed out on two decades worth of it, so don't expect the advice to stop anytime soon."

"Sounds good," Peyton replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes. They continued their wanderings down the promenade in silence.

"Can I ask you something?" she spoke up again a few minutes later.

"That depends on what it is."

"When are you leaving? I know you are, because every time I've asked you this past week you've changed the subject." She said it almost anxiously, "I don't want you too, but it's ok; I just want to know."

He rolled his shoulders back, sighing. Derek looked skyward for a moment. "A few days, at the most. I reenlisted, so they gave me a few weeks, and there are some places I need to go before I leave again. I stopped by here to see how you were, and the last few days have been great, but I'm going to have to leave sometime."

She raised her eyebrows in surprise, but gathered herself again quickly. "Ok." She knew he was leaving, knew he would leave, so it didn't take the toll on her that it did four years ago. But still, it had felt good having someone to talk to, someone with that protective side, and even if she did roll her eyes at most of his advice anyways, she secretly appreciated it. "Where are you going?"

"My adoptive parents, for a bit. Then a few other places that hold some meaning, and I ship out." He nodded, almost accepting the fact like Peyton was. "But, since you got to ask me something, can I ask you something? And you have to be completely honest, like I was."

Peyton shrugged. "That's fine."

Derek gave her an appraising look. "Was there ever anyone besides Lucas?"

She hit the pad with a resounding finality. "And that's that!" Brooke Davis said with satisfaction as she beheld her design.

Again, the boutique seemed lonely when it was empty, holding only Brooke, Rachel and Millicent. Rachel leaned against the counter, examining her fingernails carelessly. Brooke's delight barely fazed her. "So, we're done?"

Brooke put down the drawing a turned in her seat to face Rachel. "With the designs, yes, dresses and other clothes? No."

"But we've finished laying the groundwork. Now all we have to do is make a couple of things, and we get to keep the store, you get to keep your company, and I get to keep my job."

"Yep," Millicent nodded as she counted out the money in the cash register from today. The atmosphere was so relaxed that the animosity that she had towards Rachel seemed to have been tempered down. Now it was just a cool indifference. "And, with inventory taken, I say we're officially done for today! I'll lock this in the back."

Rachel walked forward to see Brooke's designs as Milli disappeared. "So, lack of inspiration definitely wasn't a problem, was it?" asked the redhead as Brooke wordlessly flipped the pages to showcase her different drawings.

"Yeah, yeah," she said absently. For a second, Brooke was lost in space, but she refocused before Rachel could say anything. "Yesterday helped."

In the back, Millicent grabbed her cell phone from her purse and flipped it open. Noticing that it was past four, she yelled to Brooke."Brooke! Isn't there something you should be preparing for?"

It seemed to be the same razzing Lucas had received at the River. Rachel smirked a devious grin, adding, "And, don't forget your lingerie! Or, do; I don't think Lucas will care either way. It'll turn him on at first, but then it'll just get in the way." She shrugged, in a kind of "What are you going to do about it, Brooke?" way. Brooke bit the side of her tongue, but said nothing as she put away the drafts.

"Hey, Milli, can you lock up? In true B. Davis fashion, I am running late, so I'm gonna bail out of here. What are you girls doing tonight?"

Millicent came out of the back room, nodding. "No problem. As for tonight, I'm curling up with some cookie dough ice cream and watching Saturday Night Live." She caught the keys from Brooke as the brunette headed for the door.

"Rachel?"

"I don't know. I'll probably go to that new bar that opened up." She shrugged noncommittally.

Brooke put on hand on the door. "Just don't get too drunk, whore, because as you so eloquently pointed out, I'll be…busy. Bye, you two." She headed out the door as laughs at her 'plans' echoed behind her. She had a distinct smirk on her face.

The subtle peace between Rachel and Millicent had faded almost as soon as Brooke left: it was as if she had taken the warm atmosphere with her, plunging the girls left behind back into their icy contention. Rachel didn't feel it at first. She continued to gather up her things, while Millicent waited by the door. Only at the brunette's angry sigh did Rachel look up to meet Milli's glare. Guilt pulled the smile off her face.

"Ready yet?" she asked impatiently, the keys held in her hand. Rachel nodded blankly and they left the store.

Outside, Millicent left without a word. Well, there you go Brooke, I'm going to the bars tonight, Rachel thought to herself as she watched the little car turn around the corner. Rachel walked slowly down the street, letting the sun warm her. It was relatively quiet until she heard a familiar voice.

"Man, you want another ice cream?"

Skills Taylor and Jamie Scott came around the corner in front of her, Jamie with an earnest look on his face and Skills with an incredulous one. "Yes Uncle Skills, please?"

Rachel had to laugh as they came closer. "Uncle Skills?" She asked, prompting them to look up and notice her. Skills grinned and rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, it's what he uses whenever he wants to get things outta me, and sadly, it works." Then he saw Rachel's reproachful look, and held up his hands in surrender. "Well, look at him! How can I say no to that?"

Laughing, she dropped her derision and looked at Skills' charge. "You're Jamie, right? Brooke talks about you a lot."

The four year-old nodded, saying, "Yeah, I'm on team Brooke. Is she your friend?" Rachel nodded as well.

Bending down to his eye level, she held out a five-dollar bill. "Here. You can buy yourself an ice cream on Rachel, and if your mom says anything, tell her to talk to me, ok?" Jamie grinned for the first time and put the bill in hi pocket. Straightening up, she looked to Skills. "So what brings you downtown?" The three started walking together.

"I was just coming down here to see Millicent. Mouth's been kinda a downer lately, I wanted to see if I could talk to her and talk some sense into her." He gave the red-head a pointed look, and she sighed, defeated.

"I really screwed that one up, huh?"

For once, Skills was tender in his reply, but it still was honest. "Yeah, you did," he said somberly, "You had your shot, and you gotta remember that it's Mouth and Millicent now, and that ain't gonna change unless they change it. They just seem like they're meant to be." He looked forward sagely, taking slow steps to match hers.

"But it wasn't like I meant to: I just needed to feel safe, and I remembered feeling safe with Mouth. Suddenly, I was so overwhelmed with that feeling that I needed to go see him, and things just went downhill from there. I never meant to ruin his relationship with Millicent."

"So you went there to see Mouth, romantically try to get him to take you back, and you thought Milli would be ok with it?" He gave her a disparaging look raising his eyebrows skeptically.

Suddenly, Rachel felt anger wash over her at being wrong, at making that mistake. She fought against Skills' words. "How do we know if they're meant to be? Everyone says that, but at this point we don't know. We will never know who ends up with who."

Skills remained unruffled. "That's prolly right. If you believe in something, you gotta keep hope for it. Sometimes people surprise us. But for you to interfere with their relationship was wrong, and I think you know it." Again, Rachel felt that overwhelming sense of defeat. She nodded, then looked back at the store.

"Well, thank you Skills. But Millicent just left, so you won't be seeing her tonight."

"Alright, alright." His head bobbed, and he tapped Jamie on the shoulder. All this time, Jamie had quietly stood there, just listening. "What do you think, J. Luke?"

"I don't know, I'm only four." Both Rachel and Skills laughed at that, somewhat relieved that they didn't have to talk about her mistake any longer.

"Well then, boys, I have some stuff to do, so I have to get going." Rachel stopped and flipped out her cell to check the time. "I'll see you soon?"

"Yeah. Bye shorty." Jamie waved as well before they turned and kept walking. Rachel went the other direction, guilty now in the silence. Had she really screwed Mouth over that bad? 'Downer' had never really fit him, so she supposed she had. For once, though, she actually felt for the people whose relationship she had ruined with a misplaced kiss or hookup.

Then the defeated sense mixed with her guilt, and Rachel immediately returned her toughs to earth. The bar was two blocks away; was she still going?

Yep, I definitely need a drink or two.

Or ten.

"Haley? I'm home!" called Nathan as he walked into the dimly lit entryway of his house. A bag was slung over one shoulder, and a light sheen of sweat covered his exposed torso; Nathan had jogged home from the school. "Hales?" he asked again as he closed the door behind him.

"I'm in here," she finally responded from the kitchen. Nathan smiled and went down the hall.

Haley stood in the kitchen, rummaging through drawers. She had on a short, black silk robe, with her hair tied up in a messy bun. Looking up as he came in, she stopped searching and leaned against the counter in between them. "How was your run?"

"Not bad. How was your composing?"

"It was good. Everything's coming together, everything's working out." Haley returned her gaze to the drawers and cabinets. "Ugh, except for this. Have you seen the wine opener?"

"The wine opener?" he asked, coming around to her side. "Why?" Nathan seemed slightly confused.

Haley seemed to ignore him, her head stuck in a cupboard. "Ah, here it is." She stood up straight again and seeing that Nathan was in the kitchen, went to give him a hug. "Because, I wanted to have a bottle of wine with you."

Nathan held her in the embrace. "Really? Well, what's the occasion?" He kept Haley pressed against him as he murmured into her neck.

"I told you, I'm making progress on a song. I decided we should celebrate." She wriggled out of his grasp and went to open the bottle.

Crossing the kitchen to get the wine glasses, Nathan agreed, "That sounds good to me."

A few glasses later, Nathan and Haley relaxed together on the couch. The half empty bottle was next to them on the table, and their newly refilled glasses were in their hands. In the warm room and with Haley's body pressing him into the couch, Nathan's eyelids were just beginning to droop. Suddenly, Haley jumped up, and Nathan could sense a new happiness, a delight emanating from her. His eyes followed her lazily to the sliding glass door, then he watched her go outside. She didn't breathe a word the entire time, but he had a feeling that she knew he was watching.

Knowing it was expected of him, Nathan begrudgingly lifted himself off the couch. He set his wineglass on the table and went outside to call Haley back into their comforting position. He got to the door to the backward and stood on the threshold, waiting. But when he saw her, sleep was wiped from his mind and Nathan grinned.

Haley stood near the edge of the pool. She had stripped of her silk robe, leaving herself in only the black bikini she rarely wore. One hand was planted on her hip, and she gave Nathan that dangerous 'come hither' look, the one he feared, revered, and loved.

He didn't need much more tempting; he couldn't help but obey as he crossed his patio in three strides and took Haley in his arms to kiss her. "Again I ask," he muttered between breaths, "What's the occasion?" Haley leaned her head back to look at the heavens as he kissed her neck.

"Well, I thought that since we had the chance, we might take that marriage counselors advice. Wanna go for a swim?"

Darkness fell quickly, soft night enveloping the downtown streets. It was only after seven, but already the streetlights glowed at intervals down the street Brooke and Lucas walked down. The bar that they were going to start the night with wasn't far from C over B, so they had elected to walk together when Lucas had come to pick Brooke up. They were almost there.

"So, you never told me what you thought about my book," Lucas was saying, "What'd you think?" His half smile as he turned to look at her betrayed a nervous curiosity.

"Oh…The book," Brooke replied appraisingly, "Hm. Well, it was the better of the two books you've ever made me read." Lucas laughed, remembering their 'deal' from back in junior year. Brooke's black stilettos clicked on the cement in the silence. She wore a dark, low-cut silk halter and a short skirt to match the shoes. A bright Clothes over Bros clutch was in one hand. After a long enough silence, Brooke continued, "It was good though, pretty and eloquent. It was like your best man speech at Keith's wedding. That's what I thought of while reading it." Lucas watched her interestedly. "And the dedication too. I liked the dedication." She gave him a small smile, and they exchanged a look that spoke volumes more than they were visibly communicating at the moment.

Then he broke eye contact, turning quickly, almost shyly, to look for their destination. When he looked back at her, Lucas seemed much more comfortable, like he had turned away to take a breath and find another subject. "So, for someone whose multi-million dollar business is on the line, you don't seem too stressed. Especially in comparison to yesterday."

"I got some inspiration," she shrugged. "I don't think Victoria is going to be a big problem for much longer."

"Then you got the clothes made?"

"You know, it's legally none of your business. Legally." Lucas laughed, getting the joke. Brooke went on, "But yeah, I developed some really good designs last night at Rachel's. However, I haven't made them yet, per say, so you don't get me home for a few more nights." She saw his pout, and laughed. "But really, it should be ok, the company is safe for the time being. How's Ravens Basketball?" She said Ravens dramatically, like it was some amazing, overrated thing.

Lucas shrugged, looking dark. "It's ok. We scraped into playoffs, but not by much because of Q's arm. We barely made it into post season, barely."

Brooke made no reply, and slowly a silence filled the air. Lucas thought of many things he could say to fill the vacuum, each feebler then the last. They had been together for so long, shared so many kisses, so many long, hot, sleepless nights that they had spent with one another, so many promises, memories, secrets told at night while they lay together…yet here they were, somehow still tentative around each other. Lucas almost laughed out loud, but he only smiled as he watched her. If they were so awkward, why did it feel so good to be with her?

Before the silence became painful, they got to the parking lot of the bar. It was a warm looking building, more expensive than Tric. "Here we are," Lucas said simply. They walked briskly towards the building, suddenly able to talk again. Brooke teased him about trying to show off for her with a pricy looking bar, and he shot back with some remark about her seventy dollar clutch, after which she became quiet and icy for a moment. Lucas laughed as they entered the building, and Brooke glared then allowed him a begrudging smile.

Nathan half-carried Haley out of the pool, taking her to the chaise lounge before he resumed the frenzied kissing. It was a miracle in and of itself that they had even made it to the chair, they were so blinded by each other. After laying her carefully on her back, Nathan stood up above her for just a moment. Her long, lithe body, still glistening with water, stretched out over the lounge as Nathan's darkened eyes drank her in for just a moment. "God, you are so beautiful," he said before draping his body over hers and kissing her lips hungrily.

But their bodies couldn't withstand the cold outside for long, let alone the fact that they were both drenched from their nighttime swim. "Nate…Nathan," Haley murmured. "Nate it's too cold out here, can we go inside?" She held her arms around herself and Nathan had to laugh at her girlishness.

"C'mon," he urged with swollen lips from their short, light make-out session.

Once they were inside, everything seemed to…change. Perhaps it was the fact that it was warm and familiar and comfortable, or maybe it was the fact that Jamie wasn't home, but either way, it wasn't the same as their playful kiss outside.

As they made it to the couch (again, by no small miracle), Nathan's hands dropped lower and lower, skimming over Haley's back. But it wasn't long before the couch was restricting their movements far too much. Just when Nathan was about to pull back from her lips and suggest they go upstairs, Haley's face lit up. Laughing delightedly as he nuzzled the skin of her neck and shoulder, Haley suddenly flipped Nathan over, into open air. He hit the ground with a jolt, and she landed on top of him, where they lay, intertwined.

After the initial shock and jolt of pain, Nathan smiled again and her joy as his lips explored the soft skin of her pale neck and shoulders, but the longing desire for her was deep in his throat, and Nathan knew Haley was feeling much the same emotion by the look in her eyes. He settled their bodies together with a certain determination.

Skin slid over skin, beads of sweat broke out. Nathan and Haley's mouths clashed together in a desperate battle for dominance, with an unclear winner. His calloused hands met the smooth skin of her upper thigh, providing just that roughness to make goosebumps rise from her skin. Her fingers ran compulsively through his hair again and again, tousling it just the way she liked it. Their senses were in overdrive: All they could taste was each other, only smell the light, smart scent of sweat mixed with her perfume, feel only the warmth and pressure of the other's body pressing against them. The other's breathing was all that filled their ears, and, more philosophically, they could hear their hearts beating for each other. They moved together with a pulsating rhythm, pure and natural.

They were sitting together on two of the fancy mahogany bar stools, Lucas trying to hide the red drink Brooke had ordered for them before he could say anything. She kept giggling under one hand at his attempts to drink the girlish drink while it was hidden under his arm. He knew she had ordered it in retaliation for his comment about her clutch, but he secretly enjoyed the red syrupy liquid.

"So what's up with Naley? I haven't seen them since her birthday last week," Brooke asked him. Lucas swallowed and smirked.

"Well, Jamie is spending the night with Skills, so Nathan and Haley are… alone, shall we say." Brooke kinked one eyebrow and echoed Lucas's expression.

"Oh-h, Naley alone time. I remember that. That's like when I accidentally— I remember once when they were having their alone time back in senior year and I came into our apartment…" She trailed off into a grimace when the memory overwhelmed her. "Needless to say," Brooke continued loudly over Lucas's laughter, "I didn't stay at that apartment for long after that." She shook her head, rolling her eyes as she tossed her hair over her shoulder and looked around the bar.

It was crowded; there were people everywhere, mostly men getting off work. That's why they didn't notice a couple of guys standing a few feet away with drinks in their hands. Their eyes traveled up and down Brooke's body, from her bare, sun-kissed legs to the skin that wasn't covered by the dark shirt. Brooke and Lucas continued to talk, until one drunk and particularly brash guy staggered by Brooke, close enough that he actually brushed against her.

They paid no mind to it, until the same guy reached out and slapped her ass.

Before Brooke could turn around to glare, the guy had bent closer to her ear. "Hey, girly, you better take all those pretty clothes off before I rip 'em," he whispered, slurring his words slightly.

The disgusted look Brooke shot over her shoulder at the guy was all Lucas needed. He was on his feet within seconds. For the past few days, he had been stressing about his mom and Dan and Lily and the playoffs and the editing of his book; this was the straw that broke the camels back. "You wanna say that again?" he growled. The bar seemed to fall silent, and the group of guys the first one was returning to stood up.

The guy turned back around from where he had been walking away. He smiled at Lucas's challenge, looking from him to Brooke and making the connections. He addressed the brunette. "This your boyfriend? Babe, you'd better sit him down and shut him up. Just come to me when he dries up and you need a real man. I know I can satisfy whatever you need, maybe for a couple hours if you can lat that long."

Fist connected with skull before anyone could move. Lucas dropped him with the one punch and followed him down. The guy's mates, who were all drunk and pissed off, jumped in as soon as they realized what was going on, adding to the fray. Within seconds, it seemed the entire bar had gotten into it. Barstools went flying. A glass got thrown the length of the bar, smashing next to Brooke. Someone screamed, and unintelligible shouts and obscenities were coming from the fight on the floor.

And then it was over.

The bartender, being one of the most sober there besides Brooke and Lucas, had seen and understood what was going on before it happened, and had called the security guard over. The man had arrived just as the fight broke out. With the help of the bartender and a host, he broke up the fight, and Lucas and the four other guys were thrown out onto the pavement.

The guys bailed, lurching off immediately, stumbling to their cars before peeling out of the parking lot. But Lucas was still picking himself off the cement when Brooke stormed out, more scared than angry. But Lucas knew that when that fear subsided, hurricane Brooke Davis would be out in force. He prepared himself, staggering up straight. He was bleeding from the corner of his mouth and had a nasty bruise forming over one eye.

"LUCAS!" She shouted. "What the hell was that? What do you think your doing, jumping into a fight like that? Sure, it was—noble, but you just can't do that for me!" Brooke waved her arms around dangerously, fire emanating from her dangerous hazel eyes. Blood was dripping from a cut across the back of her hand, but she barely noticed.

That was when Lucas realized her words weren't making sense: they were disjointed, unconnected. He stared at her for a moment. Still, though, he got the general gist as he waited for a sense of coherency to return to him. "That guy was… being a dick," was all he managed to say between breaths.

She threw her hands in the air and gave him a disparaging look. "You think?" Lucas didn't say anything, and focused on shaking his arms to work blood back into them, for they had become strangely numb. Brooke's voice took on a quieter, pleading tone. "Lucas, I can handle myself. I've heard much worse—and more creative, come to think of it—in New York."

He snapped back. "So? We're together now, I should be sticking up for you, rescuing you—"

The world changed in that instant. It was strange; the street outside suddenly seemed to be running uphill. Lucas knew that the road was definitely flat, but the restaurant and even Brooke seemed to be slanting to the right. He could barely register the shocked look on her face, the face that changed instantly to fear.

Then the world played a strange trick. It turned upside down, and the street jumped to hit the side of his face. His eyes were still wide open, staring, but he couldn't tell how he had gotten to be laying on the sidewalk. His arms and legs were tingling, Lucas realized, and his chest had at first constricted but released. But now, suddenly, he couldn't feel anything; his limbs wouldn't move, and he couldn't feel the pain that he knew was there. A pair of black stilettos moved into his field of sight, moving rapidly as though the owner was panicking. Then the whiteness on the edge of his vision doubled, and Lucas faded, feeling only an overwhelming exhaustion and sense of utter resignation.

And there you go! I've already written half of the next chap, so it should be up within a week and a half. And I've been doing this entire story without a beta, and it's my first one, so I kinda get a pass on the delasy issue. But still, no excuses.

Anyways, hope you liked it and look forward to the next one, because it should be up soon. However, I don't know if you'll like it... *evil grin* Lol.

So, please review!