An update has arrived. Thanks so much for R&R'ing so far guys. Hope you like this chapter!

Open To Doubt

Chapter 3

The Games We Play

"Davis how many of those have you had?" Nathan Scott sat in the back of the chauffeured black Escalade, watching as his friend picked up a bottle of Grey Goose from the middle ice department before downing a shot.

"Four and a glass of champagne." The brunette shrugged.

"Brooke, were not even at the restaurant yet." Haley whined from the seat next to her, she herself had swallowed a shot after Brooke practically forced her as well as the champagne they had all celebrated with earlier.

"You don't get to complain tutor-mum, if you want me to sit through an evening with Lucas Scott I'm allowed to drink. Besides, four shots isn't even close to enough to effect me." It was true, Brooke Davis had always had a high tolerance for alcohol.

"Alright, but no more till we get there huh? We don't need the paparazzi getting a picture of you falling on your drunken ass the moment we arrive."

"Please, I can handle those camera-wielding parasites."

"I don't doubt it Dimples." Nathan said with a chuckle. "Hey, pass me a drink will you?" Haley turned around to eye her fiancé as Brooke handed over the alcohol.

"Relax Hales, this is our engagement night remember? I want to celebrate the most beautiful woman in the world agreeing to marry me." The singer couldn't help the smile which formed on her lips at his words.

"WOO!" Brooke called out in agreeance, helping herself to another shot as Nathan took his.

"Brooke."

"Haley! Seriously lighten up, Jamie is with your parents all weekend, you can have fun. Do you even remember what that is?" Haley sighed before reaching for the vodka bottle, Brooke let out a squeal of delight "Yay! Hey, lets go clubbing after. Shots and dancing, sounds like the perfect way to celebrate!"

"For who? You or me?" The fashionistta pouted.

"Hales, you're gonna have a sexy boy to dance, that equals fun."

"And no doubt by the end of the night you'll have found your own sexy boy." A devilish smile played on pink lips.

"Maybe or maybe I'll just hang out with you two, when your not lip-locked, I don't know what I'm in the mood for." Brooke noted the look on her friends face. "If you really don't want to come, it is your night so I'll let you go be boring."

"I'm only joking Tigger, it will be fun." Dimples flared at best friend

"Nathan?"

"It's been too long since we all went out drinking together, I'm in Davis."

"Lets just try and slip away from that brother of yours huh? I am NOT going if he is."

"What are we in grade school?" Brooke glowered at her friend

"Apparently HE is. He seriously can NOT carry out a conversation without starring at my ass or asking me to fuck him."

"Well it is a nice ass." The fashionistta couldn't help but laugh at her friends comment, she could tell Haley was getting slightly effected by the alcohol.

"Were here" Nathan announced as the car pulled up outside the restaurant. Paparazzi swarmed the outside.

"Lucas must already be here otherwise there wouldn't be that many." Haley rationalised as Brooke let out yet another scoff. "Can you just play nice for one night, PLEASE?"

"Fine Fine, for you I will Hales. Now you and Nate go in together, I'll follow behind." The lovers stepped out of the car and through the horde. Brooke waited a moment before following behind. She was instantly surrounded and blinded by flashing lights.

"Brooke, BROOKE!"

"Brooke, can we get a smile here please BROOKE!"

"Brooke Look this way!"

"Brooke, what do you think of the engagement?"

She tried to keep her head low and move through them but they were barring her way and the flashes were making it impossible to see the restaurant.

"Guys, can you please move back." She snapped. Admittedly the alcohol had effected her a little making it so she was overwhelmed by the lights. "GUYS MOVE." She said more stubbornly, trying to push through. Then from nowhere, a hand shot out, grasping her hand tightly as it guided her out of the circus. Thank god Nate came back for me. She thought as she was lead through the doors of the restaurant and into privacy.

"Thanks Nate." She said, finally looking up before letting out a groan.

"Wrong brother but I'll take that thank's regardless" Above her stood Lucas Scott, Tight fitting plain white shirt hugged chest perfect as a well fitted black jacket sat over it. He once again wore dark denim jeans and worn boots. Brooke hated admitting that he looked good once again and as she starred up at his face the charming smile he wore actually had an effect on her, she cursed herself for drinking.

"What are you doing? They would have photographed us, now there are going to be a thousand rumours." Blue eyes studied her frame, tight fitting, curve hugging red dress and high black stiletto's, he couldn't help but stare. How was it possible she looked hotter everytime he saw her?

"The rumours were going to happen anyway, baby, relax, no harm done." The fashionistta grimaced as she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before refocusing on Lucas.

"OK, I promised Haley I would play nice tonight but you are making it increasingly difficult."

"I've said two sentences to you, how is it possible I've already ticked you off baby-"

"There, that."

"What?" Lucas looked at her in confusion.

"If you want me to tolerate you STOP. referring. to. me. as. 'baby'"

"Oh." The blond nodded his head in understanding. "Sorry, force of habit I'll stop. See all you had to do was ask bab- I mean Brooke. All you had to do was ask."

"Great, now can I ask you to stop being a jackass?"

"I would but it's part of my DNA, believe me I'd stop if I could." Brooke couldn't help but let out a small chuckle as he smiled at her.

"I doubt it." Lucas ignored her comment.

"Shall we go to the table?"

"Sure."

"Ladies first." He motioned towards the back of the restaurant as she started walking. They had only made it a few steps before they were stopped by three kids, two girls who looked around seven or eight and a boy who looked around ten.

"No way, you're Lucas Scott." The boy let out excitedly, Lucas chuckled.

"Oh my god Lucas Scott." The bolder of the two girls said "My name is Kara and this is my best friend Sophie and my brother Tyler and we are BIG fans!" She smiled excitedly, wiping some blonde hair from her face. Brooke smiled at all three, hoping that Lucas wouldn't be a jackass and just walk off. To her surprise, he bent down so he was on their level.

"Hey Kara, I'm Lucas. That's a really pretty dress you have on." The little girl pretty much squealed in excitement as Lucas turned to the little boy. "And you're Tyler?"

"Yes. I'm a fan too, except I'm cooler than my sister. She only saw you in Goggle but I've seen Black Shadow and Sixteen Suns AND Saviour."

"Oh so you like action movies?" The young boy nodded vigourously "I love them too, you know, you look like a bit of an action star yourself, I bet you love going on adventures huh?"

"Yeah I always go exploring new places, dangerous ones too."

"And I go with him." Kara added.

"Me too." Sophie finally chimed in.

"But I do all the brave stuff, I only take them when I don't have my other friends to go with." Tyler argued back as Lucas laughed.

"You know I find that girls like doing the 'brave stuff' too, and they can be just as cool to explore with as boys. Brooke and I go exploring all the time, don't we Brooke?" All four looked up at the brunette who was powerless to say no.

"Yeah, we do." She said, bending down herself "and Lucas lets me do all the 'brave stuff'"

"And she's really good at it too, makes it more fun." The blond said as he sent a wink her way, she glowered at him. "So make sure you take your sister with you okay? But don't get in too much danger."

"OK Lucas Scott, I will."

"Alright buddy, now we have to get to our dinner but it was really nice meeting you. All of you." he winked at Sophie who let out a little squeal.

"WAIT! Can we have a picture with you?"

"Of course." Lucas agreed as Kara withdrew a camera from her pocket.

"I can take it." Brooke suggested as the kids swarmed around Lucas, he put his arms around them.

She snapped the photo as a tall blonde woman walked up behind them.

"There you kids are." She said as Lucas stood up, she starred at him, biting her lip. "I'm so sorry if they disturbed you."

"No it was no trouble." He smiled at her before sending a quick glance to check on Brooke, the blond woman followed his gaze.

"Oh wow, you're Brooke Davis. I love your designs." Brooke smiled.

"Thankyou very much." They said goodbyes to the kids and continued towards the table. "That was nice of you." Brooke said when they were far enough away.

"Their fans and their kids. I hate it when asshole celebrities are mean to their fans, I'm fully aware we wouldn't be anywhere without them." The brunette stared at him, she hadn't heard him speak this genuinely before. She smiled at him.

"Still, it was nice." He caught her starring and smiled back.

"You might not believe it but I am actually a nice guy Brooke Davis."

"Prove it." She said spotting Nathan and Haley in a private booth and walking to join them. Lucas stopped for a moment.

"Oh I fully intend to." He whispered before following.

"And what would you like to drink?" The pretty brunette waitress asked the group, paying particular attention to Lucas. The blond didn't seem to notice, he was starring at the designer who was looking at her menu.

"Um, I'm not sure. Brooke?" The brunette looked up.

"I'm going to go with a Vodka Lime and Soda please"

"That's sounds great, I'll have the same" Lucas said as the waitress smiled between the two, Brooke couldn't help but notice the jealous glint in her eye and gave out a chuckle 'If only you knew how much I don't want to be sitting next to him' she thought.

"I guess we will just have the same thing." Haley said, handing her menu back to the waitress, who smiled before trotting off. "So" She continued "Lucas there is one more thing we need to tell you."

"Aside from the fact that my twin brother is marrying a girl I only met a night ago? What else could there be?" Nathan eyed his brother who threw up his hands in surrender "Bro I didn't mean that in a bad way, I was just a little shocked is all." He looked at his future sister in law "Haley you seem like a great girl and you make Nathan happier than I've ever seen him so that's all I care about."

"Thanks Lucas." Haley smiled, she liked the blond, if only he could always act this tolerable around Brooke.

"Bro there is one more thing as Hales said." Nathan looked at his brother with worry "Haley has a son, his name is Jamie. His father died a couple of years ago so, I'm going to adopt him. Become his official father." For a moment the entire table was silent, Brooke looked at her two worried friends and then up at Lucas whose face was unreadable. It stayed like that for what seemed forever before it broke into a wide grin, shocking Brooke for the second time that day.

"I'm going to be an uncle?" He asked as Haley and Nathan breathed a sigh of relief.

"Yeah, although technically I already feel like a dad so you can go ahead and be an uncle right now, no need to wait until the paperwork goes through" Lucas's grinned widened

"Wow, bro. Congrats." He leaned over to give his brother a brief hug

"Thanks man."

"I'm an uncle" He repeated "How old is he?" Lucas remembered reading once that Haley James had a child but he didn't remember many of the details.

"Four." Brooke said, finally speaking. Lucas looked at her.

"So I still have enough time to teach him how to ball?"

"He's already pretty great at that" Brooke gushed "and everything else. He's the most amazing kid you will ever meet." Lucas loved hearing her talk about his soon-too-be nephew. He watched her for a moment longer before turning back to Nathan and Haley.

"When do I get to meet him?"

"He's with my parents until Sunday so-"

"Great, Sunday it is then." Lucas smiled "AND all four of us are going out tonight to celebrate."

"Actually I was just going to head hom-"

"We would all love to." Haley said, cutting Brooke off mid-protest. The brunette narrowed her eyes at her friend 'Play Nice' Haley mouthed back at her causing Brooke to sigh and roll her eyes.

The music pumped loudly through the speakers of the club as Haley, Nathan, Lucas and Brooke sat in their private booth at the back. They had a table filled with alcohol and mixers which was also surrounded by a few friends they had run into at the club. All four had enjoyed a few drinks at the restaurant as well as shots as soon as they arrived and everyone was at least tipsy. Nathan and Haley were all over each other as Lucas and Brooke sat close together, engaged in a heated argument.

"NO FUCKING WAY!" Brooke shrieked, although it could barely be heard over the music "There is NO way you can possibly think Blade Runner is better than Twelve Monkey's! Are you kidding me?"

"C'mon" Lucas retaliated "Sure Bruce Willis is the Nineties king of Action but Blade Runner is a CLASSIC and it has Harrison Ford for gods sake!"

"Please, Harrison is a friend of mine, sure he's a great guy but trust me, he is NO Ricke Deckard in real life!"

"Oh and you think Bruce is a total James Cole in real life?"

"He doesn't have to be Brad Pitt was TOTALLY hot in the asylum bit." Lucas couldn't help but let out a booming laugh at this, he was having more fun sitting arguing with her than he had had in a long time.

"Fine Davis, you win. Twelve Monkey's is at least as good as Blade Runner."

"WAY better thank you very much."

"Hey, 'at least as good' is the best your going to get from me." The brunette shrugged.

"I'll take it." He smiled at her and she couldn't help but smile back. He had made a few 'assy' comments during dinner but aside from that Lucas Scott had actually been a nice guy tonight and they had fun talking while Naley were lip-locked. Brooke was beginning to consider he could be a guy she could be friends with, but anything else was still entirely out of the question. She realised they had been staring at each other for way to long and pulled away, alcohol was effecting her a little too much at the moment, at least where he was concerned.

"I'm going to go get another drink." She said, standing up.

"I can make you one here." Lucas said, also standing as he motioned to the table in front of them.

"No, I want to get a cocktail plus I need to go for a walk anyway. I'll go to the bar."

"I'll come with you."

"No. Stay here and keep Naley happy, I'll be back." Lucas frowned, unsure of what he had done to make her flee from him so quickly.

"Ok, I'll be here" He said as she disappeared into the crowd.

She walked swiftly towards the bar, stopping to take a breather against one of the pillars near by.

"Lucas Scott is looking FIIINNEEE tonight." Brooke's ears pricked as she realised two girls on the otherside of the pillar were talking about her 'group'.

"Yeah he totally is." The second girl agreed

"I hear he is a HUGE player, he'd probably go home with us tonight."

"Both of us?"

"C'mon as if you wouldn't have a threesome if the guy was Lucas Scott." Brooke couldn't help but chuckle at the girls.

"Hey, I wasn't complaining, he's gorgeous but I think it would be a waste of time."

"Why?"

"Apparently he's been knocking back girls all night, might have something to do with the fact he came in with Brooke Davis."

"Well were screwed then, there isn't a guy in the world that's going to knock her back."

"Don't be so sure, I think TWO of us naked in bed might beat the temptation of ONE Brooke Davis."

"Didn't she used to date Jake Gyllenhaal?" Okay, when they started talking about her personal life, she was done listening.

"Ladies." Brooke said in her sweetest voice, stepping out from behind the pillar. The two girls looked on dumbfounded. She looked them both up and down, they were tall, slim and hot, exactly Lucas's type. "If you really want to know, I didn't 'COME' here with Lucas Scott, in fact I have no interest in him, he's just a friend of a friend BUT to help you AND him out, he's sitting with us in that back booth over there and I'm sure he would totally be up for an after party if you grab him quick enough." The two girls almost couldn't believe their ears, had Brooke Davis just told them to go ask Lucas Scott for a threesome?

"Uh, Thankyou?" One girl said as they both moved away towards the booth Brooke had pointed to. She let out a laugh. As much as she had enjoyed his company for the last hour she had just found two girls willing to prove her point that he was a player as well as get him out of her hair so she could have some time hanging out with Naley on their engagement night.

Grabbing a Cosmo, on the house of course, she downed it before moving back towards the table. As she approached she was surprised to see Lucas still sitting across from Naley, alone.

"Hey" He said smiling as she sat down again "you will never believe what two girls came up and blatantly offered me just now."

"A threesome?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?" The blond said with a small chuckle

"Lucky guess, why didn't you go with them?" Lucas frowned at her, puzzled

"Because I'm here talking to you." He said simply as Brooke sighed.

"Lucas, I don't want you getting any delusions as to what this is."

"And what delusion is that Brooke?"

"That I'm going to go home with you tonight." The young actor let a charming half smile grace his face.

"I never thought you would be going home with me tonight Brooke."

"Good cause I'm not. So why didn't you go home with them?"

"Because" Lucas said, not breaking her gaze "sitting here talking to you is a lot more fun than meaningless sex with two randoms."

"My conversation skills are better than meaningless sex?"

"Yes." He stated plainly before leaning in closer to her "I like you Brooke" he whispered and as much as she hated to say it, his breath on her ear sent chills down her spine "and I want you." She pulled back at this.

"I told you-"

"You said you weren't going home with me tonight"

"Or any other night. Lucas, I know your used to getting any woman you want but I don't like you in that way and that is something you are just going to have to accept."

"You haven't even given me a chance. Brooke, you don't like me because of my reputation and because I was a bit of an ass when we first met but that isn't me. Ask Nathan, ask Haley hell ask anyone I'm not a asshole Brooke, sometimes I just act that way because I can be an idiot. But I'm not a asshole, I'm a nice guy. Gimme a chance." Brooke just starred at him, he sounded sincere but she didn't remotely trust him and then there were other things tugging at her brain. They stayed like that for what seemed like hours before Lucas leaned forward, slamming his lips against hers. Brooke was completed shocked and it took her a moment to respond but when she did, she had to admit, it was amazing. His tongue lingered with hers as she returned the kiss hesitantly, and then she remembered what she was doing and pulled back. Lucas had a broad smile on his face which instantly disappeared when he saw the look she was giving him.

"What?" He asked with worry.

"I barely know you Lucas and you don't even give me a chance to respond before you shove your tongue down my throat. You keep telling me your not an asshole but you sure as hell keep acting like one." She stood up.

"Brooke please don't go." The brunette had already moved over to say goodbye to Nathan and Haley who protested but let her leave. She moved towards the door of the club and Lucas was hot on her heels. He managed to stop her in the private area before the exit. "Brooke, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to- I just- I'm sorry."
"It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does because I was acting like a jerk. Again. I'm used to hanging out with girls who like that kind of craziness, I don't know how to act around you and it scares me because I actually like you. I do. Now please just come back to the table." Brooke shook her head.

"Lucas, you've treated me like your play thing, like some sort of game. I don't have time to play games. You don't seem to care that I don't want to start any rumours, you don't care that I DONT want to date you, all you seem to care about is what YOU want. I'm leaving now and I'm asking you not to follow me because I know there is paparazzi outside this door and I don't want to start anything, I just want to go home in peace. OK?" Lucas hung his head.

"OK." She looked him up and down again, a pang of almost regret hitting her as she saw his forlorn expression, but she didn't have time for that. She whirled on her heels and disappeared into a sea of blinding lights.

Alright you probably all hate me right now, but at least there was plenty of Brucas? Things aren't going to be easy for them, but it will be worth it, I promise! and there will be explinations for why each is acting the way they are (and no it will not be any of that 'We have been hurt in the past so we need to learn to trust again' shit.) So yes... Hate me.. Love me.. Whatever. Thanks for readinG!