Author's Note: Boy, I'm terribly sorry for not updating in so long. I've been busy with school, life, and writing several other stories. I had writer's block with this one for a while, but today- I sat down in Starbucks and just wrote and wrote. I really like this chapter, and I hope you like it, too.

The italics mean it's a dream.

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Brooke opens her previously hard shut eyes to find a horrific scene unfolding in front of her. She was naked, only not quite. She was wearing a paper-thin hospital gown and she was lying down on her back. But something wasn't right.

A doctor's voice interrupts the painful silence, "It's over, Brooke. The procedure is complete."

Brooke blinks hard a couple of times, but is enveloped in dizziness. She looks down at her gown to find it soaked in the most vibrant red she'd ever seen.

Brooke is abruptly awakened from her nightmare by the high-pitched scream of her 6 month old daughter, Juliette.

Lucas stirs in bed and groans, "Brooke?"

"I've got it", Brooke reassures him as she gets out of bed and walks to her daughter's bassinet. The blue-eyed infant coos as her mother picks her up and walks to the living room. Once seated, Brooke begins to talk to the baby in her arms.

"Juli, come on. You've been so good…sleeping through the night. And I know that cry. That cry was 'I'm bored and awake, so why don't I bother Mama?'", Brooke smiles and begins to breastfeed Juliette, "Mama needs to sleep. Tomorrow's mine and Daddy's first day of school."

A few minutes pass and Juliette finishes feeding. Brooke sighs and gets up to go back to the bedroom. Before standing all the way up, Karen walks in.

"Hey Karen, why are you awake?"

"I heard you talking to Juliette, and then I realized that I was thirsty."

"Sorry…" Brooke sits back down, still cradling her daughter in her arms, "Can I talk to you?"

Karen walks towards Brooke and sits across the room on another couch, "Of course. Is everything okay?"

"I guess", Brooke shrugs, "I've been having a recurring dream. Well, a nightmare, really. It's been worse since Juli was born."

"What is this nightmare about?"

Brooke shifts uncomfortably in her seat, "I don't know if Lucas ever told you, but I had an abortion when I was fifteen", she bites her lip out of nervous habit.

Karen sighs, "No, he never told me. I'm sorry, Brooke."

"It's okay. I did what was best for me at the time. But I've been having these awful flashbacks. The procedure didn't go well when I had it. I bled too much and almost hemorrhaged. I keep seeing it over and over again. The blood keeps getting redder and redder…" Brooke trails off as she begins to cry. Karen slowly gets up from her seat and reaches over to hug Brooke, careful not to squish the sleeping infant in Brooke's arms.

"Have you ever thought about therapy, Brooke?" suggests Karen.

"Um, I don't know. Isn't therapy for, like, crazy people?"

Karen chuckles, "No, it's also for non-crazy people who just need someone to talk to."

"But I can talk to you, right?"

"Of course, you can always talk to me. But a therapist is unbiased and usually has better advice than I do."
Brooke smiles, "Maybe…"

"I think it might be good for you. Maybe they could even prescribe you some kind of sleep aid, so you can sleep more restfully."

"But then I wouldn't be able to get up for Juliette."

"I could feed her. So could Lucas. You'd just make some bottles. You need your rest, Brooke. Especially if your nightmares are causing you so much stress."

Brooke nods in agreement, "Thanks…I'm going to head to bed…"

"Right, first day of senior year in the morning."

"Yeah…"

"Are you not excited?"

"No, I am. It's just…I don't want to leave Juliette for so long."

"I understand. But she'll be with me at the café, and you could always call or come by on your lunch hour."

"I know. And I really appreciate you watching her."

"It is my pleasure. She is my granddaughter after all", Karen says, "Wow, that's still weird to say."

Brooke laughs, "I'll see you in a few hours", Brooke smiles and walks back to her and Lucas' bedroom.

Karen nods and smiles softly as she watches the mother of her granddaughter walk back to her bedroom. Karen sighs, muttering, "Oh, boy…" as she heads to the kitchen for a glass of water.

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In the morning, Lucas wakes up to the blaring of an alarm clock and an empty bedroom. Once he's out of bed, Brooke pops her head in, with Juliette on her hip, "You're up late!" she yells.

"The alarm is set for 7. I'm not up late. You're just an early bird", he retorts.

"It's a side effect of having a kid, Lucas. Now, get dressed. I made breakfast."

"How long have you been up?"

"Your daughter woke me up at 6:13."

"And yet, you still love her."

Brooke smiles and plays with her daughter's hair, "She's worth the sleeplessness."

Lucas smiles and grabs some clothes from his drawers, "Just let me get dressed and I'll be right in."

"Alright. But wear something nice. It's our last first day!"

Lucas half-smiles and Brooke walks out, closing the door behind her.

A few minutes later, Lucas walks into the sweet smelling kitchen to find his girlfriend furiously writing a list, as his mother holds Juliette.

"What's going on?" Lucas asks.

"Brooke is making me a detailed timeline of all of Juliette's needs", Karen smiles.

"Seriously?" Lucas asks Brooke as he grabs 2 pancakes and the bottle of maple syrup.

"Yes, seriously", Brooke responds, "This is the first time I'll be away from her for longer than an hour. I need to know that she's being well cared for."

"My mother is watching her. She'll be fine."

"I know", Brooke says, still sad, "I wonder how long it would take me to run to the café in between classes."

"Too long, Brooke. But you can call me. And I'll put Juli up to the phone so you can talk to her", Karen suggests.

"Thanks for humoring me", Brooke says as she smiles.

"Anytime", Karen pauses, "Now, get to school! It's the first day of senior year! Woot, woot!"

Brooke laughs hysterically as Lucas sighs in feigned frustration, "Really, mom. Stop."

"Okay. Now go. We'll be fine."

Brooke grabs her schoolbag, and runs to Karen and kisses Juliette on her forehead, "I'll miss you, girlie. Be good for grandma."

Lucas pats Brooke reassuringly on the back, then kisses Juliette on her cheek, "Bye Jules. I'll see you later, alligator."

Karen watches Lucas and Brooke leave, talking animatedly about their class schedules and how their day might go. Karen smiles, then grabs Juliette's diaper bag and her own purse, "Time to get to work, Jules."

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Please review!! I know there wasn't much Lucas/Juliette interaction, but it'll happen soon. I hope you enjoyed. And I know the "woot woot!" thing is from Season 3, and this is based in Season 2, but deal with it.