A/N: this is created just for fun and I hold no claim to the characters used or the show One Tree Hill.
Here's another chapter, I hoped you like Brooke and Lucas' meet, and here's the next chapter but first I'd just like to say thanx to those who have favourited and alerted this story, and to dianehermans, grayfan and BdavisLScott23 for taking the time to review.
CAN'T LOVE, CAN'T HURT
Chapter Five
The second Jamie opened the car door he looked at his mother, Haley tried to smile but her eyes were red and puffy and her cheeks were tear stained, "hey Jimmy Jam" she wiped at her eyes. Her son didn't smile, he eyed her warily and clipped his seat belt in, "hi Mom!"
Though their car rides were usually full of chatter this one was went by in silence and seemed to last double the amount of time of any other day. When they reached their Tree Hill mansion Haley hopped out and held Jamie's door as he got out, Jamie continued to carefully watch his mother as he dragged his school bag behind him, Haley didn't say anything about picking the bag up and he knew that something was wrong. With little enthusiasm the two walked inside the house and Jamie abandoned his bag, he turned on the spot and held a hand put to stop his mother. Haley looked down and her mouth fell slightly open, Jamie looked so serious as he stared up at his mother, "you and dad had a fight?" half statement, half question.
She let out a deep sigh and then got down on her knees, Jamie dropped his hand and Haley took hold of him by placing a gentle hand on each of his shoulders, "I'm sorry, Jamie, sometimes no matter how hard we try it's just… hard, one day when you're older you'll understand"
Without a word Jamie's chin dropped and he walked away, Haley felt her heart drop, "I love you" she called out after him but Jamie mumbled a quiet empty "I love you too" and never turned back.
More tears fell from Haley and she tried wiping them away, with each one she swiped another two fell.
The doorbell rang, straightening her clothes and checking her eyes in the mirror Haley waited for it to start again before going to answer it. To her surprise Peyton was waiting on the other side, she slipped her sunglasses up and the move kept her blonde curls away from her face, "Haley, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, nothing, I'm fine" Haley tried to smile again but Peyton's face clearly showed she didn't buy Haley's act, "okay, what did Nathan do this time?" she asked with a smile.
"More like what I did" Haley opened the door wider and Peyton walked in, she turned back to the other woman in shock, Haley added on "I didn't tell Nathan about Kyle"
"Oh… I guess Kyle came by, huh?"
"I didn't even know he was back in town!"
Peyton gave a fake cheer "surprise!"
"Yeah surprise" her voice was deadpanned, and Haley closed her eyes and didn't open them until the blonde went to touch her. "Uh… do you want to… talk about it?" Peyton was hesitant with the offer though sincere. The question was crossing the fine line between their business and personal relationship, a fine line neither one had crossed since Lucas moved away all those years ago.
"It's okay" Haley opened her eyes and saw the look in Peyton's eyes, "really, I'm sorry, I shouldn't put you in the middle of this-"
Pale green eyes widened, Peyton immediately felt guilty "no, no, no-" she cut in "- look, I'm here, and it looks like you need someone to talk to and it was just the other day we said we were friends, so lets be friends"
Haley gave a grateful chuckle and stepped away, "In that case I have an opened bottle of wine in the bar"
"You don't happen to have any beer or whiskey in there too, do you?"
Haley nodded and Peyton wrapped her arm around Haley's shoulders as they headed towards the bar, "then we're already rocking this friends thing"
In her whole life Brooke had never been left so speechless as the moment she opened the door and saw the boy, now man, who had once broken her heart, her ears had started ringing, her heart began to beat out of control, her hands were almost shaking, her breath hitched, and nothing made sense. How could it? Lucas Scott should not be at her door, he shouldn't be standing there touching her son – his son – as if the past had never happened.
Shock was the first thing that filled her, fear came next then turned into confusion only to return to fear, anger began to boil and then shock was back. Brooke stepped away from the door, her heart still racing and her hands were far sweatier than she liked, unconsciously she fixed her hair as she abandoned the entry way and started towards the kitchen, "Oliver Hunter Davis!" her voice warned of a lecture and at the table her son slumped down.
Jenny and Aden shared a look, they too knew that Brooke Davis tone, both went to stand and Ollie looked up "don't you dare leave me" he hissed out and they both sat back down with a gulp.
Breezing into the room Brooke eyed them all, "explain" was all she said and suddenly three voices started explaining, unable to keep track of the story Brooke waved her hands in front of her "Stop!"
They all went silent, Brooke narrowed her eyes and looked at all of them carefully, finally she settled on Jenny "JJ, you first"
The brunette girl was a year older than the boys and even though she was usually far more serious whenever she was around Oliver she was easily roped into his adventures, afterwards she was also the first to come clean because she was completely incapable of lying. Even now a blush was slowly rising on her tanned cheeks, "we were just playing baseball and Ollie was batting and he sort of just kind of hit the ball at that guy's house and smashed a window"
It seemed accidental, though the kids were experienced enough that they never used enough force to send the ball more than rolling in the near distance, in all these years they'd never damaged another houses property, though Brooke couldn't say the same for her house. A foolish accident but still an accident, which didn't explain the worry they were all hiding, and the frustration from Lucas, Brooke sensed that there was something more to the story.
"It's not like he planned it?" Aden added even as Ollie shushed him, Brooke jumped on the wording ignoring the way her son buried his face in his hands, and she kinked her brow before asking "why would anyone think it was more than an accident?"
Aden's eyes widened and his lips popped open as he realised he'd just made things worse, Jenny's bottom lip suddenly disappeared and Ollie cringed.
"Should I go cross the road and find out myself?" it was an empty threat but the kids didn't know that, Ollie rolled his head back and Brooke smiled.
"So I might have dropped a few water balloons on the guy but he's a complete-" Ollie stopped when his mother sent him a warning look and he smiled and changed what he was about to say "-jerk, but I swear I didn't smash his window on purpose"
"Hang on, why would you water balloon Lucas Scott?" she spoke the name too easily without thought, it was something she didn't want to say and as soon as the name was out of her mouth she wanted to take it back, she wanted to take it all back but she was confused and wanted answers.
The idea that her son had some sort of connection to Lucas even if it was a few pranks scared Brooke for she wanted nothing between her twelve year old son and the man who unknowingly fathered him other than a few DNA strands.
Ollie relaxed, "because he's a tool" he replied calmly looking straight at his mother and she shot back instantly "you don't even know him!"
Standing up abruptly Ollie said just as quickly "he had a complete fit just because I used his stupid hoop as if he-"
"Owns it" Brooke cut in with a smile and another kink of the eyebrow and Ollie's lips smacked together, Jenny even giggled and he glared at his friend.
"I asked him politely and he just blew me off and practically told me to get lost, it's not like he's gonna be using it all the time" Ollie grumbled and Brooke was forced to laugh because if Lucas was anything like he use to be every chance he got he would have a basketball in his hands.
Frowning Ollie sat back down, "it's not funny"
"Believe me if you knew Lucas you would be laughing too" Brooke once again spoke without thinking and instantly three different shade of brown eyes focused on her.
Ollie suddenly grinned, a cheeky smile on his face "you know him, great you can go talk to him and get him to back off"
Brooke laughed again, "Oh right, like that's going to happen. How about this, you go over there and apologise for the window and the water balloons then march right back here and start your two week grounding, and by the way mister your allowance is now going straight to the fix window fund, I think three months should cover it"
"WHAT!" Ollie face fell and it was Aden's turn to cringe as he remembered the new bike Ollie had been saving so hard for, "that is totally unfair, can't you just talk to the loser-"
"Mr Scott, not the loser or the jerk or the tool or any other adjective you come up with" Brooke corrected though she wanted to smile and pump her fist in triumph, knowing Lucas rubbed Ollie the wrong way made her somehow pride as if she could claim he'd somehow inherited this from her as well.
"Whatever, if he's your friend you could smile and work your charm and totally get him to let me use his hoop" Ollie ran off, frustration laced his voice and he missed the way his mother flinched and grew defensive.
Brooke tightened her jaw and then bit out fiercely "he is not my friend, far from it, and the quicker you apologise the quicker neither one of us has to see his face again and I don't want you going to his place after this, if you need to I can drive you to the river court, but Lucas Scott and his driveway is off limits" her bitterness shocked all three kids and Ollie reluctantly nodded.
Across the road Lucas was running his hands frantically through his barely there hair, he'd tried calling Haley but his best friend wasn't answering and neither was his brother, Lucas assumed they were together somewhere reacquainting themselves with each other but it left him with little choices of who else to call.
He sat down on the couch again and played with the ball still in his hands, he pictured Oliver again, the boy had blonde hair but it was a few shades darker than Lucas' and had a curl to it, Lucas was sure he was wrong but the thought wouldn't go away. It was possible if the boy was as old as he looked and because of that slim possibility Lucas couldn't let it go, he got up and went back outside with every intention of going to confront Brooke but stopped when he saw her car driving away from the house with Ollie and the two other kids in the back.
Before he was able to turn back around Nathan's car sped into the driveway and Lucas watched his brother stumble out and slam the door behind him, Lucas winced.
Eyes alight with anger Nathan stormed up the porch and knocked Lucas on his way inside, "hey" Lucas chastened while he followed his brother inside.
"Not now, Luke" Nathan replied curtly and headed to the spare room Lucas had been letting him use, straight away the brunette started getting his belonging together and packing them up.
Leaning against the door Lucas crossed his arms, "going somewhere?" he enquired.
Nathan looked over his shoulder and then went back to his packing, carelessly throwing items of clothing into the bag, "I'm outta here"
"Hey, hey, what's going on?"
"Nothing, exactly nothing" Nathan yelled, he zipped the bag up and flung it over his back before straightening.
Lucas blocked the doorway, "want to tell me what happened?"
Standing on the spot Nathan sent Lucas a fierce look, "ask your best friend, maybe she'll be honest with you 'cause she sure as hell wasn't with me, not that I matter, I'm just the father of her child and the man stupid enough to love her" and he tried pushing by Lucas.
As realisation filled Lucas the blonde pushed Nathan back into the room, the wrestled for a moment, the bag falling to the ground, the whole time Lucas telling Nathan to stop.
Breathing rough Lucas finally had Nathan pinned to the wall, "calm down, little bro"
"Then get off me!" Nathan yelled and tried to push Lucas away, the blonde held on tighter and pushed Nathan back to the wall, his arm holding Nathan in place at the neck but not close enough to choke the younger man.
"Calm down" Lucas instructed again, "the last time I saw you everything was fine, what happened?"
"She has a boyfriend" Nathan quickly shot at Lucas and then looked to the ground, his shoulder slumped, "there you happy?"
"Oh" Lucas let go and stepped back, "she told you? Nathan, it doesn't change anything, she wants to be with you now…" he trailed off when he noticed the look Nathan was giving him, suddenly Nathan snapped, "YOU KNEW?" he screamed.
Lucas didn't get a chance to answer, in a flash Nathan had grabbed Lucas by the collar and pulled his brother against the wall, the positions reversed from a few moments ago and Nathan met Lucas' eyes, "what the hell, man, how come you didn't warn me?"
"I only found out this morning, she was gutted, Nate, had no idea how to tell you but she loves you"
"Then how come she didn't say that, how come she was letting some other guy kiss her, huh? If that is love I don't want it. I am so sick of the games" Nathan banged Lucas against the wall, his brothers head hit it with a band and Nathan let him go and grabbed his bag again.
For a second Lucas was still dazed, he rubbed at the back of his head and then quickly followed Nathan, "so you're just going to walk away?"
"Sounds good"
"Like that's going to solve anything, I know things with Haley are complicated but Jamie doesn't deserve this. You're a father, Nathan, you can't just walk away" Lucas reached the landing and Nathan didn't pause as he opened the door.
Walking back towards his car Nathan shot back, "it worked for you" and threw his bag into the back.
Something inside Lucas froze and it caused him to stop, he eyes his brother "what do you mean by that?" and thoughts circled over and over inside his head. Nathan couldn't mean what Lucas thought he meant, he told himself, it's just a coincidence.
Nathan's face screwed up when he turned around, "forget about it" he mumbled and opened his car door, Lucas took a few steps forward and forced Nathan to face him again.
"No, tell me what you meant" his heart starting thumping in his chest, faster and faster.
Throwing his arms up Nathan bumped Lucas away, for a moment he looked panicked and this his expression hardened, "you just walked away, you left us all behind, me your brother, Haley your best friend, everyone, and you never looked back, not once, you don't get to come back into our lives now and suddenly decide you want to be there for us" Nathan used the opportunity to slip into the drivers seat, "I did fine without a big brother, I don't need one now"
"Where are you going to go?" Lucas yelled after Nathan as the car started to back out, and then Nathan said one last thing before he was gone.
"The airport"
"And then he just walked away" Haley took another sip from her glass of wine while Peyton toyed with the bottle of beer in her hands and watched the other woman carefully, she whistled when Haley didn't continue.
Placing her drink down Peyton gave a coy smirk, "I guess this isn't the time to ask you about finishing off the rest of Kyle's tour with him"
"Well it's not like Nathan's a factor anymore, I'm pretty sure he hates me about now" Haley raised her glass and then took another sip, she relished the moment knowing she was far from the tipsy mark and half wishing she already was there.
"About that" Peyton started, she didn't know how to continue "it might be a little my fault-" Haley's brown eyes snapped to Peyton and it took her a second to connect the dots, the glass was abandoned "you asked Kyle to come back from the tour?"
Peyton nodded, "it was before Nathan came back, I thought having you be an opening act for the last few shows would be great publicity for your new album"
"So you were serious before?"
"Forget about it" Peyton shook the thought away.
"It would be awkward" Haley added though there was something in her eyes, a curiosity and hunger and Peyton couldn't miss it, and then Haley's eyes dulled "it would be impossible, I have Jamie"
Unable to ignore that look which had briefly flared in Haley, Peyton studied the singer and didn't take her eyes away from Haley, "do you ever miss it?" she asked after the silence got too much and started to become awkward.
Haley's eyebrow rose, she leant forward "you mean the constant late nights, non stop noise, roar of the crowds, the headaches and stage fright?" and just as Peyton was about to chuckle Haley's thick lips curled up "hell, yeah, I miss it" she finished.
There was something whimsical to Haley as she spoke and Peyton listened, looking at her producer Haley shrugged "it's hard to explain, when I was on stage it felt like I belonged, as scary as it was, I was doing what I loved and walking away from that dream was one of the hardest decisions of my life"
"Then why did you do it?"
Haley sighed, "Because I loved Nathan more" and she made it sound so easy, as if there had only ever been one choice. Peyton was about to say something when her phone started ringing and she sent Haley a look of apology "it's Brooke"
"Answer it"
"You sure?"
"Yeah" Haley started cleaning up after them as Peyton slid her phone open and lifted it to her ear, "hi B Davis"
"P Sawyer, where are you?"
"At Haley's, why?" she heard Brooke's grunt of disapproval and chose to ignore it, "everything okay?"
"It will be, look, I need to drop JJ off, will you be home soon or should I bring her to you?"
"No, it's fine, I shouldn't be long, just tell her not to burn the house down"
"Will do" Brooke replied and Peyton could tell her friend was distracted, she looked at the phone when Brooke abruptly hung up without a goodbye, "that was weird" she mumbled.
"Everything okay?" Haley asked.
"Yeah" Peyton answered though she wasn't entirely sure, "do you mind if I cut this short, JJ's at home by herself"
As a mother Haley understood, she nodded and then led Peyton to the door, "thanks for listening"
"Anytime" Peyton assured and waved as she walked away to her car, Haley waved back and then shut the door again. A loud sigh escaped the mother and her mind wandered back.
There was a knock on the door and Haley gave a panicked screech before calling out "be there soon" and then looked back in the mirror and started counting backwards from ten, "breathe, just breathe, you can do this" she whispered to herself.
The knock came again; more persistent "you're on in five!" Andrew's voice came through.
"IN A MINUTE!" Haley yelled.
The door opened and Haley span around "I SAID IN A-" she stopped and stared daggers at the man who had walked into the room "CHRIS, GET OUT, I COULD BE NAKED!"
"If only" Chris lounged on Haley's couch and looked her up and down, "Chris Keller senses he's not welcome"
"Really, what gave you that impression?" Haley sighed and faced the mirror again, she couldn't stand her pale appearance and instead buried her face in her hands, "this can't be happening" she mumbled.
"Three" Andrew shouted poking his head inside the room, he frowned and stepped inside, "James, you okay, you're not going to puke again are you?"
"I just need a minute" Haley mumbled and started to rock back and forth. The two men shared a worried look and both moved forward.
"James-" Andrew stopped, his eyes widened and stayed on an object resting on Haley's dressing table, his voice turned two octave's higher "James?"
"Whoa, not mine" Chris held his hands up and Haley finally looked up at them.
Just then Janice appeared at the door "about to announce her"
"WE NEED A MINUTE!" Andrew shouted.
Meanwhile Chris picked up the unopened pregnancy test kit and dryly said "or two" and Haley ripped the box from his hands, he held his hands up again "just trying to help"
"Help somebody else!"
Andrew rubbed his brow and then addressed Janice, "announce Chris" and then he grabbed Chris and pushed him out of the room.
"This can't be happening" Haley mumbled again.
Kneeling behind Haley, Andrew grabbed the chair and swivelled it around so Haley was looking down at him, "breathe" he told her and then handed her the box, "you have ten minutes" and left her alone again.
With shaking hands Haley opened the box and pulled out one of the sticks, then the other, standing she walked to her adjoining bathroom, without bothering to shut the door Haley unbuttoned her jeans and sat down on the toilet.
Her knees started to shake but before she knew it she was done and placing both sticks on the basin before fixing her jeans.
The next two minutes dragged out and Haley's paced while she waited, when finally she saw the second arm of the clock tick by that last waited for second Haley raced to the basin and turned the first test over, "no!" and then she flipped the other and sank to the floor.
Exactly nine minutes after Andrew walked out of the room Haley waited by stage left, her hands were still shaking.
"You okay?" Andrew walked up behind her, Haley nodded and he looked at her harder, "are you okay?" he asked again, a different question was hovering between them. Haley managed to smile, "let me get through tonight"
"Shit, James, I wanna kill that bastard"
"I love that bastard" Haley smiled and started to walk around the stage, others pulling her along as orders were shouted.
"I guess I should be happy it's happening now and not six months ago" Andrew sighed following her.
Haley nodded and stepped up onto the platform, she looked over her shoulder "this is it, my last show" and they both knew she wasn't just talking about this tour, the first of what should have been a long line of her own where she was the main event and not the opening act. Andrew's eyes darkened, "then make it count"
Nodding Haley aced forward and waited, her stomach jumped as the flat form lifted and then the roar of the crowd met her ears and smoke surrounded her, she opened her mouth and started to sing. A shower of explosions came from above her, her voice got louder as the crowd quietened, and Haley stepped forward out of the smoke and lifted her face.
For a moment they went crazy, her name was screamed over and over again but it soon calmed and Haley picked up the song as hundreds of eyes watched her.
She didn't have to think, she lost herself in the lyrics and the movements that had become routine and when the coda died down Haley allowed her self to breathe, she looked out at the audience and knew they waited.
"Hi" she said, simple, "you guys ready?" she walked across the stage and the crowd gave a loud concessive 'YES', "it's good to be here. You know, tonight is my last show and I just found out something pretty important" she smiled out at the crowd and then continued "life changing actually, and my momma use to say something to me… she said, Haley Bob, sometimes you don't chose the timing, the timing choses you… well tonight I'm here with you guys, at the end of what was a dream come true, that seems like pretty good timing… so the next song is for you all and for your dreams. I hope they come true" and the beat picked up, it grew stronger, louder, until once again Haley felt controlled by it.
Haley found herself looking out the window and watching over Jamie who was playing with Slam Dunk outside, she laughed when the puppy abandoned wrestling for the chew toy and jumped up onto Jamie to lick the boys face, still smiling Haley spoke to no one "but I wouldn't change it for the world" and she left the spot to join him outside. Jamie watched her approach, his bottom lip dropped and Haley kneeled in front of him, she patted the puppy and then met Jamie's eyes "I'm going to fix it" she told him, and soon the three of them were rolling around, two people laughing and one dog barking, completely oblivious to the phone ringing inside.
No one picked up and Lucas grew more and more frustrated, when Haley's message bank picked up again Lucas gave in and waited for the beep, "Haley, its Lucas. We need to talk, it's about Nathan… and other stuff-" he paused when there was a knock at his door "-just call me when you can" he finished in a rush and dropped the phone. A part of him knew who was at his door, sweat beaded down from his brow and he stopped with his hand ready to turn the doorknob, the knock came again but more hesitant this time, and unable to wait Lucas finally opened it.
Their eyes met, Lucas and Brooke couldn't look away, no matter their history that was something that had always been hard for them. Even when he'd been kissing her best friend behind her back Lucas had a hard time looking away from Brooke when their eyes met, from the moment they crossed paths in his car to the time he last saw her.
It wasn't until Oliver spoke than Lucas even realised they weren't alone and he tore his eyes away from Brooke to look down at Ollie. The boy reluctantly met Lucas' eyes, his posture stiff and unwilling, "Mr Scott" he repeated and stumbled, Brooke nudged him "go on" and Ollie sighed.
"Mr Scott, I would like-" he almost choked on the word, "to apologise for your window and offer to pay for any damage"
"And" Brooke nudged him again.
Ollie looked at Brooke as if to say do I have to? And Brooke's eyebrow lifted in answer, Ollie turned back to Lucas, "and I'm sorry about the water balloons and for being rude"
Unable to help it Lucas smiled, he leant down a bit "apology accepted" and then straightened to look at Brooke, she wouldn't meet his eyes now and touched Ollie's shoulder, the boy looked back at her "can we go now?"
"You must really want to start that grounding" Brooke grinned and Ollie narrowed his already narrow eyes even further before walking away not waiting for Brooke. She went to leave without even acknowledging Lucas but he stepped outside and quickly grabbed her arm, "Brooke, wait"
"Let go of me," she hissed eyeing where his hand held her.
Lucas didn't loosen his grip, "just answer one question first, is he mine?"
It happened without either of them really knowing how, one second Lucas was holding Brooke's arm and the next she was free and her hand was swinging up and slapping Lucas' cheek, "how dare you!"
"I have a right to ask" Lucas whispered back, his voice hard and his cheek stinging, which only made Brooke madder.
Her foot stepped backwards, Brooke glared at him "you have no right to ask me that but if it helps you sleep at night then no he isn't, thank god" and she stormed off after Ollie.
When she entered her own home Brooke slammed the front door behind her, she felt scared and the only way she knew how to act it out was by acting angry, "MEN!" she screamed, her eyes briefly scanned the home phone, "what is it, dead beat dad day?" she asked aloud expecting no answer and receiving none except for Ollie's music blaring from behind his closed door.