Brooke watched as Lucas went on dejectedly to get ready for the night. She wanted to give him what he wanted, and she especially wanted to give Lyric a brother or sister. But she didn't know if she could that now, after everything that happened. What if they did have a child, or what if they did get married? What happened when Lucas found out the truth?
She went back downstairs to work done because she'd only be in for the meeting tomorrow at work. Her clothing company was just starting to really take off and she had putting a lot of work into it recently. She carefully leafed through all the new designs she'd be introducing tomorrow. She came across the one she had designed nearly six years ago, Haley had finally convinced her to put it into mass production. It was hard for her to put it into the folder with the rest, but maybe letting it go would help her.
"How do I look?" Brooke asked, coming out of the bathroom wearing the dress she had designed for seeing him again. The strapless gown came to just below her knees, the top layer of red split under the black belt to reveal a black second layer.
"You look…amazing, Brooke. But to tell you the truth…all I want to do is take that dress off of you." Jake whispered in her ear. "And I'm doing all I can to resist you, Brooke, to resist this."
"Then why are you?"
Pulling herself out of the memory she put the design sketch back in the folder and laid everything out for tomorrow before making her way back upstairs. She stopped at her son's room and quietly walked in. Watching him helped her sometimes. He was so peaceful, so innocent in the world. Taking a deep breath she leaned over him, and kissed his forehead bringing his comforter back over him. Lyric had always had a habit of moving too much in his sleep. Pulling herself back her eye caught the picture on the boy's nightstand.
Brooke came into room, "I think it's time for the birthday boys to open their presents."
The three year olds bounced excitedly despite the fact they probably didn't understand exactly why. Brooke and Haley each grabbed their cameras as Nathan and Lucas joined the boys in the middle of the room. Brooke quickly snapped a picture of each boy sitting in the laps of their dads. The boys went through the presents quickly not too interested in the clothes or the savings bond from Grandma Karen.
"Okay there's one last present for each of them." Nathan announced proudly, "Lucas and I each got them one…we waited long enough."
Brooke zoomed the camera on her son sitting on Lucas lap as the paper revealed the bright orange basketball. Lyric's eyes went big.
"Like Daddy!" He chirped causing everyone to laugh.
"Luke, Lyr…look at the camera." Brooke called to them.
"His first basketball." Lucas told the camera as the flash went off.
Brooke pulled herself underneath the blankets of her own bed. Staring at the ceiling she listened to Lucas slow and steady breathing. If she told the truth to a sleeping body, had she still told the truth? He deserved a little truth.
" I don't know how much longer I can lie to you." Brooke began to whisper, "I want all the things you want, Lucas, I do. I want to be a wife and I want Lyric to have siblings, especially that. But forever scares me. Forever with you scares me, Luke. I'm scared of hurting you. I'm scared of something I can't avoid. I don't know where I'd be without you, though."
She moved closer to him, gently picking up his arm and wrapping it around her body. Underneath the arm that had healed her she closed her eyes and fell asleep.
The sound of the alarm clock announcing the morning slowly seeped into Brooke's sleep.
I haven't forgotten your touch, your taste.
I have yet to forget how we felt together
And I remember you and your love.
Just say…
Just say…
All you gotta do is say you still feel that way….
"Ladies and Gentlemen that was the debut single from new artist…"
Brooke's hand slammed on the sleep button interrupting the radio announcer. Opening her eyes she saw the time read six thirty and beyond the clock she saw Lucas standing in his boxers, topless, shaving.
"Who needs an alarm clock, when I can wake up and see this?" Brooke said outloud.
Lucas looked over and gave a slight smile, " Morning, Pretty Girl."
"We don't need to be up this early…"
"Yes, we do…I want everything to be perfect for Jamie's first day of school." He told her.
"As long as you're there to take him, Lyric will be too excited to notice anything else." She told him pulling herself out of bed, "You do so much for him…"
"Brooke, he's my son. I want the best for him."
"As long as he doesn't get spoiled."
Lucas nodded, "Okay, now get ready. But no waking our boy up until I can get the camera."
In a record twenty minutes later the two of them stood outside the door camera in tow.
"It's Lyric Jamison Scott's very first day of school." Lucas opened the door to the boy's bedroom and both were met with a surprise.
Lyric was already awake, sitting on the bed wearing an outfit that had clearly been thrown on half hazardly.
"Clearly someone is excited to go to school. Are you ready, bud?"
"Yep. I'm gonna learn to be just like you, Daddy."
"Alright. Alright, but first we have to have the right stuff. Let's see what mom's got for you."
Brooke impersonated Vanna White to show the new backpack to the camera before hand it to her son.
"Now let's go. We're gonna meet everyone at the café for breakfast so you, Ben, and Lily can go to school together."
The family made their way, taking the car to the café where the ran into Nate who, like Luke, was still camera clad.
"They're trying so hard." Brooke noted.
"I know, but we can't really blame them can we? They're trying to be better than Dan." Haley said her hand unconsciously rubbing the baby bump. "Oh, I forgot to tell you something. I was gonna call you last night."
"Tutor Girl, slow down and spit it out."
"That doesn't make any sense."
"So not the point."
"Right. You'll never guess who called last night?"
Okay, there we go…I still haven't decided how it's gonna work out entirely so you're still more than welcomed to give suggestions…the more the merrier.