CHAPTER 5: ITS NOW OR NEVER

Nathan was sitting on the bleachers while Lucas was shooting some hoops. He was about to fall asleep any second.

Lucas laughed at how tired his brother looked. "Fatherhood tiring you out already, bro?"

"You have no idea. I don't know why, but James is like a nocturnal baby. He sleeps all during the day and stays up all night." Nathan groaned.

"You know, I could watch James for you tonight. It's no problem for me. Anything for you and Hales."

"Thanks, bro. You don't know how much we would appreciate it. You can come by around six to pick him up. I'm going to go back to the house, though. I need to get some sleep. You going to stay here?" Nathan asked, getting up from where he was sitting

"Yeah, I'm going to shoot around for a little. I'll swing by later and get the little man."

"Thanks Luke," and with that Nathan began to walk back up the block in the direction of his house.


As Brooke was becoming closer and closer to the river court, she realized her heart was beating faster and faster. "Maybe this is a mistake, she thought. "Maybe I shouldn't have come back. I mean what if he resents me for not telling him. Well, he always said he would never be like Dan, so he will want to be there for Amanda, right? Oh my god. There he is." She decided to park at the corner of the block of the river court, so that she would have time to regain her composure before she was face to face with Lucas Scott. She could see him from where her car was, but he couldn't see her. He still looked just as she left him. She was shaken out of her thoughts with the sound of a basketball being dribbled on the tar. "It's now or never." Brooke began to walk down to the court, unsure of what was about to happen or what reaction she would get.


Lucas was too caught up in what he was doing to notice the brunette staring at him from up the block, so he wasn't prepared for what happened next. He was in the same trance he always entered, when he played- like basketball was all that mattered, but something broke this trance.

"You still shoot pretty good, that's one thing that hasn't changed," Brooke said, shakily.

Lucas stood there, hearing the voice he had never forgotten in the six months she was away. His heart began to beat faster. He stopped dead for a second. Sure, Haley had told him everything and about how she was planning on coming back, but he had never imagined it would be so soon. He turned around and was face to face with, who he believed to be, the most gorgeous girl in Tree Hill. "Brooke?"

"Hey there, Broody. Miss me?"

"Brooke?" Lucas just couldn't get himself to say anything more.

"Yes, I am Brooke and you are Lucas." Brooke said slowly, as if he was just too slow to understand. She laughed, "I mean come on, your happy to see me, right?" She smiled.

"Oh, have I missed that smile," Lucas said smiling back.

"And I've missed you." Brooke walked toward him and they embraced into a tight hug that sent chills through both their bodies. They weren't supposed to have this effect on each other. Besides, Lucas was still dating Peyton. After about five minutes, Brooke broke the hug. "So, uh whats up?"

"Brooke, why are you back?" Lucas asked, the smile from before quickly fading. "You didn't even say goodbye."

"Oh boy, I knew I wasn't going to get away that easily. You want to take a walk. I feel like this is an afternoon that is screaming for some Rocky Road ice cream!" Brooke smiled.

"Uhm, yeah sure"

"That a boy, Broody. By the way, the ice cream is on you." She took hold of his hand, knowing that it would be a risky move. Shockingly, he didn't resist or pull back. He held her hand tighter, like he would never let her go again.


Lucas and Brooke just sat down at Eddies' for some ice cream and were about ready to talk. The walk here had been a little awkward with neither one talking, but they were both thinking the same thing- how much they wanted and missed each other.

"Okay, so there is a lot we need to talk about and when I say a lot, I mean a lot. Damn, I said a lot a lot in that last sentence." Brooke rambled on. She always did ramble when she was nervous.

"Oh, have I missed you crazy girl," Lucas laughed. "How have you been? It's been like, what, nine months?"

"Please, don't remind me. It's so weird to think that I haven't been home for, like, more than half a year!"

"Yeah, well that was your decision. Where did you go? Because I know you weren't in California." Lucas said.

"Oh right. I was staying at Nikki's house. You remember, my cousin? Yeah well, I was at her house."

"Oh. What were you doing there? It's kind of random that you went." Even though Lucas knew her being pregnant was the reason for her leaving, he wanted Brooke to say it herself. Brooke, on the other hand, was confused as to why Lucas was acting so clueless.

"Uh, yeah. Pretty random, but.." Brooke trailed off. She stared at the floor, thinking about if what she was going to say next was the right decision. "..but I just needed to get away from Tree Hill for a while. There were some things, that happened, you know?"

"What kind of things?"

Brooke was still clueless. She was certain he knew. No, she was positive he knew. Haley had told him basically everything, so why wasn't he bringing it up. Well she wasn't going to say it. She had played the whole "tell Lucas about Amanda" situations in her head over and over and none of them consisted of her plainly telling him because he would always be the first to mention it. She wasn't prepared to handle this. 'Whatever, maybe I should just drop it and tell him tomorrow.' she thought. 'No, Brooke, no! You are telling him. Like I said, now or never'

"Okay, listen. This isn't easy for me to tell you because every time I play it in my head, it just doesn't work out. I am really scared, Lucas. I'm scared of how you'll react and what will happen to us after because I can't imagine a life with you resenting me."

"Brooke," Lucas started.

"No, let me finish." Brooke took a deep breath. "I know Haley told you about everything. I know about her telling you why I left, but I know you want to hear it from me. So just let me talk. Okay, shortly after we broke up you got together with Peyton. I said I was alright with it, but I wasn't. Seeing you two together was like torture to me because I still had the strongest feelings for you. I know I shouldn't have since I was the one who broke up with you and the one who refused to get back together, but I was just confused. And the pain didn't stop at seeing you together. I mean, after you began dating her, I found out I was one month pregnant." Brooke choked back tears, she didn't know what else to say.

"So that means.." Lucas trailed off knowing what Brooke was going to say next, but was fully prepared to hear it.

"Yes. Amanda is yours, Lucas"

Lucas was silent, staring at the floor. He didn't know how to feel. "I have a baby girl" Lucas said, with a slight smile. For some reason, he wasn't upset or angry at Brooke for keeping this a secret. I mean, you can't really be angry at finding out you're a father. At this moment, Lucas was truly happy. His pretty girl was back, and that was what he had wanted for nine months straight.