Author's Note: So I got completely mixed responses about the last chapter. I know a lot of people are upset about Nathan and Brooke, and a lot are happy, but let me tell you, it's not over for Brooke and Lucas. Not by a long shot. Either way, I'm having so much fun writing this, and I really hope everyone enjoys. I'm trying to portray this as realistically as I can so I hope you find it to be sufficient.

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Movie Script Ending

Chapter Twenty-Four: But it Felt so Good

Brooke's eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the light of her bedroom. She yawned into her pillow, snuggling closer to the body beside her. As she laced their hands, Brooke pulled the other person's hand closer to her eyes, and they widened. This was certainly not Lucas' hand. Tanner, with better kept nails, and-- Brooke jumped up from the bed, the events of the evening before entering her mind.

"Oh my God," She whispered, rapidly pulling on her robe, and surveying Nathan's sleeping form. Her husband's brother had his arm wrapped around a pillow, the muscles in his biceps showing even though he was not flexing.

She backed away from the bed as if it were evidence, and it was. She had cheated on Lucas. And she no excuses either. She hadn't been drunk or high, although that was not much of an excuse anyway. She'd been completely sober, the only fault Lucas had made was having his plane be delayed - something he could not even control. And here she was, throwing herself into bed with his brother.

It had just felt nice to have someone. Brooke, throughout her entire life, had always had this need for love and comfort. Maybe it was because she never could get it from home. She had used boys and sex in high school to achieve this, and her ultimate theory on what she had wanted was just someone to want her back. She'd had this in Lucas once, but lately he was always gone, and she had felt so wonderful with Nathan always there. He had become her best friend.

And now her lover, she realized. Though she'd not made plans to continue this affair, something inside herself had changed; her theory on love and cheating had altered over the course of one night. She hadn't even known she'd had feelings for Nathan. Still, she was not sure.

Inside, she felt the same way towards him she always had. But thinking about it now, she was not sure what exactly it was she felt. She'd always found him attractive, but had she ever considered more?

Tears filling her eyes, she found herself wondering how she could have done this. After the pain Lucas had caused her in high school, and she was doing something a million times worse. She had slept with his brother, and although he had kissed her best friend, this felt shamefully worse.

Nathan began to stir, frowning at the unfamiliar room. It took him just a moment to realize, but once he had, just as she did, he jumped from the bed in his naked glory, eyes falling upon her, standing frozen and afraid.

"Brooke," He managed painfully, hurrying to find his boxers. He slid them on awkwardly, and she found herself falling back onto the bed, her hands over her eyes.

"We're terrible people." She said it so quietly she could have been telling him a secret, and in a way she was, for he did not think either of them would be telling Lucas anytime soon.

"It's okay," He was trying to reason in his head how it could be, but found he could not, so he tried to find an excuse. "Look, you were upset, and we - we just got caught up in the moment. It doesn't mean anything."

She sighed. "It just felt so nice not to be alone, you know? I mean, I know it was wrong but I.." She trailed off, and had not realized she was crying until she felt a tear drop from her chin to her neck, tickling her as it ran down.

"I've never done this before," She admitted, even though he'd already known it, "you know, cheated."

"Me either." Nathan took a seat on the bed, wringing his hands. He knew that if he were to look in the mirror, his back would be scratched and he'd probably have a couple bite marks on his chest and stomach. Last night had certainly been passionate. He looked over at Brooke, who's hair was falling in messy waves around her shoulders. She had a hickey on her neck, and he mentally groaned. They truly had not been thinking.

He found that he wanted to kiss her again, but deciding against it, he simply covered her body with his, holding her in his arms as she cried. "You can't tell him," She looked into his eyes, deep and blue and full of pain and care for her. "Please."

"I won't. I promise." Not able to help himself, he leaned down, brushing his lips against hers. He paused for a moment, expecting the sting of a slap, or for her to angrily pull away. He was surprised when she lifted a hand to cup his face, bringing him closer.

She knew it was wrong. God, it was so wrong. But she could simply not help herself. Nathan was always there. She felt so safe around him. And sure this was bad, but was the alternative any better?

He was slow to tug off her robe, but he did. And she helped him out of his boxers, and before either of them knew it, they were doing what both had once vowed never to do, again and again and again.

She'd felt so much guilt before, but with every kiss, she thought of Lucas less and less. How horrible it was would not leave her head, but somehow, she didn't care.

-

"I feel like," Brooke said, tracing over a faint scar on Nathan's chest that he'd acquired during his car accident years before. "I'm this totally different person than I was yesterday. Like if yesterday morning, I were to see today, I wouldn't recognize myself. This is a mistake, isn't it?"

He had only been listening to her before, but now, forced to answer her question, he felt uncomfortable. He did not want to lie, but at the same time, he couldn't tell her that he regretted this, because he did not. Sure, the guilt was killing him already, and he knew it would only get worse, but right now, for the first time in months, - hell, years even - he found that he was truly content.

"I--" He began, but was cut off by the sound of a car pulling up closely. Very closely. In fact--

He could hear a car door opening and closing, and Lucas' distinct voice thanking someone - a cab driver? - before the footsteps began nearing the house.

The pair jumped up, pulling on their strewn clothes as fast as they could. The front door was opening now, and Brooke did her best to gather the bed sheets up, just as Nathan was pulling on his shirt.

"Go, go, go," She was panicking, her voice a whisper that was nearly a yell. Nathan nodded, pulling the door open and running in the direction of his own room, slamming the door once he entered.

"Brooke, what are you doing?" She asked herself quietly as she quickly tossed the sheets into the dirty laundry hamper. This whole lying, cheating, deceiving thing was new to her, and she honestly wasn't enjoying it much at all.

She could hear Lucas' footsteps coming up the stairs, and she suddenly wanted to cry again. God, he was so unsuspecting. Such a good guy. How could she be such an evil bitch as to do this to him? After everything he'd done for her..

"Hey Pretty Girl," She winced at the familiar nickname, pasting a smile on her face and turning to face him. Her husband had gone a couple days without shaving, and it suited him well. In one hand, he held a bouquet of various flowers, and as she approached him he handed them to her.

He took her in his arms, holding her closely. "I'm so sorry about last night. I saw the kitchen, and I'm assuming that smashed quiche is because of me," She had forgotten to clean up the mess last night, she could now remember. Her and Nathan had not returned from the bedroom. They had stayed upstairs all night. "Look at me," He tugged on her chin, and she barely managed to meet his gaze. "I'm sorry. That was the last trip in a while. I feel so guilty that I missed another one of your dinners."

How could he feel guilty? She was a walking mistake right here, the weight of something she could have controlled but did not hanging heavily on her shoulders.

"No, no, don't be sorry. Please don't be sorry." She clung to him guiltily, knowing she could never tell him about the affair. Eyes squeezed shut, she pulled away. "Look, I'm a mess. I need to take a shower. That okay?"

He nodded, kissing the top of her head. "I'll just," he paused, "clean up downstairs."

"No!" Brooke was even surprised herself at how loud her voice was. "No, please. I'll do it. After I'm all cleaned up."

"It's fine. It's my fault anyway," He smiled, and was out the door before she could stop him.

God, what had she done?

-

Brooke stood in the shower, scrubbing herself raw.

Her skin was red and some spots were bleeding, and the blood ran from her body down the drain, taking with it her secret.

-

As Brooke entered the kitchen, the first thing she noticed was now well Lucas had cleaned up her mess. All the pots and pans used were now cleaned and drying on the rack by the sink. The floor had been completely mopped, and the flowers Lucas had given her were already in a vase, with water. The second thing she noticed was Nathan and Lucas sitting at the counter talking.

She suddenly felt sick. This had been so wrong. If Lucas had come home just an hour earlier, her marriage would have been ruined. As she watched the two brothers talk, she bit the inside of her cheek hard to keep from saying something she would later regret. She felt like this could come out right now, and she would not be able to control it.

"Finally," Lucas teased as she walked in. "That was the longest shower ever taken."

Brooke managed a smile. "Sorry.."

Her husband shook his head, standing and kissing her cheek. "It's fine. I'm going to go take one too. I always feel gross after getting off of a plane." She waited to hear the sound of the shower turning on before she spoke again to Nathan.

"Last night was a mistake," She said firmly, and he nodded.

"This is too weird. We can't do this to him." Nathan agreed, although something in his heart was disagreeing.

"Look, let's just chalk it up to a bad night.."

"And morning." He added, and he wasn't sure if he met it to be humorous, but neither of them laughed.

She looked tired, as if all this had just made her life a million times worse. And maybe it had. "Lucas never has to know."

-

Later that night, when Lucas nuzzled Brooke's neck, letting her know what he wanted, she was eager to comply, wanting to give him more than she'd managed to given Nathan last night and this morning. Still, she felt dirty and sick and gross and like she had ruined everything.

She would not show this though, as she kissed Lucas and undid his shirt, and allowed him to slip off her own clothes.

As the two made love though, she could not help but compare Lucas and Nathan. Now that she'd bedded both Scott brothers - which made her feel like even more of a whore - she could compare the way they were. Nathan was much more confident. He was certainly more muscular than his brother and knew what he was doing down to an art. Lucas was much more tender, trying to cater to her instead of focusing on himself.

As they rolled between the sheets, Brooke's mind flickered back and forth of how earlier, she had done just the same with Nathan. She wasn't sure what she was feeling at the moment, but it certainly wasn't good.

She kissed Lucas and tried to make it all go away but she knew it never would.

-

The fact that she'd already ruined everything is what made her appear in Nathan's bedroom the next morning, after Lucas had gone to the gym. She told herself that nothing would ever be okay, and besides, at least she wouldn't have to keep this secret to herself. She had someone to share it with.

When Nathan protested, she kissed him. He could not stop himself from kissing back. He tried, but somehow his body failed his mind and pulled her closer, enjoying the softness of her lips and the taste of her mouth, always sweet.

And after they were finished, and Brooke laid in his arms, she said quietly, so that he had to strain his ears to hear and almost thought he'd imagined it, "I don't want to stop this."

"Lucas.." He trailed off, not knowing quite what to say. "I don't want to hurt him."

"So do you want to stop?"

He thought for a second. "No. No, I don't."

They were silent, and she sat up for a moment, her eyes staring straight into his as the truth came out. "I love him. I really do."

Nathan nodded. "I know you do."

So he could not understand why neither of them wanted to stop.