Ok there's a little drama in this chapter so don't hate me lol I promise it will be ok :)

Lucas came back from his house after grabbing a few things. He was slowly moving into Brooke's without either of them really noticing. He spent almost every night there, bringing over more and more of his stuff each day.

When he walked into their room he found Brooke curled up on the bad, a sad look on her face. He knew this was all his fault, he had come between her and her best friend again. It had been three days and no one had heard from Peyton, not even Haley. The worst part? He knew Brooke was blaming herself. "Hey," he said softly cause her to look up at him.

"Hi," she answered back not saying much and moving her gaze back to the spot on the comforter on the bed.

"I thought you could use this," he said holding out the stuffed purple monkey she had bought for Angie that she had given to him.

Taking the monkey she smiled a little, "thanks."

He nodded, then laid down next to her pulling her in his arms. "I'm sure she's ok. She'll come around, just give her time," he said placing a soft kiss on her forehead. Brooke nodded against his chest and closed her eyes, letting all of the stress of the last couple of days go. She was where she needed to be.

Sleep came easy to both of them, snuggled together. That was until Lucas's phone started ringing. Brooke moaned and tried to cover her head to stop the sound from reaching her ears. Lucas rolled over and grabbed the phone, answering it without even looking at who was calling. "hello?...hey hey calm down, yeah, I'll be right there." He sat up and ran his hands over his face and through his hair.

"What's up?" Brooke asked sitting up.

"That was Peyton, she wants to talk. I told her I'd meet her at the river court," he said getting up and pulling a shirt on.

"Of course you are," she replied trying not to sound too annoyed.

"This is good, Brooke, she's been pretty MIA for the last few days, she's reaching out…"

"Yeah to you, cause she knows that you'll come running to her rescue."

"No one has heard from her in days, if she's ready to talk about it, I think I should go."

She looked down and shook her head; she knew he was right on some level. It was good that Peyton was reaching out, but she hated that once again he was running to her aid. "Fine, go. I'm used to it."

"Brooke…"

"Just go Luke."

And with one last huff and look at his fiancé, he was gone. Brooke shaking her head put her face in her hands. It was good someone heard from Peyton, but she wasn't ready for this cycle to repeat.

Lucas pulled up to the river court and looked around, the one spot light shining down on the black asphalt. He could see the faded writing of Peyton's paint and shook his head. He understood why Peyton was upset, but he had to stop running from his feelings, he knew with Brooke was where he belonged. He also knew he would have to make this up to her. Leaving to go meet Peyton in the middle of the night wasn't exactly the smartest thing to do when he was trying to reassure Brooke of his feelings for her. He just kept telling himself he needed to talk to Peyton, needed to sort everything out.

He heard footsteps behind him and turned around slowly. Peyton stood there, a shy smile on her face. "Thanks for coming…"

"Look Peyton, I don't know why you called me here, but I think we should talk."

She nodded walking over toward the faded letters on the black top of the court. She looked down, a sad smile on her face, "did you see this? Luke I spent over an hour painting this. Painting my feelings for you on this court, on your court."

He nodded and walked toward her, "I saw it Peyton."

"Then why Brooke? Huh? I love you, I showed you I did, what did Brooke do?"

"Peyton…"

"No, why her Lucas?" She could feel herself getting upset, the tears welling in her eyes.

"Peyton, I care about you, I do, but I love Brooke. After she broke up with me I think I spent so much time telling myself you and I belonged together, because it hurt too much to think that I should be with Brooke and she didn't want me," he shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. "You're one of my best friends Peyton and I don't want to lose you over something like this, neither does Brooke. You guys were friends long before I even came into the picture."

"But she knows I feel about you and she still…"

"She didn't do anything, I did. I told Brooke that I wanted to get married, I told Brooke that it was her I wanted to be with, and do you know what the first thing out of her mouth was? It was what about Peyton? She's not doing this to hurt you. She was afraid to come home and tell you, afraid to let herself be happy because she knew it would hurt you. None of this is about hurting you Peyton, it's about listening to my heart and trusting myself for the first time in too long."

After a long night of wandering around the small town, Lucas found himself at his brother's door. He knew he couldn't go home, not yet, not until he knew how to make things right with Brooke.

He walked into the house and sat at the counter, nodding at his brother who was cleaning up the mess he and Jamie had made in the kitchen. Grabbing a mug, Nathan poured a cup of coffee for each of them, "You look like hell. Long night?" Luke didn't answer, just held up his coffee mug and took a sip. "What happened? I thought things were great with you and Brooke."

Just as he went to answering, Haley came down and looked between the two men in her kitchen who had now become very quiet. "Whats going on?" Neither responded, just looked at each other than back at her. "If you're here and looking like that, something obviously happened. Which means I should go check on Brooke," she said giving her husband a quick peck on the cheek before heading out the door.

Lucas shook his head, taking a sip of his coffee, "alright come on Luke, what's going on?"

"Peyton called last night, she wanted to meet me, so I went," he replied looking up at his brother.

"You're an idiot."

"Yeah, we kind of got into it before I left, but then she told me to go. No one had heard from Peyton in days, she was reaching out…"

"To you, Luke you gotta know how bad that is."

"I just figured she needed to talk, it would be ok, I'd be helping, I don't know…"

"You have got to stop running to Peyton everytime she 'needs to talk,' she has other friends. And if you ever want Brooke to really get past all of this, you have got to put her first."

Haley let herself in, looking around Brooke's house, she smiled seeing her sitting on the couch working on sketches. The determination on her face, she knew she was channeling her anger at Lucas into her work, it's what Brooke did. Taking a seat next to her, she rested her head on her best friends shoulder, "How you holding up?"

"Ok, it's not like my fiancé walked out on me to go be with his ex-girlfriend or anything, but it's ok, cause he assures me he has no feelings for her," she replied sarcastically, darkening the lines in her designs, focusing harder on the page in front of her.

"Brooke…"

"Really Hales, I'm fine."

"I know you are, but if you want to actually talk about it I'm here."

"Nothing to talk about," she answered, shading her sketches, pressing so hard down on the paper she broke the tip of the pencil. Huffing she looked up at her friend sitting there waiting for her to say something. "I just, I'm so sick of this. Me, Peyton…I just don't know what to do anymore."

Pulling her into a hug, Haley nodded; she knew Lucas had seriously messed up when it came to this brunette sitting next to her. "I know Brooke, but remember that he loves you. He does, I don't know why he left last night, but I know that he doesn't want to be with Peyton."

"I just want for once for him to put me first." Just as Haley went to reply Brooke's phone started buzzing and she quickly answered. "Hello…this is she…what? Yes, of course...great, thank you." Hanging up the phone she looked up a smile resting on her lips, "that was Macy's they want me to fly to New York so we can discuss my new line and talk about my designs."

"Brooke that's great! I think it'll be good to get away, but I do still think you should talk Lucas."

She nodded running over and hugging her friend, "thanks tutorgirl."

Lucas walked home, after spending the majority of the day at his brothers. He stopped to get Brooke roses before heading to her house. When he walked in, he found Brooke in the bedroom, throwing things into a suit case. He put the flowers in front of her on the bed, looking at her with confusion. "What are you doing?"

She glanced up at him before continuing to move around the room and put things in her suit case. "Nice of you to stop by, how's Peyton?" she asked angrily throwing things in another bag.

"I wasn't with Peyton. She left. Said she had to get out of town, clear her head, doesn't know when she'll be back."

"I'm sure you're pretty broken up about that, what are you gonna do without your precious Peyton?" she hissed, walking past him to grab something out of the closet.

"Brooke, will you just stop and talk to me."

"I have nothing to say to you."

"Brooke," he grabbed her arm as she walked by again, but let go seeing the look on her face. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left, but you have to know you're the one I want to be with. I love you. I want to be with you."

"Right and before you wanted to be with me, then Peyton, then me again, then Peyton again, the Lindsey. Luke, how do I know that this time you really want to be with me? I mean Peyton calls and you go running, this isn't high school, she's a big girl now."

"I know, ok, I know I screwed up. But Brooke I do want to be with you. I love you. I asked you to marry me."

"You also asked Peyton and Lindsey to marry you and if Peyton had said yes or Lindsey hadn't left you at the alter we wouldn't even be here right now. Let's face it Luke I've never really been your first choice," she continued to angrily throw things into her bag, trying to stay mad and not let the hurt she felt in her chest get the best of her.

He ran his hands through his hair with frustration, "That's not true. I have always wanted you Brooke, we've always been there for each other, and you've always gotten me when no one else has. I just I didn't know how you felt, I was so busy listening to what everyone was said and thought, I didn't listen to myself."

She took in a deep breath, looking up at him, both hands gripping the sides of her suit case. "I got a call from a manger at Macy's, they need me to come to New York for a few days to talk about my line." Lucas nodded feeling himself relax slightly, glad she was done yelling. "I think it'll be good for us to spend some time a part, think things over."

"I could come with you, Brooke, we should talk about this I mean…"

"Luke, this is something I really need to do alone, ok? I need to get away and just focus on work. And honestly, I don't know that I can be around you right now." Zipping up her suit case, she grabbed her other bag, making sure she had everything and headed for the door. "I love you Lucas, I do, I just don't know where I stand with us right now," and with that she was out the door. Leaving Lucas standing alone in her house, hurt, confusion, and regret all washing over him. He'd give her a few days, she needed space, he got that, he messed up, but he couldn't lose her again.

Sorry guys, Im the worst updater ever lol thank you to everyone who sticks with me & enjoys my stories!...also i promise things will get better for Brucas! Just bare with me, ok? reviews welcome xo