Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or its characters...I own nothing but this story's plot!!!

Chapter 5:

Ashes and Wine

"I feel like I am forgetting something," Brooke announced as they left her apartment a few days later. She was carrying Olivia and dragging Olivia's suitcase behind her.

"It sure feels like you have everything," Nate told her; he was carrying her huge suitcase and the carry-on bag Brooke had packed for herself and Olivia.

When they reached Rachel's car the red haired girl got out to help them load their bags. She reached for the suitcase Brooke was dragging and threw it into the back of her Denali. "It's about time," she told her friend. "I have been waiting out here for like fifteen minutes."

"Whatever, Rach," Brooke said, slapping her friend on the shoulder. "I saw you pull up like two minutes ago."

"Okay, so maybe it wasn't exactly fifteen, but it was close enough," she said, conceding to the fact her friend was not buying her story.

Nate loaded the rest of the luggage, while Brooke strapped Olivia into her car seat. Then everyone climbed in and the four of them were off to the airport.

"Now boarding flight 457 with nonstop service to Charlotte, North Carolina," a voice boomed over the intercom in the airport.

"I guess that means us," Rachel shrugged as she rose from where she had been seated in a chair. "Come on, Liv," she patted the little girl on the head. "Put your coloring book bag in your bag for a minute."

Brooke turned to look at Nate who had been nice enough to wait with them for the flight. "So I'll see you in about a week, right?" She asked him expectantly.

He smiled and nodded his head. "Unless something changes I'll be there," he said. He was only able to get off work for the wedding, so in the meantime he was going to take Rachel's Denali back home for her.

"Okay," she agreed, and leaned over to kiss him lightly on the lips. "Until then," she told him.

"Call me when you land," he called as he headed towards the front of the airport.

"Bye Natie," Olivia chimed in, standing up and hugging his leg.

"Bye Livvie," He said, mimicking her names for people as he gave her light hair a pat.

"I'll call you," Brooke answered him. Once he was out of sight she turned to Olivia who was now standing right next to her, grasping the hem of her skirt.

"We get on plane now, Mommy?" She asked her. "Auntie Rachie gone," she told her, as she turned her head from side to side to make sure Rachel was nowhere to be found.

"Yeah, we can go and get on the plane now, Honey," Brooke told her daughter, picking up their carryon bag and grabbing hold of Olivia's hand.

"Yay!" Olivia cheered. She was extremely excited to take her first plane ride. And Brooke just hoped her child maintained that positive attitude throughout the entire flight.

"So what are you thinking?" Rachel turned and asked Brooke who had been quiet for the majority of the flight.

"Nothing," she responded brushing her friend off as she went back to stroking Olivia's hair and looking out the window. Olivia had fallen asleep about twenty minutes into the flight; thank goodness it had been her naptime.

"Brooke," Rachel started, touching her friend's shoulder. "I can tell when something is going on with you. So spill it," she instructed her.

Brooke turned to look at her. She didn't really know what to say. She was feeling anxious, but she didn't quite know why. It's not like she had any reason to be nervous.

"I'm feeling a little uneasy," she explained to her friend.

And before she could say another word or even finish her train of thought, Rachel cut her off. "About seeing Lucas, right?" She asked her, as if she understood completely what she was going through.

Brooke looked like her as if she had sprouted wings and was carrying a magic wand. "No, not about Lucas," she insisted, "More about going home, and what everyone here thinks about me. I'm not that eighteen year-old girl who left here in a whirlwind never to be seen again. I've changed. And I guess I'm just hoping that they will accept that, and that they will be okay with it."

"They'll be fine with it," Rachel assured her. "Besides on the inside you're still the same Brooke Davis. The same caring girl who would do anything for anyone," she continued.

"But that's just it. What if they want party girl Brooke? I hate to tell them, she was buried a long time ago," Brooke shook her head, revealing all that she was holding inside to Rachel. Well, almost everything.

"Brooke, you need to relax. They know you're a mom now. They have to know that things will be different with you. And if they love you, and are truly your friend's, that won't even matter," she explained, hoping she was easing some of her friend's anxiousness. But the truth was, she was probably just as nervous as Brooke. "Besides, the fun-loving Brooke is still in there. She's still a part of you, you just keep her more in check."

Rachel was never really accepted by all of the people at Tree Hill High. And she was sure that they all blamed losing Brooke on her, once it was made known that she was the mastermind behind the whole test stealing scam so long ago. She was sure they would welcome Brooke back with open arms, but her, not so much.

"Thanks Rach," Brooke smiled at her friend. "You always know just what to say to me to make me feel better."

"You're welcome. That's what I am here for," she said, returning Brooke's smile.

Brooke laughed. "Oh really? I thought you were here to protect me and Liv from the swirly haired Ursula," she told her friend, unable to suppress her giggles.

"She told you that?" Rachel asked, starting to laugh with the brunette.

"Yeah, she told me. Weird way to explain Peyton, don't you think?" She asked her, leaning back into her chair, trying her best to get comfortable.

"Well how else was I supposed to explain her? I couldn't go right out and say a skanky bitch-ass anorexic whore who stole your daddy away, now could I?" She asked her friend, holding up her hands as if it were obvious.

"No, you definitely couldn't say that to my three year-old," Brooke said, finally able to stop laughing. "If you had said that I would have had some serious explaining to do."

"You and me both," Rachel corrected her friend, knowing that Olivia wouldn't quit with the questions until she had asked everyone and gotten the answers that satisfied her.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are now preparing to land in Charlotte, North Carolina," the captain's voice rang out across the plane. "Current conditions in Charlotte are 75 degrees and sunny."

"Well looks like we'll have a pretty afternoon," Brooke observed. "Maybe we can take Olivia down to the water before we head to Tree Hill," she suggested to her friend.

"Whatever you want. I'm basically along for the ride," Rachel told her, putting her tray up before the captain even announced to do so.

"Please return your seat to the upright position and make sure your tray is locked in place as we prepare to land," she stewardess said.

Brooke looked out the window over Olivia's body and she could see the tiny houses, the ocean, and the landing strip they were coming up on. She was back in North Carolina.

Brooke and Rachel waited until all the other passengers had exited the plane before they made their way off. Olivia was still sleeping, when that girl was out there was pretty much no waking her up.

Rachel gathered up her purse and the girls' two carryon bags. She walked off the plane and Brooke followed with a sleeping Olivia resting on one shoulder, and her purse hanging on the other.

Haley had offered to pick Brooke and the girls up in Charlotte, but at the last minute something had come up with school so she had to send Nathan in her place. As a consolation she had told Brooke she would make him take Jamie along for the ride, though.

"Brooke, Rachel," Nathan called when caught sight of the brunette and the red haired girls searching for their luggage at the carousel.

"Hey Nathan, it's good to see you," Rachel told him as she walked up and gave him a tight squeeze. "You haven't change a bit," she whispered into his ear.

"Neither have you, Rach," He told her, pulling away from her. And it was the truth, Rachel looked exactly the same, except for maybe the fact that she had gotten prettier. Then Nathan turned to the other girl. "Brooke Davis," he said, lightly hugging the girl so as not to crush the sleeping child in her arms.

"Hey Nate," she whispered, flashing him one of her best dimpled smiles that she reserved for the people she really cared about.

"This must be Olivia," he said, staring at the blonde child whose head was buried in the crook of Brooke's neck.

"The one and only," Brooke answered him, bumping her up so she had a better grasp on the tiny girl. "Now where's Jamie?" She asked him, looking around for the little boy. "Haley said he was going to be coming with you."

"Well," Nathan started. "At the last minute Skills came over and said some of the guys were going to shoot hoops at the River court. He was asking me to go, but Jamie heard the invite and wouldn't stop begging until I let him go. Plus, I figured this way Olivia could ride in his car seat," he explained, hoping it would suffice.

"Oh, okay," Brooke answered, trying not to let on that she was overly disappointed. She had really wanted to meet Nathan and Haley's little boy, especially since he was a big part of the reason she was here.

"We'll see him at the house in a little bit," Rachel reminded Brooke. "After all, you did promise Haley that we would stay over there tonight."

"Oh yeah," Brooke smiled, remembering she had indeed said that. She shifted the tiny girl in her arms once more. "Hey Rach, will you take her for a minute?" She asked her friend, about to hand her off when Nathan stepped in.

"Let me take here," he offered, sweeping the little girl out of her arms as if she was as light as a feather.

"Thanks, Nathan," Brooke answered. "I felt like my arm was about to fall off."

"Well let's head to the car then," he said. "If the looks of this little girl speak for the two of you, then I'm sure you're exhausted."

"Definitely," Rachel admitted, picking up her suitcase to follow Nathan. "I want to get some rest before Haley gets back. If there is one thing I remember it's that that girl can talk."

Nathan had to laugh, as did Brooke. They knew it was true. Once Haley was out of class the girl's weren't going to get a second's peace. She would probably want to stay up talking and reminiscing all night. And we all know how that goes.

"I'm home," Haley announced as she walked into the house she shared with her husband and their son later that evening. Her class had run a little over, but she was relieved when the teacher finally let her go. She couldn't wait to get home and see her guests.

"We're in the den, Honey," Nathan called back to her. He and the girls were seated in various seats across the living room. Olivia, who had woken up in a particularly happy mood, had changed into one of her princess costumes and was dancing around the room.

Haley saw the sight and quickly took a seat next to Brooke on the couch, hoping not to interrupt the little girl's show.

"I's a ballerina," Olivia said, as she swayed back and forth from leg to leg. She even tried to do a hop, but she wasn't so good at the jumping yet. "I's Cinderella ballerina."

"You're a very pretty ballerina," Haley told her, smiling at the little girl, taking in her blue eyes and light hair. Not to mention her megawatt smile and matching dimples.

"Thanks you very much," Olivia told her as she tried her best to curtsey. And she smiled bigger than Haley had seen before; she looked just like a mini-Brooke.

"She's a ham, that's what she is," Brooke said, enveloping the little girl into a hug as she ran into her mother's arms. "Little miss show-off. Tell them, Rach," she instructed her friend as she turned to face her.

"Well what can I say," Rachel smirked, "She's just like her mother."

Haley and Nathan both laughed at the red head's joke, as did Rachel, herself. Brooke just glared at Rachel, and then around the room at her other two supposed friends.

"Really? I do not always have to be the center of attention," she told them, strongly believing her point.

"You may not mean to be, but you usually can't help it," Haley told her, trying to give her a sympathetic look to soften the blow.

Brooke looked like she was shocked at the news and turned to Rachel for confirmation on what she's heard.

Rachel nodded her head as she began to speak. "Brooke," she told her. "Some girls are just attention magnets. And you, my dear, are one of those girls."

Olivia noticed her mom's reaction and stood on her tiptoes to kiss her cheek. "It okay, Mommy. You's just like me."

Brooke's previous attitude with her friends melted. She couldn't help the way she was, and she knew they loved her despite it. She kissed Olivia back on the top of her head. "Yes, I am, Baby. And we're the best type of girl there is to be. We make our own rules and play our own game," she winked at her.

Olivia smiled a smile to match her mom's and tried to wink back, her best attempt turned out to be a blink. "Yep, right," she said. "Mommy, I's hungry," she told her, rubbing her little belly.

"You know what, I'm pretty hungry too, Olivia," Nathan butted into their conversation to add. "Why don't we all get ready and go to a place in town. That is if you all are up to it?" He asked then, looking at all the guests in his home.

"That sounds fine with me," Brooke told him, pulling Olivia into her lap. "It would probably be quicker and easier than cooking."

"Yeah, sounds great to me too," Rachel chimed in, standing from the chair she had been sitting in. "I'm going to go freshen up." She grabbed her bag up from her feet and headed to the bathroom she had passed on the way in.

"Me too," Haley said, standing as well. "Come one Brooke, you and Olivia can get ready back here. I'll show you where the guest bathrooms are if Nathan hasn't already given you the grand tour."

"Nope, I was saving that for you, Hales," Nathan answered for Brooke, walking over and giving his wife a hug. "I'm going to go round up Jamie," he added.

"Yeah, I was wondering where he was," Haley said, kissing his cheek. "I can't wait for him to meet Olivia."

"Me either," Brooke agreed. "I bet they'll be fast friends."

"Just like their moms," Haley said as she led Brooke back to where she could get ready.

"So the new owner just decided to keep the name or something?" Brooke asked her friends. They were seated at a table in Karen's Café, only it wasn't really Karen's café anymore.

"Yep," Haley nodded. "They said it was kind of like a brand or something. That people around here trusted the name Karen's café. So she sold the brand name, 'Karen's Café' to them for another ten thousand."

"Wow, that's great," Rachel said, joining the conversation. "That's what we need to do, Brooke. Start up a business and then sell it to someone."

"If only it were that easy," Brooke answered her, patting her friend on the shoulder.

Haley and Rachel started talking about how much things had changed, and Brooke couldn't help but agree. Her mind wandered off to the Tree Hill of her memories, and how much simpler it seemed. Not that Tree Hill was some big metropolis now or anything, but it was just different. No matter how hard she tried to fit this new Tree Hill into the box for her old one, she couldn't do it. It didn't fit anymore. So she figured this trip to Tree Hill was going to be like starting fresh.

"Brooke, Brooke," Haley called, bringing her friend from her thoughts and back to the real world.

"Yeah," Brooke answered her, shaking her head from side to side as to shake the daze she was in.

"I was just asking you what kind of drink you and Olivia wanted," she told her. "The waitress is here," she said as if it was the most obvious thing and she gestured to the woman standing next to her at the table.

"Oh, sorry," Brooke apologized, her cheeks feeling a little flush. "I'll have water and just an apple juice for the little girl, please."

"We'll have that right up," the waitress told them as she walked off to fill their drink orders.

"Auntie Rachie, color with me," Olivia demanded, as she put her children's menu in front of the older woman's face.

Brooke laughed at her child and how Rachel was so easy to comply with her as if it was nothing. Then she turned to Haley. "When is Jamie coming?" She asked her. "Is he not going to be joining us for dinner?"

Haley looked up from her menu to meet Brooke's face. "He should be here any minute. The guys know he is little and has to eat. Right Nathan?" She asked her husband as she glared at him. She wasn't too happy about him dropping Jamie off in the first place, he was supposed to watch him.

"Right," Nathan answered. "Skills said they would bring him by here like thirty minutes ago so it should be any time now."

"Good," Brooke smiled. "I cannot wait to see him. There is no way his pictures did him justice."

"Well I could say the same for Olivia. She's absolutely gorgeous. She's totally you made over," Haley gushed to her friend.

"Well I'll take that as a compliment," Brooke continued to smile.

As Nathan and Haley began chatting amongst themselves, Brooke found herself staring out of the plate glass windows that lined the front of the café. She was looking at anything in particular, just looking. She saw a little blonde boy running down the side walk; he couldn't have been more than four. Following him, she recognized Skills, so she knew it had to be Jamie. But before she could open her mouth to anyone, another figure appeared from around the corner of the building. A figure she would have known anywhere. It was Lucas Scott.

Seeing him, it was as if Brooke was paralyzed. As much as she wanted to tear her eyes away, to run and hide, she couldn't. She was locked onto him and she couldn't let go. He looked almost the same, but better looking, more mature. His hair was spiked in the front, and much shorter than Brooke remembered. Of course the last time she had seen him was over three years ago.

Finally her trance was broken by the sound of a little boy's voice. "Momma," Jamie screamed as he ran into the café, causing their entire table to turn and look at the little one.

"Hey, Baby," She greeted him. "Did you have a good time playing basketball?" She asked him, mussing his hair.

"It was awesome," he told her, smiling and climbing up into her lap.

"Was he good?" Nathan turned to ask the men who had escorted his son into the restaurant.

"Yeah, he was great," Skills said, being the first to approach the table. He noticed the two who were out of place at the table and quickly added, "Damn Nate, when'd you get to be such a ladies' man?"

Lucas laughed at Skills remark as he came closer, still unaware of what his friend was actually talking about. He had been lagging behind, thinking as usual, and wasn't really paying much attention. But when he stepped up beside Skills he saw what all the commotion was about, and he couldn't believe his eyes.

"Brooke," Lucas choked out, completely floored by her presence, here in his mother's old café of all places. He couldn't believe she was here. And God, she looked more gorgeous than he had remembered.

She looked up from the menu she had forced herself to stare at, trying to draw as little attention to herself as possible. "Hi Luke," she said, meeting his gaze with open eyes and a warm smile.

So she's back...I know there wasn't too much going on but I hope you all still enjoyed it! I can't wait to see what you all thought! Thank you so much to everyone who left a review last time! I LOVE reading them!! Also thanks to all the readers... :) Hopefully I will have the next update up before too long, but it is my mid-term week so we'll see how it goes!

Audra