I want to thank everyone who reviewed last chapter. I appreciate it and I'm glad it was taken better than the previous chapter. Lol. Hope you guys enjoy this installment! I just wanted to shout out to a few people who motivated me to make sure this and the last chapter were good!

Chelsea—I appreciate that you took the time to review both chapters. You wrote so much and honestly, I appreciate everything you wrote. You took the time to put the thought into it and I thank you for that. You are tough, but I like that. You're one of the first people to challenge me—so thank you. I respect all the feedback you gave.

DANI OTH—I love your reviews. I appreciate how you review everything I do. You are the best! I hope everything is going better with you and looking forward to your update! Thanks for always keeping me motivated to write!

Dianehermans—you are such a loyal reviewer so thank you for always writing!

And to everyone else who has reviewed and taken the time to read what I have, thank you. It is appreciated and all feedback is welcome! If I got reviews like you all give all the time I'd never stop writing! Lol. You guys are all seriously awesome! So please continue to read and review and I hope I continue to please!

The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful
Stop me and steal my breath.
And emeralds from mountains thrust toward the sky
Never revealing their depth.

~L~

When Lucas got in his car to drive home his mind was everywhere. He smiled proudly at how beautiful and special his son was. He really did love the little bonding time they shared tonight. To see him smile and kick his tiny legs made Lucas's heart melt. He looked so much like a combination of his parents and definitely had his mother's affectionate side. Tomorrow he would owe his brother a big apology. Deep down he was so thankful his son had someone amazing like Nathan in his life. He even contemplated that Brooke and Alex would be better off with him.

~B&A~

"I love you." Those were the words that had kept her up for the remainder of the night and the next few following. He must have been delusional. If he loved her he would have picked up the phone every night and called her like she had tried so many times. He would have done everything in his power to come home when he said he would have. If he loved her liked he claimed he wouldn't have moved on. If he loved her like she loved him he would have planned a surprise visit like she had done.

Tell me that we belong together,
Dress it up with the trappings of love.
I'll be captivated;
I'll hang from your lips,
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above.

"You ready buddy, your daddy is going to be surprised to see us. He doesn't know we are here," Brooke said as she unbuckled Alex from the car seat. It had been a grueling drive, but they hadn't talked much. Brooke missed him and though that she would surprise him by visiting him for the weekend. She hadn't thought twice about it when she packed up her car and told Nathan where she was going.

She nestled Alex into her arms and threw the diaper bag over her shoulder. She smiled as she looked at her son and then up to the building where B.U. was playing a game tonight. "Lets go surprise your daddy," she said as she quickly made her way inside. She had decided that tonight she would tell Lucas that being away from him was too hard. Although she would miss Tree Hill she wanted them to be a family. She was going to tell him she was in love with him and finally ready to move here with him.

Lucas played well. They sat back in the corner more and he hadn't noticed them. She didn't want to distract him so she would approach him after the game. Alex was very well behaved throughout the game. He didn't cry once. He just smiled and kicked his little feet during the game as his daddy played. When the game ended she quickly picked up herself up and grabbed the diaper bag. She made her way almost to the bottom when she stopped him. He had a huge smile on his face and she thought that he had seen them and was about to yell out when she saw a young girl throw herself at him. At first she thought it was a friend, until she saw him kiss her. Her heart shattered into a million pieces as she watched him walk away hand in hand with the girl in his own little world.

She didn't try to stop him and let him know she was there. Her heart was too broken for that. She just packed her car back up and buckled Alex up. She cried the entire six-hour drive back to Tree Hill and swore that she wouldn't let him hurt her again.

Brooke rose from her bed and made her way to her son's room when she heard him wake. He was such an angel and she couldn't help but smile every time she looked at him. Today she was taking him for his first haircut. She didn't want to but everyone kept saying he looked like a girl and Brooke didn't want them picking on him anymore.

"Let's feed you and get you cleaned up," she giggled and rubbed her nose against his. "You are getting so big, my little man," she said as made funny faces and he let out little laughs.

~N&L~

"Nate, can we talk," Lucas asked as he lightly tapped on his brother's door. He was supposed to be heading back to school in the next few days and he needed to talk to his brother. When Nathan grunted 'Yeah" Lucas walked in.

Nathan made no qualms about still being pissed at Lucas for the way he behaved. He was family so he would hear him out, but as far as Nathan was concerned that's about where it ended. 'What do I owe the pleasure," he snidely commented.

Lucas put his hands up in the air, motioning that he didn't come to fight. "Thank you Nathan," was what he started out with. When he saw his brother look at him surprised he figured it was okay to continue. "Thank you for caring for Alex, for helping Brooke, for putting your life on hold. I was really selfish and I wanted to say thank you for stepping up."

Nathan was actually kind of shocked. His arrogant, self-absorbed ass of a brother was being sincere. He was almost speechless. "Umm…. you're welcome," was all he got out before Lucas spoke again.

"So listen. I told Brooke that I loved her and she doesn't feel the same. She has let me spend lots of time with Alex this week, but I think it would be best for them if I just go away. They are happy Nate and I don't want to mess that up. She's everything I ever wanted and the only person I could ever image to have my child, but she deserves so much better. I'm going to tell them good-bye this afternoon."

Nathan wasn't sure what to say. In a way he was relieved because maybe Brooke could get her closure, but he knew deep down that Brooke loved and still wanted to be with Lucas. He was the only one who knew she had gone to Boston for Lucas and he was there with her when she came home crying. He knew he shouldn't but as he watched his brother walking toward the door he blurted out, "She went to Boston for you."

Lucas stopped dead in his tracks. He was actually nervous because he had no idea what his brother meant. He slowly turned around and walked back. "What do you mean she went to Boston for me," Lucas asked.

"In October. She packed up the car and drove with Alex to Boston. She went to your game to tell you that she loved you, she was proud of you, she wanted to be a family, and that she wanted to move there with you," Nathan just blurted out. He wasn't sure why he told his brother this, but it just came out. Maybe it was because he saw the kind of love they had for eachother was a rare kind, like his love of Haley.

Lucas thought back to his games and didn't recall seeing her or Alex at any of them. Usually he would scan the crowd and see if maybe they had come without him knowing, but always failing to see them there. "Nate, she never came. I never saw her. Maybe she just got scared and…"

"She saw you with Lindsey. You had won the game and Lindsey ran into your arms and kissed you. You both left hand in hand. Do you want the exact date Luke, because I remember the broken girl who came back that day," Nathan said harshly but then calmed down. "Somewhere deep down she's still a fan of you Lucas. You just need to prove that she's the most important thing in your," but he didn't get to finish because Lucas ran from the house.

I'll be your crying shoulder,
I'll be love's suicide
I'll be better when I'm older,
I'll be the greatest fan of your life.

~B&L~

Lucas had driven for nearly three hours. How could he have been so stupid to think she didn't love him? He knew what game Nathan was talking about. He remembered that night clear as day. That was the first game he had won for the season. That was also the night that he thought he was going nuts seeing visions of Brooke and Alex. When Lindsey had rushed at him he lost focus. He had dreamt of them coming so many times he thought he was just imagining it. If only he had not been so stupid and stopped to turn around, he would have seen that she really came.

He found himself at her apartment. He could hear laughing inside and it burned his throat. He wanted to be the one to make her laugh. Jealousy overtook him when he heard a guys laugh but when he heard his sister laugh he got himself in check. He opened the door with his key and all eyes went to him. He could see that Alex must have already been put to sleep and he desperately needed to talk to Brooke.

He knew he sounded rude but he couldn't help it. "Peyt, Jake can you guys leave? I need to talk to Brooke." He saw that she was about to protest and he stopped her. "It's important." They nodded and headed out the door, with Brooke waving from the door. When she shut the door he could see that she was pissed that he threw her company out, in her place. He pulled off his soaking wet jacket from getting caught in the storm and threw it on the couch.

And rain falls angry on the tin roof
As we lie awake in my bed.
You're my survival, you're my living proof.
My love is alive -- not dead.
Tell me that we belong together.
Dress it up with the trappings of love.
I'll be captivated;
I'll hang from your lips,
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above

He didn't wait for her to start yelling at him. He just walked up to her and cupped her face in his hands. He looked into her eyes and saw all the pain surface that he had caused. It almost caused him to cry, but he had to know that somewhere deep inside that she still loved him. He quickly pulled her face to his own and brought his lips to hers. Her hands found the way to his arms, but she didn't try to pull him away. She just held on to them and kissed him back. Her lips parted and gently caressed her tongue with his own. His mouth slowly searched her entire crevice to become familiar with her again. Her taste was intoxicating and the way her body fit with his was like a puzzle. He never wanted to forget what she tasted like. He pulled away from the kiss first and just rested his forehead against hers.

She fought to keep the tears at bay, but they were betraying her. She felt his fingertips wipe them away as he whispered, "I'm sorry" to her. He never let his hands leave her skin though. She wanted to pull away, but she couldn't. He was the love of her life, but she couldn't admit that because he would just hurt her again. She kept her eyes closed. When he asked her if she loved him she couldn't answer him. She finally moved away and regained some of her composure.

"You can't ask me that anymore Luke. You are leaving again tomorrow and who knows when we will see eachother again. You can't expect me to profess my love for you every time you come home, only to walk out again. Every time you do that I lose a piece of my heart and I need to be strong for our son," she said as the tears made their way down her face.

He just stood starring at her. She had on sweats, no make-up, her hair in a ponytail, and tearstains on her face and he thought she never looked so beautiful. He hated the thought of hurting her and he was being selfish, but he couldn't leave without knowing they were together. After what Nathan had told him he knew that nothing else mattered if they weren't together. If he couldn't fall asleep every night with her and his son under the same roof than nothing else mattered. He could have all the money in the world and fame, but if he had it alone it meant nothing. He snapped out of it when she spoke.

"Luke, go back to school, get your dream, and move on. I think I am going to move to California to spend time with my family," she said honestly. She hadn't spoken to them about it, but she knew they wanted to see more of their grandson.

Lucas panicked. His whole plan wouldn't work if she moved across the country. She couldn't do this because he needed her. From nowhere the tears came to his eyes and the pleading came.

And I've dropped out, I've burned up, I've fought my way back from the dead.
I've tuned in, turned on, remembered the things that you said
I'll be your crying shoulder,
I'll be love's suicide
I'll be better when I'm older,
I'll be the greatest fan of your...
I'll be your crying shoulder,
I'll be love's suicide
I'll be better when I'm older,
I'll be the greatest fan of your life.

"Please don't leave me Brooke. I know I've messed up but I need you and Alex. Nothing else matters. I don't care about anything else in the world except the two of you," he stated. He saw her trying to cut in, but he needed to finish what he had to say. "I just need to know you love me. I've done something for you and Alex. I spent the afternoon getting my transfer papers sent back here. I don't want to be away from you and Alex anymore. None of it matters without you. I'm coming back for you. Please say you'll stay and be with me since I'm coming home for you. I'll help you chase your dreams now," he said as he sank to the floor in front of her and wrapped his arms around her waist, sobbing into her stomach.

He felt her fingertips running through his hair and the tears from her eyes falling on him. "Please Brooke, stay," he begged.

The greatest fan of your life.
...greatest fan of your life.

So what did you think? Review and let me know. I really like it when you guys give me feed back so I want reviews! Lol. Hey it has made me update faster!

.