The thumping in her ears pounded as she sprinted away from the loud music. She swore if she moved fast enough she could magically be home in her bed with her baby. Snuggled together and watching some cartoon movie he loved, hearing his laugh instead of the yells behind her.

She just wanted to be home.

"Brooke…" his footsteps heavy behind her and she questioned why he hadn't given the hell up already. Obviously she didn't want to talk to him or she would have stopped the first time he screamed for her.

Or the other thousand.

"Stop damn it!"

"No…" she mumbled, almost positive he didn't hear her as her heels clicked on the pavement.

"Brooklyn…" the deep, calming voice behind making her stop dead in her tracks, heart dropping even more and body freezing in the wind. "Stop…" he ordered and before Brooke registered anything else a hand was on her shoulder and jerking her around.

"Please just…just stop," he repeated, feeling her tremble in his grasp as his eyes scanned over her. This couldn't be happening, this couldn't be true. There was no way the girl he was so crazy over, so ready to admit he was falling for and the girl he spent an amazing night with the night before was somehow standing in front of him. She looked so different then the other times he saw her. Her hair was curled with glitter and her tight red corset looked almost suffocating as she shivered in the cold. This wasn't the girl he cared for, this wasn't her. There was no way it was her.

"What?" She yelled yanking her arm away from him, "What do you want?"

"I want you to talk to me! You owe me that; you owe me an explanation to all of this. I don't get this, I don't understand…" He trailed off running his eyes all over her body taking it in and again noticing how it looked different then it had the night before, how her skin had droplets of sweat, how her chest was raising and falling fast and how her entire self just seemed to shoot walls up around her, shut herself off from him.

"Why are you here?" She questioned, "You are not supposed to be here, you were never supposed to find this out."

"But I did! I am here and I don't get it. Why are you here?"

"Because this is what I do," she shrugged letting out a dry laugh. "This is what I have to do to take care of my child," she growled, her heart pounding so hard in her chest it made it hurt.

"But if you would have told me. If you said what it was you did I would have helped you. I would have taken care of you and Easton."

"I don't need you taking care of us. I don't need your pity!" She yelled, "I take care of him just fine," she hissed spinning on her heels away from him.

"Clearly since you are a stripper!" He yelled but the words didn't even cross completely from his lips before his cheek got a sting shooting through it.

"Don't you dare!" She growled in his face as tears started to form in her eyes, "Don't you dare tell me I don't take care of him!"

"I didn't mean that," he shook his head wishing his words didn't come out how they did. He knew she took care of Easton, he didn't mean to even say that he was just shocked. He didn't expect to see her tonight, never in a place like this.

"I maybe a stripper and I'm sure as all your friends will now say and probably even you a whore but I am a damn good mother. Don't you dare ever tell me that I'm not!" She said her voice cracking as tears spilled from her eyes, "I'm a good mother."

"I didn't say you weren't."

"No but you thought it. Everyone in there thought it!" She shoved her finger at the building, "God this wasn't supposed to happen," she ran her hands over her face so embarrassed, feeling as if her life was crashing around her.

"But it did happen," Lucas stated and her neck snapped around to look at him. "How could you do that?" he asked in disbelief looking at her.

"Easton is my everything," she growled, her little fist tightening into a ball. "I lost Will, Carter left and I had nothing," her voice cracked looking up at him, not getting why those blue eyes that used to get her so much now looked at her as if they've never seen her before. "The diners job wasn't working and I had bills. I did what I had to get by," she informed him. "We all can't be given everything," she hissed, her eyes running up and down him making him let out a dry laugh.

"You don't even halfway know me," he let out a hurt laugh shaking his head, not believing the girl he cared so much for would throw something like that at him.

"And clearly you don't know anything about me," she tossed her hand up towards the dark nightclub.

"No," he shook his head, looking at all the pain on the girl before him. "I do and that's what scares you," he gave an angry shake spinning away from her.

"I am not scared!" she snapped as his body started to leave from her.

"Yes you are!" he yelled spinning around to face her. "You are scared to ask anyone for damn help because you hate the thought you are relying on someone!"

"You don't know anything," tears trickled down her face looking at him.

"I don't?" he let out a dry laugh looking at her. "I'm going to walk away Brooke, I'm going to head home and in your…your twisted up mind, you will spin it around to where I'm the bad guy," his fingers curled and face scrunched at the thought. "I'm the one who messed up when it was not my fault," he informed her, spinning on his feet and heading to his car.

"Right walk away! Walk the hell away," she let out a bitter laugh, reaching up before he got too far and shoving him forward. "Walk away because we would not want to ruin Lucas Scott's perfect boy image would we? Wouldn't want the world knowing he dates a stripper!" she shoved him again, him whipping around to face her so fast it made her stumble backwards, hitting a crack in the pavement and making her heel snap.

"Are you kidding me?" he asked, pain flying all over his face. "You think I give a fuck about that? You lied to me!" he yelled and her mouth snapped shut. "I have always been honest with you and you lied to me," his tone lowered and he slowly shook his head. "God damn it Brooke," his voice cracked as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Lucas… I… I'm sorry," she apologized, her heart hurting more in that moment than any other moment in her life. Suddenly the night truly crashing around her and all she wanted to do in that moment was find a way to stop it, stop him from leaving her.

"Me too," he let out a hurt laugh shaking his head. His eyes scanning over her one last time before he finally shook his head and walked away. The image of the man by the door making her shiver, the man who was truly the reason she stopped to beginning with.

"Clay…" her voice shattered as she saw all the disappointment in his face. "Clay, I'm so sorry," tears started to move faster down her face.

"It's ok," his arms circled around her fragile body as she started to sob in his arms. "Let's go home, huh?" he suggested, feeling her nod. Everything still not making sense to him at all. Just knowing in the moment he couldn't yell at her, couldn't get onto her and say everything he was thinking. The last thing she needed at the moment was that, her heart was breaking; he wasn't going to add to it at the moment. "Let's just…let's go home," he shook his head, his arm staying secure around her shoulder as he led her to the car and headed home.

"Touchdown!" Will threw his hands up excited, slamming the ball on the ground as he ran his victory lap around his best friend. "Damn man," he chuckled, wiping the sweat from his face. "You're getting slow…"

"I can't help it," Clay held his arm to his stomach as he yanked in a breath, feeling it as it burned all the way down. "Quinn has been practicing all these new dinners and they are good as hell. She said she wants to learn to be domestic," he joked and he let out a laugh.

"Maybe he could teach Carrie something," he suggested, grabbing the water bottle off the bench and spraying the water into his mouth.

"You kidding me?" the blonde raised a brow with a laugh. "You have a cook on staff."

"I know but they just make Carrie that nasty shit, I want some home cooked meal," he explained missing homemade food. "Brooke tries to sneak food but Carrie finds it and then bitches at her. Bitch," he grumbled, truly starting to hate the future Ex- Mrs. Jones.

"The divorce will go through soon. She can't not sign the papers forever," he slapped his best friend on the back, knowing Carrie was making him go insane.

"Oh she swears she can," he let out a deep chuckle. "If I mysteriously die one day you look into that shit," he joked making her friend break out into laughter.

"Alright man," he shook his head.

"I don't want her having anything Clay," he turned serious looking at his friend. "At first I didn't care, anything to get rid of her but now…after how she has treated Brooke?" he shook his head not believing it. "It will be a cold day in hell before I let that woman get a damn thing."

"No one messes with your Brooke…"

"Damn right," he teased. "She's just been through a lot lately," he shrugged. "I messed up protecting her before but not now."

"Carter wasn't your fault Will…" Clay frowned; hating his friend blamed himself for that.

"It wasn't yours either but doesn't change we both don't still blame ourselves," he pointed out and Clay nodded again. "Speaking of the little devil," he teased, looking at his phone, seeing his baby sister's name pop up. "Hey Crazy Girl, how's those cramps feeling?"

"They hurt Willie," she pouted into the phone, rolling over on her side and staring at the wall. "I have a bad feeling inside…"

"And why is that?" Will asked, always finding his sister's weird feelings so funny. She had so many weird feelings it was almost humorous, however she was always so sure about them he learned not to tease…well that much.

"I don't know…maybe you and Clay should just come home tonight," she suggested, thinking that was just the best idea ever.

"We are just going to get a beer, Penny," he shook his head at his sister's thoughts. "We just finished working out then going to the bar, having one beer and heading home. No worries, you're just jealous you have to stay home."

"I'm tired of staying home," she mumbled, so sick of having to just lay around the house. "The doctor said I was fine."

"I know, I know he did but it makes me feel better you just resting for a few days. I don't want to upset my nephew too much," he teased and pictured her rolling her hazel eyes. "But we will be home soon and after that little guy pops out Clay and I both promise to watch him one weekend so you and Quinn can go out and have a girls night," he promised, looking at his best friend, who held a look of completely panic.

"We will?" he looked unsure and his friend laughed shaking his head.

"Thank you Willie, you are the best!" she grinned big. "I love you big brother," she yawned a bit, snuggling into her warm bed.

"Love you too," he chuckled, hanging up his phone.

"We are going to watch him all weekend?"

"A night," he repeated. "This is new to us too, we will start with baby steps," he teased and his friend laughed. "You think maybe we should just head home? It is kind rude leaving Quinn and Brooke with Carrie all day."

"Yeah but then we have to deal with her," he teased and Will laughed with agreement. "Why not go, have one beer and then go home? Least then we can have a little tingle before we listen to her bitch."

"Sounds like a plan," Will agreed. "If I have to get bitched at tonight I'm going to need a drink, a serious drink."

"Right behind ya," Clay agreed, following his friend as they headed to the car.

"I don't care," Clay growled into the phone. "I know what it says and I know what he wants but you've had plenty of time to find a loop hole. Clearly there isn't one so settle damn it," he snapped at the older man annoyed.

"Mr. Jones had strict orders to his will, Clay. You know that, unless certain things are fulfilled by law I can't do anything."

"He made those rules because he thought he would be around longer!" he yelled, tightening the pen in his hand.

"I know, I know Clay. Yet you, yourself stated you wanted Carrie to get little, we settle…we settle now she will get most."

"He was going through a divorce," Clay rubbed the creases in his brow. "Legally he was trying to cut ties with her."

"And legally he passed before he did," Martin frowned on the other end. "She is still legally Mrs. Jones."

"Just…just find a way to get the money to come through," Clay begged. "Will wanted Brooke to finish school before she got what he left her but she can't truly go to school with no money and a child. Just…just figure it out."

"I'll see what I can do sir."

"Yeah," Clay dropped the phone on the receiver, rubbing the tiredness from his eyes.

"Clay…" Quinn walked into the room, pulling her robe around her body. "Honey it's almost three o'clock, come to bed."

"I can't right now," he scanned the papers before him, swearing there had to be something he was missing, what he didn't know.

"She's home Clay, she's in bed and asleep. Nothing tonight is going to change," she looked over at the papers before him. "It all might start making more sense with fresh eyes in the morning," she pointed out, sliding on the arm rest of his chair and massaging the tension in his shoulders.

"Maybe," he dropped his head, his eye lids feeling like a million pounds as he glanced back at his desk, the picture staring right at him.

"He wouldn't know what to do either," Quinn whispered to the man she loved so much, knowing the pain inside him at the moment.

"He wouldn't have let it get this far," he looked at his smiling best friend, feeling his chest tighten.

"He always made it look so easy."

"He made everything look easy," Clay let out a dry laugh. "Damn it," he rubbed his eyes. "I wish he was still here," he admitted, Quinn knowing how much Clay missed his best friend. The wounds were still fresh in some ways, and after Will died Clay was too busy taking care of everyone else he forgot himself.

"I know you miss him," she kissed the side of his head, squeezing him tight. "Come to bed Clay, this will be here in the morning," she closed the folder before him and he slowly nodded.

"Give me another minute?" he looked up at her as she stood. "I just need to look at something before and then I'll come to bed."

"Alright," she agreed, leaning down to give him a gentle kiss. Hating the look on his face as she left the room.

Pulling open the top drawer on his desk he moved around the papers and such before finding the old tattered envelope in the back. Pulling it out, he carefully opened it to reveal the letter inside, the letter he read over and over about a million times. It never however seeming to get easier.

Clayton,

If you are reading this it means one of two things, one Carrie has accomplished murdering me, or we are old and gray and I somehow kicked the damn bucket before you did. Let's hope it's the latter because the thought of her actually accomplishing something is clearly incapable.

It's pretty late now, I'm thinking it around three thirty or so but I don't have a clock. I was in bed and couldn't sleep so thought I would write this thing.

Brooke's pregnant, man. How the hell did that happen?

I'm trying to be strong for her but I'm scared shitless. She is so young, just a baby herself. How the hell is she going to take care of him or her alone? I don't want Carter around so if somehow I'm not around to take care of her I need to know you have it under control. However I don't stress too much, to this day I still swear you are superman or something. I know growing up everyone thought I was so high and mighty but it was all shit. I always wished I was more like you. The way you keep a level head that I always fail at is something I envy more than anything. I swear one day my temper will be what gets me.

I never have said thank you for all you do. I never have said thank you for that night at Carter's. It could have been bad, it could have been so bad and like always there you were stopping me from doing something stupid in the heat of the moment. You pointed out the things I should have seen myself and I thank you. I just hate him so much man. He touched Brooke, my baby sister and I feel like such a fraud. I preach my big brother status, people publish papers about how I am such a family man and it such a lie. I didn't even see my own sister was hurting.

God I hate myself.

If something happens to me I know everything is going to fall on you and I'm sorry. I know you are going to bitch about all I left in your name but it's the only way I can be sure he doesn't get a damn thing. It worries me if its connected to Brooke he might find a way and it will be a cold day in hell before I let him live off my earnings. However I know Brooke will be taken care of. I don't worry about that; you love her just as much as I do.

Make sure he doesn't stick around, she listens to you. She worries your opinion just as much as she does mine and even if she is scared you know she will come to you. You will take care of her and that is all I want because my biggest fear in life is my baby sister having a tough life. She always felt second best to me and I don't want her feeling that always. I want her to marry and fall in love and have more children with a man worthy of her and I want you to help her find that.

You're my best friend Clay, in the corny cheesy way we won't ever discuss because we are to cool for it, but I love you. You are the brother I never had and always wanted. No matter what you are always by my side, always defending me and I know I don't tell you enough how much I appreciate it but I do. You read me probably better than anyone I know, so I don't worry. You know my thoughts, you know what I would do in most cases and you know what I should do even when I don't.

I love you, man.

Will

P.S You still owe me fifty bucks from that Colts game…beating against me…jackass.

Reading over the letter a few more times Clay shook his head. It was one of many his best friend left him in his will. Apparently Will had a lot of sleepless nights and in that time he just wrote down things to his love ones he could never say to their face when he was alive. Clay hated him for that, yet like his best friend said he loved him just the same.

Folding up the letter and placing it with the rest, Clay hit the light on the desk and headed to his bedroom. Knowing that Quinn was right, there was nothing he could do that night for Brooke, but he always knew he promised his best friend he would always protect her and he would be damned if he broke that one.

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