Happy birthday Liz!

Hope you enjoy!

:)

"I'll see what I can do," he gave a genuine smile and Lucas tried not to feel happy for it. He really wasn't good at asking him for help.

"Thanks Dan," he shifted a little in his chair. "I know you don't really do stuff like this…"

"Lucas…" he held up his hand to cut him off quickly. "You're my son," he reminded him, Lucas still not used to hearing that over the last few years. He and Dan weren't close, far from it but he wouldn't lie to the fact that he saw Dan trying over the last few years. "You need my help and I'll help."

"Thanks…" he forced an uncomfortable smile and stood up. Standing a moment longer before giving a nod and heading towards the door.

"Lucas…" Dan called and he slowly turned to face him. "I've met Brooke," he stated and Lucas again gave a confused nod. "I like her, she is a very sweet girl," he told him and again he nodded. "And her son…Easton…"

"Yeah…"

"Maybe we could all get dinner together sometime," he suggested and Lucas paused a moment on how to handle that. "I'd really love to meet him."

"I… I don't know," he said and watched the man before him frown and glance down.

"That's ok…" he shrugged, a pain tightening in his chest.

"No it's not that," Lucas told him quickly. "It's just… Brooke and I…well we aren't really together right now."

"But I thought… I mean the Carter stuff," he grew confused to why Lucas would ask him to do what he did if he wasn't with her. "I thought it was…"

"No," the blonde shook his head. "I just don't want him around her. I don't find his reasoning for being here is legit. I don't trust him. However right now, right now Brooke and I aren't…"

"You two will be ok," he gave a gentle smile and went back to looking over his paper.

"How?" Lucas questioned, Dan looking back up at him. "How do you know that?"

"Because you seem to love her," he shrugged, like that made it that simple. "And love…well love can make things happen. You just have to trust in it, trust in each other and it will be fine," he told him.

"Dan…" he spoke again gaining the older man's attention. "If…if Brooke and I figure things out, I'm sure she would really like you to meet Easton."

"I'd like that," Dan gave him a smile. "Now why don't you take the rest of the day off. Maybe see if you can work on that trusting stuff."

"K, and thanks…again," he told him, his father giving a nod before going back to his work. Lucas spinning on his feet and heading out of the office and towards the elevator. Honestly thinking every conversation he had with Dan it go less and less awkward and him actually kinda enjoying that.

(-)

"Quinn…" Clay knocking on his girlfriend's office door and she glanced up at him.

"Hey honey," she flashed him a large smile. "Come in," she rose from her seat and he walked in shutting the door. "What are you doing here? I thought you were going to lunch with the guys…"

"We were, hey," he gave her a quickly kiss. "But we were, or did," he walked over and sat down beside her on her leather couch. "But I need to talk to you."

"Ok, what's up?" she placed her hand on his leg with a smile. "Clay…" it started to drop, not liking the look on his face. "Clay, what's wrong?"

"I saw Carter today," he told her, her eyes widening. "We were out at lunch and he just…he was there."

"Oh my god," her hand came to her mouth. "Did he see Easton?" she questioned and he slowly nodded. "What happened? Did Easton recognize him?"

"No, he didn't have a clue who he was," he rushed to tell her, watching that calm her just a bit. "But we were with Luke and, well East called him dad."

"Called who dad?"

"Called Lucas dad," he told him and swore he watched his girlfriend's heart break.

"That poor baby," she shook her head, feeling her heart chip. "He doesn't understand."

"No, no I don't think he understands what a dad is, but he thinks it Lucas. And Carter was not happy about."

"Carter is never happy about anything," Quinn pointed out, swearing Carter was bipolar. "But what are we going to do Clay? I mean, did you tell Brooke?"

"No," he told her quickly. "No, I can't. It will make her panic and she does not need that right now," he told her, swearing one more thing goes wrong for Brooke and she would explode. "But I honestly don't know what to do."

"I don't know," Quinn frowned, offering a half shrug. "I agree Brooke doesn't need more to stress about, but at the same time she needs to know he is here Clay. What if he tries something? What if he tries to see Easton?"

"He would be stupid to try any of that," anger built in him at the thought. "But I'm going to watch him some, ask around, figure out what he is doing here. Once I know that then I will talk to Brooke."

"I don't want him around either of them Clay," she told him. "I don't know how much more she can handle."

"I know," he pulled her into him, hating how much she stressed about her friend. "We will figure it out," he promised kissing the top of her head. "Everything will be ok, I promise."

"Easton?" Brooke's eyes flew open when she heard a noise. Knowing he little boy had a new formed habit of climbing from his bed at night, however usually when he did he would just crawl into bed with her. Throwing the covers from her body, she threw herself from her bed and cracked open the door in her room, pushing open his door to see him sleeping as sound as can be. Walking slowly into the room she noticed the clock on his wall ticking close to midnight and her baby just lying there so at peace.

Leaning down she kissed the top of his head, smoothing out his blonde hair and tugged his sheet over him. Walking back and easing the door shut, she started to move towards her bedroom when she heard something crash, a mumbled shit and she grew confused. Recognizing the voice quickly, she'd know it anywhere and when she caught the smell of his cologne her heart quickened as she slowly shuffled down the hall to her kitchen.

Hitting the light on the room and her brows knitting together completely confused. "What are you doing?" Brooke wrapped her robe around herself standing in the dim lit kitchen.

"Fixing the sink," he shrugged so causally, crawling out from under to look at her. "I told you I would and now I am."

"Yeah well you told me a lot of things that I figured aren't going to happen now," she crossed her arms over her chest. Really confused to why he was there, why he was there at midnight and why he was just randomly fixing her sink.

"Well no worries because I am," he leaned back under and tightening the screw. "And I went to the store earlier," he said finishing up the sink and crawling back out standing up. "I got Easton those crackers he likes and you some coffee because we both know you aren't the friendliest without it," he said wiping his hands on a rag and tossing it over his shoulder.

"Lucas…" she frowned shaking her head.

"And thought maybe we could go to the park in the morning," he shrugged leaning against the counter. "Or to a movie or something, I don't know anything," he asked, his voice dropping to one that sounded pleading.

"Lucas why…why are you here?" she dropped her shoulders looking at him. "I mean the last time…" she swallowed the lump in her throat. "The last time I saw you…you…" she bit her trembling lip.

"Brooke…" he moved quickly in front of her. "I'm sorry, god I'm sorry," he shook his head, wishing he could do that whole night over.

"You treated me like they do," a tear trickled down her cheek as she looked away from him. "Like I was nothing," her voice cracked.

"But you are something," he grabbed her hand, pulling her close to him. "God Brooke you are everything to me. I didn't want it to be true and I wanted to just erase you from my life and everything and I tried that night. God I wanted to because I wanted to feel nothing but I couldn't. I need you and Easton in my life," he told her and she let out a dry laugh.

"And what? You just randomly decided this?" she questioned. "Because that night you were pretty sure you didn't want me around," she told him, his line of 'I wish I didn't love you,' playing repeat in her head for the last few weeks. It was hard not to. When the boy you love says that, well it sticks with you.

"Brooke…" he breathed in deep, resting his head against hers. "I love you," he whispered and a small sob breaks in her throat. "And I thought I could just get over that, but I can't. I spent the day with Easton and I realized how much I really missed that, but I still felt something else missing…"

"Lucas…" her hand planted on his chest and she closed her eyes.

"I love spending time with Easton, and I love his laugh but I love it because he is a part of you. The biggest part," he shrugged. "I can't lose you two…"

"Lucas…" she shook her head, feeling the hot liquid trickle down her cheeks. "I don't know if I can do this anymore," she told him and he felt his heart break a bit. "I told you what I was afraid of, I told you so many times and you did it. You left me."

"Brooke…"

"And I know ok, I know it's my fault. I know I lied and you got hurt but then I go to talk to you and Theresa is there?" hurt cracked in her voice and he frowned.

"It was nothing Brooke."

"But you knew!" she snapped a bit taking a step back from him. "You knew how I felt about her, how worried I was. You knew how insecure I was and yet you didn't care!" she snapped, going to shove back from him and he grabbed tight onto her wrist.

"Yes I did!" he snapped back, yanking her back. "I did care, I do," he told her quickly. "But who do you think I feel when the girl that I love just completely lies to me. Makes me look like a complete idiot in front of everyone; all because she doesn't trust in me to take care of her."

"Oh I'm so sorry I embarrassed you in front of your friends," she spit back at him shaking her head. "You know, why don't you just ask your perfect friends why they decided to take you out that night?" she tossed her hands up. "I mean don't you ever think about it Lucas? The twenty or so girls in that place and I just happen to be the one called over to your table."

"I… I don't understand…" he told her honestly, not getting what she meant.

"Ask them, ask Felix," she spit his name out with such disgust. "Because that asshole is disgusting," she gritted her teeth.

"Felix…"

"He didn't tell you that did he?" she let out a bitter laugh. "When he was going around destroying my entire life he didn't even let you in on his secret."

"What secret? What did he do?"

"You know Luke," she held her hands up breathing in a deep breath to calm herself. "It's late and I can't deal with this right now."

"No!" he snapped, grabbing her wrist when she moved towards her bedroom. "You aren't going to say that to me and run. You are going to explain to me what the hell you are talking about."

"Ask you friend," she hissed. "Because you think I made you look like an idiot, then you are going to feel as stupid as they come," she jerked her wrist away from him and spun towards her bedroom, pausing a moment before spinning to face him. "And you know what Luke," her voice cracked as she looked at him. "I lied to you because I was scared. Because I…I was so crazy about you I was so scared when you knew the truth you would leave me," she gave a broken shrug and his heart broke. "I thought I could get out and you would never know, but Felix… well he is manipulating and cold hearted bastard and if you are trusting him…well honestly I feel sorry for you. Least what I did was out of love," she let out a dry laugh, walking into her bedroom and not at all clearing up any confusion the blonde in her kitchen had.

Sorry so short, but I hope you enjoyed and promise to update and make the next one longer!

Please review!