"Didn't realize how scary quiet this place was when I'm alone," Brooke frowned as she sat on her couch. Listening to the ticking clock in the background and wanting to throw it at the wall. She hated silence, she hated it more than anything and she just wanted some noise.

She wanted Lucas.

Easton was with Rachel for her normal weekend visit, Lucas was she assumed at his apartment and she was sitting there. Alone.

Flipping her phone out and slid the lock and hit the two on her phone. Bringing it to her ear she let it ring over and over and swore it was a lifetime before he picked up.

"Hey Pretty Girl…"

"Hi…" her voice cracked and she sunk into the couch. "I miss you…"

"I miss you too…" he frowned knowing he didn't like this little arrangement. It had only been going on a week and he hated it. They had been together a few days, however, he woke up early today and got off extremely late so figured he would just crash at his apartment. He didn't want to wake her and Easton. "Why are you up?"

"Because I'm lonely…" she mumbled out and bit her lip. "I promised Rachel last week she could take Easton for the weekend and now…now I'm just sitting here," she glanced around the room. "I don't like this house anymore…it's too quiet…"

"Oh Pretty Girl, I wish you would have told me he wasn't going to be there. I would have come over. I just figured it was going to be late and didn't want to bother you."

"You'd never bother me," she told him quickly.

"Well…I'm finishing up on some things but could head over there in like an hour…"

"Yes!" she lit up at that and started to grin. "Finish what you have to and come over."

"Alright. I'll text you when I'm leaving."

"Ok, great," she grinned standing up from the couch. "I'm going to run to the store real quick to grab some ice cream and something.

"By yourself? Brooke, it's late…"

"I'm a big girl and I want ice cream. Just finish your stuff and get over here," she joked and heard him chuckle. "I love you. I'll see you soon."

"See you soon…" he grinned before hanging up.

"Ok," she enjoyed the feeling in her about seeing him again. Finding it so weird that she could miss someone so much and it just being a day. She saw him yesterday, but that seemed like a lifetime to her.

Grabbing her purse off the counter, she skipped toward the door and out into the driveway and climbed into her car. Pulling out of the long driveway she headed down to the closest store, it really only being about five minutes away.

Parking the car, she hit the lock on the door and moved down the sidewalk. Wrapping Lucas's jacket around her she cut her eyes to the right and froze. He looked so different. She wasn't sure why, she wasn't sure why he would change his appearance but he looked different. Not only did he look different but he looked completely worn out. Like the weight of the world was on his shoulders and everything was grumbling around him. He looked weak. And that in itself made her feel stronger than she had in years.

Going against her better judgment she turned on her heels and moved into the cold empty diner. His gaze staring hard at his coffee cup as she dropped before him. Those blue eyes shifting up and widening when he caught her before him.

"Brooke…" he slowly pulled back looking at her. Swearing if he blinked she would suddenly be somewhere else.

"Little late to just be sitting in some diner…" she crossed her arms over her chest and he cleared his throat shifting around.

"I don't really…I mean I don't really stay anywhere," he mumbled out and she resisted letting her heart feel bad for him. "Sorta stay with some friends…motels…"

"Why are you here Carter?" she pushed to know and he glanced down at his cup. "You've been gone months. Why are you coming back now? Now when everything is so perfect for me?"

"Brooke…"

"I am happy Carter," her voice cracked a little as she looked at him. "I have a good job and great friends and this amazing man who loves me…loves me for all the corks and issues I have, that you always made me feel guilty for and now you are coming here and trying to ruin it!"

"I'm not trying to ruin it Brooke," he held his hand up to make her calm down a bit. "I just want to know him…"

"You had years to know him and you spent it drowned in a damn bottle," she growled and he closed his eyes. "The same bottle which is the reason our little boy won't ever get to meet the most amazing man out there," her eyes swelled up with tears at the mention of her big brother. "You took him away from Easton; you took him away from me."

"I know, I know I did…"

"And I may forgive you for pushing me or hitting me or…or making my life shit," she reminded him of things he really didn't want to think of anymore. "But I swear I will never forgive you for killing him."

"I know what I did Brooke. I know, he isn't here anymore because of me. However, you can't keep Easton away because you hate me."

"No I can't…but I can keep him away from an abusive alcoholic…" she stood up and placed her hand on the table, getting his attention to look her in the eyes. "I'm not afraid of you anymore…" she told him, and he swore he never saw such coldness in her eyes before. "I'm a good mother and I'm not scared of you anymore," she made clear as she spun on her feet and away from him.

"Brooke!" he called and she paused at the door. "Do you really love him?" he questioned and watched her head drop as she turned to look at him. "Lucas…do you really love him?"

"There is only one thing I love more than him and that's Easton," she let him know and he felt like someone had stabbed him in the heart. "And I can assure you, I've never in my life loved anyone the way I love him," she watched the pain flicker over him. "Push me Carter…keep pushing. I'm not that scared girl anymore. So do it, because I'm not running and hiding this time," she hissed before spinning out the door. Blowing out a long breath she didn't realize she was holding before climbing into her car and heading home.

Walking on the back porch, he looked at the girl who sat in the chair. Her legs tucked close to her as she sat sipping the warm liquid. They hadn't talked in over a day, but in reality he knew that stopped talking months ago.

"Is it ok you drinking that?" he nodded at the cup in her hand, really not up to par of all one could and couldn't do while pregnant. He knew the basics but nothing really other than not smoking and drinking. Thought he saw once somewhere there was a rule on coffee.

"It's fine," she shifted in her chair as she stared out over the city. "The doctor said I'd have to drink pots of it a day for it to effect the baby," she told him and his eyes closed and heart tightened.

"You've already been to the doctor?" he wondered slowly moving toward her.

"A few times," she continued to stare straight ahead. "Brooke went with me and the times she couldn't Haley did and the times they were both busy I took myself," her eyes cut over at him and he felt the chill run down his spine.

"Quinn…"

"I don't want to fight," she held her hand up quickly. "Because that is bad for the baby."

"I'm not wanting to fight," he eased down beside her and carefully slid his hand over hers. "I want to say sorry," he said and she slowly looked at him as tears swelled in her eyes. "I want to apologize for not noticing something was up. For not asking and pushing to know and for some reason not knowing…" his eyes trailed down to her stomach hating himself for not knowing she was pregnant. He should have known. He shouldn't have been so caught up in other things that he let the one thing he loves more than anything suffer. "And for not being there when you went to the doctor and when you found out. I should have been there. I should have noticed…"

"It's ok…" her voice cracked looking at him. "I just…I don't want to do this alone Clay…" she confessed and his eyes closed. "I know we talked about kids at one point and I know right now isn't ideal but I can't do this alone."

"You won't…" he told her quickly. "Quinn, I am happy about this. God, all I've ever wanted was babies with you."

"Yeah?"

"Of course," he said not getting why she didn't know that. "And I will be there. I will be at every doctor's appointment and every midnight craving and rub your feet when they get sore and tie your shoes when you can't see your feet," he said and she laughed. "Because this will be the healthiest baby ever and whatever you want you get. I don't care what it is…"

"Want to see him or her?" she asked and his eyes widened. "I have a picture."

"Yes. Yes I want to see it…"

"Ok," she leaned over to grab her purse, digging through the large object before locating the small photo inside. "Ok…they were twisted weird but you can see here," she pointed to a small spot and he squinted. "That's his or hers nose," she told him and he slowly started to smile. "That is the shape of his head…and I think she said this was an eye," she explained and he stared at the picture and slowly took it from her.

"That's our baby?" he whispered and she slowly nodded. "God, they are this big so soon?"

"Four months Clay, by this point they have fingers, toes…soon he or she will kick…a lot happens in four month," she frowned and he sighed. She wasn't trying to hurt his feelings, she didn't want to but she just wanted to shake him. Make him realize she was there, they were both there.

"Can I go to the next one?" he wondered looking up at her and feeling his heart pound in his chest.

"It's next Tuesday," she told him and he started to smile.

"I'll be there," he looked back at the picture and smiled. "What happens next week? What more do they look like?"

"I don't really know," she laughed a little placing her small hand on her stomach. Truly excited and relieved he was excited about this. "Other than listening to their heartbeat I kinda lose focus of everything else. Every time I hear that I just…it's so real then…"

"You've heard their heartbeat?" he questioned and she released a dry laugh. "I've missed everything…"

"You can be there now," she placed her hand on his and gave a gentle smile.

"I'm so sorry for everything Quinn," he apologized. "I've been so caught up with everything and everyone else I let you get lost in the shuffle. I let both of you get lost…"

"You're here now," she pointed out and he nodded. Making a promise then to never risk losing what he loved most again.

Tapping his finger on the couch, he waited for his girl to return home. He had gotten there about five minute ago and was honestly disappointed she wasn't home yet.

"This house is pretty quiet, huh Coop?" he ruffled the small dog's ear who yawned and snuggled into his couch. Lucas laughing some before hearing the key in the lock and the front door push open.

"Luke?" he heard her sweet voice and he quickly stood up and started moving toward the foyer. "Broody, are you here?" he heard her drop her keys and kick off her shoes as he turned the corner and grinned.

"Hey Pretty Girl…"

"Boyfriend!" she grinned excited jumping of the small ledge and moving over to him. Wrapping her arms tight around his neck as she smashed her lips into his. "I've missed you," she mumbled along his lips and he chuckled.

"Missed you too," he pulled back and brows creased. "Where is your ice cream?"

"Oh…" she ran her hand through her hair and shrugged. "Got halfway there and realized I wasn't really in the mood for ice cream…"

"Oh really?" his hands planted on her hips as he swayed her backward. "What are you in the mood for?" he smirked and she giggled rolling her eyes.

"I don't know Boyfriend…what did you have in mind?" her brow kinked and he chuckled capturing her mouth back with his. Him taking full advantage of the empty home.

"Mmm…" she collapsed on the bed with a slight giggle and knotted her hand in her hair. "I needed that…"

"Oh, well so glad I could service you," he rolled his eyes and wiggled up beside her. His body feeling drained as he fell beside her.

"You know what I mean," she tugged the sheet up her body to twist and face him. "It's been over a week," she ran her hand through his hair. "And I've been so tense the last few days, I just needed this. This relaxed moment of just being with you," she rested her hand on his chest knowing though it had only been a day since seeing him; they hadn't really spent much time together. He worked late and by the time he got home, she would have had such a long day with Easton she would promise to watch a movie to fall asleep within the opening credits. Or she would be talking to him and he would be so exhausted with work he would accidentally fall asleep while talking to her.

"You just enjoy sex," he joked and she giggled flipping herself over on top of him.

"I do enjoy it," she agreed, leaning down and giving him a kiss. "I love you, Lucas Scott," she ran her finger across his cheek as she looked at him. "I love you…so much and I want you to know how happy I am with you. Even with all the drama and bullshit going on, knowing that I wake up every day knowing it's beside you and having you to come home too, it make everything else that is going on ok."

"Well everything is ok," he curled her hair behind her ear and pulled his gaze back to hers. "Everything is going to be perfect Pretty Girl. You just have to trust it, trust in me and in us. Things are going to be ok."

"I know they will…" she agreed and watched as something flickered over him. A look of complete seriousness as he stared into her eyes and she giggled some. "What has you looking so serious Boyfriend? Where is your mind at?"

"Marry me," he whispered and her eyes widened as she pulled back.

"What?"

"I know it's quick," he told her because he knew this was pretty fast. They hadn't been together that long. "I mean, we've known each other not even a year. Had many up and downs and really only technically been together a few months," he addressed because he knew all that was very true. "But I love you," he whispered and her eyes dropped down. "You and Easton are the best thing in my life and the moment I saw you with him I knew that there was no one in this world I wanted to be the mother of my child."

"Luke…"

"I knew at some point I was going to ask you…why not that point be now?"

"Because things are so hectic right now," she pointed out. "I don't want you to just be doing this because of Carter and what he had said. I don't want you to rush into this because he panicked you."

"Firstly, he didn't panic me," he informed her first. "His little threat isn't pushing me to do this. Secondly, Brooke we just bought a house together," he waved his hand around the room and laughed. "How much more serious could we be getting?"

"That is a good point…"

"My feelings for you are what makes me know this will last forever, makes me know that I don't want anyone else but you," he said and she slowly smiled. "And this…" he shifted on the bed and glanced around the room for something. "Shit…didn't plan this through…hold on a sec," he rolled out of the bed and she laughed.

"Luke…where are you going?" she watched him pull one of the sheets with him as he jogged out of the room. Her biting her lip waiting for him to return, hearing him move around the whole house. Hearing the garage open a moment and her brows creased to what he was doing. "Baby?" she called with a small laugh as she leaned on the bed to peak out the door.

"Give me a minute!" she heard him yell back and she collapsed on the bed as she waited. Thinking over the whole situation that was happening. Yes, she loved him and figured at some point in the future they might get married, however she never imagined it was this quick. They really only had been together a total of maybe eight months, not counting the weeks they had broken up over the last year. But she loved him, god did she love him.

"Ok…" he came back into the room and she wanted to laugh at how excited he looked. He looked like a kid who just got an A on some test and was very proud. "Don't laugh at this," he crawled up on the bed and slowly opened his hand.

"Luke…" she felt her eyes tear up as she looked at the small object. It being nothing more than a piece of red wire bent in the shape of a heart and a piece of long wire wrapping around it to make into a small ring.

"I know it's nothing…I mean, a piece of wire but I promise to get you something else. Something better…"

"I don't think anything is better than this," tears formed in her eyes as she looked at it. It was so simple, yet still meant so much to her.

"Ok let me start over," he climbed off the bed and took her hand to sit on the edge. Slowly moving to his knee as he took her hand in his. "You ready?"

"Yes…" she laughed brushing her hair back as she looked down at him.

"Ok, like I was saying," he pulled in a long breath and relax himself from all the running around the house. "I love you Brooke, my feelings for you won't ever change. Unless it's them getting stronger," he told her and reached to knock the tear. "I love Easton and I want him to be my son and I want to give him brothers and sisters and more dogs if they want," he waved his hand and she giggled. "And I want to give you all the things you ever wanted. I want to spend the rest of my life taking care of you…"

"Luke…" she ran her hand over his cheek as she gazed down at him.

"I know the situation now isn't ideal and I know when I planned on doing this, it wasn't exactly like this…but it doesn't mean it's not real. It doesn't mean that I don't want this more than anything in this world. I want you to be my wife Brooke," he said and her voice broke with a small laugh. "I want to be your husband and I really don't want to wake up anymore with you not there. So please," he cleared his throat and took her hand in his. "Please don't over analyze this like I know you are and please just marry me," he pleaded and watched as she had a million things run through her mind, however none of them being what he could read. "I'll get you a real ring at some point, but this is really all I got…" he rushed to tell her as he looked at the small wired ring.

"No…" she answered and his eyes snapped up to hers. His body tensing a bit as he pulled back slowly. "I don't want another ring," she slowly started to smile and his entire face lit up. "We've been through a lot you and I…" she whispered and he slowly nodded. "And even when I was sure there was no hope for us to get through it you were…and I want all those things you want and I want them with you," she told him and he started to smile. "And I want this ring," she nodded at it with a shrug. "And when I'm old and gray I still want this one…"

"Then I'll give you two," he reasoned and she rolled her eyes with a small laugh. "As long as the next word out of your mouth is yes, I don't care what the ring is."

"Yes…" she laughed cupping his cheeks and bringing him up for a kiss. "Yes baby, god yes," she mumbled against his lips as he continued to kiss her and slide the ring on her small finger. Them collapsing back on the bed and Brooke swore in the moment her life was perfect.

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