A/N: I suck. I know. But here it is, an update! The next one should be faster, because things get good from here. :) Feedback is always appreciated, but you must know that by now.

This one's for Caitlyn Rose. I did, so now you better! ;)

Passacaglia: indicates music with a recurrent harmonic progression

Someone was watching him. He recognized the sensation as he woke up, and it pulled him quickly from his slumber. He blinked until his surroundings came into focus, and he found that the person staring at him was his wife, perched on the coffee table next to the couch he'd fallen asleep on. She was still wearing her coat, clutched tightly around her, and gripping a thick, legal envelope. But she was smiling as she watched him sleep, even though it was entirely reluctant.

"Hey," he said softly, hoarsely. "You're home." He glanced around. "What time is it?"

Her smile twisted into a frown. "I would say 'time to get a watch', but I feel like we have more important things to deal with first."

"Brooke," Lucas groaned, but it was an apologetic sound.

She dropped the envelope unceremoniously into his lap. "I spent half the night with Maureen," she said simply, referring their lawyer. "I signed them already. If anything seems unfair to you, you know who to call."

He stared down at it. "I'm sure everything's fine."

"Great. You wanna sign them now?" Her foot tapped hastily against the floor in a nervous beat.

Lucas took a moment to study her face. She was calm, but he realized, upon further inspection, that it wasn't just a fake mask, put on to ward off questions. She was making her peace with this. She just wanted to do it right now, before she had any time to have her breakdown. Or maybe, he realized, as he looked at the bags under her eyes, she already had.

"This isn't easy for me, you know." He didn't want to get a divorce as a snap decision, not like this. He loved her. They had a child to think about. And while he was sure everything outlined in the papers was perfectly reasonable, he wished they had time to talk about who gets what, to say a proper goodbye, whatever that was. It was strange how they'd both somehow managed to walk out on their marriage and yet remain so very attached to one another.

Brooke seemed to read his mind, because she didn't stay anything. Instead, she pulled the papers out of the envelope and set them down next to her. She reached out and took his hand, curling his fingers around a pen, and sat back to wait. He knew they didn't need to bother with court officials and technicalities. Maureen adored Brooke; she was an expert at pulling strings and finding loopholes.

He signed on the dotted line on each of the pages that required his consent. When he hit the last one, he didn't hesitant, but he felt a strange sensation. He was both heavier and lighter. Both losing and gaining, all at once.

When he finished, his now ex-wife gathered the papers up efficiently and smoothly slid them back into the envelope. She was wearing her business face as she placed them in her purse.

Lucas didn't know what to say. He just watched her.

She pulled out a large bottle of expensive red wine. It had a twist-off cap that she undid with only the slightest amount of effort before grabbing two wine glasses that had been sitting just behind her, where he couldn't see. She poured the wine, her hand shaking a little bit. He accepted a glass from her without question.

She stared at his knee. "I'm going to go to New York," she said steadily. "To COB headquarters. Victoria's anxious to talk business."

Lucas grimaced on her behalf. Over the years, she'd learned the art of controlling her power-crazed mother, but Victoria still wasn't anyone's favourite person.

Brooke smiled sadly. "Don't worry about it. You know I can deal with her. Besides, I feel like…that's where I need to be right now. I've always thrown myself into my work after we…we break up. It's the way I heal best, you know?" She took a deep breath. "I want to take Miranda with me."

His heart skipped a nervous beat. "Oh?" he asked, his voice wavering.

"Not for too long," she assured him. "I'd never take her from you, I…I know how much you love her." She blinked rapidly and continued strongly, "I don't know how long I'll be going, but if it gets to be too long, I'll bring her back so that she can spend some time with you. I'd just…I'd like to keep her with me for right now. I want to be the one to tell her about this."

"We should do it together," he protested.

Brooke shook her head and continued to speak as though he'd never interrupted: "I also think it's a good idea for…for you. You have a lot to think about, a lot to work out. You've got big decisions to make." She exhaled slowly. "After you make those decisions, I'll send her back to you, and she can get to know Peyton."

Lucas gaped at her in amazement.

"What?" she asked self-consciously. "What did I say?"

"It's not what you said. It's what you didn't say. Why haven't you called me a jackass yet? Why haven't you slapped me? How are you so calm? Where's the screaming?"

She sighed as if she'd hoped he wouldn't ask. "Look, Luke, you are a jackass. You totally are. You married me. We have a little girl. This shouldn't be happening now. You can feel free to take all of that and shoulder the guilt."

"Thanks?"

Brooke tried to hold back a chuckle but couldn't. "But," she sighed, "I know that…I was kind of a jackass too." She smiled weakly. "I was a bitch to you. Speak of the devil, right? Me and Victoria. Apples and trees."

"Brooke, no –"

She waved aside any reassurances or protests he meant to offer up, carrying on, "I pressured you into it. From the very beginning, from that day I sat…naked in the backseat of your car…I pressured you. Into our relationship, into marriage, into having a baby. I controlled it all. The thing is that you…you were the first person who ever wanted me for me, without any…any ulterior motives. And I was scared to lose that. It was stupid, but I wanted to keep you, even though I shouldn't have because I always knew…that you loved her more. When she was gone, you had to pick me. Because it was the right thing to do." She met his eyes for the briefest of moments. "But the right thing isn't always the thing that's best for you." Her devilish smirk lit up her face, exposing her dimples. "I should know."

He smiled back gratefully. "I love you, you know that?"

She nodded. She did know exactly which ways he loved her, and which ways he didn't.

"You don't…you don't hate me?"

"Oh, honey," she said, laughing lightly. "I totally hate you." She twirled the stem of her wine glass between her fingers. "But it's not going to make you love her any less." She blinked a couple times, her brown eyes moist. She lifted her glass, tilting it toward. Her chin quivered. "To the end," she said, trying to grin.

He reached across the space between them and took her hand, looking her in the eye. He spoke pointedly as he tapped his glass gently against her. "Or the beginning."

-x-

"Knock, knock," Peyton said, leaning into the recording studio. She was tired, but nowhere near done sorting things out.

Jenny's face lit up like it used to when she was a little kid, melting Peyton's heart. "Hey, Mom!" she said enthusiastically, hopping up and running over to hug her forcefully.

"Whoa," Peyton laughed, hugging her tightly in return. "Hey, baby girl."

"It feels like forever since I've seen you."

Peyton smiled apologetically. It had been a few days. "I know, hon. But you've been busy."

Jenny eyed her suspiciously before stating, "So were you."

Peyton could feel herself blushing as Haley glanced over, her eyes a mixture of emotions. "Touché," she commented nervously. "Hey, Hales…can I borrow Jen for a few?"

"Of course you can," Haley said softly. "Hey, honey, why don't you wait downstairs for your mom?"

The teenager glanced back and forth between them for a moment. "O-kay," she said slowly, stretching out the word as she made her exit.

Haley clearly knew something. Peyton stood awkwardly in the doorway, watching as her friend took a deep breath.

"What's up, Hales?"

Haley braced her arms on either side of her legs, hands grasping the piano bench. She looked down before meeting Peyton's eyes. "You and Luke…?" It was a question, and yet it wasn't.

Peyton lifted her shoulders helplessly. "I'm not proud of it, Haley."

To her surprise, Haley's eyes filled with tears. "I want you to be happy. You and Jenny both. I'm trying so hard not to be judgmental, but this breaks my heart and…" She sighed as she trailed off. "Every time. It's a cycle, and every single time it breaks my heart because one of you always gets hurt."

The blonde took a couple tentative steps toward her. "Brooke will be okay," she promised. "I won't let her not be. Same goes for their little girl."

Haley's expression was a mixture of pride and disappointment. "And Luke? You and Luke?"

It was Peyton's turn for a sudden onslaught of tears pricking at her eyes. "I don't know, Haley," she confessed. "I've been happy before. Jake made me happy. But Lucas…he's my soulmate, but sometimes it hurts so much that I…"

"You wonder if it's worth it?" Haley predicted, her voice gentle. She folded her hands in her lap, relaxing her position. "Think about all the…all the fucking drama that has lead up to this moment. And then ask yourself, how can it not be?"

Peyton sniffled, smiling despite herself as she glanced down at the floor, scuffing the toe of her shoe. "You must be serious," she teased, "you never curse, Haley James Scott."

Haley rolled her eyes. "I want you to make good on your promise. Brooke is like your sister and she needs you." She sighed heavily, finally giving in. "And if you're really going to be there for her, then I want you to get your ass out of my studio, talk this out with your daughter, and go get your guy."

-x-

"So how's Jordan?" Peyton asked devilishly, breaking the ice as she strode down the boardwalk with her daughter.

Jenny's eyes clouded over with secretive affection. "He's good," she said shyly before giving Peyton a knowing glance. "So you and Lucas, right?"

"How…how could you possibly…"

Jenny rolled her eyes. "It's kind of obvious. So…let's talk about what we're really here to talk about. Your guy, not mine."

Peyton smiled softly. "Tell me what you're thinking. How you feel about this."

Jenny took a deep breath. "I don't…I don't know. It's just…it's weird. You never even mentioned this place. Ever. But you grew up here. Your best friends are here. You know some of my music idols personally. And about Lucas specifically, I guess…it's just obvious that there's a lot of history there. And…sexual tension."

"Jenny," Peyton sighed, exasperated, even though her fourteen-year-old was right.

"You know I'm right," Jenny insisted, voicing her thoughts. "And, well, it's weird because he's married. To your best friend or ex-best friend or whatever. It just seems kind of shady."

Peyton winced.

Jenny heaved a sigh. "I don't know. I kind of want to be mad about you, or tell you it's wrong. I mean, I know you'll take my opinion into consideration, but that in the end it's about…you. And I don't…I'm not mad, and I don't think it's wrong."

Her mother's eyebrows shot upward. "No?"

She shook her head. "It makes sense, now. All the secrecy and the lies and everything. This is the place you fell in love, serious love, not teenage-crush stuff. This is the place that made you the happiest and the saddest you've ever been." She glanced at Peyton out of the corner of her eye. "You should let it make you happy again."

Peyton inhaled sharply. "Jen," she said softly, placing a hand on her daughter's elbow and coming to a stop. She looked directly at her daughter. "Are you sure?"

Jenny's lips trembled. "No," she admitted shakily. "It seems like my life has never been as complicated as it is right now and I'm scared."

"Jenny –"

Her daughter cut her off, determination in the depths of the eyes she'd inherited from her father, at least in emotional capacity. "But I want you to try." Peyton reached out instantly, pulling her into a comforting hug. Jenny buried her face in her mother's shoulder and repeated, "I want you to try."

-x-

"Hey," Nathan greeted his brother amiably when Lucas showed up at his house that afternoon.

"Hey, bro," Lucas replied as he stepped inside. "I see you've got the Mr. Mom thing down," he added teasingly, gesturing to Sebastian, who was resting contentedly in his father's arms, half-asleep.

"Don't start with me, Prince Lucas," Nathan shot back. "And speaking of royalty, Mira's upstairs playing with the twins. Want me to get her?"

"Yeah," Lucas said slowly, "thanks."

Nathan studied him worriedly for a moment. "You're not even going to try to rebuke my comment about you wearing tiaras to Miranda's tea parties?"

Lucas smiled weakly. "Not today."

The younger Scott brother frowned. "What's going on?"

"Uh…Brooke and I got divorced today."

Nathan nearly dropped his son. "What?!" he cried, startling Sebastian. "Are you crazy? I didn't even know you two were having problems! What problems could you possibly be having? Don't divorces take time?"

"Not with Brooke's income," Lucas said simply, answering only the last of Nathan's questions.

"Tell me what's going on," his younger brother demanded.

"Peyton." One word was enough of an answer in this situation. "Look, Nathan, I know this is…sudden and crazy and…it probably seems insane. But I'm here to pick up Mira; Brooke's going to New York for a couple weeks and she's taking her with her."

Nathan's jaw dropped. "Holy –" He stopped himself, remembering that he was holding his toddler. "Damn," he growled, "I miss a lot, staying at home like this." He walked over to the staircase. "Mira!" he called, glancing over at his brother in concern, "Your Dad's here to get you!"

"Daddy!" she squealed happily as she tripped down the stairs, launching herself into his arms.

"Hey, princess," he greeted her as he lifted her up. "Guess what?"

"What?" she asked eagerly.

"I have a surprise for you." Knowing that she, like Brooke, didn't like to be kept waiting, he rushed on to say, "Mommy's going to New York, and you get to go too!" He forced himself to smile at her ecstatic expression.

Her joy faded momentarily as she asked, "You're not coming?"

"Not this time, honey," he said softly, well-aware that Nathan was still watching them, trying to fill in the blanks.

Haley walked in at that moment carrying her guitar, Jenny just behind her. "Hey," she said. Spotting Lucas holding Miranda she repeated, "Hey," with much more meaning. Her voice was subdued; neither of the men could tell what she was thinking.

She set down her guitar, reached over and gave Jenny's elbow a squeeze as if providing some support, and approached her husband and brother-in-law. Sensing how difficult it would be for Lucas to part with his daughter, she suggested, "Why don't I take Miranda to her mom? I've been meaning to check in with Brooke anyway."

Lucas could practically see Nathan trying to understand what, exactly, she meant by her comment. He kissed Miranda's forehead and whispered that he loved her more than anything into her small ear, and reluctantly handed her over to Haley. "Thanks," he said quietly, knowing that this was her way of telling him that she was going to help make this okay.

Her eyes smiled though her lips were set in a frown. "Peyton's looking for you, I'm sure," she said mutedly.

His eyes widened with shock, and travelled through the house until they settled on Jenny. She was paler than usual and she looked particularly tired. Lucas had stopped to consider his daughter's wellbeing many times, but he had yet to really think about Peyton's daughter's. There was a moment of horrible doubt before Jenny inclined her head in the subtlest of nods.

And he knew he had all the blessings he needed.

-x-

Peyton wasn't just looking for him, she was waiting for him, pacing back and forth in front of his house as dusk descended on the small town they'd both grown up in. She ran her hands through her hair nervously and sighed for the infinite time.

"Hey."

She spun around when she heard his voice. "Luke." She breathed out his name in relief, like a prayer of a solution to an impossible problem.

He smiled softly, taking a couple steps closer to her and resting his hands on her hips. Her hands found their way to his chest, gripping at his collar like she always had. She took a deep breath and leaned forward slightly. Their foreheads rested together.

Her voice was delicate and vulnerable; she spoke looking up at him through her eyelashes, which were fluttering madly, partially hiding her heady green eyes. "Are we really going to do this?" she whispered.

Lucas felt as though he'd been waiting years for this moment, to see the setting sun illuminating her golden locks like a halo, her breath mingling with his in the late-evening heat. He grinned and felt her relax, leaning into him. "Baby," he breathed, his voice deep and packed with everything he'd been holding in, "We were always going to do this."