Brooke wasn't sure what to make of Lucas being back. She just stood in the spot where she was was and looked at him. He was asking if it was okay to stay and she had no answer. She just smiled and said "I'm really tired. I'm going to lay down."

Lucas didn't expect her to welcome him with open arms, but he didn't expect her to be so distant. He watched her walk to her room and he was at a loss for words. He looked at Nathan and he just shrugged his shoulders. "Do you want to bring her a drink or do you ant me to" Nathan asked.

Lucas jumped at the request. "Yeah, I got it" he said as he walked to the kitchen. Nathan had to run to practice so he asked Luke to keep an eye on Brooke. As Nathan was about to walk out the door Lucas spoke up. "Hey Nathan, thanks" he said. They both knew that the thank you was for more than letting him get her a drink. It was for all the time Nathan had taken care of Brooke while he was away. Nathan just smiled and nodded to Luke before heading out.

Lucas was nervous to enter her room. This was the first time he had ever been nervous with her. He knocked lightly on the door. "Hey Brooke, can I come in?" "Sure Luke."

He came into her room and set her glass on her nightstand. He couldn't help notice the picture of him and her closest to her bed. He remembered that day; it was one that he had thought about every day. She noticed him looking at the photo. "How have you been? When do you go back to California" she asked almost detached.

He was hurt. He knew she would have doubts, but he wasn't going anywhere. He decided to just be honest. "I've been miserable. I missed you and I was stupid to leave. I just didn't know how to handle everything." He waited a second to see if she would say anything, but she didn't. "I'm staying Brooke. I'm not going back to California, I shouldn't have gone in the first place." He just looked at her, hoping she would say something, but she didn't. He wanted to sit with her, but he didn't know if she would let him. He decided he would sit on the bed beside her. She didn't stop him until he tried to hold her hand.

"Luke, I told you not to come back. I want you to go back to California and be happy. I don't want you to be here because you feel pity on me."

"Are you done" he asked. When she just nodded her head he continued. "I can't go back to California because I'm not happy there. I'm only happy when I am at home in Tree Hill and with you. I'm not here because I feel pity for you. I am here because I love you and there is no place else I want to be. I'm going to be here every day to help you fight this disease. I just need you to do one thing for me, please" he asked.

"Anything, Luke" Brooke replied and took his hand in hers.

"I want you to promise me that you will never give up. That you will fight harder than you have ever fought in your life to beat this. That you will let me be here with you to help you fight" he said pleadingly.

She was so overcome that the only thing she could do was pull him into a warm embrace. She whispered into his ear "I promise Luke. I will fight. If you want to be here I'll let you help." He held back his tears because he needed to be strong for her. "There is no where else I want to be. I'll be here to help you fight because we have a future that is already planned out Pretty Girl."

"I'm so tired Luke. Will you come lay with me." He pulled away from the hug and kissed her. He didn't deepen the kiss because he wanted her to rest. He pulled back the covers some more, kicked off his shoes, and pulled her close. "Sleep baby girl," he said as he kissed the top of her head. She said, "I love you Lucas, always and forever" before falling asleep in his arms.

Lucas watched her sleep. He felt her shiver and pulled the covers up around her more tightly. She looked as beautiful as ever. She had lost some weight and cut her hair, but he still loved every ounce of her being. He was tired, but he couldn't bring himself to sleep. He wanted to watch her, to hold her forever. He knew that he was her hope, and he was going to do everything in his power to keep her fighting.

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It was amazing how much Brooke's spirits had picked up in the last few weeks since Lucas's return. Even though Victoria was angry when he left, she was grateful that he was here right now for her daughter. It was a rare occasion that the both of them were ever alone, but on this particular day Brooke had them she wanted to do her chemo on her own. Haley had dropped her off and was going to pick her up. Victoria decided she would use this time to have a conversation with Lucas. She knocked lightly on Brooke's door and entered. Lucas was cleaning up. "Hey, Lucas can we talk for a few minutes." Lucas looked a bit nervous but agreed. He followed her to the kitchen.

"What's up Mrs. Davis?"

"Please call me Victoria, Luke. Would you like some coffee?" He agreed and she made a cup and placed it on the table before sitting down with him.

She noticed how nervous he was. "I just wanted to thank you for coming back Luke. You just being here is helping her."

"You're welcome. I would do anything for Brooke, Victoria. I love her very much. I just wish I could do more."

"You're already doing plenty Lucas. That's actually why I wanted to talk to you. I spoke with Brooke's doctor yesterday and he said that he was surprised at how well her treatments were going the past few weeks. Brooke's body is finally responding well to the treatments, and I have you to thank. I know Brooke said she wasn't giving up the fight, but I think deep down inside she was. I know that you and your brother had a falling out before you left, but make it right. You are family and you both have become like sons to me. I have so much to thank him for as well. If he had left when you did, I don't think Brooke would have done so well."

He was very happy that Brooke was responding well to the treatments. He knew that he needed to make further amendments with his brother. He just couldn't help feeling a bit jealous that Victoria liked Nathan so much and he been there for Brooke, when he had abandoned her. "I have to ask you something and I need a honest answer" he asked her.

"Sure."

"If these treatments go well, will Brooke beat this? Will the cancer go away?"

"If these treatments go as planned then Brooke will go into remission. There is a chance it could come back, but we are hopeful that because Brooke is young that she will be cancer free."

Lucas smiled a little bit. "Victoria I am going to make sure that Brooke beats this. I want to marry her and have a family with her one day…if…if that's okay with you" he asked, but not caring either way. He would be with her no matter what anyone thought.

"Lucas, it would be an honor to have you in the family….one day. You make my daughter very happy and that makes me happy. You are a bright, talented young man."

They sat and talked for a while. Brooke came through the door to hear the two of them laughing in the kitchen. They hadn't heard her come in. She stood back for a moment and just watched them. It was nice to see them acting like a family, her family. Her mother was the first to notice her. "Hey honey. How was you're appointment today?"

"It went very well. And for the first time I don't really feel all that tired. I actually wanted to talk to you, well both of you about something."

She saw their faces turn to confusion. "It's nothing bad, well at least I don't think so."

"Okay hunny, go ahead."

Lucas pulled his chair over to hers and held her hand. "Well as you know I have been getting better. Well the prom is coming up in a few weeks and I would really like to go, well if Lucas wants to go that is." She looked at him and smiled. Not just a small smile, but a Brooke Davis dimpled smile that melted his heart.

"I'd love to bring you" Lucas said and kissed her quickly on the mouth.

Her mother looked at her and smiled. "As long as you are feeling up to it, I don't see why not."

"Fabulous because I kind of already called Peyton to go look at dresses with me. I know we don't have a lot of money, but I have some that I saved from my job that I can use."

"I'll pay for your dress" Lucas said.

Brooke got kind of embarrassed and almost mad. "No Luke. I can pay for my own dress. I don't want hand outs."

"It's not a hand out because I offered to do it. I want to do it."

"No" she said.

He knew not to argue with her. He would just give Peyton the money and make her buy the dress Brooke wanted. This was her night to shine and money wasn't going to be an issue.

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Brooke and Peyton had found the perfect dress. It was a long red dress that was fitted on the top, flowing at the bottom, and strapless. Peyton had refused to let her pay for it. Brooke argued with her because the dress was three hundred dollars. Brooke didn't have enough money for it, and tried to find another. When she turned around she saw Peyton paying for it at the counter. She was almost as bad as Lucas!

Tonight was one of the rare nights that Lucas stayed in her room and they were alone. Nathan and Haley had taken Victoria out and Lucas and Brooke decided to stay behind. He had put on a movie for her and put too many blankets on her. He didn't want her to get sick. She just wanted to kiss him. Her and Lucas had not been physical with each other in over three months. When she had tried he told her no because he didn't want to hurt her. He knew that she was more fragile since her treatments. Tonight she wasn't taking no for an answer.

He knew something was on her mind when he crawled into bed with her. "What are you thinking about" he asked. He was thrown for a loop when she kissed him with so much vigor and want. He knew that if he let her keep kissing him like this, he wouldn't be able to stop. It was hard trying to resist her. He had wanted her so much more than he thought possible, but he was trying to get her better first. He pulled away almost out of breath. "Brooke, I told you we couldn't do this yet. I promise we will, but I want you to get better first."

She pulled away from him and hopped out of the bed. "Brooke where are you going" he asked. She stood on the side of her bed and discarded all of her clothes. 'God she is such a goddess' he thought to himself. 'No idiot, don't think like that. She needs to get dressed before she gets sick.' "Brooke you need to put your clothes on. You're going to get sick. Please come lay back down."

She was going to stand her ground. She wasn't a fragile doll and she was tired of everyone treating her like a sick child. "No Lucas, I won't. I'm not a child who is going to take orders. I'm a girl who is in love with her boyfriend. I'm a girl who feels like you are disgusted to touch me since I was diagnosed with cancer" she said as a tear slid down her cheek.

He was shocked. She thought he was disgusted to touch her. How could she ever think that? Most of his thoughts were of her and how much he wanted her. He was kind of ashamed that how he acted made her think that. He pulled himself out of the bed and walked over to her. He took her face securely in his hands and kissed her. If Brooke Davis wanted him to prove that he wasn't disgusted by her and he wanted her, than he would show her. He was going to prove to her just how much he loved and wanted her.

To all of my faithful readers---thank you all for the comments. I appreciate them. I do not have plans to kill off Brooke, just so you all know. I'm just putting some obstacles in the way before the end. Let me know what you think.