It was later on that night that Karen Roe came home to find her son entangled with a sickly looking Brooke. Sighing from both exhaustion at work, emotional exhaustion from worrying over the girl in front of her, and the constant worry that she may or may not be pregnant with her dead fiance's baby, she chose to leave the two contented teens alone as she went into the kitchen to make dinner.

As guilty as it made her feel, she wondered if perhaps she shouldn't trust her son with the fragile girl in the next room. She had seen the cheery brunette flee from her home in tears too many times. Even if Brooke left before Lucas could see her tears, Karen always saw the girl remain in her parked car, shoulders shaking with sobs, for at least half an hour. Karen knew that Brooke did this for several reasons; she really did not want Lucas to see her cry, she wanted him to come after her, and she didn't trust herself to drive in an emotional state.

The one thing Brooke did not need now was another heartbreak, and she wasn't quite sure that she could trust Lucas to refrain from breaking Brooke's heart, as much as she wished she could. She was broken from her reverie by a gentle knock, and then the arrival of Haley James-Scott.

"Hi, Karen," Haley greeted. "I stopped by to see Brooke."

"She's asleep in Luke's room," Karen explained. "She had a really rough day."

Haley's forehead crinkled with worry. "How rough?"

"I haven't gotten a chance to get the details," Karen said, starting to wash the vegetables. Haley dropped her purse and began to help as well. "But from what Lucas explained earlier, she collapsed and she was puking for hours."

"Poor thing," Haley sighed. "I brought her some schoolwork, and a few magazines."

"How's Nathan doing?"

"Oh, he's doing great," Haley said with a smile. "He should be able to come back to school tomorrow. He just needed a little extra rest."

"I'm so glad," Karen beamed. "If you want, I can go wake Brooke and Lucas."

"Oh no, let them rest," Haley said. "I should get back to Nathan anyway. Goodnight, Karen."

"Goodnight, Haley."

Several minutes after the door slammed, a befuddled looking Lucas stumbled into the hall. "Hey, Ma."

"Hello, son," she greeted sweetly. "How's Brooke?"

"Still tired," Luke yawned. "Today was...it was really scary."

"There will be many days like today," Karen warned. "Do you think you can handle that?"

"Of course I can," Lucas said defensively.

"It's just...you're very young, and this is very complicated."

"I know that, Ma," Lucas said through gritted teeth. "What are you trying to say?"

"I just...I want you to tread carefully. Don't get involved with something you can't handle, because you'll just hurt her in the end."

"Jesus, Ma," Lucas protested. "I love her. I really, truly do love Brooke."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you upset," Karen said tiredly. "I just worry. I've seen her cry in our driveway too many times, and she's too sick to handle that, Lucas."

"I know," Lucas sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'm trying to make it right."

"Luke?" Brooke's small voice called from his room. She began to sound afraid. "Luke?!"

"Coming!" he called, bounding off down the hall to the brunette lying in his bed. Karen watched him go and gathered all the hope she could muster that this would all turn out okay.

When Luke slid into his doorway, Brooke was still asleep, but clawing at the sheets beside her, her face twisted in fear.

"Brooke," Lucas said calmingly, crawling into the empty space and letting her grab onto him. "I'm right here. It's all okay."

"Don't leave," she mumbled into his chest. "Don't leave, I love you."

Lucas paused everything, all movement, all breathing. "I love you too, Brooke."

She sighed, cuddling closer to him. Lucas felt her forehead worriedly, but was pleased to see that it was cooler than earlier, and that maybe she was not quite as sick. She had said she loved him. Sure, she had been sleeping, but she had said that she loved him. He was getting closer and closer to making things right again.

Brooke's cell phone began to ring from the nightstand, and Lucas reached for it in an effort to keep it from waking Brooke.

"Hello?"

"Uh, hey, is Brooke there?" a deep, clearly male voice asked.

"She's asleep," Lucas said shortly. "Who's this?"

"Can you tell her Chase called? From her History class?"

"Uh, yeah. Sure."

"Thanks, bro."

The line clicked off, leaving Lucas wondering who the hell Chase was, and why he had never heard of him. Brooke began to stir in his arms, waking up with a small yawn and a cat-like stretch.

"Morning," she mumbled cutely, blinking her big hazel eyes.

"Morning," Lucas replied with a smile. "How are you feeling?"

She paused and considered this question for a moment. "Hm. Certainly not awful," Brooke said. "Much better than before."

"I'm glad," he said softly, pushing her now-dry hair out of her face. "So, are we gonna have that talk now?"

"Sure," Brooke said with a sigh, lying back down. They were both turned on their side, facing one another.

"I'm really, really sorry, Brooke. I had no right to say those things to you, no matter how angry or hurt I was. I just...I really hope that you'll let me be here for you. I'll take you any way I can get you, Brooke."

"It's okay. I mean, it was really scary. And please never do that to me again, or so help me God, I will kick your ass. But, I understand why you were angry and hurt. I should have told you the truth."

"I was more hurt that you felt that way," Lucas said. "I mean, I was hurt that you believed that the second I found out that Peyton had feelings for me, I'd up and leave you. You mean so much more to me than that, Brooke. I thought you finally knew that."

"Part of me knew that," Brooke began, "but part of me kept it in the back of my mind, that you didn't call me once on your trip, but when I was with Peyton, she had a missed call from you."

"I called her to check on her, because of the shooting," Lucas said, ashamed.

"But you could have called to check on me, too," Brooke reminded him softly. "It just hurt, that you were always saving her. I was going through tests and being diagnosed, and I honestly would have told you everything, if I felt like I had your support to begin with."

"Of course you had my support."

"Not really, Lucas. There wasn't enough room in your mind for me and Peyton. She won out over me," Brooke said sadly. "I tried really, really hard to make you happy, after you lost Keith. And I know how hard it was for you, and I know that maybe I'll never understand what it's like. But, I was your girlfriend. And I just needed you to show me a little bit of care."

"I'm sorry I made you feel that way," Lucas croaked, fighting back tears at the realization that he hadn't shown Brooke how much he really loved her. "Can I ask you something?"

"Go for it."

"Do you still love me, Brooke?"

Brooke paused, closing her eyes. Slowly, she began to answer. "Of course I still love you. When I broke up with you, I told you that I always would, remember?"

"Do you love me enough to give this another try?"

"I-"

"You don't have to decide now," Lucas said, noticing her alarm. "I just...I want you to consider that option."

"Luke..."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have gone there."

"No, Luke, listen to me," Brooke laughed. "I might not have a lot of time left. I might end up leaving you whether I like it or not. I can't give you always and forever like Haley can give Nathan. But, I can give you here and now. I can try."

"What are you saying, Brooke?" Lucas asked hopefully.

"I'm saying that I love you, Lucas Scott," Brooke said, her eyes beginning to fill with tears. "And I'm all yours, if you'll take me."

Lucas didn't answer her; he simply brought a gentle hand to her face, wiping away the tear that fell down her cheek. He brought her in for one tender kiss before rubbing his nose against hers, in their trademark eskimo kiss.

"I love you too, Brooke Davis," Lucas whispered. "And you're all mine."