Hearing the keys click annoyingly close to him, Lucas flipped over in his bed and squinted at the glowing light in his room. His girlfriend sitting there, hair in a high pony tail, glasses perked on her nose and a pencil laid tight between her lips. She was concentrating way too hard for this early in the morning.

"Linds," he groaned flipping in his bed and pulling his pillow over his head. "What are you doing up? It's Saturday."

"I haven't really…slept…" she mumbled out, jotting notes on the pad beside her, she groaned and moaned at ever second that passed.

"Why? Because I'm pretty sure I could sleep all day after last night," he smirked, wiggling up on the bed and resting his head on her lap. "You wore me out."

"Well you were extremely loving last night," she ran her hand through his hair and grinned, Lucas trying to hide the cringe and guilt he felt race over him. "But I have to get this article finished."

"You stayed up all night to write an article on," he picked up the pad and studied it before flipping on his back, "on the poison ruining off the grass into the river?" he chuckled and ran his hands over his face. "I love you, babe and you're a great writer but I'm not sure that is worthy to stay up all night."

"It has to be perfect…it has to be the best."

"And why is that?"

"Because I'm writing the story they don't want, so I have to make a story that is better," her teeth grit and his brows crease. "I have to make a story that…that is readable otherwise Cyrus will fire me. I have to write something amazing... And this…this isn't it…" she slammed the laptop shut and fell back against the head rest. "I don't know what to do."

"Write something that isn't about river pollution."

"I can't…"

"Why? If Cyrus wants you to write an article, write it. You're a great writer, write something else and you can get some sleep."

"I can't Luke…"

"Why?"

"Because he wants me to write about, Brooke," her hand's go up and he removes the pillow from his face. "He wants me to write about Brooke."

"What do you mean he wants you to write about Brooke?" he eased up on the bed to look at her confused. "Why would that even be an option? What is so interesting about Brooke?"

"She's the small town girl of Tree Hill who is now a movie star. She puts this front up of the sweet, kind, small town girl who stumbles out of clubs in her spare time, people would love that story. People want to know about her, people want to know her."

"You aren't writing anything about Brooke," he ordered, more bite in his tone then he meant. "She is not putting up a front. She is a kind person, she loves her family and friends and someone snapping a photo of her walking out of a bar does not define her. No matter what you put in that article they won't know her, they will judge her. And you, her friend, her friend that she is oh so excited about to hang out with tonight,won't put her on blast."

"I told you I wasn't going to, Luke. I made it very clear I wasn't. I might lose my job over it, but I wouldn't do that to someone. Someone that I know you care deeply about," she eased up on the bed and his eyes widened. "She's your family…like a sister," she spoke and he released a dry laugh swallowing hard. "Lucas, I love you and I love Tony and Rachel and Haley…and I wouldn't do that to yall's friend."

"Enough people write about her…"

"And I know that. The only way I'd ever write an article about her was if we sat down and she told the world what she wanted to know."

"She won't and you won't ask her…"

"Lucas, I know," she touched his shoulders and gave a smile. "God, I'm sorry ok. I didn't mean to upset you, I just…I wanted to write a damn paper about river pollution."

"I know, I'm sorry. I just…" he pulled her hands from his face and gave a smile. "I'm just grumpy when I wake up. You know that…I'm going to go take a shower ok? I'm sorry," he pressed a kiss to her lips and smiled. "After we'll go to breakfast. I know a good place."

"Sounds perfect…"

"Ok," he kissed her one last time before walking to the bathroom.

"Ok," Lindsey fell back onto the bed and frowned. "Ok…"

Dribbling the ball against the warm pavement, his feet glided around as he shot. He needed to clear his head, he needed time alone because he was almost positive he was going insane.

A week.

She had been back a damn week and his mind was already in a million difference places. He was glad she was home, everyone was glad she was home because it was her home, but he really didn't know what else he felt about it. Out of nowhere his world seemed to flip on its axis and not one person had a clue…not one person knew.

"I'll never understand this sport," he heard behind him, catching the ball that bounce back to him and spinning around to face the voice he knew so well. "But I imagine the way you and Nathan feel about it is how I feel about music."

"Which is?"

"It's calming," she shrugged causally swaying her way toward him and hopping up on the bench beside the court. "It's the only thing you can do when your mind is completely at ease. I don't think when I play music, I just play…I relax."

"Been looking for something to relax about lately, Hales?" he took another shot, it sinking in and bouncing back toward him.

"My life is pretty damn perfect right now, so no…" she laughed and he released a chuckle that both knew wasn't real. "How long have we've known each other, Luke?"

"Uh, I don't know…forever…" he continued to dribble the ball and move around the court. Unsure of where she was going with this or why she looked so serious. She just talked about how perfect her life was, so he knew she wasn't upset.

"Yeah, forever…so you would consider us good friends?"

"Probably the best…" his brows creased as he tucked the ball under his arm and started to move toward her. "What's up, Hales? Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," her eyes lifted to his and slowly it all clicked to him.

"Hales…"

"It sucked when they left…it sucked so bad, but Nathan and I didn't end like you and Brooke…and we didn't stay done…"

"It's been four years, Haley."

"And yet you still look like you got kicked in the gut every time she steps into the room," she rose up and grabbed the ball from his hands. "Lindsey and I had coffee earlier…" she started to move around the court and bounced the ball. "Told me how upset she was because she had upset you."

"She didn't upset me…she just…blindsided me with this article she wants to write about Brooke. This bullshit story about her like she has any clue about her."

"She doesn't want to write it, Lucas. Her boss asked her too, but god forbid someone speak ill of your Brooke," her tone rose up and Lucas released a dry laugh shaking his head. "Lucas, I love Brooke. She is my best friend and I'm so proud of her. And I won't lie to you I missed her so much."

"I know you did, Hales."

"But I still remember what happened and how it happened and I still remember the look on your face when she pulled out of that driveway. I never knew it was possible to see someone's heart actually shatter before that moment," she sighed and his eyes dropped to the ground as he dropped back onto the bench behind him. "And I've watched that heart break every day until last week."

"Haley I love Lindsey," he made clear because he did, he loved that girl. She was perfect and amazing and everything he had ever hoped for.

"I know you do…that's what scares me…" she stepped over and eased back down beside him. "You and Lindsey are everything that's right. You two are so in sync. You finish each other's sentences and have the same goals in life. Same ambitions."

"Why do I feel like you're about to say but?" he released a dry laugh, Haley twisting to face him and rested her hand on his arm with a frown.

"But you and Brooke…" she breathed out and his head drops. "It was like fire…you challenged each other, you fought, you didn't think twice about disagreeing…you were passion. You knew each other. I mean, you truly knew each other inside and out…deep in yall's soul and the way you would look at each other sometimes…god, it was beautiful."

"It was young…" he whispered out, but both knew his words didn't seem to convincing. "We were young. Brooke…Brooke was meant to be something…be someone, she and I in the end never would have worked out."

"Then walk away…" she spoke slowly and his jaw clinched as he stared at her. "You hurt her the other day Lucas and I don't think you meant to but you did. There is a tension there between ya'll that we all feel and if you don't get it in check Lindsey will start to also," she ordered, rising up she sat the ball down beside him and slowly started to move back toward her car.

"I didn't mean too," he called causing her to pause and face him. "I didn't mean to hurt her. I know being back isn't easy for her…I just…I don't know how to interact with her. I mean, how do we go to being friends?"

"You don't," she told him honestly, Lucas inhaling a breath because he was afraid of that. "That passion…that love, those memories…you two won't ever be friends Lucas."

"Then what do I do?"

"You call your girlfriend, because she is really upset and after that…well after you get dressed, you meet us out and you realize that the girl across the table from you isn't yours anymore and she isn't the girl that left you. So stop being mad at her," she bit out and he slowly nodded. "See you later."

"Later…" his hand offered a wave, before he stood up and started to dribble the ball. Figuring then maybe at least one person knew how he was feeling.

"I told you I was taking the summer off until I figured everything out," Brooke spoke to her agent as she moved around her kitchen. Nathan sat perched at the bar as he watched her pace the room. "I told you I needed this time away."

"Brooke, you can't just take a summer off. You have been releasing movie after movie between the show and if you stop now people are going to forget who you are."

"Daniel don't be so dramatic, people won't forget who I am. I have 'Midnight Summer' coming out in just a few weeks. If I film something now it's not like anyone will see it until next year."

"No shit, Brooke, but I have been getting scripts sent to me daily since you been gone. It's not about your fans, it's about the directors and casting agents. It's about them wanting you now. You take off this summer you won't have anything else released for close to eight months and that is when the show starts airing again. Midnight Summer isn't going to put you on the map of remembrance."

"I loved that movie," her tone sharp as he dropped against the counter. "I feel that was some of my best work. The character of Jane-"

"No one cares about that character, Brooke! No one cares about your skills. You're still young, they want to see your pretty face and you running around in some not very approving outfits."

"I told you I don't want to do those dumb horror, damsel in distress movies anymore. I want people to know I can have depth and that I can act."

"This is why I hate working with young people sometimes. You can't start requesting projects until they know who you are and you definitely can't turn anything down right now, Brooke."

"Watch me," she growled into the phone and slammed it on the counter. Running her hand through her hair she moved over to pour herself a glass of wine, chewing on her lip as she stared at the glass before her.

"B," Nathan spoke carefully behind her. "Are you ok?"

"Fine," she spun around with a bright smile and took a sip of her drink. "You just…you know how Daniel can be. Money, money, money."

"Yeah, well he can't make any without you, so don't let him talk to your anyway you don't want. He's not in charge of your life or your decisions."

"No, but I'm in charge of if he gets paid or not. I don't work, he doesn't make a profit and I get that, but…but I really want to prove I'm good at what I do, Nate. These things he keeps sending me aren't at all what I think will prove that. Like, look at this one," she grabbed a script he sent her that he swore she would be perfect for. "My character is the girlfriend…which is fine, but literally every scene I'm in a bikini or my underwear. Though I like the movie, I don't want that role."

"It does seem like I cool movie," he read the first page and started to flip through it. The base of it being about a son who realizes his step father isn't really all he seems to be and by that he means he's a serial killer. "But I get about your character. She does seem a little…"

"Of the sex object?" Brooke finished for him and rolled her eyes. "I don't mind wearing a skirt if they ask, but a least let me have a gun and shoot someone. Don't let me be helpless."

"Then don't take it…Brooke you are an amazing actress. You don't have to prove that to anyone. Look at your work, look at your last movie. Daniel can say what he wants, but you played Jane like a true A-lister. "

"I just connected with her and I loved her. She had a backbone, she had strength and brains and she was amazing."

"And people will see that, B. Don't listen to him. People won't forget you or your talent. It speaks for itself," he reached over and gripped her hand and smiled.

"Thanks, Natey," she gave his a squeeze back and leaned forward. "I don't know what I would do without you and your confidence in me these last few years."

"We're a team, Brooke. We left a team, we did it as a team and we're back as team," he stressed and she slowly nodded getting the hiding meaning in that.

"Haley tell you that Lindsey wants to write an article on me…" her brows lifted as she took a long sip of her drink. "Apparently her boss has been bugging her about it."

"Well, is she going to do it?"

"She doesn't really need my permission," Brooke shrugged knowing people wrote stuff about her all the time and never asked her thoughts on it. "But Hales said Lindsey doesn't want me knowing about it because she isn't doing…yet I don't want her to get in trouble with her boss. Everyone writes about me, why risk my friend's job because she is told to?"

"Friend?" Nathan stood up and walked to refill his own glass. "Would you consider her a friend? You have only known her a week, Brooke."

"Yeah, but I mean…I mean she is yall's friend and I do really like her, Nathan. Plus, I figured I could have input in what she writes, you know? For once it's not just some paper about what they think, but what the truth is."

"I like Lindsey, Brooke, I do, but I also don't trust her boss. She could write an amazing piece on you, but her boss might not like this sweet cookie cutter small town girl who got out. He could easily change any detail he wants and not even tell her."

"I guess…"

"Just be careful, Brooke…I'd hate you get burned again by some bullshit article," he told her and she slowly nodded biting her lip, knowing Nathan was usually right and he always looked out for her.

"I will, I promise, but like I said, I really trust Lindsey."

"That's so weird," Nathan mumbled to himself as he rose to answer the doorbell. He also really liked Lindsey, she was great for his brother, but it didn't change the fact how close Brooke was seeming to get to her was weird. "You don't normally get that close to your ex's current."

"I don't look at it like that," she called back to him as she listened to him greet their friends, well the ones who showed up. Staring at the scripts before her, she frowned and chewed on her lip. Maybe she should just take it, not like the money didn't suck. Plus, she truly had fun acting, she loved being on set, she loved the people and the crew and all of it. She just didn't always like the roles she took, but she probably put that blame on a certain blonde boy that seemed to constantly be in her head.

"No!" she squealed as her body got lifted in the air and suddenly she tumbled into the warm pool water. The strong arms tight around her small waist as they started to surface. "Lucas!"

"What?" he laughed running a hand over his face to remove the water from his face and shook his head. "I tripped."

"You tripped?!" she yelled, placing her hands on his head and shoving him under the water, releasing a laugh when he came back up and threw her again. "Broody! Stop."

"You keep coming at me," he defended, moving toward her and pulling her from the deep end. "I'm sorry, I'll stop."

"Good…" she circled her arms around his neck as they floated in silence. Her hair sticking to her face and make rolling down her cheeks and he swore she was still the most beautiful girl in the world. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what? This is always how I look at you…"

"I know, but still," she turned her face away from him and rested it on his shoulder as he held her close. "I've missed you…" she whispered after a long silence, causing his arms to tighten that much more around her. "A lot…"

"Ditto," he released a dry laugh turning his head to kiss the side of her head. "But you did great. You killed it in that play, Pretty Girl."

"You think so?" she wondered of the play she had done the last month. She had joined theatre last year because they said she needed an 'art' class to graduate and on the list of them theatre seemed less time consuming. Yet what shocked everyone was not only how good she was at it, but how much she really enjoyed it. Yet she was so good she got to fly out to New York for school to participate in a play that was apparently a really big deal. Brooke just hated how much she really didn't like how ditzy her character was and when it came to them picking certain actors to try out for a big showcase she wasn't picked and swore it was because how flat her character was.

"Of course…"

"I feel I could have done better," she frowned pulling back and tracing her finger across his collar bone. "I hated the role, but it was all they had to offer. Yet, I feel if I had a real character I would have been picked. I feel like maybe if I had just waited and gone for next month's showcase I would have gotten it."

"Well, why not try again?"

"We have to wait a year before we can. I was just so excited and nervous that I rushed it and I know that. Plus, Mrs. Cate said I would be perfect as Tara, shows what she thinks of me, huh?"

"Pretty Girl," he brushed her hair back and lifted her chin to look at him. "If you don't agree with a role don't take it. You don't have to rush into stuff because you're afraid you might not get another shot. You are great at it. You work will speak for itself, not the number of roles you take."

"I just want to show depth. I want to show passion and my range and everything."

"Then do what you want. It's your name Brooke, your craft and your reputation, if you don't feel it don't do it because if you aren't into it you won't be able to connect to the character anyway."

"True," she rolled her head back to bit her lip. "I think I might take off of doing it for my senior year, though."

"What? Why? You love theatre."

"I know, but this is my last year to do cheer and everyone is on my case about how I'm spread too thin. I just don't know if I can do cheer, theatre and be student body President all at one time. We have the rest of our lives to pursue our dreams. I'm only going to be a senior once."

"Hopefully," Lucas teased and her jaw dropped. "I'm kidding, baby I'm just kidding."

"You better be Mister," she playfully splashed water in his face and he chuckled. "Or when I'm rich and famous I won't buy you that fancy little mustang you've always wanted."

"Oh is that so?"

"It is. I can see it now, you'll be a fabulous writer and I will be the apple of your eye as the best actress of my time. We'll have a house secluded away from everyone and a big backyard."

"Obviously so the kids can run around," he smirked and she grinned leaning her forehead against his. "A pool for you to relax by and I watch and a fireplace in the bedroom."

"So we can make love by it every night," she smirked and he smiled giving her a light kiss. "We're going to have it all Broody. I feel it."

"I don't doubt one second you're destined for greatness Brooke Davis. You just always make sure you keep this amazing heart of yours," his hand rested over her heart and she slowly nodded. "God, I love you so much, Pretty Girl."

"Ditto."

"Brooke!" a loud clap echoed through the silent house and her head snapped up to find the room staring at her. "You ok crazy girl?"

"Yeah," she cleared her throat and shoved a smile as she twisted around away from them to knock a stupid tear building in her eye. "Just cleaning," she placed the wine glasses in the sink and ran some water in the clear crystal.

"Well you ready?" Tony slowly moved toward her, studying her as she spun back to face him. "You still want to hang out right?"

"Of course, Bubba, why wouldn't I?" she looked at her friends then back at him. "Let's go, I'm sure everyone is already there waiting."

"Ok…" he studied her a moment longer before looking at Nathan who just shrugged unsure. "Let's go," he slid his arm across his sister's shoulder and started to steer her toward the front door. "I don't know if you know but there are a few people waiting to finally see you."

"What? Like who?"

"Guess we just have to go and find out," he grinned, knowing she would be excited the people they were about to see. Brooke suddenly getting her hyper-self back as she skipped out the door clapping her hands and squealing, "I love surprises!"

Hope you enjoy! Please review!

And don't worry, more Brucas will be happening soon!