Hey everyone! Sorry for the long time in between posts, I have been nursing on old hand injury that can make typing difficult. I'm feeling better so I was able to update (Woo-Hoo!) Now with that out of the way, I would like to say thank you to all of you that have reviewed... You rock. This story has been a lot of fun to write and reading all of your kind words has been the cherry on the top of one giant sundae. I update frequently for all of you. :)

Thank you all so so much!

Krystal

Chapter 9:

*Three Months Later*

Brooke rolled over and was face to face with Lucas, she smiled at the serene look on his face, "Wake up sleepy head."

Lucas cocked one eye open, "Do I have to wake up?" He stretched and pulled her close to him, "I was having the most incredible dream."

Brooke kissed him, "I'm sorry you know we can't this morning. We're going to be late." Brooke wriggled from his grasp and pulled the blankets from the bed.

Lucas pulled his legs to his chest and pouted, "Who's brilliant idea was it to schedule a meeting so early in the morning?"

"It isn't that early Lucas," Brooke looked at the clock on her nightstand, "Now get up Jimmy is going to meet us at the DA's office."

Lucas rolled over and groaned, "I already told them I wasn't filing charges."

"I don't think it's that simple." Brooke tickled his rib cage, "Now get up, get up, get up."

Lucas huffed and sat up, "Fine, but you owe me Davis. Big time."

Brooke stood between his legs and bent her head to meet his lips, "I always pay my debts Scott, now get that cute little ass of yours in gear." Thirty minutes later Lucas was still grumbling, but Brooke didn't care because they were now in the car. "So penny for your thoughts Luke?"

"Nope," Lucas shook his head, "I just want to put this phase of my life behind me. Nathan and I have been training together, I'm technically a free agent next year but my publicist thinks it would make a good story if I go to a few D-League combines. So that's the plan," Lucas kissed her palm, "And spending as much time with you as possible."

Brooke rolled her eyes, "When have you been training with Nathan. You have hardly left my apartment since you got out, playing NBA Live on the XBOX doesn't count either."

"I leave when you're at the studio," Lucas smirked, "Speaking of which, can I just say the yoga moves only add to your top notch sexual skills."

"I got into yoga because I hated Pilates, Lindsey used to make me go with her. I didn't see the point, now I do yoga and spin." Brooke smiled, "I'm ignoring that last comment by the way, a lady never speaks of such things."

"Who told you that you were a lady," Lucas snorted. Brooke pinched him, "Alright, alright. You're a lady... I guess."

Brooke and Lucas headed inside the DA building and stopped at the receptionist's desk, "Miss Davis and Mr. Scott to see Mr. McFadden." Brooke felt a shiver run down her spine, she turned to Lucas, "The last time I was here it was to go over my testimony for your trial."

"They did a good job," Lucas nodded, "After you testified and I had that outburst in court Jimmy told me I needed to consider taking a deal."

Brooke kinked her eyebrow, "But there was no deal, I was there when they read the verdict."

"I know pretty girl," Lucas encircled her waist, "I refused to take a deal. I hadn't killed your sister, I wasn't going to confess to a crime I didn't commit."

"Right this way please," The receptionist interrupted.

"Thank you," Lucas said with one of his signature squinty smiles as they reached the door to the conference room.

Brooke and Lucas went inside as the receptionist shut the door behind them, "Brooke Davis, Lucas Scott it's so nice to meet you," the brown haired man said as he walked towards them to shake their hands, "I'm the federal attorney that's been assigned to your case, I'm Julian Baker."

Lucas shook his hand first, "What case? I already informed Mr. McFadden that I didn't want to persue charges. I just want to be granted my divorce and move on with my life."

Julian directed them to the table where Marvin and Jimmy were already seated, "Unfortunately Mr. Scott that isn't possible. Your wife-"

"Ex wife," Lucas corrected.

"Forgive me, ex wife," Julian continued, "Well she broke several laws when she framed you for murder, none of which are serious but if we could entice her to come back to the country willingly we want to pursue criminal charges."

"That's why they called this meeting Luke," Jimmy sat back in his chair and folded his arms across his barrel chest. "They would like your full cooperation."

Brooke felt herself begin to fidget, "Why can't she be extradited?"

"The extradition treaty we have in place with Brazil has some clear rules on what is a punishable crime requiring both government agencies to act," Julian looked at his notes, "Your sister committed bigamy when she married Christopher Keller under an assumed name."

"Then what's the problem?" Lucas huffed.

"She has a small child," Julian sighed, "That complicates extradition. Brazil doesn't like to separate children from their mothers. I've spoken with my contact at the state department and he said if we pursued extradition the Brazilian government would simply void Lindsey's Brazilian union, explain that she needs a Bill of Divorcement stating you two are no longer married, then she would be free to remarry at her leisure."

"What about her living under an assumed identity?" Brooke wondered.

"Aside from the marriage license there isn't currently any proof she is pretending to someone else." Julian sighed again and rubbed his head, "Changing one's name is easily done on foreign soil she wouldn't even need to step foot in our embassy."

Lucas pressed his forehead to the cold metal table, "So why even fight it, I just want a divorce. I haven't gone ahead with civil proceedings against the State of California. I just want to move on," Lucas gestured in Jimmy's direction, "Isn't there something you can do to make this go away, what do I pay you for?"

Brooke could feel the frustration emanating from Lucas, she placed her hand in his, "So if I did agree to do this what would we do exactly?"

The drive back to her apartment was quiet, Brooke gripped the steering wheel, "Are you ever going to speak to me or are you planning on sulking the rest of the night."

"I just can't believe that you would entertain their idea." Lucas hissed, "I thought you of all people-"

"Me of all people what?" Brooke scoffed, "She is my sister I want to know why she did it, I'm happy that you can just move on with your life Lucas because I can't."

Lucas's face reddened, "I hadn't thought about how you were feeling, I'm sorry pretty girl."

"I have been really understanding about your prison stint Luke but I NEED to know why Lindsey framed you for murder instead of just divorcing you." Brooke shook her head, "Every time I think about it, I can't come up with an answer."

Lucas reached for her hand, "I am sorry. I didn't think about how this affected you and your family."

Brooke rolled her eyes, "I have no idea how this is affecting my family Luke, my mother hasn't spoken to me since you were released. My father moved out and is really close to filing for divorce." Brooke blinked back tears, "These past two years haven't just been hard on you, Lindsey destroyed my parents. Now I know that tricking her into coming home might not work, I also know that even if she is arrested I might never get any answers." Brooke let out a deep sigh, "But that is a risk I NEED to take." Brooke pulled into her carport and silently got out of the car, she walked up to her front door and heard her telephone ringing.

"Are you the only person on the planet that still has a house phone?" Lucas asked with a smile, doing his best to break the tense moment they had just shared.

"I don't like having my cell phone on when I'm home," Brooke said as she unlocked the door, "I am a slave to no one, I am certainly not going to be beholden to my cell phone." She walked inside and reached for her still ringing house phone, "Hi daddy."

"Brooke, where are you?" Ted Davis said into the receiver.

Brooke sensed the panic in his voice, "What's wrong daddy?"

"It's your mother, I went by the house this afternoon to fix the garbage disposal. I found her in our bedroom, she had swallowed a bottle of pills."

Brooke covered her mouth, "Is she dead?"

"She's in a coma princess, I am with her right now at Irvine Regional Medical Center." Ted sighed, "They don't know if she's going to wake up honey, I think you should be here if," Ted cleared his throat, "WHEN she wakes up."

Brooke felt her eyes burn with a few hot salty tears, "Alright daddy, I'll be right there. What room is she in?"

Brooke got off the phone nd sat down on the couch, "What happened pretty girl?" Lucas asked as he sat down next to her and rubbed her back.

"My mother tried to kill herself." Brooke cried, "I need to go to the hospital."

"I'll come with you, you shouldn't be driving and I don't want you to be alone." Lucas kissed her temple, "What can I do?"

"Just be here," Brooke cried into his arms, "Just be here."

Brooke looked at her watch: 4:33am she stared into the waiting room and smiled at the sight in front of her. Lucas had circled the wagons and within an hour of arriving at the hospital the Scott family had settled in for the long haul. There was still no change with her mother, the doctors had said if there was no change in the next twenty-four hours they would need to evaluate possible end of life options. Brooke opened the google app on her phone and searched for Keller House Bed and Breakfast. When she found the phone number she wasn't entirely sure what she was going to say when someone answered but she knew she had to try. A few months ago she had researched the time difference and knew it would be morning time in Rio. She looked out at the chairs, everyone was asleep, "No one to talk me out of calling Lindsey," she said aloud. She dialed the number, "Here goes nothing."

On the third ring a woman's voice answered, "Keller Bed and Breakfast, como posso ajuda-lo?"

'Portuguese, I'm assuming,' Brooke thought, "English por favor?" 'Great one Brooke, that's Spanish.'

"I speak English as well, how may I help you?" The woman said.

Brooke closed her eyes, "I need to speak to Lorelei Keller."

"Then today is your lucky day," Lindsey said, "This is she, may I ask who you are?"

Brooke was upset she hadn't recognized her voice, "My name is Brooke Davis, remember me... Your little sister."

The line was silent for such a long time Brooke almost hung up thinking Lindsey had hung up on her, "How did you know I was still alive?"

"That doesn't matter right now, what matters is that you need to come home." Brooke said quickly.

"Not a change Brookey."

"You need to come home Linds, mom is in the hospital, she tried to kill herself yesterday." Brooke massaged her temples, "The doctors have told us to prepare for the worst."

There was a second long silence, "I don't believe you. Mom is the most stable person I know, she would NEVER EVER hurt herself."

"Well it's been a rough two years, she grieved the death of her eldest child to only find out later that she was still alive and the body she cried over and buried was a total stranger." Brooke gripped the chair arm, willing herself to stay calm, "Plus she took daddy moving out really hard."

"Her and dad are getting divorced," Lindsey said.

Brooke was surprised by how shocked she sounded, "So do you need proof or something, I could take a picture of her comatose in her hospital bed. Or maybe one of dad holding vigil at her bedside?" Brooke paused, "And I love how you just glossed over the first part about her grieving an impostor."

"I didn't know that you guys knew I had faked my death."

"Please Linds, if there is anything that I have figured out over the past few months it's that you are a lot smarter than we have ever given you credit for, so stop pretending you had no idea that we figured out your hoax." Brooke stood up and headed towards the atrium so she wouldn't wake anyone. "So what is it going to take to get you to come home."

"I can't come home Brookey I'm sure you realize that, don't you."

"Figures, I didn't think you could even be bothered." Brooke picked at her nails, "That would mean you cared for someone more than you cared for yourself."

Lindsey laughed, "So feisty, I have missed your biting wit Brookey dear. I must be going, but please call me after Victoria dies, I'm sure there is money coming to me. So long little sister."

Before Brooke could answer Lindsey hung up the phone, Brooke smiled then flinched when she felt a hand on her shoulder, "Luke you scared me."

"I'm sorry I fell asleep, any update on your mother?" Lucas yawned.

"No," Brooke put her phone back in her purse, "But I spoke to Lindsey and she's coming home to see my mother."

Lucas's eyes widened, "What? You talked to Lindsey and she agreed to come home?"

"No, not exactly." Brooke kissed her lips, "She told me to notify her when mother died."

Lucas squinted, "Wait I don't understand."

Brooke glared in his direction, "Really did you know Lindsey AT ALL?" Brooke laughed at the blank look that crept across Lucas's face, "Lindsey was always my mother's favorite, she knew it, I knew it." Lucas frowned, "None of that, I've always been my daddy's little princess I got the better end of the deal. Believe me," Brooke pushed her hair behind her ear, "Back to what I was saying, "Lindsey was extremely nasty on the phone, she's going to come home but she knows that we know she's still alive. She's going to sneak into the hospital to see her I'm sure of it."

"Then we should contact Mr. Baker," Lucas said.

Brooke shook her head, "No, that isn't a good idea because he'll want to put extra security on the floor, Lindsey would see them and run. We're going to have to detain her ourselves."

Lucas laughed, "I'm not sure this is a matter to be handled with some vigilante justice pretty girl, we should let the professionals handle this."

"No Lucas, this is a family matter." Brooke furrowed her brow, "Lindsey broke us and it is my responsibility to put us back together." She noticed the look on his face, "I'll call her back and tip her off Lucas, if we are detaining Lindsey it has to happen my way."

Lucas put up his hands, "Alright I give up, what's the plan pretty girl."

So there you have it... Chapter 9... This story has two more chapters (one chapter & the epilogue).

Tell me what you thought, you know what to do, press that little button and review, review, review! :)

Thanks again!

Krystal