LUCAS'S POINT OF VIEW:

I paced Brooke's living room, trying to keep my anger under control. "I'll kill him," I said, balling my hands into fists. Brooke was seated on the couch, flipping through parenting books. "Oh, calm down Luke." She said, pushing a strand of chocolate brown hair behind her ear.

"Well why not?" I asked, taking a seat next to her. "Who does this punk think he is? Cheating on my daughter! He was lucky Gemma even acknowledged his existence."

Brooke looked up at me, with those sparkling hazel eyes and for a moment I forgot what I was going to say. "I- I just…"

"I know," she said softly, placing her hand on mine. "But Gem doesn't want us to get involved, so that means you can't go kicking him off the basketball team, or just kicking him in general." She smirked.

"I just wish she would have told me." I said, looking away. Something in me cracked, Gemma didn't live with me, so I was always out of the loop when it came to her life. If I had of been here, If I was with Brooke, she would've wanted to tell me. I glanced at Brooke again, and fought the urge to reach over and kiss her cherry colored lips. I loved her. I never stopped loving her, and it took Gemma coming back into our lives to know that I never would. Just then, Gemma and her friend Lennie walked through the door.

"Oh," she said, a little startled. "Hi Lucas, I didn't know you were coming over." She turned to Lennie, "Hey can you give us a sec? I'll meet up with you in my room." Lennie nodded, and headed for the hallway near the stairs. Gemma turned back around, and raised an eyebrow. It was then that I realized I was still holding Brooke's hand. Reluctantly, I pulled away and stood up.

"I'm sorry Gem," I whispered, pulling her into a hug. She stiffened, but after a moment she wrapped her arms around me and started to cry. "Thanks," she mumbled into my chest.

I let her go, and she sat down next to Brooke. Brooke threw and arm around her and pulled her close as tears slipped down Gemma's cheeks. How could I let Mather get away with this? My little girl was sitting there, tears running down her perfect face, and he was probably off somewhere without a care in the world.

"Who the hell would be stupid enough to cheat on you?" I said quietly, Gemma didn't hear, but Brooke did. I wanted to take it back. She looked up at me, with those big eyes and I remembered everything. Every kiss, every hug, I remembered the one part I desperately wanted to take back. The night I'd cheated on her with Peyton. The night I ruined everything. Brooke's stare didn't let up, it was cold, and the light I'd seen before was gone. Some guy had turned around and done the exact same thing to our daughter that I had done to her. She was probably feeling the same pain Gemma was, maybe even more.

"I'm okay," Gemma sniffled, "really I am. I just need some time." She wasn't okay, and Brooke and I knew that. But she was putting on a brave face, just like her mother. Time. I could help her with that.

"Why don't we go on a vacation?" I asked, walking over to sit next to them. "Christmas break is in two days, let's go somewhere fun, forget about Tree Hill for a while."

Brooke and Gemma looked at me confused. "All of us?" Gemma asked.

"Well it would just be you, Brooke, and me for the first week," I explained, "Peyton has to fly to L.A for work, and she wants Sawyer to go with her."

"I'm in." Brooke grinned, "Where do you want to go, Gem?"

"Can we go anywhere?" She asked, looking up at me.

"Anywhere you want to go, sweetheart."

"Paris," she said, after a while, "I would really like to go home to Paris."

GEMMA'S POINT OF VIEW:

I was going home. The last three days went by so slowly, I could hardly believe we were finally leaving. "I still can't believe you invited me," Lennie said, rolling her suitcase over to mine.

"Like I was going to leave you behind to deal with Piper all by yourself!" I scoffed, giving her a smile. "I would never." Lennie and I followed Brooke and Lucas into the airport, and as we entered the ticket line, I saw Lennie's jaw drop.

"Incoming," she whispered, whirling around. I turned to see what she was starting at before, oh no… The moment Mather moved into my sight, I felt my knees buckle. I hadn't spoken to him for a week, and I avoided him in the hallways like the plague. He didn't look his usual self. His shirt was wrinkled, and his hair was messy, two things I knew drove him crazy. Before he could get a word out, Lucas had already stepped in front of me. I felt Brooke's warm hands on my shoulders, and I desperately wished I didn't have to leave her embrace.

"What do you think you're doing here?" Lucas demanded.

"Sir, I just want to speak to Gemma." Mather pleaded. He took a step forward, but Lucas was quick, he blocked his path. I wanted to let Lucas stay there, I wanted to stay in this safe little bubble my parents were projecting, but I knew it wasn't fair.

"Dad," I said, putting a hand on his arm, "It's ok, we'll only be a minute."

Lucas looked as if he wanted to argue, but Brooke intercepted and grabbed his forearm. "Let's let them talk, Luke. We need to get the tickets." Slowly, Lucas turned and followed Brooke back to the line.

"You've got exactly 60 seconds," I said, when we were alone. I didn't look him in the eyes, because if I did I knew I might lose it.

"I'm sorry," he breathed, "I'm so sorry I hurt you, Gem."

"Alright," I started to turn away but he grabbed my arm.

"Please, Piper was a mistake. I love you Gemma, I love you more than anything. I'll do anything to get you back." His voice cracked, and I had to fight the urge to reach out and hug him. To tell him everything was going to be alright.

"I forgive you, Mather," I said finally getting the courage to look him in the eyes. "I just, I don't know how to get back to who we were. I don't know if I can ever trust you again." His face crumbled, and I looked down. "I'll let you know what I've decided when I get back, okay? I need time away from you, away from this place."

"Okay…" He said, reaching for my hand. I didn't pull away, but it didn't feel the same, his touch. I couldn't stop picturing his hands in Piper's hands. "I love you." He whispered.

"Bye, Mather." I let go of his hand. But as I got my ticket, and prepared to board the plane, something told me his hand wasn't the only thing I had let go of today.