"I love you Lucas. I'm so sorry…" she whispered, as the tears fell again.
"Oh god Peyton! What have I done?" Brooke sobbed into the phone, realizing that she'd just made a huge mistake. Lucas had handed her his heart on a bed of gossamer wings, and she'd shattered his fragile hopes. The fucked up thing was she couldn't come up with a legitimate, sane reason why. Only that she'd been scared.
"Brooke! I thought you said you'd stay open to the possibilities!?" Peyton was torn.
"I know! I know! But he was sitting there, and I was sitting there, and it all felt right. And I got scared!"
"You have seriously GOT to stop running! You can't hide from life and Lucas forever Brooke. Look at how many times you guys keep getting thrown together!"
"What do I do now? I've just screwed him over, again, just like I said I was going to!"
"That's self-fulfilling prophecy for you. It wasn't fate that hosed you guys, this was all you B. Davis."
"How do I fix this? How do I mend what I've broken, when he was already so torn up inside? How could I do this?" Brooke groaned, wanting to beat her head on the nearest concrete surface. Maybe unconsciousness would make it all better.
"I don't know Brookie. I wish I had an answer for you on this one. You need to go after him. That much is plainly obvious."
"You're right, I have to find him Peyt, I have to. I've got to go." Slamming the receiver down, Brooke raced out the front door chasing after the man she'd just sent out into the cold. Except this time she wasn't just going to let him take off. Brooke paused just long enough to grab her cell phone and keys, and noticed that he'd remembered to take his coat this time. That's a good sign, right? Hang on Lucas, don't give up on me yet!
Rushing to the car, Brooke blindly pulled out into the street, not knowing where to go first. She fumbled with her phone until she pulled up Haley's number.
"Hey tigger! How's the private time with Mr. Charming himself going?"
"Hales! You have to help me! It got all screwed up, Lucas is gone, and I have to find him. Where would he go?!" Brooke was practically yelling into the phone, panic making her sound louder than she'd intended.
"Whoa! Hey, what happened?! When we left you two were making googly eyes at each other!!"
"Hales, I'll explain later. Right now I HAVE to find Lucas. Please, just tell me where he'd go?" Brooke was pleading, trying her hardest not to cry and lose control. She had royally fucked up this time, she should have listened to Peyton, and now, instead of having Lucas' hands all over her, safe in the knowledge that he loved her too, she was driving through snow banks and freezing cold weather in search of him.
Brooke could hear mumbling in the background and then Nathan could be heard clearly saying Blue Post. Before Haley could even repeat it, Brooke yelled thank you and then shut her phone. Oh please, Lucas! Be there! I promise, I'll fix this!
Her tires sliding a little bit on the ice, she pulled into the parking lot in front of their old haunt. Brooke didn't even wait to make sure her door closed all the way before racing into Blue Post. Scanning the entire crowd, she cursed violently when she realized he wasn't there. She slammed back out the entrance, earning a nasty look from the bouncer, and racked her brain for the next closest bar.
She drove up and down the streets of Tree Hill and stopped at every bar she could find. No Lucas. With each unsuccessful search, her spirits crashed lower and lower, and she began to slump over in the driver's seat, tears marring the leather cover on her steering wheel. Brooke didn't even care that her mascara had run, or that her eye liner was smudged. She'd have gladly looked like something from The Night of the Living Dead if it meant she could have her Broody back. She'd been searching for hours it seemed, and she was beginning to get truly scared.
Oh please, don't let him be on some plane flying far away from me. Worse, don't let him be on the side of a road somewhere, freezing to death. Her imagination ran down all the morbid paths possible, and finally the silence got too much for her.
"Oh Lucas! Where are you?! I'm so sorry Broody, just please, be safe and okay!" Brooke was beginning to cry hysterically, and knew she needed to pull over. She couldn't make things right with Lucas if she got into a car accident.
Resting her head on her arms, she sent pleas of help to whatever powers that be who might be listening. Raising her head as her neck began to ache suddenly, she looked around and noticed her surroundings.
"The graveyard? How'd I end up here?" Oddly drawn by the snow-topped headstones, she wiped her eyes and pulled her keys out of the ignition. Sniffling hard, she was amazed at how quickly her tears had stopped. She failed to notice the shadow crouched on top of the hill behind the cemetery.
Wandering aimlessly through the burial grounds, she soon found herself standing in front of a tiny headstone.
Here interred lies my beloved daughter
Lily Roe Scott
Taken from this earthly plane so young in life
We shower her with kisses
In hopes that she has found a better life
2007-2009
Dropping to her knees, Brooke sobbed over the little girl's grave.
"Oh Lily! I wonder what we all look like from up there, running around, causing pain, acting stupid, being selfish. I can only imagine what your death must have done to this town! I'm so sorry I wasn't here, I'm so sorry I was wrapped up in my own problems and my own little world! You meant so much to Lucas! And now I've gone and hurt him, your amazing older brother. I don't deserve a chance to set this right, but please, if there's anything left that's good in this world, let me fix this! Please! Please! Please!"
All her fears and frustrations and worries came pouring out of her. Her hot tears fell to the grass in front of the headstone, and her breath frosted in the air. The trembling brunette couldn't stop the torrent of confessions and sobs.
Eventually, feeling worse for the breakdown, she was able to gather herself together. But Brooke couldn't stop shaking. She'd no idea how long she'd been kneeling in front of Lily's last resting place, but she was starting to panic. She couldn't feel her fingers, and her feet weren't responding to her attempts to move. Struggling, she placed one flat palm against the ground and fought to stand up.
Collapsing against the ground, she realized she was in serious trouble. She wasn't dressed for this kind of weather, and she'd been outside too long. She was suffering from exposure, and there was no one around to help her like she'd helped Lucas.
Trying hard not to cry, she fought the urge to panic. Placing her hand on the ground again, she shifted enough to slide a leg out from underneath her. The movement caused a yelp of pain to escape her lips, and she folded onto the cold ground. Appearing out of nowhere, a certain pair of strong hands wrapped themselves around her waist and lifted her up.
"Lucas!" Brooke's voice broke in relief; both in the fact that he was alright, and that she wasn't alone. However, she was soon cringing in pain as blood began to flow to her frozen calves and she bit her lip hard to keep from screaming.
"Brooke! What are you doing out here?! It's too cold!" He was freaking out. He'd ran to the only place he knew where he could think, and while he still couldn't bring himself to step foot inside the actual graveyard, he'd found the hill a peaceful place to stop and gather his thoughts. He'd never in a million years have expected to see his Cheery sitting like a frozen statue so late into the night.
When Brooke struggled to stand up her movements had caught his attention, and when he realized it was the brunette, Lucas instantly forgot his unwillingness to pass beyond the gates. Brooke was outside in the freezing cold, and something was wrong. When her yelp of pain reached him through the cold air, he broke into a run.
Lucas' heart leapt into his throat at how cold his pretty girl was. He was scared, and confused; why was Brooke outside this late? He stripped off his coat and wrapped it around the shivering brunette.
"Oh Lucas! It hurts! I ca-can't feel my toes! I can't ssssstop shaking!" Brooke was bleeding slightly from where she'd bit her lip, and at the sight of blood Lucas knew he was the one who needed to do the saving this time. Easily picking up her slight frame, Lucas ran through the gates towards Brooke's car and prayed there was still time.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
They were gathered again in the waiting room at Tree Hill Hospital, and they were all battling their own personal demons. So much of their lives had passed waiting in those plastic chairs, antiseptic cleaner in the air, a quiet lull over everything. Who had ever decided hospitals were supposed to be white? White could never hide the blood, always made pale faces look even paler. It was not a good color for a hospital.
Lucas was sitting on the floor by the doors leading to the restricted section. He hadn't said a word to anyone except Nathan, who had come skidding into the waiting room with Haley as soon as they'd gotten the call.
Lucas had mumbled something to his brother, who nodded, squeezed his shoulder, and then proceeded to run interference when the rest of the gang showed up. No one knew anything other than Brooke was suffering from severe exposure, and the doctors would have to act fast to keep other secondary considerations from settling in and making things worse.
Haley made to go sit with her best friend, but Nate laid a restraining hand on her arm and shook his head. Giving her husband an odd look, she observed the man she'd come to cherish as a brother, and realized he wanted to be alone. The only one he wanted to sit by his side was currently somewhere in the bowels of the hospital, going through god knew what and there was nothing Lucas could do about it.
Peyton came running in not long after Nathan and Haley arrived, and seeing them, burst into tears. Rachel, who hadn't really had much to do with the group since arriving in town, had agreed to watch James, so she had called Karen and the other friends who would want to know about the emergency.
Haley wrapped the blonde girl in her arms, and walked over to the other end of the waiting room, away from Lucas. He'd cringed when he heard her crying, not so much because it was her, but because crying meant Brooke wasn't going to be okay. Which simply wasn't true. Brooke was going to be fine. She had to be. He didn't even register when Skillz and other friends made their way over to the group, whispering in an attempt not to disturb the brooding blonde.
"Lucas!" Karen raced to her son's side, shoes squeaking on the linoleum. Seeing his mother, Lucas stood up and let her pull him in tight.
"Ma! She was so cold! Her lips were blue except for the blood, and she kept shaking. I tried mom! I tried! The nurses wont tell me anything, the doctors haven't been out yet, and I'm so scared!" Lucas sounded like he was 17 again, his voice muffled by his mom's arms.
"Hush, it's alright dear. Brooke will be fine. She's a fighter, she'll pull thru. You two have just found each other again, fate wouldn't be so cruel to tear her away now. Easy, easy Lucas." Karen talked softly to her son, trying hard to ease his pain and fear without giving away just how scared she herself was.
"I can't lose her now! Do you know where I found her? Sitting in front of Lily's gravesite! What was she doing there? Why wasn't she safe at home?!" Lucas was never one for tears, but the intense terror he felt inside at the prospect of losing the love of his life, even if she had pushed him away, was evident in his blue eyes.
Nathan, Haley, and Peyton, seeing Lucas talking with Karen, came over to join in giving as much comfort to their friend as possible. Gratitude shined from Karen's eyes as she saw all the support her son's friends offered. Why did bad things always happen to such good people?
"Luke? Luke, I'm so sorry. Brooke went looking for you. I don't know why she was at the cemetery, but she'd called me after you'd left, and she was freaking out. She wanted to make things right with you, and well..." Peyton couldn't bring herself to look Lucas in the eye. She'd been the one to urge Brooke on, and while she knew it had been the right thing, she couldn't help but feel horribly responsible for the whole mess.
"She called me too, and asked where I thought you might be. We thought maybe you'd gone to Blue Post, so she must have tried to check every bar in Tree Hill." Haley was wrapped in Nathan's arms, leaning against his chest. Her heart ached for her two friends.
Finally letting go of his mother, Lucas looked around at all those who had gathered for Brooke, and finally acknowledged everyone. These people were their friends and family. They loved Brooke, and were there to sit the vigil with him.
"Don't worry Peyton, it's not your fault. I'm the one who ran out on her. I pulled a classic Brooke move, and now it's landed us all back here at the one place we all hate the most."
"Excuse me, are you here for Ms. Davis?" A short, balding man in blue scrubs cleared his throat as he took in the group of friends standing together. All heads snapped up and he found himself the subject of five sets of anxious stares.
"I'm Karen Roe. Please doctor, what's the news on Brooke?" Karen stepped up for the group. The others were too scared to open their mouths.
"Well," the doctor rambled, looking down at the chart in his hands, "Ms. Davis suffered from extremely prolonged exposure to freezing temperatures. Any longer and she would have had a severe case of frostbite. As it is, she's resting comfortably in her room. We've brought her temperature back up, there doesn't seem to be any tissue damage, and it doesn't look like we'll have to worry about pneumonia or anything of that sort."
The group collectively sighed in relief, Lucas nearly crumpling to his knees. Only his brother's swift hand kept him from falling to the floor.
"When can we see her?" Lucas had to see her Cheery for himself, had to check and make sure she really was okay.
"Ms. Davis is still very weak. You all can visit her now if you like, but only for a few moments. She needs to rest so her body can recover from the shock she's undergone." Nodding a final farewell, he tucked the chart under his arm, and motioned a nurse over to direct the group to Brooke's room.
Down a hall, around the corner to the left, and six doors on the right, they gathered in front of Brooke's room, peering at her through the window in the door. Her skin was almost translucent, and her eyelids still held a faint twinge of blue. The beeping of the monitor was the only sound in the small room, and for a split second it all looked like some horrible dream.
Then Brooke sighed, shifting in her bed, and the tableau was broken. Oddly, Peyton was the first to push the door and enter her room. At the whoosh of the door Brooke opened her eyes and smiled that famous Davis smile, dimples and all. Everyone started babbling at the same time, relief loosening shoulders and helping cut the tension.
"Oh tigger! You'd had us so scared! No more wandering out at night for you!" Haley was trying really really hard not to start crying again. She was grasping Nathan's hand so hard he yelped and snatched it back.
"Hey! Watch it! You're not going through labor, you have no excuse to squeeze so hard!" Shaking his hand, Nathan hammed it up, which brought about giggles from the women in the room. Mission accomplished, Nathan grinned hugely, and bent to kiss Brooke on the forehead. "I agree with Haley, you're officially banned from any nighttime excursions until you take outdoor survival classes."
"Hi guys. Very funny Nathan, I'd like to see you try and keep me from going where I wanted, when I wanted. I'm really sorry, really, I never meant to up here again. I'd just as soon this place was swallowed by an earthquake or something." Brooke looked up at all her friends, her hazel eyes soft with appreciation and brimming tears.
"B. Davis! God I was so scared! Don't you dare go making me scared like that again!" Peyton leaned down to gently hug her friend, relieved that she was warm to the touch. She had been afraid that Brooke would still feel like a human popsicle.
"Glad to see you're feeling better dear. The doctor said you're going to be fine. But he also stressed that we need to let you rest." Karen stepped over to hug Brooke and kiss her on the cheek. She'd watched her son shuffle around in the background, nervousness evident in his every move. While, yes, Brooke did need to rest, she also wanted to usher everyone out of the room so Lucas would have a chance to talk to Brooke.
Brooke, seeing what Karen was looking at, gulped hard, and squeezed the older woman's hand. Nodding, she thanked everyone for coming, and promised she'd be more careful next time. Peyton balked at leaving, but when she saw Brooke's slight nod in Lucas' direction, took the hint and said she'd come back the next day. Finally, it was just Lucas and Brooke alone in the room, and the distance between them was wider than Yosemite.
"Hi Broody." Brooke's soft voice washed over Lucas, making the tiny hairs on the back of his neck stand up. She reached out a hand toward him, and taking a deep breath, he stepped forward to take it.
"Hey Cheery. You okay?" His voice was low and gravelly, that sexy rumble that Brooke loved so much. Lucas laced his fingers through hers while sliding a chair up to sit down next to her.
"I'll be alright. Looks like you had to save me this time, huh." Brooke smiled gently, still not sure how to move forward.
"I'll always be there to save you Pretty Girl. I'll never let anything bad happen to you." His eyes scrunched up at the corners and he raised her hand to his lips.
Inhaling sharply at the electric shock that ran up her arm, Brooke brushed the palm of her free hand against Lucas' cheek. His breathing quickened and his eyes grew dark at the gentle touch, memories of past times when she'd touched his skin with desire running thru his memory.
"Lucas, I…I'm so sorry for what I said before. I tried for so long to forget my feelings for you, and it wasn't exactly like I'd managed to avoid being hurt since we'd left, and I –"
"Who hurt you?" His deep voice cut through Brooke's whispered confession, and she blushed at how protective he sounded. He'd be damned if he was going to let someone hurt his woman.
"It's alright Broody, it was a long time ago, and it was my own fault. I've moved on from all that, but your concern is adorable." Brooke grinned, staring into those blue eyes she'd dreamed about every night, feeling herself melt. She'd missed having those gorgeous eyes look at her with so much love.
"I was so scared when I saw you fall back to the ground. I thought I'd lost you for good! You have to promise me you wont do something dangerous like that again." Lucas' voice caught in his throat as he remembered how close he'd come to never hearing his Cheery's laugh or seeing her smile.
"I promise I wasn't trying to freeze my own ass off. I was so scared I'd pushed you away for ever Luke! I didn't mean any of those things I'd said in the kitchen, I was being my usual scared self and trying to run away. I'd convinced myself that I'd just bring more hurt and pain into your life, and I didn't want to be responsible for that. In trying to save you, I hurt you, and," Brooke flopped her hand in the air with frustration, "and the whole thing just blew up and I ended up screwing things up, just like I've always done." Brooke frowned, trying hard to not cry. She'd been doing so much of that lately.
"Hey, calm down. The doc said that you were supposed to rest, and if you get too excited someone'll notice and chase me outta here." He caught her hand and brought it back between them, holding both her hands now.
"I'd like to see them try. If you didn't tell them to kiss off, I would. I'm not going to let anyone push us apart anymore, especially me. I didn't end up in this horrible hospital gown to not learn my own lesson." Brooke snorted, not very lady like but then again she wasn't particularly feeling very princess-y.
Lucas grinned. He unexpectedly felt light hearted, felt truly happy. Everything was going to be alright. Brooke was safe, they had fought for each other, and now, they would get the chance to set the record straight and do it right this time.
"So why were you out in the cemetery?" He realized he'd cut her off before the gorgeous brunette had finished explaining, and he was still extremely interested in the reason why.
"Oh, yeah, that. I'd already let you take off once into the freezing weather and dark night, I wasn't about to let you go off on your own again. I don't know if Tutor-mom told you or not, but I called her to see if she'd have any idea where you might be." Lucas nodded, she was struck by his strong features. He had matured into an even more handsome man, her own personal Adonis on earth. "Nate said you might be at Blue Post, so I went there. But you weren't. Which reminds me, I need to apologize to the bouncer at some point. I think I might have hit him with the door when I left." Brooke grinned, and Lucas chuckled. Brooke was a force to be reckoned with when she had her mind set to something.
"So anyways, I tried searching every other bar I could think of, mainly because that's where I would have gone if I'd been treated so poorly, and because I'd remembered you used to drink every night." She sounded awkward, not wanting to insult Lucas or make him feel guilty. Everyone dealt with loss and pain in their own way, she was no perfect angel to stand and throw rocks.
"It's alright. I honestly thought about getting blitzed, but I realized I couldn't play that game anymore. I couldn't drown my sorrows in a beer, and when I opened the door to Blue Post, all the noise and lights made my head hurt. So I left."
"I didn't know where else to look for you, and I started crying so hard I couldn't see clearly. I was terrified you'd left for good, or were lying somewhere frozen. You know how bad my imagination can get sometimes." He nodded, and moved from the chair to the bed. Brooke curled her legs up to make room for Luke to sit down.
"When I finally looked up, I was at the graveyard, and something called. I didn't even know where I was going. Next thing I knew, I was standing at Lily's grave, and it dawned on me just how close I'd come to truly making a mess of things. But by the time I'd realized how badly I needed you, well, I was frozen." Brooke had sat up and she was idly playing with a lock of Lucas' blonde hair. It was hard for him to stay focused; her scent was everywhere, and the feel of her hands on him sent shivers up and down his spine.
"Thank you for being there for me, Broody. I was supposed to save you-"
"And you ended up the one needing to be saved. But you did save me. Brooke, you're everything to me. I've been making the motions for so long, I'd forgotten what it was like to really feel alive. I had fallen so far that I couldn't tell which way was up. Then you were there, sparkling hazel eyes and fierce spirit, and I found in you a strength I needed to keep going. The day we ran into each other at Nate's, I had come over to say goodbye. I was tired, Pretty Girl. So tired. Nothing made sense anymore, I couldn't handle all the obligations. So I had decided I was just going to walk away. I didn't care if I lived or died. I had convinced myself everyone would be better off if I'd left. I could see my friends were affected by my depression, and they deserved more than that from life."
"Lucas no! It would have destroyed Karen to lose you too!" Brooke was horrified. She had sensed a weird calm in Lucas that first day, but she'd never dreamed it was because he had given up.
"I know that now. But that day, it seemed the right choice. Like I said, you saved me. Hell, you've saved me quite a few times since you arrived. Thank you for coming back to Tree Hill for me." Lucas leaned toward Brooke, his voice soft, eyes full of the love and gratitude he held for the woman in front of him.
"It's like I told Peyton. I'd do anything for my Broody." Smiling gently, Brooke closed the distance between them and kissed Lucas softly on the lips. Sliding his hand up her arm, he pulled her in for a deeper kiss, and she eagerly complied. They both had struggled for so long against their need for each other. It was finally time to let fate have its way.
Brooke opened her mouth and let Lucas in, resting her hands on the tops of his thighs. He caressed her lips with his tongue, and then kissed her hard. She pressed into his skin with her fingers, fighting the urge to climb into his lap and wrap her legs around his waist. Lucas ran his strong hands up her spine and into her hair, grabbing a handful as he held her.
The fire inside her started to build. She needed to feel Lucas' hands on her bare skin, run her hands over his muscled chest. Brooke moaned in her intense desire, and Lucas strengthened the pressure of their kiss in response.
Everything else ceased to exist. Lucas pushed Brooke back, placing his hand on the small of her back and lifting her slightly off the bed. Without breaking their kiss, he had repositioned them so she was lying beneath his lean frame, and Brooke instantly wrapped her legs around his waist, grinding just slightly against his hips.
"Oh god, Brooke, that's not playing fair," Lucas breathed, breaking their kiss only to nip at her jaw line and that one spot behind her ear. Brooke gasped, arching her back and grinding harder against him
"Lucas!" Brooke inhaled sharply, digging her fingers into his strong shoulders. She could feel his muscles flex underneath his shirt. She needed him so badly, needed him to bring her the delicious release only he could give her.
"Ms. Davis! Are you-" Two nurses came barging in, the monitor having picked up Brooke's increased heart rate. The door slammed against the wall as they stopped short in the doorway, horribly embarrassed at having walked in on the two.
Brooke jumped at the noisy intrusion, and Lucas leapt up, both of them blushing furiously. They'd let themselves go, and had been caught in the process.
"Well, it looks like you're feeling better, Ms. Davis," the first nurse said as her partner cleared her throat in an attempt to not laugh at the young couple. "We'll be leaving now. I don't see any reason why you can't be discharged in the morning. Will your friend here be staying the night?" She cocked an eyebrow, and then elbowed the other nurse when she let slip a giggle.
"If that's alright with you, yes, I'd very much like Lucas to stay with me." Brooke fought hard to gain control. She felt like she was back in high school, caught on the couch with Lucas again.
"I don't see why not. Just promise you'll rest tonight. There'll be plenty of time for other stuff later." Shooing the younger nurse out the door, the kind nurse winked, grabbed the door to shut it, and left them alone.
Brooke looked over at Lucas, who was still breathing a little hard, and burst into a fit of giggles. He was so adorable! Grinning sardonically at the petite brunette, he found the humor in the moment as well, and chuckling, walked back to Brooke's side.
"So I guess that means I'm sleeping here tonight eh?"
"Well, you have to! You asked me to stay with you when you were playing frozen human popsicle, it's the least you could do." Laughing now, Brooke looked up at her gorgeous blue eyed hunk and scooted over to give him room to sit down.
"Come here boyfriend, and warm me up some more." Hazel eyes glinting with desire, she watched as Lucas, his own blue eyes dark with that same emotion, shucked his shoes and sweater and eased himself down on top her.
"I love you Pretty Girl."
"I love you boyfriend. Now shut up and kiss me. Let's give the nurses something to gossip about."
AN: I hope that this chapter lived up to everyone's expectations. I've been working on it since last night. :D I took another stab at romance again, and I was trying hard to keep it from getting hokey. Don't get comfy though, more drama's coming next chapter!!!!
To everyone who left a review, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! I'm glad y'all enjoyed that chapter, I had such a blast writing it. I wanted something a little lighter on the heart, seeing as how this one wasn't exactly jumping off the page with joy, and next chapter…yeah, well, lets just say the next chapter is definitely Tree Hill worthy.
Keep the reviews coming, any suggestions y'all have are welcomed and encouraged! Hope everyone's having a great week so far!! XO, Z
Author's note
Hey everyone…I've actually got to work this week, and have a pretty big event coming up on Friday. I wont be able to post any new chapters until Friday at the earliest, most likely Saturday. L Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and told me they thought it was awesome so far. I promise I'm not giving up on this story, just taking a short break so I don't go bald with stress or chase my husband away. He'd really like to prove the theory that laptops do have wings right now. Y'all have a great week, and I'll post as soon as I'm able, I promise!
Oh, and if you've got any suggestions, or things that you had a hard time swallowing, please let me know. I need the feedback so I can see where I need to improve and tighten things up. Thanks again!
Z