AN: Alright y'all, so I hadn't realized just how long it had been since I'd posted an update to this one. My excuse? I had gunk in my keyboard and ran out of compressed air. That's my story, and yes, I'm sticking to it, no matter how lame it might be.
HUGE warning…there is a ahem grown up scene in this chapter, I got kinda carried away blushes just slightly and well, it's longer than I'd planned. So this chapter wont have as much story advancement as I'd first thought. Hopefully y'all like it.
Allie, this is for you, sorry, I hadn't realized you'd asked for updates to this one and Predict the Future. Here ya go!
With a day and a half left to her visit in Tree Hill, Brooke tried hard not to cringe at the thought of going back to New York. Being back home had opened her eyes to so many things she hadn't realized she'd left behind. She knew that there were a slew of problems waiting at work, not to mention an empty house full of things she'd acquired in the hopes of filling the void in her heart and life. There had been a time when her work and her house had been the proudest achievements of her 21 years. Now, they were a burden she didn't feel comfortable shouldering anymore. Brooke thought long and hard about all the good things she'd loved and cherished about the big city in a fierce attempt to find the desire to fight for her life there. The sad thing was, none of it worked; despite the fact that the last three years of her life had been spent in a city she'd truly grown to love, Brooke knew she'd never feel as totally at ease there as she did in Tree Hill.
It dawned on her, there in the cold dark that was only truly late at night, that she could never live in a place that didn't have Lucas Scott underneath the same roof. Brooke had to admit that she was so firmly entrenched in his love and had such a scary need for his presence in her life that the idea of living apart from him wasn't even an option. Yep, she was so thoroughly mixed up with him that the mere thought of the idea of possibly living without Lucas made her want to puke. So much for that one, eh?
So much had happened in three years. She'd taken her fashion sense to a height she'd never dreamed of reaching in such a short period of time, and had been floored at the lengths she'd had to go to in order to keep her feet firmly planted to the ground. She'd lived and loved a few times but nothing that had ever been as serious as what she'd left behind when she ran after graduation.
At the time Brooke was convinced that leaving Lucas behind after high school was the hardest thing she'd ever done, and there was a tumultuous period right afterwards where she wasn't entirely certain she'd survive the decisions she'd made. She now realized that leaving then was nothing compared to the nightmare that her life would be if she and Lucas weren't able to be together. For a short period of time the slender brunette had entertained the idea of trying to convince Lucas to stay in New York. Karen and Lily could come live in their house, and she could hire someone to run the diner. She'd had the whole thing worked out.
If she was honest with herself – which was something she was trying to do more of – Brooke knew Karen and Lily would hate the big city. For that matter, so would Lucas. It would slowly kill him inside, gradually stealing away the best parts of him until the boy she'd fallen in love with disappeared, another victim to the harsher realities of the real world. Having nearly fallen victim herself, she really didn't want to run the risk of losing the only man she'd ever really loved to it.
So that was why, even though she'd already told everyone that she would just simply move back with Lucas, that Brooke had decided she really had no other option. She could be happy in Tree Hill, and with monthly trips to New York and teleconferences and a decent office she could work from home. It would be tough, and it would take some serious adjustments both with her and those she'd come to lean on, but they'd understand. They'd have to, there just wasn't any other choice. Brooke was coming home, for good.
"Pretty Girl?" Speaking of the man she was seriously in love with, his voice flowed from the darkness behind her, a warm loving blanket covering her senses, sending her slight frame into uncontrollable shivers.
"Hey Lucas," she responded quietly, not wanting to break the peace she'd found outside. Brooke sat underneath the stars in Haley and Nathan's backyard, all the other guests long since departed back to their respective homes.
"Whatcha doing?"
"Thinking. Brooding, if you will," he could hear the faint smile in her voice.
"I thought that was my thing. No fair you stealing my trademark, I should sue for royalties," he murmured, easing himself down behind her on the ground, wrapping his arms around her chest and sliding his long legs along her own.
"Hmm, make the payment stipulations interesting and I might just settle out of court."
The feel of his chuckle rumbling up through his chest into his diaphragm made goosebumps pop up on her skin. Every single connection with Lucas seemed to bring about a different reaction, and Brooke was slightly stunned at just how many reactions her body seemed capable of experiencing.
"How about a kiss for your thoughts?"
"Now you're talking. I'm still weighing whether or not to get upset though that my thoughts come at such a cheap price."
"You calling my kisses cheap now?"
The only response he got was a soft snicker as she leaned back into the sheltering warmth and comfort that Lucas so willingly offered her. He grinned into the soft curls that he loved running his fingers through every chance he got, and tightened his grip on her.
"You ready to go to New York in a day?"
"Is it really a day? I thought we had more time."
"Well, it's a day and a half, but the half day doesn't count. We'll spend time packing and organizing and everything. I don't ever count the day I leave someplace."
"That's an interesting way to look at things. How long are we staying?"
"A couple weeks, maybe a month."
"That short?"
"Huh? That's pretty damn long if you ask me." She was clearly puzzled.
"I figured we'd be there at least a couple months if not nearly three. It's not an easy decision to pick everything up and just move it all to another state." She loved him all the more in that instant of selflessness.
"I love you, you know that?"
"That's a very good thing to hear Ms. Davis, seeing as how I love you too. But you're dodging the subject. And I don't distract so easily. You sure you want to do this?"
"Do what?"
"Brooke…"
Brooke squirmed in his arms, for a moment hip to hip while she tried to wiggle around so they were face to face. In that brief contact Lucas suddenly forgot what they were talking about, forgot that it was freezing ass cold outside and that they were currently sitting in the backyard of his brother's house. All he could see, hear, feel, was the shifting of the lithe woman in his arms, her firm hips pressing ever so gently against his inner thighs, that tingle that precluded what had turned into his favorite pastime.
Brooke heard the sudden shift in his breathing, felt the ever so slight pressure as his hands went from her arms to her hips, fingers digging into the fabric of her jeans, conveying in that single effort just how badly he wished there was no barrier between the pads of his fingers and her bare skin. While not intending to bring about such a reaction, the passion and desire radiating from the physically powerful man holding her found a matching fire inside her that swiftly blazed in response.
Her own breathing quickened, and her hands were rapidly devouring every square inch of skin she could come in contact with. Having managed to turn herself around in the comforting circle of his protective arms, Brooke used her years as a flexible cheerleader to wrap her legs around his waist, firmly settling her body in his lap. She pressed her body against his hard chest, shifting seductively against him as she clearly felt the physical manifestation of his need for her. A groan from Lucas brought a satisfied grin to Brooke's lips as her maneuvering had its desired effect.
"Brooke," he moaned, his breath frosting in the bitter cold.
"Hush. I've always wanted to make love in the snow," she whispered into his ear as she lightly kissed down his neck and back up his jaw line, finally nibbling on that same ear. When he growled and slid his own long fingers down and gripped her ass she moaned in response, wriggling in his lap, coming in contact with his groin.
"Jesus Brooke, I'm all for fulfilling your fantasies but this one might be a bit hard."
"Mmm, I think you're the one who's a bit hard," she mumbled, reaching a hand down between their bodies to run light fingers over his stiff erection. Her ministrations made him jump and that delicious growl rumbling from deep in his chest that she loved to hear echoed in the nighttime air.
"Oh god." He couldn't resist the alluring woman working every sensitive spot he had. Before he could register the thought process he was up, Brooke's legs still wrapped tightly around his waist, stumbling through the snow as he made his way up to the room she'd been sleeping in. Brooke's hands wandered to his chest having found their way beneath his shirt, and the direct contact of skin on skin had him breathing so hard for a moment he feared for his heart.
He just barely remembered to lock the door before he pinned a writhing Brooke to the bed, his lips claiming her own as he devoured the taste and feel of Brooke's mouth. His hands pushed the jacket from her shoulders, taking with it the spaghetti strap shirt she'd been wearing. He slid her clothing down just enough to expose her full breasts and then stopped, trapping her arms to her sides as he rained kisses on her tender skin. Her whimpers of pleasure egged him on, and he cupped her ample chest in his large hands, squeezing gently.
"Lucas," she moaned, his name intoxicating on her bruised lips. He nuzzled into her neck, shifting his weight to his hips and knees to avoid crushing her while he sucked ever so gently on that one particular spot behind her ear that sent her quivering over the edge every time. When she gasped as he pinched a nipple and bit her shoulder at the same time he knew he had her undivided attention.
"My kisses still so cheap?" He pulled back just far enough to look her in the eye, knowing full well he had her good and fully pinned beneath him.
"Shut up and take me Lucas," she said, her voice raspy and thick with the raging desire his touch elicited in her. She squirmed beneath him, finding that leverage she needed, and using her elbows, pushed herself up to crash her mouth into his own, biting and sucking on his lower lip. As she gained the upper hand and he loosened his grip Brooke shifted again, this time grinding her hips against his waist, using the leverage of her locked legs to press her own warmth into him.
This time it was Lucas whimpering as she took total control of his body, claiming every sense he had, rendering him a hopeless mess as all he could focus on was the intense desire to be inside the woman he held in his arms. Sitting up, he pulled the petite woman with him, freeing her arms and tossing the jacket into a corner, instantly forgotten. Brooke tugged at his sweatshirt, pulling it over his head to join the jacket in another corner. She unlocked her legs long enough for Lucas to pull off her jeans while she unbuckled his belt and did the same to his pants, pulling his boxers right along with them. In a flash, they stood naked in front of each other, panting hard as the urge to completely submerge themselves in each other reached unbearable levels. Brooke was left in only a lacey thong, which was currently being eyed hungrily by a pair of blue eyes turned almost black with desire.
Lucas closed the small gap between them, his fingers dancing along the top hem of her panties and up along her slender waist, his thumbs brushing her rib cage and the skin beneath her aroused breasts. As he applied more pressure to his careful touch, Brooke's breathing hitched as she waited for his next move. The sudden absence of his hands on her skin nearly made her cry out until she felt those same hands on her small shoulders, shoving her gently onto the bed. She landed with a soft bounce, and Lucas' heavy-lidded gaze raked her sensual body. She shivered in response to the desire, lust, and love so clearly evident in his blue eyes, and she felt her own lips curve in a sensuous smile filled with all the passion she felt in response.
Folding his muscular legs beneath him, Lucas leaned down on the edge of the bed and trailed kisses from her ribcage to her belly button, raising goosebumps along the way. When he reached the hem of her thong he kissed his way to her hip and nipped at the edge, tugging the underwear off with his teeth. Each time those same teeth came in soft contact with her sensitive skin she gasped, arching her back and shifting her hips to aid in the removal.
Lucas kissed his way back up her inner calf, trailing wet kisses along her thigh as he reached her wet center. Blowing lightly as he stopped, Brooke nearly screamed with the intensity of her need. Her fingers gripped the sheets violently, her back arching as Lucas licked and sucked like she knew she loved. Breathing became a voluntary reflex as all thoughts of anything other than the pleasures Lucas rained down on her went out the door.
Growling in fierce need, Brooke sat up and wrapped her arms underneath his arms, pulling him up to slide between her legs. "Lucas, please," she begged, arranging herself so that he hovered above her.
With a single grunt he slid deep into her, filling Brooke with a completeness she felt only with Lucas. Brooke's legs wrapped themselves tightly around his waist, her hips shifting in time with his own movements. Her fingers dug into his shoulder blades while his hands wrapped around her, hands coming to rest on her back as he held her close to his body.
While earlier he'd avoided kissing her all over, as he moved within her he lowered his head and sucked a taut nipple into his warm mouth, his tongue swirling around the skin and nibbling gently. Brooke shifted her hands from his shoulders to his waist, sliding down to grab his firm ass when he bit down softly. The rapid pressure and the way he shifted his weight above her sent her slamming over the edge as she reached an unexpected climax.
Lucas paused, staring lovingly into her eyes while she regained her senses, waiting for her to come back down. When she was able to breathe without having to think about it again, she wrapped a foot around his calf, slid a hand to the inside of his bicep and flipped him over onto his back. A stunned Lucas looked up at the woman who was half his weight and grinned when she ground her hips into him.
"Oh god Brooke, you're so gorgeous."
"All for you Boyfriend, all for you," she moaned into his ear, pressing her chest into him, relishing in his swift intake of air. She kissed his jawline, down his neck to his collarbone, over his strong pecs to find his own nipple. When her teeth grazed it, and she bit gently he yelped, then ran his fingers threw her sweat damped hair, pulling on it.
Brooke wanted, needed to feel Lucas fill her, and knew just what to do to make him spill over the edge. Brooke paused, purred softly in his ear, rested most of her weight on her arms and began pumping her hips up and down. The unexpected change in her rhythm broke the careful concentration Lucas had been fighting to hold onto, and he lost himself in the feel of Brooke as she brought him over the edge with her own release. Strong arms tightened over her as she collapsed against him shivering from the liberation of their passion. They fell asleep holding each other, utterly content and thoroughly happy and safe in the love each had for the other.
"I can't believe you're going home already! It feels like you just got here!" Peyton, Rachel, Haley, and Karen all sat around a table in her diner, a half empty platter of finger foods and drinks cluttering the surface. The women had all decided to meet for a send off brunch, not really knowing how to throw a going away party that was sort of moot seeing as how the sendee was returning in less than a month.
"It's crazy. To think of all the shit that's happened since I showed up. I still don't know if it was me, or if it was just timing, but I'm seriously glad I came." Brooke looked around at the friends who surrounded her, and knew her decision to stay was the right one. She'd never could have found this same camaraderie in New York.
"You sure you really want to come back here?" Rachel wasn't sure Brooke was making the right decision, but she'd seen the change in her just like everyone else had, and she knew Brooke was happy.
"You know? I wasn't sure at first. But now, I am. It's like, every day, every minute something happens that just makes it all more right, more perfect, the best thing I could possibly do." Brooke nodded emphatically.
"Well you know honey, if you need any help with the move or getting settled, we're all here," Karen piped up, her hand patting Brooke's in that motherly fashion she'd missed sorely.
"I know Karen, thank you so much. Once I find out just how difficult the move from New York is going to be, I'll be able to adjust to what I need here in Tree Hill. It's not going to be easy, I know that, but I'm ready for it."
"Well, Karen's right. When you get back in town, let us know, we'll throw a huge party, get everyone to help you move in, paint, whatever you want," Peyton said with glee. Tree Hill's notorious party girl was back, and her dull drab life was about to pick up the pace, considerably.
"So…is Lucas moving in with you?" Haley, who'd stayed remarkably silent during the whole affair, asked the question no one else dared. Karen snapped her head around, first staring at Haley and then Brooke, the two girls she'd learned to love like her own daughters. It seemed fitting that they'd take her sons, even if Nathan wasn't biologically tied to her. The rightness of the situation struck Karen and she snickered.
"Well, uhm, I don't honestly know," Brooke hedged, unsure of what Karen would think of the whole thing.
"I think it would be an awesome thing honey. Lucas had been my rock but it's time for me to move on, Lucas too. I think I might sell the house, move into something more fitting for an old lady on her own. No old memories, plenty of new memories waiting to happen."
"Karen! You are so NOT old!" Brooke and Haley exclaimed at the same time causing the whole table to burst out in a fit of giggles.
"I just wanted to say thank you, you guys have been so supportive of everything. I know it'll be alright." Brooke sighed contentedly, knowing that coming home had been the best thing she'd ever done.
The girls turned to talk of the best houses in town for sale, how much space she was looking for, what kind of decorations she wanted in her house, the kinds of things women chatted about when it was safer than all the darker subjects hovering on the outskirts.
The sound of the bell chiming over the door drew their attention as the Scott brothers - probably the two most handsome men on the face of the planet - walked through into the diner. Lucas entered first, dark blue jeans hugging his hips, messy blonde hair poking up here and there. He needs a haircut was Brooke's thought after a smile quirked at her lips with flashes of memories from the night before.
Nathan strutted in next, eyes searching for his wife's face in the group of girls. His face lit up when she smiled back at him, and anyone with an ounce of observant capabilities could tell they were still as in love today as they were four years ago when they'd gotten married.
"Hey there ladies," Lucas' deep voice filled the café and the women giggled at how insanely masculine he sounded. Sure, they'd all grown up with the Scott brothers but that didn't mean they weren't still affected in the best way possible when the men threw their considerable charms into over drive.
"Hey Boyfriend. What's up?" Brooke, who relished in the knowledge that while he may smile kindly at the other women, held that special grin just for her, swiveled in her seat and reached her arms up for a hug.
"We were lonely," he muttered into her hair, breathing in the fruity scent of her soft chocolate hair. He did so love the feel of her in his arms.
"No hug for your mother, son?" Karen, who had learned to share her son's heart with her daughter before her death, had grown used to being the sole woman in her charming boy's affections again. However, watching Brooke with Lucas, Karen knew it was right…anyone could see how in love they were, how happy they made each other. Karen was confident that her son's well being and happiness were safe with Brooke Davis. So it was with kind eyes that she watched as Lucas greeted his girlfriend first, instead of his mother.
"Sorry ma," he said sheepishly, stepping away from Brooke to greet Karen. She laughed gently, hugged him and sent him with a soft shove back to Brooke's side.
"So how much longer you ladies going to sit here, huh?" Nathan, who'd managed to worm a chair in next to Haley, sat picking at the remains of brunch. He'd been starving and was slightly concerned when it occurred to him he didn't know what to make. Haley had always done all the cooking.
"Hey! That's not for you!" Rachel smacked the back of his hand, snatching the tray away from his grasping fingers. He hissed and shook his hand, Haley laughed, and Lucas just snickered.
"Serves you right! Who said boys could sit at the table, huh?" Peyton agreed with Rachel, this was supposed to have been an estrogen-only brunch.
"I'm hungry!" Nathan whined back, earning a glare from the women.
"You're hopeless you know that?" Haley stood, tugging on Nathan's hand to make him stand with her. "Alright ladies, it's been a blast, but I've got to feed my boys. Brooke, you and Lucas coming by later?"
"You know it Tutormom. We'll be back in time for dinner, promise." Brooke nodded bye to one of her best friends in the whole damn world, and snickered when Haley slapped Nathan on the shoulder for saying something no one else could hear but had certainly made Haley blush.
These were her friends, her family, the people she'd grown to love, the people she'd chosen to surround herself with. How she ever thought she could function for an extended period of time without them she didn't know, but Brooke would be damned if she was going to keep on that track. She was home, and this was where she was going to stay.
"So any suggestions on how we're going to get my car back to New York? Or, if we just leave it here, how we're supposed to get around town?" Brooke was sitting on the bed she'd borrowed while in Tree Hill, watching a certain tall semi-distant relation to the greek gods. It was the only explanation for the muscles that rippled while he shifted her suitcases from the bed to the floor as he finished packing them. It was also the only explanation for the hold he held over her: the innate ability to turn her knees to mesh and her common sense into something long since flown out the window. Lucas Scott, her broody boy, had grown up into a man she had come to love in a whole new light over the short time Brooke had spent back home.
"Well, if we drive, we'll be late. And I'm thinking, from the short conversation I overheard the day at the mall, that a late Brooke Davis is most definitely not an accepted event. And I'd really rather not be introduced to your friends and co-workers as the reason you strolled into your office two days late. So flying seemed the best option. As for the car itself, it'll stay here, and I'll get us a rental or something when we get up north." He sounded so matter-of-fact about the whole thing, like they'd done this a thousand times. He was so relaxed with the entire scenario that Brooke was floored. She'd expected a lot more resistance to everything.
"So why are you packing for me? I'm a big girl ya know," she was honestly curious. This was definitely not something she'd have ever thought she'd see Lucas doing.
The flight back to New York loomed over their heads, the departure quickly approaching. Dinner the previous night had turned from an intimate family dinner to a raucous party when all their friends showed up with dishes in hand. Even James got to stay up late when Aunt Brooke whined and pleaded with a hopelessly outmaneuvered Nathan. Everyone had thoroughly enjoyed themselves, but the late night had meant a late start, and Brooke was slightly concerned that they'd miss the flight.
"Because this way I know that you're packed and ready to go, and I can avoid going home and packing my own stuff," the last delivered with a sudden shuffling of feet and sheepishness.
"Avoid going home?"
"Yeah, mom is convinced that I wont be coming back."
"Huh? How? We were just sitting around that table talking about how much space I'd need and how it would be good for you to move in with me, and-"
"You guys talked about all that?!"
"Well, we weren't intending on talking about all that, but the topic kind of turned that way, yeah. Why?"
"I guess I figured you'd talk with me about my living arrangements first." It was evident that Lucas wasn't all that sure how he wanted to react. Does he get mad that they were discussing his life like he was a chess piece or does he smile and appreciate that his girlfriend and his mother got along so well?
"Hey now, it's not what you think. We didn't make any final decisions or anything like that. It was more a sharing of feelings on the subject. Of course I would talk with you about the house and if you wanted to live with me and all of that stuff." Brooke uncurled herself from her spot on the bed, her lean legs gracefully flowing from under her. She stood with the effortlessness that comes from years of athletic skills and activities, walked over to Lucas and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Mom really said it would be okay for me to move out?" His arms automatically settled themselves on her waist, his fingertips coming to rest on the small of her back. The shiver that overtook her body at his touch made him smile.
"Is that such a bad thing? You're not in high school anymore Broody."
"I know, I just worry about her. With all that's happened, I don't want her to think I'm abandoning her."
"She knows that. I think she's actually coped with Lily's absence well, better than some might expect. I have a feeling all her stress and distraction came from concern for you, and now that you're feeling better so is she," Brooke responded, wanting so badly to erase the pain and worry in his blue eyes. She swore she'd do everything possible to keep him from ever feeling that way again.
Lucas gazed down at the woman who fit in his arms like she'd been made specifically for him, and was floored at the love shining from her warm eyes. How he'd ever gotten so lucky to have her love him, he didn't know, but he knew he'd move mountains to keep her by his side.
"You're amazing, you know that?"
"Mmhmmm, and don't you forget it Broody," she replied, giddy to see his shoulders relax and the unpleasant emotions leave his eyes. "Come on, lets finish so we can get you all settled. We've got a flight to catch in a few hours!"
The farewell at the airport had been emotional at best. To say traumatic would not have been an understatement. James broke out in hysterical sobs when he realized his favorite uncle and favorite aunt were leaving him, and nothing anyone said or did could sooth him. When Brooke finally dragged a kicking and screaming godson off, everyone had breathed a huge sigh of relief.
However, being left alone with his mother and all the people he'd spent so much of his life with, Lucas suddenly found himself close to tears as well. The rational part of his brain insisted that he was only going for a visit, that they'd be back within a couple months, tops. But the irrational, less manly and more girlie side of his brain refused to accept the concept of even a short separation from his mother. So much of his life had been subsumed into keeping the petite woman safe that he instantly panicked when he realized he hadn't asked anyone to take care of her while he was gone.
Not really knowing what else to do, the group stood shuffling their feet and avoiding each other's gazes, waiting anxiously for Brooke to return. She truly was the rock of their little world.
Luckily, five minutes later saw the return of a giggling James being held in his aunt's arms while she whispered something obviously funny. As she took in the tableau in front of her, Brooke shook her head and settled her shoulders.
"Alright people, come on now. We'll be back in a month, if not sooner, and it's not like we're going over seas to some third world country where email and cell phones don't work." Brooke stopped short of walking back to Lucas' side, surveying the shifting gazes of her friends.
"Then why does it feel like we wont see you again?" Peyton was as close to whining as anyone had heard in a long, long time. It seemed the idea of Brooke leaving was affecting everyone.
"Don't be silly, of course you'll see me again. And Luke too. We're only going so I can settle things in New York so I can come home. I need you to be strong for me Peyton. I need you to keep everyone together for me while we're gone, okay?" Brooke walked over to her curly haired friend, rubbing her shoulder with her free hand.
Peyton sniffed hard and nodded, not trusting her voice. Brooke smiled, hugged her with one arm, and walked over to James' parents.
"Haley, Nate, do me a favor and keep an eye on Karen for us while we're gone, okay?" At the indignant scoff from behind her, Brooke turned to Karen. "Yes, Karen, I know you're a big girl, something I'm currently trying to convince your son of, but he'll hem and haw the whole flight if I don't do something. So bear with me, this is more for him than it is for you."
Haley giggled and Karen sighed in resignation, while Nathan simply nodded. He knew what Lucas must be going through. He'd take care of Karen, she'd always been caring and accepting of him and his family. Hell, he would have done it even if Brooke hadn't asked.
"Remember our deal little man. You be good for mommy and daddy, and when I get back you and me will spend some special time together, just us okay?" She peered up into the tiny blue eyes that stared back with an open expression. She hoped someday she'd have her own children who looked so trustingly back at her.
"I promise Aunt Brooke. You promise to come back, right?" His voice shook slightly with the tears that threatened to come back, and Brooke hugged him tightly.
"I swear little man, I'll be back. And I'll bring your uncle back with me okay? I wont let anything keep either one of us from coming home, okay?"
"Okay. And I'll help daddy and mommy watch out for Grandma Karen. We both know they can't do anything without my help," he said solemnly, in that way that only kids can pull off.
"Hey!" Nathan protested, while everyone else laughed. Trust an innocent child to release the tension everyone had felt so keenly.
Brooke and Lucas said their goodbyes, hugging and promising to call when they landed to let everyone know they'd arrived safely. Hand in hand they walked to the tunnel connecting the plane with the terminal, waved one last time, and disappeared down the gray tube.
"Mommy?"
"Yes sugar?"
"They'll be back, right?" James' voice was timid with fear and anxiety. He loved his aunt and uncle.
"Yes, love, they'll be back. You're too adorable for them not to." James grinned. Now he just had to take care of Grandma Karen and mommy and daddy while Aunt Brooke was away; she had after all left him in charge. She'd said as much when she talked to him. He wasn't going to let his amazing aunt down.