LUCAS' POV

I opened my eyes at 5:00 a.m. to basically find Brooke completely on me. It felt strange, I hadn't slept with another person in my bed in so long. There she was, stuck to my side, her left arm and leg were loosely draped around me as her head rested comfortably on my chest. Her hair casually framed her face as she breathed in and out rhythmically.

I took my time to memorise all her features. She had definitely matured from what she looked like in High School, yet she looked so young that she could pass off as a High Schooler or at least a college student. She hadn't aged at all, she looked just as stunning even at 32 as she did at 16 when I had saved her from the car wreck. I involuntarily found myself beginning to play with her hair like I used to back in High School. She looked so childlike and innocent as she continued to sleep deeply.

That's when I suddenly remembered what had happened that had led my ex-wife to be in bed with me. I hastily snatched my phone from the nightstand, terrified that I could have missed an update from the hospital. There was no update from them. However, the news apps on my phone seemed to be sending me notifications through the roof regarding the shooting. The bright light of my phone made my eyes hurt, yet I strained them in order to read any update about the incident.

Suddenly, I began sweating bullets even though the room was cold. My throat went dry as I willed the blood to stop coursing through my veins. Right there, the headline read, 'Tree Hill High Shooter identified as Dan Scott'

'Yesterday marked a grim day for the small town of Tree Hill, North Carolina as a masked attacker entered the school premises injuring 7 students and killing 1 teacher. The police were quick to approach and counter the act of violence as a sniper managed to bring down the shooter.

An official statement has been released by the police confirming that the Masked Shooter who was killed by the SWAT Team was none other than Tree Hill local resident Dan Scott.

Dan Scott has a history of criminal activity which include aggravated assualt and attempt to rape. He was released from jail on parole only a week ago after completing a 16 year long sentence. Out of all of the children that he shot and injured, two of them actually belong to his family.

James Nathan Scott and Sophia Elizabeth Scott are the twin children of bestselling author and Tree Hill resident Lucas Scott and celebrity fashion designer and owner of the multi-million dollar company Clothes over Bros, Brooke Davis. Dan Scott is the father of Lucas Scott, making the twins his grandchildren.

We have reached out to the representatives of Ms. Brooke Davis for a comment but have not heard back from them as yet. Be sure to subscribe for the latest updates.'

I had been so worried about the kids that when I heard that the attacker was dead, he simply left my mind. How had I been that stupid to forget? I gently shook Brooke awake who woke up feeling panic and shock at finding herself curled into somebody's arms. She eased after seeing that it was me but moved away breaking contact instantly.

I saw her brain begin to activate in front of me as she asked me, "Are the kids okay? Is there any update from the hospital?"

"Nothing from the hospital but there is other news," I replied, handing her my phone with the open article. She quickly scanned through the contents before breaking into a sob.

"No! Not him! Why does he need to hurt everyone that I love and care about? This is all my fault! I backed out on the deal I made with him all those years ago. I should have known better. I should have known that he would hold onto his vendetta and come back to hurt them! Maybe if I had just let him rape me back then, he would spare Jamie and Sophia!" she gave out shrill sobs after that, falling onto my lap and crying hysterically.

I pulled her closer to me, remembering the day when I had found Brooke on the floor of the nursery with Dan on top of her.

"We can't go there. Don't think that way. He is the one who is demented. I am so glad that he is dead because otherwise I would kill him myself!" I said to her, giving her a hug and kissing her head.

"Come on, how about we go ahead and get dressed. We both didn't eat anything yesterday so I can make us something and then we can head to the hospital," I suggested once she had calmed down. She nodded her head, lifting it from my lap.

"Wait, what am I even going to wear? I just flew down here. I never packed or thought about luggage," she admitted, shaking her head at her foolishness.

"Just grab something from Sophia's closet. You still look 16. I am sure her clothes will fit you," I said. She nodded her head and walked into our teenage daughter's bedroom. I saw her enter the shower while I cooked us some oats. We needed the hot meal and the nutrition after skipping food the previous day.

She came out thirty minutes later, fully dressed but tugging at the outfit she had on as if she was sceptical about it. Brooke was as thin as our skinny daughter, but having birthday two, she was a lot curvier than Sophia and the tight clothes accentuated her curves perfectly, flaunting them in a good way. I found myself licking my lips as I checked her out, before realising just what I was doing and I diverted my attention back to the oatmeal in my bowl.

"How do you let our daughter dress in these things?" Brooke asked me as she sat on the breakfast bar stool beside me and picked up her spoon to eat the oatmeal. "All her clothes are so short and so inappropriate!"

"They are your designs, Brooke!" I laughed. "Millie sends her way too many care packages from Clothes over Bros. I thought you knew about it! She told me that you had given her permission to dress in them and had asked Millie to send them for her. I really thought you knew! She said that you did."

"Well, one, our sneaky daughter has totally been taking advantage of our bad communication skills and two, she told me that she hated the brand because it was the Company that took me away from you guys. She blamed C/B for the divorce and said that she wanted nothing to do with it," she said to me. It made me feel guilty, the kind of shit Brooke had to deal with from our kids. To them, she was the one who left and walked out and they resented her for it. I tried to make them love and appreciate her, but there was only so much that I could do.

"She loves the clothes, Brooke," I found myself telling her. "Imagine how popular she is that she has a celebrity fashion designer for her mother. Her cheerleader best friends are constantly jealous that she gets to go to fashion shows and movie premieres, she gets all the couture and destination vacations."

"Then why does she tell me that she hates me?" Brooke mumbled, but quickly lost her vulnerability.

"Here, come with me," I said, grabbing her hand, making the spoon she was holding fall to the floor with a clattering sound. I directed her until she found herself once again in Sophia's bedroom.

"Duck down below her bed and get the pink bin out," I instructed her from the door.

"Luke, do you read her diary? This is so wrong, we are literally invading her privacy. Oh God! Am I gonna find birth control?" she squealed. "Gosh Luke, I was pregnant with them at this age! This is so traumatising!"

"No, we actually did well with them. You will find nothing of that sort," I said with a laugh.

Brooke opened the pink storage bin and gasped as the bin was full to the brim with magazines and newspaper clippings, all of them regarding the rising star, budding new face of the fashion industry, Brooke Davis whose original designs and outstanding couture had taken the fashion industry by storm. I glanced and read a few lines of the articles at the top of the bin.

'All her designs are a sweet spot between innocence, elegance and sexy. Her designs have perfected the holy trinity of comfort, fashion and realism which people actually enjoy. Brooke Davis is championing us into a new era of fashion making such ripples across the globe. I am excited to see her be the torchbearer and change the way this industry works and thinks.'

Brooke Davis, founder and owner of clothing company Clothes over Bros has just launched their latest campaign, 'Zero is Not a Size' and it has raised the Company's stock prices through the roof. As quoted by the young entrepreneur, "Clothes over Bros is a real brand for real girls. Anorexia is a disease, not a fashion statement and we believe in celebrating human bodies for what they are and who they are."'

"Wow I never knew, she said before putting everything in the way that she had found it.

"Okay now open her nightstand drawer on the right," I continued to instruct cryptically. This time she was much more cooperative and simply did what I asked her to. Inside the drawer was an old magazine from years ago. It was maybe one of the earliest issues of B. Davis. It was before our divorce from when Brooke had launched her baby brooke line. The cover of the magazine was a picture of Brooke in a shimmery strapless black dress made of tulle and in her lap sat three year old baby Sophia in a matching black dress with spaghetti straps. Brooke was gently cooing the baby girl in her lap as she tickled her sides resulting in Sophia squealing and laughing in her arms. The photographer had captured the perfect moment where Brooke's hair was cascading and framing her face which was in a huge smile. Sophia's chubby face was scrunched and her eyes were closed, but her mouth was open and smiling from all the laughing. It had been perfect to launch her very successful line for children couture.

"Now do you believe that she does in fact love the brand?" I asked her, as I saw her eyes get silvery with tears as she delicately touched the cover of the magazine.

Brook was speechless and she put the magazine back the way she found it and quickly flicked away the tears that were daring to make their way out of her eyes.

"Come on, let's leave," she said to me before exiting the room.

— — –

BROOKE'S POV

We were early. Way too early for visiting hours to start. We had tried to get them to let us go up, but they had been strict. Giving us an update that there had been no change, we were told to go and come back only when visiting hours resumed. So there we were, sitting in the parking lot in awkward silence.

"So how is the new book coming along?" I asked him although I knew that there was no new book. I could literally read the man in front of me like a book, lol!

Lucas hadn't been writing. He had written 4 best sellers: One, after the kids were born; two, four years later when we got married; three, another three years later when the fights began; and four, two more years later when we got divorced. We had tried to make it work, we really had, for the sake of the children, but it just hadn't. I was very stubborn and so was Lucas. It was like two bulls ramming their heads waiting for the other to call pause and apologise.

"The book's coming just fine," Lucas lied through his teeth. "So how are your parents? Has Victoria come up with a new tactic to take over your company yet?" I knew he was saying the words out of spite, but I couldn't help but feel singed as I gave him an ugly look and walked out of the car.

I was surprised as at the same time, I saw all my friends running up to me, screaming as they asked me a volley of questions. Nathan and Haley were married and had two children, a 7-year-old son named Jude Lucas Scott and a 4-year-old daughter named Lydia Penelope Scott. Peyton and Jake were married as well. She had formally adopted Jenny who was currently in her first year at college and Peyton and Jake were pregnant with a baby girl! They had moved to LA and launched a successful record label called Red Bedroom Records. Nathan was in the NBA, playing for the Bobcats and Haley was working on an album with Peyton from a branch of Red Bedroom Records in Tree Hill. So Peyton was here for work on the album.

Despite the fact that I flew to Tree Hill almost every other week, I barely ever stopped to see my friends. I would usually try to get the kids to fly to the city to meet me instead of coming here and when I did come here, I kept it short wherein I would come in the day and catch the red eye back at night when the kids had exams or games that I couldn't miss or when I just desperately craved to see them. Lucas had never said no to me for spending any amount of time with them. He was hesitant for overnight visits when they were young, but he had agreed to them and he was more than okay with it now.

"Brooke!" Peyton waddled towards me. She hugged me tight, not letting me go. "How are they? Lucas texted us at night, but do we know anything since then?"

I shook my head no in response while trying really hard to fight back my tears. Well, don't worry, we are all here for you.

"Did you tell Karen?" Haley asked Lucas. I saw her hugging him from the corner of my eye.

"Yeah. She is on a flight here. She, Andy and Lilly are coming over," Lucas said to her. I did not know Karen was coming back, but I was so glad that she was. I needed her. I needed my mom! Over the years, my relationship with her had only blossomed and bloomed where I could proudly say that I was her daughter too. She had taught me everything about how to take care of the kids and I owed her so much. I was afraid that she would hate me after the divorce and want nothing to do with me, but that had not been the case. She was there with me, sympathising and holding my hand through it all while also being there on an equal footing for Lucas. Her heart broke to see both her children so devastated, but she had maintained both our relationships so well, I was in complete awe of that woman.

FLASHBACK

"Brooke, it's 4:00 a.m., what's wrong?" Karen asked, opening her door after I had run the doorbell way too many times. She saw my face and all her sleep vanished instantly.

"Karen, they have been crying constantly for four hours now and I have tried everything. I made sure they had clean diapers, I fed them, I bounced them, drove them but they wont stop crying at all. They are so red! I am so scared, I don't know what I am supposed to do! Lucas in on that stupid away game that I forced him to go for and I am unable to take care of the kids!" I broke down in front of the young grandmother.

"Brooke, come on in," she said, taking one car seat from my hand.

"Should I take them to the ER?" I asked, desperate for them to feel better.

"No honey. They must be colicky. It's okay, it happens," she said, picking up Jamie and trying to soothe him. I lifted Sophia, trying to copy her actions best I could.

"Is there a medicine for it? I can run to the drug store!" I said, ready to do anything to make them feel better.

"No, little one. There is no medicine. You just have to rock them until their tummies settle. It's perfectly normal and yes, very very frustrating," she said calmly. I'll make you some tea, it should soothe you, she said while still bouncing the crying baby boy in her arms. I followed her with Sophia in my arms. After another hour, we managed to ease the babies and put them to sleep.

"Thank you so much Karen. I am so sorry to have woken you up in the dead of the night. I just did not know what to do or whom to go to?" I apologised.

"Brooke, I really care about you and your kids. I won't deny it, when I first met you, I had a few reservations about what kind of mother you would be, considering you were only 16 years old. Yet, you have surpassed every single one of my expectations. You really are something Brooke and I love you and the family that you have made with my son. I have frankly never seen Lucas this happy in his life, he beams while talking about you and the kids," Karen spoke with the pride only a mother could have for her children.

I didn't know what else to do. I ran up to her and flung my arms around her giving her a bone-crushing hug.

"Thank you," I whispered to her, still not letting go as I allowed a couple of tears to leak from my eyes.

Karen's first knee-jerk reaction was to freeze, but then she patted my head as if she was assuring me that this was good. All was good.

END OF FLASHBACK

Lucas and I both walked into Jamie's room and then to Sophia's. They were still asleep or unconscious, I just couldn't tell. We sat with Sophia but we didn't have to wait very long. She began to stir. I saw her beautiful eyes flutter open as she looked around confused and scared.

"Dont worry, you're okay. You were hurt. You're in the hospital," I said to her, holding her hand. "Don't try to talk, you have a tube down your throat. Dad is just going to go get the doctor." I turned and made eye contact with Lucas who nodded and walked out swiftly to get him.

It surprised me how much like a well oiled machine Lucas and I worked like in a crisis. Memories flooded my brain as I remembered the day that I asked him for a divorce. We had worked exactly in sync even then but the outcome was just unfortunate.

I was busy with Clothes over Bros which had become wildly successful by then but it also kept her away from the family. Lucas was struggling with his book. We were drifting from each other and were so tired due to the incessant number of fights that we couldn't even tell the reasons for them anymore.

"Look who finally shows up, you didn't even bother to make it to tuck them in, Brooke!" Lucas said as I got home from the airport, my trench coat was still wet from the pouring rain. "They are your kids and they keep asking for you but you keep putting work above them!"

"Lucas stop with all the misogyny," I said, too tired to argue. This had become our routine now. "If I put my work as a priority for what 2 days a week that I miss tucking them in it does not make me a bad mother." I held my temples, already feeling the headache that the fight was about to bring. I dropped all my bags to the floor and walked to the liquor cabinet to get a glass of wine to ease my throbbing temples.

"So prioritising your kids is what you call misogyny?" Lucas was not backing down and from the look on his face, he did not even plan to. "Even I work, Brooke! And I've not missed a day."

"Sitting at home and pretending to write is not work, Luke," I sniggered and took a sip of the wine that I had just poured myself.

This however made Lucas' blood boil. In a fit of rage, he slapped the glass from my hands making it crash to the floor and crumble into a thousand shards.

"Lucas, what is the matter with you!" I yelled, feeling very alarmed.

"You neglecting this family, all of us, is what is the matter with me!" he seethed. "You missed Sophia's recital and the last three of Jamie's basketball games, do you even know that? I know that New York is the fashion capital so you have to work from there, but Brooke, this is affecting our family and the children's upbringing."

We really had been fighting non-stop ever since New York had happened.

"I wish you never would've made it to New York fashion week all those years ago!" he spat out.

"Lucas, are you intimidated by my success? Also, do you think I like it? I am the one who is constantly tired with all the insane trips that I am forced to make. You said that we would not raise them in New York and I agreed. Now I am trying my best here and you make it more difficult by constantly making me feel bad," I hollered. "Do you really think I enjoy missing all these big events in our children's lives? Lucas, we had them at 16! We were babies ourselves! Is it really that horrible that I want to make it big with my dream to be a designer? Every celebrity wants my gown for award ceremonies, fashion magazines want to feature my clothes, heck celebrities want their kids in Baby Brooke and don't even forget the B Davis magazine and the cosmetics line! I friggin run them all and run them well! While also being a mother of two! No, you wouldn't know because all you can see is me abandoning you. None of this was possible from Tree Hill. Nobody even knows where it is on the map. I wouldn't leave if I had a choice and I still try my damndest to make it for everything every single day!"

Lucas began to argue but was stopped when we heard the sound of a thud followed by a high pitched scream.

It was Jamie. He had heard the commotion and had come down to investigate only to slip on the wine Lucas had knocked out of my hand and he had landed directly on the broken shards of glass.

My eyes went red as Lucas and I dashed to his side in a second.I held him and gently cooed him trying to keep his attention on me while Lucas investigated the glass and tried to get it out. The wails got louder when Lucas tugged on a big piece wedged below his chin. A little more south and it would have slit his neck. No Brooke, don't let your thoughts go there. I saw Sophia walking down while rubbing her eyes from the corner of my eye.

"Princess! Stop right there. Do not come closer," I yelled, startling the poor child who was still half asleep.

Lucas and I didn't talk but we got into perfect sync. I held onto Jamie trying to calm him down while Lucas grabbed Sophia. I walked with the wailing toddler in my arms to get my purse and everyone's coats and helped the children put them on while Lucas worked on the shoes. We buckled each in their car seat with me sitting in the back as well although the space was tight. Jamie was still crying, begging to just be in my arms so I unbuckled him and placed him on my lap still inspecting his deep cuts.

Of course Sophia didn't make things any better. She was a mini Lucas, always curious, always full of questions, she needed to know and touch everything.

Lucas drove at a high but safe speed and we were at the hospital in 10 minutes. The doctors were quick to get an xray and we all collectively breathed a sigh of relief that no particles of glass were wedged inside his flesh. They cleaned and stitched the wound reminding us just how lucky we were. It could've been worse. So much worse.

At that very moment, I broke down. I could have lost my baby boy!

"I need a divroce," I whispered to myself first.

"I- I need a divorce, '' I repeated much louder this time.

I began to cry as I held onto Sophia's little arms who looked at me in a funny and curious manner, not understanding what was happening. Jamie was still getting checked by the didn't say a word but he gave a stiff nod. We got home and tucked the kids in. Jamie had been given baby tylenol for the pain and both the kids had passed out on the ride back home. Once I made sure the kids were okay, I grabbed a blanket and pillow and deposited myself in Jamie's room on the rocking recliner.

Lucas didn't stop me.