Hey hey hey, I know it's been a little while since my last update, bur we all know life gets in the way sometimes.

So I am sorry for the long wait.

Also how are we halfway through 2024 already. Scary how times is flying by.

Here is the next chapter.

Enjoy!!!

I sat by her bed and held her hand. They've told us she only had weeks left. It was getting close and my heart was breaking. She turned her head and looked at me. A smile on her very pale face.

"Thank you Brooke" she says in a raspy voice

"What for?"

"For giving my baby boy a family. For loving him unconditionally. For everything over the years. Luke and you have come so far, from friends to lovers to parents and then the perfect couple. You are a true one Brooke and I have no doubt that you'll be good to Lily"

"Of course I will Karen. She's family"

"Through this and all the pain I never had any worry about leaving my children because I know they are in good hands with you. I'm just going to miss so much"

A single tear fell down my cheek and onto my hand.

"Don't cry Brooke" Karen says "I have accepted my fate a long time ago. I'm just glad I've had this time with my family and friends"

"Nothing will ever be the same without you"

She smiled "I will always be with you, with all of you"

There was a soft knock at the door and the nurse walked in "I'm sorry to interrupt, but we just need to check Karen over"

I nod and wipe at my eyes "I love you so much"

"As I do you Brooke. Always will" I stood to my feet and placed a soft kiss to her forehead before leaving.

I shut the door behind me and cried.

-*

I got back to the house. The house filled with laughter and joy. I walked through the front door and I could hear Wynter laughing and Wyatt playing. Baby Willow was probably a sleep. That girl can sleep through anything.

I put my jacket up by the door and my keys in the bowl.

"What on earth is going on in here?"

Lucas was tickling Wynter. Her giggles filled my body with happiness.

"Mama you're back"

Lucas stopped and looked to me. He's facial expression changed from a smile to a frown and I'm guessing he could tell I've been crying.

"Are you okay Pretty Girl?" I nodded and put a smile on my face.

"Where's Willow?"

"In there Mama" Wynter says pointing to the basinet beside the sofa "she sleeping Mama"

I smiled at her and nodded "Wynter princess, go find Wyatt and play. I want to talk with Mommy okay"

Wynter nodded and ran out to find her twin.

"How was your visit?"

"Good. I'm glad I went to see her. Its just sad you know" he nodded understanding "just breaks my heart seeing her like that and knowing I can do nothing about it. I have all this money and I can't help. We can't help and it's hard" a tear fell down my cheek again "she's dying Luke and she hasn't got long left and we need her, you and Lily need her, the kids need her and she won't be there and it's even harder knowing that she would do anything to be here with us"

"I know baby" he embraces me into a hug and I sob. I sob my bloody heart out for the proper first time since Karen told us she had cancer.

"I know Lily wants to stay at the house with Karen until well you know and of course that is totally fine, but we need to sort out a room for her and quick"

We haven't really had time to do that between Karen dying and me having Willow.

"I've actually done that already" Lucas tells me with a smile on his face "I didn't want you to worry about it. I figured I can just do it and get it ready"

"You've done it? Everything?" he nodded "oh Luke that's great"

"Lily helped me of course. She chose everything. We didn't want to bother you with it and I thought it would keep her mind at bay for a little bit and it did"

"Oh I'm glad it's done and ready for her. I would have hated for her to come and we had nothing ready for her. We need her to feel as comfortable as possible with us. This is now her home too"

"What did I do to get lucky with you?"

"We got drunk at a party and thought let's jump into bed together"

He laughed "best decision of my life" I laughed back and he leaned in and kissed me softly on the lips "you Brooke Davis are my forever girl"

-*

"Brooke" came a voice "Davis"

"In the kitchen" I shout back. I heard heels against my wooden flooring and then a body appear "hey Sawyer"

"Hey yourself" she smiled sitting at the counter "where is my new niece?"

"Asleep, but she is due to wake up for a feed, but if you want to go get her for a cuddle first be my guest, she is in the basinet in the living room, but you are warned that Wynter is asleep on the sofa with Wyatt"

Peyton jumped up and nodded heading down to the living area. A short while after she came back with Willow.

"Oh my Brooke she is precious" Peyton cooed at her.

"And where is my niece?"

"Tegan is spending some time with Jake at he's parents house down south. They will be back tomorrow and then you can come over for a cuddle" I nodded "oh and Hales called earlier I told her I was heading here so she is coming by in 5"

"Okay that's fine, I haven't seen her in a little while with everything going on"

"She gets that"

5-10 minutes later and I hear the front door open and heels against my flooring again "Hello"

"In the kitchen Hales" Haley appeared in the kitchen and my eyes widened "Oh my god"

"You're pregnant" Peyton took the words right out my mouth "why didn't you say anything"

"We didn't want to say anything after losing our first baby, I was scared to even think of it just in case and then you were in hospital and Brooke was having Willow and with Karen. I just didn't want to be a burden on you guys when you were both already having a lot to deal with"

"Oh Haley" I sighed "well congratulations. Such wonderful news"

"I'm so happy for you both. Now we'll all have babies under 1. Be so much fun" Haley and Peyton laughed.

"How are you though, is everything okay? You and baby?"

"All is good. Baby is doing great and growing nicely" Haley replies "we find the gender out soon and Nathan is super excited"

"So we are all going to have children under 1. That's awesome they will be the best of friends" Peyton says excites"

"Oh I hope you have a girl and then they can all be cheerleaders and follow in one foot steps"

"That would he super cool, but also I don't mind what we are having as long as they are healthy"

The rest of the afternoon we just chatted and Haley showed us pictures of how she wants the Nursery. It was nice us being together spending time together. Like old times.

-*

"I saw Haley today" I say to Lucas as I sat on our bed nursing Willow so she will settle for the night

"That's nice babe. Did you girls have a good day"

I nodded "did you know they are expecting?"

"Yeah Nate told me yesterday" he replied "he was so excited"

"Yeah so was she. I'm so happy for them"

"Me too" he smiled "Ma wants Lily to move in before she passes so it isn't such a rush thing"

"Okay"

"So she can move in any day"

"Of course she can" I move Willow from my boob and hold her over my shoulder patting her back softly so she can burp "Luke this is now Lily's house too. I want her to be as comfortable as she can be"

He smiled walking over to me and placing a soft kiss to my lips "I love you Miss Davis"

"As I do you Luke"

Willow was asleep now, I took her to her room and placed her down in her crib. She fussed a little then settled into a sleep. I put her favourite pink monkey next to her and she looked perfect.

The next couple of weeks was going to be super hard and I'm ready for it. I'm ready for the loss. I'm ready for the heartbreak. I'm ready for the grief and I'm ready for the healing. No one I've ever cared so much for has died and especially not like this so I don't know what I'm facing, but what I do know is that I can now talk to Luke and we can do this together because we have to. We have to be strong and survive this for Lily and the kids.

Please REVIEW!!!

Love you all loads

Roch xoxo