Six months have already passed since Brooke and Lily left Lucas's and began their new life. Brooke and Lily are settled in a small apartment in Modesto, very close to the restaurant where Brooke works. The restaurant is run by a lovely couple, Karen and Keith, and they were even the ones who helped Brooke find this place. Hiring her right away as a waitress, her employers had been a precious support for Brooke and Lily from the beginning. They treat them as if they were part of their family even though they no longer have anyone to count on. Brooke's parents have indeed been dead for many years and she therefore no longer has any family in Canada. Financially, Brooke still cannot count on her ex-husband since he does not pay her any alimony. Brooke therefore works hard and saves from each paycheck in order to be able to sue him. Having refused Lucas' check, she knows she'll have to do it for many more months, but she doesn't regret anything. All she wants is Lucas' love and no money in the world could compensate for that.
This morning, Brooke gets up like every day to go to work, also waking Lily up to go to school.
Brooke : It's time to get up, Lily!
Lily : Already?
Brooke : Yes, my little groundhog! Hurry up or we'll be late!
Lily : Okay.
Lily getting up to go to the bathroom, Brooke then goes to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Her little girl joins her a good half hour later while she is putting pancakes on her plate.
Lily : Thanks, mom.
Brooke : You're welcome, sweetie.
Lily : Is Chase going to give you another cooking lesson today?
Brooke : Yes, after lunch service.
Lily : That's great! Maybe one day you'll be able to cook with him!
Brooke : Maybe, yes. We'll see.
Chaise, who is the son of his employers, works as a chef in his parents' restaurant and gives Brooke cooking lessons. Karen and Keith didn't despair of seeing his son and Brooke go out together since Chase was a handsome single thirty-year-old. Unfortunately, Brooke had been frank with him from the start by telling him that her heart was already taken. Chase had understood this very well, the two of them having fun since his parents' attempts to get closer.
Lily : Do you think Mr. Scott will ever come to eat at your restaurant?
Lily's question coming out of nowhere, Brooke almost chokes on the coffee she was drinking.
Brooke : I doubt it, sweetie. I already told you that Mr. Scott has his own life now.
Lily : Yeah, but I miss him.
Brooke : Me too. Okay, I'm gonna go get dressed, or we're gonna be really late.
Brooke abruptly gets up from the table and walk to her room to cut short this conversation and get ready. Once ready, she comes out of her room and sees that Lily has finished her breakfast. They both take their things, then leave their apartment hand in hand to go to school. Walking like this for a few minutes, Brooke then leaves her daughter in her new establishment, before going to the restaurant.
Karen : Hello, Brooke! Are you okay?
Brooke : Hello, Karen! Hello Keith! I'm fine, and you?
Keith : I'm fine too. Chase is already in the kitchen if you wanted to go see him.
Brooke : Very well. I'll go say hello to him then.
Karen : Oh! I almost forgot, Brooke! A man called yesterday and asked about you.
Brooke : Oh really? Who was it?
Karen : I don't know. He didn't introduce himself and hung up before I could ask his name.
Brooke : That's weird. Nobody knows I'm here though.
Karen : Maybe he was a secret admirer. Who knows?
Brooke : Well, I'd be surprised, Karen!
Karen : Why? You're a beautiful woman, Brooke.
Brooke : Yes, but with a disastrous love life! Well, I'm going to go see Chase. I know he at least admires my cooking skills.
Karen : And that's a good start for something else, right?
Brooke : Oh, no! You're not going to start, Karen?
Karen : What? I have to try, right?
Brooke and Karen share a knowing laugh, before Brooke then heads cheerfully to the kitchen to find Chase. Entering the room, she finds Chase in front of the stove, setting up for the lunch service.
Brooke : Hey, Chase! How are you?
Chase : Hey, Brooke! I'm find, and you?
Brooke : I'm fine, except your mother already tried to set me up with you.
Chase : Already? But it's only nine in the morning!
Brooke : What do you want? It's never too early to try to marry your child!
Chase : Yeah, except the child in question has no desire to get married! Except maybe to you, but you don't want me! Speaking of which, you still haven't heard from the one who stole your heart?
Brooke : No, not at all. And I'm not expecting one anyway.
Chase : Why?
Brooke : Because our visions of things are completely different.
Chase : And you think it's irreparable?
Brooke : Yes, I do.
Chase : It's too bad, but what are you going to do? Keep waiting for him for nothing?
Brooke : I don't know. Right now, it's still too fresh for me to think about the future.
Chase : I understand. Well, in the meantime, come help me prepare lunch.
Brooke : Why?
Chase : Because after the service, I have to give a cooking lesson to a lovely person. And I don't want to be late!
Brooke : Okay!
In a good mood, Chase and Brooke start preparing the different dishes for the next service.
After her cooking lesson with Chase, Brooke went to pick Lily up from school, before returning with her to the restaurant. Lily is sitting at a table while Keith, Karen, Chase and Brooke prepare the evening service.
Keith : How about a waffle, honey?
Lily : Yes!
Keith : Great! Chase, can you make a waffle for our VIP client, please?
Chase : Okay! It's as good as done!
Brooke : Thanks for spoiling Lily so much, Keith.
Keith : That's normal, Brooke. You're both part of the family now.
Brooke : Thanks, you three are adorable.
Chase comes over a few moments later to serve Lily, who eagerly jumps on her waffle so she can eat it with gusto.
Lily : Thanks, Chase! It's so good!
Chase : You're welcome, Lily! Glad you like it!
Karen : By the way, Lily... How's school going?
Lily : Good, but I liked my old school better. I miss Chelsea and Emma a lot.
Brooke : I know, sweetie. But we had to. You really needed to change schools.
Lily : Why? I'm tired of changing. And I miss Mr. Scott and Debie too.
Brooke : I know that, Lily. I miss them a lot too.
Lily : So why can't we go back?
Brooke : Because that's just the way it is.
At her mother's answer, Lily pouts, continuing to eat her waffle in silence.
Karen : I'm sorry, Boroke. I shouldn't have asked that question.
Brooke : It's not your fault, Karen. We can't keep avoiding the subject anyway.
Karen : I know.
Karen looks at Brooke with a sorry look before the four of them resume their work in heavy silence.
At the end of the service, Brooke is in the kitchen with Chase doing the dishes while Keith cleans the room. Karen had taken Lily to the apartment to put her to bed, acting as babysitter every night. Cleaning the dishes, Brooke felt extremely lucky to have met such kind people. She was grateful for everything they had been able to give her since they met. Lost in her thoughts, she came out when Keith calls her from the dining room.
Keith : Brooke, there's someone asking to speak to you!
Brooke : Oh really? Who is it?
Keith : Come see for yourself!
Brooke : I hope it's not a customer who came to propose to me!
Amused, she leaves the kitchen with a smile before she freezes when she sees the person standing in front of her. Indeed, in front of her stands, not a client, but the man she loves infinitely and whom she thought she had lost. Not believing her eyes to see him standing, his imposing build seemed to invade the space. Their gazes remain riveted to each other for long seconds, before Lucas timidly speaks.
Lucas : Good evening, Brooke.
Her brain racing, Brooke struggles to form a coherent response.
Brooke : Lucas? What... How...
Lucas laughs softly, approaching Brooke slowly, his eyes brimming with tenderness. He stops right in front of her and says:
Lucas : I missed you so much.
Finally regaining the use of speech, Brooke then says the obvious out loud.
Brooke : You had surgery.
Lucas : Yes.
Brooke : Why? What made you change your mind?
Lucas : You. Because I love you.
Thinking she was dreaming and not daring to believe it, Brooke immediately starts to cry. Lucas takes her face in his hands to gently wipe away her tears with his thumbs.
Brooke : Do you really love me?
Lucas : Yes, my love. I loved you from the moment I saw you that first day in my living room, but I was too stupid to tell you. When you left, I realized that I couldn't live without you and that you were right. So I called Dr. Patterson right away to operate on me. The rehabilitation was long, but I wanted to stand in front of you to prove to you that I love you more than anything.
Brooke : Does that mean you don't feel guilty anymore about Peyton and Sawyer's deaths?
Lucas : No, I did a lot of psychological work too and now I know that it wasn't my fault.
Brooke : So, you don't regret meeting me?
Lucas : Of course not, my dear. On the contrary, you and Lily are the best thing that's happened to me since Sawyer.
Brooke : Is that true?
Lucas : Yes, I love you both and I want you to come home so we can finally be a family. If you want, of course. I know that my behavior has caused you a lot of pain and I would understand if you refuse. I know that I have no right to come here after all this time and ask you that. Maybe you don't even love me anymore and you're moving on with your life. If that's the case, tell me and I'll leave right away.
Brooke can't help but smile tenderly when she sees Lucas lower his head, like a child waiting to be punished.
Brooke : Mr. Scott, do you know that you drove me completely crazy?
Lucas suddenly looks up at her gently mocking response, then resumes the same tone to answer her.
Lucas : And you know, Miss Davis, that I loved seeing you go on strike?
Brooke : Really? Maybe I should start over then.
Lucas : No, because I won't give you another chance to do it. Does that mean you still love me?
Brooke : Yes, I still love you. I don't even know if it's possible, but I love you even more than before...
Lucas : So, do you agree to come home with Lily?
Brooke : Yes, these six months without you have been much too long and I never want to be separated from you again.
Lucas : Me neither, pretty girl.
Happy and relieved, Lucas then takes Brooke's lips to kiss her long and lovingly.