I Can't Lose You Again, Not Like This [Brucas]

Chapter Nine

After school, Lucas walked with Nathan to basketball practice and began to tell him what happened last night with Brooke. Nathan nervously watched Luke when he talked and noticed that he definitely wanted to touch Brooke again based on the excitement in his voice when he talked about her. He didn't blame her, Nathan has wanted Brooke at times as well. But right now, he just wanted to tell his brother the truth.

"Look Luke, it's obvious you have feelings for her. I think you should just do whatever you think is right, if you think breaking up with Peyton for a while until you clear your head will help, she will understand. Maybe you should do that." Nathan said, hoping Luke would listen and be a step closer to being with Brooke again. He could tell his older brother was a mess and needed to know the truth.

"You think so?" Lucas answered, but before Nathan responded, Brooke walked in followed by the rest of the cheerleaders.

"She came back to school?" Luke asked himself aloud.

"Apparently," Nathan nodded in her direction and laughed.

Peyton smiled toward Luke but he was too busy staring at Brooke. The boys started practice and he sat from the bench and watched Brooke the entire time. He honestly didn't care who noticed him, he couldn't take his mind or eyes off of her. Peyton gave him a confused look and he looked down at the floor until she looked away then resumed watching the brunette lead the rest of the girls.

Brooke felt eyes on her, but she didn't mind it. She felt a smile coming on her face that she couldn't hold back. Her dimples imprinted on her face as she blushed. She wanted to stop practice, run over, then jump on and kiss Lucas in front of everyone. But she figured that could end up badly since Haley, Peyton, Nate, and Luke might all get in her way somehow. She sighed and forced herself to focus on practice.

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Brooke walked to her car after cheer and opened the door to leave the parking lot. When she pulled into her driveway she saw a familiar car in the driveway. It was a red truck that she knew belonged to Lucas. She felt her heart beat get faster and she anxiously ran into her house, almost forgetting to turn off her car. Lucas somehow got into the house, she guessed through the backdoor that was never locked. But she walked in and called his name. No answer. She walked up the stairs and down the hall to her room and was confused. He was sitting in her room waiting for her on the bed.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, looking him right into his bright green eyes.

"You randomly show up in my room, so I decided I am allowed to do the same with you." He smiled.

"How did you get in though?"

"I had a weird feeling that the backdoor was open, and I was right. I guess I'm getting the weird memories back but not the important helpful ones..." He frowned but laughed.

"Well, what have you been doing here while you waited for me? Your practice ends a half hour before mine."

"Exploring, I hope you don't mind. I like your room, I was looking at your pictures, going through your closet looking at your clothes which you certainly aren't in short supply on." He laughed.

"Who said you're allowed to do that?" She said, pissed off a little because he could have found something she didn't want him to see.

"I didn't think it was a big deal, I found some interesting things. A lot of letters." He stated. Her heart dropped.

"Wha- What? What letters? Where?" She nervously stumbled to speak and stepped closer toward him.

"These." He handed her the box of letters all addressed to him.

She didn't know what to do, he saw the letters once when she showed him the box after she slept with Chris Keller and forgave her. But he didn't read them yet, she was scared to let him read them before. She sat on her bed and put her head in her hands and tucked herself into her lap.

"Oh, Brooke, I didn't read them. I just said I saw them, was I not supposed to? They have my name on them." He said, worried he shouldn't have ever came.

She shook her head, still looking at the ground. She was nervous to look at him. "No, you knew about them before. And I was going to let you read them eventually when I was ready, but not like this. You don't even know who I am, damnit!" She started raising her voice. "Besides, I didn't just walk into your house. You could have said no when I asked to come in." She finished, still talking in an almost yell.

"Brooke, I'm sorry. I came to tell you something."

"What? That you finally told Peyton you love her and are getting married or something?" She fired back, still pissed off.

"No, I came to tell you I remember something. Sorry, I'll leave..' He got off her bed and began to walk away.

"No, stop." She grabbed his arm. "What do you remember?" She said, her voice sounding calmer all of the sudden.

"I remember hitting my head, on the plane. When I was sitting next to YOU, not Peyton. Somebody lied to me, Brooke. You're my girlfriend, not Peyton. You, I love you." He said with a smile.

She felt warm tears rolling down her cheek and she tasted the salt from them once they reached her lip. She squeezed her eyes shut and bit her lip to feel the pain. She needed to make sure this was real and she wasn't dreaming. She wasn't. When she opened her eyes, he pulled her down on the bed and was about to put his arm around her. She felt him squeeze her small frame tight against his. She smiled and was happy for the first time in a while. He kissed her on the forehead and said "Pretty Girl, what did I tell you about crying?"

"You remember that, too? My nickname?" She smiled even bigger.

"No, I gave you the nickname last night. Remember? You said somebody gave it to you already though.."

"Yes, you did." She laughed while the tears still fell.

"Oh, that makes sense now. I understand for once what is going on." He laughed back.

"When did you remember the plane?" She changed the subject, her curiosity building over her.

"During your practice you gave me a look that gave me a feeling through my body like something was wrong. I remember seeing you looking at me the same way on the plane when my head was bleeding. So I turned to Nate, and told him I remember that. Which means I must've went to the Bahamas with you, not Peyton. He looked at me and smiled, and I knew you were my girlfriend and you were the one I wanted ever since I saw you that first day on the Rivercourt after I got out of the hospital." He informed her, she couldn't take her eyes off his and felt like shoving him on the bed and kissing him right then but didn't know if she should, because he didn't remember her yet. Just that they're dating, not how he feels about her.

"So what does this mean? Yes, you got the truth. But you still don't know how you felt about me before you lost your memory and how much you loved me.." She started but he cut her off with a soft kiss.