Rescue Me

No Longer His

Lucas knocked on the door expecting Brooke to come out ready to go, but instead it was Haley who walked out and scoffed when she saw him there.

"Um, Brooke asked if I wanted to come."

"I know. She told me. She just had to grab a water bottle and she'll be out."

Lucas scratched the back of his neck. "So you're coming with us then?"

Haley scoffed again. "No. You're coming with us and you're not going to upset her either."

Lucas sighed. "I won't."

Haley rolled her eyes. "I doubt it." She turned away from him. He walked over, but the door opened and Brooke came out, standing between them. "Ready Tigger?"

"Ready as I'll ever be Tutor Girl." Brooke sighed. "I'm glad you're coming, Lucas." She offered a small smile.

He smiled at her. "I told you I would and you can count on me, Brooke."

Brooke looked into Lucas' eyes and he stared into hers. He lifted his hand to brush back her hair, but Haley grabbed her arm and pulled her away.

"We're running late." She said dragging Brooke down the stairs to the car.

Lucas sighed, bit his lip, and put his hand back in his pocket. He walked down the stairs and realized that Haley was driving and Brooke was riding shotgun which left him in the back alone.

But he took it as an opportunity to sit behind Brooke and offer words of comfort and support whenever he got the chance. It was made hard when Haley turned up the radio, but he knew she'd heard most of it.

It didn't take long to drive to the clinic in the city, but it felt like it took forever because the car was filled with tension.

The appointment was short as there wasn't much to it at this point so Lucas tried to find something to make his time with them longer.

"Do you guys want lunch? I'll buy." He offered.

Haley and Brooke shared a glance in the front then they nodded. Lucas smiled and waited for the car to pull over.

Haley pulled off to the side by Karen's cafe, but Brooke wouldn't get out of the car when they did.

"Brooke?" Haley asked.

"Why can't we just go somewhere else? I don't want to see Karen, she probably hates me."

Lucas heard and turned around. "She doesn't hate you. In fact she said if you ever wanted to talk to her about this stuff, even while you're mad at me, you always can." He held out his hand and she surprised him by opening the door and taking it.

Haley rolled her eyes and walked into the diner.

Lucas walked in with Brooke's hand in his and his mother smiled. She walked out from behind the counter and held out her arms making Brooke smile. Lucas let go of her hand and watched with a grin as his mother held her in her arms.

Karen pulled back and looked at Brooke. "It's okay. It'll be okay. It won't feel like it for awhile, a long while, but it will be okay. I promise."

Brooke's eyes watered, but she was smiling. "I am so sorry. I should ha-"

"No." Karen shook her head. "You don't have to apologize, honey." She hugged her again then she let go and asked them what they wanted to eat.

Lucas pulled out a chair for Brooke, but she took the one by Haley instead.

He sighed. 'Everytime I think I'm getting closer to Brooke forgiving me she pulls away again.' He thought to himself as Brooke and Haley started laughing about the faces and comments Nathan made while they were watching a chick flick the night before, they made him watch it with them.

Lucas watched them laughing together. He remembered when he first started going out with Brooke and Haley was not happy about it. He used to wish they would get along, his best friend and his girlfriend.

Now they finally do, but they are no longer his best friend and his girlfriend, and the only reason they became friends is because they both hate him. He sighed.