The Truth

Three

"Good morning, I made breakfast." Haley said to Brooke.

"You're in a happy mood." Brooke said yawning.

"Yeah, well it's my first day recording at the studio in a long time. But, you and Nicholas are welcome to stay for as long as you want. I have to take Jamie to school."

"Well actually I think I'm gonna take Nicholas and go house hunting." Brooke said smiling.

Haley gasped "Really!! You're going to stay in Tree Hill?"

Brooke nodded "I think we just might."
Haley rushed to other side of the island and hugged Brooke "Ahhh I'm so happy!! I need more friends!"

"Does peyton still live here?"

"Yes, but we aren't very close she stays away from everyone."

"Except for Luke I bet." Brooke said rolling her eyes.

"Actually her and Lucas don't talk. After you moved away Lucas starting going through depression, he was taking so many pills and drinking so much alcohol he told Peyton to leave him alone because they were the reason you left, Nathan helped him and he hasn't seen a bar since. Brooke he hasn't even been with another girl. He still loves you."

Brooke was shocked, she never expected him to do that for her.

"Anyway we gotta run but let me know how house hunting goes." Haley yelled for Jamie and grabbed her purse then they heard the door open and a loud noise

"Honey I'm home!!" Brooke recognized that voice. Jamie gasped and said "Uncle Lucas!!"

"Hey Jamie what's up dude!" Lucas bent down and hugged him

Nicholas walked in after Jamie and stood there waiting "Who is this little dude?" Lucas asked Jamie.

"Hi, my name is Nicholas."

"Hey man, I'm Lucas are you Jamie's friend?"

"We are cousins Uncle Lucas!" Jamie said.

"Oh on your mom's side? Is he your aunt Taylor's kid?"

Jamie shook his head "Nope, Aunt Brooke's."

Lucas was speechless. Brooke was here and that was her son. "Um, uncle Lucas?" Jamie said waving his hand in front of his face.

"Sorry um where is your mom?" Jamie pointed to the kitchen. Lucas stood up straight and walked to the kitchen.

"Um Hales?" Lucas said walking in the kitchen.

He looked at Haley and then to Brooke. He hadn't seen her in years, they broke each others hearts. "Hey Luke! Coffee?" Haley said breaking the silence.

"Brooke." He said ignoring Haley, keeping his eyes on Brooke.

Brooke stared at him but said nothing.  She smiled with no teeth. But he knew her real smile and that wasn't it.

"Come on Mama I'm gonna be late!" Jamie yelled.

"Coming!" Haley said "Brooke key is under the stairs I will call later!" She said.

Lucas continued to stare "I didn't know you were home. How long have you been here?"

"2 days."

Lucas nodded, almost tearing up, "Why didn't you call m-"

"Mommy are we gonna leave soon?" Nicholas said coming in the kitchen.

"Soon baby, why don't you go upstairs and I will come get you when I'm ready." Brooke said crying.

"Okay mommy are you alright?"

"I'm fine honey go play." Nicholas ran up the stairs.

"I didn't call because I was sad, and I hated you at that moment."

"Brooke, I loved you, I was so broken when you left and you didn't even say goodbye."

"I couldn't!!" Brooke said crying more.

"You have a kid?" Lucas asked.

Brooke nodded. "How old is he?"

"He is four, about to be five." Brooke said wiping her tears.

"Four? But you left--"

Brooke started to cry again.

"Is he mine?" Lucas said crying.

Brooke nodded, but she could barely breathe. "Why do you think I left Lucas! I was pregnant at 17, and scared out of my mind, I had nobody, I had nowhere to go, I slept in my car and then I moved away because I could bear the thought of having a child on my own knowing that you were a street down!! Okay you cheated on me, we could have done it together but you broke me!!" Brooke said sobbing.

"I would have been all in, but you were only thinking of yourself and left without telling me you got pregnant! I didn't eat or sleep for a year!! My heart was always with you." Lucas said slamming the island.

"I'm sorry okay!! I just couldn't do it." Brooke said starting to walk away.

"We have to talk about this." He said grabbing her arm.

"Luke I dont expect anything from you, I have been doing this for 4 years I can do it more, you dont have to compromise."

"What's he like?" 

"He's perfect, we can talk about this later. I will meet you tomorrow, our spot." She said heading towards the stairs.

"Luke, I never wanted this, but that little boy is everything to me and I can't see him get hurt." Brooke said walking out.

She got Nicholas and her stuff and headed out.

She started to drive and Nicholas was in the back playing with his toys "Mommy who has that man you were talking to?"

"That was mommy's friend." She said looking in the mirror.

"Well Jamie said it was his uncle and he is my cousin so does that mean that he is my uncle too?"

Brooke looked back but said nothing so Nicholas went back to playing and Brooke went back to thinking.