Okay I know it's been like forever but I have been grounded for sometime now so this is the first chance I really had the time to update...hope it was worth the wait...there will probably be 1 more chapter and maybe a sequel depending on how many people are still reading...so the decision is finally made...Will it be Lucas or Jake...you'll have to read to find out! Please leave me some reviews because i miss them!
Tamplin: Yes I have realized that the story got way out of control complicated. This is my first stab at a crossover so I was just trying to get a feel of how to incorporate all the characters. I am trying to unravel the whole story because I don't like all the twists and turns. Thank you for pointing this out. I guess I needed someone to tell me to make me really work on it.
Brooke decided it was time to sit down and make the hardest decision of her life. She'd always seen it in a corny chick flick but this was real life and it was happening to her. It was like some disease; you saw it on TV or the news, read it in books but it never happened to you.
Brooke found herself on the beach. Like a magnet it pulled her towards the chilled water and reminded her of home.
Home. What was home anymore? Tree Hill? Savannah? Newport Beach? She was like a wander with no real place or identity. This decision would change her forever. She wouldn't just be Brooke Davis another teen pregnancy statistic. She'd have a boyfriend who'd love her and take care of her and Adam. That's all she ever really wanted; someone who cared
The driftwood scattered beach and the crashing of the waves was comforting to Brooke and cleared her mind of all other thoughts but the task at hand. It was no simple task but someone had to do it.
"Man, how did I get so lucky that I get to choose between guys?" Brooke asked herself sarcastically.
"Hey Cohen?" Summer propped herself up on her pillow.
"Yes baby." Seth did the same to face her.
"Would you think we'd be ready for a baby if something happened and I got pregnant?" Summer asked innocently.
"Well I mean it depends really," Seth thought for a second, "Oh my god? Are you pregnant?"
"No Cohen! Ew, I'd get all fat and stuff." Summer pushed him playfully, "I was just thinking about how Brooke and Jake do it."
"It was their mistake so their kids are their consequence." Seth shrugged and rolled to stare at the ceiling. This conversation was as awkward as any post sex conversation would come.
"How could you say that Adam and Jenny are mistakes though?" Summer was showing a bit of her deep side as they had a real conversation together. That was one of the reasons Seth loved her; she came off as a ditzy cheerleader type but underneath all the clothes and make-up there was just another person. No Summer was more than just a person; she as an amazing person.
"I'm not saying that they're mistakes, just that how they came about was a mistake. I mean come on they're not even seventeen yet!" Seth took in a deep breath and tasted Summer's essence, "But you my dear Summer, will make the best mommy ever. When the time comes that is. Hopefully that's not anytime soon either cause my parents would flip and so would yours…"
"Cohen!" Summer said firmly and waited him to shut up and look at her, "Shut up."
"Are you mad at me?" Marissa finally found Ryan near the Baitshop.
"What makes you think I'm mad at you?" Ryan didn't make a big attempt to face her because he didn't want her to see the guilt in his eyes.
"Well you're either mad or hiding something," Marissa leaned on the railing, back to the ocean. She looked so perfect in her drop neck flowing dress and with the sun beating on her and the light sea breeze blowing her hair, Ryan couldn't figure out how he could ever cheat on her.
"No, there's just been a lot going on lately." He stole a glance before continuing, "You know with the new guests and all."
"As much of a bitch I've been being I like having Brooke around." Marissa nodded thinking back to all the good times Brooke and her had shared, "She's like the second sister I never had."
"You have an odd way of showing it." Ryan scoffed.
"Hey! I admitted I'm being a bitch," Marissa couldn't keep a straight face, "Besides who's side are you on?"
"Who's do you think?" Ryan turned and kissed Marissa's tanned cheek.
"I need a little more convincing than that." Marissa held Ryan's neck and kissed him. The kiss was like their first kiss all over again, "I've missed that."
"Me too." Ryan smiled lightly knowing where he was supposed to be, "Me too."
"So," Jake broke the awkward silence, "How's the team doing?"
"I don't know." Lucas answered, "I quit after Brooke left."
"Why would you do that? Basketball's in your blood. It's your life." Jake was astounded.
"Brooke was more important than anything in my life." Lucas looked away afraid that he would rip Jake's throat out.
"I thought you'd play harder just to get whatever you were feeling out." Jake shrugged trying to think of a new subject.
"I can't play harder. I can't play at all." Lucas said bitterly.
"What are you talking about man?" Jake figured this was the safest topic to talk about because anything else might lead back to Brooke or Adam.
"I have a disease. HCM. It's the only thing Dan ever gave me in life." Lucas clenched his fists wanted to punch something so bad, "While you were missing Dan had a heart attack and they found it. There was a fifty-fifty chance that Nathan or I had it. Looks like I got the short end of the stick again."
"So you can't play anymore because of that?" Jake couldn't believe what he was hearing. He sure did miss a lot in the year that he was gone.
"Bingo." Lucas got up and began pacing the pool house. He was trying to be patient for Brooke and tried to tolerate the scum that was once his best friend. As hard as it was going to be Lucas knew he was going to support Brooke's decision.
"Man I'm sorry. I would totally give you my heart if I could. At least it wouldn't be wasting talent." Jake shook his head in disbelief.
"Thanks but don't give me that crap." Lucas kept telling himself to just let it go but he couldn't anymore. He's always held everything in his entire life and he didn't want to anymore.
"What are you talking about man?" Jake didn't deserve the anger. Jake wasn't the one who cheated on Brooke. Jake was the only one Brooke turned to when she needed someone. He had nothing to do with anything that was going on besides being a friend.
"You know what I mean. Don't play like everything is okay." Lucas through his hands up in disbelief.
"Lucas no part of this mess is my part." Jake defended himself, "I'm a mere bystander."
"Whatever you say." Lucas shut himself before anything big happened.
"Brookie," Marissa approached her pondering cousin timidly.
"Hey." Brooke didn't even change her steady stare at the ocean. She knew exactly who she was going to pick but the hard part was figuring out what to say.
"Can I sit?" Marissa sat even before Brooke answered. The love for the beach must run in the family because the two girls felt so at home in the sand, "Listen, I just wanted to say I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it." Brooke sighed deeply. She really didn't even care about all the drama anymore.
"But I have to cause you're my cousin and I love you." Marissa nudged Brooke trying to squeeze out a smile.
"It's alright, "Brooke turned to face her. "I'm serious."
"Okay, good." Marissa beamed. She had been expecting Brooke to blow up at her, "So how's it going?"
"I don't know what to tell them." Brooke leaned her head on Marissa's shoulder, "This is the hardest decision I'll ever have to make. I love them both but Adam is Lucas' son."
"Yes but even if you're not with him doesn't mean Lucas can't be in Adam's life." Marissa pointed out but Brooke had already thought of that.
"How do I say to them sorry I picked you now let's have sex?" Brooke watched the waves rolling in as it crept up the shore.
"They're expecting it Brooke," Marissa touched Brooke's arm reassuringly, "Plus it doesn't matter about them. All that matter's is that your happy with your decision."
"Thanks Marissa." Brooke stood up and dusted off her sand butt.
"Anytime." Marissa linked arms with Brooke as they walked back the Cohen's house to face the music.
"Hey guys." Brooke said standing in the door of the pool house. All the guys minus Seth had settled into some Playstation but Jake and Lucas dropped their controllers as soon as Brooke made her presence known, "So how are we going to do this?"
Both boys shrugged. Their palms were sweaty and their throats were dry waiting for the verdict.
"I guess I'll do it one at a time." Brooke said timidly, "Who wants to go first?"
"I will." Lucas said not wanting to wait any longer. Brooke lead him out to the beach with her arms crossed across her chest.
"You were my first love and my first heartbreak. You gave me a perfect son and your heart. You've always been the one for me and I don't know what my life would be like without you." A tear slid down Brooke's cheek.
"You know I feel the same way and then some." Lucas gave her an empathetic touch.
"You've mainly been there when I needed you most. Though we've both made our mistakes we always seem to come back to each other." Brooke wiped the mascara trails, "I love you more than life itself."
"I love you too Brooke," A smile broke out on Lucas' face in rare contrast to his brooding.
"I love you now and probably will for the rest of my life but I don't see a future with us." Brooke finally said it. She had tried to put it off for so long but the truth was inevitable.
"What?" Lucas thought he'd heard wrong.
"I want us to raise Adam together but not as lovers." Brooke sighed. He looked so hurt, "I think we'd be better as friends."
"But after all we've been through." Lucas spat with disbelief.
"That the point. Too much has happened. I can't be with you." Brooke turned away trying not to show her weakness. Saying 'no' to Lucas for the final time was the biggest challenge she would ever face in her life.
"Sh, don't cry Brooke." Lucas wrapped his arms around her tiny waist. There was never going to be a point in time when he'd stop loving her and he would always be willing to sacrifice his own happiness to take away her pain.
"You're my best friend Lucas Scott." Brooke turned and kissed him quickly on the cheek before walking back to the Cohen's house to get Jake.
"Jake," Brooke whispered in her husky voice.
Without saying a word Jake followed Brooke out the beach yet again.
"Before you say anything," Jake stopped her from walking any farther, "If you didn't pick me I don't want to hear it. So spare me if I'm at loss here."
"What do you think Jake?" Brooke said throwing her arms around his neck as tears of joy flowed down her cheeks.
"I love you Brooke." Jake kissed her neck before releasing her from his tight grasp, "I actually thought I was going to lose you."
"Never." Brooke smiled kissing him quick.
"That's nice to know." Jake interlocked his fingers in her on the trek back to the pool house.