Equal But Opposite Reaction

By: Sari

Disclaimer: No, I don't own OTH. If I did Brooke and Lucas would be back together and Felix would be in a ditch somewhere. Haley wouldn't be going insane and she and Nathan would be back together.

Summary: AU Brucas. Successful bachelor Lucas Scott meets hard to get, feminist Brooke Davis and a rollercoaster ride occurs as both begin to fall in love.

Part 28 / Epilogue

Marriage has for women many equivalents of joining a mass movement. It offers them a new purpose in life, a new future and a new identity (a new name). The boredom of spinsters and of women who can no longer find joy and fulfillment in marriage stems from an awareness of a barren, spoiled life. By embracing a holy cause and dedicating their energies and substance to its advancement, they find a new life full of purpose and meaning. – Eric Hoffer

"Hallow the body as a temple to comeliness and sanctify the heart as a sacrifice to love; love recompenses the adorers." – Kahlil Gibran

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be." – Douglas Adams

"Prepare your mind to receive the best that life has to offer." – Ernest Holmes

"You don't love a woman because she is beautiful, but she is beautiful because you love her." – Anon.

Lucas's eyes were wet as he stood at the altar waiting for his bride to walk down the aisle. Everyone that mattered was there. His mom and Keith, Brooke's parents, Elizabeth, Nathan, Haley, and even Nancy had joined in on the festivities at the last minute. It was perfect; everything was finally falling into place bringing him full circle back to where his life needed to be.

His eyes met that of Lauren's and he smiled broadly as she mouthed the words he had been longing to hear since he had met Brooke and realized that she was the love of his life: "she's ready."

He nodded to her and the music began, and as first strains of the wedding march played in the rose scented air. Brooke began to walk out draped in white with her father at her arm.

Lucas glanced to his brother for support as he began to tear up and as she drew closer rivulets of tears were streaming down his face. When she finally made it to the altar they were both already crying, the beauty of the moment not lost on either of them.

"You're so beautiful." He whispered his voice thick with emotion.

She smiled at him. "And you look so handsome."

"Are we ready to begin?" The preacher asked.

Lucas nodded unable to speak.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here together in the sight of God, and in the face of this congregation, to join together this Man and this Woman in holy matrimony." The preacher began.

He didn't mean to, but as soon as the words were said his mind seemed to drift, to every defining moment, every single time that had reassured him that Brooke was the one, the only one for him.

He remembered their first meeting…

He looked around and noticed the brunette sitting elegantly on one of his chairs in the corner. Their eyes met and she rose from her seat a polite smile on her face.

Lucas took that time to size up the woman. She was beautiful with shoulder length brunette hair and large brown eyes. She was dressed professionally and wore black wire rimmed glasses. "Mr. Scott, it's a pleasure to meet you I'm Brooke Davis executive editor of Filly magazine."

"Right, I know we talked on the phone. You're the one interested in getting interviewing rights on over half of my clientele."

The end of their first date…

He laughed and helped her up. "Shall we go Miss Davis?"

"I think we shall Mr. Scott."

The first time he realized that he was falling hard…

"Hi Lucas, I haven't heard from you in a while."

"Yeah, 2 days and I would tell you the number of hours but I think the time difference would screw it up." He said.

Defending her against her bastard ex-fiancé…

Lucas scoffed and pulled Brooke behind him eyes narrowing dangerously. "Look Tim or whatever the hell your name is don't delude yourself. You are not that hot and not that rich for anyone to be falling all over you. You are a cheating bastard that took advantage of Brooke's love for you. Trust me when I say she's way over you and the thought of her even having an inkling of feelings left for you besides hate is a laughable matter. So why don't you take your big ass ego and stick it up your ass, Brooke is better off without you."

The first time he ever had to say no…

"Lucas wait…" Brooke murmured. "I want you to stay with me."

"Brooke you don't want me to do that."

Brooke got out of the bed and crossed the room quickly, pressing her mouth against his in a hot, passionate, needy kiss. Pushing him against the door and closing it in the process her hands made their way underneath his shirt casually pulling it off and stroking the hard muscles of his chest and stomach.

"Brooke…" he gasped, kissing along her jaw and making his way down her neck. "We shouldn't do this…you're hurting and I'm going to feel terrible in the morning."

Waking up in the hospital to her undying support…

"Hey Brooke…" He murmured.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been asleep for years." He said pulling himself up into a sitting position.

Knowing that no matter how badly he screwed up she wasn't going to ever leave him…

"Why are you doing this you hate me." Lucas said groaning. "You have a right to you know, I did a stupid thing with Serena yesterday, but Brooke I didn't mean it!" He insisted again.

"She visited me today." She said.

"She WHAT?" He yelled then grabbed at his head. "Damnit, my head hurts."

Realizing that his lifestyle had to change if he wanted to be with her…

"I should apologize too." He murmured taking her hand. "You're right, I'm not really cautious when it comes to my health and I need to be. Maybe I do need to cut down on the hours I work."

Working his hardest to make a good impression for her parents…

"Oh! Dad…mom…this is Lucas Scott, my boyfriend." She introduced him.

Her dad smiled at Lucas and shook his hand while her mother gave him a brief hug. "It's so great that you came with Brooke to meet us!" She squealed. "I was just dying to meet you!"

He looked slightly uncomfortable but smiled back anyway, anything to give the Davis' a good impression of him. "It's nice to meet you as well Mrs. Davis. Brooke and Elizabeth have told me so much about you."

Comforting her when it she needed it the most…

"No, it makes you the exact opposite." He assured her. "Brooke, you love Peyton and Jake, but you're strong enough to realize that what they are doing is eventually going to hurt Jenny and both of them as well. Even if they don't see that you're trying to help them they will someday and you have to get by knowing that it will happen. Probably not today or tomorrow, but someday soon."

Moving in with each other…

"Will you move in with me?" He asked softly.

"Did you really think I'd say no?"

Finally taking the plunge…

They pulled onto the road that would take them to Brooke's office. "I've been meaning to ask you something." He said breaking the silence.

She looked at him expectantly. "Well? Spit it out."

"I want you to go engagement ring shopping with me."

And the moment that was second to this day in the best moments of his life…

He took another deep breath. "So I guess what I'm trying to say here and I guess all of you know this is: Brooke Davis, the light of my life, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Brooke let out a choked out sob and launched herself into his arms successfully knocking him to the floor. "Yes you dork! Did you think I'd say anything else?" She said laughing. "I love you so much."

He was brought back to the present by Brooke's hand slipping into his own and he looked into her brown eyes giving her a reassuring smile that yes this is what he wanted.

The preacher cleared his throat. "At this time the bride and groom have requested that they say personalized wedding vows. Lucas, would you like to go first?"

Lucas smiled and nodded. "This is crazy." He began letting loose a nervous chuckle. "I'm usually a romantic guy and words come to me so easily but right now standing in front of you seeing just how beautiful you are and realizing that I'll be waking up next to this beautiful woman for the rest of my life—I'm speechless."

"Brooke I promise you that I will be the best husband that I can. I promise to try to understand instead of jumping to conclusions, I promise to share my life with you even when all I want to do is be alone, I promise that I will make the effort everyday to tell you another reason why I love you—and will always love you."

"Kahlil Gibran wrote about marriage. I remember reading his words on the day I bought your engagement ring and thinking that if there's one passage in this that relates to us it would be this one: 'Love one another, but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup. Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf. Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone, Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music."

The preacher smiled. "And Brooke, will you say yours?"

Brooke was wiping away tears but she nodded and began to speak. "I'm not as savvy with words as you are Luke, you were always the speaker in this relationship. You knew how to handle any situation and make sure that everyone benefited from it. That's only one of the many things that make me love you and make me want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"7 months ago I would have never dreamed that I'd be standing here across from the love of my life but since that day I met you, you have continuously swept me off my feet and even though you aren't perfect and you've made mistakes you are perfect in every way to me."

"It's amazing that a simple 'I love you' can encompass every emotion that I feel for you. 'I love you' expresses every doubt, joy, tears, laughter, regret, and bliss I have experienced with you and the future that I will have with you."

"With all my heart I promise to be the best wife that I can for you." Brooke finished.

"Can I have you join hands?" The preacher asked.

Brooke and Lucas did so their eyes still locked on each other.

"Lucas, do you take Brooke to be your wedded wife to live together in marriage. Do you promise to love, comfort, and honor her and to keep her for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health. And forsaking all others, be faithful only to her so long as you both shall live?"

He grinned. "Believe me, I do."

"Brooke, do you take Lucas to be your wedded husband to live together in marriage. Do you promise to love, comfort, and honor him and to keep him for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health. And forsaking all others, be faithful only to him so long as you both shall live?"

With tears threatening to fall Brooke nodded. "I do."

"By the power vested in me I now pronounce you husband and wife." The preacher looked up and addressed the group of teary eyed individuals. "May I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Lucas Scott."

Lucas and Brooke kissed tentatively at first then with more passion as they understood that it was done. Their journey was just beginning but the hardest part had been completed.

"We are all born for love. It is the principle of existence, and its only end."

– Benjamin Disareli

THE END.

A/N: There is no sequel to this guys. But it's been fun and I'm hope that you all enjoyed the story.