"I'll be there in like ten minutes I promise." Brooke groaned as she juggled all her stuff and Joey out the front door, "No Mother I am dropping him off with Lucas." She rolled her eyes at the offer for her mother to watch Joey, "Because he is his father that's why. God ok I am not going to argue with him ok. I will be at the store soon and call you then bye." She slammed her phone shut as she throw it in her open window and hurried putting Joey in his seat.

"Mama why you mad?" Joey asked as Brooke mumbled harsh words of her mother.

"I'm not mad baby." Brooke changed her tone as she buckled his car seat, "Mama is just a little stressed, working too much." She told him as she grabbed her purse off the ground tossing it in the car, "And she is extremely late."

"Oh ok." Joey nodded not getting what stressed meant and just bobbing his head to the music as they drove down the road, "Daddy is taking me to the park."

"Oh really?" Brooke tossed a glance in the review mirror at Joey who just nodded a 'yup' as they drove. Things were going good, not great but good. Joey got along with Lucas better then she could ever wish and Karen had become one of the best Grandmothers she has ever seen; which honestly wasn't a surprise. Other then the fact her mother was bitching at her to get back to New York before her company going under Brooke was happy, content with everything and just hoped for at least a few weeks it stayed like that.

"I'm sorry I know I promised to get him here sooner but I just ran late." Brooke rushed into Lucas's house as he sat at his computer, "My damn alarm decided not to go off and Joey my normal early bird slept until 9:30 so I didn't have him to get me up and I am so late!" She explained quickly.

"It's fine." Lucas tried not to chuckle as Brooke ran around his living room like a chicken with her head cut off as she rambled, "Hey Joey." He smiled as Joey bounced over into his lap.

"Hey Daddy." He kissed his cheek brushing his blonde hair back from his eyes, "Mama test." He informed him as he started to run his race car over the wooden table.

"Test?" Lucas asked confused looking down at his son yet still trying to listen to Brooke as she rambled moving from her car to in his house bringing in all of Joey's stuff.

"Yup, she work lots." He told him jumping out of Lucas's lap and skipping over to in front of the TV, grabbing the TV changer and hitting the up button.

"So I will be here after all that." Brooke dropped the last bag she had on the floor along with Joey's coat, "What?" Brooke looked up at Lucas who sat in his computer chair leaning back with a smile.

"Your test huh?" He teased standing up from his chair and walking over to her.

"Huh?" She asked confused as he stood in front of her with that damn smile that still made her heart race.

"Joey said you were test because you work a lot." He told her, "But I think he meant stressed, so what's going on?"

"Luke I'm late I don't have time to talk, I don't have time for anything lately." Brooke shook her head walking over kissing Joey on the top of the head, "Mama loves you and will see you soon. Be good."

"Always." Joey sung out as he started watching some show on Disney.

"Brooke…" Lucas followed as she rushed passed him towards her car, "Pretty Girl…" He grabbed her hand making her freeze in her place. Why would he call her that? What is wrong with him? She was not his Pretty Girl anymore and it was not at all ok with her for him to call her that, "What's going on?" He asked missing her freaked look.

"I'm just tired of work." She mumbled out staring at his hand that held hers and his thumb as it started to rub back and forth over her hand.

"What's going on with work? You use to love it."

"I know but Luke I really don't have time to talk about this right now. I was supposed to be at work…" She paused looking at her watch, "Ten minutes ago." She went to pull away yet he just tightened his grip pulling her back.

"Well then how about tonight you come get Joey and we have dinner and talk about it?" He suggested growing nervous when he watched her battle on the inside if she wanted to do that or not.

"I umm…" She debated in her head if she should or not and cursed the fact he knew her well enough to know that was what she was doing.

"Please?" He pushed out his bottom lip giving her the look Joey gives her all the time. He really did have lots of Lucas in him.

"Ok." She caved knowing she couldn't tell that look no, "That actually sounds nice."

"Ok good." He smiled letting go of her hand, "Then have fun at work." He kissed the top of her head making her whole body tense before walking over sitting next to Joey playing cars.

Brooke didn't know what happened, she didn't understand what Lucas was doing with the holding her hand, kissing her head, wanting to talk to her? It was confusing her yet she liked it. Even with everything in her head screaming that this little scene was bad, was terrible, she couldn't help the smile crossing her face with Lucas sitting with their son playing cars and watching TV.

It felt like a real family.

"Daddy whatcha doing?" Joey called as he built some of his blocks.

"I umm…I'm working." Lucas glanced over his laptop making sure Joey was still ok. He knew he promised to take him to the park yet Lindsey called about needing some new chapters for his next book or everything was going to flop. Though a few phone calls were awkward they seemed to be becoming ok again, becoming friends but it just bothered him how they ended. He knew he cared a lot about the young publisher, would even admit he was falling in love and he almost felt like he was fooled by her, that with one sign of a problem and she runs, somewhat like Peyton. Things don't go how either of them planned and they freak taking the easy way out.

"That's no fun." Joey pouted rolling over on the rub facing Lucas as he laid on her stomach his face resting in his hands. Brooke didn't take the easy way out. When life got hard, when she got pregnant and things definitely didn't go how she planned she didn't run; she couldn't run. She took care of her child, worked her ass off to get where she was and didn't it all alone. Brooke was strong, brilliant and was an amazing person and sadly it took him way too long to realize that, "Play with me." He asked licking his top lip.

"I can't right now buddy; I really need to finish this." Lucas looked back down at his computer his fingers resting on his keyboard growing frustrated he had no clue what to write, no clue where to even start.

"I don't want you to finish." Joey growled climbing up from his spot and stomping over to Lucas, "You promised." He crossed his arms over his chest as he glared at the older blonde.

"I know but I am trying to finish. I promise I will play when I'm done." He started typing just to erase and start again, "God I suck." He groaned trying to think of anything to write. How hard could it be? His last book was so easy, it came to him with so much ease yet this one had him completely stomped. Maybe it was because his last book was life, it was real and everything he wrote had happened, or he wished would happen.

"Daddy play with me, play with me, play with me." Joey stomped around the table pouting, "Play with me!" He yelled placing his hands on Lucas's laptop and slamming it shut.

"God damn it Joey!" Lucas yanked his hands away before it slammed on his fingers, "Why did you do that? I am not playing with you right now!" He yelled as Joey's eyes started to fill with tears "Just…God go over there!" He threw his hands towards the corner.

"I just wanted you to play." Joey frowned his bottom lip trembling as he bit it, a way his mother always acted to stop herself from crying.

"Joey…I…" He went to apologize feeling extremely guilty as Joey took off to the couch falling on it crying, "Shit." He sighed shutting his laptop running his hands over his face.

"So what you doing tonight?" Rachel asked as her and Brooke sat in the shop.

"Well I am going over to Lucas's." Brooke told her as she finished inventory so she could close up the shop and head home, well to Lucas's. It had been a long day with Victoria yelling about her latest sketches not being right for the spring line, Victoria yelling about her still living in Tree Hill, about her living so close to Lucas and about her even letting Joey near Lucas. Asked her what kind of mother would let some guy who up and left her pregnant and ran off marrying some blonde slut back into her son's life? Honestly Brooke just wanted to tell her to shut up and hang up the phone and if it wasn't for the fact she really needed her help with her work she would have.

"You're going to Lucas's huh?" Rachel smirked kinking her eyebrow at the brunette who rolled her eyes.

"Yes Rachel, we are going to have dinner."

"Hmm…" Rachel stood up as she moved around the counter, "So just you and him having dinner? Maybe some candlelight, a little music, him all broody and gorgeous and you all horny. "

"Rachel!" Brooke shrieked not believing she just said that, "I am not horny. I am a mother!"

"A mother that hasn't had sex since umm…" Rachel tapped her chin trying to remember, "Wait wasn't Lucas boy the last time you took the little bedroom tango." She grinned knocking her hip into Brooke.

"Shut up." She mumbled checking off a view shirts on her list as she started looking over her skirts.

"So Brooke I have always wondered." Rachel leaned on the counter with a sneaky grin, "What's it like? I mean with Lucas because that boy I always assumed was just great in the sack. Not that I ever got the chance being as he was so tragically hooked on you then when I got the chance he just moved on to Peyton…" She tossed her hair back, "But I did wonder."

"Yeah we aren't talking about this." Brooke moved around the shop putting everything up and turning off the lights in her office.

"Why? I want to know and I am not going to asking Peyton and sure as hell not calling that Libby chick."

"Lindsey Rachel." She corrected as she grabbed her purse.

"Yeah whatever." She waved her hand not caring, "Plus you have the best of it all being as you were his first." She smirked leaning against the wall as Brooke locked up.

"And how on earth do you know that?" Brooke asked knowing she never told anyone that and was more than sure Lucas never dropped that bomb. She was actually shocked that Lucas was a virgin that night in the hot tub and even more shocked the fact he was a lot better than the past virgins she had slept with, and he definitely improved over time.

"I know everything, plus virgin boy told me on that night with the boy draft. We drank some, talked a lot and played strip basketball." She smirked making Brooke groan at the memory, she hated that stupid night, "So tell me."

"I'm not." She shook her head, "You are just going to have to accept that you will never know what any Scott is like in bed." She smirked climbing into her car, "And to think I know both and which one is better."

"Brooke you slut!" Rachel called as Brooke laughed slamming her car door and driving off, "Whore!" she yelled as Brooke drove off laughing.

Lucas heard the door open and close but he didn't move; just sat still starring at his son playing with his trucks and cars as something played on the TV. How could he have yelled at him like that? It wasn't even that big of a deal, all he wanted was him to play with him. 4 years of being absent of his life he could have given up his book for ten minutes of hanging with his son.

"Mommy!" Joey squealed jumping up from his toys and running over to the woman with waiting arms.

"Hey honey bun you have a good day today?" Brooke smiled putting him back on the ground and Joey just nodded with a big smile, "Where is your daddy?" She asked seeing Lucas not sitting on the living room floor like most days when she comes to pick up her son.

"He's over there." Joey pointed to Lucas who was sitting down against the wall in the corner of the living room. Lucas was waiting for Joey to tell Brooke, let her know how upset he was, how Lucas yelled at him and Lucas was completely prepared for Brooke to yell. Much like he had done to their son.

"Sweetie why don't you go play, mommy is going to go talk to your daddy ok." She told him looking at the boy who use to hold her heart for so many years; a boy who looked like he just got kicked in the stomach or something. He actually had the look that night in the hotel room, the look when she first told him she was leaving, and the look before the look he got when he convinced her to stay.

"Ok." Joey shrugged running back over to his toys still smiling.

"Hey." Brooke offered a smile as she started walking over to her ex.

"Hey." Lucas greeted back but still just starring at his son on the ground. He was acting fine, he wasn't acting like anything was wrong at all; he was just acting like Joey.

"Well this is a comfy place." She joked sliding down next to him but he just let out a little shrug but offered her nothing else, "Why you over here brooding on the floor for?"

"I yelled at him." He whispered looking at her, "He wasn't even doing anything wrong really and I yelled at him Brooke."

"Ok…" Brooke said not really getting why he was in the corner still, "So why are you in the corner?"

"Brooke he wasn't doing anything and I yelled at him!" Lucas told her again, "He probably hates me."

"Luke…" She shook her head moving around so she was in front of him resting her arms on his knees, "What was happening when it happened?"

"I was working on something for my book and he kept asking me to play but I was really trying to finish because I have a deadline coming up, but he kept asking over and over; kept telling me how he wanted to play with his cars and when I wouldn't I guess he got mad at me and ran over slamming my laptop shut and I yelled at him! I yelled at him for a damn book! I didn't even lose anything! Just had to open the damn thing back up."

"Lucas look at him…" She said but he just focused on her, "Look at him…" she repeated turning his head to look over her shoulder at their son, "Does he look upset? Does he look broken, or hurt?" she asked and he shook his head no, "Then he is fine."

"But I yelled at him Brooke."

"No you parented him." She smiled a little, "Do you know how many times me or Rachel have gotten on to him? How many times I have been working on something and he has spilled his juice on it or it fell on the floor and his dirty shoes stepped on it? Tons. Most the time yeah he was running with his juice or he was wearing his dirty shoes in the house when he knows he shouldn't have. Yes of course I yell and he does that little trembling lip and crying thing and I feel bad but Lucas when he does something he shouldn't, when he throws a tantrum because he doesn't get his way; you are allowed to get onto him."

"It's different for you Brooke, it's different for Rachel. You both have been here his entire life, I haven't. He knows what life is like without me in it. I mean I get onto him and for all I know he is done with me; he is like he is mean to me I don't want to be around him anymore."

"Joey come here." Brooke called over her shoulder as he got up running over, "Who is this?" She pointed at Lucas as she wrapped her arm around his waist pulling him close.

"That's my daddy Mama." Joey rolled his eyes like his mom is dumb not knowing that.

"Your daddy huh?" She asked raising her eye brow at him and he just nodded, "So earlier what were you doing that made Daddy mad?" She asked and he became quiet as he played with her hair, "Joseph." She repeated with a warning tone.

"I shut his book." He frowned and Brooke knew he meant computer. Joey maybe smart for 4 but he did get confused many times with things, "But I wanted him to play with me." Joey whined but Brooke just shook her head at him.

"Brooke its-" Lucas tried to tell her but she put her finger up at him to stop.

"Joey did he tell you he would play when he was done?" she asked and he nodded as he continued to play with her hair so he didn't have to look at her, "Then you pitched a fit for not getting your way?"

"Yes." He scuffed out and Brooke gave him the look he knew all too well when she was not happy with his answer, "Yes ma'am."

"What did Aunt Rachie tell you the last time you threw a fit for not getting your way?"

"Ya'll told me I couldn't get my puppy if I did it again."

"You really want that puppy don't you?" Brooke asked knowing that Joey wanted a dog more than anything.

"Mommy I want a puppy so bad!" Joey frowned stomping his foot and slamming his fist into his side.

"Tell Lucas sorry."

"I'm sorry daddy." Joey apologized reaching over and hugging him tight, "I'll never make you mad again." He promised, "I don't like hurting your feelings. Do you still want to be my friend?"

"Of course I want to be your friend." Lucas laughed a little hugging him again and mouthing thank you to Brooke who just smiled and nodded.

"Ok now go clean up your toys and Daddy and I will take you to dinner and maybe ice cream." Brooke informed him and he squealed taking off to clean his toys, "Joey doesn't really know being mad." She looked back over at Lucas, "When you yell at him he doesn't know it's a mad reason. The first and only thing he thinks is you aren't going to want to be his friend."

"But he wouldn't even talk to me until you got here." Lucas told her feeling better but still feeling like a piece of shit for yelling at him.

"Because he thought you didn't want to be his friend." She repeated, "He was waiting for you to come over and talk to him. Plus he is very much like you with the fact he broods. You see how you were sitting over in the corner; well over there on the floor was his brooding corner just with some cars to keep him entertained." She joked and he cracked a smile.

"You're a great mom you know that right?" Lucas asked taking Brooke's out stretched hand helping him up.

"Yeah…" Brooke smiled, "I try. After awhile it just comes easy to you."

"Yeah well I think I am slowly getting to understand that." He smiled looking over at Joey, "He is perfect Brooke, pretty much you in every way."

"Well I hope not." Brooke laughed crossing her arms over her chest watching Joey clean, "I think he would be better off not ending up like me, not being like me at all." She let out a dry laugh.

"I think that would be the worst thing for him." Lucas looked at her seriously, "Brooke you I know never assumed would be that great mother figure but you are. God I don't think you realized how much you have changed over the years and I have seen it all again with Joey. Brooke Davis you are going to change the world some day."

"Someone pretty amazing told me that before." She smiled up at him running her hand through his hair finishing a piece that was out of place. He got lost in it all over again, the smile on her face, the look of save me in her eyes and the look that tells him there is still something in her that cares for him like he does her; he just has to get her to admit that part.

"Come on…" He tugged her hand, "Let's go eat."

Sorry I haven't updated in so long and sorry Diane, I hope you like this chapter on this story and please don't give up hope I will finish I promise! I so, so, so, so promise!

Yet let me know what you all think and please review!