Hey guys! This is my newest Brucas AU fic that begins in their freshman year of college. Warning: Nathan and Haley are dead in this fic. If that bothers you, you can still turn back now! This will, of course, be heavy Brucas, but will have some slight Leyton in the beginning. There will be a lot of flashbacks of Baley, Brathan, Laley, and Lathan. I hope you enjoy! Please review

My Dearest Tigger,

If you're reading this letter, than something has happened not only to me, but also to Nate. So I guess the first thing I'll say is that it's all going to be okay. However we passed, if we were together, everything is going to be all right. If we weren't, but now we're both gone, we'll meet up on the other side. Always and forever, right?

This letter is more than that, though. This letter is my request for you to take care of our most prized possession, our baby James. I know what you're thinking; you're not capable of such a task. But Brooke, I know you are.

And you'll have Lucas to help you.

All I ask is that you two make him feel like he has a real family. Avoid shuttling him between your houses if you can. Make him feel like he has two parents who love him, because he does. In reality, he'll have four.

I want you two to formally adopt him. I want you to raise him as your own, no matter how old he is at the time that you're reading this. I want you to not feel guilty if he calls you mom and Lucas dad. In fact, nothing would make us happier. All we want is for him to be loved and to grow up in a home where he has an honest to God family.

Nathan and I chose you and Lucas because we love you both more than anything, and you're the best people we know. If our son should be like anyone, we can only hope he'll turn out like you two.

I love you, Brooke. I'll always be with you in your heart and in James.

You can do this.

Love always,

Tutor Mom

Brooke Davis stared in shock at the letter that had been placed in her hands by the lawyer of Haley James Scott and Nathan Scott. He had handed it to her along with a box with her name on it. She was sitting in what had been their living room in their living quarters at Duke. She and Peyton had flown to North Carolina immediately after receiving a hysterical phone call from Lucas, and the two girls had yet to stop since arriving. They had been ushered from Tree Hill directly to campus, where the lawyer had read the will and handed Brooke Haley's letter.

James Lucas Scott was only six months old. And now, he was an orphan.

Lucas was clutching a similar letter, looking equally floored. She didn't dare glance at Peyton, who was reading over Lucas's shoulder. James began to cry from the other room, and Brooke immediately stood.

"I'll get him," she whispered unnecessarily. She cautiously approached the nursery, reaching for the baby tentatively. "Hi buddy. I'm your aunt Brooke. I'm here to take care of you, okay?"

The baby quieted as she raised him up to her face, his big blue eyes blinking at her.

"You're so handsome," she whispered softly, drawing him to her chest. "You have your daddy's eyes."

Without being able to hold herself back, the sobs started to come, racking every inch of her body. Haley and Nathan, the unstoppable power couple, were dead.

They had had a girl from Haley's chemistry class babysit James so that they could go on a date night. On their way back into town, a classmate leaving a frat party had drunkenly collided head on with their car; all three had died in the accident.

"Brooke," came a cautious voice from the doorway, "are you okay?"

She turned to see Peyton staring at her with concern. She was surprised how well the generally dramatic blonde had been holding it together.

"I'm okay," Brooke hiccupped. "He just…he looks a lot like Nate."

"Let me take him," Peyton soothed, reaching for the baby.

James instantly clung to Brooke's shirt, shrieking again as Peyton attempted to remove him. Brooke suddenly noticed something. On his mobile, there was a photo of herself and Lucas, from back when they were dating. Haley had taken it on one of their many double dates. They were simply smiling, arms around each other.

Brooke noticed Peyton's eyes narrow quite obviously but couldn't find the strength to acknowledge it. Now was not the time to fight over Lucas Scott. Whatever drama was going to come of this arrangement would have to wait. The only thing that Brooke could think about was that Haley James Scott and Nathan Scott were gone. And that now, at eighteen years old, she was going to be responsible for raising their son.

"It's okay, buddy," Brooke soothed, bouncing the baby up and down. "That's your Aunt Peyton. She's here for you, too."

Brooke was able to hand James to Peyton after that with relative ease, although his blue eyes still remained stuck on Brooke.

"What are you, the baby whisperer?" Peyton attempted to joke, but it fell flat. She couldn't manage a smile and neither could Brooke. The brunette sighed deeply and led the way back to the living room, relieving her blonde friend as James began to fuss again.

Lucas barely glanced up from where he was staring at the carpet. Tears were dripping off of his face unchecked, and Peyton immediately went to comfort him. He leaned into her embrace and shut his eyes, and suddenly Brooke felt like she was on the outside looking in. A year ago, she had been his. Now, it was her best friend holding him. She looked at a picture of Nathan and Haley on the wall. They had always made sure she could feel a part of something, and now they were gone. She glanced down at the baby in her arms and managed a small smile at him.

"I guess you're the man in my life now, huh?" she whispered, dropping a kiss to his forehead. The baby seemed to relax visibly, his blue eyes fluttering closed.

"I'm so sorry," the lawyer apologized, "I know that this is an extremely difficult time, but if you two agree to adopt James, I'm going to need your signatures on this document declaring you his legal guardians."

Lucas made no indication that he had even heard the man, and so Brooke stepped forward, signing her name without hesitation. Haley had been the most amazing friend to Brooke. There was not even a fleeting though in her head that she might turn down Haley's last request.

Lucas finally untangled himself from his girlfriend long enough to sign the paper before falling back into her arms. The lawyer left shortly after, and Brooke sighed, walking into the nursery to escape the crying mess that Lucas had become. James had finally fallen asleep, and she placed him gently in his crib. She wandered across the hall to Nathan and Haley's room.

The bed was still unmade, and some of Nathan's workout clothes were scattered on the floor leading into the bathroom. She smiled a little, imagining Haley scolding him. She sat on the edge of their bed and felt the tears begin to come once again as she thought of the last time she had seen her friends.

"This is it, Davis," Nathan grinned, putting her suitcase in the trunk of her car. "You're California bound."

Brooke clapped excitedly, throwing her arms around his neck. "I'm so excited!"

"I'll miss you, Brooke," he laughed. "Who else is going to teach Hales how to lighten up?"

"Hey!" Haley protested as she approached, holding her infant son in her arms. "I am plenty fun!"

"Yes, you are," Brooke said mockingly, gently embracing Haley as not to squish the baby between them. "Bye, handsome. Your auntie Brooke loves you very much."

"I love you, Brooke," Haley said suddenly, meeting her eyes. "You're going to do great."

"I'm not so sure about that."

"I am. You'll see."

That had only been three months ago, at the end of the summer. Brooke lay back on the bed, looking to her left to what must have been Haley's nightstand. A picture of them from that day was propped proudly in a frame beside one of James. She wasn't sure how long she laid there as the tears came. It could have been minutes, it could have been hours. She just laid on the bed and cried.

"Clothes over bros?" Brooke asked tentatively, offering Haley her fist. The other girl laughed, her face lighting up.

"Clothes over bros," she agreed, bumping her fist lightly.

"Brooke?" came an unexpected voice. Brooke was shaken from her tearful reverie by the arrival of Lucas, who stood in the doorway as if he didn't belong there.

"Hi," Brooke croaked out, sitting up. She couldn't meet his eyes.

"I think we should head back to Tree Hill. You and Peyton can crash at my place."

"Yeah, I guess we should. I'll start packing Jamie's things, I guess."

The air hissed out of Lucas like a balloon as he stared at the brunette, finally understanding the situation. He and Brooke had been entrusted to take care of James. Haley and Nathan's baby James. The only thing on earth they loved more than each other.

"We should talk about that," Lucas said.

"I don't think there's much to talk about," Brooke said with resolve, standing up. "I'll move back to Tree Hill, and we'll raise him there."

"Brooke, I have school."

"Well, then I will raise him there," the brunette said fiercely.

"Brooke, you shouldn't have to move. I'm sure that Lydia would be more than willing to take him."

Brooke scoffed. "Are you kidding me? Do you want him to be raised in an RV?"

"It's not as if we're the best options!" Lucas shouted.

"They chose us!" Brooke yelled back. "Out of everyone they knew, everyone they loved, they chose us with their child. I don't understand why, but they did. That means something, Lucas. They wanted us to raise him together."

"Neither one of us knows anything about babies!" Lucas exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "This is completely out of our league, Brooke! We're eighteen and in college."

"I'm eighteen and you're in college. You're nineteen. I don't go to school," Brooke hissed, pushing past him. "I'm going to get James and his things, and then we'll go."

"Brooke," he attempted to argue, reaching out to grab her wrist. She shook him off with a fierce glare.

"If you don't want him, fine," she seethed. "But I'm taking him."

"We'll talk about this later," he insisted.

"There's nothing to talk about."

Lucas was left standing in the hallway as Brooke entered James's room. He leaned against the wall and looked up at the ceiling, willing himself not to start crying again.

God Hales, how am I going to do this?