Breathe

A Brooke and Lucas oneshot set in mid season 3, sometime after Brooke and Lucas got back together/became exclusive. Lyrics featured and title are from Breathe by Michelle Branch.

Thank you to Cait, Camilla and Coco for their support, help and early feedback.

Also thanks to all the girls on the Brucas thread on OTH Writers 911.

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If I just breathe,
Let it fill the space between,
I'll know everything is alright.

Lucas watched her as she stood there swaying slightly as she sang along to the music soaring out of the CD player. The sun glowed dimly through the window and delicately lit her figure. Brooke was stacking boxes of sugar on one of the shelves in the back storeroom at Karen's Café. Karen had roped Lucas into reorgansing the storeroom for her, bribing him with large slices of the café's cakes, which he ate whenever he wanted anyway. Yet Lucas being the good son had agreed, and Brooke, being the good girlfriend, had volunteered to help Lucas. So, there they stood, just a metre or so apart, surrounded by hundreds of boxes of every food product you would ever expect to find at a café, and some you wouldn't expect.

Brooke knew Lucas was staring at her, and she didn't care. In fact, she liked being watched by him. It gave her a strange sense of security to feel the person she loved most in the world gazing at her. It had taken Brooke some time to let Lucas in again. But now that she finally had, she felt complete. She felt safe. She felt loved. And she was happy.

Breathe,
Every little piece of me,
You'll see,
Everything is alright.

Lucas continued to watch her as she continued to sway, sing and stack. Her body, dressed effortlessly beautifully in jeans and a pink tank top, moved loosely in time with the music as she sang loud enough for Lucas to hear. He loved the way she was completely at ease with herself. She was definite in her actions and her attitude and didn't let anyone tell her what to do. Lucas loved that about her. He was captivated by her strength and how comfortable she was in her own skin. She had been through a lot, he had put her through a lot, but all the time, Brooke stayed true to herself. Lucas remembered what he had thought of Brooke when he had first started to get to know her. He had never guessed the intense strength that she had, nor the way that, one day, today, she would make him feel.

Brooke could feel Lucas' presence. It was strange, it was a feeling she couldn't describe, but it was the way she always felt when she was around him. She had her worries, just like everyone. But when she was around Lucas, she seemed to forget them, now was one of those moments. For a moment, Brooke forgot that her parents hadn't called in weeks and that she had had an argument with Haley earlier that morning and that she had a detention tomorrow. Right in this instant, nothing could cause her any pain.

The moment was broken as the door swung open to reveal Karen. She peered at Lucas and Brooke over two tall stacks of boxes.

"How's the stacking going?" she questioned. Lucas had torn his eyes from Brooke and had begun to stack some boxes on the shelves, acting like he had been doing this all along.

"Great, Mom," Lucas replied. Karen sensed the tone of annoyance in Lucas' voice and gave a smile. She knew how much her son loved Brooke and guessed she has interrupted a perfect moment. She turned and backed out of the room. Brooke giggled a little. She had not lifted her eyes from the boxes she was stacking but knew what was going on. Lucas' eyes dropped back to the girl beside him.

As they stood there stacking Lucas saw all of Brooke.

As they stood there stacking Brooke let Lucas see her.

And as she let out a content breath, Brooke felt a strange easiness of life.

Everything is alright if I just breathe ... breathe.