Author's note: I own nothing...wish I did though... Ok, so I know I have done "this" before, but this time I feel like this can become the story I want to write. The other stories I've done have happened too fast, leaving me feeling like I skipped alot, or happened too slow and I got bored and unable to finish...but this feels better. It is season 5 forward and follows the show, but the main difference is that I am Brucas all the way, and well that is easy to see. But, it does follow the show and I hope you like it...not sure where I will go, if I will jump time or not, but I just started with season 5 because that is when I started watching. Of course now I have seen every epsiode and believe it should be Brucas, but I love Brulian too, so agh! Sorry for the long note...hope you enjoy, and any and all feddback is appreciated! Thanks :-)

Tree Hill, North Carolina. It was home, always had been, and she knew it always would be. As much as she tried to run from it, to move forward with her life, she missed it. She sat alone in her Manhattan apartment eating a dinner prepared by a personal chef she never saw because she was always working late. This wasn't her dream, not anymore. She wiped away a tear from her eyes, trying to remind herself to be thankful for this, what she had built. She made her way to the window seat overlooking the city.

She placed her glass of wine on the table next to her, beside a book that reminded her of who she used to be. She sighed looking around, this was not how she imagined she'd be at twenty two years old. This wasn't what she'd imagined for her life. She scrolled through the names in her cell phone before settling on her best friend. With a sigh she called the number. "Hey, it's Brooke," she said in a saddened tone, "hey, I'm sorry, I know you're busy there, but, I just…" she hesitated, "what happened to us, you know? I don't know who I am anymore, or how I got here. I miss who I used to be. I wanna have a home again, you know, I miss that. And I miss you. I guess I miss all of it. Does any of that make any sense?"

"Yeah, it makes all the sense in the world, Brooke. Four years ago it all seemed so clear didn't it? Conquer the world, save the world, live happily ever after. "

"Are you happy Haley?"

"I am," she said as she glanced around her house, "are you?"

"No," she said wiping her eyes.

"Ok, then, let me ask you something. What is going to make you happy Brooke? Is it how you look or the car you drive? The people you know? Is it more money, or celebrity, or power and accomplishments? Because I don't think it's enough."

"Well, then what is?"

"Love, I think," she said as she felt him wrap his arms around her waist. "And that love can be for a boy or a girl, or a place, or a way of life, or even for a family. But where you find it is up to you. So where are you gonna find that love tigger?"

"I think I need to come home."

"Yeah," Haley smiled, "I was hoping you'd say that."

The river court. It was his world, well at least it used to be. He stood there with a basketball remembering who he once was. Life had changed a lot in four years. The names they had written there four years ago were worn away, much like the promises they made that night. They'd all remain friends, nothing would change. They had changed, life had changed them. And, they hadn't kept the promise they'd made. He wondered if they thought about it like he did, if they still cared as much as he did. He glanced at his watch and with a heavy sigh turned to leave. He was shocked to see her.

"Hi," she nearly whispered with a soft smile, "how long has it been?"

"Uh, two years," he spoke harshly.

"It's been a lot longer than that Luke," she said.

"Sometimes it feels like it was yesterday. We graduated high school, saying goodbye," he said as he held onto the worn basketball. "That feeling that you get at seventeen or eighteen that nobody in the history of the world has ever been this close, has ever loved as fiercely or laughed as hard or cared as much. Sometimes it feels like it was yesterday and sometimes it feels like someone else's memory."

"It's been too long," she smiled as she walked towards him.

"I have someone now," he said not wanting to hug his former girlfriend, "I'm with someone."

"That's great Luke," she smiled nervously, "I'm happy for you."

"Thanks," he said as he started to walk away, "I gotta go."

"I was there," she said, not sure why she was even telling him.

"What," he stopped, not turning towards her.

"Your first book signing, in New York," she said with her raspy voice, "I was so proud of you Luke," she smiled as he turned towards her, "but, we hadn't talked since that night," she said, both of them knowing what night she referred to, "I saw you with her."

"Lindsey."

"Yeah," she nodded, forcing a smile, "I figured you guys were together, which clearly you are."

"Why didn't you say something," he asked, wondering how she was there and how he had missed her.

"Luke, I knew we weren't meant to be," she said sadly, still looking anywhere but at him.

"I should get home," he said, "to Lindsey."

"Yeah," she smiled.

He sighed heavily as he left her standing on the river court. His mind was racing in a million different directions, all of which revolved around that night, that girl, and the things they talked about. He made his way to the front door of his childhood home. Karen and Lily were traveling with Andy, and she had given Lucas the house. He had come back to Tree Hill six short months ago, but this was always home.

"Hey you," she smiled from the kitchen as he walked in.

"Hey," he said with a smile. He loved how easy things were with them, it wasn't complicated and forced like it was with Peyton. But on the other hand, it wasn't the feelings he'd thought he would have for the girl he would spend forever with, but then again, Lindsey Strauss wasn't the girl he'd imagined forever with.

"You ok," she asked concerned, she sensed he was distracted.

"Yeah," he sighed, not sure if it was even important, but, he felt compelled to tell her, "Brooke's back."

"Brooke Davis," she asked.

"The one and only."

"That's great, Luke," she smiled as he wrapped his arms around her. She finished putting the dishes away as he stood against the counter lost in thought. "So, have you at least gotten one chapter done?"

"Linds," he sighed, this was the one part of dating his editor that he disliked.

"Luke, the only reason they agreed to let me split time between here and New York was because I promised them I'd get you writing again."

"I'm sorry," he said.

"It's ok," she said as she kissed his cheek, they walked towards the bedroom. The bedroom that he had once brought Brooke's things to, the room that had been hers for a while.

"I'm trying," he said as he sat at his desk, "I just haven't been inspired lately."

"You ready for bed," she asked with a smile.

"In a minute," he said as they kissed, "I think I am gonna try this writing thing."

"Ok," she said, "don't be too long."

"I won't," he smiled. He opened his laptop up. The emptiness of the screen intimidated him. He had been having so much difficulty in getting started on his second book, he thought it would never come. But he thought about things, about his life, what he thought it would be, what it was, and soon enough he started typing. He started typing, and he was remembering who he was, who he wanted to be, about his dreams and who he wanted by his side when they came true.

"Wow," she said as she stood near his desk, he looked towards her and rubbed his eyes, "did you write all night?"

"Yeah I guess I did," he yawned looking at his watch, it was nearly five in the morning.

"The question is," she smiled as she stood behind him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, "how much of it survived the delete button?"

"Almost all of it actually," he said rubbing his eyes.

"You must be ready to pass out," she said with a slight chuckle.

"Actually I feel energized," he smiled, "inspired even."

"That's great Luke," she said with a small smile. As his editor she was thrilled, but, as his girlfriend, she couldn't help but notice the timing.

"So, Lindsey tells me you've been writing," Haley says taking a seat across from Lucas in his office, "a lot lately."

"You do know this is the boys locker room," he says with a laugh as she hands him half her sandwich.

"Yeah, but I can't eat in that teachers lounge," she says crinkling her nose, "it smells funny and they all treat me like I'm still a student, I feel like I'm being graded."

"You too, huh," he smiles at her. He loves how comfortable they still are with each other after all these years. It's hard for him to believe how far they've come. It's good all of them being back, Peyton and Brooke had both been back for a couple of weeks and it was kind of nice, even though tense at times, being together again.

"So about this writing thing," she said, sighing, "I thought you were blocked or something."

"I guess I just got inspired."

"So how does Lindsey feel about this," Haley asked.

"Thrilled," he said, "she is my editor."

"Lucas," she sighed, "as your editor she's thrilled, but what about as your girlfriend? I mean I can't help but notice the timing."

"Timing," he asked confused.

"Brooke is back."

"Hales, Brooke is my ex-girlfriend," he sighed this time, "from high school."

"I hear Brooke rented out your mom's old café to open her new store," she said, "and you've got Peyton opening a label in the office space at Tric."

"I'm just helping out some friends."

"Lindsey's ok with that?"

"Why wouldn't she be?"

"Luke, the timing," she sighed, "you writing, Brooke being here, Peyton back."

"Hales, they are a part of my past, I mean Peyton and I have been over for a very long time," he said, "and Brooke is just an ex-girlfriend from high school."

"Brooke's not just any ex-girlfriend and everyone knows that." He looked away, she knew she touched a nerve so she didn't pry. The truth was she liked Lindsey and she didn't want to see her get hurt.

"Lindsey's not really the jealous type," he said trying to convince himself more than his best friend, "besides I have much more to worry about," he ran his hand through his hair, "did you see my team?"

"I think your team looked really good."

"The JV team was in white," he said, "mine were in blue, we're a work in progress."

"Awkward," she said with a laugh, she started gathering her things, "I'm gonna go to class now, I'll see you later Coach Scott."

"Hey Haley," he said as she turned towards him, "how's my little brother?"

"He's a work in progress," she smiled as she walked away.

I usually do Brooke centric stories, but I am going to try and get all the main characters in this one...