Hey everyone - so this is sort of half a chapter, because I'm going away for two weeks tomorrow but I really wanted to get something up so you guys wouldn't have to wait any longer. Hope you like it! (Also, Keith turns up in this chapter - as I've said before, since I started writing before the whole tragic death thing, I've sort of ignored it. Hope no one minds).

Lucas felt consciousness dawn on him, and became aware of a smiling face looking over his. He smiled back, the memory of the previous day rushing back all at once. He glanced to his right, and saw Amy still curled up next to him, her eyes closed. Brooke lifted a finger to her lips and perched on the edge of the bed, then cupped his face and leant down, placing a light kiss on his cheek.

"I could get used to getting woken up like this."

Brooke's smile grew.

Lucas slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position. "How did you wake up so early?" he whispered, taking in the fact Brooke was already dressed.

Brooke shrugged. "It's Christmas day. I was excited."

She was still beaming and he couldn't help but grin back at her. From the look in her eyes, he knew her smile wasn't really caused by the thought of presents and Christmas cake. He slipped his fingers through hers, and squeezed her hand.

There were signs of movement next to them, and they broke their look to see Amy turn onto her back and stretch, before rubbing her eyes. As she took her hands away a huge grin suddenly broke out on her face.

"It's Christmas!"

Brooke and Lucas both laughed, and Lucas pulled her over into his lap. "Yes it is baby girl."

Amy hugged him tightly. "You're here!"

Brooke chuckled and brushed a hand over her hair. "Do you remember last night Ames?"

"Yeah…we moved." Amy's little forehead wrinkled.

Lucas nodded. "Yup. Santa thought you deserved an extra treat, so he magicked you over here when he came by to drop off your presents."

"I think we came in a cab actually…" muttered Amy, still frowning.

Brooke rolled her eyes. "Exactly. It was a Christmas miracle that we managed to find one at one in the morning." Lucas laughed, and she turned to him, her eyes finding his. She instantly had an overwhelming urge to kiss him, but instead she smiled and looked down, her smile lingering as she felt his hand squeeze her knee.

Luckily Amy was by now far too pre-occupied by the discovery of her stocking at the end of the bed to notice.

"Hold up Ames!" Lucas said as she began pulling out the little packages inside. "Now that you're here why don't you open your stocking with Gamma and Grandpa Keith too?"

"Are they awake?"

"Well it's still only 8.30 baby, so we could let them sleep a little longer."

Amy pulled a pained face. "I've already waited later than the earliest time you said!"

"Well maybe you could have some more sleep too - you had a late night last night and - "

"It's Christmas though! We can't waste it sleeping! Please daddy, can I just open some, please please please!"

Lucas hesitated, smiling at the pleading face she made. "Okay, one."

"Pushover," muttered Brooke, and Lucas gave her stomach a tickle in response.

Amy was already weighing up presents in her hands but Lucas started putting them back in them back in the stocking. "How about you take them all into the living room Ames, and you can have one before breakfast." He turned to Brooke. "I'll get dressed and go and see whether my Mom's up." Brooke nodded and he waited till Amy had left the room with her load before he spoke again. "What shall I say about why you're here?" There was a hint of a smile on his lips as he asked the question.

Brooke bit her lip. "Um…just say Ames wanted to be with you. They don't need the whole story yet."

"And the whole story is?"

Brooke smiled. "That I wanted to be with you." She rested a hand on his chest, and looked at her fingers as she brushed the cotton of his T-shirt. Then she asked hesitantly: "If we could keep the…recent developments to ourselves – just for now – would that be okay?"

Lucas nodded. "Yeah, absolutely. There's no rush."

He lifted a hand to her cheek and raised her face to meet her eyes. Her gaze dropped to his lips and she leant down towards him.

"Mom!"

They jerked apart at the sound of Amy's voice, and Brooke looked round quickly, but it had come from the living room. She turned back to Lucas with a soft smile. "I'd better go see to that."

He chuckled and nodded. "Yeah. I'll see you in a minute."

Karen and Keith roused themselves quickly when they heard Amy was in the house already, and soon they were all sitting in the kitchen, eating the pancakes that Karen was producing in an endless stream.

Karen had not questioned the nighttime appearance of her granddaughter and ex-daughter-in-law, but had simply kissed Brooke on the cheek when she came in, and said: "It's so lovely to have you with us." She was curious however, and she could tell Keith was too, as he kept stealing glances at Lucas and Brooke as they smiled at each other across the table.

"So what time do you think we should head over to Debs'?" Lucas asked, as he received his second plate of pancakes from his mom.

"Well I think we should go over before lunch so we can help out; making lunch for fifteen, or however many we are now, is a tall order and I'm sure Nathan won't be helping out at all!"

"Good thing too," Brooke said, "Nothing worse than food poisoning to ruin boxing day."

Karen smiled. "And speaking of lunch, you're going to ruin your appetite Lucas, give some of those to Keith." She indicated the stack of three pancakes on his plate that he was happily digging into. Lucas looked down at them sadly at the maple-syrup and blueberry covered creation and then grudgingly slid one out from the bottom of the pile and flipped it onto Keith's plate.

Keith grinned at him and then turned to Amy. "How about you kid, want one of your dad's pancakes?"

Amy looked up from the Barbie she was holding – the contents of the stocking presents she'd opened – and tipped her head on one side.

"Well…they do look pretty good…"

Lucas raised his fork in outrage. "There's more mix in the pan! These are mine!"

"Luke," Brooke said disapprovingly, "You shouldn't make your poor mom start cooking again. She's only just sat down."

Lucas looked open-mouthed at the three women sitting across from him. "But I got the level of maple-syrup exactly right…"

Amy giggled. "It's okay. You can keep them."

Lucas sighed. "Thank you." Responding to Brooke's shaking head with a grin, he settled down and began eating again.

Once they'd all got dressed Brooke finally relented and let Amy open the rest of her stocking presents. She sat on the big sofa with Karen and Keith while Brooke and Lucas flopped down on the smaller one to watch. Brooke leant her head on his shoulder, and closed her eyes for a moment. "I'm tired already," she murmured.

Lucas drew his eyes away from Amy and rested a hand on the back of her head. "You hardly had any sleep."

"I couldn't go to sleep. Did you?"

Lucas chuckled. "I thought I wouldn't. But I slept so well. Better than I have in ages."

Brooke gave him a small smile. "I'm glad."

"Mom, you're not watching!"

Brooke looked over at Amy who was holding up the rubix cube she had just unwrapped. "I am sweetie. Chuck it over here, let's see what Santa got you."

Amy narrowed her eyes – she was suspicious about the reality of Santa – and tossed it over.

"Nice throw," said Lucas approvingly.

Amy grinned. "Thanks Daddy."

Brooke rolled her eyes and turned the rubix cube over in her hands. "Can't remember why I put this in there," she said in an undertone, though she needn't have been so quiet as Amy was wrapped up in unwrapping the next present.

"These are cool. Haley knows how to do them."

"Oh yeah I think she was talking about it and I wanted to try one."

"So now you're going to steal your daughter's present."

Brooke grinned. "Yup. It's tough filling a whole stocking with small stuff; I've gotta have a few things in there for me."

Lucas laughed, taking the rubix cube from her hands. "So what, she'll be opening Chanel nail varnish next?"

"Oh no. That would be a mistake. I'd never get it off her." She shook her head at the thought. "But that is something I'd like…you know, if you felt like getting me a couple of extra presents."

"What makes you think I haven't got you enough? I've got you very good presents."

"Plural? That's pretty generous for an ex-husband."

Lucas shrugged, smiling. "Maybe I foresaw a change in status and shopped accordingly," he whispered.

Brooke rolled her eyes. "Always so much faith in your own appeal. So me turning up yesterday was your idea then?"

He grinned. "It's all about suggestion Brooke."

Karen looked over at that moment. "Lucas, quit whispering over there and come and help us construct this polly pocket.

Lucas stood up. "Sure. Keith, switch."

Keith obligingly stood up and went to sit next to Brooke. "So Miss Davis," he said, placing a hand firmly on Brooke's knee. "How's life?"

Brooke beamed at him. "It's pretty good Keith. And yourself?"

Keith looked over at Karen and smiled. "Yup. Pretty good."

By the time they had packed all the big presents into the car later that morning and were ready to leave for the Scotts' house, Amy had managed to twist the rubix cube so far from it's original pattern that Brooke had despaired of ever being able to impress Haley by magically solving it.

When they reached the house, Karen and Keith took Amy in, and Brooke and Lucas hung back to unload the car, and to have one more moment alone before they entered the fray.

"So, Haley's gonna be on full alert for any…you know, developments between us," Lucas began awkwardly, as he lifted out a bag.

"Why?" Brooke asked. "Did you tell her something?"

Lucas squinted and pressed his lips together. "When I was staying with them I may have talked about you a little."

"Oh really?" Brooke raised an eyebrow. "And what did you say?"

"Just, sort of...general stuff about...feelings that I might still have."

"Like how you're completely still in love with me and wanted us to get back together?"

Lucas grinned. "Well I wasn't quite so precise."

Brooke smiled back. "Well, it's doesn't matter. I think we can handle Haley. Just be discreet. Don't...touch me too much."

Lucas laughed. "I can't touch you?"

"You know what I mean. Act...normal."

"Normally I touch you," Lucas said, still looking at her incredulously.

"Oh whatever. Let's just go inside."

They headed up the path, Lucas making a point to stay at least four feet away from her at all times, until she rolled her eyes and dragged him before she rung the bell.

Once Karen was helping out, lunch was produced with no drama whatsoever. Two tables had been put together to make room for them all - Peyton and Jake and their kids were there as well - and when the meal began there was a constant stream of platters and bowls rotating round the table as everyone helped themselves to firsts, and then seconds and in Nathan's case thirds of the various dishes.

When it came time to clear away, Brooke managed to marshal Jenny, Amy and Jack into a team of servants, but they only seemed willing to make two trips to the kitchen so she ended up carrying most of the stacks of plates through herself.

"There's a couple more dishes over here," Lucas said, as Brooke re-entered the dining room from the kitchen for the fourth time.

"You know, you do have legs Lucas. I don't see why I've suddenly turned into Cinderella."

"You specifically told us not to get up," Nathan said, smiling.

"Well that was when I thought the kids were actually going to be helpful."

"I carried three plates!" Amy cried indignantly.

Brooke just rolled her eyes.

"Actually, I should get the pudding," Deb said, pushing back her chair.

"I'll help," Lucas offered, standing up.

"Oh sure, now you help," Brooke said scathingly, "But you're incapable of carrying one gravy jug for the mother of your child."

Lucas just grinned at her, but took the dishes out of her hands and carried them through to the kitchen for her. She followed him, to help carry things back, and waited as Deb went through with the steaming Christmas pudding. Lucas followed holding a jug of cream, but Brooke held up a hand and gently pushed him back towards the kitchen.

She took the jug out of his hands and placed it down on the last bit of free space left on the kitchen table, and then turned to face Lucas, biting her lip slightly and smiling at him.

Lucas raised his eyebrows, and moved closer to her. "What's up?"

Brooke rolled her eyes upwards. He gave a little frown that made her smile even more because he looked so adorable. She tipped her head upwards, and this time his eyes followed, and he saw the little sprig of mistletoe that was hanging from the ceiling.

A smile grew on his lips as he met her eyes again. He moved closer to her. "What happened to talking in New York?"

Brooke rolled her eyes, slipping her hands onto his waist. "But it's mistletoe. Plus…you've been staring at me all through lunch."

He chuckled. "I've been staring at you? Whenever I looked at you you were looking at me." He cupped her face with both hands as he spoke, his thumbs brushing over her skin.

"Well whichever," she murmured, "I'm sick of waiting."

He smiled softly, leaning his forehead against hers. "You already broke the wait yesterday. After five years without touching your lips I had something pretty epic planned, and you went and spoiled it."

She slid her hands up his back, pressing her body against his. "How about you show me now?"

He smiled again, and then he brought her lips to his and kissed her hard. Her mouth opened and he tasted her, his tongue moving over hers. Brooke let out a moan and dug her fingers into his back. His lips were firm against hers and she could feel his thumb brushing her cheek. When he pulled back she immediately missed the contact, and captured his lips softly for another second before they broke apart.

She raised her eyes slowly to meet his, and smiled. The look in his eyes made her heart flutter. "I missed you Lucas."

He just smiled back, nodding his head a little, then he cupped the back of her head and pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms around her in a firm hug. He pressed his lips against the top of her head, and they stood there for a couple of seconds, breathing each other in, until there was a noise in the hall and they broke apart and headed back to the dining room.

After all the presents had been opened that afternoon there was the usual early-evening slump in energy where all the parents collapsed on sofas. The kids, boosted by the excitement of new toys, ran off to the TV room to play with them where they wouldn't be shushed at every five minutes. Karen and Deb went off to supervise them, dragging Keith with them so that the others could have a break.

"I think we need more food," Lucas said after a minute.

"How can you possibly be hungry?" Peyton asked. "I don't think I'll ever eat again."

"Actually...I could eat something sweet," Brooke mused, tipping her head on one side.

"If you're serious there's Christmas cake in the kitchen," Haley said.

"Yeah, come one Luke, I think I need some sugar before I fall asleep." She grabbed his arm and pulled him up and out of the room.

"So what's going on with those two?" Haley asked, as Brooke and Lucas left the room.

Jake looked up. "What do you mean? Has something happened?"

"I don't know, that's why I'm asking."

"Well you must know something, otherwise why do you ask. Peyt, did Brooke say something?"

Peyton held up her hands. "I don't know anything. Nathan?"

Nathan opened his mouth and hesitated.

"WO! What did he say?" Peyton asked eagerly.

"Hold on, I didn't say anything! No he…well he didn't say anything had happened but the other day he was talking about…talking to her…"

"I think something's happened," Haley said firmly. "They're so smiley."

Jake narrowed his eyes. "But you guys thought something was going on in Italy – that was like six months ago and we haven't seen any evidence that you were right."

"Yeah but this is different," Peyton mused. "He broke up with Emma."

"And we know that was because of Brooke," Haley added.

"But Brooke hasn't said anything to anyone," Nathan said. "Maybe we should call Carrie…"

"Yeah, but Brooke wouldn't talk about it. If she's really serious she'd probably be too scared to find out if he felt the same. She'd keep it to herself and get all worked up over it."

Haley chuckled. "That does sound about right. But then, even with her stubborn streak where Lucas is concerned, she must have noticed his feelings by now. I mean, he's always been in love with her."

"Well he had a funny way of showing it, being with Emma," Nathan put in. "Maybe we should talk to her."

Haley and Peyton both opened their mouths to reply, but at that moment they heard Brooke laughing, and they both stopped as she and Lucas came back into the room; Lucas was holding Brooke's wrists, and had managed to get cream on her nose.

Brooke was still laughing as she entered, and then stopped and looked around at the four faces looking back at them. "Hey guys. Is something wrong?" Lucas turned, his expression mirroring Brooke's with eyebrows raised, and Brooke's hands still in his.

Haley smiled and shook her head. "No. Everything's just fine."

I'll be adding more to this chapter and going on when I update, so if there's anything extra you'd particularly like to see in these scenes, let me know! And please review!!