Thick pelts of rain dropped down from the blue sky, so strong that they even left dents in the hoods of some cars. Animals forced to stay outside huddled beneath trees for shelter, and young children forced to stay inside pouted without end, so even their parents felt helpless.

Cafés and restaurants opened with arms spread wide. Hot chocolate and warm coffee seemed to be much more appealing then wet benches and cold rivers. Some kids walked to school with uncomfortable rubber rain boots and ponchos, frowns permanently embedded upon their faces, while others cavorted around in puddles, shrieking wildly with delight when they were splashed by a friend.

One of the many occupants of the small town sat staring out the window of her large house, so alike to others around hers. Her hazel green eyes focused on the gloomy site before her, and she remembered a time when she had once loved rain.

She’d been nine. A pretty brunette with perfectly straight chocolate brown hair. And she’d run around with her best friend in the rain until she was completely drenched, and her mother would shout out orders to the latest maid to clean up behind her as she entered the house.

And then makeup had been invented. And suddenly, going out into the rain and allowing dark streaks of mascara to cascade down your face seemed like the least appealing thing. At least to her.

Brooke Davis-Scott bit her lip, and ran her fingers over the cold, foggy window. She sighed and turned away, rubbing her hands up and down her chilled arms slowly. The fireplace and the heater combined didn’t even seem to be able to give her enough heat.

She heard footsteps and her eyes immediately went to the man before her. Light hair, blue eyes, tall, handsome. A faint smile formed on her glossy lips, and she turned once more towards the window.

“Think it’ll snow this year?” Lucas asked her, and her vision focused on him once more.

“Probably not,” She shrugged, “It hasn’t snowed in years.”

“I remember the last time it snowed.” A boyish grin grew on her husband’s face, and she was suddenly reminded of their teenage years. She’d tried so hard to stay the person she’d been then, and yet, she felt herself slipping away- become like every other Tree Hillian Stepford Wife.

But his words couldn’t stop her own familiar grin from appearing. “It was the winter of our senior year.”

“You wanted to go ice skating.” He moved his body closer to hers, and already she felt warmer.

“And you didn’t.”

“No. But I did anyway.” He chuckled. She’d always been extremely persuasive.

Brooke felt herself inch closer to him as well. It was like being pulled by a magnet.

“Because I can be,” She paused, looking deep into his eyes, “So persuasive.”

“One of your best qualities..”

When they finally reached each other, he was the first to move in, moving his lips onto hers. They kissed slowly, and he held her closely as she brought her arms around his broad shoulders.

They pulled apart, and she rested her head against his chest, inhaling the familiar scent of that cologne she’d always loved.

“I wish it would snow again.” She whispered, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

“Me too, Baby, me too.”

To the ones that watched around them, Brooke and Lucas seemed like the perfect couple. They were both young and good looking, and had been together since high school. It was like a storybook romance. But it was different for the couple. They knew their flaws well, and only attempted to hide it from the outside world.

A knock on the door sounded loudly through the quiet home, and Brooke quickly pulled away from her husband, managing to wipe away the few tears that threatened to spill from her eyes.

“Brooke-” Lucas began, inwardly cursing at the person who’d broken their brief alliance.

“It’s okay. I promised Peyton I’d call her back anyway.” She quickly scurried away, and Lucas hung his head, defeated.

The knocking persisted. Lucas chewed on his lip before walking to the door. He pulled it open and cocked his towards the side, getting a good look at the person in his doorway.

It was his brother, shivering and completely drenched in water. The hood of his pale blue sweatshirt was lifted over his head in an attempt to block out any rain, but it had been just that- an attempt. Water ran down from his dark hair to the bottom of his chin.
“I’m not getting any drier out here, you know.” Through chattering teeth, the younger Scott brother managed to say.

“Oh, sorry.” Lucas pulled the door back farther, so that his brother could step in. The second he walked through the door, Nathan pulled off his soaking sweat shirt and, rubbed his hands together, warming them.

Lucas saved the sweatshirt before it touched the perfectly white carpet, and made sure to put Nathan’s discarded shoes next to the front door. Nathan was rapidly shedding clothing as he walked deeper into the house.

“What are you doing here?” Lucas asked as a shirt hit him square in the chest.

“Had another fight with Haley,” Nathan shrugged, “And I just had to get out of there. Hey, do you have some clothes I can borrow? I’m really cold.”

Feeling the tiniest bit sorry for his brother, who’s problems seemed to be worse then his own at the moment, Lucas nodded, and quickly got some fresh clothing. The second his brother was completely dressed, Lucas found it to be the right time to pry.

“What’d you fight about this time?”

“I was getting ready to go for a jog and she just exploded. Said I wasn’t helping around the house enough or something fucked up like that. I don’t listen anymore.”

Lucas nodded quietly, and looked down, suddenly taking interest in his shoes. Nathan took notice of his brother’s awkward tendency and quickly changed the subject.

“How’s Brooke?”

“She’s- I don’t know. Things have been different lately, and uh, not in a good way. We were kind of sharing a moment when you knocked on the door.”

“Damn. I’m sorry. I knew I should have called. I was just out in the rain, and I didn’t know what to do, so-”

“Hey, it’s okay. You don’t have to call. I just wish that she would go back to before. That we could go back to before.”

“I’m sure you will. At some point. Maybe she just needs time.” Nathan said this quietly, knowing fully well it probably wasn’t true.

“Time.” Lucas repeated the word faintly. Time had passed. Too much time had passed. And he’d let it.

There were a few moments of silence, before the two boys heard footsteps, and Brooke appeared in the room, a cheery smile pasted fakely to her pretty lips.

“Hi Nathan.”

“Hey Brooke.” Nathan could see right through her fake smile, but that didn’t stop him from answering.

“Can I get you boys something to eat?”

“Brooke, you don’t cook.” Lucas chuckled, and she looked down at the ground, blushing.

“I thought I’d try to pick it up.” She giggled softly. Lucas basked in the sound.

“I’d try any of the food you made.” He offered.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

And with a smile, she was gone.

“See? Things aren’t that bad, Man.”

“They aren’t bad,” Lucas agreed, “They just aren’t the same.”

Lucas and Brooke had been together exactly five and a half years, with breaks in-between. It had started one night so innocently -or rather, not innocently- when she’d popped up in his car half naked one night after he’d scored the winning point at a basketball game.

Instantly, he’d been attracted yet intimidated by the brunette cheerleader. She was pretty, experienced, and even outgoing. Lucas was her exact opposite. Brooke flirted with Lucas constantly, but with his mind completely focused on Peyton Sawyer, her best friend, he’d never paid much attention to her.

And then one night, after hours of talking, he’d felt a spark. A date later, he was no longer a virgin and could proudly say he’d gotten a tattoo; a Chinese symbol for fun. Brooke and Lucas’s relationship had been all about fun and chance. And then Brooke had fallen- hard.

Lucas’s mind was still wrapped around what he couldn’t have. And what he couldn’t have, at this moment, was Peyton. Stupidity had taken it’s course on the young man, and pretty soon, him and Peyton were making out on the side, with poor Brooke being dragged along.

She found out about the affair shortly after a car accident Lucas had been involved in, and it had crushed her heart. She’d closed herself up after that, only indulging in meaningless sex, and allowing herself to take parts in a ‘friends with benefits’ relationship.

Soon after his mistake, Lucas found himself alone and in love with Brooke. With some encouraging words from his recently married brother, Lucas set off to proclaim is everlasting love for Brooke, in hopes she’d feel the same. Only, as he’d walked towards her room, he could hear the muffled words of someone else proclaiming their love.

Felix Tagarro and Brooke Davis became a couple, and Lucas was left alone and hurt. He tried to be her friend, and she recuperated the friendship gladly. His secret feelings constantly got in the way, and he was overjoyed when she’d broken up with Felix, and even more overjoyed to find out she didn’t care about the ex.

When Brooke’s father was offered a job in California, Lucas begged his mother to allow Brooke to stay in their house, while he lived with his father. Karen Roe, aware of her son’s feelings for the petite brunette, allowed the girl to move in.

It was when she was leaving to California for the summer, however, that Lucas made his move. Right as her cab pulled up, honking it’s horn loudly, he kissed her, told her he wanted to be with her, and searched her eyes for a reaction.

Overcome with emotion, Brooke fled to California, hoping that Lucas would give her space. He did, and when she returned, they agreed to take it slow. After a month of friendship and an occasional kiss, Lucas and Brooke got back together officially.

They spent senior year blissfully. They were a happy couple, and won ‘Cutest Couple’ in the yearbook, as well as Prom King and Queen.

Lucas became close to his brother again, and even started up another relationship with his father, who he kept at a distance.

After graduation, Brooke set off to Durham, where she would attend Duke University along with her best friend, Peyton. Lucas found himself in Raleigh, attending North Carolina State, along with his good friends Mouth, Tim, and Skills.

True love prevailed, and after three and a half years at NCA, Lucas traveled towards Durham, and proposed to Brooke. They were married in a large ceremony with both their families and friends in attendance.

They’d been so happy then. Every twist and turn had been fresh and unexpected, even as they had both decided to return home to Tree Hill to start their lives. Lucas became a businessman, doing stocks and such of all sorts, while Brooke settled on being a stay at home wife, with hopes of a future in fashion.

They had been happy. And why wouldn’t they be? They had each other. They had their friends. They had a nice life. What more could they have possibly wanted?

And now, now everything was so different. Lucas wanted to get back to that point so badly, and so did Brooke, but it just seemed impossible. There was no way it could possibly could.

Not with what had happened.