2003 ― Tree Hill, North Carolina

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen and welcome to Tree Hill Raven's basketball, brought to you by webcast at Ravenshoops.com. I'm Mouth McFadden and the playoffs are finally here, so throw out the perfect record. If the Ravens lose this one, the season is over."

"Just moments away from the beginning of this playoff game. Winners advance. To the losers, well, their season is over. Dan Scott is standing in for coach Whitey Durham who is out with an illness. Not sure who signed off on that one, but let's hope Coach Durham gets well soon."

"You alright?" Lucas asked his brother as they were out on the court, warming up before the game. Nathan scanned the row of cheerleaders and noticed that Brianna wasn't with them.

"Bree's not on the sidelines... have you seen her?" Nathan asked.

"No."

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a few days earlier

Peyton Sawyer dropped Brianna Davis off at her house after they had spent the day shopping. Brianna didn't get much, but Peyton did. It was also pouring rain out, so Brianna was just going to make a beeline for the door, but then she noticed Nathan was standing outside of her house and he was soaked. Brianna got out of Peyton's car and ran to her boyfriend.

"Nathan, you're soaked, what are you doing?" She asked.

"I just went for a run to clear my head, and this is where I ended up. Look, Brianna. The pictures of Peyton didn't mean anything, okay?" He said.

"It did to me. Clearly, you still have feelings for her," Brianna said. Nathan shook his head.

"I saved those pictures back when we were still dating. The others too, you can go back and look. Her webcam hasn't been on for months," Nathan said, which Brianna already knew.

"Why didn't you tell me that last week?" She asked.

"Because I should've deleted those images a long time ago. I just felt bad because I didn't do it. Besides, Brianna, I don't want Peyton, I want you," He said.

"Is that it?" Brianna asked.

"You know, my pride says, yeah, that's it. Just walk away and let Brianna deal with the fact that she's clearly threatened by a sexual relationship. But my heart says, just forget about your pride, you idiot. You love this girl, and even if you're going to catch pneumonia, your ass is going to stand out here in the rain until you convince her to forgive you. So come on, Bree, just meet me halfway here?" Nathan asked. Brianna smiled at his words and she had immediately forgiven him.

"Why should I?" She asked. She was mainly teasing, but she wanted to know what he would say.

"Because I'm sorry... Because I love you, and because you're looking really hot standing out here in the rain, with your hair all soaked and it's getting wavy, so I'm thinking I really have to kiss you," Nathan said. Brianna smiled as she took a step closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Well, if you have to," She said. Nathan closed the gap between them and pulled her close as he brought their lips together. Brianna didn't care if she got sick. She knew one thing.

She loves Nathan, that's all that matters. 

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the gym

Brianna Davis stepped out from the locker room in her cheer uniform, lining up on the sidelines with Brooke and Peyton. Nathan looked back at the sidelines and let out a breath of relief when he saw his girlfriend. Brianna smiled at him as she picked up her pom poms and Nathan winked as his father blew the whistle for the boys to join the hustle.

"Where were you?" Brooke asked.

"My stomach was hurting... Word of advice, before a game... don't eat foods that go straight through you." Brianna said back. Brooke shook her head at the image and Peyton laughed.

"So the Ravens take the floor and we are all set to go. Here we go Raven's fans, the playoffs are underway. Ravens control the tip. Nathan Scott brings it up court to the pride of his hometown crowd. I'll tell you, there's a lot of love in the air tonight."

"Early in the second quarter, this Masonboro team, big underdogs are giving the Ravens all they can handle. It could be the time away, or maybe Dan Scott's influence, but whatever the reason, the players have dug themselves into a hole and they're looking at a long road back."

"The Ravens grab the rebound and push it up the court. Beckham Davis passes to Lucas Scott, over to Nathan Scott for the slam! I see the Ravens are finally working together."

"Go Ravens!" Brianna and Peyton cheered at the same time. Brooke looked over at her sister and her best friend and smiled. The two of them had officially made up, and together they had sent Nikki in the opposite direction that Jake had gone with Jenny.

Everything was feeling right in the world.

"Coming up on half time and Ravens continue the lead. Lucas Scott with the ball that leads to Nathan. Caw! The birds have taken flight. They look a lot sharper now, but something tells me Masonboro isn't going away."

"Let's go, Nate!" Brianna cheered when Nathan scored the jump shot. Nathan looked at his girlfriend and nodded at her, before puckering up his lips. Brianna smiled and shook her pom poms together, the smile never leaving her face.

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a few days earlier

Brianna and Nathan finally came indoors, but this time at Nathan's apartment. Since Nathan had gone on a run to Brianna's house, the two of them together, walked back in the pouring rain to Nathan's apartment, and they didn't care if they were going to get sick.

"Want a towel?" Nathan asked as they took off their shoes when Nahan closed the door behind him. Brianna nodded and the two of them went back into his bedroom as Nathan handed her a towel. Brianna rang out her hair and smiled at him.

"That was a nice walk." She said, as Nathan took off his shirt and sat down on his bed. Brianna looked down and bit her lip as she saw the defined muscles in Nathan's back. Nathan turned around and realized he was watching her and raised his eyebrows.

"What?" He asked, but Brianna didn't respond. Instead, she took off her shirt, leaving her revealed in only the black bra she had on underneath. "Bree...-" Nathan started to say, but she shook her head and cut him off.

"...-No, it's okay." She whispered, sitting herself down on his lip. She pressed her lips back against his, and Nathan laid down on his bed, pulling her with him, and their kissing session from out in the rain continued.

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present day
the gym

"The Ravens lead a close one by two as we come up on half time. Tim Smith gives it to Beckham Davis who dribbles out top. Luke breaks free on the wing, puts up a three-pointer, release rotation, splash. The Ravens lead it by five. Time for the score at halftime. Ravens, 39, Bears, 34. This is a webcast at ravenshoops.com."

As the boys made their way back into the locker room, one of the Masonboro players took a cheap shot at Lucas. Shoving him hard in the shoulder that he injured in his car accident a few months ago. Nathan immediately jumped to the defense of his brother and pushed the player away from Lucas.

"Wow. Masonboro just hit Lucas Scott with a cheap shot. Nathan comes to his defense and things are getting ugly as the refs hurry back to the floor to try and break up a brawl. Lucas Scott is still down, protecting his bad shoulder."

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a few days earlier

Brianna and Nathan, together in Nathan's bed with their arms wrapped around each other were in the middle of a serious discussion. Nathan had just said something that was important and life-altering to both of their futures. Brianna looked up and sighed.

"I know you are, Nate. What if we're not good together? What if it drives us apart?" She asked.

"It won't... Look, Brianna, I want to be with you. And if you don't want to be with me, I guess I understand, but this isn't going to change anything. I will love you just the same." He said. Brianna nodded her head, but there were still a lot of factors that were running through.

"Tonight then. After the game."

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present day
the gym

"Reverse layup by the Ravens for another two. Nathan and Lucas Scott have taken over, keeping the Ravens in close, but it may be too little too late as Masonboro leads it by five, time running out in the fourth."

"I'm scared," Brianna whispered to her blonde friend. They could get closer to becoming state champions with this game, or they could lose it all. She was scared for Nathan, especially for Lucas since he had just got knocked in his bad shoulder.

She was also nervous.

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a few days earlier

"Lucas! Luke! I'm scared!" Brianna exclaimed. She and Haley were in the middle of a graveyard because, for some reason, Lucas had a brilliant idea to bring them here because he had to tell them something.

"Come out here right now, Lucas Scott!" Haley exclaimed. Lucas jumped out from behind a tombstone and yelled 'boo' scaring both of them, and the girls had the same initial reaction.

They punched him in the gut.

"Dammit, girls! You're going to kill me. You know Houdini died like that." He said.

"You deserve it, dumbass. We told you, we didn't want to take this shortcut." Haley whispered and Brianna nodded her head.

"What are you whispering for?" Lucas asked her.

"Because." Haley continued to whisper.

"Hales... you know these people are dead, right?" Brianna asked her.

"I know, but if you both keep yelling, the zombies are going to hear us," Haley said. Lucas and Brianna both shook their heads and shared a laugh. Brianna wrapped her arms around herself because being in a graveyard made her feel a slight chill.

"Haley. Bree." Lucas said, and his tone was suddenly serious.

"What?" The girls said at the same time.

"Look, I have to tell you, guys, something."

"What is her name, and what did you do that you regret?" Haley asked.

"I'm going to Charleston with Keith."

That was not the answer that either girl was expecting. They both stopped walking and turned to face their blonde best friend. Brianna was hoping he would say it was going to be a summer thing, like a vacation before senior year.

"For how long?" Haley asked.

"For good. I'm moving there."

"What are you talking about?" Brianna asked.

"Keith got a job in Charleston, and I'm going to go live with him. . after the season is over. Haley, Bree... I have to go." He said, and both girls sadly turned away from him, mainly because they were trying to contain the tears they felt coming on. "Please, don't do that."

"Don't do what!? Lucas, you can't bring us out in the middle of a creepy cemetery and tell us that you're leaving Tree Hill for good, that is not fair!" Brianna exclaimed.

"Brianna, come on. It's not that far. I'll still see you guys." He said.

"Not like now. Who's going to go thrift store hunting with us, Lucas? Who's going to buy bad music or lie to the campus lost and found and claim dumb stuff, who's going to do that with us?" Haley asked.

"Bree, you have Nathan and Hales, you have Beckham. And you both still have me. Every once in a while. Look, I've thought a lot about this, okay? And I feel like I can be a better person if I go now. I am going to miss you both. You girls are my best friends. You always will be." He said.

"Idiot," Brianna mumbled under her breath and she wiped her tears.

"Come here." He said, at first pulling Brianna into a hug. She sniffled as she hugged him back, and she didn't want to let him leave. "You okay?" He asked.

"No... I'm scared again."

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present day
the gym

"No going back now, folks. This is it, down by two, less than a minute on the clock. The Ravens need a stop. Masonboro inbound, full-court pressure by the Ravens with under twenty seconds. Dan Scott calls for no fouls. Time is running out and he wants the birds to make a play."

"At half court, Lucas Scott pokes the ball free. Nathan Scott grabs it and a timeout. A sensational steal. The Ravens have it, down by two, 12 seconds left in the game."

"So, the Ravens break the huddle. 12 seconds left on the clock. They need a basket to tie, a three-pointer to win, or their season is over. The standing-room crowd is on their feet. Lucas Scott will throw it in. He does safely. He finds Beckham Davis who immediately swings it to Nathan Scott."

"We're at 8 seconds... now 7... Nathan works out top. Five seconds on the clock... now four. He spins to the basket and then passes to Luke for a three-pointer and the win..."

Everyone watched in anticipation as the ball flew threw the air. The cheerleaders joined hands, the crowd huddled in close, and the Ravens basketball bench all huddled together as they waited for what could be a defining moment. The ball hit the rim.

And bounced off.

Lucas Scott fell to his knees at the sound of the final buzzer as all of Masonboro went up into celebratory cheer for beating the undefeated Ravens. Nathan laid a gentle and comforting hand on his brother's shoulder before following the rest of the team back into the locker room.

The season was officially over.

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"Hey," Brianna said to Lucas when he walked out of the locker room. The game was over, the gym was almost empty and the Ravens would have to wait until next year for the chance at another state championship.

"Hey."

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay... I know that guy knocked your shoulder... and then the shot." She spoke with a frown on her face, she wanted to avoid the inevitable, but she couldn't. Lucas sighed as he read the expression on her face.

"I'm leaving tomorrow, Brianna."

"Already?"

"Yeah."

"Okay..."

"Hey... it's okay." Lucas said, wrapping his arm around her and she shook her head. If she would've known that tonight would be Lucas' last night, she would've readjusted her plans with Nathan so that she could spend time with him.

"No, it's not... I really wanted to spend your last night with you. I just didn't know it would be tonight and Nathan's waiting for me." She said.

"Go. I've got to get my shoulder checked out anyway. I'll find you before I leave tomorrow, okay?" He said, and the girl nodded.

"I'm really going to miss you, Luke... I wish you didn't feel like you had to leave. No one else around here really keeps me sane like you do." She said, with a frown on her face. Lucas pulled the brunette in for a hug and kissed the top of her head.

"I'll miss you too, buddy."

Brianna gave Lucas one last smile before walking away from him and out of the gym. She spotted Nathan's car, and he was sitting inside waiting for her. When she sat down she buckled her seatbelt and took a deep breath before looking at Nathan.

"I'm sorry about the game." She said, stuffing her duffel bag down at her feet.

"Yeah," Nathan said, and then he noticed that his girlfriend was crying. He thought she was crying about what they had planned, but she was really crying about Lucas leaving. "Bree, don't cry... Brianna, we don't have to do this tonight." He said.

Brianna shook her head and wiped her tears. "No, no I want to. More than ever." She said.

"You sure?" Nathan asked.

Brianna firmly nodded her head. "Yeah. No regrets."

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"Hey, is Brianna here? I promised I'd see her before I left." Lucas asked when Nathan opened up his apartment door. He swung by the Davis household first, and Beckham said that Brianna hadn't come home, and she said she was going to spend the night at Nathan's. Which was fine with him, because he spent the majority of the night at Haley's, and Brooke was at Peyton's.

"Yeah, come on in," Nathan said. Lucas walked inside of the house and Nathan started to walk back to his room, where Brianna walked out of the bedroom and towards the bathroom with just a sheet wrapped around her mostly naked body. She had her underwear on.

"Nate, where's your sweatshirt?" Brianna asked.

"It's in the bathroom," Nathan said back. Brianna dropped the sheet from around her when she was enclosed in the bathroom and she put on one of Nathan's hoodies that came down to right above her knee, and she walked out to see Lucas. She had a wide smile on her face at the sight of her best friend, but Lucas looked nervous and uncomfortable.

"Hey." Brianna greeted him.

"Hey, um, you know... I'm sorry to...-I just wanted to say goodbye." Lucas said, tripping over his words. He knew it was obvious what happened here, and he was a little in shock.

"No, no it's okay. I didn't want you to go without...-" Lucas cut in.

"...-No, I'm sorry... I'm just going to go." He said, turning around, but Brianna ran after him and grabbed his arm, turning him back to face her.

"Lucas... please don't." She said, and she felt herself starting to cry again because this is not the way she wanted to say goodbye to her best friend.

"Brianna! It's cool. I just, I thought you weren't ready. I thought that you were going to wait until you got married." Lucas was saying as Nathan walked up and stood behind Brianna. Brianna felt his presence and leaned back against his chest. "I mean, I just figured, I didn't expect you to...-" But Brianna cut in when Lucas started to fumble with his words.

"...-Well we did. We did wait." She said to him.

"What are you talking about, Brianna?" Lucas asked.

"Um," Brianna trailed as she held up her left hand which had a gold band around her wedding finger. Lucas' eyes widened as he realized what Brianna was showing him but hearing her next words, made it set in even more.

"We got married last night."

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and there it is! our girl is married. s2 up next.

don't forget to vote/comment.

xoxo.