a/n: Okay, I am officially on a roll. Here is the third part of my little Brachel series. If you want to read the first two it may clarify a few references made in this part. Keep Breathing is set before the Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly episode and the slight difference is that Nathan didn't have the talk with Brooke and instead Rachel is the one who gets through to her and gets her to seek help. I'm kinda bummed because I loved the scene at the end where Brooke breaks down and Jaime takes her hand but I've hopefully made up for it with a few Braime moments in this fic. The second fic My Skin, is Victoria centric and as much as I hated to do it she had to be taken down. Oh, and if you're wondering that line "It's not about right. It's not about wrong. It's about power." is from episode 7,01 Lessons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I totally forgot to give credit to Joss Whedon and crew. The title and song is The Story by Brandi Carlilie.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, songs, what have you…..
The Story
All of these lines across my face
Tell you the story of who I am
So many stories of where I've been
And how I got to where I am
But these stories don't mean anything
When you've got no one to tell them to
It's true, I was made for you
"Mmm, Hales either that roast looks damn good or I've been living off of Hot Pockets for far too long." Skillz states as Haley pulls the main course out of the oven.
"Probably a little of both." Haley laughs, swatting his hands away from trying to steal a piece of the meat she's slicing. "Ah, we'll be eating as soon as everyone arrives."
"Is Aunt Brooke and Aunt Rachel coming tonight momma?" Jaime asks, his face lighting up at the prospect of seeing his beloved godmother and friend.
"Rachel?" Skillz questions, his thick eyebrows shooting up towards his bald head. Haley simply gives him a don't ask look before pasting a smile on her face and answering Jaime.
"Yes, baby I invited Brooke to dinner and since Rachel seems to be attached to her hip nowadays I suppose she'll be here as well."
"Great," he exclaims, "I'm gonna go put on the shirt Aunt Brooke designed just for me. She says it's part of her exclusive Braime collection." Jaime quickly jumps off of his stool and rushes upstairs to put on his new treasure. Both adults laugh at how excited the five year old gets over the idea that the famous Brooke Davis has made something just for him.
"You alright with Big Red being here?" Skillz questions once Jaime is out of earshot.
"Well I suppose I've got no choice but to be o.k. with it, you know? Brooke and Rachel appear to be a package deal lately, so if you want one you've got to put up with the other." Haley sighs, it's been a while since she's had one on one time with her Tigger and with the mystery surrounding Brooke's injuries somewhat still unresolved she was hoping that if she got Brooke alone her friend would open up. But no such luck, every time she drops by the store Rachel is there, she's living in Brooke's house again and they have been working on some huge top secret project lately and Haley barely gets a chance to ask Brooke about how she really got all banged up. The one good thing to come out of Rachel's constant hovering, Haley loathes to admit, is that Brooke is back to her old self again and not walking around like a zombie, shutting herself off from her friends like she did nearly three weeks ago.
Things have slowly began to calm down again after Quinton's tragic murder and even though her first responsibility was to make sure she helped her son and husband deal with this great loss, she feels guilty that she didn't try harder to reach out to Brooke when it was obvious she needed a friend. That angry conversation she had with Rachel a few weeks ago only proved how clueless she had been when she swallowed that lie about Brooke falling down the steps. At first she had been royally pissed at Rachel for insinuating that she has been a crappy friend to Brooke but when Millicent unexpectantly arrived home and told her that Victoria has been plotting to take away Brooke's company, Haley had no choice but to admit that she has fallen out of touch with her closest friend.
"Yeah, well don't sweat it, if she tries to make a move on Nate, I've got your back Haley J. Scott." he pats her shoulder and Haley affectionately covers his hand with hers.
"Thanks Skills.""You know me." He says, backing out of the kitchen and heading towards Deb as she comes downstairs. The egg timer goes off and Haley puts back on the oven mitts to take the potatoes out of the oven.
I climbed across the mountaintops
Swam all across the ocean blues
I crossed all the lines
and I broke all the rules
And baby I broke them all for you
Because even when I was flat broke
You made me feel like a million bucks
You do, I was made for you
"You ready for this?" Rachel asks an apprehensive looking Brooke as they walk up to the front door of Nathan and Haley's home. Brooke takes a deep breath before ringing the door bell.
"Not really no, but it's way past time that I've come clean with them. Remember what my therapist said about letting go of all of the anger and secrets being the only way that I can truly begin to heal. Now that I've dealt with the Victoria issue I can tell them about the attack and finally put all this shit to rest."
Brooke nods her head confidently and Rachel bursts out laughing, Brooke looks at her sharply.
"What the hell is so funny?"
"Nothing, I was just remembering the look on Victoria's face when the board gave her boney ass the boot this morning."
Unable to hold back Brooke joins in and soon her melodious laughs mingle with Rachel's and it feels so good to be able to enjoy happy moments like these, even if the laughter is at her mothers expense.
The door swings open and before she knows it her arms are filled with 45 pounds of bubbly blond five year old boy.
"Aunt Brooke Aunt Rachel you came!" Jamie squeals, hugging Brooke tight around her neck.
"Of course we did handsome," pulling back from the embrace she plants a sloppy kiss to his forehead. "would I ever break a promise to my most favorite guy in the whole wide world?" Jamie giggles at the thought of being Brooke's favorite guy.
"Look, I'm wearing the special shirt you made me." He pulls on the collar of the baby blue oxford shirt to show her the C/B Braime Collection logo on the tag. Brooke's smile widens at the proud look he has at having his own custom made shirt.
"And you wear it very well Little J. " Rachel leans over to give him a hug. "I'd say we've got ourselves a future model for C/B here Brookie."
"Yup, every father's dream is to see their only son prancing around on the catwalk.'" Nathan jokes, opening the door further to let in the new arrivals.
"Finally, yall are here now we can eat." Skillz proclaims, standing up to put away the video game he and Lucas were playing.
"Nice to see you too Skillz." Rachel smirks, "how's Bevin?" Skillz glowers at the new comer before setting off to inform Haley that Brooke has arrived. "Something I said?" she innocently asks Nathan, he just shakes his head and leads them into the house. Brooke hip-bumps Rachel and gives her a playful warning.
"Behave yourself tonight." "Fine, whatever." Rachel scoffs, she bumps Brooke's hip back in retaliation and the two share a secret smile. "After this morning I'm feeling too good to let anything bring me down." Reaching out she pushes a lock of Brooke's hair behind her ear and smiles brightly when Brooke doesn't pull back. The moment is broken as Haley and Peyton approaches the pair.
"Brooke, Rachel so glad you two could join us." Haley says somewhat stiffly as she tries to ignore Rachel's presence.
"Thanks for the invite Hales', it's been far too long since I've hanged with my main man Jimmy Jam!" tickling the little boy in her arms and laughing hysterically, Haley can't help but notice the huge difference in her friends demeanor. Out of the corner of her eye she can see Rachel staring at the pair fondly. 'But I'll be damned if I apologize to that bitch.'
Clearing her throat, Peyton steps closer to her old roommate. "It's good to see you looking well Brooke, " she says a bit awkwardly, "I was beginning to think you were avoiding me or something. I mean ever since Lucas and I got engaged…" she trails off as Rachel snorts
"Cause it's all about Peyton." she says under her breath and she doesn't even have to look at Brooke to know that the brunette is shooting her another warning.
"There's just been a lot going on with me and work lately Peyt, " Brooke tries to assure her friend who technically should be the one soothing her right about now, " but if you've got some time later I have a few sketches for your wedding dress….""Oh my God really, Brooke you're the best." and as Peyton began to prattle on about her tacky punk rock ideas for her wedding, Rachel gives Brooke's arm a reassuring squeeze and excuses herself to go talk to Mouth and Millicent.
Rachel's exit provides Haley with a golden opportunity, if she could just get Peyton to shut up for five seconds about walking down the aisle to an old Billy Idol song instead of the traditional wedding march.
'Good Lord I hope she's joking, then again it is Peyton.'
"Hey Jamie, honey why don't you go round up the guys and tell them that dinner will be served in a minute. "
"Okay momma." Jamie reluctantly slides out of Brooke's arms and goes off in search of his dad and uncles to relay his moms message.
'Damn, ' Brooke thinks " now that both my human shields Jamie and Rachel are gone Haley is going to press me for answers. Better cut her off now before she gets started.'
"My store was robbed three weeks ago." Brooke blurts out taking both Haley and Peyton by surprise by how easily she caved. "It was some freak in a ski mask, he stole the evening bank deposit, some clothes and he…he beat me up pretty bad." There, now it's all out and she can start to put this whole ordeal behind her.
"Oh my God Brooke," Haley pulls her into a hug tears forming in her eyes. " Are you okay now, I mean did you call the police?""I thought you said you fell down the stairs?" Peyton asks totally confused. Haley pulls out of the hug long enough to throw Peyton a patented Dumb Blonde look before embracing Brooke again.
"To answer your question Hales," Brooke replies deciding to ignore Peyton's brain fart, "no I didn't call the cops. Look Victoria and I at the time were fighting for control over the company. I was sure that if I filed a police report she would find some way to use this against me and push me out of my own company."
"Forget about the company Brooke you were robbed, beaten and ?", Haley left the question hanging in the air.
"No, he didn't get the chance to… do that." Brooke's voice is small as she fills in the blanks. Haley gives her another hug and it feels like a weight has been lifted off of her shoulders. "Enough of all this depressing talk, dinner smells amazing and I'm starved." knowing that she's not going to get off the hook for keeping this a secret for so long she adds. "We'll have lunch tomorrow Hales'." and follows Peyton into the dining room.
Dinner, for the most part, is a pleasant event. Jamie plants himself down next to his Auntie Brooke and talks her ear off most of the night about his pet rabbit Chester. Deb gets up to take the little guy to bed and he surprises everyone by requesting to be tucked in by both Aunt Brooke and Aunt Rachel. After two bedtime stories Little J is off to dreamland and Brooke and Rachel join the others in the living room for a nightcap. When Rachel declines the proffered glass of wine Haley gives her a bewildered look.
"Rachel Gattina's turning down a drink." she says in disbelief.
"Well I am a recovering addict, my sponsor tends to frown upon the consumption of alcoholic beverages." she snaps back and Haley at least has the good graces to look sheepish.
"Sorry, um congratulations on the sobriety. Can I get you something else?" the room is filled with tension no one knowing quite what to say. The biggest party girl in Tree Hill High is now sipping cranberry juice without an ounce of alcohol in the glass. Mouth, ever the nice guy decides to start back up the conversation.
"So Brooke, " he clears his throat, catching the brunettes attention "Millie tells me that the Bravo Channel wants to build a reality show around you.""Cool B, you sat here all night with news like that and didn't share." Nathan asks. Grateful to take the spotlight off of Rachel, Brooke smiles and indulges her friends.
"Yeah, they've been making offers ever since I did the guest judge spot on Project Runway last year, they even offered me Nina Garcia's chair after her contract was up but Victoria ever the control freak, didn't want me to be outshined by Heidi, or some other nonsense. Right now Rachel's in talks with maybe working something around B. Davis Cosmetics , like a behind the scenes, start-up of a new company type of thing ."
"Or maybe a contest for an intern who would be working in all three aspects of Davis Enterprises; C/B and B. Davis the magazine and cosmetics." Rachel inserts, "I'm still hammering out the details but as long as it's nothing like Hey Paula, I think we should be o.k."
"Oh my God! I freaking loved that show, 'People need to start treating me like the treasure that I am' ", Brooke giggles at her spot on imitation of Paula Abdul.
"I swear if you start making me call you The Treasure, I'm gonna quit right now."
"Oh please, as if you'd ever leave me, skank.""Awfully full of yourself aren't you? Keep it up Fatass!" Brooke snuggles closer as Rachel wraps her arm around Brooke's shoulder, reaching up her hand and entwining their fingers together. The room goes silent again, watching the duos playful banter and gentle caresses that linger far longer than to be considered friendly.
"Hey Brooke," Peyton interjects in a dreamy voice, "If you need an idea for your show you can always do it about mine and Lucas' wedding."
Brooke pinches Rachel's leg hard as the red head opens her mouth to say, what Brooke is certain will be a very accurate but scathing remark. Rachel pouts and looks down at Brooke, "Ruin all my fun why don't you."
And even Haley has to admit she can't wait for this damned Pucus wedding to be over and done with.
You see the smile that's on my mouth
It's hiding the words that don't come out
All of our friends think that I'm blessed
They don't know my head is a mess
No, they don't know who I really am
And they don't know what I've been through
Like you do, I was made for you