So, I've had this idea brewing for a while, but was reluctant to post anything during the exam season. But, after having a pretty rubbish week, I thought what better way to cheer up then writing some OTH FF?
This story isn't really set in line with any other storylines. All you really need to know is Brooke and Julian are together, but not engaged, and Lucas and Peyton are together too, but she's not pregnant. So, on with the show!
1. Lost Hope
"Beware how you take away hope from another human being." - Oliver Wendall Holmes
The crisp late afternoon Chicago air wrapped itself around Julian as he stepped out of the studio for the last time after nearly eight months of hard work. He'd spent weeks overseeing the meticulous editing of the movie, but today the whole thing had been wrapped up nicely. It had taken longer than expected, and he couldn't wait to get back to Tree Hill, and more importantly, back to Brooke. During the months they'd had brief sporadic reunions, but both had been busy with their respective endeavours - Julian's movie, and Brooke's re-launching of her fashion line - to spend much time with each other. Sure, they'd spoken on the phone and texted as much as possible, but Julian couldn't wait to just hold her. Smiling, he whipped his cell phone out of his pocket as he began walking beneath the dipping sun, the golden light dancing playfully behind the towering sky scrapers. He flipped it open, and speed dialed the number of the only voice he wanted to hear.
"Hello?"
"Brooke!" Julian beamed, the sound of her voice stretching his grin wider. "How's the most beautiful girl in the world?" He didn't have to see her to know she was rolling her eyes on the other end of the line.
"Missing you."
"Well, I might be able to do something about that," he started teasingly, "the movie's done. Finito. And I'm booked on the early morning flight back to you tomorrow morning." He laughed at Brooke's delighted shriek.
"Oh Julian, you don't know how good that is to hear," she paused, fully processing the information, before her tone turned playful. "I'd better get planning something special for your return...or will you be too tired after your flight?"
Julian's grin turned into a smirk. "Oh, I think I'll be just fine."
"Do you know what time you'll be home?"
Julian paused for thought. "Should be back around ten, if I'm lucky." He heard a muffled voice on the other end of the line talking to Brooke for a few moments.
"Listen, Julian, I'm sorry but I'm gonna have to go. Haley and Peyton just got here."
"Girls night in?"
"That's the plan."
"Well, enjoy your night," Julian said, "love you."
"Love you too, Julian."
Julian closed the phone slowly, sliding it back into his pocket and continuing on his journey back to the hotel. He was walking through a crowd, the busy people milling around, filling his ears with chatter about their problems and joys and issues, but he felt lonely. Julian used to be a free spirit, traveling from place to place with work, and he reveled in it. He wasn't one for staying in the same place for too long, and he enjoyed the thrill of a new city, a new sky line every month. But all that had changed as soon as he'd met Brooke. She'd become his centre of gravity, grounding him and pulling him towards wherever she was. And right now, she was in Tree Hill, the first place that Julian has ever wanted to call a home, and he wouldn't feel complete until he was back there again.
With these musings swirling in his mind, Julian found himself standing outside of a quaint little jewelry shop, its windows displaying its treasures. He pondered the trinkets, deciding on picking up a present for Brooke, but he found his eyes bypassing the earrings, the bracelets and even the necklaces, until at last they settled on the rings. And a certain type of ring in particular. Julian smiled to himself as he turned and pushed the door open, a bell chiming to announce his arrival. The room was warm, and a kindly looking old woman sat behind the counter. After noticing the customer, she rose from her seat and went to greet him.
"Hello, dear. Can I help you?"
"Ah, yes. I'm looking for engagement rings?"
The old lady's face lit up, and she went back behind her counter, motioning for Julian to follow her. Reaching under, she pulled out a ring display containing various gleaming jeweled rings. "These are my finest collection."
Julian leant on the counter, inspecting them closely. "They're certainly very lovely," he murmured, evaluating and appraising each one as his eyes slid over them. Finally, he came to the last ring on the tray, and he knew as soon as he saw it that it was the ring for Brooke. Looking up at the old lady, he pointed to it. "May I?"
"Of course."
Carefully, Julian slid the ring from its place and held it up, twisting it this way and that, examining every part of it. The light glanced off from its diamond stone, which wasn't too small to be disappointing, but not big enough to be an eyesore. The stone itself was wrapped in ornate tendrils that grew out from the silver ring. It wasn't tarnished, or worn, but it seemed to have an antique character to it that charmed Julian. This feels right. "I'll take it."
"Excellent," the old woman cried, bringing over an open velvet box which Julian promptly laid the ring in. "It's $1800."
Fishing around in his pockets, Julian retrieved his wallet and handed over his card.
"She's certainly a very lucky girl," the old lady commented, accepting the card.
"She deserves it." The transaction made, he returned his wallet to its place and slid the box into his inner coat pocket. "Thank you."
"You have a nice day now dear. And good luck!" she called after Julian as once more he stepped out into the Chicago air. It was still a good thirty minutes back to the hotel, but his stomach turned with excitement and he didn't want to be compressed into a car. He sent the old lady a wave before resuming his journey, noting how a darkness was slowly starting to settle in, and the evening chill was sinking into the air. He pulled his coat tighter around himself and adjusted his scarf as he walked, feeling the comfortable weight of the ring in his pocket pressing against his chest.
-/\-
The streets became emptier and emptier as they grew less and less familiar. The streetlights shone down on Julian like accusing interrogation lights, painting cruel shadows on the walls and the floor. His breath formed ethereal clouds in front of his face. Julian stopped beneath a signpost pointing to various streets and avenues, none of which he'd ever heard of. He may have been in Chicago for months, but truth be told he'd mostly travelled in a cabs or taken the subway. And now he was lost, wandering around in a questionable area of Chicago, all because he'd felt over-confident after purchasing the ring. He cursed himself internally before turning left, walking down a narrow street. He rounded the corner and let out a sigh of relief as his eyes alighted on a taxi parked up at the curb, stationary but with its lights on, sitting at the far end of the long street. The streetlights flickered infrequently, but Julian could now hear the distant roar of traffic more clearly and felt assured that he was heading in the right direction. Nevertheless, it wouldn't be too damaging to his pride to take a taxi back. Decision made, he strode forward, stepping carefully on the sidewalk, but several steps in and an unmistakable crunch sounded from beneath his sole. Looking down, he saw shattered glass, but before further thought could form a hand grabbed him by his collar and yanked him down an alleyway. A pain-filled grunt escaped his lips as he was thrust up against a wall, and he stared into the steely eyes of two thugs. Their faces were weathered and littered with scars, their strong jaws decorated with rough stubble.
"Please," Julian started, "just-"
"Shut up!" the shorter one sneered, pressing a knife to his throat. Julian swallowed, his words dying bitterly in his mouth. The taller thug's hands entered Julian's pockets and searched, coming out holding his wallet and cell.
"Please, that's all I have," Julian pleaded, the engagement ring burning his inside pocket as much as the knife's blade burnt against his skin. He resisted the urge to glance down. "Just take it."
"I'm not convinced," the brute spat, pulling the knife away from his prey's throat, but not before applying enough pressure to open up a shallow cut. He used the blade to push Julian's scarf to the side, and a malicious smile spread across his face as he spied the unmistakable bulge of a ring box. He shared a look with his fellow delinquent before reaching his calloused hand forward. And Julian made a rash, impulsive decision. I am not losing this ring. Taking advantage of the knife's withdrawal, Julian landed a heavy punch on the face of the shorter one, causing him to stumble backwards. An astonished silence settled over the thugs, but the adrenaline was burning through Julian's veins like fire and his jaw set, muscles tense.
The thug laughed, a strangled, ugly sound. "Oh, so you wanna fight, pretty boy?"
Julian's answer came in the form of him pushing himself off the wall and launching himself at one of them, aiming for another punch but he was pushed aside by a shove to his waist and a jagged slice across his cheek. Julian turned around in anticipation of another attack, ignoring the stinging and the unmistakable wetness of his cheek, and just starting hitting. He didn't know which part of the body his fists where colliding with, he just fought for his life, but his attack came to a halt when a blow to the face forced him back. Bloodied and beaten, Julian quickly assessed his situation. The thugs were advancing on either side of him, but if I could just push past one, I'd be out the alley... gathering his nerves, Julian made a run for it, shoving aside the thug that stood in the mouth of the alley, earning him a deep slash across his bicep. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he ran for all he was worth towards the still dormant taxi. He could hear shouts and footsteps chasing him as he yanked open the door of the taxi and threw himself inside, slamming it shut behind him. "Go! Drive!" he shrieked. When the bewildered taxi driver didn't respond straight away, Julian yelled at him even louder. "Drive!"
"You got it, sir." The driver put his foot down, cranking it into gear, and the taxi rolled forward and away just as the thugs' hands were about to close around the door handles. Julian pressed a hand to the cut on his arm, applying pressure to stem the bleeding. The wound didn't seem that deep, but then again, he wasn't a doctor, so he couldn't be sure.
The driver looked back at him worriedly. "You alright, son?"
"Just get me to a hospital," Julian ground out, staring out of the window as the buildings blurred in and out of smooth lines, signs merging with bricks and streetlights, more and more people flitting past, signaling his return to civilization. Placing his free hand across his chest, Julian felt the ring box beneath his shaking fingers, and his eyes widened with a desperate need to talk to Brooke. He reached into his pocket for his phone, but his fingers closed nothing but a card, which upon inspection was his room key. Must've fallen out when they took my wallet.
"Ex-excuse me," Julian stuttered out, sweat coating his skin with a slick sheen, "d-do you have...a-a phone?"
The driver looked at Julian through the dash mirror, his eyebrows creased with worry, then over to his cell, which lay on the far side of the dashboard. "I do, but I can't reach it right now."
"Please," Julian pleaded, "I need to talk to Brooke...Brooke..."
Conflicted, the driver felt compelled when he saw the fear and pain in his stricken passenger's eyes, and the blood flowing from the gash on his cheek. "Alright son, just give me a sec." With one last look at the road, he stretched over, keeping one hand on the wheel. "Almost got it...just a little bit more...got it!" He slid back into his seat, tossing the phone into the backseat for Julian. Eyes returning to the road, he had no time process, let alone react, when the tanker slammed into their side, horns blaring, throwing the car in somersaults down the street, skidding into other cars as it went.
So...quick note, I have no idea how much engagement rings are supposed to cost. I also have no knowledge of Chicago, so I don't know if a shady area such as what Julian found himself in exists, which I'm guessing it does, but if not, take it as creative license.
Thank you for reading, and if you have the time, please make my day and review :)
