A Miracle in a Raging Storm
A/N: Here is the next story in my series. It is December 21st and a snowstorm is looming over Tree Hill. A month has passed since the last segment. Peyton and Lucas have started dating. Nathan is still single. Lucas has made more of an effort to hang out with Haley.
"Here you go," Haley James said, handing her girlfriend a cup of hot chocolate. Brooke Davis nodded her head and sipped the hot drink, sighing and leaning into her girlfriend. Haley smiled and ran a hand through the older girl's dark hair and sipped her own drink. Carlin and Aiden were sleeping at the foot of the bed that they were sitting in. The heater was going so the room was nice and cozy.
"Thanks baby," Brooke muttered. She set her cup on the dresser and curled into her girlfriend's side. The two were currently holed up in Haley's house with the threat of a huge snowstorm over them. Haley's parents and siblings were never home and Brooke's had gone to London for a business meeting, leaving their teenage daughter alone. This had made Haley really mad and she insisted that her girlfriend stay with her over the holidays. Brooke had happily agreed and here they were, three days into their vacation. Christmas was only 4 days away and both girls were anxious to show each other the gifts they had gotten each other.
"No problem. It was well worth the trek," Haley replied, setting her cup down and engaging the darker brunette in a passionate kiss. They stayed this way until Carlin gave a loud yip. The two broke away. Brooke glared at the dog, suddenly mad that she had gotten Haley the two dogs. Carlin yipped in response and nipped at her feet. Brooke pouted, turning to Haley and making sad eyes. The lighter haired girl rolled her eyes and reached down to rub Carlin's tummy. Brooke grumbled and rolled away, pouting childishly. Haley and Aiden shared a secret look. Haley leaned back and reached over to... tickle Brooke! The two ended up getting into a tickling fight that last about twenty minutes. Haley was eventually able to pin Brooke underneath her. Hazel met chocolate and the two stared into each others eyes.
"I love you Brooke Davis," Haley said. Brooke smiled radiantly and leaned up to kiss her cheek.
"I love you too Haley James," she replied. The two started to kiss again, and this time, the dog didn't interrupt their make-out session. Brooke stopped things before it could get far enough. She and Haley had already talked about how most of Brooke's previous relationships had been all about sex. She wanted to make this one work. Haley had agreed. The two lay in comforting silence for a while before turning the light off and falling asleep.
The next afternoon, Haley and Brooke were watching a movie on Lifetime. They were cuddled up on the couch under a blanket with warm clothes and fuzzy socks on. While this was going on, Haley started thinking about things. She and Brooke had been dating for two months and Brooke and she had never really talked about telling people about their relationship. People were starting to get suspicious (namely, Karen and Peyton) and she didn't want to hide it anymore. These thoughts started to swirl around in her head as the movie went off. She turned the TV off and turned to her girlfriend, sitting so her back was against the arm of the couch and her legs were intertwined with Brooke's.
"Brooke, I want to tell people about us," she said bluntly. She projected confidence that she knew she didn't have. Brooke looked at her in shock. She had thought that she could keep this conversation at bay until a while had passed. She stared at Haley, her hazel-green eyes searching.
"Why?" she finally asked. Light brown eyes met hers. Outside, the snowstorm raged.
"I love you. And I want other people to know that I love you," Haley replied. The other girl stared at her, panic bubbling up inside her.
"So you want to let everyone know. Haley, I could be kicked off the squad!" she said. Haley stared at her in shock. Anger and understanding started up inside her.
"Is cheerleading more important to you than letting people know about our love?" she whispered. The panic in Brooke turned into anger.
"Hell yes it is!" she replied, her voice raising. Haley was suddenly glad that Carlin and Aiden were upstairs with the door shut. Haley tilted her head at Brooke.
"Really now?" she asked in a dangerous voice. Their positions hadn't moved at all.
"Yes. Definitely more important than you," Brooke said, her voice dripping with spite. Almost as soon as she said this, she regretted it. Haley retracted her legs, pulling them up against her chest.
"Really now," she said in a dull voice looking at her girlfriend. Brooke wanted to stop, really she did. She just couldn't stop herself once she started.
"Yes. I definitely love it more than I love you, if I loved you at all. You were just my little experiment, insignificant and weak. I never loved you I just pretended," she said. She knew that she didn't mean it. Tears welled up in the eyes of her love and Haley got up and walked towards the door. She slipped into a pair of old trainers and grabbed a light jacket. She ran out the door, slamming it behind her. The anger in Brooke finally stopped and tears flowed down her face.
"Oh my god. What have I done?" she whispered to herself. She curled up on the couch and started to sob.
Out in the white storm, Haley was walking around with tears following down her face and her hands freezing. She stopped at a park bench near the park and sat down with her face in her hands. It was freezing outside and Haley was wearing sweats and a light jacket. She curled up and started to shiver and cry harder than ever. She couldn't believe that Brooke had said those things to her. She loved her! Deep down inside her, she had a slight feeling that Brooke was just scared but she couldn't bring herself to believe it. She lay there, eventually falling asleep.
Two hours later, Haley still had not returned to her house and Brooke, despite what she had said earlier. She was pacing in front of the couch before getting a quick idea. She pulled her phone out of her bag and sat on the couch with the dogs beside her.
"Attention. This is Brooke Davis. I am madly in love with Haley James and I don't care what you all have to say. This is not a joke," she sentto everyone in her contacts list, including Haley. Her hopes were dimmed as she heard Haley's phone beep. She grabbed her jacket, a blanket, flashlight, and her keys and hopped in the car to find her. It only took her ten minutes to find her girlfriend (hopefully) on the bench in the park. The girl was blue lipped and shivering, her tears having almost froze on her face. Brooke grabbed a blanket and wrapped her up in it. She turned her phone off and carried Haley to the car, placing her in the front seat and speeding home. She bathed and changed Haley and placed her under five blankets with Aiden and Carlin curled up next to her. She knelt by the bed and grabbed one of the ice cold hands.
"I love you Haley Marie James. I'm so sorry I ever made you doubt that. Please wake up," she pleaded before falling asleep where she was.
The next morning, Haley woke up warm under the blankets. She felt a cold hand in hers and looked over to see Brooke in a fitful sleep bent over the bed. Dark rings were visible under her eyes and her cheeks were wet. Haley, having forgiven Brooke somewhat the night before. Seeing the condition she was in that morning just confirmed that Brooke had been scared when she was talking that night. However, the pain still slightly stung her. She saw her phone vibrating on the table and picked it up. She read it and tears fell free. Brooke woke up when she felt Haley move and climbed into the bed and wrapped her in a hug.
"What's wrong Haley?" she asked, eyes half closed and voice husky. Haley turned over and curled into Brooke's side and cuddled her. She felt Brooke shudder and start to cry at the love in Haley's eyes. Haley ran her hand through the girl's hair.
"Nothing Brookie. Please don't cry. I love you baby," she crooned, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean any of the things I said last night. I love you and I told everyone," the dark brunette sobbed. Haley nodded and smiled.
"I saw. And I'm proud of you baby," she replied. The two calmed down and smiled.
"I really do love you," Brooke said. Haley nodded.
Two days later, they celebrated Christmas.
"Merry Christmas," Haley said. She had given Brooke a silver bracelet with a simple vine design on it.
"Merry Christmas baby," Brooke replied. She had given Haley a silver chain with a heart on it. She kissed Haley on the cheek before grabbing a hastily put bag together.
"Here," she said, handing Haley the bag. Haley opened the bag and smiled at what she saw. It was Brooke's cheerleaders jacket. Haley engaged her girl in a passionate kiss and the two retired to bed.
Here's the installment. The next one might be on the fallout of this one.