Summary: After starting the adoption process, Brooke's world starts to collapse. Her husband leaves her for someone else and her foster daughter is taken away. What happened when a blond haired boy waltzes into her world?
Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing at all. Yada, yada, yada. The title comes from a song by Logan Mize by the same name.
So here's my new story! I hope you all enjoy it! Please let me know what you think and if you have any ideas! Thanks!
I'm Used Up
Chapter One
A shrilling scream went through the house, waking up the parents who slept peacefully in their bed till now.
"Brooke, she's screaming." Julian mumbled wrapping the pillow around his head to block out the noise. "You get her."
"Like always." Brooke sighed sitting up, throwing the blankets off her body.
When they started to foster Samantha with the hope of adopting her, the social worker told them she would be difficult at first but two months later she still woke up two to three times a week in the middle of the night screaming loudly. Brooke understood it. It was a transitional period still.
"Sammy?" In the middle of the purple bedroom sat a full sized bed with a little crying girl. "Are you okay, baby?"
"I had a dream." Sammy sat with the blanket wrapped tightly around her. Brooke always told her, she would be safe under the blanket. "A bad one."
"Wanna talk about it?" Brooke brushed the tears out of Sammy's eyes.
At five-years-old, Samantha Grace Walker was everything Brooke wanted in a daughter. The minute Brooke and Julian sat down and read Sammy's story Brooke wanted her; it was like she needed her. Sammy had dirty brown hair that fell in waves and big green eyes that Brooke could stare at.
"Not uh." Sammy crawled into her new mother's side and Brooke protectively wrapped her arms around her. "Too scary."
"Where there monsters?" Brooke probed for answers. Seeing the frightened look on Sammy's face, Brooke wanted to do something or anything that would make it better. They tried the whole monster/fairy spray but that just made everything sparkle. These sleepless nights were effecting her not only at home but now were affecting school.
"Not uh." Sammy nodded her head up and down.
"Go back to sleep baby girl. It's all just a dream. Nothings gonna get you." Brooke planted a kiss on her daughter's forehead. "I love you sweet thing."
"Love you too, Mommy B." Sammy curled into a ball under the blanket falling back to sleep quickly.
Brooke paused waiting a couple of minutes just staring at her. She couldn't believe she was her own, even not biologically, but Sammy was going to be hers.
"You sure you want her, out of every child here?" The social worker at the foster home seemed shocked. Normally future parents come in looking for babies and younger children- under the age of three. "She has some problems you know, right?"
"I read everything, we read everything. I want her." Brooke was adamant. She was speaking for both, Julian and herself. They had long discussions about this. Julian first wanted a baby, but then again so did Brooke. The minute her eyes met Sammy's she was attached.
"It will start off as a trial period." The social worker warned. "A transitional time to determine if this is the right fit for your family. In six months we will reevaluate everything and go from there with the adoption process."
Julian sat there just trying to take everything in. His mind was telling him this was not what he wanted but then his heart was telling him to agree because it made Brooke so excited and he actually grown a little to the youngster.
After hearing silence from the pair, the social worker continued. "Then I have some papers for you both to sign. We already have your background checks and home visit clearances so you all should be able to take her home today. If you both sign these," She handed over the lump of papers, "I'll get Samantha ready."
"You don't look so excited." Brooke stared at her husband worriedly. "This is what you want, also, right?"
"Of course it is, B. Just a lot of nerve. I've never dealt with kids. You at least have Jamie to use as experience."
"Just relax, Julian. Sammy loves us, I can tell." Brooke gave him a reassuring kiss and smiled.
"Okay, if you can tell." Julian stated apprehensively.
"Brooke! You came back!" Sammy skipped-slash-ran into the office, arms open wide waiting to be wrapped around Brooke.
"I told you we'd come back for you, didn't I?" Brooke lifted the lighter brunette into her lap, hugging her tightly as she did.
"Does this mean I get to live with you guys now cause that'll be cool?"
"What do you say Julian? Do you think we can bring her home?"
"As long as she has a good taste in movies it's fine with me." Julian laughed slightly trying to enjoy this moment.
"I don't like the Disney princess movies." Sammy declared proudly.
"Me either," Julian filled her in, just like it was a secret. "We'll just have to find other cool movies."
"I think Disney movies are amazing, thank you very much." The older brunette faked acting hurt by their comments. "And we will watch princess movies if I want too."
"But there's no such thing as real princesses." Sammy complained. In her little mind she, even if princesses did exist, would never be one. Who would want a girl in a foster home?
"Oh yes there is and you are one." Brooke smiled hugging Sammy tightly.
"If the paperwork is all signed then you two are free to take her home." The social worker smiled at the newly formed family. "We'll keep in touch." She promised.
"Let's go home." Julian cheered loudly, declaring his happiness. It might have been a fake cheer but he was trying to make the best of it.
"What are you doing?" Brooke walked back into the bedroom she shared with her husband.
"What does it look like I'm doing?" He was packing a bag; pulling open the dresser draws, cleaning his clothes out of them and slamming it shut.
"You're pack, but why?"
"I can't do this, Brooke. I've tried for a couple of months now and I just can't do it." Julian did look sad as he stated it but Brooke was using her eyes to search for some other reason.
"Can't do what exactly?" Brooke stood in the doorway nervously patiently waiting for a response that either way will kill her inside.
"That girl, I can't and I won't pretend to anything. You wanted her, you do it on your own. After all you're the one that can't have a baby."
"Don't you dare use that against me!" The brunette women wanted to scream at him, the anger was fueling inside of her ready to explode. "I've told you from the beginning I couldn't have kids and you said you wouldn't use that against me, ever! We did this adoption process together knowing it's the only way we could have kids."
"I was expecting a baby or something. Not an emotional delinquent." Julian gritted his teeth. "We started the adoption process for a baby. You're the one that pushed for her, not me."
"So what? You agreeing to take her in was a big lie?" Brooke knew from the way her eyes were burning and her vision was becoming blurry that the water works were starting.
"I did something to make you smile for once because you never do anymore!" His voice rose and Brooke was becoming more worried about the little girl in the room a couple of feet away hearing this. Sammy didn't deserve more drama thrown into her life. "Ever since the news came out all you've been pushing for is adoption! It was adoption this, or adoption that, Brooke. I couldn't handle it anymore so I gave in."
"So why are you packing?"
"I'm going to go stay with someone because I know if I told you to pick between me or her, you'd pick her."
"Damn right I would. You pick your kids over everyone."
"Well she's not your kid, Brooke. She's a foster kid. This adoption may not even go through if her parents come back into the picture. Why risk that?"
"Because I love her like my own- like you are supposed to."
"Well if you love her so much, then be just her and you. I can't be apart of it." When Julian heard what came out of his own mouth even he thought it was dumb but he pushed through, running quickly into the on suite bathroom to grab his razor and toothbrush and came out as fast as he entered.
"What is this all about?" Her insecurities were getting the best of her. "Where did it all come from?" She paused waiting for a response that Brooke knew would probably kill her. Brooke saw all the signs but ignored them because she trusted Julian with all her heart. "There's someone else, isn't there."
"I needed attention from somewhere." Julian rolled his eyes sighing. "If you didn't all the sudden throw yourself into the mother role, completely ignoring me might I add, I wouldn't have done it."
"That's were you're going at three in the morning."
"She's giving me something you could never give." He zipped up his suite case. "See, B, she wasn't a whore growing up and could actually have kids."
"I was not a whore!" She argued with great force crossing her arms over her chest. He never brought up her past before with great hatred. Julian was there for all Brooke's bad times; high school sweethearts some would call them. "I was with you the whole time, so how could I be a whore."
"If you're not a whore than you're not fully a women. She is giving me a biological child while you just gave me someone else brat who they didn't want to take care of anymore."
"Get the hell out of here and don't you dare come back!" Brooke hissed through her clenched teeth.
"I'll have my lawyer send everything over. Thanks for making this such an easy decision." Julian slung his bag over his shoulder and walked out of the room. He didn't pause or nothing. He quickly put on his shoes, grabbed his keys and was out the door.
Brooke found her self on the floor in a ball. She didn't expect this to happen. Sure Rachel warned her that he was bad news since high school but it's been ten years since then and he was always kind to her.
"Mommy B?" Sammy stood in the doorway with her blanket in one hand and stuffed teddy in the other.
"Baby Girl, why you out of bed?" Brooke wiped the tears away quickly, just trying to compose herself for her hopefully soon to be daughter.
"I heard screaming." She pulled her blanket and teddy closer.
"You got scared, huh?" Brooke frowned climbing up off the floor. "Come on, let's go lay in bed. We can have a big sleepover. Girls only."
"Is he coming back cause my real mommy got mad at my daddy and he never came back again."
"I don't know, Sugar, but I do know that it won't matter. It may just be me and you in this crazy world, but that's all we need." Brooke wrapped her arms tighter around Sammy as she snuggled into her side. "I love you baby."
"We go to sleep now?" Sammy yawned dropping her bear, to rub her sleepy eyes.
"Yeah, we'll figure it all out in the morning."
-XO-OTH-XO-
"What do you mean since he's not around we need to start it all over again?" One angry Brooke stayed calm as she spoke into her phone at her store. Sammy was in the back office, showing off her artistic skills after telling her Mommy B that she was going to design better clothes than Brooke. Brooke took her up on that offer and ever since then, Sammy stayed in the back coloring her life away.
"I'm really sorry, Mrs. Baker, but the contract you signed was for both of you. We need to have you sign everything as a single foster parent now."
"So basically the whole process is being started over again is what your saying?" She lowered her voice to make sure Sammy didn't hear here. After last night, Brooke didn't want to disappoint the poor girl anymore. "What about Sammy?"
"Well till everything is completed again, we need to find other arrangements for her." The social worker continued on, "I know this is difficult since Samantha loves it there, but it will only be for a couple of days max till we get everything situated."
"So she'll have to go to where exactly?"
"Most likely, since this is such short notice, a group home would be the best bet."
"I see." Brooke let a tear slip from her eye and quickly brushed it away. Staying strong is what she needed to do.
"I'm really sorry for this but doing this as a single parent brings more difficulties to the situation."
"I can see that. When would you take her from me?"
"I can come get her tonight, Brooke, but you need to understand that you'll get her back, okay? I just need to follow policy right now."
"I guess I'll see you then." Brooke frowned hanging up. She quickly composed herself, the best she could, before directing Millie to take over for the day. "I may be back tomorrow, I'm not sure. I just need to get this all taken care of for Sammy's sake."
"Go spend the rest of the day with her. I got this Brooke." Millie smiled slightly shoving Brooke to the back office. "Take care of her."
"Mommy B! Look!" Sammy held up her drawing of what Brooke assumed was a dress of some sorts.
"It's lovely, Baby. Why don't we skip out of her and go get ice cream and maybe a little shopping?"
"Ice cream?" Sammy's eyes lit up.
"Yep put on your coat and we will go."
The rest of the afternoon was spent just the two of them hanging out. They went for ice cream, shopped a little, went to the park and by late afternoon Sammy was passed out in Brooke's arms as they watching Disney movies on the couch.
That was when the doorbell rang and Brooke was snapped back to reality.
"Hello," Brooke opened the door to great the social worker with a frown.
"I'm truly sorry about this Brooke, but you know I'm going to do anything I can to keep her here. It will only be for a couple of nights, okay?"
"Let me wake her." Brooke ignored the social worker; she was hurting badly and didn't know how to keep the pain from the little girl. "Sammy girl? I need you to wake up for me, okay?" Brooke rubbed her back slowly and calmly.
"Mommy B?"
"I'm right here. Mrs. Jones is here. You're going to go with her for a couple of days till I get this whole thing figured out. Can you do that and be a big girl?"
"Why?" Sammy asked looking between Mrs. Jones and her Mommy B.
"Cause something has come up and I need to do more paperwork okay? But don't worry, Pretty Girl, you're coming home as fast as I can get you here."
"I don't want to leave." Sammy gripped on to Brooke for dear life, holding on with all that she had. "Don't make me."
"Baby, please." Brooke tried calming her down.
"Come on Samantha, we need to go." Mrs. Jones, the social worker, pulled Sam out of Brooke's arms.
That's when Brooke's heart broke even more then she knew was possible. Sammy was grabbing for her, as the social worker was directing her out the door.
"I love you, Baby Girl."
"I love you too, Mommy B." Sammy screamed through her tears. "Don't make me go! I'll be better!"
"You're the best little girl I know." Brooke promised her. "I'll see you soon. Don't worry! I'm not giving up a fight."
That was when Sammy was guided out the door by Mrs. Jones and Brooke took this moment to break down. Tears were falling with no end time close.
Brooke picked up her phone and called the only person she knew who would be there in a second. "Rachel? I need you."
"Whore, what happened?"
"Julian knocked someone else up and they took Sammy. They took her away till I do everything over again."
"I'm on my way." Rachel responded. "Give me five minutes, and I'll be there. We are going to figure this all out, even if you actually let me kick Julian's ass, and you are most definitely going to get your little girl back. Understand me? Grab a bottle of wine, and pour yourself a glass till I get there. Hang in there, B. We'll figure it all out. I'm calling in reinforcements."
"I'll be waiting." Brooke sat hanging up the phone. She looked over and noticed a that teddy bear that Sammy did nothing without and all she could do was hold it crying. "I'm going to get you back, baby, just wait for me."