A/N: This is a oneshot , the idea was requested by Shawn-n-Bell. Hope I did ok with thi
Dislaimer: I don't own the character
Brooke had landed back in Tree Hill, a place that she used to call home. There were a lot of memories, some happy and others too painful to remember. The thought of them instantly bought tears to her eyes. The reason for her return was something that no one should go through. She was back to say goodbye to a friend, a loving friend who had died before their time.
Brooke made sure she grabbed everything from the plane and walked over to the car rental queue. While she was waiting, her mind raced back to the message that made her return. She was in a state of shock when she heard it, especially as it was two days after it was left. She had her phone switched off, ignoring a certain person's calls. She wasn't sure what it was but something told her to switch her phone on and check her messages.
Brooke got the keys to the car rental and made her way over there. After she had put everything in the car, she just stood outside the driver side and spaced out, lost in her own thoughts recalling the last time she saw her recently departed friend. Tears were slowly running from her eyes. She sat in the car and wiped her tears with some tissue she found in her pocket. She grabbed her phone out of her designer bag and switched it on. She pressed a speed dial number and waited for an answer. "Hey it's me. I've just landed in Tree Hill. If you're home, can I come over?" She received the answer she was looking for. "See you in a bit." She threw the phone back in her bag, ignoring the text alert she just received, and started the engine.
It didn't take her long to reach her destination but she didn't get out of the car straight away. She needed time to compose herself for what was to come. She looked at the back of the car and smiled. 'It was now or never' she thought. Brooke climbed out of the car, picking up her bag. She walked round to the back door and pulled something into her arms. "This is where mummy grew up," she said to her daughter. Brooke closed the door and made the nervous trip down the path. She tentatively knocked on the door and didn't have to wait long before the door opened.
"Brooke, I'm so glad to see you."
"I'm glad to see you too. I just wish it was under better circumstances Nate." She kissed him on the cheek.
"She's beautiful, Brooke. Can I?" Brooke passed the little girl into his outstretched arms. He wore a smile on his face for the first time since the tragedy.
"Is it ok to say that she looks like her parents?" He asked while is attention was still on the mini Davis.
"It's fine," she answered with no real conviction.
"Come in." He waved. Brooke followed behind him looking around. It felt empty to her, like life had been ripped out of the once happy home.
Nathan looked back at her. "I didn't want to leave a message, I mean how do you say those words anyway."
"Don't worry about it. As soon as I listened to it, I got on the first flight I could get. How's Jamie doing?"
"I'm not sure he understands. He would have been in the car if he hadn't have lost his basketball that morning. I took him out to get a new one. A basketball possibly saved his life." Nathan started to choke up but tried to stop himself from crying. Brooke put her arm on his back.
"It could have been three of them that died that day Brooke. When did you last speak to Peyton and Lucas?" He asked.
Brooke shuddered at thought of her last conversation with the two blondes. She tore herself from her mind to answer. "I spoke to Lucas last week and Peyton maybe a month, I guess."
"Oh Brooke, I'm so sorry. I didn't even know she was back in Tree Hill until the accident."
"How's Haley doing?" Brooke took the girl from Nathan. "She's sleeping. The doctor told me to come home as they've given her drugs that have knocked her out. I nearly lost her Brooke."
At this point, it was too much for him and he started crying. He didn't care what Brooke thought at this point, for the emotion was too overwhelming. Brooke carefully placed her daughter on the nearest couch and pulled Nathan into a complete hug. She wanted to be strong, if only for him but she didn't have the strength. Without hesitation, she burst into tears also.
"Haley's ok now Nathan, you just have to remember that. She'll need your strength now more than ever." Nathan pulled away from the hug and looked deep into her eyes. "What about you?" Brooke could see the look of concern written all over his face. "I'll be ok. I'm here to say my goodbye and help in any way I can. I'm here for as long as you need me."
The sun was setting for another day in Tree Hill. There was a slight breeze, which was noticeable by the debris moving along the road. A lonely figure walked through the street. They didn't pay attention to anything around them, just concentrating on their destination. The walk was long and painful, imagining what could have happened. The sight before their eyes caused a gulp in their throat. Flowers were laid, with cards of condolences. The crash site had another set of flowers added with some tears.
Brooke had just finished feeding her daughter while Jamie was playing with his toys. Nathan walked into the room. "Are you ready to go?" Brooke nodded and got herself together. She held her little girl and held Jamie's hand in her own.
The drive was completely silent; both kids seemed to grasp the seriousness of the situation. Brooke looked over at Nathan driving; he was being careful and extra vigilant for obvious reasons. The two of them didn't even want to think about the fatal car accident that hurt people both physically and emotionally.
They all stood in front of the door taking a huge breath. Brooke slid her hand into Nathan's and gave it a reassuring squeeze. He looked down at Brooke and smiled at her. They looked back at the door and walked through. Waiting on the other side was Haley; she had bruises and cuts. One of her arms was also in a cast. When she saw who walked through the door, a brave smile was worn on her face.
"Hey Tutor Mum." Brooke's voice was raspier than usual; in fact it broke slightly.
"Hey Tigger. Come here." Brooke walked up to the bed and carefully hugged Haley, trying not to hurt her.
"When did you get back?" Brooke pulled back from Haley's arms.
"A couple of hours ago. I would have got here sooner but I didn't check my messages for a couple of days. How are you?"
Jamie was sitting on the bed after being placed there by Nathan. "I've been better but could be worse." Haley answered.
Words seemed to fail Brooke. Her mind went blank and she was struggling. Nathan noticed this and spoke. "Have they told you when you can come home?" Haley looked at her husband who was sitting on a chair beside while holding his wife's hand. "Tomorrow morning so I'll be able to attend the funeral."
Brooke went pale at the word 'funeral'. She wasn't ready to say goodbye to their friend. Both Nathan and Haley saw the change in Brooke's face and tried to change the subject. The three of them caught up with each other, trying not to mention anything about the crash.
All three of them had a restless night. Haley was reliving the accident, Nathan haunted by the fact he nearly lost his wife and Brooke trying to get her daughter to settle. They were all plagued by the time counting down to the funeral. It was safe to say that none of them got much sleep that night.
The next morning, Nathan went to pick up Haley while Brooke got the kids ready. She was going to meet Haley and Nathan at the church. Nathan had taken some suitable clothes for Haley to change into.
Brooke walked into the church with the kids in tow and searched for Haley and Nathan. She quietly walked over to them and took a seat next to them. Jamie sat next to his father and Brooke sat beside Haley.
The sound of the church door opening while the next person to enter caught the attention of Brooke. Eye contact was instantly made like they were the only people in the room. Haley noticed this and whispered to Brooke. "You two should talk after this. You have a lot to sort out."
This broke Brooke's gaze, "There's nothing left to talk about. We've said all we need to say."
Haley scoffed at her words, "Please! The two of you are still in love with each other, it's written all over both your faces." Haley held Brooke's hand. "All this puts things in perspective, plus you two have a kid to think about. Your daughter loves the both of you. You're all she knows. Don't live a life of regret Brooke."
Seemingly on cue the little girl started crying. "I'm gonna go and find a room." Brooke grabbed her bag and walked to the side of the church with her daughter, remembering a little room that would be available.
When she finished changing her daughter, a familiar voice addressed her. "I've missed you Brooke." She didn't turn around. "Don't do this now, not here."
"Why not? I love you, I'm still in love with you and I'm sorry for leaving." Brooke turned round to face the blonde. "Then why did you leave?" Before an answer was formed Brooke cut in. "Don't answer that. I need to go back inside." Brooke was just about to turn to pick up her daughter, off the table but she felt the blonde's arms stop her. Then lips crashed into hers. She was torn in two minds. Her heart was telling her to deepen the kiss while her mind was saying the opposite. Her brain won the battle and she pulled out of the kiss.
"I'm not going to forgive you just like that." She picked her daughter up and placed her in the other set of arms. "Look after your daughter and we'll talk after the funeral. She misses you." Brooke walked out of the room and retook her seat next to Haley. They both looked at each other and gave a small smile as the funeral proceeded.
It was a very emotionally service, a celebration of life. A life cut too short. Brooke was sitting outside, lost in thought when it was broken.
"Brooke, why didn't you answer any of my calls or texts?"
"You left us so I was a little confused to why you then wanted to contact me." Brooke snapped.
"I wanna give us another shot. I want you to forgive me for leaving."
"Then tell me now, why you left. Was there someone else?" There was a hint of desperation in her voice. She asked the question but Brooke didn't want to know if there was anybody else. She had been in that situation before and it broke her heart.
"No, I wouldn't do that. I just got scared and I needed some time to sort my head out" Brooke was finding the explanation hard to comprehend. "What were you scared of then? Come on tell me." A hint of anger could now be heard from Brooke's voice.
"Everything was moving fast between us and having a kid also."
"You knew I wanted a baby before we got together so it's not like you didn't know what you were getting yourself into." Brooke was trying to keep her anger in check but she was increasingly finding it difficult.
"I didn't want to be like most of our parents. We don't seem to have any good ones in Tree Hill. Out of the five of us, only one parent was either stable or stuck around in our teens."
Brooke laughed, "You didn't want to be like them but you left anyway."
"I never said I would make any sense but yes. I love the two of you more than anything in the world, more than myself and I guess that's what scared me." Hands went through hair as Brooke continued to listen. "You know me better than anyone else. Losing you would be losing me also. People always leave but I needed to stop believing that. I had to get my head sorted out to stop thinking that. This accident, the funeral, helped me see that life it too short."
The blonde, who was still holding their daughter, got down on one knee and pulled out a box. "I love you B Davis and I want to spend my whole life with you and Anna Beth. Will you marry me?"
Brooke's eyes were watering and she made no attempts to stop them. She tried to compose herself. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Haley smiling at the sight. Brooke looked back down and spoke. "Yes P Sawyer, I'll marry you."
Peyton placed the ring on Brooke's finger. Both of them wore big grins on their face. Peyton pulled Brooke into a hungry and well overdue kiss. The kiss was broken by Anna Beth speaking, "Dadda." Sadness hit both of their faces, as it was a bittersweet moment, as if their daughter knew it was her father's funeral.
Haley watched the pair of them and she instantly remembered her last conversation before the crash.
"Brooke sent me some new pictures of Anna Beth. She's so cute." Haley was sitting in the front passenger seat talking to the driver.
"Yeah she is, especially with her mother's dimples."
"Sometimes I can't believe that we're all parents, Lucas." Haley looked to the side with a smile on her face.
"I know. When Brooke said she wanted a baby, I was taken by surprised, especially when she asked me. I just felt that if I did this then it would be a way for me to make up for the hurt I caused in the past."
"She forgives you and she loves you for giving her a beautiful daughter." Haley placed her hand on his, which was on the gear stick. A smile crept over his face and before they knew it, the impact of the oncoming truck hit them, killing Lucas instantly.
Peyton took Brooke's hand and kissed it. "Come on, let's go back inside." The newly engaged couple and their daughter walked over to Haley imagining what the rest of their lives together would bring.