Disclaimer: I don't own One Tree Hill. I sure wish I owned Nathan though. Wouldn't that be fun?
Author's Note: I know I haven't been around in a really long time, but life got in the way. I also know that this doesn't qualify as an update of my other stories, but I'm hoping you'll like it anyway.
Starting AfreshBrooke Penelope Davis sat in her empty shop and rhythmically tapped her pencil against her blank sketchpad, lost in thought. Victoria had won. She now had Brooke's business, her magazine, her sketches, and apparently, she had now also taken Brooke's talent. She had been sitting on her sofa for the last three hours, trying to come up with something to turn into a work of art. To come up with some great clothing designs. It had never been this difficult before.
Suddenly, a voice broke into Brooke's musings, "Brooke?" She turned her head and her gaze focussed on Millicent Huxtable – her assistant and one of her best friends. Brooke set the pencil down and managed a small smile, "I'm sorry. What did you say?"
Millicent smiled a proper smile and walked over to sit down next to Brooke. "I know this is difficult for you, but you're pushing yourself too hard. Victoria took the business away three days ago. You are allowed to just sit back for a while and fume at her, you know?"
Brooke grinned and shook her head. "I'm tired of doing that. I need to work; to feel like I'm doing something worthwhile again. I need that much." She looked down at the blank page of the sketchpad again, "I was never much of an artist. That has always been Peyton's thing."
Millie took the sketchpad away and put it down beside her, away from Brooke. "This isn't about who the better artist is. You and Peyton are two very different people. If my mother had done to me what Victoria did to you, I'd be both fuming and distraught. Could you please be honest with yourself?"
"I am being honest with myself," Brooke reached for the pad but Millie pushed her away. "Can I have the sketchpad back?"
Mille shook her head and walked off with it. "You can have it back when you've had a rest, talked to your therapist and come up with something that does not require you to stare at a blank page for three hours straight. Don't make me get Marvin down here. He won't be pleased. Also, some decent food inside you would be good." She walked back to Brooke with a kind smile. "I'm your friend and I'm here for you. In any way that you might need. This is one of those times. We'll make this shop great, we just need time."
Brooke sighed and nodded. "It's just as well. I told Haley that I'd baby-sit my godson today. I feel like I haven't seen him in a month."
Millie locked the sketchpad away and pocketed the key. "Good. I like Jamie, and you saw him yesterday. He will help you to brighten your mood, though. Do you want some coffee?"
Brooke nodded and put the pencil back in its holder. She said to herself, "Yes, take some of this pain away". Millie disappeared into the kitchen at the back of the store.
OXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Haley James Scott pushed open the door to Clothes Over Bros and smiled at Brooke. She had Jamie by the hand and led him in. It was getting harder and harder to convince her five year old to take her hand when they went out nowadays. He was growing and pre-school was teaching him all kinds of silly nonsense; such as the belief that he was too old to hold his mother's hand now. This particular time had cost her an entire chocolate ice cream, which she still had reservations about.
Brooke knelt down and held her arms open for Jamie. This was as much for her as it was for him. She needed the hug and the comfort that it bought. Jamie didn't disappoint her. He walked into her arms and hugged her. They had both been through a lot recently. Brooke, with her attack and the subsequent loss of her clothing business; and Jamie, with his psychotic nanny who didn't know how to quit – that was until Dan Scott shot her, of course. If Brooke didn't know better, she'd say that Dan Scott should be kept away from all firearms at all times. This time, however, it had saved both Haley and Jamie, so she thought it better to keep quiet; especially in front of Jamie.
"How are you holding you, Jim-Jam?" Brooke asked.
"I'm OK," Jamie turned so she could see his red cape, "I have my cape."
Brooke smiled and looked up at Haley, silently asking her best friend the same question.
Haley shrugged. "Ditto. Minus the cape."
Brooke hugged her in turn. "She's gone. You'll be fine now."
Brooke could sense that Haley needed to talk about this when he son wasn't around. She needed to get it all out. Nobody could be that strong. It all manifested in some form or way, if it wasn't talked about sooner or later. "We'll talk about this soon. When you're ready, call me."
Haley nodded and took a step back. She looked down at her son. "You be good for aunt Brooke while I'm gone. I mean it."
Jamie nodded and looked up at Brooke seriously. "I always am."
Brooke nodded back. "Yes you are, little man."
Haley exited and Millie came into the store, from the kitchen, with a mug of coffee and a glass of milk. She handed the coffee to Brooke and the milk to Jamie. She looked at Jamie and smiled, "Wow, haven't you grown?"
Jamie took the glass and drank from it. "I think so. Hi aunt Millie. How's uncle Mouth?"
"He's working. He said he'd be by this evening, if you want to see him," Millie ruffled his hair.
Jamie nodded and looked at Brooke. "He has a lot of explaining to do."
Brooke knew what he meant. For Jamie, saying bye was not good enough. Neither was getting a new job. Jamie had been through a lot in the first five years of his life. More than most people would ever dream of.
Brooke took Jamie's hand and he did not protest. "Come on, Jamie. I want to show you something."
"Is it the mannequin?" Jamie looked at it expectantly.
Brooke laughed as she remembered how she and Haley had caught him trying to look up one of her mannequin's dresses last week. He was far too young to be interested in all of that. "No. It's much better."
She lifted him up and sat him on the counter. Then she pulled open one of her drawers and rummaged around in it. The tinkling of the doorbell, as the door was pulled open caught her attention.
"Whoa," She heard from Jamie.
Distracted, Brooke looked up and her mouth dropped open at the sight of who stood in her doorway.
"Hello, Brooke Davis," Owen said, with a smile, "what's under all the clothes."
The meaning behind the words finally dawned on her.
OXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Author's Note: I guess my love for One Tree Hill should really have pushed me to write a fanfiction based on it a long time ago. I love Owen and Brooke. Hopefully, this will be good.
Reviews are love. Please don't flame. Thank you.
Hope you like it.
Dina