AN: Hey guys, I just wanted to write a follow up to my one shot ' Don't be late', a part of me wanted to keep this to myself and leave that one shot alone, I liked the ending as it was, positive yet mysterious, but I couldn't resist, so I hope you all like it. On another note, amazing Brooke-Julian last episode! I wish I could make a story out of what we were given but it was already so good I don't really know! I don't own anything here.
Tree Hill honestly feels like a lifetime ago.
Haley picks her up from the airport, they exchange plesantries and Haley comments on how stunning she looks, Brooke returns the compliment, and as soon as they got into the car; it's somehow awkward again.
They talk constantly, on skype with the whole Scott family, on the phone after Haley reads the five page spread of 'Brooke Davis's new couture line' in Vogue, on their blackberry when Haley's bored and needs some inside information about so and so's break up.
But this time, simplt the fact of just being back here, where everything started and ended, it's just awkward.
Because somehow when she came back with the words 'I ran into Julian in LA' just brings up so many things that can't be said.
Haley doesn't say anything, and just continues to drive and make casual chit chat, about Lucas, Peyton and Sawyer taking the big guestroom, and she hopes Brooke doesn't mind taking the smaller room down the hall since it's just her.
That stings, just a little.
'Hales,'
'Yeah?'
Brooke sighs and collects her thoughts, knowing words aren't her forte. But she needs to say this before they pull up into the driveway of the Scott mansion.
'You know, it's like, when I was living here, two years ago with Julian, in Tree Hill, dealing with regular Tree Hill drama', she pauses and they both chuckle knowingly. 'It's hard to explain, but it was like, I thought that's the way my life's going to be you know, I thought I was finally living the rest of my life. Imagine if you and Nathan were over and you suddenly had to begin your life all over again, without knowing why.'
Haley frowns slightly, confused to why this rant is happening this soon into her brunette friend's arrival in the small town.
'All i'm saying is, I thought life here in Tree Hill with Julian was it for me. And that's why I haven't been the same lately, I'm just trying to process it, you know. So I'm sorry, for making everyone worry.'
She pulls the brunette into a tight hug and kisses the top of her head.
'I'm so glad you're here, Brooke Davis'
Because there was nothing else she could have said, really.
One of Nathan's old teammates, cute, a bit too tall, not in a way that would fit her like Julian's height did (does-she allows herself to think), but cute nevertheless, flirts with her and laughs at how dedicated she must have been to find those sneakers for Jamie, even though his dad is a sports star, and would have probably got those shoes with just one phone call.
Brooke smirks and raises her eyebrow in thatway that makes the cute basketball player, Kevin? Calvin? Slightly nervous, and whispers that she always wants to impress, so that's why she did it.
Lucas, having kept in touch with Julian through email, asks her if she's been doing alright, it's such a Lucas question to ask. So she takes another glass of wine and tells him thanks, but she's just fine.
Lucas and Peyton would say to fight for what she wants, but seriously, what's the point of fighting a lost battle? What if Julian doesn't even want to get in the ring?
She calls Julian when Haley drops her off at the airport a week later (Tree Hill was kind to her this time, stress free, relaxing, a place to re charge), she hasn't bought a ticket yet, and Haley can't help but smile at her friend, now this is the Brooke Davis she remembers; the romantic.
'Are you honestly calling Julian to ask where he is? Just so you can fly over to have dinner with him?'
Brooke gives her a look, 'or lunch! Haley James Scott, dont judge me.'
Haley just giggles in return, 'I don't think even Lucas would do something this cheesy'.
Julian is surprised, so surprised that she would do something so impulsive and vulnerable that he immediately agrees to a dinner the next night; he's still in LA, and they'll be having sushi.
Brooke checks into a suite at Chateu Mormont and spends the whole day thinking about how weird this is; how did they go from discussing her infertility to meeting up for dinner in Beverly Hills? It's like they're now getting to know each other all over again, the them before they met.
He waits in the lobby, wearing dark jeans and a blazer, looking so impossibly handsome and so LA that it both pleases and breaks her at the same time; he wasn't supposed to be the guy with the blackberry and the designer jeans anymore; he's supposed to be in plaid, cooking dinner with her in Tree Hill.
They go in for the hug, and it lasts about five seconds too long, and she's brought back to that time in her house, when the hug turns into an impulsive kiss from her end. He kisses her cheek and lets go.
'You look beautiful, Brooke Davis.'
She brushes a stray hair from her face, blushes, and follows him outside.
They get a few looks in the restaurant, and she's sure someone would have probably tweeted their location already. But it's LA, and there are more exciting people than a fashion designer and the movie guy.
She's pretty sure she saw Snooki outside.
'How was Tree Hill?'
She smiles, ' It was good to be back, Jamie and Sawyer have grown so much it's scary. Jamie asked about you.'
He cocks an eyebrow, 'Oh yeah? What did you say?'
And their food comes just in time, she didn't have to go through the awkwardness of talking about whatever they were probably going to talk about.
Julian makes a funny pose with the chopsticks and she laughs; they're flirting slightly, talking about everything and anything, apart from what matters. This time, it's actuallly a good thing; they need this.
He drops her off at a respectable 11 o clock, and lingers awkwardly infront of her hotel room door.
'Well, I've had fun tonight Brooke.'
She nods, 'So did I, although I think you ordered too many salmon rolls, I feel a bit sick.'
He grins, and then it's silent again.
It's not surprising that she invites him in for drinks, and he accepts. There's two bottles of chilled Virque Clique on the table, and although wine is usually more of his drink, he doesn't mind, he's in one of LA's prettiest hotels, with the prettiest girl he knows, and he just has no willpower when it comes to Brooke Davis.
They're on the couch, sipping drinks and it takes them back to their first 'date'. Brooke brings this up and he chuckles nervously.
'Is this you flirting with me?'
She stammers, and reaches for a refil so he wouldn't have to see her blush.
'Uh, no, I'm just bringing up the past that's all. Sorry.'
She turns around to face his tall form hovering over her, his breathing's harsher suddenly, and she doesn't know who leaned in for the kiss first, it doesn't even matter, the only thing she cares about right now is how good his lips feel against hers.
'How did we go two years without this?' He mumbles, in between removing her shirt, slipping his tongue in her mouth.
She moans, and he's taken back to every time they've been like this. Her hand snakes past the waistbamd of his jeans and pulls down his zipper, causing his breath to hitch and he plants light kisses on her neck.
They didn't make it into the bedroom, and an hour later, they're lying on the floor, wrapped up in fluffy dressing gowns. She's drinking the last of the champagne, and he's sipping diet coke.
'Can we not talk about this tonight? Please? I just want to enjoy this, being with you.'
And although it breaks his heart, knowing this is her way of sweeping things under the rug, he swallows his disaappointment and places a gentle kiss on the side of her head.
'Whatever you want, Brooke.'
He wakes up to the smell of coffee and hot chocolate, waffles and pancakes, and a fully dressed Brooke Davis who hands him a mug of the chocolate drink.
'Here you go, you big baby.'
He smiles and rubs his eyes tiredly.
'I remember when we always had to have two sets of food for breakfast.'
She laughs, ' Yeah well, i'm a waffle girl.'
They sit on the floor and eat their breakfast in a comfortable silence. This is it really, they have too much history to just continue on like this, and perhaps too much history to completely let go of each other.
'Brooke, we need to talk about this.'
And perfect timing is really his thing, because Brooke's blackberry rings and she winces slightly at the caller ID.
'Hey, how are you?'
'Yeah, I'm just uh, in LA. On business. Yeah, I had a great time too. But uh, I don't think I can see you anymore. Sorry, Eric.'
'Who's Eric?'
She turns to face him, and decides that she doesn't know how to lie to Julian. And aren't they past that anyway?
'He's this guy, we've been having dinner for a few times, since last month? I don't know.'
He raises his eyebrows, 'I see. Have you slept with him?'
If it was anyone else, she would have made a remark about minding their own business, but somehow she always breaks her own rules for this adorkable man she loves.
'That's kind of how we um, started actually. A string of one night stands with dinner in between.'
Julian nods, 'Oh. Well, i'm glad you're enjoying your single life. You deserve it.'
'What did you just say to me?'
He turns, knowing that comment had a slight trace of bitterness and jealous behind it, but he doesn't have to apologize, and frankly, neither does she.
'You don't have a claim to me anymore, Julian! You gave up on us! So how dare you judge me for having a little fun?'
'Oh! I'm the one who gave up on us? I was going to propose! I was waiting for us to get back together, I mean, was it ridiculous of me? Everyone thought it was inevitable! You and me, but then you had to go ruin it by screwing that stupid Aussie with the annoying acc-'
She slams the bedroom door in his face, and he's left to stand over half eaten pancakes and waffles in the living room alone.
She doesn't come out until she hears him leave, and that's when she cries. Really cries. Maybe it's the way she was wired, tracing this back to high school, when her and Lucas were almost together, she sleeps with someone else, and she did it again as an adult. Maybe it's in her nature to run.
She gave stability with Julian a good run, though.
But she knows she's being ridiculous. She loves this boy so much she doesn't know what the hell she's been doing. So she picks up the phone and dials his number, he doesn't pick up, and she leaves a message after the tone.
'I love you. I think, or I hope you know that. I uh, I love you so much I didn't buy a plane ticket from Tree Hill, I needed to find out where you were, just so I can see you. And that's pathetic, I know. But with us, there's no line we can't cross anymore, no etiquettes, no boundaries, for god's sakes, we were that couple that almost got married, we talked about having kids, and I can't let our last night together be some one night stand in LA, we're not those people, Julian, we're not. We were perfect, so please, just, uh, call me back.'
He doesn't tell anyone, but he cried a little when he heard her message. He knows he's kept the ring for a reason, not for Leslie, or anyone else. But in hopes that maybe someday.
He drives back to the hotel, and ignores strange looks from the conseirge.
He knocks twice, and it feels like she was right behind that door, nervously biting her nails hoping he'd hear the message and come right back.
' I got your message.'
And he's not sure who went in the kiss first, but when her hands run through his brown hair, he grins into their kiss and pulls her against him, kicking the door close with his foot.
'i'm glad you're on time, Brooke Davis.'
It's a throwback to their encounter last week, before she left for Tree Hill. Although, it's not really just a throw back, s it? It's a sentiment of love, forgiveness, it's a promise without saying that from this moment on, probably their fourth or fifth chance, they're going to get it right.
There was the debate of where to live, how to live; flat or house? Whether to settle back into where they left off? Engaged to be engaged? Or pretend none of those things happened and start fresh?
They settle in New York; a busy city, overwhelming and too crowded most of the time, a city that wasn't part of the original plan. But Tree Hill is too much of her town and LA is too his; they want this to be equal, where they could both continue their work; New York is neutral.
The first couple of months was difficult, Brooke had to get used to having guy stuff all over the bathroom sink all over again, and Julian doesn't really like the mountains of magazines stacked all over the living room. But sometimes at night when Brooke cuddles into his chest and stays that way all night, he sucks in a breath of relief, wondering how he was planning to live without her for the rest of his life.
They wait another year before getting married, and on their honeymoon, they fly to Vietnam to bring baby Hugh back home.
Haley tears ,up when she holds her godson for the first time, and Brooke snaps at Julian when he couldn't get the camera out fast enough.
He rolls his eyes when she suggests they should all learn Viettnamese as a family.
Hugh grows up to be an athlete, an athlete who loves watching old movies with his dad, he keeps a journal, scribbles of documentary ideas, and books to read. Asians are stereotypically known to be overachievers, and Hugh certainly tries to do everything; helps his mother set up for fashion shows, and checks out the models. He's masculine in a way that Julian isn't, and is fiercely protective of his family, just like his mom.
His sister Annabel (who arrived two years after him) is all girl, sensitive, loving, pretty and a ballet dancer. She's dating his best friend and it freaks him out a little, but he's already made enough threats to the guy it shouldn't matter.
When the kids go off to college, it's just the two of them, sitting on the couch, drinking wine. Like how they started out, ended, began again, it's always the couches and alcohol, Julian muses.
Brooke's eyes are slightly watery, she misses the kids, even though Hugh's starting his senior year and Annabel just became a sophmore, it feels like they've just left the house for the first time.
'We're so old,' she chuckles.
Julian smiles and kisses the top of her head, bringing her head to his head.
'You're still sexy, though.'
Her chuckle warms his chest, and he brings her chin up to face him.
'I'm so glad we made it, this lifetime thing.'
She smiles and snuggles closer to his chest, 'Yes, it was a close call between you and Eric.'
It dawns on him who she's referring to, he laughs and tickles her until she cries with laughter; they end up on the floor beside the couch and lie there for a while, enjoying the quiet night amidst the bustling city.
'My back hurts a bit, I think I need to sit.'
And she promptly rolls her eyes, lifetime.