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Author's Note: Completely random one-shot. Don't know if I will continue it or not, I don't love it, but it was stuck in my head and I had to get it out. Oh, and Kelli FTMFW!

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It's funny, he thinks as he enters Clothes Over Bros, how close he and Brooke have become lately.

They haven't been close since freshmen year of high school when he started dating Peyton Sawyer. They were close when they were younger, running in the same social circle, the prince and princess of their group of friends – but then he started dating her best friend and everything changed. He spent less and less time with Brooke and more and more time with Peyton.

Then they broke up and Haley came along. He realizes it now, as he walks through her store, to her workroom in the back, that he has missed her friendship. Since Quentin's funeral and the robbery at Brooke's store, the two have gotten progressively more comfortable with each other. She's confided in him, a little bit more each day and they've slowly become just as close as Brooke and Haley were back in junior year.

After her return from New York, she finally broke down. He woke up to a hysterical phone call from her and immediately drove over to her house. He found her lying on the floor, a mess of tears and sniffles and she finally told him the whole story. The attack. Her mother. Deb and the gun. He held her for hours as she poured her heart out, yet he couldn't help but think that Lucas should have been the one holding her.

Ironically, it's how he finds her again today – collapsed on the floor, tears streaming down her face with a needle and thread between her thumb and forefinger. She's sitting in front of a wedding dress, Peyton's wedding dress. The dress she had so gracefully and selflessly agreed to make for her best friend's wedding to the man of her dreams.

And just like that night a few months ago, Nathan drops down to the ground beside her and wraps her in his arms. His grip on her is tight, almost as tight as he holds Haley, because she's come to mean just that much to him. She's his best friend; his surrogate little sister and the best godmother possible to his five year old son.

Her tears stop after a few moments and she twists her way out of his arms, stands up straight, brushes the wrinkles out of her skirt and composes herself.

"How long have you been crying, Davis?"

She scoffs. "Just long enough. I really need to stop doing this."

She's disappointed in herself, he can tell. She expects herself to be stronger than this. It's partially their faults – Haley, Peyton, Lucas. They've come to rely on her for advice and strength, never really letting Brooke lean on them in return.

"Brooke, it's okay. I'm not dumb. I know you love him and I know how hard this is on you." She ponders this for a moment and wonders just when Nathan figured everything out. She's never said it outright, nor will she ever, if she can prevent it. But he's right. She loves him. She's always loved him and it's going to kill her to see him marry her best friend.

The smile she gives him is thankful. He's the only one who understands just how much this hurts.

"It's okay to be upset and angry. It's okay to be angry with Lucas and Peyton right now. It should be you in Peyton's place. We all know that."

"It shouldn't – "

"Don't say that. We all know it should be you. He's never been as complete as he was with you. Haley knows it, I know it, you know it. Hell, even Jamie is asking me why Lucas is marrying Peyton and not you."

It's the first thing in weeks that has been able to make her laugh. It's nice to see her smile again, he's decided. Somehow their group of five just isn't the same when the brunette isn't smiling.

Her mood changes quickly, however, and she trails her fingers along the neckline of the wedding gown. It's not made for Peyton, he thinks. It's made for her. Peyton won't look half as gorgeous as Brooke would in that dress. He wonders for a moment if she envisioned herself in Lindsey's wedding gown as well. As he thinks this, he notices Brooke's eyes glaze over and decides, yes, she definitely has envisioned herself in both gowns.

"You're doing great, Brooke." His words snap her out of her trance and she takes a step away from the dress, "you're being incredibly brave. You're the bravest person I know."

Brilliant, beautiful, brave.

And it's true. Because Lucas molded her into the person she is now. Lucas did for Brooke what Haley did for him – changed them into better versions of themselves. Haley and Lucas taught he and Brooke what it was like to love, to trust, to give yourself fully to another human being. Brooke wouldn't be where is she today without Lucas, just like he wouldn't be where he is without Haley.

"I honestly don't know how I'm going to do it, Nate. Walk down that aisle with my eyes glued on him, while he's waiting for someone else."

His heart breaks for her just a little bit more. She doesn't deserve it. She deserves to be happy and loved, and while he is sure that his brother loves her, he is also sure that Lucas won't ever act on it. Lucas doesn't know for sure that Brooke still loves him; he's too scared to ask and she's too selfless to tell him.

He doesn't have any words to comfort her this time, so he just wraps his arms around her. She nuzzles her head into his chest and if even for a brief moment, she feels better. Nathan will protect her. No matter how much she is hurting, Nathan will make things better.

-x-

He walks into his brother's room and silently thanks the higher powers that Lucas isn't in bed with Peyton. It's the middle of the day and he assumes that Peyton is at the studio recording or at some flower shop picking out the perfect flowers for Brooke's maid of honor bouquet.

Lucas is instead hovered over his computer, typing.

"Writing another love story?" he asks as he takes a seat on the edge of the bed.

"Nope." Lucas chuckles, " Just emailing my mom and Andy to make sure that they'll be able to make it for the wedding next month."

Nathan nods and wonders how he's going to do this. He needs to let Lucas know that Brooke still loves him. As much as he will be betraying Brooke and Peyton and Lucas, he needs to tell him. He can't sit back and watch this wonderful girl crumble before his eyes over his brother.

"So I just came from the store. Talked to Brooke for a while." It's nonchalant. The only way he can think of bringing it up, but he does notice Lucas' eyes shoot up at the mention of her name. It gives him hope.

"How is she? I haven't checked in lately."

No shit, he thinks. He blames Lucas for not being there for Brooke. For being so obsessed with keeping Peyton happy that he has neglected his friendship with Brooke. It's amazing how even after neglecting her for so long she still manages to love him with every fiber of her being.

"She's getting by. She was working on Peyton's dress."

Lucas smiles briefly, but Nathan can't help but notice that it doesn't quite reach his eyes. They enter a deafening silence for a few moments before Lucas speaks again, "I can't thank Brooke enough for making that dress. She made one for Lindsey and now she's doing it again for Peyton. She really loves Peyton."

"She's not doing it for Peyton." His response it automatic and he knows that this is his chance, to let Lucas know what Brooke has been keeping from him all these years.

Lucas doesn't say anything. He stands there silently, staring at his brother. It's as though he is already preparing himself for something that he's not ready to hear.

"She's doing it for you. Only you."

He definitely wasn't ready to hear that.