A/N- I'm so glad so many of you liked the first chapter!

Thanks for all the wonderful reviews: chukie238, paranoidbychoice, dolcegrazia, princetongirl, FTW, brucas224, tanya2byour21, cRiMsOnGoDdEsS01, dianehermans, rosseyanna, BrucasEqlsluv, toddntan, CheerandBrood323, bella, LovelyLily07, lanenapr252005, sunshine, and Mosie1213.

Thanks so much! I hope you guys enjoy chap 2!

R&R PLEASE!

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Fighting For What's Meant to Be

Chapter 2 -

"Are you sure, Brooke?" Haley's voice was tearful as Brooke nodded her head. "Are you sure that this is what you want?"

"I just can't be here anymore, Haley…it's too much. I'll never be able to move on." Brooke explained. Even the simple thought of some of the things that had gone on, the things that had inevitably caused pain and heartache, brought tears to her eyes.

"When do you leave?"

"After graduation." She replied lowly, knowing that her best friend would be upset with the revelation.

"After graduation?—Brooke, that's in a few hours!" Haley exclaimed as her eyes filled with tears.

"Please don't cry, Haley…"

"How can I not?" She asked as though it was obvious. "And besides, it's the pregnancy hormones." She tried to joke, but couldn't help to be overcome with sobs. "You're leaving so soon."

"I know…but it's better that way…getting it over with."

Haley nodded and offered a weak smile. "If it'll make you happy, if that's what it's going to take to let yourself be the greatest person you can be, then I understand." Haley pulled her in for a hug and wrapped he arms tightly around her. "But I'm going to miss you so much, Brooke Davis. You've been an amazing friend to me this year."

"You too." Brooke mumbled as tears fell from her eyes. She found it so unbelievingly amazing that they had only been friends for a short time, yet their friendship grew into such a meaningful and powerful bond.

Once they pulled apart, the two each wiped their eyes and Haley sighed.

"Well, look I have to tell you something…"

"What is it?" Brooke asked concerned.

"Nathan and I…we weren't going to tell anyone until the baby was born, but…we want you to be our son's godmother." She smiled, rubbing her large stomach.

"Oh, Haley..." Brooke felt so honored, but at the same time felt as though she didn't deserve it. "I don't know…I'm leaving Tree Hill, I may possibly never come back…I mean-"

"It'd mean so much to me and Nathan. No matter where you'll be, I know I can always count on you. And that's why I'm asking you."

Brooke felt tears spring to her eyes once more as she tried giving Haley a smile. "I'd be honored."

"This is absurd!" Brooke rolled her eyes as she pressed the cell phone to her ear. Her mother's voice flowed through the voicemail. "Have you lost your mind, Brooke Davis? If this is a joke, it is not amusing at all. Call me back immediately!"

"Goodbye, Victoria." Brooke mumbled, deleting the message before closing the phone.

She knew Victoria would act just like that, and Brooke was sure within the next few hours she'd be receiving more messages from her asking where the hell she was and why she wasn't in the office, hard at work. But it wasn't like Brooke hadn't told her. She had told her flat out; she was going back to Tree Hill. And if Victoria didn't believe, well, that was her problem.

She knew that her mother was probably confused out of her mind, but that was okay because Brooke didn't quite understand it either. She couldn't understand her sudden urge to take the first flight out to North Carolina. Yet she had, and that was all that mattered at the moment.

"Aunt Brooke!" Brooke, upon hearing her name shouted, turned around and tried to find the familiar faces through the crowded airport. Once her eyes fell upon her cute, blonde-haired, godson, her face lit up with a smile.

"I told you I saw her, mama." Jamie smiled up at his mother, as the two walked towards Brooke.

"James Lucas Scott, come over here right this instant and give your godmother a hug." Brooke tried to maintain a serious tone, but the smile that spread on her face gave it away instantly.

"I missed you, Aunt Brooke."

"Oh, I missed you, too, buddy." Brooke wrapped her arms around the small boy, happy to be back in his presence after so many years.

"Haley." Brooke, after she and Jamie parted, turned to give her best friend a hug.

"It's been way too long, Brooke."

"I know. Jamie's gotten so big. How old are ya, buddy? Fifteen?"

"No!" Jamie shook his head violently. "Aunt Brooke! I'm six and three quarters!"

"Well excuse me." Brooke laughed as she ruffled his hair and bent down to kiss his forehead.

"Come on, let's get home." Haley suggested as they started walking through the terminal.

'Home' Brooke thought. The word had never felt so good to hear.

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Peyton sat in the dark of her own home and stared at the digital clock on the table.

He was late….again.

He'd promised he wouldn't be late, but he'd been saying that for nearly a month already, so she knew that she shouldn't have trusted his word.

She stared at her wedding ring and felt her heart ache. When they had exchanged vows, she had felt so lucky, so fortunate, and so very happy. Those feelings were supposed to stay forever. They weren't supposed to wear off within a few years. There wasn't supposed to be any expiration dates on their love to one another.

Peyton could remember the day he had proposed. It was nearly six years ago, yet it stood out so vividly unlike anything else she remembered. And it got her thinking, could he remember that moment just as clear as she could? Was it still something he had dreams about? Or was she in his dreams at all anymore?

The phone rang and she weakly got out of bed and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Peyton it's me." His voice sounded so distant and cold; it wasn't the same voice she had heard years ago. "I got caught up at the office, with the new book and all, it's been pretty busy." He explained without even so much as an apology. "But you understand, right?"

"Of course." Peyton replied, trying her best to hide the disappointment in her voice. "Well, I'll probably be asleep when you get home so…goodnight."

"Goodnight, Peyt. I'll see you in the morning."

"Yeah, I'll see you in the morning." She answered sadly and hung up as soon as she heard he had on the other end.

No I love you's were exchanged. She couldn't even remember the last time they had been.

Their love was rapidly disintegrating before her eyes, and she couldn't understand why. It had been fate; destiny, that they were together. So why weren't those forces strong enough to withstand anything that came their way?

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"Brooke, you can stay here for as long as you'd like." Haley offered. "You don't need to run out and find a place of your own."

"I know…but I don't want to impose on you."

"Don't be silly!"

"Yeah." Jamie cut in from where he sat in front of the t.v. playing Wii. "Don't be silly, Aunt Brooke."

"Well, I guess if I have Jamie's approval…" She smiled at her godson and then turned back to face Haley. "Thanks, Hales. I appreciate it so much."

"Don't mention it. And I just wanna say that I'm sorry we hadn't gone to visit you in New York for so long…but with Nathan and the NBA…things just got a little bit busy and hectic, and it practically seemed like there was no time to breathe."

"I understand, don't worry. I'm here now."

"I know, and I'm so glad you are. I'm sorry that Nathan isn't here, but he had a game in Charlotte."

"And why aren't you guys there cheering him on?"

"Because I can always see my husband play, and I can even watch it on t.v. But how often do I get to spend some time with famous fashion designer Brooke Davis? I mean, it's not like you're here for good…"

"Well actually…"

"You're staying?" Haley's eyes widened in shock. "I mean that's great…I just didn't think Victoria would…"

"She didn't." Brooke answered. "She didn't want me to come. That's why I had to turn my phone off…she keeps leaving these incessant messages."

"I've gotta say, you've said a thousand times before that you'd come here, and this is the first time you've actually stuck to your word."

"It was time, Haley. I just felt trapped in this life while I was in New York…it was suffocating me."

Haley nodded in understanding before asking another question. "Does Lucas or Peyton know you're back?"

"No." Brooke quickly replied. "You didn't tell either of them, did you?"

"I wouldn't do that to you, Brooke." Haley shook her head. "But, have you spoken to them since…?" Haley trailed off.

"No."

"Well, are you going to go talk to them now that you're back?" Haley's curiosity lingered as Brooke stayed silent for a minute.

"I don't know…"

Truth was, the decision to return to Tree Hill was so impulsive, she had forgotten to think about some crucial problems she'd face once returning. This trip back home would be more troubling than she ever thought. Leaving New York under her mother's disapproval may have been hard, but returning would turn out to be much harder.

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A/N – Hope it was good.

Just wanted to say thanks again for the amazing reviews.

Oh, and speaking of amazing – how amazing was that new epi of OTH (MINUS the PUCAS ewwwww) But seriously, omg, Sophia's acting was incredible, and she totally kicked that dude's ass! Lol. And I'm kinda liking the Brulian the show has got going on…but I feel like I'm betraying BL…but omg, Julian was just so sweet. Ughh! This is too confusing lol. --What'd you guys think of the epi??

Anyways, leave a review please!

Thanks!

--Melissa :)