It was Friday night Alex and Brooke were sitting on the sofa a lot more comfortable in each other's presence Alex tiered from her week of dance the past two days spent at the studio and Brooke at work they only spent a few hours a night together but both had to admit they liked it.
"So what are you up to this weekend then?" Brooke asked Alex after receiving a text from Haley inviting them to a bbq at hers tomorrow a chance for Alex to meet the family "i should probably get some work done with Aarron but other than that nothing much you?" Alex replied hoping to spend more time with her mother that she had grown to love so much in the last few days "well Haley thought maybe you should meet everyone but if it is too soon then we understand and can wait a little longer that's okay too" she said trying to reassure the teen "Brooke it's okay that sounds fun" she replied Brooke smiling happily. "wait who's everyone?" Alex replied nervous but slightly exited "well Hayley's family and then there is Payton and Luke then Mia will be there too and probably Quinn clay and Logan" Brooke said laughing at the young girls reaction. "Oh okay sure why not, I mean it's not that bad right?" Alex said more trying to convince herself than reassure Brooke. "it will be fine" Brooke said "you already know Mia and Payton and of course Haley" Brooke said "Ye no it will be fun" she said a little more relaxed.
The next morning waking up around nine and making her way to the kitchen in her pajamas to find herself some coffee not looking up to see Payton and Brooke on the couch watching as the young girl filled the coffee machine with water and climbed the surface and cupboards like a jungle gym the two women laughing made her jump "oh gees people! I'm way to young and pretty to die of a heart attack!" She replied clutching her jimmy eats world t-shirt.
"Come sit with us bed head" Brooke said as she gestured toward the seat Alex making her way over to the arm chair "I'm loving the hair!" Payton teased "I'm just up not everyone is up at six!" She replied drinking her coffee "so we thought we could go shopping the three of us before we head to Hayley's if you'd like?" Brooke's said "yea sounds good" Alex said sipping at her coffee "we figure we would leave in like 15 minutes" Brooke said urging the girl to go get ready looking forward to spending the day with her "ugh!" Alex groaned making her way to her room coffee in hand.
Walking round the stores brooke buying things left right and centre Payton and Alex following behind. Alex always likes shopping especially today watching as her mother went crazy with her credit card "so kid you want to go into any shops" Payton asked walking out of the third store Brooke had dragged them too "actually I have to go pick up my shoes from patty's down the road if you want we can meet up again" she offered knowing patty's would be boring for the older women and shed probably get carried away with the bling of it all! "Nope we're coming" Brooke said five bags in hand.
The three girls walked into a little dance store filled with costumes and caked with rhinestones. "Hey patty" Alex yelled and a little old women came round the corner with a box in hand "hi there chicken" she said in a little old lady voice ripping the box open "I got these in today okay so we have a pair of nude jazz and a pair of pointe" she stated putting them in individual boxes as Brooke and Payton looked around "I also have a few booty shorts and tops combos" she stated putting more than a few in the bag "okay and that will be 75" "sounds good" Alex said handing the card to the patty who swiped and gave her the bags "you guys ready?" Alex said reaching the older women looking at the big wall of dance bags "oh my goodness Alex you have to get this one?" Brooke said pointing to a black bag with a dancer silhouette on the front "I have a dance bag" Alex said making her way over to patty saying goodbye before leaving
"so I have to head into work for an hour or so do you want a ride home first then I can come get you or you could hang around the store what ever you want?" Brooke said to Alex "uh its okay I can just walk to the studio for a bit and come get you When your ready" she said not feeling like sitting alone in Brooke's house "I'm heading into the label for a while you could come with me?" Payton offered wanting to spend more time with her best friends daughter. "Ye sure sounds fun" Alex replied great full for the opportunity to spend time away from the studio "okay well I guess I will meet you at the label?" Brooke suggested the two girls nodded walking away.
"Hey!" Payton says walking in to the label office seeing Mia sitting on top of the pool table guitar in hand "hey hey Alex" Mia said Alex waving from behind making her way to sit on the couch with her backpack and shopping bag still in hand "you going to Hayley's tonight" Payton asked Mia as she chewed her lip staring blankly at the page in front of her. Mia nodded in response. Hey you okay to sit while a comb few these. Alex nodded from where she was sitting on her phone.
standing up waving her hands in defeat "still looking for inspiration huh?" Payton asked concerned at Mia's lack of fire when it comes to writing "I don't know what to write I either have a tune no lyrics or lyrics no tune" Mia complained. "You write songs don't you kid?" Payton asked "why yes yes I do." Alex replied in a playful voice. "Yep kinda my job" Alex carried on "your job?" Mia asked confused "yea me and Aarron work for YouTube writing and producing songs" Alex explained "so any albums anything like that?" Mia asked curious "not at the moment but we've had a few offers so maybe one day" Alex said hopeful for what's to come in the future "so can I hear one?" Mia pleaded as Brooke walked through the large door to red bedroom labels "yes" Alex said grabbing her bags "guess you will have to wait" Alex said to Mia as all four women headed out of trick.
Making there way up to Hayley's house. Alex felt more comfortable walking into a house full of strangers than her usual feeling of panic and anxiety that had consumed her the previous week.
They were met at the door by 8 year old Jamie. "Hey" Jamie said running past them, chuck Logan and Madison following behind him. "hello" Alex said being pulled down beside Haley Lydia climbing on to Alex's lap Alex excepting the little girl who had met Alex once. "Hi Alex I'm Lucas" lucas said reaching out to hold his hand for Alex to shake "Nathan!" Nathan said "that is Quinn and clay" he said gesturing to the two adults playing with Logan on the grass making Alex smile.
"So you go to tree hill?" Quinn asked after joining the group. "yeah" Alex replied shyly "so are you in Haley's class?" Quinn asked handing a soda to Alex who accepted it "yep" Alex nodded "poor you!" Nathan teased "hey! I'm a great teacher" Haley said "not that Alex would know!" Haley said bumping the teen "hey!" Alex said "I'm almost always in your class" Alex replied "exactly... Almost!" Haley said "oh skipping class are we Alex!" Lucas said making Alex feel awkward "hey! I went to everyone of my classes last week!" She defended herself "improvement!" Haley said.
"Hey you wrote that book didn't you?" Alex said towards Lucas as Lydia continued to play with Alex's light brown hair "yeah unkindness of ravens" Lucas replied "you read it?" Lucas asked "yeah mrs Scott had an assignment on it a few months back" Alex replied gaining a smile from Haley. "So what did you think?" Lucas asked "of what?" Alex replied "the book" Lucas stated the obvious "oh uhm it was pretty good actually" Alex said "pretty good!" Lucas said bragging voice.
It was getting late Alex and Jamie were playing a furious game of Mario cart. "You've got your work cut out for you with that kid" Lucas said walking into the kitchen where Brooke stood watching her daughter "yeah but she is pretty amazing" Brooke said in awe of her daughter "hey... Brooke has Alex asked about the dad?" Lucas pried "no not yet I feel like I should tell him first though I just.." Brooke said tears falling down her face "it's been 15 years he's not the same guy he was when we were 15 you know" Brooke explained Lucas wrapping his arms round the women who cried finally having the courage to tell the secret she kept for 15 years.
Walking outside grasping every piece of courage she could "hey nate you have a minute?" Brooke asked Nathan nodded following Brooke into Jamie's bed room "I have to just spit this out" Brooke said tears filling her eyes "you're Alex's father" Nathan suspected this but it still came as a shock "where you ever planning on telling me!" He replied angrily "no no I wasn't!" Brooke replied "I didn't see the need we were 15 years old I was scared you weren't the same guy back then you know that I know that after you had grown up what was I supposed to say hey we got a kid out there! You had Haley and Jamie I didn't want to ruin that I didn't want you to regret not knowing her! Don't be mad I was looking out for you I was looking out for our daughter" Brooke defended herself crying hysterically "shh I get it we were 15 years old Brooke I get it it's okay I'm not mad at you I was a bad kid back then does Alex know!" Nathan asked genuinely not mad "no not yet I figured that would be up to you and Haley?" Brooke said leaving him time to think running into Haley on the top of the stairs pulling her into a room to explain Haley was again not mad but confused on what was to come
Brooke walking out side being met by Alex and Jamie running outside with Logan "hey kids what you'd up to its dark out here" Brooke asked "the boys are teaching me how to play basketball I think I got it down" Alex explained "she's doing not to bad" Lucas said watching from the side "yea but it's not fair I'm out numbered" Alex said as Logan stole the ball from Alex yet again. Making Brooke laugh "think you should stick with the cheerleaders" Quinn said as Alex sat down beside Payton
"you're a cheerleader?" Brooke asked "yes" Brooke looked surprised she couldn't imagine her daughter being a cheerleader "yeah confession i found out you were a cheerleader and just sorta yeah" Alex confessed Brooke teared up with a smile on her face "so wait you knew about Brooke" Payton asked being nosey "yeah my step dad sorta blurted out the whole adoption thing when I was like 9 so I kinda did some digging" Alex confessed "I was too curious I guess that wasn't really fair though" Alex said guilty "hey kid it was your right don't worry bout it" Brooke said taking her daughters hand "so Alex another game pleaseeee!" Logan begged "fine but I want someone on my team that knows the rules!" She complained making the others laugh "fine you and Logan against me" Jamie stated as they got back to the game
Nathan was calm After discussing this with Haley mayhem felt more relaxed. He wanted to be a dad to Alex he just didn't know how to tell her but he thought now was a good a time as any "hey Alex you got a minute?" Nathan asked Alex as she came into the kitchen Haley and Brooke sitting on the counter "yeah?" Alex said confused "we have something to tell you?" Brooke said "oh okay" Alex said nervously "I know you haven't asked about your father and I guess that's your choice" Brooke said "I I just didn't want to push you I figured you would when you were ready" Alex admitted "well we were young really young when we had you so i thought it would be easier to handle this myself and I didn't tell your father" Brooke said tears running down her face "I'm your birth father" Nathan said "I was a bad guy back then I don't blame Brooke for not telling me but I thought maybe if it was okay with you that I could get to know you be in your life?" Alex sat there confused on how to feel wanting so bad to get to know her father but considering previous father experiences it was hard to understand how to let him into her life but he was her blood family she wanted so much to get to know him "yeah yeah of course" Alex said tears in her eyes
Haley holding Alex hand the whole time squeezed it "so Jamie and Lydia are my brother and sister and you would be my stepmom sorta" Alex asked turning to Haley who nodded with a smile "oh now I really need to start showing up to class" Alex said making the group laugh Alex had to admit she felt happy for the first time in a long while they all say there in awkward quite for a minute all had tears in there eyes before a knock at the door pulled them from there thoughts "hey we're heading out clay said from the door way" the last of the group to leave all leaving but by bit over the night "bye" Logan said running to Alex enveloping her in a hug "bye Logan ha logan like wolverine" Alex said obsessed with xmen "exactly he's my favorite" Logan said "really my favorite is Thor" Alex said "you are just one mystery" Brooke laughed.
"we should probably go to" Brooke said noticing the time "go say buy to Jamie" Brooke said to Alex. Alex agreeing making her way to Jamie sitting on the couch "buy mr!" Alex said plopping down next to Jamie "your leaving too?" Jamie whined "dude I'll see you soon just give me a text and I'll will kick your but at basketball!" Alex said excitedly "ha ha that was almost believable" Jamie said as Brooke gave him a kiss as they left the Scott house.
Alex didn't say much as they drove home though Brooke wasn't surprised. Getting in the house Alex went straight to her room. About 20 minutes later Brooke knocked on the door "come in?" Alex said Brooke entering the room "hey girly you okay?" Brooke asked unable to sleep worrying about her daughter "been a confusing full week." "Yea I'm fine!" Alex said truthfully she was grateful to have Brooke it was like having a mom that cared again "sorry I didn't tell you about Nathan and if you want to talk about it I'm here?" Brooke said sitting on the edge of Alex's bed Alex nodded and Brooke stood to leave kissing Alex on the head.
Alex lay in bed for a while unable to sleep or lie in the bed any longer she stood seeing Brooke's light was on she made her way into the room. "Hey sweetie you okay?" Brooke asked worriedly Alex shook her head as Brooke opened the blankets for Alex to climb in.
Alex started crying she hadn't properly cried in front of anyone for along time but this was Brooke someone she felt comfortable crying in front of "what's the matter?" Brooke said rubbing Alex's back "I just I haven't had parents who cared in a long time I mean my mother I loved her very much but she was obsessed with work and my step dad he he he was a bad man and I just I'm scared of losing you too" Alex admitted "hey I'm not going anywhere" Brooke said grateful Alex was finally opening up to her wrapping her arms around the young girl she scooted down and turn of the lamp removing Alex's glasses! Alex grasped Brooks T-shirt and lay there while her breathing evened and she feel asleep
Brooke woke around 7 Alex still holding on to her fast asleep Brooke reached for her phone calling Nathan back after receiving a missed call "hey Nate" Brooke said "hey Davis thought I'd call ask if Alex would like to spend the day with me today?" Nate asked nervously "Nate I'm sure she'd love that but she is sleeping in my bed right now I can get her to call you when she wakes up?" Brooke explained smiling as Alex hugged he shirt tightly "how did Jamie take it" Brooke asked "really well he was confused at first now he's excited him and Logan are here right now discussing and all family basketball team" he laughed making Brooke laugh "I'll wake her up and call you back we can do this right?" Brooke asked "we can do this!" Nathan replied
"Alex" Brooke combed the hair away from Alex's face "wake up" Alex eyes fluttered open "oh sorry" Alex said releasing Brooke from her grasp "don't worry about it" Brooke said running her hands through Alex's hair as Alex cuddled up beside her "Nathan called" Brooke said "he was wondering if you would like to spend the day with him get to know one another?" Brooke said "just me and him?" Alex asked nervously "yes I think so?" Brooke said "if your not ready you can do it another time?" Brooke said hoping not to scare the girl "no no today's good today's fine just what if we have nothing to talk about I haven't had a dad in like 6,7 years" Alex explained way more comfortable with Brooke than before "you will be fine if not you can call me and I can catch up with you and help the conversation" Brooke explained "yea okay sounds good" Alex said getting out of Brooke's bed to shower coming out of her room in black jeans black best top and a red checked unbuttoned shirt to the fresh smell of coffee "thank goodness" Alex said as Brooke handed her a cup and pancakes.
"Hey it will be fine!" Brooke said reassuring her daughter as they drove up to the Scott house hold "no of course it will be fine!" Alex said reassuring herself "do you want me to come with you?" Brooke asked when her daughter didn't move "no I got it" Alex said getting up to ring the doorbell! Jamie and Logan opened the door being pulled into a hug by Logan "do you know we're cousins" Logan said exited "ye exiting huh" Alex said stepping into the house "and that would make you my brother!" Alex said to Jamie as he stood behind Logan. "Yes so your really going to have to learn how to play basketball" Jamie teased Haley walked into the foyer "hey Nathan's just putting Lydia down for her nap" Haley explain he will be right down boys why don't you Finnish your homework earning groans from the boys who made there way to the table Haley walking Alex to the kitchen counter
"get all your homework done?" Haley asked "yeah" Alex replied school work comes easily to her "so how you feeling about this?" Haley asked "I mean one week a lot has happened I'm just confused but exited too oh you know what I mean" Alex explained "I'm here if you need me when ever okay your part of the family now! Plus these two have not stopped talking about there big sister and big cousin your very popular" Haley said as Nathan walked through "hey what can I say I'm amazing" Alex said "true you ready?" Nathan asked "yeah" Alex said getting off the stool and walking out the door!
"So where we going?" Alex asked as Nathan and her walked the streets of tree hill "I told you on an adventure!" Nathan replied "yea but where to?" Alex asked "the river court" mayhem explained "okay but just so you know I have zero basketball skills" Alex said following Nathan when they reached the court they were met by familiar faces to Nathan "hey Nate!" Skills yelled from the court "you bring a date!" He teased "mouth, junk, Fergie and skills" Nathan said point to each of the boys "this is Alex my daughter!" Nathan explained everyone having been filled in excepted the fact "so teen Scott did you inherit your dads basketball skills?" Fergie asked "no I definitely did not" Alex explained "but we could still kick your asses" Nathan said "what do you say kid a lot of growing up was done on this court over the years! Let's kick there buts!" Nathan asked "oh you really underestimate how bad I am but we can give it a shot" Alex said taking the ball from Nathan's hands passing it to him about an hour later exhausted
after winning the game Alex Nathan and the boys sat on the bench "your right you are terrible you sure your my kid" Nathan teased "hey I tried" Alex said "hey I know where I've seen you before your officer overcompensating" Alex said turning to Fergie causing the men to laugh "so kid want to get some lunch?" Nathan asked Alex "sure sounds good" Alex agreed following Nathan though the crowd of people to Karen's cafe after ordering there was a lull of awkward silence
"hey where's your head at with this whole dad thing?" Nathan asked "I mean it's exciting but I had a dad an amazing dad who died when I was 7 then I had a step dad who was evil I've had more than my fair share of dads but to have you and Brooke is amazing" Alex explained "I just don't really know how to be daughter I've took care of my self for so long now I don't know how to have parents" Alex confessed "hey I don't know how to have a 15 year old daughter" Nathan said "I get crummy parents and I'm so sorry about your parents but I'm here for you Haley's here for you Brooke is here we all are" Nathan said "that's all I need" Alex replied