I apologize for the lack of updates. Writing isn't something that happens overnight, at least not for me. I want to try and give the best I possibly can to my writing and a result of that is some long spans between updates. You should all thank Janine for helping get the juices flowing and Bryan for reviving his role as the lovely Jake Jegelski again. Enjoy and please read and review!

A Single Taste of Honey
Chapter 3

The remaining months of summer passed quickly and before she knew it they were back in school. She'd spent most of her days with Peyton and her afternoons and nights with Jake. Both relationships were in full blossom. Not to mention that she and Nathan had actually been getting along. For the first time in awhile, Brooke was genuinely happy. Her life was far from perfect. In fact, her parents were around less and the rumors about her sexual escapades were just as abundant as they ever were, but it didn't matter because she wasn't alone anymore. She didn't fall asleep every night believing no one would ever understand her or her actions because someone already did. Jake did.

How he did, she wasn't quite sure, and up until now, she had been too busy basking in the happiness he brought her to wonder that much about it. But Jake was acting weird these days and he had been ever since the started classes again. He wasn't as free as he had been during the summer. He was tense all the time and she knew that something was bothering him. Now, she just needed to figure out what it was. Jake had done so much for her the last two months that she wanted to be there for him in the same way. She wanted him to lean on her and trust her the way she did him. She wanted him to let her in.

When she saw him across the parking lot at the end of the school day, she walked over with only one intention - to get him to talk to her.

"Hey Jake," she said making her way to his car in the almost vacant parking lot. He turned and smiled as she approached.

"Hey yourself." She placed a chaste kiss on his lips before sliding into the driver's seat of his car. "And what do you think you're doing little lady?"

"I want to take you somewhere."

"Well, that's going to be difficult seeing as you don't have a license."

"I won't tell," she replied with a sly smile.

"I'm sure you won't, but no." On cue, a perfect pout found its way to her face. "Don't do that."

"Come on, Jake. Please." He sighed.

"Brooke, that's not fair."

"Then let me drive."

"I can't."

"Why not?" He opened his mouth to explain, but quickly closed it again, causing an uncomfortable silence to emerge between them. "Why not?" She asked again.

"I just can't. I promise, I'll take you wherever you want to go." Brooke didn't budge. "Brooke, please."

"I don't want to go anywhere."

"Okay. Then, I'll just take you home."

"I don't want to go home, Jake."

"Well, I do, so let me in." He was growing impatient with her stubborn persistence.

"No."

"Brooke."

"Neither of us is going anywhere until you tell me what's going on."

"Nothing's going on, Brooke. It's a pretty simple concept, actually. You're fifteen and you don't have a permit, so you can't drive."

"This isn't about driving, Jake."

"Then what is this about, Brooke?" He questioned, stressing her name at the end to show his growing annoyance.

"This is about why you just shut down on me. This is about why you've been acting so weird the last three weeks. Something is going on with you and I want to know what it is."

"It's nothing."

"That's not an answer, Jake. Something is bothering you and I want to help, but I can't if you don't trust me."

"I do trust you, but this has nothing to do with you. This is about me."

"That's not true."

"It is."

"Maybe it used to be, but not anymore. If something upsets you, then its going to upset me too. You have to know that." Brooke stood and pulled him into her embrace. "I want you to look at me, Jake and I want you to know that you can tell me anything. Whatever you're scared of, whatever it is that you think I can't handle, I can. And more than that, you have to know that I'm not going anywhere." Jake sighed.

"I know."

"Then let me in." He nodded and she smiled his favorite smile.

"Not here, though."

Jake pulled into the empty Davis' driveway ten minutes later. Brooke took his hand and they walked inside and up the stairs to her bedroom. They laid in silence on her bed, she tucked safely in his arms until he was ready.

"Do you remember when you told me you were thirteen and couldn't look at yourself in the mirror?" Brooke nodded. "And you stopped sleeping with all those guys because it made you feel bad about yourself?"

"Yeah."

"Well it wasn't like that for me. I didn't have a revelation, at least not by my own free will." He paused and Brooke waited patiently. "When I started high school, I made new friends. Steve and Travis moved away when their parents got divorced and since we'd been attached at the hip since we were born, I never had any need to find other friends. I had to start over when the left. I didn't want to be an outcast.

When I met Aaron, he was so willing to bring me into his life and introduce me to all of his friends and that was really all I wanted. At first, it was great. There were games and parties and girls and all the other stuff a freshman guy dreams about. Aaron made all of that real for me. But one day it changed. A couple of us were at Aaron's house when his brother, Austin, came home from college. He'd taken a semester off or at least that's what he told everyone. He was a riot and in a way we all sort of idolized him, so the night he asked us if we wanted to hang out with him and some of his buddies, we didn't have to think twice about saying yes.

He took us to a party and when he asked if we wanted to try the 'good stuff' we didn't even consider saying no. It wasn't the first time I'd seen coke, but it was the first time I tried it. After that night, there were more parties and more opportunities. The drugs were always there and it got to the point where I wanted them. I craved them.

It got really bad after I found my dad and my aunt going at it in our kitchen. I was supposed to be at school. He was supposed to be at work. Needless to say we were both in the wrong place that day. He promised me it was a one time thing and that the best thing I could do for my mom was to keep it between the three of us. I agreed.

After that I spent less time at home and more time loaded. I didn't want to think about any of it. I thought I was okay. I would look in the mirror and convince myself that my eyes weren't dilated and my clothes were getting to big for my fragile frame. I told my parents I had eaten before I'd gotten home and convinced myself that it was true.

Anyone that knew me could see that something was wrong. A few of my teammates tried to talk to me, but my response was a simple 'fuck off' and soon after I quit the team. I couldn't see that there was anything wrong with what I was doing. I couldn't see that I was killing myself, not until the night I almost did."

Brooke lay deathly still in his arms, even as his grip on her tightened with the recollection of the events in his past. It couldn't be easy for him, she knew how difficult it was to tell him her secrets and it didn't seem to be anything to what he was confessing now. She did want to help him and at this moment, that meant listening to him.

"One day we decided that we had masters the art of cocaine use, so we went for something stronger. I guess it was too strong or maybe just too much because the only thing I remember past the needle full of heroin being stuck in my arm is the annoying drip of the IV sitting next to my hospital bed."

"You overdosed?" Brooke knew the answer before she turned to him, but that didn't erase the look of shock and fear on her face. Jake simply nodded to her question. "How did I not know?"

"Few people did. I told you there was something to be said for keeping a low profile." He joked, but she didn't laugh.

"You almost died, Jake. That's not funny."

"I know, but it taught me something."

"I sure as hell hope so."

"Brooke calm down, it was a long time ago."

"It wasn't that long ago. You're only a sophomore."

"It was two years ago."

"I can't believe you didn't tell me."

"Its not exactly something I go around advertising."

"You could have died, Jake."

"I think we established that."

"Don't get smart with me."

"Well, don't get all self-righteous on me."

"Is that what you think I'm doing?" She yelled, obviously insulted.

"That is what you're doing!"

"You almost died," she repeated.

"Brooke."

"You almost died, Jake. Do you know what that means?"

"Yes and much better than you do. Why are you freaking out about this? This happened a long time ago. Long before you and I ever started acknowledging each other again."

"That's exactly my point, Jake. You were this close to dying." She used her fingers to show how close he had escaped death. "Which means I was this close to not running into you that day in the parking lot. Which also means, I was this close to never being as happy as I have been these past few months. I almost missed you, Jake and I'm sorry if you think I'm overreacting or if you think its not my place to say anything, but I can't help it. I love you and the thought of none of this between us ever happening scares me. Just the thought of not having you around kills me." Jake watched her closely and a smile slowly settled across his face. "What is that look for?"

"You." She sat in front of him, still fuming, but he reached for her and his touch made her heart jump. Jake pulled her into his lap facing him. "You don't have to worry about any of that now. I'm okay."

"Then why are you acting so weird?"

"Because that night, there was an incident."

"What kind of incident?"

"The other guys robbed a store. I was passed out in the car. They brought me in after. They got sent to juvy. I got three months in rehab, which is why I'm a grade behind. They got out two weeks ago and now I guess I'm just waiting."

"For what?"

"For them to come back. Their parents moved later that year, but I don't know what to expect."

"Then maybe you shouldn't expect anything."

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe they've grown and learned just as much as you have since then. Maybe they aren't going to come looking for you because all they want to do is forget and start over the way you have. I really don't think you should worry about them. But if they do resurface, it'll be different this time."

"How's that?"

"Because this time you have me."

"I do, don't I?"

"Absolutely."

"You want to know something else?" He asked pushing the hair on her left side behind her ear.

"What?"

"I love you, too."

"You caught that, huh?"

"Yeah, I caught that."

Brooke blushed and smiled one of her genuine smiles giving Jake no other choice but to capture her mouth with his.