Sam and Harrison stood by their lockers talking. "Yeah, Brooke said she'd be back today." Sam commented.

Harrison smiled. "That's good."

The two decided to wait for her outside her locker, and headed there.

Unfortunately for one student Brooke wasn't the first person they saw.

It was Nicole. She was still on crutches, but managed to limp nonchalantly past them anyway, getting her books out her locker awkwardly and walking away.

"Hey Nicole!" Sam called, walking up to her and grabbing the back of her sweater. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in jail?" she said angrily. Nicole turned slightly and without saying a word knocked Sam's legs out from underneath her with her crutches. "Don't bug me Spam," she said, looking at her scornfully.

Nicole walked away, as Harrison helped Sam up, gripping her arm to stop Sam from chasing Nicole.

"She's no concern of ours, we're here for Brooke," he reminded her. "Let the police deal with Nicole."

"Now sweetie, are you sure you'll be okay? You can have another day off if you like?" Mike said to Brooke.

"No dad. I'm fine I can go to school," Brooke told him for the fifteenth time.

Brooke was regretting her assurance about ten minutes into her first lesson, Maths, with Sam and Harrison on either side, trying to be helpful.

"Guys" she whispered, "I'm fine, really. There's no need to glare at Sir when he asks me a question." she smiled faintly but in reality was far from amused. 'What am I, two?' she thought.

At last the bell rang, and Brooke struggled to her feet, getting her crutches organized she turned to put her books in her bag and found them gone.

"I'll carry them for you Brooke" Harrison said, walking out the door.

"But we don't." her voice trailed off. "Have the same class next" she finished softly.

Brooke walked down the hallways towards her class, surrounded by well-wishers guarding her steps.

Finally growing irritated, sick of pasting a big smile on her face she excused herself, and hurried into the bathroom.

She grinned to herself as she fished a key out of her pocket, and locked the bathroom door behind her, ensuring herself privacy.

'Finally' she said out loud. At that there was a stifled gasp behind her, and she turned around. There was someone in one of the stalls, and as she watched the door slowly opened.

Nicole Julian stepped out, meeting Brooke's eyes semi-defiantly.

She stalked past her, as well as anyone can on crutches, making her look like a four-legged penguin, washed her hands quickly and headed for the door, pulling on it hard.

"It won't open"

It was a comment not really directed at anyone bar the door, so Brooke said nothing, continuing to stare at the back of the other blond's head, noting idly how nice her hair looked, before mentally slapping herself. Girl who tried to kill you- Girl who tried to kill you- Girl who tried to kill you-she chanted to herself.

Nicole turned around; looking slightly above Brooke's head she seemed to address the wall. "You have the key?"

"Yes" Brooke imitated Nicole's detached tone, but couldn't control her face as well and felt it betray her emotions.

"Well. Could you open the door then?" Nicole asked as casually as she knew how, but her imagination was making it hard for her to keep calm in this very awkward situation. She kept getting pictures of Brooke saying 'No' then going psycho and killing her with one of the chairs scattered around the room.

As a result she could think of nothing to say except maybe 'don't kill me' and a silence descended.

Nicole looked Brooke in the eyes, and flinched when she moved suddenly towards her.

"Listen Nicki, I don't know what was going though your head when you visited me in hospital, or when you…caused me to be put in hospital, but I want an explanation, and I want it now."

Nicole looked at her silently, defiantly. 'No-one tells me what to do. Not even Brooke'

"I know what you're thinking, but you are not getting out of here unless you do." Brooke stated firmly.

Nicole narrowed her eyes. "I think you underestimate me Brooke"

Four hours later Brooke admitted defeat. She had spent four whole hours reading, and re-reading the magazines in there, as well as pacing and checking her make-up in the mirror and was bored. Nicole spent four hours sitting calmly in a chair near the door, not moving or speaking, except to occasionally glance Brooke's way, her expression a loud and clear "Ready to give up yet?"

"Fine Julian. Just go alright" Brooke said, admitting defeat and unlocking the door.

Nicole stood up. Do I want to leave? She thought momentarily, before making a decision.

She walked forward, and took the key from Brooke's hand, and locked the door again.

It took only five minutes or so, but Brooke felt she would have waited another five hours to hear this, something she never would have guessed.

"So now you know Brooke, I'm sure you'd rather you didn't. I made one mistake that night, and that's why you have a broken leg, but the hospital…that wasn't a mistake." Nicole did an excellent job of keeping her face perfectly neutral, not looking Brooke directly in the eyes, focusing on her forehead as an easier target.

"I'll be seeing you I suppose, and me when this all goes in the newspaper. Tell Spam to use bold font on my name, not italics." Nicole said casually, shaking inside.

Brooke looked at her astonished. She really thought Brooke would out her to the entire school?

"Oh Nicole. Is that all you worry about?" she asked curiously, then blushed slightly. Stupid question really. I think outing herself to me showed she thinks about other things. Brooke blushed again. Me, for example.

"Do you hate me?" Nicole countered.

"I- uh. Well no." Brooke stammered out, surprised at the turn this conversation was taking.

"Why not" each question was snapped out like machine gun fire.

"Well, I don't know"

"I think you do. Why don't you hate me?" Nicole repeated.

Brooke was silenced for a moment, and then mumbled something.

"What was that?" Nicole asked, feeling in control of the situation once again.

"I like you. Too much to hate you. I've been your best friend for ages, and I could never hate you." Brooke said honestly.

What Brooke did next shocked Nicole out of her composure.

She leaned forward, and gently kissed Nicole, who sprang back out of her reach.

Brooke looked at her confused, as Nicole glared angrily, eyes flashing, and in Brooke's opinion making her look much better than her usual controlled self.

"What?" Brooke asked, confused.

"Thanks so much for the pity kiss Brooke. I didn't know Cosmo had an article on 'How to react to your lesbian best friend' I'd appreciate it if you didn't mess with my emotions." Nicole snapped, pulling the key to the bathroom from her pocket.

"Wait, I wasn't…" Brooke protested, and seeing Nicole about to leave again she stepped forward, grabbed the sleeve of her expensive blouse and promptly slipped over, her crutches flying across the polished floor she landed hard on her back. Nicole let out an undignified grunt as she too was pulled over by Brooke's fall, and the two ended up next to each other on the polished floor, Nicole's crutches also going flying.

The two lay there dazed for a while, until Nicole became aware that Brooke's hand was trapped underneath her, resting on the small of her back, heat radiating from that area. Nicole sat up slightly, freeing Brooke's hand, but aware that instead of moving her hand off, Brooke just moved it up, resting it near her shoulder blades and gently making small circles with her fingers. Nicole froze, her emotions warring with her common sense.

"Nicki-" Brooke started, before Nicole, knowing what she was going to ask, knowing it as if she had always known it, leaned forward and captured Brooke's lips with her own.

Hey, I just want to say a big thanks to Rane Sakura for your great reviews, which is why I'm updating again. I was a little unsure whether some of it was sarcasm, but I'm treating it like its not. Hmm you don't like the bad words? Sorry I'm just projecting, when I get emotional/angry I swear a lot whereas normally I don't.