I'm sorry it's been a while since I last updated. But, I had to get a lot of stuff done. This chapter is a bit confusing. But, it's really important for the entire story altogether.
This chapter may be a little surprising, but it's just a piece to the puzzle in the end!
Chapter 7: Lighters
Three Weeks Later
Victoria doesn't usually like children. Teens, especially; she finds them loud and aggravating and defiant. Oh god, teenagers test the boundaries more so than young children. They purposely try to annoy adults, too. They're a bit selfish too. At least, Brooke was. Victoria often wishes she forced Brooke to leave the minute Ted got that new opportunity. But, Brooke managed to convince Karen to take her in.
Which was good, very generous; Victoria always admired Karen…the way she proudly raised her son and opened her own restaurant. That takes guts, the kind of guts Victoria doesn't know she has. Karen's a good mother. At least, that's what Victoria thought before. Before, Brooke met Liam Walker and before she got knocked up.
Now, Victoria knows Karen is not a good parent. She let Brooke get pregnant under her roof. Although, Brooke did claim they were at Liam's, it hardly makes a difference. That woman was supposed to be watching Brooke and her daughter got pregnant. It's just bad parenting.
Eyeing that girl…Emma…Victoria blanks with the girl's last name. But, she has luscious blonde hair matched with equally beautiful hazel green eyes; she has the kind of eyes models want to have. Victoria has been trying to dig up information regarding that child. She's been doing her best to be moderately discreet while doing so.
A dark skinned teenage boy called, "Yo, Chance. C'mon, we chilling today or what, baby?" Ah yes, that's her last name; Chance. Emma Chance, it is quite enchanting, the perfect name for a model.
"Not if you're gonna be a princess about it." Her sarcastic retort causes a chuckle to escape from Victoria's lips. "Anyway, we can't chill today. You have tutoring and I have to go job hunting."
"The Swartz are really making you get a job?" Quinn sighed, making a face at his girlfriend as he drapes his arm around her shoulders. He doesn't like Robert or Sarah Swartz at all. They're dicks to Emma and just dicks in general; all they care about is themselves.
Emma huffed indignantly, "It's either that or I don't see Mason." It's been almost two weeks since she saw her favorite little monster and Emma doesn't like it.
"Assholes," Quinn murmured shaking his head. "You know Em; I could always talk to Claire or something…about their assholeness."
"Assholeness, you see that's exactly why Mrs. Scott wants you to get a tutor. You keep making up new words and expecting people to know what they mean" Emma teased playfully as she caresses his arm, wanting more than anything feel her boyfriend's warmth.
"This isn't a joke." Quinn pulls away, not wanting to get distracted. "You know, I should tell Claire about this. She sure as hell wouldn't like it." Claire and Quinn have met on several occasions throughout Emma's life and have become friends in a sense.
"Don't you dare, this is one of the better homes I've been in." Quinn frowns; he knows Emma's never been abused or anything by any of the parents, but his girlfriend shouldn't be forced to work to see Mason Wentworth. "C'mon, just don't say anything. I'm fine, Fields."
Quinn demanded clenching his fists in disgust, "Making you pay some bills is not fine. That's…isn't that illegal?" Quentin Fields really doesn't like the thought of Emma's dick foster parents' forcing her to work. That's messed up and should be illegal.
"Look at me." Emma cups his worried face. "Look at my face. Don't I look fine to you? I don't get knocked around or messed with. That's what I call a good home. Anyway, it's not like I'd be paying all the bills, just a few. The rest of the money is mine. Don't worry, I'd tell you if something was wrong."
"No, you wouldn't. You think your invisible like superman or some shit, but babe, you're not. I want you to need me like I need you."
The blonde haired teenager touches his arm. "I do need you."
"Then, how come you never say so?" Quinn asked pulling away; he doesn't want to be touched right now. Right now, he wants answers and Emma sure as hell better give them to him.
"Q, I do say so." Emma doesn't want to talk about this. Why can't things go back to being fluffy and easy? Why does Quinn always want to know how she's feeling? Why can't he just leave well enough alone?
"No, you haven't. You never let me all the way in." Emma smirks slightly at him and opens her mouth to make a crude comment. "And I'm not talking about sex here, so don't make a dirty joke. I don't care about that, well I do…but I can wait. I just mean, why can't you ever just let me in enough to know what's going on with you?" Quinn asked pleadingly, he and Emma have known each other for almost a decade and she never tells him how she feels. It's like…she keeps herself at a distance, as though she's afraid if she lets herself feel anything; she'll instantly get hurt.
She promised meaningfully, "Quinn, I'd tell you. I swear."
"You aren't Superman, Emma" he repeated firmly. "You get hurt just like everyone else and…you can't hold it in. It hurts too much to hold anything in for too long."
Emma raises her eyebrows at his simile, looking mildly impressed. Quinn's been having trouble in English; guess those lessons with Mrs. Scott are really paying off. "Well, does Superman do this?" the teenage girl leans forward and kisses him softly on the lips.
"If you're trying to distract me, it's working."
Victoria watches the teenagers making out feeling uncomfortable and an immense amount of pity for young Emma Chance. Oh yes, she's decided, she'll do it. Even though, Victoria's sure it'll cause ear ache; it would be nice to have some company.
Taking out her cell and dialing the number that delightfully curious woman gave her; Victoria takes a deep breath as she hears Claire answer the phone quite nervously. "Hello, Mrs. Downing, it's Victoria Davis. I've decided to go ahead and adopt Emma Chance."
Brooke folds her arms over her chest and proclaimed, "She's such a bitch. I swear; she glared at me the entire time I was at Show-And-Tell."
Haley and Peyton exchange smiles. Over the past few months, all they've heard Brooke talk about was her intense dislike for Rosie. Both of them find it a bit hilarious how Brooke can't seem to talk about anything, besides Samantha, the case, or Rosie.
"Brooke, we get it. She doesn't like you and you don't like her," Peyton pointed out causing Brooke's eyes to narrow. "You know, I think we should all go out and have a good time."
Brooke smirks at her best friends; she loves her daughter more than anything, but since Matthew has her this week. She might as well go out and attempt to have a decent time. "And when you say good time, you better mean have meaningless sex with a stranger or maybe several strangers."
"Works for me," considering Lucas is dating Lindsay, Peyton figures she may as well have a little sex here or there.
"I'm married, you guys." Haley doesn't sound particularly angry with her friends total disregard to ignore her feelings.
The brunette offered shrugging her shoulders. "Then have meaningless hot sex with your husband."
"Nathan and I…we don't have sex like that anymore," Haley murmured quietly causing Peyton's mouth to drop to the floor in shock. Even when she and Lucas were together, they had crazy sex with one another.
"Why not? You guys are in your twenties. Now's the time to live it up," Brooke announced not caring if the construction workers overhear their conversation; Ken Williams is sort of cute, in a woodsy kind of way.
"I'm a mother, Peyton." Haley chuckled good-naturally. "Mothers' don't live it up, well except at games' that's where all my sexual energy goes."
"Eww," Peyton and Brooke wrinkle up their noses in disgust. Brooke has already vowed to never be a bored house-mother; it's not like she'd ever want to be one anyway. Her designs keep her going and lately, her designs have been amazing.
"Totally not what I meant," Haley sighed wincing. "Okay, I just mean that…we can't have sex with our five year old son wandering around the house; opening doors without knocking."
Brooke offered, "Well, have Jamie spend the weekend with me sometime and have crazy, wild unplanned sex with Nathan." She would love having Jamie spend any weekend with her, especially when Sam's around. Sam should start making friends' here too. If she plans on making this a little more permanent, Sam should have friends here.
"How can it be unplanned if you're planning it?" Haley questioned giving one of her best friend's a knowing smile as Peyton glances at Brooke formulating thoughts of her own.
"Oh, shut up and thank me for this amazing gift."
"Motherhood's defidently made you more out-spoken, B. Davis," Peyton commented earning an eye roll from Brooke. Only, Brooke wonders if this is what it feels like to have almost everything. She hates to even think this, but Matthew isn't Sam's real father. Hell, Liam is an ass-hat, but…Brooke does plan on making Sam's stay in Tree Hill a little more permanent.
Since the case is over and even though, it didn't exactly end in her favor, Brooke's decided she's going to do whatever means necessary to get full custody of little Samantha. No matter what, Sam's her daughter and they're going to be a family.
Things are different for Julian.
About a week ago, he and Mason moved to California…and Mason's gotten worse. Julian even got him a speech therapist. He was hoping to connect with his son, but the more he tries to get Mason to speak. The more…he fails. Why can't he connect with his own son? What's it in the genes or something?
Julian even went as far as to contact Claire about his son's blatant refusal to start a relationship with him.
"He hates me, Claire. He never talks to me. He hardly looks at me. Trust me, I know when someone doesn't like me and he doesn't…I thought, I thought bringing him to California would let us connect. But, it hasn't." Julian sighs as he listens to what Claire's saying. He knows it'll be a struggle, but all he wishes is for Mason to try to connect with him. They are family.
Claire repeats the fact that Rebecca Wentworth was a schizophrenic who raised Mason his whole entire life. She also explains how that Mason was extremely attached to his mother and never speaks to anyone, but Emma.
Julian asked frowning, "Who's Emma?"
Claire suddenly realizes maybe leaving Emma out of the equation was a stupid thing to do on her part. "Emma Chance is…was Mason's friend. I believe he only spoke to her." As much as it sucks, Emma was the only one Mason felt comfortable enough to chat with.
"Wait-how come you never told me about her? If he has a friend, then maybe she can show me how to connect with him."
"The connection between Emma and Mason is friendship. You and Mason have to have a paternal relationship with one another." Claire hears Julian's huff hopelessly. "I know this may feel hard at the moment Julian, but you need to remember Mason's been through a lot. You must have patience for his sake; he really is a special boy, if you just give him a chance."
What both adults don't know is; nine year old Mason is listening in on their conversation through the portable phone in Julian's bedroom. He hears the doubt enter his biological father's voice about him. He hears Claire attempt to calm him down. He also hears Julian mention visiting Tree Hill next week, so he can meet Emma Chance.
Rosie watches Matt with Samantha. He'd make a decent father; hell…he'd make a terrific parent to any child. Sam is a beautiful example of this. Ever since, he first adopted her; Matt's become a changed man. Before little Sammy came into the picture, Matt was a hard guy to like. He made it near impossible to make friends with anyone and was a shut-in. However after, he needed her and Todd's help.
Sam changed him for the better. Now this news is going to change him too, for the better Rosie isn't quite sure.
She instinctively places a hand over her belly, wondering how she's going to tell Matt the news. Just last month, he popped the question. The question she's been waiting from him for five years. She said yes of course. And yet, it doesn't feel like it should.
They should be happy and preparing for their wedding. Instead, they're focusing too damn hard on the new case involving Brooke. They have to put the wedding on hold for now. And they've been having a lot of sex. Which isn't necessarily bad, but it isn't the loving sex they once had. It's sex just to forget about their troubles and just for a quickie.
"Matt, we need to talk." Rosie declared as Matt leaves Sam's side and strolls towards his fiancé with a tense smile.
Oh and if it wasn't mentioned in the papers, they won the case, but unfortunately Angelina Young was only sentenced to five years in the state county prison. Eric however was sentenced to twenty and is currently moving upstate into a prison facility. The country is in uproar over this slightly unjust verdict.
"What's going on?" Matt looks perturbed with concern; Rosie hasn't been acting herself lately and he's a bit worried about her well-being. Has the case really taken that much out of her? Maybe, they should get away for a while, just the two of them. Brooke could watch Sammy. "Are you okay?" he asked peering at her with his gentle brown eyes full of warmth.
Rosie admitted quietly, "I'm pregnant. We're pregnant." Her tone doesn't nearly sound as excited as it should, in fact, she sounds a bit tired.
"What? Babe, this is the best news I've heard in months." Matthew lifts Rosie up and twirls her in a circle. "Wait, babe why don't you sound happier about this? You being pregnant is a good thing. We're having a baby"
"I'm going to say something and I don't want you to get angry with me." Rosie takes a deep breath, she's given this a lot of consideration and she may hate Brooke, but this may be exactly what she and Matt need to get on with their lives. "I think you should consider handing Brooke main custody of Sam."
Matt swears he's dreaming. No, the love of his life can't be saying such things. Not after everything, he's been through. "What?" the young architect demanded feeling his entire body tense up.
"She'd still be part of our lives, but Matt…she isn't our child and I think we should focus on our future together-as a family-I just…I can't handle going through another case again." Rosie explained feeling like an absolute failure as an aunt and mother, but this is too much. "I can't handle that. Matt, I shouldn't be handling things like this. I'm pregnant and I'm so exhausted, I feel so done with everything."
"Samantha's our daughter," Matt objected shaking his head. He starts to walk away, but Rosie grabs his forearm; stopping him.
"No, she's our niece. She's Brooke's daughter. Matt, I know you love Samantha more than anything. But, I need a break and you do too. We need to start focusing on our lives. Us. Not anyone else," Rosie declared finally having the good sense to speak her mind.
Matt glances at his little niece watching her swing her legs back and forth looking as happy as a clam. He looks back at his fiancé and then at his adopted daughter one last time, before taking Rosie's hand and…
