The next day Rachel got up and went to Karen's Café before Brooke had even showed signs of waking up. She silently stirred her coffee as millions of thoughts crossed her mind.

How could Brooke believe a rumor over me? Why won't she just break up with Haley? How much more of this can I take?

"More coffee?" Haley asked, surprisingly in a soft tone.

Rachel sighed. Without glancing up from her coffee she replied "No thanks. I'm just…stirring it."

Haley sat down on the other side of the table. "Look Haley, if you are trying to get a rise out of me, I'm really not up for it today, okay?"

"Rach…" The tutor rolled her eyes. "It's not easy to admit, but you hurt me. Bad. I was just so devastated and I wanted to hurt you back." Haley paused, trying to gauge the redhead's reaction. "Please look at me." Rachel reluctantly lifted her head. "I am so sorry for what I've been putting you through. And I promise to stop. But my relationship with Brooke is genuine now and I can't turn my back on it."

Rachel didn't respond. Haley was apologizing but it didn't matter. All that mattered was Haley still had Brooke. Rachel simply shrugged and watched as the cars drove past the window.

"Well, I tried. I am really sorry." Haley filled up Rachel's cup with more coffee and left.

Rachel sighed and dialed an old friend's number. They had been close before Brooke came along. "Hey…I know it's been a while, but I need a favor…"

WGBD

After wallowing in self-pity for a little while, Rachel decided to go home. She opened the door to the room she and the other cheerleader shared. Brooke was sitting in bed reading a psych book.

"Brooke Davis? Cheerleading captain? Reading? Who woulda known?" Rachel teased.

"Hey, it's the one class that doesn't bore me, okay!" Broke smirked and took off her reading glasses. "Where'd you go?" Brooke's smile seemed to fade. I missed you.

"Breakfast." Rachel replied, throwing a Karen's Café bag at her.

"Thanks."

"Anytime. I know how much you love the pancakes there." Rachel smiled sadly.

Brooke looked down at the bag. "We need to talk."

Rachel replied, "There's not much to talk about Brooke! I care about you…a lot. And it's obvious you don't care about me the same way and I'm trying, but failing, to accept that."

"I care about you Rachel! I'm just really confused. I don't know what I want."

"And am I supposed to wait while you figure it out? Am I supposed to wait while you call Haley 'baby' and kiss and hold and touch her! It's not fair to me Brooke and you know it."

A lonely tear fell down Brooke's cheek. She nervously picked at her nail. No relationship has ever worked as well as it did with Haley. She's the first person I've had a decent relationship with. But Rachel…there's so much passion. And it scares me. I don't know what to do…

"I don't know what to do." Brooke whispered.

Rachel sat down in defeat. "I think I need to move out for a while…"

"Rachel don't say that. This is your house and-and…I don't want you to leave!" I don't care how selfish I'm sounding. I need her.

"I already called Peyton and you need a place to stay. It's not like my parents are coming home soon, so you don't have to worry about that. I need to do this Brooke, for me."

"But…" Brooke was at a loss for words. Come on Brooke. Say something, anything. Anything to make her stay.

"I'm not good at goodbyes, so I left a song up for you to listen to on my laptop. Hopefully it'll explain everything." Rachel quickly hugged Brooke, as tortuous as it was, and walked through the door. Without turning around, for fear of losing her nerve, she said goodbye to Brooke and was gone.

Brooke stared at the door, waiting for Rachel to come back. If only she had said something. The realization that her best friend was gone was almost to much to handle. Rachel was her family.

After ten minutes of trying to deny that Rachel wanted to move out, she decided to look at Rachel's laptop and listen to the song. She was almost afraid of what was going to play through the speakers. She clicked the play button. (AN: You should listen to the song while reading it. Goodbye to You by Michelle Branch)

Of all the things I've believed in

I just want to get it over with

Tears form behind my eyes

But I do not cry

Counting the days that pass me by

Brooke closes her eyes as she listens to Michelle Branch's words and pictures Rachel saying these words to her.

I've been searching deep down in my soul

Words that I'm hearing

Are starting to get old

'I'm with Haley' and 'you're my best friend' started echoing in her mind.

It feels like I'm starting all over again

The last three years were just pretend

And I say,

Goodbye to you

Goodbye to everything I thought I knew

You were the one I loved

The one thing that I tried to hold on to

I still get lost in your eyes

And it seems that I can't live a day without you

Closing my eyes and you chase my thoughts away

To a place where I am blinded by the light

But it's not right

Goodbye to you

Goodbye to everything I thought I knew

You were the one I loved

The one thing that I tried to hold on to

And it hurts to want everything

And nothing at the same time

I want what's yours

And I want what's mine

I want you

But I'm not giving in this time

Goodbye to you

Goodbye to everything I thought I knew

You were the one I loved

The one thing that I tried to hold on to

The one thing that I tried to hold on to

And when the stars fall

I will lie awake

You're my shooting star

By the end of the song, tears were flowing down her face. She knew what she had to do.

AN: Thanks for all the reviews. I hope you like this chapter, sorry I took a while. I tried a couple of different ways to write it out. Next chapter will the last; it will decide who ends up with who. :)Please review, good or bad.