Chapter 9: Clay-Approved

AN: We are so glad that you guys liked the get together last chapter! We'd been stringing you guys along for a while, but yay! Bris is together! A lot of you guys asked if that was the end and it's definitely not, we've still got plenty of story left to tell! So keep reading and reviewing!

~ C & B ~

The tiny dark haired boy stared ahead of him in shock. His dark eyes widened and his little mouth formed a perfect circle. He turned slowly and looked at Chris in complete and utter awe, voice a hushed excitement, "This is mines?"

The musician nodded and crouched down to eye level, grabbing a stuffed bear from a shelf to his left. He tapped the boy's nose with it and grinned at the adorable giggle the boy let out. He gathered the boy into his arms, squeezing him tight as he handed the bear over, "It's all yours. Brooke and your Aunt Haley helped me pick everything out. Do you like it?"

Michael looked around again, head nodding rapidly, "I lubs Power Rangers!"

Chris laughed and patted the boy's back. He watched as Michael ran over to the toy box, sifting through all his new things with the excitement of a child on Christmas. And he kind of is, Chris realized. He'd gone from having no family to having a bunch of people who would do anything for him. From having toys that he was forced to share with the other children in the orphanage to having a huge room filled with new, untouched things.

The walls were a light blue with the old school Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers painted in various positions and actions. Peyton and Brooke had worked together on it, their friendship slowly on the mend since all the hidden feelings had been revealed. And Haley had helped to pick out most of the action figures and other toys that rested in toy boxes and on shelves. Brooke, of course, had been in charge of clothes – I have to remember to get that credit card back from her when I see her later…

Or kiss the crap out of her, his subconscious added, the boy smiling widely to himself as he thought of the spunky brunette he had come to adore. He couldn't remember the last time he had been this excited to see a girl.

Was I ever?

Leaning down and giving Michael a light kiss, the adult headed downstairs to check on the rest of the house. As he'd told Brooke he would a few months ago, Chris had put a down payment on this house the second he suspected that the adoption might go through. He walked through his pre-furnished house with a content smile, something about the place always feel like home to him from the moment he first saw it.

He hung a couple of the pictures Brooke had framed for him of their friends and of himself and Michael, thankful to her for knowing he would be far too lazy to do it himself. And the rest was a go. The place was exactly as he'd always dreamed it would be.

"Daddy?"

Chris straightened the last picture and called up the stairs, "I'll be right up, Mikey!"

He put away the tools he had been using and headed back up the stairs, taking two at a time as he rushed to his boy.

Michael held up a book as soon as he saw his father, innocence in his eyes, "Daddy, can you read this to me?"

The young father slowly looked around, eyes going wide as he wondered how it was possible for a little boy to make this huge of a mess in just ten minutes. He held his hand out for the book and gave Michael his best serious (and kind) look, "You have to clean up all your toys first, baby boy."

"But Daddy…"

"Michael."

That was it. One word. Michael sighed heavily but complied, tossing everything into the toy box until it was over flowing. He tossed a couple random things onto shelves where they really didn't belong, but Chris didn't even care, he was too caught up in the complete amazement that he really was a father. That he really could get a kid to gladly clean up his room.

Internal high five for Chris Keller, he thought happily.

Taking a seat on Michael's bed, he opened his arms to the boy when the room was clean again. He opened the book and pressed his lips to his son's head, "Okay, here we go. Once upon a time…"

~ C & B ~

Brooke smiled happily as she walked around the wooden floors of her store, heels clanking rhythmically and giving off the happiness that was within. She couldn't help but feel like a teenager all over again. She had only ever felt this into a relationship once before. And it was with Lucas. But that had been long, long ago. And even so, this feeling was more powerful than the first time around. It bid to her inside, wrapping around her healing heart.

"Excuse me, Brooke; do you want me to go get you the usual coffee now?" Millicent asked, unable to fight back a shy smile. It was as if the brunette's happiness was contagious to every human being surrounding her.

"Um, I think you should get to work and stop worrying about small things such as coffee," Victoria said as she entered the store, her eyes falling silently on her daughter's.

I said contagious to humans, right?

Victoria studied Brooke for quite some time, Millicent long gone to the back of the store to check off a few paperwork and shipping information. Stepping slightly forward, the mother's lips parted, voice monotone. "I don't approve."

Brooke raised her brow slowly and defensively crossed her arms over chest. "Well, lucky for me your approval means… Hmm, nothing." She shrugged and turned her back on her mother, posture high as she confidently moved back to the front counter of the store.

"Don't act like a spoiled brat, Brooke Penelope Davis," Victoria said, a fire burning in her eyes. She wasn't used to her daughter having the courage to be a free person. For as long as she could remember, she walked all over Brooke. Always. Even with Lucas around, Brooke's confidence was so low. Now, it was skyrocketed.

"I'm not, I'm just saying," Brooke said as she shrugged yet again. She turned around, eyes meeting her mother's matching ones. "I'm just curious, why don't you approve?"

Victoria rolled her eyes and let out a quiet scoff as if the answer was so obvious. "Sweetie, he's a joke. He's this tacky, unloved musician that made the right choice by stepping out of the playing field and keeping to himself. You are so much better than what he'll ever be. He's only going to bring you and what you've made of yourself down with him. I worry about your future."

"No, no, you worry about the future of this precious company that, for the record, is still owned by Brooke Davis," Brooke said, shaking her head. "Raise your hand if you're Brooke Davis." She raised her hand and smiled sarcastically when Victoria didn't do it as well. "Exactly."

Victoria was actually insanely frustrated at this point. Brooke was easier to persuade. This had been the first time ever that she couldn't break the barrier and affect her decisions. So she did something so intelligent yet used in the worst way possible. Her eyes filled with tears. "I just," she swallowed hard, the act so perfectly done, she could've won an Oscar, "I just don't want you to end up like me and your father."

Brooke's face fell at the mention of her father. She hadn't seen him in a while. A little bit after high school, Victoria and Ted decided to go their separate ways. Filing for divorce was the first thing Richard had in mind. It left the bitter mother even bitterer if that was possible. "Mom..."

"No, Brooke," her voice cracked, the mother shaking her head and running a finger over the bottom of her eye. "I thought I loved your father. I do love your father. But he doesn't love me anymore. And that hurts. So much."

Through the sadness she was smiling inside, knowing she hit a spot within Brooke. "I would never wish the same hurt upon you. But with Chris, I just feel like he's just like Ted. He's made of money; he has everything he could ever want. He's just using you. A pretty face is good for his image."

Brooke stood there, the tears streaming down her cheeks slowly. Victoria waved her over for a hug and the brunette stepped for hesitantly. Her mom gave her the okay to embrace her, Brooke walking over to her mom and wrapping her arms around her.

The door to the store opened, in walking the musician himself. Victoria held Brooke tight as if possessing her from the musician and stepped back, the smirk on her face falling into fake sadness. "Go away, Christopher. Brooke no longer needs you." She ran a hand through her daughter's hair, Brooke hiding in Victoria's embrace.

Blue eyes filled with confusion and dark brows furrowed. Chris stepped forward, ignoring Victoria as he held out his hand to Brooke, "Baby, what's the matter? Did something happen?"

Victoria slapped his hand away just as it was about to touch her hair, the boy turning to her with a deep glare, "Do you mind not being a hag for two seconds so I can talk to my girlfriend?"

Victoria let out a snarl of pure hatred and disgust, her protective (totally evil) clutch on Brooke never weakening. "Don't you get the hint that you are no longer wanted?" She held up her chin high, the amusement in her eyes seen by Chris for a split second and it was purposely done to fuck with his mind. "Brookie, do you wanna talk to him?" Her voice was gentle, motherly, something she knew Brooke was always in want for. Just a gentle and caring mother.

There was no response from the brunette, Victoria's triumphant smirk widening, "We had a talk. I know what kind of boy you are and so does she."

"You have got to be kidding me," he mumbled, scoffing at the look on Victoria's face.

That dragon of a woman continued to smirk, knowing she'd beat him and that there was nothing he could say to compete with her. Brooke would always choose her. Victoria now, in this moment, seemed to be the very thing Brooke had been searching her whole life for. And Chris? Just another guy who would break her heart when he got the chance.

"Baby, Dimples, come on. Talk to me. You know who I am," he reached for her again, this time managing to lightly brush his fingers over her back before Victoria stepped back and jerked her daughter with her.

"Dimples, you know me better than anybody. You remember what you said to the adoption lady? That's me. I don't know what lies the devil over here has put into your head, but you know me so much better than this," desperation filled his tone and panic lit in his eyes at the realization that he might actually lose the girl he'd been waiting so long to finally have.

"Baby, please…"

Brooke was about to step out of Victoria's grasp and fall into the arms of the man that made her feel the safest when Victoria shook her head and looked down at her daughter, "No."

No? What the fuck am I? A damn dog?

That did it for her. She never liked being controlled. Lucas did that to her and she hated it. She stepped back without any thought, "I'll be back." She grabbed Chris's hand and led him to the back of the store, Millicent walking out as soon as Brooke gave her the look that said she needed to be alone.

Shutting the door behind her, she let out a shaky breath, "She told me you'd hurt me. Like my dad hurt her."

"I won't."

Chris took a seat on an overstocked box of shirts, lightly taking her tiny hand in his. Their fingers curled together and he hesitantly pulled her into his lap, tipping her chin up and meeting her eyes with all the feeling he had in him, "I'm not a perfect guy. I screw things up. I'm too cocky for my own good. And I sometimes get my priorities all outta whack. You know that already."

His thumb lightly brushed across her knuckles, "I will screw up sometimes and I may say the wrong thing and piss you off, maybe even hurt your feelings. Like I said, I'm not perfect. But the difference is, if I ever hurt you, I will make up for it without hesitation. And I would never hurt you on purpose. You're the only girl in the world who knows me like this, so surely you know that I'm not that guy anymore."

Brooke nodded her head slowly, her eyes searching his face. She felt that warmth, comfort and safety in his arms. She always did. And nothing would change that. Not even the persuasive words of her mother.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, nose brushing his as she closed her eyes and rested her forehead against his.

"Hey, as long as I'm not being dumped already, it's forgotten," he smiled reassuringly, brushing his lips across hers lightly. "I know how persuasive she can be."

"Wanna go home and cuddle? I'm on my lunch break," Brooke suggested as she kept her arms wrapped around him. "That's if you're willing to share that big bed of yours. I know how big your ego can get. Might be too much to add me to the mix."

"Your mom deflated it a bit, so I think there's room," he teased, pecking her lips with a light smile.

"Mikey is with Haley, big play date with Jamie so the house is ours."

"Before she flips a shit, let's sneak out of here," Brooke said with a quiet laugh as the both of them made their way to their feet and exited from the back of the store. They reached Chris's home not too long later, the brunette's smile wide as she fell back on the bed and Chris dipped his head down to meet her lips.

His fingers slid over her shoulders slowly and he frowned a little, pulling back from the kiss, "You're so tense. Roll over and take off your shirt."

She only raised her brow and he snorted, "Just trust me. On your stomach, shirt off."

The brunette shot him a look before doing as she was asked, turning her body away from him as she slid her shirt off. He was only left with looking at the light shaded skin of her back, bra still hooked and keeping itself locked tight. "You're not gonna leave, right? I'll kick your ass after I finish crying."

"I'm not leaving," he soothed, brushing his lips over her shoulder before straddling her legs and ass. He smiled and reached into the bedside drawer for the strawberry scented lotion he'd noticed that she stashed in there. He poured a little into his hands and lightly rubbed them together to warm them up before lightly applying them to her shoulders.

He kneaded her shoulders first, putting light pressure on the tensest spots and slowly working them out. He shifted a little when she moaned and leaned down to kiss her cheek, fingers finishing that up before slowly sliding down. He didn't ask for permission, unhooking her bra and pushing the back of it open. He smirked at her gasp and slid his fingers down the center of her spine.

He was still Chris Keller after all.

She should've expected nothing less. Her man was Chris Keller after all. And she was definitely in no rush to stop him from letting his fingers slide down the soft skin of her back. The tension was lessening with each touch, the brunette's eyes fluttering shut as she let out soft breaths. "Keep going."

He dug his thumbs into her lower back, rubbing in small circles before sliding back up to hit another spot. Each moan made him feel like he was on fire, the boy not wanting her to ever stop making those sounds. The heel of his hand pressed down on the flesh surrounding her spine and the boy smiled, "So tense. When's the last time you got a massage?"

Brooke thought it over and honestly couldn't remember when she last got a massage. She had been so wrapped up in making sure everyone's lives were at peace and keeping her company at its highest that she forgot about herself. Until he pointed it out to her a few minutes ago, the tension in her body was something she was so used to, it just became a part of her. But now, someone noticed.

Someone cared.

"I can't even remember. Maybe in the 10th grade," Brooke muttered, a different yet very pleased moan escaping her lips as he dug into a spot that was definitely in need of attention.

His fingers lightly brushed the side of her breast as his thumbs dug into her side of her back where a knot seemed to be deeply imbedded. He lifted her arm a little and poured some more lotion in his hands, massaging it deep into her skin until that spot was as loose as the rest.

"How's that?"

"I guess it's true what they say about Chris Keller after all," Brooke said in a flirtatious tone, stopping for a second to let out a pleased noise, "he's very good with his hands."

Chris leaned down and pressed his lips to her spine, smiling against her skin, "Oh baby, I'm good with all sorts of body parts."

"Yeah?" Brooke challenged, turning her body around without warning and watching his eyes widen and trail over her bare breasts slowly. "What else?"

He licked his suddenly dry lips and slowly slid his hands up her sides, stopping just below her chest. It took a lot of restraint but he finally managed to raise his eyes to hers, locking with fire, "You have no idea how good I am with my tongue. I could show you," he kinked his brow.

Brooke's smirk grew and she hooked her thumbs over her pants teasingly, eyes just as filled with fire as his. She wanted this. All of it. "Show me."

The boy leaned in for her lips, two mouths meeting hungrily and quiet moans filling the room. He slowly kissed down her body, tongue trailing over her navel just as the bedroom door opened behind him.

"Hey dude, I brought- whoa you're almost naked!"

Chris was pretty sure he had never moved so fast in his life, hopping up from the bed and pushing Clay back into the doorway, covering his eyes. Clay had already seen it all though, shooting a thumbs up to the brunette even from behind Chris's hand, "Nice boobs. They are Clay-approved!"

The brunette's eyes were wide, her cheeks flushing in utter redness as she leaned over to grab her bra and hold her arm up to her chest. "Oh my gosh."

The musician glanced back at her, still firmly holding Clay. Her cheeks went more pink as he stared down at her covered chest, the boy shooting her a wink as he pushed Clay out of the room suddenly.

"Hey, I want to see too!"

Chris snorted and ignored him, glancing down at her with equal parts amusement and love in his eyes, "You okay?"

"Is Clay-approved a good thing?" Brooke asked, her brows rising questionably as she quickly hooked her bra back on and sat up on the bed, not bothering with her shirt just yet.

He laughed loudly and nodded his head, plopping down next to her and leaning over for a light kiss, "It's not nearly as good as Chris-approved, but it's not bad." He playfully bit her bottom lip, "And you are, you know. Chris-approved I mean."

"Oh I am?" Brooke asked with a wide smile as she placed a hand over her heart and shook her head, "Well, my life is definitely complete now." She leaned in and pressed their lips together, Clay whining out loudly about being attention deprived. "Oh my gosh, Clayton."

The boy smiled at her exasperation and glanced back at the door and his whining best friend, "You think he'll go away if we ignore him?" She gave him a look and he laughed, shaking his head, "I didn't think so either."