A/N --- I decided to jump ahead again. Sorry guys! I get bored writing "day by day" events and would rather write about bigger events and do flashbacks for the smaller stuff. I already know where I want my story to go, but don't feel like writing every single day, week, month, to get there. Hope you all like. Read and Review. I enjoy feedback. Thanks!

Chapter Eleven

It had been the worst day of Nathan's life. He had been at the state basketball game, in the final quarter, needing one basket to win. Lucas had the ball and was looking for someone to open up. He looked over at Nathan and motioned for him to go left, before throwing him the ball. Nathan caught it, shooting the ball up in the air and scoring for the win. The crowd went crazy as the One Tree Hill Raven's filled the basketball court, cheering the team on. He knew something was wrong the second he saw Rachel's face. He hadn't noticed it through the game but now staring back at him he knew it was Brooke. She ran over to him, tears already streaming down her cheeks.

"What's wrong" was all he could get out as Rachel's body pressed against his. He instantly wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

"It's Brooke…" Rachel sobbed, looking down at her phone. "Nathan… I'm so sorry" she sobbed into his chest. "She lost the baby…." Nathan looked straight ahead as he continued to hold Rachel in his arms. It only took seconds for the people around him to realize something was wrong and he was soon joined by Peyton, Lucas and even his mother.

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Everything was a blur. People were rushing all around him, quickly packing their bags to get back to Tree Hill. He learned slowly what had happened to Brooke and their baby. She had been home alone at the apartment when someone broke in through the front window. She locked her bedroom door but the intruder kicked it in, not realizing anyone was home and alarmed that Brooke might have seen his identity he viciously attacked her. She was barely holding on to her own life when paramedics arrived after being notified by her neighbor that something seemed odd about the broken window.

"Nathan…" his mom said softly, coming up behind him. "I packed your stuff up. We're just waiting for the cab." He looked at her with a blank stare. He should have been with her. He shouldn't have gone to state even though she said she wanted him too. "Sweetie… there is nothing you could have done to prevent this…" she told him, sitting next to him on the bed.

"I should have been there to protect her. I told her I'd always protect her…." He replied emotionless. Deb nodded, placing her hand on his back.

"You can not blame yourself. She needs you to be strong and help her through this." She added, rubbing her hand along his back slowly.

"Did they find the guy who did it?" He asked, Deb recognizing his angry eyes to be those of Dan's. Deb shook her head no, looking at her son.

"And it's not your job to either Nathan…. The police already have a few leads and Brooke is cooperating with them" she told her son.

"She shouldn't be alone…" Nathan said, standing up. Deb followed him, grabbing his arm.

"Nathan…. We'll be back in Tree Hill in an hour…. There is no point in putting yourself through this. When we get to the hospital she needs you to be strong….." Deb said watching for the first time as her sons eyes welding up with tears. She put her arms out for him to step into.

"I wanted that baby so bad…" Nathan whispered, tears actually escaping his eyes. "I was scared… but once I saw Brooke's belly growing…. But I wanted her so bad…." Deb pulled back and whipped his tears.

"You knew it was a girl?" she asked, soothingly.

"We were going to tell everyone after state… her name was going to be Ava Rose Scott…God mom she was supposed to born in a few months. She was gonna be my little girl… how could someone do this?" he cried again, his mother pulling him back into her arms.

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(4 months later)

Brooke watched as everyone around her drank. It was senior year and with only 2 months left everyone was more then anxious to be done. She ran her finger along the rim of her plastic cup, peering into it. It was her 7th or 8th drink of the night, she couldn't remember but even in her drunken state she felt empty. Her baby was gone and with that she soon lost the man she had grown to love. It started as a nasty rumor, that later become true. He cheated on her with Theresa. She had been willing to forgive him but Nathan quickly fell into a darker place after the lose of his daughter. It scared Brooke how obsessed he was with finding the guy who had attacked her.

Brooke sighed, looking back around the room before sliding off her stool and heading towards the back of the house. She stumbled onto the deck and looked up, almost colliding with Nathan. He looked at her, blatantly drunk.

"Brooke…" Nathan said, holding his cup in his hand. "Why are you here…. You're supposed to still be taking it easy…." His words were slurred and she could smell the alcohol on his breathe.

"I'm fine…" she said looking past him. She couldn't do this. She couldn't stand here and look at him knowing her daughter was supposed to have his baby blue eyes. "I have to go…" she whispered walking past him. Nathan turned and watched as she made her way down the stairs and towards a group of people.

"You okay?" Rachel asked, coming up behind him.

"She's supposed to be resting…" Nathan said, still watching her. Rachel sighed, standing next to him and watching bestfriend talk to some girls.

"She's doing a lot better…" Rachel informed him. They had moved out of the apartment because every night Brooke slept there she woke up from nightmares.

"She shouldn't be drinking so soon though…. It's not good for her body…." Nathan continued.

"She's mending a broken heart Nathan… Don't you know that alcohol's the best way to do it?" she asked, tapping his cup and walking past him towards her bestfriend.

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"Brooke…" Nathan said rushing into the hospital room. Brooke's wet eyes fluttered open. "I'm so sorry…" he said pulling her into his arms. She had bruises on her face and was hooked up to all kinds of machines. Brooke buried her head into his neck and for the first time since the attack she felt safe. Nathan's arms were safe. "I'm so sorry Brooke… I should have been there" he whispered again. He pulled away and pushed her hair off her wet cheeks. Brooke couldn't speak. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back, reaching for his hand.

"Stay with me…." She whispered, her body relaxing. He nodded, shifting his body in the bed and watching as she drifted into a deep sleep. He was going to find out who killed his baby girl if it was the last thing he did.