I just again want to briefly thank all of you for being such wonderful and devoted readers. :) You guys rock!


Chapter 12

I was on the my way to work the very next morning when my cell phone rang. I recognized the ring tone as one I had set for Alice, so I decided to answer it.

"Hey Alice." I said, trying to sound chipper. I hadn't slept very well the night before...surprise, surprise.

"Hi Brooke!" She exclaimed excitedly. "Where are you at?"

"In the car on the way to work."

"Oh..ok." She said. "Viviene's not here right now, she went out to go shopping for bathing suits."

"Bathing suits?" I asked, sort of not paying attention.

"Yes, she finds any reason she can to be able to spend all of our money."

"How's your dad handling it?" I asked as I turned onto another road.

"That Viviene's out buying bathing suits?" She asked.

I laughed, "No how is your dad handling Viviene's being here?"

"Oh that, "She said, "Ehh, ok I guess."

"He's not very enthusiastic about it is he?"

"No, no he's not. None of us are."

It was quiet on the other end of the line for a minute.

"Hey Brooke?"

"Yes?" I asked.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Oh gosh Alice, the last time you asked me something it turned out being the most awkward conversation that I had ever had to experience."

"Hey but he finally made out with you!"

I blushed, "That's beside the point."

"No it's nothing embarrassing like that Brooke, I promise."

"Alright Alice what do you want to ask me?"

"What's my dad's name?" She asked.

I laughed at her, "Alice you don't know what your own father's name is?"

"Yes, yes I do...but I want you to tell me what it is."

"Why?" I asked.

"Just say his name." She insisted.

"It's Dr. Cullen." I replied, confused about her question. I waited for a response from her, but one never came. I looked at my phone and saw it was dead. I groaned. Apparently I had forgotten to charge it overnight.

It didn't matter much anyway, because it was right then that I pulled into the Forks Hospital parking lot. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, kind of aggravated with myself. I had been too tired to bother with contacts that morning, so I was wearing my black-rimmed glasses. To take it to another extent, I had my hair pulled up in a sideways, curly ponytail. It didn't look bad, but I took on the appearance of a librarian.

I walked inside, expecting to be greeted by Gertrude, but I was very surprised to see that she wasn't there in her usual place behind her desk.

So I headed for Dr. Cullen's office, and on the way there, I met up with him in the hallway.

"Ahh Brooke darling, you're just the girl I was looking for." He said, smiling his usual bright smile.

I was in a daze, coming up with a response wasn't something I felt capable of at the time.

"Gertrude took her granddaughter out on a shopping trip today for her birthday. Could you cover for her?" He asked. "I have a lot of stuff to do today, I'll be running around all the time any way."

I merely nodded.

"Come on." He said, motioning me into his office. He followed me inside and shut the door behind him. He threw the papers he was holding into one of his chairs and walked right up to me and kissed me passionately.

I was really taken by surprise, but I wasn't going to complain.

"I'm sorry about last night." He said, when we pulled away from our kiss.

"It's alright." I managed to say. "You couldn't help it."

He reached over to pick up the papers he had thrown. "I know, I still feel like I need to apologize though."

"Well you don't." I said simply.

He starred at me, taking in my appearance for the first time that day. "I like that look."

"What this?" I asked motioning towards my glasses.

"Yes, the glasses and sideways pony-tail look. It's very sophisticated. Very doctor-like."

I blushed, and he laughed.

"So I'm Gertrude today then?"

"Yes you are, but please don't ever say that again." He said laughing.

"Oh trust me, I won't. I never in my life will ever want to be Gertrude."

"That's very good." He called after me as I walked into the lobby.


Gertrude had a very boring job. All she did was sit at a desk all day and listen to people complain about the medical forms.

No wonder she was so crazy.

Much to my immense delight, Viviene had called and wanted to know if her "boyfriend" was busy. I told her that he was, but she still insisted upon stopping by later. So now in addition to being extremely bored, I was scared out of my freaking mind.

In the middle of the day, I finally saw Dr. Cullen emerge from the shadows of wherever he had been. He was standing in the archway of the hallway and the lobby, looking over some files. I figured I should probably let him know about Viviene, so I was trying to get his attention.

I leaned over Gertrude's desk so I could get a better view of him. "Dr. Cullen." I called, quite loudly.

He acted as though he didn't hear me, but I knew he did.

"Dr. Cullen." I called again, sweetly.

I knew he heard me this time, because he smiled at the sound of my voice, but he didn't look up from his papers.

I leaned further over the desk and sort of yell-whispered, "Yo McSex Hair, get over here!"

He laughed quietly to himself as he walked over to where I was sitting.

"It's about time." I told him.

He leaned on the desk and starred into my eyes. "I thought you had forgotten about that Sex Hair thing."

"Gosh how could I?" I whispered, leaning closing to him. People were watching us with confused expressions on their faces.

"What did you want?" He asked, trying to change the subject.

"Cruella Divel called, she was talking about possibly coming over here later."

He sighed and backed away from me. He rubbed his face with one of his hands, as if he was trying to process something, then he smiled. "Cruella Divel huh?"

"Yeah, it's my nickname for her...kinda like how my nickname for you is McSe.."

"Stop right there." He said, placing his hand over my mouth. He removed it, and I laughed.

"You are never going to let me live that down are you?" He asked over my laughter.

"No way." I said, grinning at him.

"Ok, well when Viviene comes...I'll be somewhere around here."

"Good I would sure hope so."

He accusingly pointed a finger at me. "Hey there darling, you better stop being such a smarty-mouth."

"Anything you say McSex..."

"Brooke." He said, interrupting me.

"Hair." I finished.

"You are almost proving to be more difficult then Viviene." He said smiling at me, before he darted down the hallway so that I couldn't call him any more stupid names.


I didn't have to sit there very bored for long, because Viviene decided to show up.

She walked into the lobby, wearing a very revealing red dress, and a white fur coat. Why she went shopping in something as formal as that, was beyond my comprehension.

"Gertrude!" She called, marching straight toward the desk where I was sitting. "Your not Gertrude." She said simply.

Gee thanks for pointing that out, I never would have guessed that I wasn't Gertrude.

"Where's Gertrude? And who are you?"She asked.

"Umm.."I replied, unable to speak.I was scared out of my mind. "Gertrude has the um...day..off." I extended a hand for her to shake. "I'm Dr. Cullen's... personal assistant... Brooke... Jeffers."

She shook my hand and I shivered. I couldn't believe that I was here, talking to the "other women."

"So where is he?" She demanded.

"Oh..um Dr. Cullen's been very...busy today. I can..find him for you...if you'd like."

"That would be excellent, please do."

I motioned for one of the passing nurses to come and cover the front desk while I was gone.

"Ok Miss...Viviene is that right?" I asked as she followed beside me.

"Yes, that's right." She said, starring at me.

I bit my lip and took a deep breath as I peeked in patient's rooms, searching for him.

Or for a window for me to jump out of.

"Are you the girl that answers the phone all the time?" She asked.

"Yes..yes that's me." I replied, nervously.

"Hmm." She said, contemplating something. "How long have you been here?"

"Since the early part of the summer."

It was silent for a moment, and I was trying to think of something to say.

"Um...Dr. Cullen's told me a lot about you." I said. It was the truth, he just hadn't told me good things about her.

She smiled, very proud of herself, then she frowned. "That's funny, I don't recall him telling me about you."

I didn't talk to her anymore for the rest of the time I searched for him. Finally I heard his angelic voice traveling from one of the rooms.

"Just a moment." I told her as I dashed for the safety of the patient's room.

His head turned to face me as soon as he heard me enter the room.

"I'm terribly sorry to interrupt." I said, motioning toward the patient. "Dr. Cullen, you have a visitor."

All emotion drained from his face.

"Excuse me a moment." He said to the patient. "Is it Cruella?"He asked me, in a whisper.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, yes it is."

He handed me the papers he was holding. "Finish asking the patient these questions please."

I nodded as he left to room to confront Viviene.

It didn't take too long to finish asking the patient questions, and when I was finished I closed the door behind me. I could hear Dr. Cullen and Viviene talking, it sounded like they were in one of the adjacent hallways. I leaned up against the wall beside the hallway entrance and waited. Not too long afterwords, I heard the sound of Viviene's high heals clicking down the hall.

I darted into the hallway where he was waiting for me.

"What did she want?" I asked, handing him the papers he had given me.

He sighed, running a hand through his perfect blond hair. "She just wanted to let me know that she was going to stay the night in a hotel in Seattle, close to the airport."

I sighed a sigh of total relief.

"Her flight leaves at around one o'clock in the morning." He told me.

"Would it be safe for you to come to my apartment tonight?" I had a lot that I wanted to talk to him about.

He thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "Yes I suppose it would be. The hotel she's staying at is all the way on the other side of town."

"Good." I said simply.

"She'll be gone soon darling." He said, gently kissing my forehead, before departing on his way.

"Yes, just not permanently." I whispered to myself.


We had been at my apartment for maybe an hour or so after work. I had to find something to eat, and Dr. Cullen had a few various phone calls to make. I decided changing into my pajamas was alright, and I sat beside him and Fluffy on the couch when I was done.

"Have you decided about Alaska yet?" He asked me, handing me one of my blankets.

"I think so." I replied, sighing. "I think I'll go."

"Good, I'm glad that you're going."

"As long as I can come home every other weekend."

"I can pay for the plane tickets myself." He said.

"No, don't do that. Gosh it's not like I can't afford it."

He just smiled. "And maybe Bella and Edward can stay with you."

This made me excited that two of my best friends would be coming with me.

He starred out my balcony window, watching the rain. "Why did you want me to come over tonight? Was there something you needed to talk to me about?" He asked.

"Yes." I said, yanking my hair out of my ponytail and shaking it out. He laughed at me, as always.

I took a deep breath. "Where do you see us? I mean like our future?"

"What do you mean by our future?"

"I don't know, like...look forward ten years. Where will we be...like relationship wise?"

"Is Viviene still in the picture or not?"

"Either way."

"Well my dear, if Viviene was not in the picture...we'd be happily married by then."

Just the thought of that was amazing. "And if she wasn't?"

"Then we'd probably still be right here."

"Hiding everything." I said, my excitement gone.

"And her still being around is probably the more likely option."

I sighed "Yes, you're right." It was silent for a moment before I spoke again. "So is there no future for us at all?"

He starred at me for the longest time, before he finally answered me. "Brooke, if there is one thing that I will certainly do in my existence, I will make sure that you will be my wife some day."

I blushed, and turned away from his gaze. "Viviene sucks." I said.

He laughed. "Yes Brooke, she most certainly does."

I couldn't agree with him more if I tried.


I'm sorry, that was a terrible chapter, but writer's block was bad this week! Things will get more exciting very soon...I promise!

Thanks to all of you again, there will only be maybe one or two more boring-ish chapters before I think I'm shipping Brooke off to Alaska. Then things will get better. I hope. ;)

~Hazl~