Title: Where I Belong
Author: Kat (heartsmash)
Rating: Overall, R for swearing and some sexual situations
Pairing: Brooke/Lucas
Disclaimer: One Tree Hill belongs to Mark Schwann, among others. I am just taking the characters out to play - I'll put them back when I'm done.
Summary: How long does it take a person to realize who they're supposed to spend their life with?
Chapter Twelve – Out of My Hands
Brooke sat in the backseat of the Lincoln Town Car at the end of her parents' circular driveway. To say that she didn't want to walk in that front door was an understatement – she would rather do a myriad of things rather than this.
"Miss Davis, are you alright?" Lenny, her driver, questioned.
"Yes, thanks for asking. I'm just not really in the mood to visit with my parents. But you can pull up to the front, it's now or never."
Lenny did as he was asked and pulled up to the front of the house. He got out and opened the door for her, which was unnecessary in Brooke's mind but very kind.
"If you need to be picked up at any time, day or night, give me a call. I understand not wanting to see family, it's all too close to my heart," Lenny told her, handing her his card.
Brooke took it gratefully and wheeled her suitcase to the front door. Taking a deep breath, she rang the doorbell and waited for the fun to begin.
Her mother's maid answered the door and having recognized her photo from the mantle, let her right into the foyer.
"May I take your coat miss?" the timid maid asked
"Please," Brooke answered, handing her coat over to her. "Where is my mother?"
"She's in the living room with your father, miss."
Brooke nodded and leaving her suitcase by the front door, sought out her parents. She hadn't lived in this house since the summer before her senior year of high school, so being back there brought back memories of everything she had been looking to avoid. Lucas.
He had admitted his love for her and his wanting to be with her right before she had gotten into a taxi cab and came to stay with her parents. She had spent the entire summer writing letters to him, but never actually sending them. It had been more of a cathartic project, and she had never really intended on him seeing them but when she had needed to prove to him that sleeping with Chris Keller had been a true mistake and that he was the only one in her heart, it had been a necessary action. She had never actually gotten her letters back. Brooke wondered what he had done with them.
She finally arrived to the living room in the back of the house and saw that her father was reading the Wall Street Journal and that her mother was going over her day planner, a lowball glass filled with ice and whatever brown liquor she was already consuming in the day. Just another typical morning in the elder Davis house. Brooke cleared her throat causing Eleanor and Byron to finally glance up.
"Brooke, what are you doing here?" her mother questioned. No 'Hi, how are you?' No hugs. No kisses. This was truly the household she had grown up in. She knew better than to be disappointed – being disappointed was weakness in their eyes. If she wanted to be that direct, she wouldn't starve her mother of her wishes.
"I came for a visit. It's been nearly a year since I've seen you both last."
"Has it?" her father questioned. It was wonderful for Brooke's ego to hear how much her parents missed her absence in their lives.
"Almost. I saw you last July."
"Right," her father murmured, turning his attention back to the world of business.
At least her mother made an effort to know what was going on, or at least the reason behind her visit.
"So Brookie Cookie," Eleanor started using the nickname that Brooke absolutely despised, "What's going on? How's that little company of yours?"
Little company. After several years of schooling and hard work, little company was what her parents called Penelope D., even when she was raved about for her vision and creativity and even after countless celebrities that wore her clothing received praise for their fashion choice of Brooke's designs.
"It's fine," Brooke answered tersely.
"Dear, if you plan on being in the room much longer, do sit down. It's impolite to stand, stare and speak to your parents in the manner of which you are doing so right now."
Brooke rolled her eyes as she took a seat in the armchair. Eleanor drained her glass, closed her day planner and crossed one leg over the other before directing all her attention to Brooke.
"So, are you seeing anyone special?"
"In fact, yes, I am. His name is Rob and we are getting married."
This got her father's attention. He folded the newspaper and focused on his daughter.
"How much?" was the first question out of Byron Davis' mouth.
There were no congratulations. No offers of champagne.
Brooke didn't expect it and rightfully so. It would never come. Not from him.
"I'm not here for money. Rob and I will be able to take care of the cost ourselves."
Her father looked relieved.
"So darling, why are you here then? I understand to tell us about the wedding, but if not to ask us for money – why not just use the telephone?" Eleanor questioned
And there was the comment that broke Brooke Davis.
The tears welled up in her eyes and she tried her best to not let them spill over, but no such luck. She stood and finally spoke her mind.
"I was here to try and include you in your only child's wedding day. But since I see that that is no longer an option, I'm leaving," Brooke said, the tears streaming down her face. "Keep your precious money father. Keep drinking mother. I'm done with you two. You'll be lucky if you receive an invitation."
The tears continued as Brooke stormed out of the living room in a blind rage. With her cell phone, she dialed Lenny's number. Luckily, he hadn't gone far and he could be there in 5 minutes.
She didn't want to spend another minute in that godforsaken house for as long as she would live. Closing the door behind her, she felt relieved that she had done as Rob had asked of her. She hadn't promised miracles and this is all she could do.
Lenny opened the car door for her and she mouthed thank you as she listened to her cell phone ring as it attempted to connect her to Rob. Unfortunately, her fiancé did not pick up and it went to his voicemail.
"Hey babe," Brooke said after the beep, the tears still choking her up, "I'm coming home. There's too much too explain on the phone. But…I tried. We're better off without them. See you soon. Love you."
She snapped her phone shut and stared out the window as Lenny drove her to the airport.
Brooke wished things could have been different, but knew in her heart of hearts, her parents would never change. And maybe, at this stage in her life when she finally had her head on straight, she could finally see that it was for the best.
End Chapter Twelve