Chapter Fourteen- "All Fall Down"
"So now that you've won state what are you gonna do Nathan Scott?" Haley jokingly asked as she, Nathan, Lucas and Peyton all headed towards the after party. Things hadn't been easy the last couple of days, but somehow the team managed get the victory they had been trying so hard to achieve. Now that the season was over they all knew they had more time to try and help Brooke. After what happened at the last game they had been keeping a closer eye on Brooke, but she had maintained that everything was fine. They knew it wasn't. But for the moment, tonight was about the win.
"Why I will be talking my beautiful wife and baby to Disney world," Nathan joked back.
"I'm sorry do I not matter?" Haley teased him.
"You know you're the only one for me," Nathan said and gave her a kiss.
"Could you guys get a room?" Peyton teased.
"You wanna?" Haley said to Nathan.
"Maybe after a little celebration," Nathan said to her.
"That's right," Haley said. "You boys go celebrate the win. You and I can celebrate later."
"You bet we will," Nathan said. The four entered the house and the party was already in full swing. Nathan and Lucas headed into the main room to meet up with all their teammates. Peyton and Haley headed to find the rest of the cheerleaders. Once then found them they could tell some of them had already had a bit too much or getting to the point of too much.
"Have you guys seen Brooke," Bevin asked Haley and Peyton.
"No, but I think she was meeting us here," Haley said.
"No she's here already and she's the life of the party," Bevin said.
"What?" Peyton asked.
"She's saying Brooke has been the center of attention since she got here," Rachel said. She then pointed Haley and Peyton in the direction of where Brooke was. "If I didn't know any better I'd say Brooke's finally over Lucas." Without another word Haley and Peyton rushed into the dining room of the house to find Brooke dancing on the table with just about all the guys around her watching.
"Brooke," Peyton yelled trying to get her attention. Brooke stopped and turned to see who called her name. Brooke jumped down and stumbled her way towards Haley and Peyton.
"Look who's it is," Brooke said slightly slurring her words. "Sorries I didn't wait fors you."
"Brooke what are you doing?" Peyton asked. She knew Brooke was trying to pretend everything was okay, but this was beyond okay. Even when Brooke went out partying, she was never like this.
"Celebrating," Brooke said. "We won. I need another."
"No Brooke we need to get you home," Peyton said to her.
"Peyton's right," Haley said.
"The night has only just started," Brooke said before walking away.
"I'm gonna go find Lucas," Haley said. "Maybe we can convince her to leave."
"Hopefully," Peyton said.
After Brooke had gotten her new drink she started wondering the halls of the house trying to see what was going on. She ended up wondering up to the second floor and to one of the empty rooms. She started walking around the room, looking at all the picturing and things in the room.
"Brooke right," a voice said making Brooke jump and nearly drop her drink. "Sorry didn't meet to startle you."
"I thought I was alone," Brooke said. "Ethan right?"
"Yeah," Ethan said to her as she walked into the room more. "Looking for a quiet place too?"
"Nope," Brooke said as she walked over and sat down on the bed. "Just wondering around. My friends want to leave, but why stop a perfectly good party?"
"That stinks they want you to leave," Ethan said to her. She walked over and sat down next to her. "We are celebrating. We just won states."
"Exactly," Brooke said as she raised her cup up almost spilling it on herself. "Opps."
"Why don't we put that down," Ethan said to her. He took the cup from her and placed on the bedside table.
"So Ethan what brings you to the room?" Brooke asked him.
"I was hoping to find a pretty girl willing to talk to me for a bit," Ethan said to her with a smile.
"I'm a pretty girl," Brooke said with a laugh.
"You are," Ethan said to her. "So pretty too. You know I always liked you Brooke, but never thought I'd have a chance with you."
"I'm free," Brooke said to him, not really realizing what she was actually saying. "Lucas and I are done."
"So I've heard," Ethan said. Brooke gave him a smile before reaching over and grabbing her cup. She finished up the beer before dropping the cup to the ground. Ethan reached down to get it, but was stopped when Brooke leaned in and kissed him. Ethan then slowly started to move them so Brooke was laying on the bed and he was on top of her. Brooke abruptly stopped kissing him as just about everything started to spin for her. "Brooke?" Ethan asked concerned about her. When Brooke opened her eyes Ethan wasn't there anymore, it was Dan hovering over her.
"What did you put in my drink," Brooke asked Dan, not realizing he wasn't there.
"Nothing," Ethan said to her, but Brooke couldn't hear him. "Brooke are you okay?"
"Don't worry no one will know" Brooke heard Dan say to her. "Shh" Brooke could feel Dan place his finger on her lips to quiet her down.
"Brooke," Ethan said trying to reach her again.
"Get off of me," Brooke yelled as she pulled who she thought was Dan, but was really just Ethan away. Ethan fell back landing on the ground and hurting his wrist in the process. Brooke rushed out of the room trying to get as far away from Dan as possible.
"Rachel have you seen Brooke?" Peyton asked her. After Brooke had wondered away Peyton had lost track of her.
"Can't say I have," Rachel said. "Now I have a party to enjoy."
"Hey Sawyer," Ethan called out. Peyton turned to see him walking towards her. "Tell your psychotic friend to get her head examined."
"I don't follow," Peyton said to him.
"Brooke," Ethan said. "I was talking to her one minute and then she's accusing me of drugging her and she nearly breaks my wrist. Just be lucky the season's over."
"Where is she?" Peyton asked him.
"Don't know don't care," Ethan said before walking away. Peyton rushed through the crowd trying to find Lucas, Nathan and Haley. Once she found them she knew they were looking for Brooke too.
"Ethan just freaked out at me telling me to keep Brooke in check," Peyton said to them. "Have you found her yet?"
"Oh My God, she's gonna jump," they all heard a voice scream. The four of them rushed to the sound of the voice, only to find Brooke on the balcony looking lost.
"We need to get everyone out of here," Peyton said to them.
"Haley and I will figure that out, get Brooke," Nathan said. He and Haley headed out to get everyone out of the house. It wasn't long before everyone was away and nearly out of the house.
"Go out there," Peyton said to Lucas.
"Nathan's the only one who's been able to talk to her," Lucas said. "I don't want to risk it Peyton."
"Right now the one person she needs is you," Peyton said. "Trust me. She's on that edge, but you're the only one who can pull her off." Lucas was hesitant, but he walked out on the balcony.
"Brooke?" Lucas said hoping not to scare her. "What are you doing out here?"
"He's never gonna leave me alone," Brooke said. "I can't keep doing this."
"Doing what?" Lucas asked her. "And who's the he Brooke? Is it Ethan?"
"I've tried," Brooke said. "I've tried to ignore it. I've tried to pretend. He's always there."
"Who Brooke?" Lucas asked.
"He said no one would believe me," Brooke said. "I tried, but he's right."
"I believe you Brooke. Peyton believes you, Nathan and Haley believe you," Lucas said to her. He heard a noise and looked to see Peyton joining them on the balcony. Lucas gave her a look of what are you doing here. He was more afraid the wrong move and everything would go wrong.
"Brooke," Peyton said. "We only want to help you."
"You can't help," Brooke said. "No one can help. He knew that."
"Who knew Brooke?" Peyton asked. She looked at Lucas as if for approval what she was about to say and then looked back at Brooke. "It was Dan wasn't it?" Lucas just stood there shocked and hoping Peyton was wrong.
"He knew no one would believe me," Brooke said not directly answer her question.
"He's wrong Brooke, because your friends believe you," Peyton said. "Others will believe you too."
"She's right Brooke," Lucas said. He didn't want to believe it for Brooke sake, but Peyton had been right all along. "We won't let him hurt you again."
"You can't promise that," Brooke said. "He was here. I saw him."
"No Brooke you didn't," Peyton said to her. "He's not here." Brooke turned to look at them.
"Trust us Brooke, he's not here," Lucas said to her. He reached out his hand for her to grab. "Please Brooke." Brooke was a little hesitant, but she finally reached out a shaky hand to grab Lucas' hand. Once she grabbed out he pulled her down and into his arms. Brooke just started crying. "It's okay Brooke. It's going to be okay." Peyton stood watching and let out a sign of relief that Lucas was able to get her down.
AN: So here it is, the moment I was telling you about. Well one of them. I slightly imagined this going a bit different in my head, but as I was writing this it ended up going a whole different direction. Not sure if anyone will disagree with where it went, but I do like where it went.