Chapter 14: The Doorbell Rang

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Previously on : When the Tables Turn

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"Brooke..." Nathan said as Brooke gave him a questioning look. "We need to talk.."

Brooke's expression changed from curious to sad and broken. "You're breaking up with me are you?" She said in a hurt voice.

Nathan had on a shocked face. "No, no, no, no, no, no, NO, Brooke," Nathan said as he held Brooke's hand. "Don't ever think about that. Ok? And do you know why I don't want you to ever think about that?"

"No.." She replied as she got relieved.

Nathan breathed deeply and audibly. "Because," he started to stutter "Because..."

"Because what?"

"Because I love you. That's why."

Brooke's face turned to a happy and surprised and teary look. She broke into her signature, sincere dimpled smile as she kissed Nathan in his lips, short and passionately.

Smiling, she said, "I love you too."

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"Really?" Nathan asked incredulously.

"Yeah..Why don't you want me to?" Brooke said in a hiddenly joking manner.

"No, no, no. It's what I want. It's what I need."

"Then believe me."

"I do. I really do. It's just that I didnt expect this to come out like this," Nathan saids.

He called for the bill and made their way out of the place. He drove up a hill just about 7 miles away from RadWalk. They stopped at a really marvelous spot where they can all see the darkness of the night sky above and the colorful sprinkle of lights below.

"I use to go here when I'm lonely..like when she.." He started as he motioned Brooke to scoot a little bit more to him and placed his arm around her.

Silence.

"Nate, d'you wanna know how I fell for you?" Brooke offered as she rested her head on Nathan's shoulder.

"Sure.."

She exhaled deeply the way she inhaled air. "At prom..when we were talking about Luke and I, and you said you like me, it made me nervous. I can so remember it. And when you kissed me, I wanted it but I have to pull away. At first, I really didn't intend for me to fall for you. I just thought that you could use a friend dure to the circumstances, but well, look at us. Then a few months later you ask me out, and I declined you. You just didn't know, Nate. I cried. I cried 'coz I had to refuse you. Because I was in love with him. Your brother. But at the same time I wanted to be with you. I know I told you after you kissed me that I still love your brother. That was partly true. Partly true that yeah, I love him and I really, really like you. So I just told myself that it's just a short phase that I've to go through. That what I feel for you will soon fade away because I thought college would make it go away. At our post-grad party, while we were settling things, I wanted to admit to you my feelings but I was too scared. Too scared to be rejected. And I was also too prideful. Prideful in a way that I care more about what people think of me, my reputation than what I feel so I declined you. Truth is, I've wanted to be with you since prom night. You always make me feel better in every way. Especially with my past problems, you say things that I needed to hear but you didn't know it's making me a whole lot better. You're the one who's always there for me. You always stuck up for me eversince Luke and I ended for her. That's what I know. This is what I know of how I fell for you. Maybe it's not the whole story. Maybe unbeknownst to me, I've always liked you. I just really, really, didn't feel, didn't know."

Nathan smiled as they both locked eyes. He kissed her forehead sweetly. A kiss that said something like "You're safe and secured with me. I'll protect you. I'll never hurt you. I love you." For the first time of her life, Brooke finally realized that having a quiet surrounding is such a great feeling.

Two hours passed, the two fell asleep. Brooke's head resting on Nathan's shoulder and Nathan's head on hers as he put his arms around her. Suddenly, Nathan's cellphone vibrated which woke him up. He slowly reached for the phone in his pocket to avoid waking Brooke up. The screen read "mom." He answered it.

"Yeah?" Nathan said in a whisper.

"Nate, I know this is short notice but you've to come here tomorrow at 8 in the evening?"

"What?!" He raged in a whisper. This is surely a short notice.

"I know you've plans and I'm sorry.. But this is important.. They won't release me unless someone picks me up.." Deb pleaded to her son.

"Mom.." He thought for a second. "Fine.." He said in defeat.

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The next day, Brooke woke up on Nathan's bed around 10 in the morning. She rolled over but she didn't see her boyfriend beside her but on JG's bed. She woke Nathan up for no reason by diving on him.

"Ow!" Nathan exclaimed.

"Sorry.." She giggled.

"You don't sound like it at all. You sound more like happy," Nathan sarcastically remarked.

"I'm really sorry.." She hugged Nathan who hugged back. "Where's JG anyway. Why are you on his bed?"

"Oh that," he said, still hugging. "He texted me last night that he has a date with Patricia so they probably ended up in your - "

"Ew. Ok. I get the picture," Brooke exclaimed as she pulled away and sat on Nathan's rock hard abs. "But why didn'y you sleep beside me?"

"I tried to but you kept kicking me whenever you changed positions," Nathan said and Brooke giggled. He suddenly remembered his mom's call. "My mom called me last night. She said she can go out the rehab."

"That's good news."

"Yeah..but Brooke, listen, I gotta go pick up my mom there. She told me she's allowed to go out but not without any relative whatsoever. I'll be back soon."

"Ok.." Brooke said in a sad voice. "When will you be leaving?"

"This afternoon.." Nathan replied.

"Oh."

"I'll be back as soon as possible," he assured her.

"Okay. But I'll miss you. You're going like 70 miles away from me."

"Yeah.. but I won't let Dan pick up my mom. I promise I'll call you every hour, okay?" Brooke nodded.

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Nathan left for the rehab to pick up Deb. He did as he had promised and called Brooke every hour until he arrived at the borderline dividing North Carolina and Virginia where the rehab stood. After a couple of minutes, Deb was released.

"Wanna eat somewhere?" Nathan asked as he drove by a restaurant.

"Sure.." Deb replied.

"Look mom, you'll be staying at our house in Tree Hill okay? If you don't want to, go ask Karen."

"I'll take care of that," Deb replied. "So how are you?"

"I'm ok. You? You done better in there?"

"Yeah.. They're all nice but after four years, it got boring," she said. "How 'bout you? How's college life?"

"I quit Duke because for one, I've a girlfriend," Nathan proudly said.

"What?! You quit Duke for you girlfriend? Why, what a sacrifice Nate. I'm proud of you. And at least you're moving on. But who's the lucky girl?"

"Brooke."

"Well that is unexpected!" She exclaimed.

"I know. I didn't expect it too."

"Nate, would you care to stay with me for another day. I'd like to catch up on you and everything else that's been going on.."

Nathan thought for a bit and said, "Fine. I'll give you a chance. We'll stay in our house."

They ate dinner at KFC. And Nathan drove to Tree Hill. He called Brooke and told her about his mom's invitation. Brooke was kinda disappointed yet she understood the situation so it's okay for her.

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Brooke was in her dorm, alone. She hung up the phone when she and Nathan said their "see you's." Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

She opened the door and her face got all surprised and her heart came throbbing fast.

And there was...

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A/N: Who could it be? Is it obvious or not?