Finding Home
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Brooke took a deep breath. She was unbelievably nervous. Not about her question but about what their answer would be.
She had been thinking about permanent adoption for a while now. Ever since she had the usual visit from the social worker. She had said that Brooke was a wonderful foster mother and that she was lucky to have so many people to help her.
Now she was sure of her decision and all she had to do was ask.
Haley sat at a table holding Nathan's hand.
When Brooke had told them about her decision they had practically jumped up and down with joy. Ryan and Julie had become part of the family, of everyone's family. The teenagers had not only become Davis' but they also had become Scott's.
Haley and Nathan needed Ryan and Julie to say yes. They needed to have the two of them in their lives.
Peyton bit her lip and reached for Lucas's hand. He took hers and squeezed it for reassurance. They were as nervous as Brooke, maybe even more.
Before Ryan and Julie came, it was like there was a hole in their family and it felt like no one could fill it. But then they had come. Suddenly their homes and their hearts were filled with joy and laughter again.
The two teenagers brought life and energy back to everyone. They were now part of the family and part of Tree Hill.
Not adopting them wasn't even a question. There was no will she or wouldn't she. It was a when will she? Lucas had been expecting Brooke to ask very soon because he saw how she would look off into space and think hard.
Brooke always tried to think with her heart when she made decisions but when it came to big things she had to think with both her head and heart.
Lucas saw this and knew that the subject of adoption was coming.
Peyton had seen it too and both of them found it hard to contain their excitement.
Brooke looked at Ryan and Julie and smiled. "I know that this is a big step for you guys and I know that you'll want to think about. I was wondering if you two…would like me to adopt you. Both of you."
The room was silent. Ryan and Julie stood their and stared at Brooke. She…she wanted to adopt them? As in officially?
Ryan was the first to find his voice. "Brooke…I really don't know what to say."
Then the bell above the door rang and everyone turned to see who walked in. Ryan and Julie's faces dropped.
Their worst nightmare had just walked in.
Hell had just walked in.
Carrie had just walked in.
"What do want?" Brooke asked angrily.
The Scott's were too shocked to answer. How did that woman know when to ruin a perfect moment? How dare she just walk in like nothing had happened!
Carrie smiled nastily at everyone and said, "I'm here to get my kids back. Ryan, Julie, get in the car!"
Brooke's mouth dropped open as did most people.
These two wonderful children were hers! No way! No way could such a bitch raise such great people. Oh wait, of course! Ryan and Julie said they raised each other with no help from Carrie. That explains it.
Haley was this far from having a panic attack. It was happing again.
Carrie was taking things from her. It was like she was taking Jamie all over again, like the first time. Ryan and Julie weren't her children but they might as well be.
Nathan kept a tight grip on Haley's hand. This couldn't be happening.
Carrie couldn't be part of this. They were supposed to be free of her.
Then it dawned on him. Not only had she nearly ruined his family but she had taken away Ryan and Julie's childhood, making them take responsibility for each other way too soon.
She was going to pay for that.
Lucas glared at the woman standing at the door.
She couldn't get away this! She couldn't just appear and disappear in the children's lives. She had two amazing children and she just ignored them. There was no chance that she was going to get custody of Ryan and Julie.
He wouldn't let that happen.
Peyton had now wrapped both her hands around Lucas's.
She glanced at Brooke who glanced back and in that moment they both knew that neither of them or anyone else would give up Ryan and Julie without a fight.
Peyton didn't care how many court cases it took or how much money it would cost Ryan and Julie are staying in Tree Hill with them. Peyton refused to let either of them go.
She, along with her husband and many more people, loved them to much for that to happen.
Brooke took a step forward and placed a hand on both Ryan and Julie's shoulders. "They're not going anywhere with you."
Carrie grinned again and said, "Of course they are. I want them. And they both know what happens when I don't get what I want."
Ryan swallowed and bit his lip. He couldn't let anything happen to these people. They all meant too much to him.
That the kind of person Carrie is. She never attacks you personally but goes for the people you love most.
They couldn't tell the secret now. He knew he would have to go with her.
But maybe he could do something good before he had to go back to his old life.
He took a step forward, letting Brooke's hand fall from his shoulder.
"Please," he begged, "please let Julie stay here. You never really wanted her. It was always me. Please?"
Julie shook her head. This could not be happing. Her brother wasn't leaving her. He couldn't go off with Carrie and leave her here. She loved Tree Hill and everyone in it but without Ryan it wouldn't seem right.
Carrie looked between Ryan and Julie and a smile came over her face. "That sounds fair. I suppose you want to say goodbye?"
Ryan nodded his head slowly.
"Well then meet me at the car. It's just across the street. Don't take to long." And with that Carrie turned around and walked out of the door, once again leaving disaster in her wake.
Ryan turned around and looked at all the sad and shocked faces. He looked at the girl who, no matter who their parents are, would always be his little sister.
She had tears in her eyes and Ryan found that he had some of his own that were threatening to fall.
He crouched down in front of her and only the two of them knew the significance of that move. When Julie was small and she would cry Ryan, being the taller of the two, would crouch in front of her so that they were the same height. Then he would talk to her and she would stop crying.
But as the years went by, Julie cried less and less and got taller as well so he had done it in a while.
She looked at him as the tears came down her cheeks.
"Ryan you can't go! She'll take you away and I'll never see you again. You can't leave me!" Julie said her voice breaking.
Ryan wiped the tears from her eyes and said, "I need to do this. I need you to let me protect you again."
Julie sobbed and managed to say, "You don't need to protect me!"
Ryan gave her a sad smile, "Yes I do. I need you to promise me a couple of things. I need to promise to stay in school and keep up with your drawing. I need you to promise me that you'll make the right choices in life. I need you to promise me that you'll make me proud."
Julie just sobbed again and threw her arms around her brother's neck. He held on to her as she cried into his shoulder. Slowly she let go of him and he kissed her forehead.
He stood up and walked over to his friends.
"Kyle, Rick, you two have to be the craziest people on the plant…and that's why you two are amazing friends."
For the first time in there lives Kyle and Rick had nothing to say. They just stood up and hugged their friend goodbye.
Ryan moved onto John. "You're not crying on me are you, man?" Ryan joked. John let out a broken laugh.
"Look after Julie for me. Make sure she's alright," Ryan asked.
John nodded and hugged his old friend.
Ryan looked over at Tyler and Zane. "I want you two to make sure Julie smiles everyday, got it?"
The two boys nodded at the him and Ryan gained a respect from them both that he never lost.
Ryan turned to Lily and said, "Keep the boys out of trouble for me."
Lily smiled through the tears and said, "Keep out of trouble yourself."
They shared a smile and then he turned to his girlfriend.
Without a second though he wrapped his arms around her.
As Emily clung to him he whispered in her ear, "Know that I love you, always."
Emily smiled and whispered back "It's rude to say you're in love with a girl and then just leave!"
Ryan grinned and kissed her.
As she pulled away she said, "I love you too."
Ryan slowly let go of her and Lily wrapped an arm around her shoulders as the tears fell from her eyes.
Ryan looked at Brooke and said honestly, "When you have a kid of your own tell them that they're the luckiest kid in the world because they have one hell of a great mom!"
Brooke sobbed and hugged her foster son.
Ryan looked at Lucas and Peyton and wrapped an arm around both of them in a hug.
As they hugged him back he said, "I'm trusting Julie to the two of you. She's yours to protect now."
They nodded and smiled at him. They were losing him for the second time but they just didn't know it.
Maybe it's better that way. They wouldn't feel as much pain.
But they did.
It was as if they were losing a son all over again.
He wrapped his arms around him and they hugged him with everything they had. Tears came to Ryan's eyes. He was being made leave them all over again.
"I love you two. If anyone could be my parents it would be both of you."
Nathan looked at him and said, "And we would be honoured to have you as a son."
Haley's cheeks were stained with tears as she hugged him. She heard the sorrow in Nathan's voice.
"She's not going to let you come back to Tree Hill is she?" Haley asked.
Ryan shook his head. He hugged his parents again before walking back to Julie. Fresh tears came to her eyes and she hugged him again. But this time she wouldn't let go. She held on to his arms and he couldn't pull her off without hurting her.
Tears fell freely down his face as he looked at John and said, "Please!"
John held back a sob as he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Julie's waist. He gently took her hands from Ryan and held them at her side. Ryan slowly walked back to the door. He took one last look and then walked out with tears streaming down his face.
Julie's legs came out from under her and both she and John ended up sitting on the floor.
She cried and cried and John tried to comfort her.
Then her Scott genes kicked in and she got out of John's hold and stood up.
There was no way Ryan was going without a fight.
She walked over to Lucas and pleaded with him. "Please Lucas, we have to stop her. Let's get the car and go after her! We can't just let him go!"
Lucas stared at the girl before him. She had tears in her eyes and other running down her cheeks. He wanted to stop her crying and to see her smile again.
He looked over at Peyton and then Nathan and Haley.
Lucas and Nathan nodded and they stood up. Julie smiled and said, "Thank you!"
They walked out the door and saw Carrie's car diving off with Ryan in the driver's seat.
"I'm coming" Julie said as Lucas and Nathan got in the car.
She hopped in the back seat as did Haley, Peyton and Brooke.
Lucas turned to say no but Brooke pointed at him and said, "Don't try and stop us Scott!"
Lucas turned back around and Nathan drove them all after Carrie's car.
Ryan felt more tears coming but he wouldn't let them come out. He had wiped his face before he got in the car. He wasn't going to let her see him cry.
He drove down the road as Carrie continued to talk.
"I found a really nice place for us in New York. I can still do business from there so money's not a problem. You drive and I'll give directions. You know I hate driving for a long time."
Ryan kept his eyes firmly on the road in front of him. "Fine" he said harshly.
Carrie frowned. "Do you have a problem with that? And look at me when I'm taking to you!"
Ryan kept his eyes on the road. Carrie's temper grew and she gripped Ryan's face and turned his head to look at her.
Those next few minutes were longest minutes for Julie. It was like everything went in slow motion.
She said in the middle of the back seat, looking out between the front seats.
They were right behind Carrie's car. They would wait till a wide road so that they could over take the car and stop them.
Julie saw Carrie's arm reach over and grab Ryan's face. Because of that Ryan didn't see the wide pool of water that had taken over the road.
The car skidded and Ryan lost control of it. At that speed there was no way to stop the car.
It skidded across the road and smashed into a tree.
Nathan stopped the car and there was silence.
Then Julie scrambled out of car and started running towards the car.
Peyton was right behind her and caught her. "No don't touch him! Not until the ambulance arrive."
Brooke was already on the phone calling 911.
Nathan and Lucas ran over to the car and looked in. They didn't touch anything but what they saw made them sick to their stomachs.
The car was a wreck. Metal and glass were moulded together. Carrie and Ryan were both unconscious.
But Haley didn't see the wreck of the car. She saw the blood. All the blood. Peyton saw it too and tried to press Julie's head to her shoulder to stop her from seeing it. But Julie just stood in Peyton's arms and screamed. She screamed again and again.
She screamed her brother's name so loud that some people swore they heard it at the café.
Many of them said it was the most terrifying sound they had ever heard.
The paramedic took his radio and spoke into it.
"We've got a car crash on the west road leading out of Tree Hill. There are two occupants of the car. One male, one female. One is unresponsive but still alive; the other is responsive and alive."
He looked over at the people sitting in one of the two ambulances. The adults looked drawn and tried and the young girl looked worried and exhausted.
The man's partner was beside the responsive victim checking him over.
"Can you tell me your name?" the paramedic asked.
The person just blinked at him, the blood from their head wound spilling over their face.
"Can you tell me your name?" he repeated.
"My…name…" the victim asked.
The paramedic smiled and said, "Yes, your name!"
"My…name…is…"
Ok so first everybody calm down. There's no need to glare at me like that. I promise that the secret will come out soon. Like next chapter soon. Plus the story needed a little drama. Sorry about the cliff hanger but I couldn't resist.