Authors Note: Bonjour lovely readers! A quicker update than last time as promised but not as quick as I would have liked. I had it wrote down for ages but kept forgetting to type it up. I'm about 3/4 of the way through the next chapter so that hopefully should be uploaded fairly quick.
Only 4 chapters left I'm afraid people :( I'm hoping we can get the reviews to 200 by then so please, if you read the story please comment even if it's just as anon & I'll write a one shot for the 200th reviewer, the storyline can be their choice!
So read/enjoy/review :P

P.S I assume that all of you know about the supposed Sophin break up. I'm still praying that it's not true but something tells me that it is...tragic just isn't the word!

xo

I know a place that we can run to

And do those things we want to

They won't know who we are

Let me take you there

I wanna take you there

I know a place where we can hide out

And turn our hearts inside out

"So when do I get a brief on the general story?" Brooke asked as she tapped Julian's knee with her toes.

"Soon, I promise."

"Okay so when do I met the cast?"

"That, I do know the answer to. We're having a read through tomorrow and I think you should come. But will the character briefs be enough to go off for now?"

"Everything looks good to me."

They were spending their Monday afternoon sat on Brooke's couch discussing the characters of Julian's film. Alex, Chase & Chuck had left for Chicago two days previously in a tearful goodbye but promises of staying in touch. Ryan had a play date with Jamie and Sam was back at school. This left Brooke and Julian to get on with some work, drinking copious amounts of coffee and iced tea.

"I have to go away this weekend," he leaned back on the pillows and looked her in the eye.

"Really? You never mentioned anything."

"No, I know. It's because I only planned it yesterday."

"Oh yeah? And where are you going?"

"Where are we going," he corrected her.

"Excuse me?" Her foot lost contact with his leg and her right eye brow lifted considerably.

"Just hear me out okay? I was thinking that we could take a plane to New York this weekend and just be us. We don't need to worry about someone seeing us and we get to be normal for one weekend."

"But it's not as easy as that. I have Sam and Ryan to think about and if we were to go away for the weekend then that would mean that whatever we're sharing right now, would be an affair. We'd be planning an affair." Her voice was getting higher pitched the more she rambled on.

"It doesn't have to be an affair Brooke. I want to leave Peyton. Plus she's probably having an affair."

"But you love her."

"I do but I'm not in love with her. There's only ever been you that I've loved completely."

"But you proposed to her. You don't just do that if you don't do it. Not you anyway, you're better than that, or so I thought. I don't understand what-" Julian silenced her with his lips and she immediately succumbed to him.

"Just tell me you'll think about it today and give me an answer tomorrow?"

"Promise," she finally agreed.

After saying goodbye to Julian, Brooke couldnt decide what she should do about his offer and there was only one person who could help her with it.

"Brooke, thank God you're here," Haley cried out, reaching for Brooke's arm and pulling her into the back of the cafe. "Try some of this coffee for me. It's my first ever gingerbread cappucino."

She passed the coffee cup to Brooke who took a generous sip and it was truly one of the nicest coffees she had ever had. But her thoughts were somewhere else.

"It's nice Tutor Wife."

"Nice? Is that it?" Haley frowned. The coffee was her new creation and she was expecting more feedback than 'nice'.

"Haley, I need to tell you something but you're not going to like it," Brooke started.

"You hate my coffee dont you?" Haley gasped.

"What? No. I love the coffee. It's about me and Julian."

Haley quickly worked everything out. Brooke had been happier recently, ever since Julian came back. There had to be only one reason for the recent glow in her cheeks, the smile on her lips.

"You're sleeping with him!"

"Not exactly. We've only kissed and I guess he saw me naked the other month but that-"

"He saw you naked? What did you do? See him and throw your clothes at him with that 'come hither' look of yours?" Brooke stared at Haley with a mixture of shock and confusion. "That's the face, right there!" Haley pointed.

"This is my confused face."

"Well your confused face attracts guys!"

"That'd explain all of the attention in high school," Brooke smirked in an attempt to soften the mood. But Haley's face showed that she wasn't joking around.

"This isn't funny Brooke. He's engaged to your best friend. You know how it feels to be Peyton."

"He said he wants to leave her."

"That's what they all say. He gets the best of both worlds. Sex from two women; every guys dream."

"Actually, they havent had sex in weeks and I'm not sleeping with him."

"The point is, he made a proposal Brooke. A vow that he wanted to marry her. Promises like that don't just go away. They mean something."

"I know that and so does he. He loves Peyton, he's just not in love with her anymore. He asked me to go away with him this weekend."

"You're playing with fire."

All of Brooke's worries regarding her relationship with Julian were being emphasised by Haley and maybe she was being stupid by thinking that she and Julian were able to carry on the way they had been.

"I didn't expect you to understand. But I didnt want you to judge me either."

"I'm married and I know how I'd feel if Nathan was cheating on me. I don't want to judge you Brooke, I dont. I love you, but ultimately, what you're doing is wrong. You're hurting your best friend and Peyton doesnt deserve that."

"She's sleeping with Lucas," Brooke blurted out, unable to take the judgement any longer.

Haley didn't doubt it for a second. There was always going to be something between Peyton and Lucas. He had even started writing again but she figured he would have talked to her about it. That's what they used to do anyway.

"She told you?"Haley wondered.

"Yes and now Julian is suspecting too."

"So why dont you let him leave her. They clearly don't want to be together."

"I'm scared. I'm scared of hurting him," Brooke admitted.

"Why would you hurt him?"

"Because...because my only serious relationship that lasted longer than a summer was Lucas and look how well that turned out. I dont think I can fully open my heart to someone. I'm incapable of loving him the way he loves me."

Haley shook her head in disagreement, "You're willing to risk your friendship with Peyton so you must love him right?"

"Like you don't even know."

"Then what's the problem?"

"I can say it to you and myself but I physically can't tell him that."

"Sounds like you're scared of getting your heartbroken again. I had never loved before Nathan so luckily I've never had my heart broken the way you have. But you have to get over that. You cant be unhappy because of a stupid mistake that Lucas and Peyton made in high school and apparently are again." Haley rolled her eyes. How Lucas could be so stupid again, she didn't know.

"So what do I do?"

"You take a chance with your heart, because despite what Julian's doing to Peyton, he's a good guy."

Haley was right. Julian had never intentionally hurt Brooke. It was her who ended their relationship, her who had a baby with her benefit friend and her who was scared about getting her heart broken. Brooke was the one causing all of the problems. Julian was just willing to do whatever Brooke said. He was always thinking about her above himself.

The Tree Hill High School bell rang out and teenagers scurried to escape the school halls. Sam, clad in her regular purple and grey hoody, said goodbye to Jack and walked out of the school entrance to see Julian stood at the side of his parked truck.

"What now?" she said under her breath as she headed towards him.

"Sammy D!"

"Sammy D! Seriously?" she rolled her eyes at him. He towered above her, his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah, Sammy Davis...Sammy D," he beamed proud.

"That's so uncool."

"Oh fine. Just Sampson from now on then."

"Much better. What are you doing here? Arguing with Brooke?"

"Let's get a coffee, I need your advice."

"I can't. It's my turn to get Ryan from Haley."

"Then I'll take you and we can talk on the way," he decided and opened the passenger door to his truck. Sam took a minute to decide but eventually got in the truck and waited for Julian to drive.

"Can I drive?" she tried, after he'd pulled the car out of park.

"I don't think so kiddo. Brooke would kill me," he chuckled, following the road into town. He turned to see Sam smiling to herself with her arm leaning on the door.

"So are you gonna start talking or do I have to beat it out of you?"

"I asked Brooke to come to New York with me this weekend," he stated like it was the simplest thing in the world.

"Are you crazy?" Sam shouted. "That's just gonna make her feel like the other woman...your mistress...A HOOKER!"

"I don't see Brooke as any of them."

"I know that, but you suggesting that you should hideaway for the weekend is only going to remind her that you are doing it behind Peyton's back. You need to decide who you want."

"I already have. I choose Brooke and I've told her but she doesnt want me to break up with Peyton."

"She doesnt? Are you sure you didnt just misunderstand what she said?"

"No. She said loud and clear that I should stay with Peyton. That's why I need your help. You know how to get round Brooke. What should I do?"

"Nothing," Sam said. "I'll talk to her."

"Thanks Sammy. Do you want me to to drive you and Ryan home?"

"It's okay. I always take him to the park when I pick him up. Thanks though."

"Anytime."

She opened the car door and Julian waited for her to get out before driving back to his apartment.

"And how are my two favourite people today?" Brooke called out as she waltzed into her house.

Despite her big decision, she'd had a good day. Her store was finally finished. All that was missing was her clothes, which were being dispatched to be delivered in the next few days in prep for the store's grand opening in a weeks time. Millie was also arriving in town for the opening, after agreeing to help Brooke and Victoria with the running of the store in order for Brooke to design the costumes for Julian's movie. Life was for Brooke, if only her love life was too.

She walked over to Ryan who was sat at the coffee table and kissed his head. He was drawing as usual. She tried to sneak a peek but his small hands attempted to cover his paper.

"No momma, I be no finished," he claimed, wide eyed. Brooke agreed to leave him to it. She placed her purse and jacket on the couch and joined Sam in the kitchen area, where the teenager was sat typing on her phone.

"Thanks for picking him up today," Brooke said and opened the refrigerator, pulling out some chicken. "Chicken and tomato pasta?"

Sam nodded and watched as Brooke collected the chopping board, tomatoes and pasta.

"I saw Julian today," she decided to bring up her conversation with the producer. "He picked me up from school."

"Cause that's not weird," Brooke squinted as she tried to make sense of why Julian would be at her daughter's school.

"He just wanted to talk to me about you actually. When were you going to tell me that he invited you to go to New York?"

"I wasn't going to. It's my decision to make. It's not your problem and Julian shouldnt have got you involved."

Brooke began to chop her tomatoes a little bit more violently than what was probably necessary.

"When are you gonna admit that you love him? You know that he would leave Peyton in a heartbeat if he knew that you would be with him. You guys dont need to sneak around. It doesnt have to be like this!"

"Maybe if we were eighteen again, it'd be different. But we're not, we can't just jump into it. There are other people that we need to consider."

"Me and Ryan?"

"Yes, you and Ryan. I cant just start a relationship. What would happen if it didnt work out between me and Julian, and Ryan got attached. What would I tell him then? It's not fair to let him get attached," Brooke sighed.

Sam reached for the pile of papers on her left and handed the top page to Brooke, who recognised the scratchy illustrations of her three year old son.

"You mean more attached than he already is?" she pointed to the picture and Brooke looked again. Just like usual, there were four people in the drawing; Ryan, Sam and Brooke, but this time, instead of the typical 'dad' figure, it was Julian that stood amongst them like a member of the family. "You've already let him into our lives Brooke, because you obviously thought it was a good idea. Ryan loves him and we both know that Julian adores the ground that Ryan walks on."

Brooke sighed in defeat. Everyone around her found it easy enough to admit that she and Julian should be together but she couldnt. She placed her chopping knife down onto the board.

"I'm gonna make a phone call," she said and picked up the landline phone to take it into her bedroom with her. She tooke a deep breath and without even having to think about it, she dialled Julian's number.

"Hello," he answered.

"Tell me again why you want us to go to New York."

She was pacing her bedroom with nerves. Nervous for what he might do, nervous for what her decision might be.

"I know it might look like I want us to have some dirty weekend away but I don't want it to be like that Brooke. You'll never be my mistress or the other woman. You have always meant so much more to me. I wanted us to go to New York to be like a normal couple. To be able to hold your hand in public and not worry what anyone might think, to take you out for dinner and not have to pretend that you're my friend. It's not too much to ask to get to spend time with someone who means as much to me as you do. I know that we could make it as a couple but I know that you're doubting that so I want you to see how great we are as a couple. It was supposed to be romantic," he finished.

Brooke couldnt speak as the words were still being processed in her head. Her and Julian had been plagued with bad luck since the beginning, she knew that. One weekend away wasn't going to hurt anyone. She didnt want to be like Lucas and Peyton and go behind people's backs but when they're doing the same, it made Brooke feel less guilty.

"It was romantic," she said after a few moments. If Julian hadn't heard her breathing, he would have thought that she had ended their call. "I'm sorry, it's just a big decision to make but I want to come with you."

"You do?"

"I do. I'll come to New York."

A few days had passed and Julian was finally in New York, walking through Central Park. He could see why Brooke loved this city so much but prefered to live in Tree Hill. The city was busy and loud, a lot like LA so he could relate, but Tree Hill had captured his heart recently and he really did love the little, southern town.

To avoid questions, he had decided to come to New York a day before Brooke, she was landing in a few hours time. He had already reserved a table at Angelo's, New York's most prestigious restaurant.

As he sat down on a nearby bench that overlooked the Central Park lake, his phone began to ring. It was Brooke.

"Hey beautiful," he smiled as the words left his mouth.

"Hi Julian," Brooke whispered.

"What time is your plane leaving?"

"It's not."

"Has there been a delay?" he straightened up on the bench.

"Not exactly. Ryan has been throwing up all night. He's sleeping now but I don't really want to leave him. I've never left him when - "

"I understand Brooke."

"You do?"

Of course he did. Sure he was dissapointed but Ryan and Sam would always come first, he would never make Brooke choose between him & them.

"I do. I'll see you in a few days when I get back from New York. I hope Ryan gets better soon."

"Thanks Julian. Bye."

"Bye."

Brooke placed her cell phone on the arm of the couch and looked down at her son's head that lay sleeping in her lap. She stroked his hair that was damp with sweat. Like she said, they were plagued with bad luck.

Authors Note: I felt like Haley's judgement was necessary. What do y'all think? Was she too harsh or not harsh enough? Tell me in reviews :')