Just so everyone is clear……Flashbacks are in italics and Bold.

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Brooke set the phone in its cradle and picked up her things, she had just enough time to make it to Beth's game. When she got to the arena, she saw Steven right away. He was sitting with their lawyer. She shook her head unable to imagine what would be so important that he had to come to the game.

"Hey guys," She greeted them. The game had just started, so she didn't get to wish her daughter good luck, which had become a tradition for them.

"Brooke, please read this." The lawyer said, handing her some papers. She took them without taking her eyes off of the game. "This is the basis of their argument."

"Bryan, this case is really important to me, but can this wait until later? My girl is out there playing." She said pointing at Beth, and cheering as she scored another point.

"Brooke, he has been going threw a lot of trouble." Steven told her.

"Ok, let me look." She scanned the words, not really reading what was there, but one word caught her eye. "They're saying I abandoned him?" She asked horrified. "I didn't even know he was alive." She practically screamed, but she calmed herself down.

"Yes, that's what they said to give custody to the Scott's. They had to have a reason you weren't able to take custody either. But that's not enough to keep him, especially since you now know about him." He assured her.

"Is Tyler going to be there?" She asked concerned.

"He's going to be called in to talk to the judge privately. Where do you think he wants to live? That's what she's going to ask him."

"Well obviously he's going to say with Haley and Nathan, but that's not fair. He doesn't even know me." She said now with her whole attention taken from the game. She heard the cheering around her but could only focus on losing her son.

"I have an idea, but you guys might not go along with it." He began to say.

"Right now we would do anything to get that boy home with his mother where he belongs." Steven said putting his arm around Brooke's shoulder.

"We could bring Beth in, to talk to the judge privately on Brooke's behalf."

"Would the judge really respond to that?" Brooke asked him.

"Yes, it would be great for you. She could honestly tell the judge what kind of mother you are."

"Then we will be there as a family." Steven said.

"I don't know if you should be there Steven." Bryan said. "Lucas Scott, as I have found out, has not been married and has not dated anyone in a while. So Brooke bringing her husband into the picture would look like she is wanting to take him and have him forget his father."

"What?" Brooke asked confused.

"We are not going to lie. Obviously you are happily married, but do we want to rub in Lucas' face that Tyler will be with not only a parent, but also with another father figure."

"Steven don't you have a client that weekend anyways?" Brooke asked him.

"Sure, but it wouldn't be a problem to cancel."

"No, I think he has a point," she said referring to Bryan, "If you're uncomfortable with Beth coming to Tree Hill with me, then I won't take her. But I really don't want you to lose your job for this trial."

"No, it's fine, you and Beth go, and I'll stay and wait here for you." He kissed her cheek.

"Great, then I will talk to you later," he shook Steven's hand, "And I will see you and Beth in Tree Hill." He said turning to Brooke and shaking her hand.

"Thanks for everything Bryan."

"SO when are you leaving?" Steven asked as the final buzzer rang.

"We leave at the end of the week and well be back in two weeks."

"Why so long?" He asked her.

"Bryan said that the judge would look kindly on me being in town spending time with Tyler before the hearing. You know so that she wouldn't feel like she was sending him across the country with people he doesn't even know."

"Ok, do me a favor." Steven said. Beth came running over to celebrate with her team, her team won. Brooke turned and looked up at her husband. "Keep her away from Kelly and Kelly's family." Brooke knitted her eyebrows.

"I'm sure you've heard of the suicide that happened a few day's ago." The man on the phone asked her.

"Actually now that I'm in California, I don't read the Tree Hill newspapers. Who died?"

"Kelly Fisher."

"I'm sorry but I don't even know her."

"Well she knew you, and she knew you were raising her daughter. She left you secretly in her will."

"Wait Steven's ex-wife, Kelly? She committed suicide? I don't know why…"

"If you would just listen to me…"

"I don't mean to be rude, but I've got to get to my daughter's basketball game."

She was searching for the words to say to him. "Steven…"

"Please save me the lecture. Us keeping Beth from her is not the same thing that happened with Tyler."

"No, I wasn't going to say that." Brooke replied, Beth ran to them excitedly.

"The first win of the season!" She yelled causing her teammates to cheer. "Did you see me?" She asked her smiling parents.

"You were amazing." Brooke said pulling her into a hug.

"Yea, by far the best player." Steven boasted. Beth excitedly hugged her dad.

"Emily's mom is taking the team for pizza, and she said she could drop me off at home later. Can I go?"

"Sure, but be home early." Brooke told her daughter. Brooke looked over at Emily's mom, who smiled and waved at her.

"Have fun." He called to her and turned back to Brooke. "What were you going to say?" He asked her. She sat back down on the bleachers and he followed her lead. She took his hand and tried to decide where to start. With the strange call, the secret will, or the death? She took a deep breath and dove in.

"So, since the whole Tyler thing, I've found myself reading the Tree Hill newspapers," Steven nodded like he already knew she did this. She felt guilty for lying but she wasn't ready to talk about the phone call from earlier. Brooke didn't think she could actually say the words, so she pulled out the article she printed from the computer. He took it and read it aloud.

"An unlikely suicide saddens all of the area," He paused and glanced up at her. "What's this?"

"Keep reading." He obliged and scanned the article.

"A local woman, Kelly Fisher was found dead late last night in her bath tub. She was found by her parents, and taken to the emergency room. They pumped her stomach, but the painkillers had already killed her. The police are convinced that it was suicide, but took her brother Ethan Fisher in custody. The allegations are that he gave her the pain killers, and he is being charged with contempt murder." He finished reading and looked up. Brooke searched his face for emotions, hoping he would be upset by this news. "I can't believe this." He said quietly.

"I know, I'm so sorry. It's ok to be up…"

"Why would she ever do this?" He asked Brooke, she could feel him about to break down and she was happy, not for the tragedy but because her husband did care.

"We'll never know." She was about to continue consoling him and tell him about the call from earlier, but paused to find the right words.

"Good riddance!" He said standing up. He pulled Brooke up with him and they headed for the doors of the now empty gym.

"That's a horrible thing to say!" Brooke said stopping him.

"You really wanna know why I'm happy?" He asked stopping with her. She nodded in response. "Now Beth will never have to know the trash that was her mother." He smiled, "Kelly will never come back spreading lies and poisoning our little girl."

"Kelly left you a safety deposit box at the Sun Trust Bank off of Sunset BLVD. Inside is an important document that she wants you to have." He told Brooke.

"What kind of document?"

"She never told me the contents, but she said that it is the secret that they have been hiding."

"They?"

"She said that your husband knows about it."

"I'm sorry but as far as I knew, Kelly was a crazy drug addict."

"Who told you that?" He asked not in an accusing way but in a curious way like he was going to prove her wrong.

"Steven…"

"Exactly. Now will you please listen to me?"

"Go ahead."

"I have the key in my possession and I must give it to someone you trust here in Tree Hill."

"Why can't you just send it to me?"

"What lies?" Brooke asked thinking back to what the man on the phone told her. What was this big secret, and obviously Steven already knows. Kelly was telling the truth about that one.

"Oh you know, the usual lies that mothers tell when they abandon their children. When they want to be back in their children's lives." He spoke like it was the most common thing in the world. Brooke narrowed her eyes, trying to read him, but she couldn't see anything but his victorious grin.

"It's over Brooke. We don't have to worry about her anymore. She's ours forever."

"She expressly said that if Steven saw a package for you, or found out about this then he wouldn't give it to you, and destroy the document."

"He would never…"

"If you trust your husband, that is fine with me, but I have to follow my clients wishes. And I hope you do the same. So someone who you trust, and I beg you to please pick the key up directly from that person."

"This is really strange." Brooke told him thinking about who in Tree Hill she could trust. Nathan and Haley might possibly mention this to Steven, and Tyler would tell Nathan and Haley about it. Karen was out, Lucas was out. "Peyton Sawyer." Brooke said before she could stop herself. Why would she have said Peyton?

Brooke didn't know how to respond to him, so she did what she did best. She plastered a fake smile on her face and went along with him. "Your completely right. But…"

"But what?"

"I just thought you might be a little upset." He spun her around laughing and celebrating.

"Not at all." He kissed her deeply. "I'll see you at home."

"Ok…" She watched him walk away, unable to push the weird feelings from her mind.

"She wanted me to read you something from her. Quote, Brooke, this is obviously a strange call, but know that I want what is best for everyone. Please look at the document alone, and believe the words. I'm not happy with the choices of my life and I have died dealing with my demons. Please grant me this last thing. Please do this for my Elizabeth, and do not tell Steven that I've given you this. End quote. I will find Peyton tomorrow and give her the key. Thank you." He hung up the phone leaving her dumbfounded.