House of the Bakers

Julian had been silent at supper and since it was very unlike him to just sit and say nothing, I instinctively sensed that something must have happened. Since he returned from L.A. last week, I suspected it was related to his work. When we got ready for bed, I wanted to find out more about it and sounded him out cautiously.

"Was the casting for your new movie successful?" I asked him while I changed into my nightgown.

"Yes, everything went well."

If it went well why was he in such a brooding mood? "When will the filming begin?"

"In three weeks probably. I have to make some alterations in the script."

Somehow I didn't really progress with my interrogation, so I tried it a different way. "Today, I went to the Mother & Baby Store with Lydia. I forgot how much fun it is to go shopping for baby clothes. Do you remember how we were there and bought everything for Izzy's arrival?"

"Hmmm..."

I frowned. Did he even listen to me? I had to check that. "I'm pregnant!"

"That's great."

If I hadn't been so angry that he didn't seem to listen to a word I had said, I would have found it funny. But that was definitely going too far. Angrily, I glared at him. "Tell me, where are you with your thoughts? I'm telling you that I'm pregnant and your only comment is 'that's great'?" Finally he seemed to understand because he looked at me shocked.

"You're what?!" he gasped.

I stifled a smile. I finally got his attention. "Don't worry. I'm not pregnant," I said, rolling my eyes. "I just wanted to test if you listen to me. Finally it worked."

"That was a mean trick, Brooke!" He groaned and ran his hand through his hair. "I can't deal with another baby for the time being."

I sat next to him on the bed and gently touched his arm. "As far as I'm concerned, our family is complete. But it's something else that worries you, right?" I asked him.

"I shouldn't talk about it, because it's not my business," he began hesitantly.

So I was right. There was something that bothered him. "You can tell me everything. I won't tell anybody."

"It's about Justin," he began hesitantly. "He is not happy in L.A."

My heart constricted. "What happened?" I asked worried.

"Did you know that he has a girlfriend?"

I shook my head mechanically. "Where, in L.A.?"

"No, in Tree Hill. Tom told me that they skype for hours or make phone calls. And because he has only this girl in mind, he gets nothing else done. He is unfocused, sleeps badly, neglects his work, and..."

"Sounds like he suffers from lovesickness," I finished the sentence. "Do you know who she is? Is it someone we know?" As he lowered his head and sighed, I knew my guess was right. "Who is she?"

"I'll tell you, but please promise me not to freak out," he said quietly.

"I promise. And now, tell me who she is!"

"It's Sawyer."

"Sawyer, like... Sawyer Scott, Peyton and Lucas's daughter?" I asked in disbelief.

He nodded hesitantly. "Exactly her. I had no idea, but I guess our kids know. They always know everything before us, anyway." He sighed again. "Sometimes I feel so completely excluded from everything."

"Not only you." I rolled my eyes. "I didn't know either. But isn't she a little too young for him?"

"When you're in love, age is not important. She is as old as Lydia, I think."

I nodded. "Sawyer and Davis are a year and two months apart. So she will be 17 in a few weeks."

"Back to Justin... He won't pass the probationary period at drama school. Tom is really worried about what to do with him."

I looked at Julian thoughtfully. "Should I talk to him? I'm his mother after all."

"I was hoping you would suggest that," he admitted with relief.

"I'll do it tomorrow, but let's go to sleep now," I said with a smile and slipped under the covers. As he lay down next to me and wrapped his arm around me, I snuggled against his broad chest.

"Did you know that Jude has a girlfriend, too?"

I raised my head in surprise and looked at him. "No. How do you know that?"

"I saw them together."

He didn't say more and when he reached for the light switch, I knew that he wouldn't say more about it. Sighing, I leaned back again and then put my arm around his waist. It wasn't long before we both fell asleep.

Los Angeles

Four weeks later

It was probably the hardest decision I had to make in my life so far, but I also knew that I couldn't wait any longer. The phone call with my mom had opened my eyes. She had given me a simple piece of advice: 'Follow your heart'. Sometimes it could be that simple. And I knew she was right. I had to do what my heart told me and, for once, had to follow my instinct. And my instinct told me 'Go, leave L.A., return to Tree Hill and be happy with Sawyer'. My mom had told me the story of how she and Dad had met and how fate had separated them. They had had to wait five long years before they had seen each other again and had fallen in love all over again. I didn't want to wait that long and I couldn't, because my longing for Sawyer and my family grew bigger with every day. Sighing, I opened the wardrobe, took out my clothes and packed them in my travel bag. For nearly three months I had tried to start a new life in L.A. and had failed. But I also knew that this was the right decision. I checked if I had packed everything and then went outside to the terrace where Tom lay on a lounger and sunbathed. When he saw me, he looked up and squinted at the sun.

"Have you made a decision?"

The question was simple and unmistakable, I nodded slightly as I felt a lump forming in my throat.

"You will return to Tree Hill."

It wasn't a question but a simple statement. He knew me better than I thought, which was no surprise, because we had the same genes. "I'm sorry," I said in a low voice, because at that moment I couldn't think of anything better to say.

"No need to apologize." He sat up and took off his sunglasses. "You're doing the right thing. I wish I had done the right thing back then."

Confused, I frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

"I was about your age when I met your mother," he began to tell. "We immediately felt attracted to each other and it didn't take long for her to get pregnant." He cleared his throat before continuing. "She came to me and told me about the baby – about you, but I felt too young to take on such a big responsibility and offered her money for an abortion."

When he stopped and looked at me with a pained expression, I knew that it wasn't easy for him to talk about it. But it wasn't a shock to me. I knew it, because my parents had already told me years ago. "Yes, I know," I said softly. "I'm not angry with you for that - not anymore. Fate meant well with me. I have found great parents and it means a lot to me that you have become part of my life again."

"I swear to you, Justin, if I'd known earlier about you, I'd have tried to get in touch with you. I probably couldn't imagine being a dad at 22, but I wouldn't have denied or rejected you either. I would have tried to find a way for us to be father and son."

I believed him. He had been an integral part of my life since I was four, and I had come to know him as a person who regretted what he had once done and now took his second chance to get it right. He would miss me, this I could tell. "I don't know if I'm doing the right thing," I admitted hesitantly. "All I know is that I have to do it."

"You do it out of love, I only thought of my career and my own life. It was only many years later that I realized what I did to Chelsea at the time."

"My mom... Brooke... told me to follow my heart," I said softly. "And that's why I have to go. But I promise you that we will stay in touch." I smiled sadly. "I was always proud to tell everyone that I have two fathers. And that won't change in the future." When he got up and then spontaneously pulled me into a hug, I could only hold back tears with difficulty.

"Did you already tell Sawyer?" He asked after releasing me.

"No. I want to surprise her," I admitted smiling. "She will celebrate her birthday in a few days. And I want to appear as a surprise guest at her party."

He laughed. "She will get the shock of her life."

"Hopefully a pleasant shock." I stroked a strand of hair from my forehead. "I'm calling my dad now... I mean... Julian and tell him my decision."

"He called me the day before yesterday that he will be back in L.A. this week," Tom said. "You can go to him right away."

I nodded. "Yes, I will do that." We eyed each other indecisively. "That was it, wasn't it?" I asked in a husky voice.

He nodded. "Don't be sad. We stay in touch via skype and you keep me up to date with your love life. Brooke and Julian will be overjoyed to see you back home."

I knew he was right. And it was time to tell them. I hugged Tom one last time, then got my travel bag and left the apartment to drive to my dad's casting agency.