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Cold hard sky met the horizon, waves crashed loudly on the beach. Brooke shivered beneath her light sweater and a pair of shorts she'd snagged from Nathan's dresser. She was completely alone in the world now. Her father had been her last family link. She laughed bitterly, her cynicism carried on the wind. Family: he may have been my biological father but he was never there for me.

Brooke tried to imagine what it was like to die, even though she'd hadn't liked her father that much, he'd still been her father and she'd loved him.

While being driven to a hotel in his usual chauffeured limousine with wife number four in tow, a drunk driver had t-boned the limo when he'd run a red light. Both cars had been totaled, the limo driver walked away with a broken arm. The other three people in the crash had died at the scene.

"Daddy I miss you, I wish," closing her eyes, tears rolled down her cheeks. A harsh wind gusted around her, blowing leaves down from the trees.

Sinking to her feet, she lay on the sand in the fetal position and sobbed her heart out. Feeling a presence behind her, she saw Nathan standing there. His dark mocha eyes, sad for her, compassion urged him to open his arms and she ran to them.

"Oh Nathan, how could this be? I must seem like a drama queen, I hated him most of the time, but the times he was around, I wish he could've been more like a real father to me and now I'm all alone. I have no one." Brooke sobbed into his sweater, wrapping her arms tightly around his back.

Standing tall like a tree to protect from the storm swirling around them, Nathan's hands linked around her waist and his lips traveled through her hair softly.

"Brooke it's okay to cry, I'm here for you in anyway you need," Nathan looked down into her eyes.

"Thank you Nathan," snuggling back into his arms. Brooke pushed away the feelings of loneliness and reveled in being in Nathan's arms.

Monday

Having spent the last day and a half with Nathan, Brooke felt weird being apart from him. He'd asked her if she wanted him to come with her to the lawyer. Shaking her head, wiping the tears from her eyes, she had smiled shakily at him. Chiding him for his protectiveness, she'd said she'd be fine.

Nathan looked almost lost when she'd driven away from the school.

45 minutes later

Brooke exited the lawyer's office, a bit shocked by the contents of the will. Her father had left everything to her, a sizeable fortune from his work as a CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Having sold his share of the company last year, it had left him a wealthy man. He'd retired officially last year, a young man at 45.

Brooke went over the meeting with the lawyer.

Since you have no relatives to speak of and since you're only 16, you are still a minor and your father left no instructions for you in terms of someone to look after you.

Skipping ahead to the most shocking part of the meeting.

Your father left the money in a trust fund for you to access when you turn 21, until then you will receive a monthly stipend to live on and eventually enough to cover college if you need it.

Or if you choose to move in with someone who can become your guardian until you are 18, then you will able to access your trust fund when you turn 19.

If you choose to live with a guardian then we will make sure they are appropriate and that you are taken care of.

Brooke sit back and processed that information. "Currently, I choose to live by myself, I don't care about the money, just as long as I have enough to live on."

"Certainly, but we will be assigning a social worker to keep monthly tabs on you, just to make sure you're okay." The lawyer informed her.

"That's fine." Brooke stood to leave. "I'm deeply sorry for your loss," the lawyer extended his condolences to her. "Thank you, when will the social worker be in touch?"

"By Friday," the lawyer answered.

"One more question, is the house going to be sold or am I still allowed to live there?" Brooke asked.

"That is up to you, everything your father owned is now yours, including the beach house," the lawyer replied.

"Beach house?" Brooke was confused.

"The beach house at 2565 Marine Drive," the lawyer read off of the sheet of paper.

"Right, thanks," Brooke smiled falsely and walked out of the office.

Having driven herself out of Tree Hill to where the cluster of beach houses resided in the exclusive area of Gray Point.

She knew Nathan lived at 2329 Marine Drive, she never came out to Gray Point except for the parties.

Driving down the road, she came to a stop at the dead end, on the far corner, nestled in a lush foliage, the sign 2565 Marine Drive was almost hidden.

Unzipping her purse, she pulled her father's ring of keys, the lawyer had given her a box of her father's possessions from the crash. The police had finished with them and returned them to the lawyer for him to give to her.

Closing her car door, she walked up the driveway and her first view was of a three story turret Victorian mansion. It was beautiful, dark blue with a cream trim. Going to the front door, she unlocked it and walked inside.

1 hour later

Brooke shivered and closed the door, locking it absently. Her finger traced the key ring, that house had shown her so much. This was where her father had been a father to her. The living room held pictures of her, framed photos of her and her achievements.

A tear rolled down her cheek, wiping it away. She made a decision and pulled out her cell phone.

"Mr. Brown, I've made a decision, I want you to sell the house on 4668 Riverside St., I'm going to move to the beach house. Thank you. Put a price on it, talk to a realtor, I'll need 2 weeks to clear everything out and then you can put it on the market. Thank you." Shutting her cellphone, she collapsed onto the Victorian swing and cried.

For lost memories and a father she would never know.

Plz R&R. Updates soon.