Haley opened the door to the Isolation Unit. She was surprised to see someone already scrubbed up sitting by Lillian's bedside.

"Brooke…is that you?"

"Hey", the brunette said. "No one was here and the nurse said it was alright if I sat down."

"It's okay…"

"I'll just leave and give you guys some time…"

"You don't have to. Stay if you want."

Brooke nodded as Haley pulled up a chair beside her.

"Lucas ran back to our hotel and I was just checking out the little diva here."

Haley smiled.

"She was up for a few hours this morning but it looks like she's knocked out now."

"She's so cute."

"I, um, I had a chance to go home earlier and shower and change. When I got to the apartment, there were all these boxes there full of baby clothes and toys. You know anything about that?"

Brooke shrugged.

"I was in a shopping mood. I thought I'd pick out a few things."

"A few?" Haley laughed.

"What? It's not much. Just a couple of things from Toys 'R Us and some clothes from Baby Juicy and Baby Gap and Dolce and Gabanna."

Haley shook her head as she smiled.

"Dolce and Gabanna…"

"Think it's too much?"

"For a two month old? Yeah but what the hell, I guess. It's just kind of funny that my infant daughter now owns more designer clothes than I do."

"They can never start to early, trust me."

"Thanks, Brooke. I mean it. That was really sweet of you."

Brooke nodded as they sat in silence for a while.

"Wow, this is…awkward."

"It didn't use to be", Haley observed.

Brooke looked away.

"That was a long time ago."

"I know. It feels like a life time ago. Anyway, I just thank you and Luke for being here at a time like this. This is probably the last place you envisioned you'd be spending your summer vacation."

"It's okay. Besides, it's family. Where else would we be?"

"Well, thanks just the same."

Brooke took a deep breath.

"Haley, look, I, um…I know we haven't talked a lot over the years and I know when I did see you, I wasn't exactly heading up the welcome wagon."

"It's cool, Brooke."

"No, it's not cool. I feel kind of bad about it."

"It's over now. You don't have to explain."

"Yes, I do. Because I've never really talked about it before. Not even so much with Broody. You know, when you left, for whatever reason you did, you left Nathan in a lot of pain."

"I know."

"It was so hard to see him hurting like that but he wasn't the only one you hurt."

Haley took a deep breath.

"I know, I know. I really hurt Lucas, too. I know that. And because of that, we haven't been as close over the years. I'm sorry I did that to him and I wish we could have been a bigger part of each other's lives."

"That's not what I'm talking about."

Haley frowned.

"What are you talking about?"

"Me", Brooke said in meek voice.

"You?"

"Yeah…me."

"I don't get it."

"Before junior year, our lives were a world apart. You were the tutor and Luke's best friend and that was your world. I was rich and popular and captain of the cheerleaders dating a different guy each week. I was happy…or at least I thought I was. I mean, that was just the way things were supposed to be. Then Lucas joined the team and everybody's life got turned upside down."

"I know."

"I fell in love with him and I became friends with you. Even after that drama with him, Peyton and me…through it all, we were able to be friends. And I got to know you and it was pretty cool. Besides, Pey, I'd never really had real girlfriends before."

Haley laughed out loud.

"Yeah right. You were the most popular girl in school. Everybody worshiped you. What about Bevin and Teresa and everybody?"

Brooke shrugged.

"They were cool. I liked them. We shopped together and partied but other than that and cheerleading, I mean, what did we really have in common? People wanted to hang around me because I was pretty and rich and the cheer captain and the head of the 'in crowd'. But how many of those girls really got to know me or even wanted to know the real me. With you it was real, you were real. For the first time I had someone I could have fun with and talk to."

"Brooke, I…I had no idea…"

"So when you left…when you just up and left without so much as a good bye and a look back, it didn't feel like you were just abandoning Nathan. I got left behind, too."

Haley saw a pain and sincerity in Brooke's eyes she hadn't seen before.

"Oh my God. I don't know what to say. I mean, what can I say? Brooke, I've apologized a billion times. I don't think it's so much what I did but how I did it. For that I can understand the anger and hurt. It hurt me too and I've lived with that every day since. Losing Nathan is one thing but I lost everyone else, too. Lucas, Jake, Peyton…you. I had no idea it affected you so much. So many times I wanted to pick up the phone and call."

"But you didn't."

"I couldn't. That might seem like a nice cop out but it's the truth. But it didn't mean that I didn't miss you guys or that I didn't love you because I do. I still do, Brooke. I guess I could spend all day explaining or trying to justify my actions but in the end, it just comes down to the fact that I'm sorry if I hurt you. I truly mean that. It was never my intention to hurt anyone."

"I know", Brooke said softly.

"I just hope that you forgive me. And I hope the past doesn't get in the way of our future together."

Brooke smiled as Haley hugged her. It felt good to let it all out and finally resolve the situation after so much time.

"Wow, Tutor Star…"

"Tutor Star?" Haley laughed out loud.

"Give me a bone, please. It's original at least and excuse me for not coming up with something better but all my spare energy is spent on trying to figure out what to call your daughter."

"Join the club", she rolled her eyes.

Brooke shared her smile.

"No, I was just thinking. I was wondering if…if things will ever be like they used to."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. I wonder if things could ever be the way they used to back when we were kids growing up in Tree Hill. Do you think…"

"Do I think what?"

"Never mind."

"No, say it."

"You think you and Nathan will…I don't know. You think maybe in the future, there's still a chance?"

Haley sighed.

"I've thought about it so many times. There are a million 'what ifs'? But honestly Brooke, right now I don't see that happening and truthfully, I don't know if I want it to anymore. My mind and my heart just isn't there anymore. The only thing I'm worried about is my daughter. When I was pregnant and when she was born, I was really depressed. I wasn't myself. It's so scary to be in such a dark place and not know why you're there or how to get out. But Taylor and Chris did everything. I am so grateful for them but now it's my turn to step up. And that's exactly what I plan to do. It's time for me to be a mom. Nothing else matters. Not Nathan or my career or anything. It's all about Lillian from now on."

Brooke nodded.

"I get you. It makes sense, I guess. Maybe it's stupid or whatever but I just get this feeling like no matter what happens or how you slice it, that you and Boytoy were meant to be together. Hell, it might take you two 50 years but I think eventually that's where your cards lie."

"Who knows?" Haley shrugged. "Could be true or that could just be a case of wishful thinking."

"Who's to say it's not a mixture of both? Because even now despite everything that has happened and everything that has threatened to keep you guys apart, when I think of you and Nathan, I think of two soul mates. I think of a love more powerful than time or defeat or pain or obstacles. I think of two people meant to be, no matter what. And that gives me hope, Haley. It gives me hope for you and for Lucas and me and just for anyone else out there who has ever truly fallen in love."