Chapter Thirteen

Up Late Again

It was later that evening and Brooke was exhausted. After Nathan and Haley had left, they ate desert and then watched an old home video of them in high school. They avoided the subject of the departed, and Peyton tried constantly to keep Brooke cheered up. Brooke put her best face on and tried not to let her strained emotions show.

Peyton and Jake were the last to leave, and it was around midnight when they finally went home to Jenny. Brooke walked them out, and she noticed Nathan's car was missing. Her stomach dropped through the floor. They had been gone for hours. Some walk.

She walked back into her apartment and picked her dog up. She nuzzled her face to Audrey's, trying to seek comfort. Audrey gave her a sad look, as though she understood. Brooke shut the lights off and went into her room. She changed into her sweats and curled up in her bed. She tried not to think about what exactly her boyfriend and his ex wife were up to, but she couldn't get them off her mind. Part of her said to be sympathetic towards him. After all, Haley had left him without hardly any explanation. It had torn him up inside. On the other hand, she was pissed off like no other. They had now been gone for over four hours, and he hadn't even said where he was going. This was her boyfriend. She had every right to feel upset about him with someone else in the middle of the night. Except, it wasn't just somebody else. It was Haley, his first love and first wife.

Brooke rolled her eyes, and then squeezed them shut. She just wanted this night to disappear from her memory. Everything was going great until the bitch showed up. Brooke sighed. When she had left, she was upset with Haley for leaving, but she had no hard feelings towards her. And now... Brooke couldn't help but think of reasons why Haley would be back. She knew one thing. Haley was not getting her ex back. Hell would have to freeze over before that happened. Brooke had found a great guy in Nathan, and she had fallen for him. Hard. So there was no way she was letting him go without a fight. Then again, Haley may not be back to take Nathan away. Maybe she just felt it was time for a visit. Yeah, right.

Brooke knew it wasn't exactly fair of her to be pissed at Haley when she still didn't know of her intentions, but then again since when was Brooke Davis fair? She had been the sweet, good girl for too long now. The best role she ever played was being the bitchiest bitch in town, and claws would definitely be coming out to Haley if she tried anything. Brooke was also upset because this was supposed to be she and Nathan's special night. She had been ready to let herself go to him, and now that just wasn't in the cards. Haley sure did have a knack at bad timing.

A few minutes later, Brooke had fallen into a light sleep. She was absolutely exhausted. This had been a very draining evening, one she wished she could forget. She was sleeping, therefore she couldn't hear her front door open.

Nathan put the hidden key back where he found it, and slipped quietly into Brooke's apartment. Audrey bounded up, ready to take on the intruder. "Shh, its me." He assured the dog and then tried to find his way through the dark place. Brooke's bedroom door was cracked open, and he slowly pushed it open. He couldn't help but smile at his sleeping girlfriend. She looked relaxed and calm. He had a feeling she wasn't going to be that way when she was awake.

He walked up to her and sat next to her. She stirred slightly, but didn't wake up. He sat there and stared at her. He had to explain to her exactly what happened that night. Who knew what was going through her head. He put his hand on her thigh, and she opened her eyes. When she saw him sitting next to her, she woke up fast.

"Nate?" She squinted her eyes at him. "What are you doing here?"

"I told you I would be back. I didn't want you to worry."

She laughed scornfully. "Why should I worry? You are just who knows where in the middle of the night with your ex wife."

Nathan sighed. He had known she would be pissed. "I'm sorry. We just had a lot of stuff to talk about. We talked, that's it. I promise."

Brooke looked down at her bedspread, and toyed with the fringe. "I believe you."

Nathan scooted closer to her. He desperately wanted her to understand. "We took a walk, and she told me why she had left. It was a stupid reason, and I don't really want to go into it. Then, she told me her reasons for coming back." He didn't want to bring this up, but he knew he had to because he had sworn to Brooke he would be honest with her, no matter what the truth was. Brooke looked at him with waiting eyes. "She came back to Tree Hill because she wanted another chance with me." Brooke's eyes narrowed and her defenses shot up. "I quickly told her that wasn't about to happen. I explained I had moved on with someone else."

Brooke murmured, "Did you tell her who?"

"Yeah, and when I said you she was pretty shocked. She definitely wasn't expecting me to say that. Anyways, we talked some more and she said she understood. She said she was glad I was happy."

Brooke had to keep herself from rolling her eyes. She knew there was no way Haley would give up that easily. "So, all of this took over four hours?"

"No. That was our walk. We came back here, and I asked her to go out for coffee. We went to the local coffee shop and just talked. She caught me up on all that had happened with her career. She's genuinely happy for us, Brooke."

"I'll bet," she said sarcastically.

Nathan took her hand. "Brooke, I swear that's all we did. After that, I took her back to her hotel. Then I ran to the drugstore and came back here."

She looked at him, and knew he was telling the truth. "I believe you."

"Really?"

She sat up and positioned herself so that she was comfortably in his arms. "I trust you, Nate. If you say nothing happened, then nothing happened."

He kissed the top of her head. "Good. I also want to apologize for before. I know I acted like a jack ass when Haley first arrived. I dropped my arm, and I am sorry. I guess just seeing her was a little shocking for me."

She assured him, "It's fine. I am not holding that against you or anything. Yeah, it pissed me off right then, but I'm over it. Trust me." He leaned down and gave her a kiss, one she had patiently been waiting for. "Nate, we can work if we just talk about stuff like this."

"I know. Trust me, I want us to work."

She raised one of her eyebrows. "So, what did you go to the drugstore for?"

He laughed. "You would like to know, wouldn't you?" She nodded, and he stood up. He walked out of the room and came back carrying a dozen red roses. She smiled when she saw them.

"Nathan, they're gorgeous. Thank you, you didn't have to do that."

He sat next to her again, wrapping his arms around her. "Yes, I did. I was serious that night we got together. I am committed to you. Haley is just a past relationship. She meant a lot to me six years ago, but now she doesn't. Sure, I care for her, but that's as far as it goes."

Brooke grinned. She had definitely lucked out. She had the best boyfriend in town, maybe even the state of North Carolina. She kissed him. "I love you so much."

He smiled down at her. "I love you too. You have no idea how much. I am sorry our night was ruined."

"What do you mean?"

He cleared his throat. "Well, I know tonight we had planned on... you know."

"Oh, yeah. That," she said, pretending she had forgotten. "Who said it was ruined?"

He looked at her, surprised. "Well, I just thought that since..."

"Haley came back then we couldn't? Yeah, right. I'm not letting that girl get in our way. I meant what I said Nathan. I want you, tonight." She pulled him down, kissing him passionately. She knew this night was going to be very special, one that she would never forget.

Author's Note: Again, you guys are awesome with your reviews. Hopefully, this chapter mad esome of you happy. But don't think more drama isn't on the way. In the next chapter, Brooke and Haley have it out. Who will Nathan back up? Haley can be pretty convincing...

kaos2405: Thanks, things got better this chapter, at least I hope so!

Ababy99: Girls really are like that, I've done that before myself. Nathan, being the sweetheart he is, comes back in a fun way this chapter, but its the next chapter you might want to worry about... lol thanks for the as always great review.

msCrazy: Glad to know I have sucha dedicated reader/reviewer! I will have the next chapter up soon, because I am already working on it. Thanks!

Mony19: No problem, just glad you reviewed now! Trust me, the old Brooke will be coming back in a major way in coming chapters...

animefanatic36: Thanks! Glad you are enjoying it, and in response to your question, you will have to find out...

Review please! You know I love them.