Nathan sighed, throwing the covers off of Lucas and Brooke's guest bedroom bed. He was sober, after a horrible uncomfortable night of headaches. He recalled the past night's events with a sinking feeling- that Melanie bitch. What had he been thinking? Were the kids ok? Who was with them? God, what are they gonna think about me? Nathan wondered to himself sorrowfully as he trudged down the stairs.
"Hey Brooke?" Nathan asked.
"Nathan…good morning" Brooke said sourly. It was obvious she was on Haley's side.
"Yah…who's with the kids?" Nathan pressed. He wasn't in the mood for Brooke.
"They're at Karen's" Brooke replied shortly, mixing Lena's milk.
"Where's Haley?" he asked timidly.
"I can't tell you that" Brooke said. "But I can tell you she's ok and safe"
"Ok- that's all I needed to hear" Nathan said, getting up and leaving the room silently. He knew Brooke was pissed off at him. He didn't know what he was thinking. He had seen the thunder in Haley's eyes and the heartbreak behind the harsh words and now all he wanted was to hold her and tell her it was gonna be ok. But she refused to talk to him.
"I'm gonna go see Haley" Brooke informed Lucas and Nathan snappishly an hour later. "Lena's asleep, when she wakes up, feed her- Madison's studying and Hayden's sleeping" Brooke informed him shortly.
"Alright babe tell her I said hi" Lucas said uncomfortably and pulled Brooke into a warm hug and kissed her. "I love you, don't forget that, ok?"
"Yeah" Brooke said, and turned around to leave.
In the limo, Brooke cried silent tears. If Nathan could so something like that to Haley…what was stopping Lucas from doing something like that to her?
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"Haley!" Brooke yelled, running into Peyton's house and hugging her best friend. "Honey, are you ok?"
"No" Haley said, her eyes swollen, voice and eyes tired. "How are the kids?" she asked worriedly.
"They're fine, they're at Karen's- they don't know what's going on but I think Karen told Anthony"
"Oh" Haley sniffed.
"Haley…" Brooke said, hugging Haley tighter. "I don't know what to say"
"I don't either" Haley murmured. "I mean I thought he was a trustworthy guy, we've been married for so long…and the poor kids" Haley sighed, tears running down her cheek and her chin quivering.
"Haley, I love you and I will always be on your side, you know that, right?" Brooke asked softly.
"Yah…" Haley said suspiciously.
"But I beg you to at least listen to him about what happened"
"Brooke! I know what happened! I SAW happened!" Haley exclaimed.
"Just talk to him, ok? Give him a chance- what makes you think after 20 years of marriage he would up and go cheat on you?"
"It's in his genes" Haley said sourly.
"Haley that's unfair" Brooke said softly.
"Whose side are you on, Brooke?" Haley asked sharply.
"I am and always will be on your side, Haley- but he's my brother in law and believe it or not, I hate to see him hurt, but I hate even more to see you hurt" Brooke said. "And think about the kids- they must be so confused and hurt and upset- if you do decide to end this" Brooke gulped. "You need to at least talk about it"
"Fine…he can come over tonight when I look decent" Haley consented.
"Ok" Brooke said, hugging Haley.
"Haley, we love you and we're gonna protect you from getting hurt anymore" Peyton said softly, hugging Haley and exchanging worried looks with Brooke. Haley sniffed and got up to go take a shower.
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"Mom?" Madison asked Brooke.
"Maddie…hey sweetie" Brooke said, hugging her daughter.
"Mom what's going on?" Madison asked, tears forming in her blue eyes.
"Maddie…" Brooke said, her throat constricting. She hated seeing her children upset, especially Madison.
"Mom…we tell each other everything, you have to tell me what's going on, Anthony wont pick up his cell phone and why was Uncle Nathan here last night?"
"Madison…something very bad happened" Brooke explained the situation to her daughter. At the end Madison was almost on the verge of a breakdown.
"Does that mean they're getting divorced?"
"Honey I don't know…" Brooke said, taking Madison into her arms. "I don't know"
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"Karen…I wanna go home" Angelina whined.
"Angie, you're gonna have to wait" Karen sighed, sipping her coffee. This whole situation was driving her crazy. Anthony sat at the table, occasionally taking a bite of his breakfast. Suddenly, his cell phone rang. He saw "Madison" flashing on the screen and picked it up reluctantly.
"Anthony?" she asked.
"Yah?"
"Come over to my house, ok? Tell Karen my mom said it was alright"
"Is my father there?" Anthony asked sharply.
"No"
"Fine…I'll call if we can't come"
"Okay" Madison said. "I love you"
"Love you too Maddie" Anthony said, hanging up the phone.
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"They're here Mom!" Madison yelled, running out to greet Anthony and Angelina. Madison pulled Anthony into a hug and he closed his eyes, happy to have someone he could talk to. He was thrilled he was at Madison's, it was like his second home.
"Anthony" Brooke said softly, pulling her nephew into a hug. She knew how much he trusted and admired his father and now…this.
"Angelina, baby, are you ok?" Lucas asked, picking up his tiny niece. She sniffled and settled against Lucas. Brooke and Lucas exchanged a quick look, and they all went inside the house. Angelina climbed into Madison's lap and they all just kind of sat there silently, except for an occasional sniffle from Angelina.
"Does anyone want something to eat?" Brooke asked, thinking that Anthony probably hadn't eaten since last night. Everyone shook their heads and the silence returned.
"Hey angel, do you wanna go to my room?" Madison asked Angelina, who nodded. "Mom I'll take Lenny" Brooke nodded and Madison picked Lena up and the trio went up to Madison's room.
"Anthony, why don't you go get some sleep, huh?" Lucas encouraged. Anthony nodded and went to "his" room.
Suddenly, the door opened, and Nathan came in.
"Nathan! Your kids are here!" Brooke whispered.
"What, I can't see them?"
"Not now! They're so pissed off at you" Brooke said.
"Fine…I'm gonna go sleep, ok?" he asked. Lucas and Brooke nodded uncertainly and he climbed the stairs and was about to walk past Madison's room when he heard a familiar voice and familiar crying.
"Maddie, did daddy do something bad?"
"Angie…I don't know" Madison said softly. Nathan peered sneakily through the crack of the door, and saw Angelina sitting there in Madison's lap, her face streaked with tears.
"Anthony said he did something bad to mommy- is she fine?"
"Angelina! Of course she's perfectly fine, she's at Peyton and Jake's. You can see her later"
"Anthony said she's hurt"
"I think her heart is hurt, Angelina"
"What did daddy do?"
"Angel…" Madison sighed, tears forming in her own eyes. How could she explain this to an 8 year old?
"Maddie, I wanna know!"
"Angelina"
"Fine" Angelina sobbed. Madison hugged her tighter and closed her eyes. Nathan felt tears well up in his own eyes. Not only had he lost the trust of the woman he was madly in love with, but now he had lost the trust of his children, the most important people to him in the world. It broke his heart to see his baby girl doubting him. Nathan immediately turned around and ran down the stairs and out the door, headed for Peyton and Jake's.
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"Brooke, are you alright?" Lucas asked Brooke. She ignored Lucas and continued watching TV. "Brooke!"
"What, Lucas?"
"Why are you ignoring me? Did I do something?" he asked.
"No" she said, her voice breaking.
"Brooke" he said, pulling her into a hug. "What's the matter?"
"If Nathan can cheat on Haley, what's stopping you from cheating on me?" she asked, tears threatening to spill over.
So this was what was bothering her. "Brooke! I would never cheat on you" Lucas said. "I love you way too much to do anything to hurt you"
"But Nathan loved Haley" she said.
"Brooke…please don't say things like that- I can't stand to see you cry" Lucas said, his throat constricting. He hugged Brooke tighter.
"I don't want anything to happen to us" she said.
"Nothing will ever happen to us. God, I can't be without you Brooke! I'd die if I wasn't with you" he said, pulling her closer to him and kissing her hair softly. "I love you way too much- don't ever think I'd do something to hurt you, ok?"
"Ok" Brooke sniffled. "I love you"
"I love you too" he said, hugging her tightly and kissing her. "More than you'll ever know"
A/N: Emotional chapter, huh? Don't worry…it'll get better…REVIEW! And don't forget- I love Naley, Brucas, and Jeyton so I'd never seriously damage them at ALL. Hehe- REVIEW!