NOTE FROM AUTHOR/

I think this is the worst chapter I have ever written but it was written quickly so, just read through it. A better one it coming.

Swedishblonde: Thank you! Your comments make me smile.

Nathan'sRaven: That's pretty much the plan with Reagan, but Reagan puts things into perspective for Haley and Haley sees much of herself and her choices reanalyzed and rethought through Reagan. The other characters do play out later. And Reagan explains them to Haley. I've already written that chapter. That's two chapters away. Right now it's more into Brucas and Peyton reunion. Neyton probably won't happen for awhile. I want one romance at a time or Brucas to at least find some footing. You are like my best friend on the sites. Update soon!

GingerSnaps14:I'm flattered. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing.

Chapter 11

Finding my way back

Brooke stormed into the kitchen. Karen looked up from the dishes she was washing as Brooke froze.

"Busted." Karen smiled and turned off the tap. She shook the water off her hands then walked over to the table. She slowly lowered herself into a chair and patted the on chair next to her, motioning across the room for Brooke to come sit down. Brooke slowly walked over and sat next to Karen.

"How have you been doing Brooke?"
Brooke looked like a deer caught in the headlights, or at least a child getting caught red handed. Karen's heart squeezed watching Brooke talk as if she was being questioned. "Good."

"Remember when you lived at my house? We had a connection, one that I never thought we would. I loved you like a daughter. Remember when I used to catch you coming home late at night?"

"Yes, you used to sit in the living room until I returned, if you even knew I was out. I sort of feel like, I did then. Am I about to get a lecture? "

"No sweetie. Remember how when I punished you I always said it was because I cared?"

"You were the only one to ever punish me…."

"I know. But even after all the times I punished you, you never got mad at me. Being punished was new to you, but you always shaped up. You never held a grudge, even after you were long gone out of my house. Why is it now, when you are a full grown adult, that you are pushing me away? I know you left dear, but I am still the same Karen."

"I'm sorry Karen!" Brooke exclaimed, wrapping her arms around the older woman.

"For what?" Karen asked. It felt so good to hug her daughter-like figure again.

"For leaving you, for pushing you out. All of it."

Karen patted Brooke's back. "It's quite alright."

Brooke broke away with a smile and rubbed away some tears that had welled up. She felt like a barrier had been broken, a weight lifted. "You're not the only emotional one."

"Brooke, Brooke, Brooke. One Tree Hill has been to quiet without you. May I ask why you left anyways?" Brooke shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Does it have something to do with that son of mine?" Brooke weighed her options in her head. She couldn't tell Karen a lie, yet she couldn't bad mouth her son. Hearing no reply Karen smiled and put a hand on Brooke's shoulder. Many times in Brooke's life adults had put hands on her shoulder. Her parents never even hugged her. In order to feel superior it had always been just a hand on the shoulder. But here in a kitchen, with the mother of someone she had been plotting revenge against she felt a different reaction to the action. She felt warmth.

"Brooke, what ever yours and Peyton's reason for leaving I am sure it is justified. You don't have to tell me, but just because I am Lucas's mother, doesn't mean I will take his side. Just promise me you will give him what he deserves and hold him responsible for his actions, which by knowing you I'm sure you are. Just know, no one missed you as much as he did, though I think I could compare."

Brooke laughed lightly at the woman's uncanny ability to read minds and felt an inkling of shame come towards the end of the speech. Regardless she was to far ahead to turn back now.

"Thank you Karen. Karen….What has happened in Tree Hill, since we left?"

"Well Nathan and Lucas moved for basketball."

"How is Nathan?"
"Last time you saw him he was just started to warm up to the idea of dating after Haley. Well as I've been told, he can still be a wreck if someone mentions her name but all-in-all I think he is moving on. I don't know, Lucas doesn't talk much about it. But he is in the sports tabloids a lot. I haven't seen him because I don't read those magazines, but who knows?"

"How did you and Keith come about?"

"You and Peyton were there when things didn't work out with Andy."

"Yea. It was at the same time when Peyton was still mourning the loss of Jake, and Deb had been grieving a month over Dan. I rounded everyone up at Peyton's and brought dirty cds, lots of Ben and Jerry's and chick flicks."

"It was strange going to a teenager's sleepover but it helped me. But anyways, Keith reappeared about the same year you left. You guys left right after high school, he returned in the winter. Jules had died."

Brooke gasped. Although she had never liked the woman, and had heard nasty things about her, she didn't want her to die!

"As the story goes she was…..stabbed….by an ex who had hunted her down. She had died two month after she left. And once Keith found out, while searching for her himself, he mourned in private for about two years before coming back. We made up, as friends and within the last year sparks have been flying, we started dating, and now…I'm engaged."

"What about Andy?"

"He's coming to the wedding. We are still friends…"

"Are you sure that's wise?

"Yes, actually. I am in the process of being a matchmaker."

"Deb?"

"Deb!"

Brooke took a few moments to let the information absorb.

"Erika got married."

Brook was zoning out and to this she snapped to attention. "What?"

"Yes to that one boy, that you call…mouth. They eloped sometime within the first year of College. They are still living happily married, with one child. You're going to have to visit them. Hmmm…Nathan and Lucas made up when you were here; well they got in a fight about Charlotte. You remember her?"

"Yes. She moved into my old house. She was alarmingly pretty and too much like me that I had many plans to get at her. I never followed through with any…But now I wish I had. What do you mean they fought over her?"

"About her, dear. Well Lucas became great friends with her and Nathan thought she wanted more. Nathan slept with her once when he was still in his grey stage but now everything is black and white. Nathan didn't have feelings for her, just wanted to fight with Lucas about something. Lucas turned to her when all three of the women in his life walked out on him but it was nothing more then friendship. In fact Charlotte is currently dating Tim. But I don't think anything will come of it."

"Friendship can lead to much more."

"Yes it can, but Charlotte is a sweetie. A party girl maybe, but she's a little to much like someone else I know. Lucas could never get involved with her without having nightmares about someone else. She would always be the replacement, and I don't think Lucas would do that to her…"

Brooke nodded. One day was sure full of information and events. "Well I better get back to Peyton and Lucas. Who knows what they are doing in there…."

Karen laughed and shook her head. After all the information Brooke still hadn't caught her drift yet. "I'm sure they are missing you. Hurry on in there missy."

They hugged once again and Brooke slowly walked towards the threshold of torture. After the scene they had just had it was interesting to see how things would play out.