A/N: Ok, I know that it has been FOREVER since I updated this story and I am soooooo sorry. I was finally able to sit down and start writing it again and I got two chapters written so I am posting this one. If anyone is still reading this, just leave me a quick review and I promise I will get the next chapter up in the next few days. Again, sorry it's taken so long. Hope you like the new chapters. Oh and for those of you who caught the mistake, I realized that in the first few chapters somewhere I wrote that Vaughn wanted nothing to do with the boys that went to her school and then later said that she was "dating" CJ. I'm an idiot and I made a mistake so we're sticking with her "dating" CJ and forgetting about the first comment, lol. Thanks!

Chapter Eleven

Brooke woke up the next morning to loud banging on the door. It took her a minute to realize what it was, but then she shot up off the couch, silently cursing at the pinched nerve she had just discovered in her neck.

She would have to remind herself that staying up late watching movies with Nathan was not an option when you had to wake up in the morning.

"I'm coming!" She called out to whoever was on the other side of the door.

She opened it to find Haley scowling back at her.

"Vaughn and CJ slept in the same bed last night. I found her there this morning when I went in to wake him up for school."

"Oh jesus…"

Vaughn and Laney came skulking into the house, brushing past her as they headed for their bedrooms.

"Laney get ready for school. Vaughn, get your butt back over here now."

Brooke invited Haley in but Haley excused herself to see to her own kids since she had left the older ones in charge until she returned. She apologized for the rude awakening and then headed back to her house, casting a quick look at Vaughn before shaking her head and leaving.

"Why is she shaking her head at me? She swears that I like seduced her son or something!" Vaughn began to protest before Brooke had even closed the door.

"Hey, shut up!" Brooke yelled, surprising not only Vaughn, but herself too. She rarely yelled, especially like that, "You listen to me and you listen to me good. Your father and I were lenient and we let you have a so-called boyfriend. We let you date CJ. We let you go over there often. We trusted you. Now you're gonna tell me exactly what happened last night and you're gonna tell me now without so much as a protest, a scowl, an eye roll, or one single negative comment. You have two seconds to start talking."

Vaughn took the two seconds to snap out of shock at the tone her mother was using with her. She had never seen her mom so pissed off in her life.

"Nothing happened." She said immediately, "I swear to you mom, nothing happened. We were watching a movie and we fell asleep. It was innocent."

Nathan stumbled into the kitchen and looked over at the two of them, one eyebrow raised.

"You could wake the dead with that scream of yours." He said to Brooke casually.

She made an angry face at him and then looked back at Vaughn. Falling asleep during a movie was something that Brooke could identify with. She too had done that last night and Nathan was standing in her kitchen as a living testimony of that. So she couldn't be so mad at Vaughn if that was what really happened.

"You better not be lying to me young lady."

"I'm not mom. I promise. You can still trust me. We didn't do anything."

Brooke looked deep into her eyes and could see no signs of dishonesty, so she settled on believing her.

"Go get ready for school."

Vaughn ran out of the kitchen faster than a race horse leaving Brooke to face Nathan who was now pouring himself some orange juice.

"So the boy was trouble after all huh?" Nathan remarked with his casual tone once again.

"No." Brooke bit back, "They fell asleep during a movie. Kinda like two other people I know."

Nathan looked over at her and smiled. He remembered every solitary detail of last night, right down to how she looked as she drooled. Truth was, she had fallen asleep during the movie. He had just watched her and reveled in her beauty.

Somewhere around 3 am he thought about going home but he couldn't make himself leave her. She held him captive even in sleep and so he had moved her to stretch out on the couch, he himself curling up behind her and falling asleep.

Only when he woke up, she was in the kitchen screaming and he was cold.

"I guess I can understand that one then." Nathan took a sip of his orange juice and watched Brooke busy herself about the kitchen, "How'd you find out?"

"Haley brought the girls home and she looked pissed. She told me what happened and then stormed back to her own house. I'll have to go over and talk to her later."

"Well… I think that since I slept here last night and I have no clothes other than what I'm wearing… I'm gonna be late to work so might as well make it good. Need any help with anything?"

Brooke laughed heartily.

"Yeah. You could go wake Tavian up and get him ready for school."

"Aye aye captain." Nathan headed down the hallway and turned into Tavian's room.

The little boy was already awake.

"Hey little man, you're already awake."

"Yeah." Tavian nodded, "But I don't know what to wear. Can you help me?"

"Sure." Nathan moved to where Tavian was standing by his dresser, "It's cold out today. Pants probably huh?"

"Yeah. They gotta be blue though to follow dress code."

Nathan grinned.

"Alright, blue it is." He pulled out a pair of blue pants from the drawer and closed it, "And how about a red shirt today huh?"

"Sure." Tavian agreed when Nathan pulled a red polo shirt from the next drawer up.

"Looks good. Clean underwear…" Nathan grabbed a pair from the top drawer and then closed up the dresser, looking down at Tavian, "Here ya go."

"I can do it by myself now." Tavian took the clothes from Nathan's hands and walked over to his bed, laying them down there, "Thanks Uncle Nate."

"You're welcome buddy. Come find me in the kitchen when you're all done ok?"

"Ok."

Nathan was grinning as he left the room. One room over was his favorite niece, sitting up in her toddler bed but not looking quite awake.

"Saylor…" He said melodically as he stepped into the room, "Saylor…"

Her eyes looked in his direction but she was still clearly on another planet in her mind.

"Come on baby doll." He scooped her out of her bed and carried her out to the kitchen, sitting her zombie like form at the kitchen table before heading to the refrigerator, "One cup of kiddie coffee coming right up."

That comment elicited the first giggle of the morning from Saylor's lips and Nathan smiled. He poured her a cup of chocolate milk and took it to her at the table.

"For the lady in pink, your drink ma'am."

That was the second giggle.

Saylor took a drink and while she sipped, Nathan made funny faces at her. Her third giggle made chocolate milk go up her nose and all down the front of her pajamas.

"Nathan…" Brooke moaned, knowing immediately that it was his fault her daughter was laughing into her cup.

She brought paper towels as Nathan tended to Saylor while she sputtered and laughed.

"Milk out my nose." She giggled happily which made Brooke laugh and Nathan soon joined in.

"That's one way of waking the kid up." Brooke managed to say as she pushed Nathan slightly, "You are no help."

"Who said I was here to help? I'm here for the comic relief."

The episode from that morning was all that Nathan could think about all day long as he sat in his office, pretending to attempt to work. Sure he had helped Brooke and Lucas over the years with the kids. He had done all the dutiful uncle things like taking them to basketball games and the zoo, but this morning… he had felt as if he actually belonged with them, in their home, as an actual everyday member of the family. He wasn't sure though if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

On one hand, he loved them all so much, he could easily see himself as a husband and a father there. On the other hand, that would mean basically replacing his own brother, who he was mad at yes, but who he still loved and respected. He couldn't replace him even if Brooke wanted him which was his third point to himself. Brooke didn't want him. She looked to him as her best friend. Her pal. Her confidante. But not romantically. He had come to terms with that long ago. Or had he?

She had pointed out this morning, between the chocolate milk spill and hustling the kids out to school, that she couldn't believe he hadn't married and had kids of his own yet. He was so good with his nieces and nephew, why didn't he have a few of his own? He couldn't come up with an answer.

Only now, as he thought about that question again, he realized… he had never dated seriously because he had always been in love with Brooke. And since he had never dated seriously, he had never even thought to get married. And without being married, he hadn't thought to have children. So maybe he really hadn't come to terms with the fact that Brooke didn't love him like he loved her. He was still technically waiting for her wasn't he?

"Shit." He cursed out loud and stood from his desk chair, looking out the window at the view below.

He had to do something. He had to date… for real. Find a woman. Settle down. Have kids. He wanted kids. Three or four like Brooke and Lucas had, a middle sized family, not too big or small.

He thought about this some more. Yes, he could date. He could find a wife. He wasn't rich but he was well off. And he knew probably better than he should that he wasn't ugly. Jane told him all the time that he should date. In fact…

"Jane?" Nathan called through his intercom, "Could you come in here for a second?"

"Yes Mr. Scott." She appeared in the doorway almost instantly and he found himself sizing her up.

She was attractive enough. Tall, skinny, long lengs. Her blonde locks fell loosely on her shoulders and when she smiled, her teeth looked straight and white. Yeah, he felt himself thinking, she would be a nice starting point. He could see himself with her, couldn't he?

"Would you like to go out with me Friday night?"

Jane frowned.

"Like on a date Mr. Scott?"

"Yes Jane, like on a date." Nathan smiled but suddenly found himself making a mental note to find out if there was history of mental illness in her family.

"Um… sure. That'd be fine." She smiled at him with her straight white teeth.

"Ok, um… is 7 o'clock good?"

"I'll have to check your schedule."

Nathan almost laughed.

"Do that and then make a note for me that we have a date."

"Ok Mr. Scott."

"And Jane?"

She turned back to look at him before she left his office.

"Yes Mr. Scott?"

"You're gonna have to start calling me Nathan."

When he was alone with his thoughts again, he sat down and began to think of what his future could be like with his detail-oriented secretary. He imagined the house and their four kids. He could see every detail of it all.

And then he realized, that their house greatly resembled Brooke and Lucas's house. And their kids greatly resembled his nieces and nephew. And Jane, the fantasy version of her, greatly resembled Brooke.