Chapter 9

As soon as the phone started ringing Brooke got that empty, nervous feeling in her stomach. Her eyes remained on the ceiling fan as she carefully watched it spin around and around. "Thirty-five, thirty-six, thirty-seven…" She continued counting each rotation. Her voice got louder and louder with ever rotation as she tried to block out the sound of her ringing phone. "Thirty-eight, thirty-nine…" By forty she was basically screaming.

Once the ringing ceased, she casually rolled over and checked the caller ID. One missed call. Lucas Scott. Brooke rolled her eyes and turned back on her side. She tapped her fingers on her stomach and stared at the blank television screen. The clock flashed 6:47 and she shook her head in disgust.

He left the apartment nearly four hours ago after he and Brooke had the screaming match of the century on her apartment balcony. He told her he loved her. She told him she never wanted to see him again.

How screwed up was that?

The only two things she had ever wanted were right there in front of her, in her reach, and she pushed them away. Love and Lucas walked out of her door at 2:33 that morning. She would remember that time for the rest of her life because it was the moment everything changed. It was the first time that she felt like he was really gone and like he wasn't coming back.

And that's what scared her more than anything, the fact that he was never coming back, the idea that no matter what she said or how hard she begged he wasn't going to come back.

Even though he had just called and that meant he obviously had something to say to her, Brooke was scared because she didn't want to hear all the negative things that Lucas had to say to her. Therefore, she just pretended like he didn't call at all.

There was a knock at Brooke's bedroom door and for a second she considered ignoring it. Then for another moment she wondered if it was him. Maybe he decided not to listen to her. Maybe he decided to come back and tell her it was okay. Maybe she was just confused as to what she wanted.

She threw herself off the bed and opened the door quickly with a smile plastered across her face. The smile dripped away when she realized it was the other Scott brother. "Oh." She turned around and threw herself on to the bed, "It's you."

"Nice to see you too," Nathan said as he closed the door behind him.

Brooke threw her hand up, "Not tonight."

"It's morning, Brooke."

"Exactly," She said as she sat up on her bed, resting her back on the pillows that she didn't sleep on the night before, "Why are you awake so early?"

"Couldn't sleep," He said slowly as he adjusted his body moving it to the top of the bed with Brooke.

"Seems to be a reoccurring theme around here." Nathan looked at her, confused, and she shook her head, "Nothing." She slowly cocked her head to the side to get a better look at him. She smiled at his sad eyes, "What's going on with you Nate? Even through out my fight of the year with Luke last night I could tell that something was going on with Haley." She watched him slowly nod his head and she continued, "She really wanted to see you last night, Nate."

"I know, I know." He leaned back and dug his hands into his pockets, "I want it to work I really do, but…"

Brooke blinked hard at him, "But what?"

"I just don't know if it's going to." He turned his head to look at Brooke. As he looked away, he closed his eyes and thought back to the past few days. "Things used to be so great, ya know?"

She nodded at him, thinking about how good things between her and Lucas had once been. "But they can't always be that way." She put her hand atop Nathan's, "People change, Nate, Haley knows that and I think you do too. You can't deny the inevitable."

Nathan smiled at her and fluffed the pillow under his head, "Mind if I stay here for a bit?"

Brooke smirked at him, "No, go ahead, it's nice to have company." She closed her eyes for a moment and then looked straight ahead, "Sometimes I can be in a crowded room and feel more alone than I ever have." She turned her head to look at him, "Have you ever felt like that?"

"Yeah," He nodded slowly at her, "Back in high school Haley and I would be sitting in a crowded restaurant or be at a basketball game and it would feel like we were the only two people in the room."

"I know what you mean," Brooke said, not letting her gaze drift.

"But it's not like that anymore."

"Things change. Nothing can stay the same."

"Sometimes I wish it could."

"Most of the time I wish it could."

Nathan smiled at her and put his arm around her, pulling her close, "You're great you know that?" She smiled back at him and nuzzled her head into the crook in his neck. "Brooke?" She slowly glanced up at him. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" She asked him, quizzically.

"Just things. The way things are for both of us now." He kissed her on the head, "Things will get better I promise."

Brooke's door swung open to Peyton standing in the doorway. Her face was white and looked as if she had just saw a ghost, or maybe heart from the guy who once broke her heart.

"Jake called." She said, sounding noticeably shaken. Her hands dug into her mop of curly, blonde ringlets. She covered her eyes with her hands and slowly lowered her head. "This can't be happening. I was fine until… just a second ago."

Brooke jumped off the bed and motioned to Nathan to do the same. She put her hand on her friend's back. Nathan put his arm around her, "You are going to be fine."

"Yeah," Brooke said, as she put her hands on Peyton's cheeks, "You can still be fine."

Peyton shook her head, letting her hair fall into her face. "No, this changes everything. Nothing can be the same now." She quickly wiped a tear away from her face, "I am a mess now."

Brooke put her arm around Peyton and carried her to the bed. Peyton collapsed into Brooke's arms and began to sob. Brooke looked up at Nathan, who was leaning against the door frame.

As Brooke looked past Nathan, she noticed a figure walking through the front door. She took a deep breath and blinked hard at the sight. It was Jake.

She whispered into Peyton's ear, telling her to stay in the room and just rest. Nathan followed Brooke out of the bedroom and into the living room.

Jake dug his hands deep into his pockets and slowly cocked his head to the side, trying to peak into the back bedroom. "I guess I should have given more of a warning," He said as he chewed on his bottom lip.

Brooke stood on her tip toes and engulfed him in a hug. She slowly pulled away, "Jake, what are you doing here? Why didn't you tell anyone you were coming?"

He casually shrugged his shoulders as he stared at Nathan, "I thought it would be easier this way."

Nathan's phone began to ring from his pocket. He quickly pulled it out and answered, "Hey."

"Scott, what's up? It's Carter."

"I know who this is." Nathan reached for the door knob and quickly scurried out the front door.

Brooke looked at Nathan confused and then looked back at Jake. "So what are you doing here? How long are you here?" She shook her head. Jake being back was so much to grasp, "Are you here for good?"

Jake took a step back and nodded toward the back bedroom, "She in there?"

Brooke nodded and whispered back, "She is going to need some time." She leaned across the counter in her kitchen and looked at Jake. She smiled at him and drummed her fingers on the counter top. "You want to go get coffee or something?" She pointed out toward the window, "There is this little coffee shop…"

He quickly interrupted her, "Yeah that would be nice."

She smiled at him and he reached for the front door. Brooke scurried to her bedroom to check on Peyton. She cracked the door open and noticed Peyton fast asleep, wrapped up in Brooke's blanket Karen Roe had made her. She smiled and slowly turned around, tip toeing back to Jake. She smiled at him once more and followed him out the door.

Nathan stood on the balcony leaning against the railing, "Okay, I will see you in a minute."

"Haley?" Brooke asked as she intertwined her arm with Nathan's.

"Yeah, it was Haley." Nathan said, lying through his teeth.

Brooke let go of his arm and pranced down the stairs. She looked over her shoulder back at Nathan, "Don't mess it up even more then it already is. You can still save this."

Nathan nodded at her and looked down at his phone which flashed Haley. She was calling, but he couldn't talk to her right now. He had to go meet Carter.