"Brooke, come on, we're here," Nathan said as he pulled into their driveway of their new house in Jersey. Since it was a long drive, Nathan and Lucas decided it would be better if they left during the night so they could have the day light to work on the house. Brooke, however, wanted no part in getting up to sit in the car for nine hours. The only thing that worked was the promise of sleep in the car.

"Shut up," Brooke mumbled.

"Baby, come on. I wanna show you something I bought for the baby."

Brooke eyes flew open. Nathan bought something for the baby? When did that happen and why hadn't he told her before? Nathan laughed when he saw her open her eyes and sit up. No less than ten seconds later was Brooke out of the car waiting for Nathan so he could let them in. Right now they still only had one key to the house. Nathan promised Brooke he would go to the WalMart and make another copy before they went back to Virginia. He hated that she didn't have a key to their home.

"What did you do? Promise her sex if she woke up?" Lucas asked with a smirk when he saw how fast Brooke had opened her eyes.

"No smart ass, I told her I bought something for the baby that I wanted to show her," Nathan replied, slapping Lucas in the chest.

Lucas nodded knowing Brooke would love the baby furniture. He thought it was nice looking stuff and Nathan was right, it could be painted any color to match whatever color scheme Brooke decided to go with.

"Nathan! Open the door already!" Brooke whined.

"Sorry baby, I'm coming," Nathan said he turned and walked up the path to the front door.

As soon as the three of them were in the house Brooke ran up the stairs to the baby's room. She opened the door and was blown away by what she saw. White baby furniture set up around the room. Each piece was gorgeous and Brooke smiled when she thought about how long it had to have taken Nathan to pick out each one. She knew him enough to know that he didn't just settle for something, especially when it came to her or the baby. She was so enthralled with everything she didn't hear Nathan come up the stairs or into the baby's room.

"What do you think baby?" he asked her.

"The furniture is gorgeous baby," she replied.

"But?"

"It's all white."

"I know."

"Why is it all white?"

"Because black or brown would be hard to paint over."

Brooke looked at him questioningly. He chuckled when he realized Brooke didn't understand the purpose behind him buying all white furniture.

"I don't get it," she admitted.

"If I had gotten black or brown you wouldn't have been able to paint them to match the color scheme when you know what you're gonna do with the room. I wanted you to be able to have the freedom to paint them to match if you wanted to," Nathan explained.

"Nathan you're amazing. I love you."

"I love you too."

Nathan grabbed Brooke into a strong embrace and kissed her softly. She allowed herself to get lost in the kiss and Nathan's embrace. There wasn't any other place she felt this strong or safe. Nathan was her strength and her security, without him Brooke would have fallen apart years ago.

"Hey you two, don't christen the baby's room," Lucas teased as he walked by carrying a box labeled "Brooke's office" in big letters, "Where's your office gonna be Brooke?"

"Next room over. I wanna be able to work and hear the baby," Brooke replied.

Lucas nodded and walked the box into the room Brooke said was going to be her office. She couldn't wait to design the office but she needed Nathan and Lucas to set up her desk and bookcases before she could put her creative touch in the room. She loved that the walls were a soft purple with a darker purple for the trim around the door. The door was painted red so she would always be remembered as "the girl behind the red door". Nathan chuckled but told the painter it was what Brooke wanted. When they bought the house this room was completely white, the brightness made Brooke's head hurt so Nathan found a professional painter to come in and take care of the rooms they wanted changed, starting with her office and excluding the baby's room. That was entirely Brooke's territory but nothing could be done until the sex of the baby was determined.

"Sweetie, when do we find out the sex of the baby?" Nathan asked. He wanted her to be able to work on the room before she was really showing and couldn't do much.

"Soon Daddy," Brooke replied smiling at him.

"What do you think about setting up a game room and music studio in the basement?"

"Why do we need a music studio? You don't sing and I can't sing it's not in my genes."

"You can sing. Baby I've heard you, it sounds beautiful when you sing."

Brooke blushed. Damn him for pouring on the flattery. It was no secret to Brooke that she could sing but she didn't think they needed an entire music studio set up in their house because of that fact. Although she had to admit it would be fun and if she ever stopped being pissed at Haley the two of them could go down there to write and record whenever without having to spend the money to book studio time anywhere. Ok maybe a music studio in the house was a good idea.

"Okay honey, let's do it. Music studio and a game room downstairs, just promise me you won't spend all your time down there playing your video games," Brooke said after a few minutes.

"I promise I won't. I'd rather spend time with you and the baby after it's born. I'm gonna be away far too much to spend all my time home down there. Should we make a separate playroom for when the baby's older or no?"

"Not yet."

"Okay."

"What do you want to do with the loft?"

Nathan thought for a minute. It hadn't occurred to him that they would have that extra space. He wanted a space to workout but didn't think it would be smart to have it be above everything else in the house. He didn't want to be the reason Brooke couldn't sleep before she had the baby and then once the baby was born he didn't want to be another reason she wasn't sleeping well. Then he got an idea, the loft could be used as a space to display their accomplishments like trophies, diplomas and other things. Then as they got more they could put them in there and then when their child achieved some sort of recognition they could display it there as well. A family recognition space, Nathan loved that idea.

"How about a family recognition space. Like for trophies, diplomas, awards and stuff. I've always wanted to hang my Tree Hill jersey on the wall to remind myself of Whitey's effect on me getting this far. And now I can add my Golden Knights jersey. And we can hang up your Tree Hill cheerleader outfit if you want," Nathan suggested.

Brooke thought about it for a minute. It did sound like a good idea but she wasn't sure she'd want to have to take people up to the loft to show off their successes in life. She wanted that kind of room but not in the loft.

"I love that idea but not for the loft. Nobody will want to go up there for that. Sorry baby," Brooke said.

"It's ok. I didn't think about people not wanting to go up there. Thank God I have you to think of that for me."

"You should be thankful you have me around to think of a lot of things for you."

"Baby what I do without you?"

"I dunno but I know I'd be lost without you."

"Oh geez, are we having a moment?" Lucas teased when he found Nathan and Brooke still standing in the baby's room.

"Shut up. Go find yourself a girl and have a moment with her," Brooke shot at him. A look of hurt shot through Lucas' eyes as Brooke's words hit him. He would never have a moment with the woman he loved again. Not as long as she was six feet under because of her abusive ex-boyfriend. Brooke saw the look in his eyes and felt bad automatically. She knew what he was thinking about—Melissa—his girlfriend who was killed when he was at Florida.

Melissa had gone home to Michigan for what was supposed to be a quick trip one weekend and then never came back. Melissa's father had called Lucas with the devastating news that she had been killed but Brooke couldn't remember right then how it happened. All she could remember was the phone call from Nathan that night telling her that they should go to Gainesville to be with Lucas for a few days because he had just found out Melissa was dead. Brooke had agreed.

Brooke was in her dorm room working on a paper for her philosophy class when her cell phone rang. She wanted to finish her paper but the phone wouldn't stop. Sighing she checked the caller id and smiled when she saw "Baby" flashing at her.

"Hey sexy," she said happily.

"Hey Brooke," Nathan replied not nearly as happily.

"What's wrong?"

"We need to go to Gainesville."

"Why? What happened to Lucas? Is he all right?"

"No. Melissa's dead."

"What? How did this happen?"

"I don't know. He just called me. Her dad called to tell him a few minutes ago. Brooke, he's in bad shape. I've never heard him sobbing so hard on the phone. I'm going up there tomorrow and I'm sure he'd love it if you came too."

"Oh my gosh. Okay. I'll be there."

"Good. Well I guess I'll see you tomorrow. I wish it was for a good reason though."

"Me too. I love you baby."

"I love you too."

Brooke hung up the phone and sat in absolute silence. Melissa was dead. This was so unfair. She was a sweet girl and Lucas loved her with everything in him, Brooke knew they belonged together and now it was over.

"Damn it!" she yelled.

"Brooke? Are you ok?" Nathan asked looking at her with a concerned expression.

"Ya I'm fine. Why do you ask?" Brooke replied.

"You look like you want the ground to open up under you and swallow you. Are you sure you're ok?"

"I think so. I just I can't believe I said that to Luke."

"Hey don't worry about it. Luke will be fine, he knows you well enough to know you didn't say that to hurt him. You're not that kind of person."

"Anymore."

"Hey, you were never that kind of person." Nathan hated when Brooke talked down about herself. Even when she was referring to herself in the past. None of that mattered to him now. What mattered was Brooke was an amazing woman and he was gonna marry her and have a family with the most amazing woman he knew.

"Sweetie, you and I both know I was a self-centered, cold-hearted bitch when I wanted to be."

"No you weren't. You were a selfless, warm-hearted angel with a tough outer shell because you didn't want people who didn't know the real you to see that part of you. The part of you that has allowed me all the way in."

Brooke felt her cheeks grow warm again. Damn him, twice in one day he had made her blush. It drove her nuts to blush and yet he took any chance he could to make it happen. After a while Brooke decided the blushing was well worth it if it meant she was with the one person she was meant to be with, even with his annoying quirks.

"Hey Nate! Are you gonna help me with this stuff or what?" Lucas called from the bottom of the stairs.

"Sure, just a sec!" Nathan yelled back.

"Go ahead baby I wanna get started with my office. It's gonna take me a while but I have some good ideas for what to do with it," Brooke told him when he looked at her, "I'll be fine. You wanted to get things done too. Now let me get my stuff done."

"All right just be careful. Do not lift anything heavy."

"I won't. Now go."

Nathan kissed Brooke quickly and then went downstairs to help Lucas bring the rest of the boxes in from the U-Haul they had rented. They worked in silence for a while before Nathan attempted to bring up Brooke's comment from earlier in the day.

"She didn't mean for it to hurt Luke," he said.

"I know she didn't. It's hard on me, that's all. Melissa was definitely the one for me and someone took her away," Lucas replied. He definitely knew Brooke wasn't trying to be rude or hurt his feelings but if he had to tell the truth, it did hurt. A lot.

"I know it doesn't make it hurt any less but I thought you should know anyway."

"Thanks man. I appreciate it."

"No problem."

"Baby! I need you to come set up my desk. Please!" Brooke yelled from her office.

"Coming darling!" Nathan yelled back. He looked at Lucas and rolled his eyes playfully. It was going to be a looong day for everybody. But it would all be worth it in the end because they would be almost entirely moved into their house by the next day.

"Hey you proposed, now you're stuck with her bro," Lucas said to Nathan when he rolled his eyes.

"Lucas! I heard that!" Brooke yelled down to them.

"Busted," Nathan laughed.

Lucas shoved Nathan and then ran for the stairs. After Nathan steadied himself on his feet again, he ran up the stairs behind Lucas trying to catch him. It was like they 7 years old and playing some form of tag through out the house. Brooke was waiting for them in the doorway of her office with her arms folded across her chest and an attempted serious scowl on her face. She couldn't hold the scowl when she saw Lucas and Nathan running up the stairs though and she instantly burst out laughing.

"You guys are too funny," she said after she caught her breath again.

"He started it," Nathan told her pointing his finger in Lucas' direction.

"Did not," Lucas protested.

The three of them erupted in laughter again when they realized how insane they were being. After they had stopped laughing Nathan and Lucas got to work setting up Brooke's desk and her bookcases. While they were working Brooke stood out of the way and thought about where she was going to put certain items around the room. As she was thinking about it, her cell phone started ringing. She looked down and saw "Peyton" flashing.

"Hey Peyton, what's up?" Brooke answered happily.

"Hey Brooke," Peyton replied not so happily.

"Are you ok?" Brooke could hear the emotion in Peyton's voice and it worried her instantly. Peyton had never liked to show her true emotions, she liked to hide behind a wall that would keep people out, except Brooke.

"No. I'm miserable. I needed to talk to you."

"Ok, I'm listening. What's wrong?"

"It's Jaime. I don't think you'll get to meet him."

"How come? What happened?"

"He got into some trouble with the government here in Texas and now they're trying to have him deported."

"Can they do that?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"How though? Wasn't Joaquin born in the US?"

"Yes but since I'm already an American citizen I don't know if they could deport him or not even if they take that into consideration."

"What did he do?"

Peyton was silent. She couldn't imagine that Brooke would approve of her being with Jaime when she knew he was dealing drugs and had gotten himself involved in various other illegal activities. It didn't thrill Peyton but she couldn't help loving him regardless because despite all the bad shit, he was still sweet to her and absolutely adored their son and that meant the world to Peyton.

"Peyton? Are you still there?"

"Ya I'm still here."

"What did Jaime do?"

"He got busted for selling drugs and some other stuff."

"What? Peyton why are you with him if he's selling drugs? I thought you were smarter than that. I thought my friends would know not do stupid shit like that. I guess I was wrong. You know Peyton, your idiocy never ceases to amaze me."

"You know what Brooke, go to hell. I didn't call you for a damn lecture about who I chose to be with. I called because I thought you'd be sympathetic because the father of my child might get kicked out of this country. I thought you cared about me. I guess I was wrong."

"I do care Peyton! That's why I'm pissed that you'd be involved with someone who's selling drugs and you know he was selling drugs. So don't try telling me you didn't know. Cause you should know me well enough to know I'll see right through it."

"Whatever Brooke. I thought you'd want to know that your godson might grow up fatherless. Thanks so much for not caring."

"Whatever. I don't have time to fight with you about this shit. Bye."

Brooke didn't bother waiting for Peyton say anything before she slammed her cell phone shut angrily. How could Peyton be so stupid? Hadn't she learned her lesson about getting involved with the wrong guy? Brooke had thought so after she dated the guy in high school who used to beat her up and drank and smoked up more than anyone she had ever seen in her life. Oh well, it wasn't Brooke's problem she wasn't gonna worry about it.

"Babe is everything ok?" Nathan asked a few minutes later.

"I'm fine. Peyton's not but whatever that's her problem," Brooke replied giving Nathan a look that let him know she didn't wanna talk about it anymore. He shrugged his shoulders and went back to work.

"Don't be so hard on her babe. You've both been through some tough stuff in the last four and a half years. I don't care if you don't wanna talk about it right now but I know you agree that you're happy she's back in your life and I don't wanna see you screw that up for yourself."

"Nathan, don't. I'm not gonna let you guilt me into calling and apologizing. She needs to learn that I'm not gonna pat her back and pretend like everything's gonna be ok when I don't agree with whatever's she doing or she's involved with. It's her life, whatever. I'm not saying I'd leave her for dead if I knew she was in serious dangerous but this wasn't about her, it was about her boyfriend. She's dating a drug dealer! I can't support that or pretend like I agree with that. You know I don't and she knows it too!"

Brooke was furious. She should have known Nathan would pull something like that. He never did like to see her upset about something. Normally she would find it really sweet and cute but this time she wanted to strangle him for it. He couldn't make her change her mind. Peyton screwed up by dating a drug dealer and she was gonna have to face the possibility of losing her guy without Brooke to lean on.

Nathan looked at Brooke and knew immediately she was furious. But she also made it perfectly clear that her mind was made up. Peyton was on her own this time-period. He really wished Brooke wouldn't be so stubborn but he knew her better than that. Stubborn was her unwritten middle name and she made sure the whole world knew it. Sighing in defeat Nathan finished what he was doing in her office and then he left with Lucas to let Brooke get started with the designing.

"Brooke, seriously don't be so hard on Peyton," Lucas said as he squeezed her shoulders before following Nathan out of the room.

Brooke wanted to hit them both. She wasn't being hard on Peyton. She wasn't being anything to Peyton because she refused to get involved with this problem. It was frustrating to her because she just wanted to be left alone about this whole thing. Her life wasn't affected so it was her choice to keep it that way. Nobody could tell her to be nice to Peyton or help Peyton out except for herself and she had no intention of doing either in this situation.

"Shut up! I don't wanna hear anything else about Peyton from either of you for the rest of this trip. Period!" Brooke screamed.

Nathan and Lucas looked at each other and cringed. They both knew they were screwed because now Brooke was pissed at them. This was truly gonna be a long day.