Sorry for neglecting this fic. My muse went away, but then returned in the form of Neata, who I used to write Angel fics with. And even though she doesn't even watch OTH, she helped me out loads. It's old school, babe!

Enjoy the chapter everyone.

Chapter Five: The King Of Broken Hearts.

Brooke sat Indian style on the floor in front of the coffee table. Once adorned with empty pizza boxes and beer bottles, Brooke had taken over and Nathan was looking at pictures of flowers, dresses and venue halls.

He was still amazed at how he'd been roped into it. Brooke Davis certainly had a way with words.

"And what, exactly, am I supposed to be doing here?" He asked, for what felt like the thousandth time. After all; it wasn't as if he'd paid too much attention to the small details of his own wedding, which consisted of getting Haley's parents permission, finding a suit that still fit, and getting a minister who was willing to marry two teenagers on a beach.

Brooke smirked, "Helping me out, silly," she glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes, "I'm supposed to let you sulk in your apartment all day?"

"Actually..." He began, stopping wisely, when she scowled.

"There's a big wide world out there, Nathan. Three years ago, you were the most popular guy in school. People literally worshipped you. And now you're stuck in here looking like something the cat dragged in."

"Hey!"

She gave him 'the eye'. "What? It's the truth. Think I'm going to sit here and lie about it?"

"I wish you would," Nathan muttered as he stood up.

"Where are you going now?" she asked.

"I'm going to get another beer...mom!" he rolled his eyes, "Want one?"

Brooke made a face, "No thanks. I don't drink before sunset."

"That's new."

"I'm going to ignore that."

He rewarded her with a fleeting smirk. "Good." He paused by the kitchen window. "Er...sunset was a while ago by the looks of things."

Brooke glanced out of the window behind her, astonished to find that it was pitch black. "Oh my gosh!" she leapt up from the floor and reached for her phone.

"What are you doing?" Nathan asked as he watched her dial a number. She held up a hand to silence him.

"Broody?" she said into the phone.

"Oh." He said, straining his ears to hear his half-brother's reply. It wasn't eavesdropping per se... he was genuinely interested in Lucas' comings and goings. They were brothers – sorta – after all.

However, all he could distinguish were squeaks. Damn cell-phones.

"I am so sorry," Brooke apologized to Lucas, "I know we were supposed to have dinner with your mom and Andy, I just forgot..." Nathan noted how Brooke seemed to look scared, which was strange considering she was the most fearless person he knew. "No, no," she said, "You go ahead. No, I'll just grab something. You'll lose the reservation. I'm all the way across town. Yeah, I'm sure. Just go. Apologize to them for me, okay?" Brooke ran a hand through her hair, "Okay, love you. Bye bye."

She hung up and let out a loud, frustrated growl.

"In the bad books already, huh?" Nathan couldn't resist taunting. It came so easily to his lips.

Brooke glared at him. "Shut. Up. This is all your fault, you know," she pointed a finger at him.

"Me? What did I do? You're the one who spent hours in my apartment, without my permission."

"You didn't tell me the time!" she replied, "And now I'm missing dinner at one of the most expensive restaurants with my future-in-laws. This sucks!"

Finding it hard to resist, Nathan patted her shoulder in the most patronizing manner he could muster. "There there." He said, monotonously. "There there."

Highly unamused, Brooke narrowed her eyes and looked at him, "It's okay," she said with a smile. "You are taking me to dinner."

"What now?" Nathan was certain he'd misheard.

"You heard me, buster. You're grabbing your jacket, and your wallet, and taking me out." Her hands were planted firmly on her hips. She was not going to budge.

Nathan considered challenging her, but thought better of it. Truth be told, Brooke would probably win it. And he was in no mood to argue.

"Uh... I have some pizza in the fridge," he offered.

"Nuh-uh, boy. If you think I'm going to go near anything in that fridge of yours, think again." She'd taken it upon herself to go and grab a jacket for him. Clearly, she meant business. "You're taking me to dinner. Now."

Nathan grumbled as he went to take the jacket, but she pulled it away.

"First you need to change your shirt," she told him, "Because there's no way any respectable restaurant is going to let us in when you're looking like that."

Nathan looked at her before reluctantly going into his bedroom to find a suitable shirt.

To his amazement, Brooke followed him in.

"I think I can dress myself," he said.

"Maybe, but I don't trust you." Brooke opened up his closet and saw the big gaping space in which Haley's clothes used to reside.

She heard Nathan gulp and she quickly pulled out any nice-looking shirt she found and closed the closet.

"There," she said handing it to him a little awkwardly. "I'll wait outside."

"What?" He asked, trying to lighten the mood a little. "Don't want to see me naked?" It was only a half-hearted jibe, but it was the best he could manage.

Brooke smiled slightly as she lingered by the doorway, "Treat me nice and I think we'll have enough time for that later," she winked playfully, but with the tense and awkward atmosphere around them, it was a little difficult to do so.

Nathan appreciated her attempt, though, and nodded. "Fine. But I'm holding you to it."

Brooke closed the door behind her as she waited in the hallway for Nathan. She'd been a little shocked to see the closet like that. It felt a little more real for her to see what had happened.

When Haley had gone the first time, there was still hope that she'd return. And when she had, everyone had expected a reunion. But looking at the empty space in the closet seemed to make Brooke see just what Nathan was missing.

It also made her realize how lucky she was at that particular moment in time. She loved Lucas, and he loved her...now, that didn't mean that Nathan and Haley hadn't loved each other, but she wondered whether they'd really had a chance to know each other, like she and Lucas did. After all, Tutor Girl and Nathan had only dated for three months before tying the knot. Brooke and Lucas had dated for almost two years.

With a sigh, she decided that she'd be damned if she allowed Nathan to wallow any longer. He had a right to move on. To be happy. And she would give him the push he needed.

Nathan sat in his room with the shirt still in his hands. When Haley came back, he'd refused to talk to her. When she'd pleaded with him to listen to her, he'd turned up the TV. When she'd announced that she was leaving, he'd given her a small shrug. When she packed up all her stuff and walked out of the door, he'd refused to look at her.

And now she was gone, and the reality of being alone hit him.

In the past two years, he'd burnt their wedding wall and broke her piano. He'd painted over the walls with pink paint and put pictures of clowns everywhere.

He'd gotten used to sleeping alone and eating nothing but pizza and drinking beer.

But he'd never touched her clothing. It had always been there as a sort of comfort thing. A little hope that she'd return.

But maybe he'd blown it all by holding everything against her. And blaming her for all the hurt he'd been feeling.

It was more a probability than a possibility, that much was certain. But it didn't mean much now. She was gone, and he was empty. Just like his closet.

Maybe it was time to move on.

Maybe she was already doing just that.

Remembering that he had Brooke Davis waiting in his living room, he slipped off his old shirt and put on the one Brooke had pulled out for him.

Checking his reflection in the mirror, he noticed that for the first time in two years, he looked like he used to. A tall, dark, attractive man that used to make the girls go weak at the knees with just one nod of the head.

Okay, so he was somewhat taller...which only made him look more attractive, really, but he was staring into a vision of his former self, and he was beginning to think, on some level, that perhaps he would get through this entire 'Haley ordeal' relatively unscathed. He shook his head with a small smile. Perhaps he might even end up stronger for it.

He took a deep breath and opened the door, garnering Brooke's attention as he stepped out.

She gave him a smile.

"Well," she said, "You scrub up good."

He cocked his head to the side. She'd clearly taken the time to reapply her make up and straighten herself out. "I suppose I should say the same for you."

She gave him a flick of the wrist, "This? Oh, I just look like this from the minute I roll out of bed," she teased. "Now, do I need to push you out of the door or are you going to be a big boy and do it all by yourself?"

"A little from column A… and a little from column B."

"Okay, well, get to getting before I have to pull out my whip," she threatened.

"Is that a promise?" Nathan couldn't help it. She brought it out of him, and this playful banter was exactly what he'd been missing.

Brooke shook her head with a smile. "Go on," She shoved him gently. "Get!"

Nathan moved easily and walked down the steps, Brooke following close behind, "My car or yours?" he asked.

"We could take mine. But I think I forgot to put gas in it... so yours will have to do."

He rolled his eyes. "Women."

"Yeah, women. And this woman is going to drive, thank you very much." She tried to grab the keys.

"In my car? I don't think so." He held his keys tightly.

She frowned, "Hey! You've been in that apartment for God knows how long; you could have forgotten how to drive. And don't forget those beers you drank while we were up there. I'd rather get home to my fiancé alive and fed, thank you!"

Deciding he'd prefer to eat than fight, he handed over his keys with a sigh. He just hoped Lucas knew what he was in for with this one.

"Where to?" Brooke asked as she sat down in the driver's seat. Nathan winced as she began changing all the settings by moving the seat slightly forward and adjusting the mirrors.

"Can't you choose? Isn't it bad enough that I'm being forced to pay?"

"Fine, fine. We'll go to-"

"Nothing expensive!"

"Hey! I got cheated out of an expensive dinner, and you won't even compensate for it?" she complained.

"Brooke, I am not made out of money. I can barely afford my rent, and I think I'm going to have to sell my car at some point too."

She was not about to be deterred by the guilt trip. However, she'd compromise. "Fine." She sighed. "Then I have the perfect place..."

-----

Nathan looked at his surroundings and his mouth fell open, "Brooke, this… this place has a mechanical bull!"

Brooke grinned, "I know."

"It also has cowboy hats and country music playing. What are we doing here?" he asked.

"We're going to eat!"

"Here?" Nathan asked incredulously.

"Yeah, it's cheap and fun," off his look she asked, "Why? Did you think I was a high maintenance type of girl?"

"The whole town knows you are! You're never anything less than perfect, you have the most expensive taste in anything and everything, and you're at a cowboy bar!"

The waitress waiting by an available table just raised her eyebrows at the pair. Brooke rolled her eyes and dragged Nathan by the shirt to the table and sat him down. Accepting the menus from the waitress, Brooke handed one to Nathan.

"Sit. Open. Choose. Eat," she instructed.

"I do remember how to feed myself," Nathan said.

"Yeah, but that usually went phone, order, pay, eat, hide under couch for three weeks, eat again."

"I never ate pizza older than three days."

"You never threw old pizza out either, by the looks of it. Seriously, Nate, if you go back to school next week and hand it in as your science homework, all those classes you missed won't matter anymore. I swear you're trying to grow your own civilization or something." Brooke shuddered slightly as she remembered the sight of the moldy pizza she'd seen at his apartment.

"I'm sorry it didn't meet your standards," Nathan said glancing at the menu, "But let's face it, you chose Lucas, so obviously your standards can't be that high," Nathan ducked to avoid the knife Brooke was wielding in her hands.

"Watch your step, Scott, or I'll order the lobster," she warned.

"Sorry, sorry," he apologized before frowning, "They don't even have lobster."

"I know," Brooke said, "But the restaurant down the road does," she said smugly.

Once the two had placed their orders and got their drinks, they sat quietly as they waited for their food.

"So," Brooke took a deep breath, "How are you feeling?"

"Hungry," he replied. Brooke shook her head.

"Not right now," she clarified, "I mean-"

"I know what you mean, Brooke," Nathan interrupted, "And if you're talking about her, then I'm going to tell you know to just zip it. I don't want to talk about it."

Brooke pursed her lips together, "Sorry," she apologized.

Less than ten seconds later, she opened her mouth again.

"I just want to remind you that I've been there, Nathan. And I know how painful it is."

Nathan scoffed as he took a gulp of his beer, "Yeah, right," he said, "Because Lucas cheating on you is directly on par with Haley running off."

"She made a mistake. Lucas made a mistake with Peyton, and I forgave them both. Everybody makes mistakes."

"Her mistake lasted two years," Nathan said, "Try forgiving that."

"Nathan, it's obvious you and Haley are meant to be together. Just like I'm supposed to be with Lucas. It's fate or something lame and cheesy like it. When I found out about Lucas and Peyton, you saw what a mess I was. And when I used to see you and Haley together, all I wanted was something like that. You know, my relationship with Lucas hasn't been easy – but people who are meant to be together always find their way in the end."

She smiled wistfully as she remembered the last time she had said that. It was on a cold winter's day, and she and Lucas had just bought some hot chocolate and were taking a romantic stroll down the street. She had thought Lucas was quiet because he was anxious about his mother getting back from Italy, and she'd uttered those words in reference to Karen and – her then love interest – Lucas' uncle, Keith.

Although looking back on it now, she realized that Lucas hadn't been worried about Karen. He'd been thinking of Peyton. She tried to shake those thoughts out of her head and get back to the matter at hand.

Nathan.

Nathan scoffed at her comment, "Since when did you become such a romantic?" he sneered.

"Right about the same time you became such a cynic."

He lifted his drink, which a passing waitress had brought along, to his lips. "Touché."

"Nathan, can't you just talk to her?" Brooke questioned, "I don't care if you make up or break up. Just so you know where you are, otherwise you're just going to become some bitter old man, still pining over his lost love-"

"I am not pining!"

She pinned him with a look that told him not to argue. "You so are!"

"Getting drunk and stewing in your own sweat is pining. Or wallowing. I think they're both the same," Brooke frowned as she tried to remember. She hadn't done it for so long.

"From what I can remember, you never pined or wallowed over Lucas. You just got drunk every night and hooked up with any random guy you saw," Nathan told her.

"Well at least I got out of the house."

"Only to stay in someone else's, right?"

She chose, wisely, to ignore the comment and get back to the point. "Look, I just think you should talk to someone about it...for, like, closure or whatever."

"Why, thank you, Dr. Laura, you have changed my life. Let's go hold hands and skip down the road!"

"Nathan!" She cried in exasperation, "I'm trying to help here!"

"Well I don't want your help, Brooke. I mean, you've already taken over my apartment with pictures of flowers and crap, and now you want to fix me?" Nathan sighed as he put his head in his hands, "She left yesterday. And today you're here. It's just too damn confusing right now."

Not one to be put off by a guilt-trip, Brooke sighed. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? But that doesn't change the fact that someone has to take it upon themselves to not skirt around the issue and pretend you're ok..."

He peered through his fingers at her. "And, being the kind, sweet, selfless person you are, you took it upon yourself to be that person." His sarcasm was far from subtle.

"I was worried about you," she told him sincerely. "Cutting yourself off from the world isn't the brightest idea."

"And what about my dear, sweet brother?" Nathan questioned, "Why isn't he here?"

She bit her lip and looked away. "He's had a lot on his mind, I guess." She forced a grin. "Where the hell is our food?"

"He's with her, isn't he?"

She looked up at him, "She is his best friend, Nathan," she said, "He didn't mean to choose her over you. It wasn't like that."

"What was it like, then?" Nathan cocked his head to the side, "You got the short straw? Brooke and Lucas are now the IT couple so they can take it upon themselves to dispense advice to those broken-hearted and in need of help?"

"It's not like that-"

"Sure feels like it!"

"Nathan, I-"

He silenced her with a glare. "No...Look, I appreciate the gesture, really, but from now on, go do your St. Brooke's Outreach thing somewhere else."

"I chose to come here, okay?" Brooke told him, "It was my idea. Not Lucas', not Haley's. Mine. And then Lucas decided that maybe he should see how Haley was doing. I don't know what he's telling her, and frankly I don't care. I just want to see that you're okay."

"I'm fine. Now can you leave me alone?" He rose from his seat, only to be pulled back down.

"I don't think so, buddy. You've still gotta feed me, remember? That includes staying for the bill."

If he hadn't been such a gentleman, he probably would have wanted to slap her smug grin from her face. "Fine."

On cue, the waitress brought them their meals and put them in front of the couple. She noticed their glares and tight jaws, and when she left, she shook her head, muttering "date from hell," under her breath.

This, of course, didn't go unnoticed by the unconventional pair, causing them to laugh lightly. The mood lightening considerably, they discussed small, unimportant things as they ate.

"So how did Lucas propose?" Nathan asked, "I don't think I asked."

Brooke had to avoid snorting. "I'd prefer it if it stayed that way..."

"Come on, seriously. I'd love to hear it." Nathan urged. Brooke sighed, usually she would have been excited to tell people, but she wasn't sure how Nathan would react - especially since he was favoring the sarcastic side of things lately.

"Well, we were all in assembly, and Lucas wasn't there. And suddenly we heard this voice boom from the loudspeakers. Have you ever seen '10 Things I Hate About You'?" She asked.

"Is it a chick flick?"

"Yeah."

"Then no."

She chuckled. "Well...he...er...attempted, and that's the key word, to serenade me... So not as good as Heath Ledger, let me tell you."

"Oh god, what song?" Nathan asked. He could just imagine it, especially since he'd heard Lucas sing once or twice.

"'Let's get It On' by Marvin Gaye," Brooke blushed, "It's our song!"

Nathan shook his head, a grin forming on his face, "He so needs to have his ass kicked!"

"Well...it was kinda sweet..." She offered, laughing even more as the man across from her arched an eyebrow in disbelief. "What?" She asked, crossing her arms petulantly. "It was."

"Yeah well... I'm still going to kick his ass," Nathan commented, "But I guess it's pretty sweet," he conceded.

"That's my guy," Brooke sighed.

"So how did my Dad take it?" Nathan asked, "You did tell him, right?"

Taking a demure sip of her cola, she nodded in response. "Yeah," she said, placing the glass back down on the table. "He, well, he was glad I wasn't pregnant." She offered.

"That sounds like Dad. Be warned, in a few months he'll be trying to give you both annulment papers. I'd take them - just in case," Nathan said.

She sighed. "Come on, Nate, talk to me..." Her voice turned sing-song. "You know you want to."

Nathan sighed, "Just forget it, Brooke. Just because my marriage didn't work out doesn't necessarily mean yours won't. I am happy for both of you; I know it didn't sound like it. Just make sure you talk to each other." Nathan said, "There. That's my wise advice." He said in a tone that told her they needed to change the subject to something less personal now.

Taking the hint, and making a mental note to try again in a little while, Brooke nodded. "Okay...so, floral arrangements...White roses? Or is that a little too..." She waved her hand in the air, searching for the right word. "Over done?"

Nathan gave her a look, "Can we not talk about flowers, please? I am still a man."

"Fine, fine.. no flowers. Seen any good movies lately?"

"Tim brought by some porn last week," Nathan said.

She made a face. "Please."

Grinning, he took another swig from his glass. "You?"

She shrugged, "Saw a few. Nothing exciting. Although I'm boycotting Brad Pitt."

"Why?"

"Did you not hear about the whole Jennifer Aniston/Angelina Jolie thing?"

He rolled his eyes. "Women."

"Hey! Brad and Jen were happy. They had everything going for them. And then he screws it all up by going after his co-star... thereby ruining his marria-" she stopped in mid-sentence when she realized where this was going. "But that's besides the point."

"Uh huh." He pushed the remaining vegetables on his plate about with his fork. "I never really saw the interest in that Jolie woman...her lips are freakish..."

"Yeah, well... Broody loves Miss Jolie. I had to literally wrestle that stupid 'Tomb Raider' DVD out of his hands. Seriously, what woman can fight evil with boobs as big as that? Male writers!"

"It got the money in, though, didn't it?"

She huffed. "That's so totally beside the point."

"Well Tim loved that movie. He couldn't stop talking about it for months."

"Oh, Tim would go after anything with boobs," Brooke said. Nathan nodded, finally relaxing.

"Actually, he's been with a few that have been..." he wanted to put it delicately. "Lacking..."

Reaching over, she whacked him upside the head.

-----

Brooke yawned as she turned off her car. Having dropped Nathan home safely and making sure he was tucked nicely in his bed, she'd taken her car back home - although she was dangerously out of gas. She'd have to fill it up in the morning. Or get Lucas to do it.

Hopping out of the car, she made her way to the front door in the darkness, stumbling over a few plants along the way.

"Damn porch light," she grumbled. Lucas would have to replace that too.

In the darkness she fumbled with keys, hissing with each one that refused to fit. "Dammit," she mumbled, having tried yet another bad key.

Finally she found one that fit, and opened the door, a little sigh of relief as she did. Since she and Lucas were living in Brooke's apartment her parents had bought for her when she turned 18, she knew her way around easily in the dark.

Or at least she thought she did

"Goddammit!" she yelled as her toe connected with the coffee table

Suddenly, all the lights were on. "Brooke?" Lucas' voice rang out.

She cringed. "Whoops. Didn't mean to wake you."

"Do you have any idea how late it is? I've been worried sick..."

She wouldn't laugh. She wouldn't. "I'm so sorry..."

"I thought you'd be home before I was. I tried calling..." he said. Brooke fished around for her phone and sighed.

"Dead battery," she explained holding it up. "Can you get me something for my foot? I think there's some major internal bleeding going on in there."

He moved to her side and surprised her by scooping her up in his arms. "Well, can't have you walking on an injured foot, can we?"

"Oooh, my prince," she giggled, although the pain quickly set in again and she winced.

"Yep. In shining armor and everything." He was wearing nothing but boxers.

Not that Brooke minded. After all, she preferred Lucas unclothed anyway.

"So," he said, placing her gently in a chair and fetching the first aid kit, "How's my brother? Not attempting to steal you away, I hope."

She rolled her eyes, "Oh he's still Nathan. Just a little more miserable. Haley really screwed him up."

Lucas frowned. "You know, he hurt her too..."

"Yeah, well, he's not the one that ran off with Chris Keller. Who by the way is a definite trade down from Nathan!"

"Okay, okay...at ease soldier, and all that." Lucas rocked back onto his heels, having sorted her toe out. "I was just saying."

"Yeah, well, don't."

Lucas held his tongue, "So what are you doing tomorrow?"

"Planning our wedding," Brooke replied. Lucas frowned.

"At Nathan's?"

"Why not? It's quiet there and I can get some of it done. No offence to your mom or Deb, but I want to see some stuff for myself. Plus, I want to check up on him."

"You've been doing that a lot lately..."

She raised an eyebrow. "What is that supposed to mean? I spent one day with the guy."

"I just thought you'd prefer to stay away from him, especially since he wasn't exactly the nicest person to you last time."

"He's been hurt, Broody! Wronged, even..." She took a deep breath, "I feel for him, okay?"

Lucas gulped, knowing what Brooke was getting at. "Okay then. Well, give him my best."

"You're not coming?"

"I thought I'd stop by Haley's."

"Again!"

"Yes," he replied, "Again." He smiled. "That's okay, right? I mean, if you're going to his place..." He left the sentence hanging.

Brooke swallowed. "Look... can we make a pact to not let their stuff get between us?"

"Sure. Just don't spend all your time there, okay? I would like to see you at some point - and not at one o'clock in the morning."

She smiled and pulled him in for a kiss. "You can see me whenever, however, you want, Broody."

He smiled, "Good. Now can we get some sleep?"

Allowing him to help her up, she nodded. "I thought you'd never ask."

To Be Continued…