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Thanks everyone who reviewed chapter nine: Jessd4491, photoboothromance, othbaby08, Ms. Piper Halliwell, dopeyde, OTHRETARD, tiahnie, kukie.kisses, brathanbrucas, buffybabe42, bballchick2404, and deelovely. I am glad to have new readers and hopefully this update doesn't dissapoint!

CHAPTER TEN

Fate's Little Helper

In a little over an hour, Brooke had managed to make what she expected to be a delicious meal. Cooking had never been something she had liked to do but living with Nathan had changed that. He was always in the kitchen cooking and over the years she had managed to pick up a few things. As she took a peek into the oven, she grinned. Dinner was done, the house was filled with candles and flowers and all that was left was getting dressed.

Brooke had decided on a casual outfit that consisted of jeans and a sweater with red lingerie underneath that she was sure Nathan would appreciate. The two hadn't been physical with each other in a few months and she knew that is was mostly her fault. But as she changed into her outfit, she realized that she needed to move on from the past.

She heard the oven timer go off and rushed downstairs before their dinner had a chance to burn. Brooke knew Nathan would be walking through the door any minute and the thought sent butterflies to her stomach. Was she nervous? She giggled to herself before grabbing a magazine to read.

……

Haley picked up her cell phone and hastily dialed Nathan's number. "Nate! You will never believe what I just found out," Haley grinned into the phone. "I'm number one on the billboard Nate! Number one!"

"Congratulations, we should celebrate."

Haley made her way to her car and unlocked the door. "Okay, well I will call Peyton and Jake and you call Brooke okay? Oh my God this is amazing!" She said her goodbyes and turned on the engine. A lot had happened to her the last couple of weeks but as she stared out her car window she couldn't help but scream out loud. Two weeks ago, she never would have been able to believe she would be smiling. But her career was headed in the right direction and she felt as if she could finally move on past Chris.

……

"Aunt Peyt?" Isabella asked as she knocked on Peyton's den softly. Peyton looked over her shoulder and ushered her to come inside the room. She looked around the room in amazement and smiled as she saw the paintings on the wall. The Jagelski house was so different from hers, it was filled with paintings instead of photos and the den was Isabella's favorite room. On one full wall, there was a detailed painting of her parents and their friends. She stared at the wall, something she found herself doing all the time and ran her fingers over her mothers face. It amazed her that Peyton had the patience and the talent to draw in such detail. She walked towards Peyton and tried to take a peek at what the older woman was drawing. Peyton pushed her away and started to laugh. "Has anyone told you how much you're like your mother?"

"Uncle Nathan tells me that a lot."

Peyton nodded her head and turned back to the painting. "What's up Izzy?" Peyton asked as she dipped the paintbrush once again into the red paint. She could tell that her best friends daughter had something on her mind and she knew that the young girl was probably afraid of asking. "You know you can talk to me about anything right?"

"It's just that… you know how dad's back?" Isabella asked and Peyton nodded her head. She had been really mad at Jake and Lucas both when she came home to find out that Lucas had accidentally seen Isabella before Brooke. It had taken Jake three hours to convince her not to tell Brooke. "Well- I've been thinking. You know of how it use to be."

"Use to be?" Peyton raised an eyebrow.

Isabella nodded her head and pointed towards the wall. "You know. Used to be. Before I came along. It's no secret that my mom and dad were like madly in love with each other. And you and Jake were in love too and granted you were raising someone else's baby but you still loved Jenny as if she was yours… And Uncle Nathan told me that he use to have feelings for Haley…"

Peyton's mouth fell open. "He said what?"

Isabella's cheeks turned red and she glanced at the floor. "Umm… I thought you knew. I guess…I guess I should just shut up," Isabella was embarrassed. Jenny had always told her she had a big mouth and that it would one day get her into trouble. She had believed her, but had always pictured it happening when she was in high school. But as she stared at her mother's best friend, she knew she was in big trouble. "Please don't tell Uncle Nate."

"I won't," Peyton promised. "It's just hard to hear after all those years. He never said anything to her about it. And she was so in love with him." Peyton hadn't meant to say that but she was just in shock that Nathan had returned her friends feelings. She wondered just what Brooke knew about the situation.

Isabella thought for a moment. "I think she still is," she whispered. Peyton shook her head no and started to laugh.

"Izzy, your Aunt Haley just got out of a bad relationship she is not ready to have feelings for anyone. And your Uncle Nate…well he and your mom…" Peyton trailed off.

"Are better as friends!" Isabella yelled. Tears entered her eyes and she walked towards the table and picked up a photo. "Don't you get it? You and Jake. Mom and dad. HALEY and NATHAN. That's how it's supposed to be, that's how it would have been if I hadn't come along."

The young girl dropped the photo to the ground and watched as the glass shattered. Peyton watched as the girl bent down to pick it up and smiled sadly. "Isabella, it's not your fault things didn't work out for your mom and dad. Sometimes, love just isn't enough. And about Haley and Nathan- they were too scared of losing their friendship that they didn't want to take that chance. But people who are meant to be together, always find their way in the end."

Isabella's head shot up and she wiped her tears off of her face. "My mom says that," Isabella said. Peyton nodded her head and walked towards the little girl, bringing her into a hug. She squeezed her and then released her.

"Where do you think I heard it from?"

Isabella walked towards the couch and motioned for Peyton to follow her. "What if they're supposed to be together though? What if my mom and dad were made for each other?"

"Then I guess you have nothing to worry about then." Peyton's vague feelings on the situation was little comfort to Isabella. She decided, as she stared at the painted mural in front of her that if fate needed help, she was just the person for it.

……

"Where is everyone?" Haley asked as Nathan walked towards her. It was a Friday night and Tric was full of people but her friends had yet to show up. Nathan took his jacket off and sat down next to her.

"I left a message for Brooke and I couldn't reach Jake and Peyton."

Haley's smile fell from her face and she looked down at the table. "Well, that sucks. Congratulations to me," she said miserably. Nathan shook his head and wrapped his arm around her.

"Hey, I'm here. And we're going to celebrate," he said as he let her go. He ordered them two beers and then looked at her. "So how does it feel to be on top of the charts miss Haley James?" Nathan said, pretending to be talking into a microphone.

Haley laughed and took a drink of her beer. "Unbelievable."

"Well, tonight is your lucky night," Nathan said. "Anything's possible!"

……

Brooke stared at the clock in front of her and shook her head. It had been three hours and Nathan still wasn't home. Not knowing what else to do, she walked towards the house phone and picked it up. Dialing his number, Brooke sighed to herself. She hung up when she got his machine.

"Whatever."

She walked towards the stove and grabbed the dinner she had been cooking, throwing it into the trash. After blowing out all the candles and changing into a tank top and boxers, she walked back downstairs and took out a movie. There was nothing that an old Brad Pitt film and a container of ice-cream couldn't solve.

As she dipped her spoon into the pint of ice-cream, the phone rang and she rushed over to it. "Nathan?" She asked. "Where are you? No I didn't get the message. Is that Haley?"

Brooke listened as Nathan explained the situation and sighed. "it's okay Nathan, I was just going to sleep anyways. I had a long day at the office and I am really beat." She didn't want to make him feel bad for missing her meal and she knew that Haley really needed someone to share the good news with.

"Tell Haley I said congratulations and that we should celebrate later. Alright, good night Nathan." She hung up the phone and stared blankly at the television. Her romantic dinner had just been a waste of time.

Who was she kidding? Nathan was where he was supposed to be. Haley and Nathan were meant to be, she was sure of it and she was meant to be alone. Little did she know, that across the town slept a little girl with a mind of her own and a plan, that was sure to work.

TBC.
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