Chapter Four: Even Angels Fall


Author's note: This chapter ended up in a different place than I intended, so sorry if it seems kind of off. I'm not so sure about this one, but it's background information that's important to the story. Thanks for reviewing. Love you guys.
December 3rd 2020, Tree Hill High School, Tree Hill, North Carolina

Nathan got up and walked to the door, preparing to exit. He stopped and dropped his hand, and made a half step back toward her.

"The story's not over," he said warningly.

She glanced at him, her dark eyes slightly wet.

"I'd been getting that impression," she said.

"Why? Why does it matter?" he demanded.

"Because you need to get past it, Nathan," she said passionately.

Nathan shook his head in disgust. As if he could. As if he could ever truly get over her.


23rd August 2019, Tree Hill Cemetary, Tree Hill, North Carolina

The day, like his life had once been, was laughably cliché.

As Deborah Lee Scott was lowered in to the ground, rain poured down, forming puddles in the grass and turning dirt into mud. Peyton's curls fell straight, Lucas' suit quickly became soaked in the pouring rain.

Dan watched regretfully, from a distance. He'd betrayed her. Not as wholey as he'd done to Nathan, who would never forgive him, but he had. He wished his conscience could clear. She hadn't exactly been an innocent.

But lying in her coffin, dressed in a white dress, her hair done perfectly as Nathan knew it was, she certainly seemed like one.

Slowly the crowd despersed, eager to get away from the rain and into the dry, where they could remember her in a more positive light.

Lucas stayed behind as Nathan remained rooted in place, staring at the mound of dirt where his mother had once been. Nahtan shook his head, indicating that he could go, and after an awkward shoulder pat he left with Peyton.

Finally alone, Nathan stared downward to remember. He remembered the mother who'd consoled him, who'd tended to his skinned knees. The mother who'd later been put aside to be replaced by a younger, newer version. Nathan forced this thought out of his head, and went back to memories of his mother.

"It's over."

Nathan looked up, startled, when he heard the voice. A small wet figure stared back at him. She pushed back the hood of her raincoat to reveal long dark hair and shining dark eyes.

"Yeah."

She stared down at the Earth for another long moment.

"You're her son, aren't you?" asked the girl. He nodded.

"Yeah. Nathan Scott."

"Caroline Stacey. Um, I lived above her when she moved to California. She was kind of like a mother to me," she explained. Nathan shook his head. Deb hadn't even been kind of a mother to him in later years. She'd been nothing. She hadn't even existed.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Why are you asking me that? She's your mom," she said incredulously.

"Was."

"Is."

Nathan shook his head to clear it, and forced himself to see the woman in front of him as herself and not as the woman he wished he was with.


December 3rd 2020, Tree Hill High School, Tree Hill, North Carolina

Nathan glanced up again, having reached an interval in his story.

"Why are you telling me this? I was there that day," she reminded him.

"You don't know all of it, Brooke."

"You seemed so alone. I never understood the extent of it. This is why?" she asked.

"Without her, I always am."


23rd August 2019, the home of Nathan Scott, Tree Hil, North Carolina

Nathan wondered when it had happened. When in his life he had begun to be able to see women as objects that would come and go in his life, that could never really matter.

Deep down, he knew. It had been the day she left him.

Like the woman lying in his bed, supposedly just accepting shelter for the night. She was lonely. He alone. She'd do.

She would beone of many. He didn't like to think of it, how many women he'd had since the only one he could ever loved had left him.

He looked up sharply when he heard a crash near the door. Sighing, he walked out of the room and looked to see who'd entered.

"Oh, it's you. Hey."

Brooke Davis glanced up and smiled, a smile that reached her hazel eyes and dimples. It was a smile that could make even him smile in earnest.

"Hey you." She walked closer to him, planted her hands on her hips and scrutinized his face. "Sorry I missed it."

"Seems like everyone did. How you doing?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her, smelling her hair and remembering the days when it had all been so simple.

"Good. I had a show last week. Way to show up," she said accusingly. She led him to the couch and he sat down before pulling her on to his lap.

"Sorry. I had things to do, Tigger," he explained regretfully.

"Liar. You just haven't been able to get yourself out of Tree Hill since 2010," she stated simply.

"Ouch, that's cold. Do you have to make me sound so pathetic?" he asked.

"Do you have to be so pathetic?"

"You know sometimes I forget why I look forward to your visits so much," he joked.

"You look forward to them. You do, because I'm the last link with the old world," she said, leaning her head on his chest.

The old world. Had it ever really been simple?

"So, got room in this place for me?" she asked, her eyes closing slowly.

"Nope. We're pretty much full to the brim," he said. She rolled her eyes.

"You've got to stop taking in replacements, Nate. You've got to find the real thing again," she said.

"Maybe the real thing's been in front of me all along," he said quietly.

"Liar." Her voice was a whisper. He leaned forward, their lips met. Powerfully. They'd always wondered what this would be like, to feel again. Both of them had stopped so long ago. They needed it. But they couldn't have it.

"You know who I have in the other room..." he reminded her, breaking off the kiss. She pushed him back onto the couch again.

Or maybe they could.


December 3rd 2020, Tree Hill High School, Tree Hill, North Carolina

"I can't believe we did that," said Brooke, leaning back in her chair, remembering the events of only months ago.

"It worked."

"That girl, whatever happened to her?" she asked.

Nathan shrugged. Brooke shuddered slightly but tried to hide it.

"I don't know why you needed to tell me all that," she said.

"I don't know why I have to tell you any of it. You know, you were there," he reminded her.

"Not for the important stuff." She frowned, drifting off into her own reverie.


September 2nd, 2003, Tree Hill High School, Tree Hill, North Carolina

Brooke Davis nervously straightened her skirt and threw back her head, meeting the curious gazes of the other students head on. Tightening her grip on the shoulder strap of her Prada backpack, she walked confidently into the school.

Trying to ignore the interested stares of the many boys she passed and the envious, wary glances of the girls, she walked, pretending she knew where she was going, until she found a list of students and their locker numbers.

"Hey," she said, smiling in earnest for the first time at the first boy who warranted himself a smile.

"Oh. Hi," he said, looking instantly uncomfortable. And not interested, as she noted with disappointment.

"Hey boyfriend! Or husband-to-be. Whatever," came a voice. The boy instantly smiled and put his arms around the brown haired girl that ran up to them. Brooke's eyes widened in surprise as the girl's cheerful demeanor vanished and she looked challengingly at her.

"Hi. Sorry if I... I'm Brooke Davis," she said, introducing herself to both of them.

"No problem. Haley James. And this is my boyfriend, Nathan Scott," said the girl, smiling again.

"Fiance, actually. Nice to meet you, Brooke Davis," he said, sticking out his hand. Friendly now and not flirtatious, she shook it.

"It's my first day," she explained.

"Oh, it's our millionth. I'm Cheerleading Captain, and he's the Co-Captain of the Ravens," explained Haley.

"Cheerleading?" asked Brooke, trying to swallow the lameness of this, yet noting that Haley was obviously well thought of in social circles.

"Hey, small town girl," said Haley, seemingly reading her thoughts. Brooke smiled as Haleys' eyes lit up, and two more figures appeared.

"Oh, good. Guys, this is Brooke Davis. Brooke this is my best friend Lucas, and my best girl Peyton," explained Haley, flinging herself at Lucas. Brooke took in a breath sharply as the tall, blue eyed, blond boy took her into his arms. Really, thisgirl had all the luck. Haley then moved toward Peyton and put an arm around her waist while Peyton's settled around her shoulders. Brooke smiled tentatively at the blonde. She was different from the rest of them. And judging by the blonde boy's gaze on her, he liked the discrepancy. Damn...

"Just in case you were wondering, I'm not usually anything like an Energizer bunny on Prozac," said Haley lightly. Brooke nodded, eager to accept anything from anyone accepting.

"I'm locker 271..." she said tentatively. The blonde one glanced at the list.

"I'm right near there. Come on," he suggested. squeezing Peyton's hand slightly before beckoning Brooke to follow him.

The two walked in silence for a few feet, overly conscious of the curious stares of the students, wondering what one of the Ravens was doing with the strange new girl.

"So you and Peyton are together?" asked Brooke cautiously.

"Yeah. Since last year," he explained.

"And Nathan and Haley..."

"They've been together forever. They got engaged in the summer of grade ten and no one was even weirded out," he explained.

"They seem really happy."

"They are. Nathan's my half brother, and Haley's been my friend my whole life. Peyton was kind of reclusive in middle school, but she and Haley did cheerleading in high school and suddenly they rule the place. Nathan and I are co-captains of the Ravens," he said. She nodded, surprised that so many words had come out at once.

"So if I try out for cheerleading I have a better chance of not being a social outcast?" she asked.

"There's not much chance of it."

"Why? See something you like?" she asked suggestively. She regretted the words as soon as they escaped her mouth, but he smiled slightly before replying.

"Actually, I was thinking it was because of connections you seem to be good at making. But your way works too."

She raised her eyebrows in surprise before leaning back on the lockers they arrived at. She smiled as he glanced down at her long, slim legs.

Boys were so easy...


Six Months Later

"Do you love me, Lucas?" asked Brooke pointedly. Lucas was silent.

"If I say I do, then I'm a jerk for betraying my girlfriend. If I say I don't, then it's obvious I don't respect either of you," he said.

"You respect one of us," said Brooke darkly.

"I'm sorry."

Brooke was silent. It wasn't like they were sleeping together. He was still sleeping with Peyton, and she got her release elsewhere. It was only occasional faked intimacy, stolen kisses.

"If you love her, what are you doing here with me?" she asked. He didn't have an answer for her. She didn't expect one.

Brooke looked down, trying to hide her shame.

"Well. Guess we can't all be naleys."


A Few More Years Later

"Have you seen Nathan?" asked Brooke gravely, walking into the apartment that Lucas shared with Peyton. He shook his head, avoiding her eye. They'd stopped their affair years ago but the tension, sexual and otherwise, had never stopped existing between them.

"I was going to go over. You could come," she suggested, obviously afraid to go alone.

"Overwhelming him is probably not the best idea. You should go alone," said Lucas.

"Fine." She glanced up at him and noticed that tears were welling in his blue eyes, a sight she'd never before seen. "What?"

"She was my best friend, Brooke. And now she's gone, she's left my brother and she didn't even call me."

Brooke slowly moved forward to put her arms around him. As their lips met, in confusion and borrowed pain for one of the ones they loved best, Peyton Sawyer entered the room. After a second that no one saw, of her eyes growing in pain, she turned red and let out a gasp of anger.

"What the hell?" she demanded. Lucas immediatley broke away fromBrooke and ran to Peyton, who backed away from him.

"I promise, this just happened, we haven't..."

"I alwaysk knew I couldn't trust you," she said wistfully. "Get out."

Lucas obediently left the room. Brooke turned cautiously toward her, hoping their long years of friendship would bridge the gap between them.

"You too, slut."

"Fine. I'm gone," she said bitterly, following Lucas out the door.


December 3rd 2020, Tree Hill HighSchool, Tree Hill, North Carolina

"I still can't believe you two left in the same week," said Nathan.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, staring down at her manicured nails. After that day and before Deb's funeral, she hadn't so much as stepped foot in Tree Hill, North Carolina.

"So that's what happened. I never got the full scoop before."

"I guess it didn't really matter before."

"I have to go..."

"No you don't. You're not finished telling the story yet," she reminded him.

He sighed. "What do you want to hear next?"

"Something happy."