The Bitter Taste
When It All Falls Apart
The only thing you will ever really need, is someone who will believe in you.
xxx
Brooke got off the bus and started walking towards the parking lot, "Welcome home Brooke," she said to herself with a sarcastic laugh. She wrapped her coat tightly around her as the night's chill blew over her. She looked up and saw Nathan leaning against car; Brooke looked down again. She'd be lying to herself if she said she wasn't happy that he was there. Brooke got close to him and let out a cough, "How'd you know I would be here?"
Nathan shrugged, "I've been sitting out here for an hour or so. I figured you'd come around sometime."
Smartass; Brooke thought to herself, "Well, I've already called for a car to come…So you can go home."
Nathan smirked. Brooke hated that smirk. "I was just trying to make things easier for you."
"Gee, thanks Nate!" Brooke said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes, "If you wanted to make things easier then you would've let me have my life in New York."
Nathan sighed, "So this is how it's going to be? You're just going to think back to the past and move on?"
"You know what? Sometimes I wish I could forget the past, even if it means I won't remember you," Brooke said coldly.
"So this is how it's going to be?" Nathan began, "You're going to try and find the most hurtful things to say to me while I just stand here and take it?"
Brooke let out a dry laugh, "You put everything on yourself! God I don't want to fight right now especially in a freakin' parking lot."
"I don't want to fight either," Nathan said, "I want us to talk Brooke. Like two civilized people. Like two people who used to be in love with each other."
Brooke put her hands in the pockets of her jacket, "Christ where do you get this shit?" She said with a laugh as she lit up a cigarette, "You can talk all you want, but all I'll be thinking about is you and that fucking red head screwin' on your nice maple desk that you're grandfather bought your dad."
Brooke walked away and Nathan grabbed her arm, "Fuck Brooke!" He yelled as she struggled to get out of his grasp, "This is the last time I'm going to say I'm sorry. After this you can just go and do your thing."
"I plan on doing just that," Brooke said and then slapped Nathan hard across the face. He let go of her and Brooke watched as her rental car was being parked, "Don't you ever lay your hands on me again!" She said through clenched teeth and then walked towards the car.
xxx
Lucas looked up and saw a skinny blonde peering into his bedroom. He got up and saw Brooke Davis standing there. Seeing her from far away he wouldn't have even recognized her; the only thing he recognized now was her dark almond eyes and the two dimples that blessed her face.
Brooke knew exactly what Lucas was thinking; he didn't think it was actually her. Brooke tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear and let out a small laugh, "Surprise," she said in her usual raspy voice. She was letting her guard down; she was scared. Luke knew.
"Brooke," Lucas said. He was trying to convince himself that this scared looking girl was actually the Brooke Davis he knew. The one he had fallen in love with and given his virginity to when he was in high school, "You're a blonde now?"
Brooke gave him an uncomfortable smile and looked down at the floor, "Yeah," she said with a shrug, "I just thought you know…New city, new hair, new life."
"Haley and Nathan's visits must have made a lasting impression," he said sounding impressed by his two friends.
"I came down to see Peyton's little son, Eric," Brooke began as she began to look at the pictures on the walls.
Lucas smiled, "He's one of the best behaved baby's in the world."
Brooke smiled softly to herself and wiped a little tear that was running down her cheek; she heard the front door open and looked and saw Haley walking into the room, "Brooke Davis," Haley said as she crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe, "About time you showed up bitch where have you been?"
Brooke laughed; damn did it feel good to laugh. She didn't care about the tears anymore, she needed a good cry. Haley walked up to her and wrapped her arms around her. Haley smiled over at Lucas and he gave her a big hug too. Haley let Brooke cry on Lucas's shoulder; there wasn't jealousy anymore between the two of them. Haley knew that Brooke had been hurt, and she knew that she trusted Brooke. Lucas rubbed Brooke's back and rocked her back and forth as he hugged her.
"It's good to have you back Brooke," he said in almost a whisper. Her voice was too muffled by her own sobs that Haley and Lucas didn't hear her say how happy she felt to be back.
xxx
Brooke woke up feeling relieved. Haley and Lucas had let her sleep in the guest bedroom after the three of them stayed up most of the night talking about Tree Hill and everything. The topic of Nathan was avoided, and Brooke wouldn't have wanted it any other way. She rubbed her eyes and looked over and saw Peyton sitting on the chair facing the window. Brooke sat up and looked at her; Peyton smiled and looked down at her watch, "I come here at 11:00 thinking maybe you'd be awake, but then I have to watch you sleep and stare out the window till 1:30?" Peyton teased. She got up from her chair and sat on the edge of the bed. She took a lock of Brooke's hair and laughed, "And to think you used to mimic me about my fake, blonde hair."
"It's good to see you Peyt," Brooke said as the tears began to swell in her eyes. Peyton smiled and grabbed her best friend and hugged her. Brooke didn't want to let go; she wanted to hug her best friend forever and just stay in that moment.
The hug broke but Peyton kept a hold of Brooke's hand, "You need some food Brooke."
"You're so motherly," Brooke said in awe, "It just hasn't quite hit me yet that you have a son."
Peyton laughed and walked out of the room for a second; she came back in with Eric on her hip, "Here's little Eric," she said and then handed him over to Brooke.
"He's so handsome," Brooke said as she held the baby close to her, "Hi cutie," she said softly to the baby as he smiled, "God Peyton…I'd have eight just like him."
Peyton smiled and kissed her son lightly on the cheek, "Don't let that smile fool you. He's going to be a heartbreaker just like Nat—"
She stopped and gave Brooke a half smile knowing that she had brought something up, "It's okay," Brooke said as she looked down at the baby.
"I know I maybe shouldn't be bringing all this up but," Peyton began, "Nathan…God, he's been a wreck since you've left."
"I've heard."
Peyton nodded and looked down at her bracelet, "Brooke, I've given up on love some many times and look where I am…"
"I can't…" Brooke said softly, "He hurt me when I saw him with her. It hurt every single day I was on the road and I was drinking and I was doing drugs to ease the pain…" Brooke slowly began to cry, "I used to be this outgoing, bubbly, fun, flirty girl but that all changed because of him! The reason I left was because I didn't have a purpose here anymore, and I knew that if I stayed that I would only be hurting everyone else."
Peyton rubbed Brooke's hand, "The past can hurt, but you can either run from it or learn from it."
"I learned from it Peyton I really did," she said, "I learned that no matter how much somebody is in love with you they can still screw you over. The world isn't fair and neither is love."
Brooke handed Eric back over to Peyton and got out of bed. Peyton gave her friend one more hug and wiped a tear from her eye, "I love you Brooke…And a hell of a lot of other people do to."
"I love you too P. Sawyer," Brooke said with a big smile; she gave Eric a soft kiss on the head, "And I love you too cutie."
xxx
Brooke walked to the river court and stood there silently. Nothing could compare to the river court; she looked around and had to smile to herself. So many things had happened at that court; hearts were broken here, dreams were shattered, lovers were brought together. Everything. Brooke breathed in the calming air and closed her eyes; she felt somebody beside her. It was him. His scent lingered to her nose and his presence gave Brooke a sense of protection and warmth. She looked up at him and he looked down at her.
"And here I thought I was never going to talk to you again," Brooke said.
Nathan crossed his arms and exhaled, "I got divorce papers," Brooke looked up at him, "I've already signed," he handed the papers to Brooke and walked away.
Brooke looked at the papers and saw Nathan's signature. She bit bottom lip and put her head down. She wiped her eyes and put the papers in her purse.
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