A.N: I'm loving the reviews people so keep them coming. Hope you enjoy the new chapter.

Chapter Three: Tree Hill

Brooke grumbles when she feels her bed move. She opens one eye and sees her boyfriend getting dressed.

"What are you doing?" Brooke asks with grogginess.

Julian turns to Brooke and smiles.

"Sam's plane gets in an in hour. I have to go pick her up."

Brooke sits up in bed and holds the sheet to her chest.

"So, when am I going to meet this daughter of yours?" Brooke asks with a smile.

Julian slowly shuts his phone and frowns. He had taken out his phone after he had put on his pants.

"We will have lunch, but someone is going to join us."

Julian sits down on the bed. Brooke grew concerned.

"Julian, what is it?"

"Um, Sara is coming also. Just for a few days though."

"Does she normally do that?"

"No, but she needs to talk. She said it was serious and all of our serious conversations involved Sam."

Brooke rubs Julian's back comfortingly.

"I'm sure it isn't bad."

Julian turns to Brooke.

"That's what I told myself the first time, but then we figured out that Sam was sick."

"What was Sam sick with?"

"She had an Atrial Septal Defect which is a fancy word for saying a hole in the heart."

"I'm sure everything will be just fine."

-WLOM-

Julian is standing by the gates waiting impatiently for his daughter to get off of her plane. He was also nervous about seeing Sara again. He hadn't seen Sara in a few months, plus he was worried about what Sara had to talk to him about.

"Daddy!"

Julian looks up when he hears his daughter's voice. Sam runs into her dad's arms which were open wide. Sara picked up the bag her daughter dropped and walked over to her daughter and her daughter's father.

"God, it's so good to see you, Princess."

Julian puts his daughter back on the ground.

"Hello Julian," Sara says with a polite smile.

"Hi Sara, I hope you guys are hungry. I'm going to take you to lunch."

Both Sam and Sara nod their head.

"We have to get going. I hope you don't mind, but I invited a friend."

"Don't you mean your girlfriend?" Sam says with a smirk.

Julian turns to Sam with a pointed look.

"Yes and you will be nice and on the way to the restaurant you can tell me how you got that black eye."

Sam stops and frowns and Sara smiles.

"Come on sweetie."

-WLOM-

"Fighting of any kind is never good Samantha you know that," Julian scolds his daughter as they take a seat in their chairs. Sam sits down next to her mom and Julian takes a seat on the other side of the table.

"I know this dad. Mom already gave me the third degree."

Julian just raises an eyebrow causing Sam to stay silent.

"So, Julian, what is this girlfriend's name?" Sara asks with interest.

"Brooke Davis," Julian responds.

Sam's eyes widen in surprise and Sara seems to be in thought.

"Why does that name sound so familiar?" Sara asks out loud not noticing that Brooke had already made her way into the restaurant and walking up to their table.

"She created Clothes over Bro's and she happens to be Peyton's best friend."

"Wow everyone knows so much about me," Brooke says with a small smile.

Julian stands up and greets Brooke with a small kiss causing Sam to raise an eyebrow at them.

"Brooke, this is Sara and this is Sam," Julian says as he points to each person.

"It's nice to meet you two."

"Same here," Sara says with a smile causing Brooke to release the breath she was holding.

Sam just sits at the table not saying anything until Sara puts her hand on Sam's leg.

"It's nice to meet you," Sam responds.

Brooke sits down and soon the waitress comes to get everyone's orders. Once she leaves Brooke starts striking up a conversation.

"So, Sam, your dad hasn't really told me anything about you."

"Same here," Sam responds in a monotone voice.

After an awkward silence Sara speaks up.

"Brooke, I know that you run a major corporation, but when did all of that start?"

Brooke smiles thankfully.

"I started Clothes over Bro's in high school. At the time I only had a website and myself. Now I employee thousands of people and I love it. What do you do?"

"I'm a software consultant for an independent contractor. It's really not all that fun, but the pay is good so I'm thankful for that."

"Why is it called Clothes over Bro's?" Sam asks finally getting into the conversation.

"High school and boy troubles, I just had to focus on something else rather than boys."

The waitress comes over with the food and Sam is glad that she has other things that can occupy her time instead of getting to know Brooke.

-WLOM-

After a quiet lunch Sara had excused herself to leave for the bathroom as well as Julian, but Sam had known better. Her mom was going to talk to her dad about something and now she was stuck here with Brooke.

"What happened to your eye?" Brooke asks out of curiosity.

"I got into a fight. I'm badass," Sam responds.

"Right, what was the fight about?"

"Why do you care?"

"I care because you are Julian's daughter and he's a part of my life and I would like it if you were a part of mine as well."

"I don't even know you."

Brooke nods her head to the statement.

"That's true, but you didn't know Peyton either and you let her in."

Brooke smiles when Sam lets out a huff because she knows she's right.

"I don't need a mom. I already have one," Sam says sternly.

"I know and I'm not trying to be one to you. I just want us to be friends."

Sam nods her head slowly.

"I guess I can try that, but I can't make any promises because I already have a lot of friends."

-WLOM-

"It's not Sam's heart is it?" was the first question that flew out of Julian's mouth once Sara and he were alone.

"No, Julian her heart is fine at least that's what the cardiologist said last month."

Julian breathes a sigh of relief.

"Okay, if that's not it what's the problem?"

"My boss is the problem." Julian waits for Sara to continue. "I was called into his office yesterday and he told me that I have to travel or start traveling. I haven't traveled since I got the promotion last year. He informed me that starting next week I had to prepare to travel."

"So, you travel for the summer doing whatever you do. I don't understand."

"The travel is longer than three months Julian."

"How long is it?"

"Seven months minimum, but he told me if things go well it will most likely be a year."

"Seriously?"

Sara nods her head.

"I can fly home for a week every month which I will probably do, but the issue isn't my job, the issue is Sam. She obviously can't be at home for a year by herself."

Julian slowly nods his head.

"I can't put that on my sister either. She has Katie to deal with and Jeff has his new business. I can't do that."

"Sara, what exactly are you asking me to do?"

"How would you feel taking Sam for a year?"