AN: Hey all. I know that this the longest period between updates to date, so I apologize. I hope it was worth some wait. This is a big chapter, in conversations, reveals, and literal length. I hope that you are pleased with the results. It the beginning of a large turning point in the story. So that is it, please enjoy.

Twenty minutes later the quad was ready, at least they were packed. Mentally, not quite, but they were out the door. Brooke had offered Lucas and Lindsey to come with them, strength in numbers, but they thought it would be best if they stayed. Lucas did not want to leave Lindsey alone, and he knew that Haley did not want them all to leave Tree Hill. It was best for all.

Just to reassure Haley, "Hales, I will call you, I promise you. I will even go over to talk to him today," giving his best friend a much needed hug. He had a night to regain is composure, but the anger was not gone. Nonetheless, he was his blood, and if he needed Lucas, Lucas would do what was necessary. And if he didn't want it, then he would persevere because Haley needed Lucas and Nathan in her life. Haley always came first.

"Thanks, Luke," hugging him back, then she watched her son do his routine good-bye with his uncle. Jamie put a smile on his face, how could the adorable child not change the world?

With all the goodbyes if felt as if they were leaving for an eternity, hopefully just the day. It would be another long one; no one could possibly predict it to be easy. It was a good thing that the occupants of the car were used to hard, for that is where they were heading towards.

Haley sat in the backseat with Jamie so she could hold onto him, "I got to keep you safe, Little Man," Haley told him as he held on.

"I can sit on some magazines."

"Magazines? What will that do for you, Jamie?"

Brooke looked into the mirror with a smile; she knew that a five year old could not keep a secret like this very long. She just hoped Haley would not be angry with her for endangering Jamie. "So I am off the seat."

Haley laughed at his son's eccentric ploy, "Where did you get idea?"

"Aunt Brooke."

"Oh, Aunt Brooke," she said holding on tighter to her son.

"Oops, I don't think I was supposed to tell you that," covering his mouth.

"Haley, I didn't have a car seat and he wanted to see you, I didn't know what to do," afraid now that she was upset.

"Brooke, it is okay, the ride is short, and it looks like he survived the ride. If you are sitting around though, let's invest in one for you though," secretly hoping that Brooke would really stay home in Tree Hill, where Haley truly believed that she belonged.

"Sounds good to me," silently acknowledging Haley's sentiment.

"So Millicent," Jamie was curious about all the new people entering his young life, "what kind of things do you do for Aunt Brooke?"

"Well, Jamie, I make phone calls, book appointments, order clothes…"

"That sounds boring," before she even finished the endless list of tasks.

"Oh, it is, Jamie," Brooke told him, just now really understanding all that Millicent does for her on a typical basis.

"It is not, Jamie, I like what I do. And Brooke is a great boss," sticking up for Brooke. She was a good boss, the tasks might not be the most exciting, but things could have been a whole lot worst. She Millicent was grateful for the tedious tasks.

"Aunt Brooke who is your boss?"

The truth, it was Victoria who bossed her around, but Brooke had to be in charge, "I don't have a boss, Buddy."

"No one tells you what to do?"

"Not anymore," it was the affirmation that Haley and Millicent needed to hear about their friend. "No one does, anymore," and it was Brooke's confirmation that she was not going to back down and be weakened by the person that was her mother.

Once they boarded the plane, there was no turning back, she had to do this. Haley put a comforting hand on Brooke's silently telling her that she understood, she understood all of the feelings running through Brooke's head. Haley leaned in, "You are Brooke Davis, and don't you forget that."

"I am Brooke Davis," she said softly looking back at Haley, but eyeing Jamie. He was one excited little boy. He wanted to sit next to the window, so he could watch everything. He also wanted to sit next to Millicent. Brooke watched as they bantered back and forth. Again she had to smile; the smile on Jamie's face gave her strength and hope. She was just hoping on the plane ride home Jamie would not be her only means, that she could finally have it in her reach. Time would only tell. It was all anyone really had.

Once they were in the air Brooke eyes shut and she was in a slumber, the poor girl's life exhausted her. And on this short plane ride there was no place she could go, and no necessary thoughts to accompany her. So she slept because she could. She simply slept.

"Can I wake her?"

"Let her sleep, Jamie."

"The plane is about to land."

"She is tired."

"We are going to land," he insisted, "Please can I wake her?"

"James Lucas Scott, when are you going to learn that people do not like to be awoken from their slumber, maybe when you are a teenager?"

"Please," he did not listen to his mother's demands.

"You already did, you kook," Brooke reached out for Jamie, using Haley's words.

"Seatbelt," the mother in Haley called out.

Brooke fastened Jamie's seatbelt; she was so going to have to learn the motherly rules, for she was sticking around.

"We are about to land, Aunt Brooke. I have never been to New York before. What is it like?" the curious boy pondered.

"There are a lot of tall buildings, a whole lot of people, and a huge park."

"I want to go to the park," Brooke was glad that Jamie could be a child in all of this, after all, he was. The adults in his life sometimes forgot, and allowed him to live as he was one of them. But sometimes it was just too much for a five year old to handle, not a park though, a park suited the child perfectly.

"How about ice skating?"

"In the park?"

"Of course."

"Momma, can we go ice skating in the park?"

"We will see, Jamie, it depends if we have time."

"I have never seen an ice skating ring in a park, Momma, please."

"We will see," she didn't want to agree to anything that she could not uphold, he had too much disappointment already, she vowed no more.

Jamie accepted, it was better than a definitive no. "What else are we going to do?" he did not know the complete reasoning for coming to New York.

"You are going to see my company."

"Do you have anything fun to do there?"

"Umm, you can make your own magazine."

"Cool!" he was bought, and she was glad, because in actuality her company did not really suit a child. Hell, she was an adult, and she was not sure it was safe for her.

Thirty minutes later she was at the scene of her own Hellmouth. She loved her company, but there were so many days that she despised going there, and it was due to Victoria.

She looked up, her name was in lights. Clothes ova Bros was worth millions of dollars. People on the streets were wearing her clothes. Brooke Davis had made it. And now she had her family by her side. Haley and Jamie both held one of her hands, and they walked through the swirling doors. It was finally time to get the last thing on her list. It was time for her happiness.

Millicent had walked ahead, Brooke assumed that she was going to try to tame Victoria, and reassure the committee that Brooke was in fact coming. Brooke took small steps, really taking in everything around her. There had been so many days that she flew in, right to her office, trying to see how much time she had until her next obligation. She never had time to see what her company had amounted to. A job well done, Brooke. She was young, and she was successful, but she never took it all in. Not once, she was always in a rush to go here or there. And now she had to go there again, hopefully for the last time.

Haley was doing the same look around as Brooke; her friend did well, really well. Sometimes Haley had to wonder about her own dreams. Not her rock star one, which was a teenaged fantasy. But she had a son, and she had a husband, her rock star days had passed, and she was content with it all. Her passion was helping others, especially students, that was why she pursued a degree in education. Nonetheless, she was a student teaching credit away from graduating. She put everything on hold when Nathan got hurt; she thought it was what a spouse was supposed to do. She had not realized that putting things on hold would hurt her future, or her present. Maybe things were going to change now, just maybe they would.

"I'm proud of you Brooke, I am just sorry that I missed it all," Haley told her friend.

"I don't think that anyone has ever told me that. They are just telling me what to do next, never stopping to see what I have. To tell you the truth, neither have I. I did do pretty well, didn't I?" finally acknowledging her success.

"You sure did, I hope that you take more time to realize it," giving Brooke a reassuring side hug, "And to realize how young you still are. You grew up so fast, it is no wonder that success came early to you, but don't forget that the whole world is not this harsh. And you can still have a little fun."

"I think it is time to have a little fun, what do you think, Jamie? How would you like to be the face of my latest magazine?"

The boy's face lit up, "My own magazine? Momma, can I?"

"What about the meeting, Brooke?" she asked as she looked down at her watch, it was ten minutes to twelve. Haley had to infer that Victoria was not happy at all, and making her wait would not help the situation.

"Meetings are boring; don't you think so, Jamie?"

"Yeah, meetings are boring," agreeing with his godmother, "what is a meeting for?" not really sure what he was agreeing to.

"More boring things, things that are not important. So what about that magazine," grabbing the little boy's hand walking away.

"Brooke," Haley called out in desperation, what was Brooke doing now? She was so close, how could she be walking away?

Brooke turned around into eyes she expected, "Are you coming or not, Haley?"

"Brooke," she said again in disbelief, shaking her head.

"So are you?" completely ignoring Haley's unasked question.

"Well somebody needs to go to the meeting, and it appears you aren't. I will do my best to save your company from a woman I only know from her bone-crushing words. Wish me luck," it was ridden in sarcasm, but she truthfully didn't know how to speak to Brooke. And she sure as hell could not say what she really wanted to say in front of her son.

It was Brooke this time trying to pull Haley back in, "Haley," but what could she say? It was cowardly, walking off with her godson, Haley was right. She just could not admit that through everything she could not face Victoria. Not yet at least.

Haley just looked out at Brooke; Brooke was a scared and timid child, forced into adulthood too early. Haley could not scold her, and she could not let her down. She just hoped that the committee would not deem Brooke unstable if she didn't show up. All Haley could do was plead for Brooke's case, and if that was not enough, well it was going to have to be.

As Haley walked away Brooke knew that her decision was incorrect, she could not let Haley fight her battles. She was fighting enough of her own. "Jamie, lets go get started on that magazine, what is your favorite color?"

"Blue!"

"Well blue it is."

Ten minutes into Jamie Scott magazine making, Brooke could not handle it any longer, "Jamie, I think we need to go to that meeting after all, is that okay?"

"Even though it is boring?" not really wanting to pull away from the adventure of magazine making – especially his own.

"Yeah, especially because it is boring. I promise you though, once it is done, we will make your magazine and go ice skating in the park. Deal?"

"Deal," grabbing Brooke's hand again as they were off. It was easy to please the boy.

Fear encased each step, but she carried on. She had to. She had to for Haley, and she had to for herself. For once, she had to do it for herself.

They got to the door, but they didn't go right in. Her hand was on the handle, she put her ear on the door. Victoria was inside. But so was Haley. Haley trumped Victoria, she took a deep breath. She was still alive today. She turned the handle and was presented in front of the ten member board. It was the moment of truth.

"Oh Brooke Davis decides to join us for her own meeting, maybe there is a little sense left in the girl," the venom escaping from Victoria's mouth was poisonous, Brooke did not want it to harm anyone else. Especially Jamie, she scooted him over to Millicent – who looked pale. What did she miss already, Brooke wondered.

Here it was, she was not going to back down, it was her time, and if she let it go, then for once it would be her fault. "Actually, there is a lot of sense left, there always have been."

"Oh dear, we all know that you have gotten by with your looks, you got some good genes I have to admit."

"The only thing I got from you that I am grateful for is life. So thank you mother. But that is the only gratitude I will ever give you," her words were encased in strength; for once her footing was stable.

Victoria heartless laugh filled the room, "Brooke, without me your company would still be in your bedroom."

"As you might recall it was the bedroom that Brooke and I shared, since you did not provide her with a proper home to live in," Haley had to practice for her talk with Nathan. She knew it would not go over well with Victoria, but she was sure going to try to stick up for her friend in any way that she could. Her son was going to see a new side of her today.

"Okay, I am still unsure what you are doing here at all, especially in this room. But since you are, how dare you criticize my parenting. You try having an ungrateful child. We gave Brooke whatever she wanted, and it was never enough."

"She didn't want what you gave her. What she wanted you could care less about, if it wasn't attainable by money then it was out of the picture. How dare you even call yourself a parent at all?"

"This coming from the girl who had a child at sixteen, and out of wedlock."

"I was seventeen, and I was married. I was in love; you have no right to judge me."

"Was? The honeymoon is over?" catching Haley's past tensed words.

"I am in love."

"Are you justifying it for me or for yourself there?"

It silenced her. Victoria doesn't even know her other than a few actions, and she was silenced by her. The magnitude of Victoria's evil was spurting out left and right.

"Leave her out of this," Brooke broke Haley's silence as she protectively stepped between Haley and Victoria's evil glance. She was going to apologize profusely to Haley later, it was wrong of her to let Haley try and fight her own battle in the first place.

"My momma loves my daddy," Jamie shouted out from Millicent's protective grasp.

"What is this? The circus? Why are all of these people here, Brooke?"

"They are my family," yes they were.

"That is the funniest thing I have ever heard. What am I then, Brookie?" using the nickname that was not at all endearing.

"You, Victoria, you are fired."

"Fired? Did you just say fired? I do not work for you. I am your mother."

"I know that, you are fired."

"You cannot fire me, she cannot fire me," this time looking to the board that had remained silent up until this point. "You see, she is not stable. First she leaves without telling anyone, now she fires me. Fires me, I cannot be fired," hands wailing in her disbelief.

"It is my company."

"It would be nothing without me, Brooke, nothing at all. Just a book full of designs."

"If that is all I am left with from this company, I will be content. I came in with my designs, and if I leave without the same, nothing is lost. But I am leaving with my family. And that was something I did not have when I began."

"You will lose everything if you let me go."

"I already did, I let you go a long time ago. I just wished that I never tried to hold on in the first place. I wasted too much time just hoping that you would turn around and just love me," she admitted her pain, all of it in that one sentiment. "Why couldn't you just love me?"

"I gave you everything," it was her way to justify not answering the only question that Brooke ever wanted answered.

"I only wanted one thing."

"You wanted love? How childish is that? Most children would die for what you had, you are an ungrateful child."

"No, I am not a child. I never was. I was never given the opportunity to be one. I had to care for myself when the babysitters and the nannies rather would have drunk themselves into stupors, or have sex with their boyfriends in the guest bedrooms. I fed myself, clothed myself, I did my homework. Everything a child should never had to do by herself, but I did. When I went to school I realized that no other classmate did the same. And during school events the auditorium was filled with proud parents, I had no idea where mine was. So no, I am not a child. You took that away from me too."

"Boo hoo, Brooke. Are you going to cry now too, and make me out for the worst parent of the year?"

"I already cried too many tears for you; my tears are not meant for you. Not anymore. And Victoria, you are not the worst parent of the year; you are simply the worst ever."

"Fine, Brooke, fine, if you want me out of your life, wish granted. It is what I have wanted for the last 22 years, so thank you for giving me what I always wanted."

"I knew it, I knew it. You never even wanted me."

"See, you really aren't that bright, Brooke. It took you a long time to realize this. I didn't want children, but your father wanted a son. But we got you, Brooke, we got you."

"I am sorry I was such a disappointment," Brooke told Victoria that she wouldn't cause Brooke's tears to fall, but it was hard to keep them in with the new revelation. She briefly looked away into Haley's watchful eyes. However, Haley's eyes were also on her son. Haley could not imagine the wrath that Victoria had for her own daughter. Jamie was the true love of her life, how could a parent not love their child?

"Victoria," Haley ended her forced silence, bracing the presence between Victoria and herself.

"What is it, Miss James?"

"Thank you," ignoring Victoria's attempt to tear her even further down. She was Haley James Scott, she knew it, she did not have justify it for the bitch that Victoria was.

"Thank you? Why are you thanking me?" completely flabbergasted.

"For Brooke."

"Oh you can have her."

"We already do have her; she is part of our family. And if you hadn't been such an awful mother to her, our family might not have been so full."

"How quaint. I am glad someone is happy."

"Oh, I am not happy. I would have given it all up for Brooke's happiness, all of it, because it means something to me. It means everything to me, actually. And it breaks my already fragile heart that a mother could not love her own daughter. Especially Brooke. You do not even realize how caring, successful, intelligent, and beautiful she is. And I give you no credit it all. I actually feel sorry for you; you missed out on so much. I am glad that Brooke is letting you go though; she has been pained way too long. So thank you for giving us Brooke, I am going to make sure that Brooke never has to question if she is loved again."

"Thank you, Haley, but I think I can do it from here," more than grateful for Haley's endearing words. "How about you take Jamie so he can finish his magazine?"

"Brooke," again, just a name could be said without revealing everything behind the pause. Nothing else had to be said.

"Haley, take your son, please."

"Yes, Haley, take your son," Victoria demanded, "this meeting is about the status of Clothes ova Bros, and the words might not be friendly."

"Jamie, I want to see that magazine of yours, come show me," Haley tried to pull his son along even though she did not want to leave Brooke during the current situation.

"But Aunt Brooke said that we could finish it together."

"Buddy, she cannot come right now, can I help you?"

"Who is going to help Aunt Brooke?"

"I will help her, kid. I am going to make things a lot easier for her," Victoria told Jamie.

"Don't talk to him," Brooke demanded, she did not want one ounce of evil to be leaked to the innocent boy's aura.

"C'mon, Jamie, we are going," it was not a question anymore, it was not safe. She had not been doing a good job with his security, she had to start somewhere.

"I don't want to leave, Brooke," he was in front of her now, "I don't want to leave you."

She got down to his level. This meeting was no place for a boy of five; it was barely a place for her. "Jamie, I am going to be okay if you leave. I want to see what kind of magazine you can make me. Could you do that for me? It would really help me out."

"How about you just come with us?"

"I can't. Not yet. I have to do some boring things first," hoping a chance of boredom would scare him off.

"Is it with her," pointing towards Victoria, "because she is not very nice?"

"Like I could possibly care what I three year old has to say."

"I am five."

"Whoop-de-doo."

"Jamie, you really need to go."

"Listen, kid, she is saying something right for once."

It was time to be the hero, eyes locked with Victoria's, "My momma has never said anything to ever make me cry. My momma has never said mean words to me. Or done mean things on purpose. I know how much she loves me. But Aunt Brooke doesn't know because you are her momma. And you are not a very nice one. I just met her, but I know she loves me. And I love her too. Moms aren't supposed to be mean to their kids. They are supposed to love them no matter what. You are not a very good momma," Haley had tears streaming down her face. Jamie knew how much that she loved him, regardless of the events of the last four months. Her tears were not out of sadness, not today, these were streaming with happiness.

"Like I could possibly care what a five year old has to say."

"I care, Victoria. He is the reason I am here today. He is the reason I will fight a little harder. Without him I would have conformed to the person you have always wanted me to be. Dumb. Empty. Rail thin. Alone, all alone. I am not going to be your mannequin anymore. You know what? Victoria, you can have it, you can have it all. I don't even want it anymore." She looked to the board, "Just give me the papers and I will terminate my participation with the company."

"Ms. Davis," one of the head members began, "are you sure this is what you want? If your signature is on the paper, it is final."

"I have never been so sure about anything in my entire life. I am grateful for where the company has taken me, but I am ready for the next step in my life. I want to be with my family. We have four years to catch up on. Oh, and it is Brooke, my name is Brooke," she was simply Brooke. "Send me the papers, I have some obligations to my godson," grabbing Jamie's hand heading towards the door, leaving everyone in the room stunned.

"Brooke," Victoria had the audacity to stop her.

"What is it, Victoria?"

"You will have nothing. You will be no one. Your greatest fear will come true," it was her last attempt at dashing her happiness.

Too late Victoria, because Brooke was no longer alone, and she would never be again, "You are the one who is wrong. Right now I have everything I could ever want. Thank you for never loving me," that was the last words she would say to Victoria. She was done with her completely – finally. "Who's coming with us?" looking around to Millicent and Haley who were still shell-shocked about the last few minutes of events.

The young women both moved, Haley said nothing, but followed Brooke and Jamie out of the meeting room. Millicent paused, and turned to Victoria, "I quit."

Victoria's heinous laugh returned, "How am I ever going to survive?" saying words that she did not mean.

"I doubt you will. Brooke was this company. You may be in charge of it now, but Clothes ova Bros will be defunct without her. So I wish you luck, Victoria, but you are going nowhere. And I could care less about it. Brooke was your greatest loss; you can live with that regret."

"The only thing I regret is ever allowing Brooke to keep you around. Get off the property before I call security."

"You are a bitch," and she was off, it was her last mark on things. Brooke deserved the world and Victoria had taken it all away. The least Millicent could do was to curse her mother.

AN: One girl's confronation done, one to go. It is a huge step for Brooke, let's just hope that Haley is going to be able to build up the same courage. Please, please, let me know what you think about this latest reveal. Thanks for reading, it keeps me going. Peace.