Nathan's mouth parted slightly when he saw Haley at the beginning of the aisle.
She looked gorgeous, Brooke would look breathtaking in that wedding dress.
Nathan frowned, it's your wedding to Haley you idiot, at least don't think about her now!
Haley smiled nervously, making her way down the aisle toward him. He could picture Brooke walking towards him, with her bright smile, and her cheeks dimpled adorably. He imagined her wearing the dress, they way it would compliment her beautiful body, and the way the veil would've cascaded around her face.
He could feel his breath quicken as Brooke neared him.
Wait, it isn't Brooke, it's Haley.
Nathan could feel dissapointment show on his face, that he quickly masked. He smiled at Haley, winking at her slightly.
She blushed as she made her way to stand in front of him.
It was actually happening. He was marrying Haley, solidifying his commitment to her. He was giving up on Brooke. He was giving away any hope he had of her. He was accepting that it was finally over. He would forever be tied with Haley, and it was happening now.
In his heart he knew he was wrong. He did promise to concentrate only on Haley when they were married, as he had been doing the past few months of thier relationship, but on thier actual wedding day, all he could think about was another women. He was imagining another women walking down the aisle toward him.
It had been going so good. He had been fully devoted to Haley the past months, but why today of all days was Brooke re-entering his mind.
She's dead. She isn't coming back. You aren't hurting Haley by being with her. You had successfully kept Brooke out of your thoughts for close to a year now. Everything's going to be fine. You and Haley will live the life you were robbed of the first time around. Nathan reasoned with himself.
He could faintly hear the preist beside him, and could barely concentrate on Haley who stood in front of him.
Why?
He felt a wierd anticipation that caused his hands to sweat with a mind of thier own. He felt his heartbeat race, and was surprised no one could hear it.
Stop it Nathan, concentrate on your wedding. What the hell are you doing?
"We are gathered here in the presence of God and these witnesses for the purpose of uniting in marriage: Nathan Scott and Haley James. I remind you both to always remember that love, loyalty and understanding are the foundations of a happy and enduring home. No other human ties are more tender and no other vows more important than those you now assume. If you both keep these vows, your home will always be filled with happiness."
Nathan gulped at the knot forming in his throat.
Could he really hold true to these vows.
"Please join hands now. The contract of marriage is most solemn and is not to be entered into lightly, but thoughtfully and seriously, and with a deep realization of all its obligations and responsibilities."
Was he ready to fulfill all his obligations and responsibilities?
The priest turned to him, and Nathan could feel all eyes on him. He felt sweat trickle down the ack of his neck.
He took a deep breath.
"Nathan Scott, do you take this woman, Haley James, to be your lawfully-wedded wife? Do you promise to love and to comfort her, to honor her and to keep her in sickness and in health, in prosperity and in adversity, and forsaking all others, always be faithful to her?"
Nathan couldn't help himself, flashes of his times with Brooke washed over him, drowning him with emotion.
From the first time he met her, crying on the beach...
"How could he Nathan? And with my best friend too! How could Peyton, how could she do that again after she knew how hard it was for me to trust again."
And the morning after when he dropped her off, and in a embarassing turn of events, almost fell face first into her house...
"Sorry, I didn't know-…" She rushed on to explain.
"No, its okay," Nathan said quickly, his face turning red in embarrassment.
But then he heard Brooke starting to laugh; he looked up at her and saw her beautiful smile again, as she giggled uncontrollably. He could help himself, he started to chuckle along.
"Oh god Nathan," Brooke managed to say between giggles.
Their flirting...
"You know what I just thought of? You and I are known for sleeping with every almost opposite gender of us in school. Then how come we never got together?"
"Maybe because Mr. Awesome in bed, didn't want to meet his match and get beaten in that department."
"HA," Nathan snickered, "Or maybe, Mrs. I'm in charge, didn't want to feel weak and powerless to Mr. Awesome in the hay,"
"Oh right, if I wanted, I could have you begging for some right now and right here," Brooke half joked.
"Psht, you wish Davis, if I wanted, I could have you trying to pay me to give you some." Nathan countered, smirking.
Brooke then stepped closer and pushed Nathan against the wall, she brought her lips really close to his ear and let him feel her hot breath on it, knowing from talks with Haley, that was his weak spot.
Nathan was shocked at her actions and felt his heart flutter feeling her breath on his ear lobe, that gesture always drove him insane.
"Brooke what- what are you doing to me," Nathan stuttered.
"Ha, what now Mr. Awesome," she smirked as she pulled away, much to Nathan's dismay.
Thier drunken kiss...
"A-are you ready Brooke," Nathan laughed, as he pretended to drop her a few times, causing Brooke to squeal and grab him tighter.
"Drop her, Drop her!" their drunken friends cheered.
Nathan smiled at Brooke letting go of her, and Brooke shrieked as she wrapped her arms around Nathan's neck, bringing him down with her. He was now on top of her on the couch. Which they found very hysterical, as they both laughed uncontrollably.
She stopped laughing when she saw that Nathan had, she looked into his eyes, and he stared back at her.
Nathan couldn't help it, he saw the sexy Brooke under him, staring at him, and he lowered his mouth and covered hers. This kiss had even more hunger in it then the last, and Brooke loved it!
This kiss was even better then the last; they didn't even hear the cheers of their drunken friends as they pulled each other closer not breaking the kiss.
To the memorable day at the beach, from which came a picture he would never be able to throw away...
Nathan turned to Brooke, "Brooke, race you to that stand over there,"
She looked at him, "Um I don't know… GO," she yelled as she took of running, leaving the confused Nathan behind.
"Hey!" he yelled after her, as he ran after her, "NO Fair!"
Nathan caught up to her in no time, Brooke stuck out her foot causing him to trip, and go crashing to the floor, Brooke laughed as she tried getting ahead, but Nathan who was now on his stomach on the ground, grabbed her left foot, causing her to fall too.
She squealed as Nathan crawled up closer and pinned her down, "Cheater!" he yelled into her ear.
She, who was on her stomach too, elbowed him playfully, causing him to back away as she got up and ran the last few steps to the stand.
She jumped up and down and did a little victory dance, "Loser, loser, loser," she teased, "I win, I win, whattya gonna do loser,"
Nathan pouted, "I'm not playing with you anymore," he said mocking a twelve year old boy, "You cheat,"
"Aw, poor Nathan," she laughed as she jumped on his back.
"Oh shit, it feels like I'm carrying a baby elephant," Nathan teased as he piggybacked her.
"Oh no you didn't," she shrieked, as she tickled him causing him to fall on the ground, she sat on top of him, as he was on his back, "now drop and give me twenty," she scowled teasingly.
"Wow that's the biggest punishment ever,"
"With me on top," she added, and laughed as he did twenty push-ups with her sitting on his back.
And the day Brooke asked him out...
"Nathan the kiss we almost shared this afternoon, and the kiss we did share at the party, do they mean something to you?"
"What… uh…"
"Cause I know they mean something to me," She said nervously, not sure if she really wanted to do this.
"They do," he said hopefully, then noticed how he sounded, "I mean… oh,"
"Nathan, would you be interested in taking me out," she asked all in one breath, regretting it the second it left her mouth, now if he said no, she would die of embarrassment.
Or thier first date...
"That's not fair, boys are such pigs, they eat all they want and don't gain an ounce, while girls gain weight just looking at food!" Brooke complained pouting.
Nathan snickered, "Don't let it get you bitter," he saw her expressions, "C'mon Brooke you won't get fat, and gaining some weight won't hurt you at all,"
She still sulked.
"You know you waaaan' it," he said mocking the miracle whip commercial, while Brooke watched painfully as he put a piece of chocolate cake in his mouth teasingly.
"Ok fine," she gave in, and pointed to the chocolate cake.
He took a spoonful and brought it to her lips. She grinned as she opened her mouth and took it from him. Then picked up the spoon from the pie's plate, and took a piece, feeding it to him.
For the rest of the time, they ended up laughing as they fed the food to each other getting everyone's attention around them.
"Oh Shit Brooke," Nathan said suddenly.
"What's wrong?" Brooke panicked.
"I think… you gained one tenth of an ounce."
Brooke gaped, and hit him with her purse, "Oh god Nathan,"
"No seriously," he said with mock seriousness, "Your bloating by the second, we gotta hurry before we can't get you out of that door,"
"I hate you," Brooke squealed laughing, as she got up after Nathan paid, and she started to walk away from him.
Nathan tried to brush them away, begging them to leave his mind, but they wouldn't leave him. He could feels Haley's expectant look.
He could feel everyones eyes burn into him.
"I..." Nathan began.
"Your the Scott that holds my heart... now and forever,"
"And then I met you, and it was so different between us, there was teasing, flirting and everything... and then I fell for you, without even noticing I was ever falling. Our date, it was so wonderful, it was so perfect, I don't know how to explain, but I love you Nathan,"
"It's okay Nathan, as long as things turn out good for us in the end, it doesn't matter,"
"Nathan I don't want to be without you, I don't want anyone but you,"
"I know, I know, I'm sorry, I just saw you sleeping so peacefully, and it was so nice having you so close, I couldn't get myself to wake you, I knew you would get up and go back to Haley,"
"Nathan, you can't marry Haley, I don't care you just can't. I love you so much!"
I...
Before Nathan could finish, the church doors creaked open loudly.
Everyone turned to look.
Brooke?" Nathan gasped.
A/n Sorry for the long flashbacks, but I find that they add to the emotional ordeal.
Anyways, is Brooke back? Where was she? Why didn't she come back? What will happen of this wedding? Will Nathan still go through with it? What's going on??
R&R !