His eyes had to be playing games with his head. He had thought of Brooke so much, and tried to imagine her in place of Haley so badly, that now he was seeing things. He was seeing Brooke, standing at the door of the church, looking in nervously.
Nathan shook his head slightly, but she didn't disappear like he feared she would.
But it couldn't really be happening? Brooke couldn't really be there. This had to be a dream. Nathan was dreaming.
Nathan didn't move, he didn't even breathe. He felt like he was part of a picture, everything was frozen around him.
That face.
Those big beautiful eyes that looked around the room nervously, that cute little nose… and those lips, Nathan's eyes were glued to her face; he wanted to remember ever detail of her face before the illusion broke. Had he died? Had he had died there at the alter, and now was up in heaven?
No words could describe the feeling in his chest, he felt like it would rip open to all the hammering and thumping. His eyes shut closed, a faint smile on his lips. A feeling that had been absent for the last year finally washed through him, what that feeling was, he couldn't explain.
Brooke Davis.
"Brooke!" Nathan heard yelling and he opened his eyes with a start, to see people gather around her, hiding her from his eyes. He was in a daze, and he only vaguely saw Karen, Peyton, Lucas, Haley amongst others swarm her in tears, happiness, shock and excitement.
But Nathan hadn't moved. He stood glued to his spot at the alter.
Brooke Davis.
He had dreamed of her so much, dreamed of seeing her, of everyone seeing her, this couldn't be real. He could hear loud voices in a distance, not really hearing them at all. One thought.
Brooke Davis.
She wasn't really there. She would've run to him the second she entered if she had been. There eyes would've connected, and she would've smiled the smile that had only been for him. She would've pushed away from everyone else to reach him, she would've-…
"Brooke, oh my god Brooke, how… how did this happen, Brooke I fucking cried every night, how the fuck did you… oh my god Brooke!" Nathan finally snapped out of his daze to find Peyton throwing her arms around Brooke in happiness, tears running down her cheeks, as she buried her head in Brooke shoulder.
"Brooke, where did you go? We missed you so much Brooke, I missed you so much, Brooke where did you go?" Karen demanded, hugging the closest thing to a daughter that she'd ever had, tightly against her.
"Brooke, I can't believe you're here. I hoped, and I prayed, and I dreamed that you'd come back, but I never thought you would. I missed you so much Brooke, I never want you out of my sight ever again, I love you," Lucas muttered teary eyed, as he pulled Brooke against his chest, "I love you Cheery," He whispered sadly.
Nathan watched as they turn by turn pulled Brooke towards them, as they said the words his lips couldn't, as they said the words he needed to know, had longed to know. Everyone crowded her, never giving her a chance to speak, too happy to think, too shocked to listen, and too overwhelmed to wait.
Finally, she pulled away from everyone, and for the first time, looked towards him. Their eyes finally meeting; but it was too much for Nathan, this really couldn't be happening. Brooke Davis could not really be there, he had dreamt her coming back so many times, and he couldn't bring himself to rile his emotions up so high that it would kill to be disappointed. He wouldn't be able to handle waking up in his bed and realizing it was all just a dream.
She held his gaze as a slight smile built up on her lips, but it wasn't the one. It wasn't the one he longed to see. The one that was meant for him…
"Nate," She whispered.
And when those words left her lips, a single tear escaped his eye;
It was really her.
Brooke Davis.
"Oh," A deep cry left his lips, and he stumbled back toward the stage and into a sitting position. Brooke reached for his arm in support.
Her hand connected with his arm, and that simple touch was enough.
It was like an electricity shock had been sent through him, but it was the best shock of his life. It was better then anything he had ever felt in his life, the feeling in his heart the second she touched him was as if he had been slowly suffocating and suddenly, finally, he was free.
His heart was bursting with how fast it was suddenly beating. It hadn't beaten that fast for over a year now. The effect Brooke had on his heart, how fast she managed to make it race with the simplest touch, or glance, was messed up.
"Nate, are you okay?" She asked concerned, her forehead crinkling up in worry and Nathan couldn't help it, he grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her onto him, wrapping his arms around her waist tightly and burying his face in her chest as he burst out crying.
He didn't care that there was a church full of people staring at him.
He didn't care that he was crying like no guy in front of an audience should.
But what he did care about was that Brooke had stiffened in his arms slightly. It wasn't the way it should've been, she didn't give away and mould into him completely, she held back, hugging him comfortingly.
But that wasn't able to stop him, to calm him.
He didn't know how long he cried. He cried for every single day that had passed without getting to see her face. He cried for every single day he had thought she was dead, and he'd never see her again. He cried for the day he had seen her jump into the water. He cried for the day he had told her to get out of his life. And he cried for them. For everything that had ever separated them, for everything that had always kept them apart and at odds. He cried for all their misunderstandings, for all their tears. He just unleashed all the tears that had built up and never really been let out, even when he had thought he was done crying over her.
Brooke pulled away from him, her soft hand on his cheek as she brushed the tears off his cheek, "Nathan Scott, did you really just cry?" She exclaimed teasingly, a hint of awe in her eyes.
Haley moved forward, but Nathan couldn't look away from the girl in front of him. His memory of her didn't do her justice; she was so much more beautiful in the flesh. Those dimples as deep and enticing as ever, those eyes dancing with emotion, and those always slightly pouting lips, a shiver ran through Nathan's spine.
I love you.
He was the happiest he could've ever been, he wanted to jump around, to yell in happiness… but then, Brooke did something that knocked the wind out of him, she took his hand and lead him to Haley, grabbing her hand as well,
"I can't believe I almost missed my best friends wedding!"
A/n Some might've noticed that I deleted many chapters off this story, and that's because I've planned to rewrite them again with a different storyline. Because I didn't like where I had taken it, and didn't think I did justice to the first bit.
I hope you guys enjoy this new approach more, and hopefully we can bring this story back from the dead. Lol.
Well, missed you guys, and now that I'm back hopefully we can get things running smoothly again.
Sorry that this chapter wasn't too long, but this was a little tester before I get back into it. Let's see the response I get. And hopefully I'll be continuing with a much longer update! Please R e v i e w ! srsly! (L)