I want to thank Cilla, Essy and Rach for especially making me continue this story! I get lost and you guys always help me move forward! Thank you guys!
well, again, please Read and Review. Feel free to give me ideas on where to take this. Love to all and enjoy this update.
Brooke was staring into her coffee at Karen's cafe. There was going to be so much she was going to face today. So much she didn't want to remember. She and her uncle were going to meet with their many lawyers to handle settlements. Talk to the funeral home about their services since they were unfortunately cremated without hers or Elliot's consent. She knew it was her parent's choice before they died, but she always had a problem with cremation. It seemed inhuman... almost alien to her. And to think her own parents were cremated broke her heart.
She was remembering some of the very few good moments she had with her parents. Times when they would play dress up or drive her to school. Little pointless moments that made them real parents. Not people who were the reason she had money.
She was lost in thought when Nathan entered the diner. When he woke up and Brooke wasn't beside him, he knew she was out of the house and at the cafe. She was so sad. He wanted to help her, but she would lock her heart away. She owed him no explanation. Though he wished she would open up with him. He could see her beginning to lock herself away from the world. It was moments like this that made him forever grateful that Elliot was in town.
He made eye contact with his mother and Karen at the bar and they smiled at him sadly. He nodded and made his way to Brooke. He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and kissed behind her neck.
Brooke jumped in surprise and relaxed when she saw Nathan's hands interlace on her stomach. "You will be okay, Brooke. Elliot is here, and you are strong. You have me," he whispered kissing behind her ear.
She smiled and kissed him quickly. Before she could thank him, they heard obnoxious clapping behind them. Nathan turned around and sighed deeply... His father.
"Ahh, Nathan. Not even fully divorced yet and you have another girl in your bed. Nice job son. Just don't get her pregnant like I did."
"Get the hell out of here," he growled, standing in front of Brooke, somewhat shielding her from his father.
Dan had an evil spark flash in his eyes and his gaze made its way to Karen and Deb. "Hello, Karen. Hello, Deb."
They both shot him evil looks and turned away from him. He looked back at his son and moved closer to him. Nathan stood strong in front of Brooke. She rubbed her hand in soothing circles on his back. Dan looked at her, smirked, and stared eye to eye with his son. "Take some advice son. Stick with the money making wife. You don't want any cheap cheerleading whores bring you down."
Nathan's hand clutched into a fist and threw it at Dan. He missed and Dan grabbed him by his shirt and pushed him into the table. Brooke screamed, "Nate!"
Dan whispered in his ear, "As I said before, I can take you out son."
Without warning, Dan was lifted off the ground and shoved across the room. He made eye contact with the man who pushed him away. He recognized him and his voice. "Enough, Dan! Don't touch him again!"
"Detective Elliot Stabler. What brings you back to Tree Hill?"
"None of your damn business, but if I see you messing with my niece or her boyfriend again, I will arrest you. Or should I just break your nose again."
"That's a threat! Im telling the sheriff. I am the Mayor of Tree Hill, you know."
"I didn't hear anything," Olivia said standing by Elliot's side making her presence known. Brooke smiled.
Dan looked her up and down and noticed he was attracted to the woman standing by Stabler. He decided to take a closer to her. See if this attraction was worth making a move for... "And who might you be, beautiful."
Elliot stepped in front of her and stood up to Dan. His glare made him seem so much taller and stronger than Dan Scott, though Dan was a definite six foot four. Dan smirked and decided to see how close Stabler was to this mystery woman. "Ah, I see you are close. Hey, Elliot, fess up. I bet she's amazing in bed."
Elliot sucker punched him and lifted him up by the collar. He moved him over to the door and whispered lowly, "You think of touching her period and I will beat you to a pulp!" He punched him again and threw him out of the diner.
He turned around and saw Olivia with Brooke staring at him in awe. She looked to his niece and Nathan and smiled sadly. He was about to speak when he saw a woman wave to him. "Elliot?"
"Karen, hey!" He looked to her and smiled. "Oh hey Deb, how have you been you guys?"
"Im just running this place and Luke is around somewhere."
"Yeah, Im divorced and running this cafe with Karen," Deb said speaking up. Elliot laughed and turned to look back at Brooke. He noticed Olivia tensing up.
Olivia felt a stab of jealousy. Yes, Elliot was attractive and sexy as hell and it was complete irresistible, but she didn't like the way these women were staring googly-eyed at her boyfr--partner. I need to stop slipping up she thought to herself.
Elliot saw her stare and smiled at her reassuringly. "Deb, Karen, I'd like you to meet my gir--partner, Olivia Benson."
Olivia smiled her magnificent smile and extended her hand toward them. "Good to meet you." She placed her other hand at the small of Elliot's back sending up and down his spine. He smiled his classic Stabler smile and Olivia heard Deb and Karen take deep breaths. She smiled at the women and looked back into Elliot's beautiful eyes who were staring back into hers.
Brooke saw the exchange and pulled Nathan away while the adults were talking. "Nate, we have to get them together!"
"Brooke..."
"Nate, Uncle Elliot threw your father out of the diner the moment he said anything about her!"
"Well, what are we going to do, Brooke? It's not like we can lock them in your bedroom and wait for them to get together!"
Brooke stood in shock and wrapped her arms around Nathan. She kissed him passionately and looked at his shocked face. "You never cease to amaze me Nathan Scott!"
"Brooke!"
"Nate, get Olivia to the apartment by four o'clock! Trust me!" She moved over and stepped on the other side of Elliot and flashed a bright smile. "Not to be rude, Deb and Karen, but my fantastic uncle and I have some business to take care of! Bye hottie Olivia!"
Brooke dragged him out of the restaurant and Elliot looked back to Olivia and gave her a confused look. Olivia laughed and felt Nathan behind her. After they were gone, Olivia was fiddling around with her own coffee cup. Nathan was eating a bagel and was sitting with a comfortable silence thinking about Brooke's plan. He looked at Olivia and saw the love in her eyes. I hope it works for your guys He thought to himself.
Karen had gone to look for Lucas and Deb stayed at the cafe. She noticed Olivia fiddling with her coffee. She noticed the wordless exchange between Olivia and Elliot. She smiled at her son and moved to Olivia. "It's Olivia, right?"
Olivia looked up and nodded.
"Elliot Stabler is a good man, Olivia. In the few moments we have seen him in this town, he has left quite an impression."
Olivia chuckled and met the woman's eyes. "Yeah, El has a way of doing that wherever he is."
Deb smiled and looked in her eyes. "You love him, don't you Olivia?"
Olivia stared shocked. How could this woman know this much after knowing me for a few minutes?
Deb smiled and held her hand. "I can read your eyes. Its love. And only fools don't fall for Detective Elliot Stabler." Deb gave her hand a squeeze and forced eye contact. "Olivia, take some advice. Once you find the one, don't let him go for anything. Don't let Elliot go."
Deb looked at her son and smiled at him. He nodded and she made her rounds around the cafe.
Meanwhile, Elliot was driving Brooke's bug and made his way through town. He was listening to his niece explain her life in Tree Hill. It left him with a bittersweet feeling. He stopped at the River Court and she smiled. "Uncle, do you remember when we played HORSE and Dickie broke his wrist?"
He laughed and replied, "To this day, he refuses to admit that it was his fault."
She threw her head back and smiled. "Uncle, he threw the ball into the backboard and it came back and nailed his arm!"
Elliot smiled and saw how the light hit her face. They looked so much a like. He regretted not taking her with him to New York so many times. He wasn"t going to let that opportunity slip away again. "Im sorry, B."
She turned to him and saw the sincerity in his eyes. "Uncle, you have nothing to apologize for."
"Brooke, you practically raised yourself unless I came here. I left you and I never even knew you were alone. I am so sorry."
"Uncle, I did not tell you because I idolized you. I still do. Uncle, whenever I felt lonely or hopeless, I thought about what you might do. How you would remain strong. Uncle Elliot, I love you and when you come it means the world to me. I am just thankful we are so close. So please don't apologize. Im not sorry. I think I turned out okay."
He admired her strength and her heart. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. "Brooke, how would you like to go to a University in New York? You can live with me if you wanted or even an apartment after taking money out of one of your parent's homes. I just don't want you to be alone anymore."
Brooke sat in shocked and couldn't believe what she was hearing. It was like a dream come true. For years, she wanted to have her Uncle Elliot take her away and have him raise her as his own. But now things were different. She was different... she had Nathan.
Before she could say anything, she saw a familiar car on the other side of the River Court. It was smoking in the engine. "Uncle?"
He turned his direction to what his niece was seeing. He was suspicious. "Stay in the car," he said getting into detective mode.
Brooke did not take that answer. She ran ahead of him and heard him yell after her, "Brooke! Come back!"
She ran up to the car and screamed. Her best friend's, Peyton Sawyer's, body lay in the old black convertible with her thong wrapped around her ankles and her neck broken. She was cut along her arms and their were bruises on her face. Her blonde hair splayed out in all directions as her head rested on the steering wheel.
"Peyton!" Brooke cried out loud and was about to collapse when Elliot pulled her away into his chest. As she cried loudly, shaking violently in his arms, he kissed her forehead and tried to calm her. "Shh... Brooke, just breathe. Shh... just breathe..."