Background Information:

Brooke and Lucas were dating for a very long time, and in that time Brooke changed pretty dramatically. She became class president and stopped partying as much as she used to. Peyton dated Jake and a few other guys on and off, but was secretly lusting after Lucas the entire time. Unbeknownst to Brooke, Lucas was harboring feelings for Peyton as well. Nathan and Haley broke up for good because Haley did not come back from tour. One night, Peyton confessed her infatuation with Lucas to Brooke, and told Brooke that she couldn't help her feelings and didn't know if she could bury them. Brooke was furious with Peyton, and several days later saw them kissing on Peyton's webecam (like in the first season)..

Nathan sat lazily in his desk, pretending to take notes while his English Lit teacher drawled on about Emerson and some pond. Or was it Thoreau? Nathan didn't know because he wasn't listening. He just scribbled in his notebook like he did every day. He looked at the clock and realized he had only been in class for ten minutes, and had a solid forty-three left. Just as he was about to raise his hand and ask for a bathroom pass-in which he would take full advantage of–he, along with the rest of his seventh period class, was startled by the abrupt bang of the door opening.

Brooke Davis walked in and handed a pass to Mr. Hunter. He looked as if he was about to object, but Brooke immediately said, "I was in the health room. Do I have to explain the female menstrual cycle to you, Mr. Hunter?". Several kids in the class snickered while a crimson shade began to wash over the teacher's face.

"No, Miss Davis, I can do without that, thank you. However, this is the third time this week you've been late, and I would appreciate if you got things taken care of a little bit earlier so you didn't miss out on my lecture". Brooke rolled her eyes and sat down in the vacant seat behind Nathan without even bothering to take out a notebook. Nathan turned around, and complimented the fellow escape artist on her great excuse.

"Your luck with teacher's is gonna run out one of these days, Davis"

The brunette just smirked and said, "Whenever I hint about any female issues, I'm golden". She took out her cell phone and began texting. Nathan shook his head, disgusted with the easy get-out-of-jail-free card given out to females, and continued with his plan to get the bathroom pass. Before leaving, he stole one more glance at Brooke. She smiled at something sent to her Iphone. Looking at her face, he realized that her smile didn't reach the potential it did several weeks ago. No more did her dimples reign over the rest of her beautiful features like they used to. It seemed as if as hard as she tried, she couldn't pull off the façade of happiness, and Nathan knew that feeling only too well.

~~*~~

"So glad it's Friday. I can really only take so much of school these days…"

"Rachel, you skip like twice a day every day! It can't be that hard to handle"

"Yeah, says the slut who manages to scrape a late pass in almost every one of her classes. What teacher are you getting on your good side? Cuz if it's Mr. Holbrook I'd gladly participate in those extracurricular activities!"

Brooke shook her head at her outrageous friend. Rachel Gatina had become the best friend she could ask for lately. Peyton had given up trying to apologize, and now the two former hoes who supposedly put each other over bro's felt like one another was on a different planet. Brooke barely saw Peyton, and she was glad for it. Seeing Peyton would bring back the images she saw on her computer screen, and that would bring more pain into her life than she could handle at the moment. Peyton was easy to avoid now, but Lucas unfortunately wasn't.

The past few days, Brooke had been finding different teachers she could bother in order to miss out on the six minute passing period. She used to feel so thankful that Lucas and her had classes so close together, but after having her heart literally wrenched out and stomped on by her former boyfriend, walking to class together seemed like a sick ironic joke she wanted no part of.

"Whatever, Rach. We both know you've had your way with enough teachers for the both of us ;)"

"Haha…I don't even know if I can deny it…. Anyway, I'm assuming you're coming to my house tonight? Sam said he'd DJ and I am going to have two kegs coming in…Sooo pumped"

The last message glowed brightly in Brooke's lap. She looked up just in time to see a gangly, curly-haired girl walking together and laughing with a slender, brooding blonde. Pearly whites bit into flawlessly painted lips, and hazel eyes began to cloud with the threat of salt water. Shaking her head, as if forcing the emotion away, Brooke began typing into her phone.

"Count me in. I want to be too drunk to function"

~~*~~

MTV blared through the small apartment as Nathan got out of the shower. Looking at the clock, he realized it was already 9:05. He wanted to get to Rachel's before the keg was tapped. Looking through his closet, he brushed his dark, wet hair and tried to get himself excited for the night's upcoming events. He used to live for this; a drunken debacle filled with scantily clad high school girls all too willing to get into bed with the infamous Nathan Scott.

Changing into a pair of jeans and a nicer polo, he tossed his miniature rubber basketball into the hoop settled on his wall. It went into the hoop without touching the rim. Nathan smirked to himself and looked in the mirror. He pulled off the polo pretty well. Not wanting to be the first one to the party, but wanting to leave his place before Tim called and asked to carpool, he sat down in his chair and cracked open a beer, deciding to watch the rest of whatever lame show was airing on the television.

The commercial break ended and the VJ on MTV started talking.

"This next video is a special release of two new artists that have recently made their claim to fame a beautiful duet: Haley James and Chris Keller with 'When the Stars go Blue'. Hope you enjoy it!"

Nathan stared at the TV and the curly haired bitch of a VJ. As the song started to play, he immediately shut it off. Grabbing the basketball, he slammed it into the hoop as hard as he could. This caused the unstable hoop to fall off the wall and knock over a box on his dresser. Nathan picked up the box, along with the contents that spilled out of it. He held a gold ring in his hand that was engraved with 'Always & Forever'.

Looking at the ring, he slammed his fist into the wall.
"Always and forever doesn't mean leaving, Haley!"

His shouts weren't met with anyone. No one was there to hear him. The one person he thought understood and would always be there for him had left to sing with some clown on TV. Nathan set the ring back down, and in a fit of rage punched the wall again, causing his knuckles to bleed. He went into the kitchen and downed the rest of his beer.

And with an angry grab at his keys and a "Fuck this", he was off in his truck, speeding to Rachel's so he could forget about the loneliness that consumed his life and threatened to swallow him whole.

~~*~~

With no parents in the giant home, Brooke Davis turned up the music as loud as she wanted. She opened up her closet, which was big enough to store at least fifteen of the hired help comfortably, and searched through her clothes. She wanted to look hot. She wanted to feel comfortable, or at least as comfortable as possible, when she saw Lucas and Peyton. Regardless of what she wore, she knew boys would be flocking around her. Brooke Davis being willing, drunk, and single was a blast from the past for the majority of Tree Hill High's most eligible bachelors, and they would be way too excited to leave her alone. But the hotter she looked, the better she felt, so she finally settled on a short, white jean skirt, a dark purple tank top that showed her stomach, and a tight black vest that barely, if that, covered the tank top. With her long chestnut hair loosely curled and the right amount of make-up, she felt as ready as she'd ever be.

She sprayed herself with a faint amount of her perfume, and called Rachel.

"Where the hell are you, Brooke?"

"Calm down, Java the Slut, I'm on my way"

"Well hurry up. I know it's a long way for your fat ass to trek, but I need you here soon so I can look even hotter than I already do when I stand next to you".

Brooke hung up her phone and sped off to Rachel's, pushing away all the anxiety that was threatening to bubble up out of her mind.

~~*~~

Lil Wayne's raspy voice came from every speaker in the Gatina mansion. Drunken adolescents holding red plastic cups laughed as they fell down the stairs, or made out on one of the many couches.

"Tim! That's fuego!"

Nathan was holding shop at the Beer Pong table, kicking ass and taking names. A few girls surrounded his side of the table, as he made yet another cup, got balls back, and finished off the game.

"This is too easy" he laughed.

One of the blondes standing close leaned next to his face and purred, "This game isn't the only thing that'll be easy for you".

Nathan looked at her, trying to look pleased with her comment. "Let me play another game, then come find me". He attempted to keep the smile on his face.

Meanwhile, Brooke was in the living room downing her fifth shot of Jose Cuervo . After biting into the lime, she asked one of the boys she recognized from one of her classes to pour her another one. She smiled at him, liking how tan and built he was. He seemed to at first be shocked that she's talking to him, but then got overly excited pouring the shot and spilt half of it. She laughed, licked her salty hand, and repeated her cycle from before. Brooke did this two more times before Rachel tapped her on the shoulder.

"Maybe you should slow down a little bit. You're not the tank you used to be, and you've only been here for fifteen minutes".

Brooke just playfully pushed the redhead away and sauntered off into another part of the house. The basement was filled with more loud music and dancing teenagers. She soon got accustomed to the beat of the music, and started seductively swaying her hips back and forth. A guy that looked vaguely familiar to her immediately came up to her and put his arms around her waist. Just as she began to enjoy the pulsing sensation of the music and the feeling of his strong hands holding tightly to her body, Brooke saw Lucas and Peyton in the corner.

Though she didn't stop dancing, her mind began to panic. A rush of emotion surged her, but she couldn't tell if it was sadness, fear, or anger. Brooke tried to look away, but only managed to for a minute. She knew she was the best looking girl in the room, and the way she was dancing managed to attract the majority of the eyes in the basement. Yet, Lucas wasn't looking at her. Brooke slowly turned around and guided her partner a little closer to the blonde pair, daring them to watch.

As the man turned her back around and began grinding into her, she saw that she hasn't managed to get any attention. In the pit of her stomach, a heavy sadness mixed in with the lightness she felt from all the alcohol. Her hands trembled a bit and she bit her lip to stop from cringing too much as she remembered the last time she felt this unwanted. All this went away when she began to feel her new acquaintance's hands starting to ride up her thigh, slightly underneath her tight skirt.

Brooke grabbed his hand and began to walk upstairs. He eagerly followed. She went to the kitchen, and took a large swig of a bottle full of dark liquid that was filled to the brim.

"Impressive" the man said. She just looked at him blankly, and says that she wants to go upstairs. He smiled, grabs the bottle, and leads her into one of the many vacant rooms in the Gatina's upstairs.

~~*~~

Nathan finished another game as he saw his old brunette friend stumbling up the stairs, being led by someone Nathan can't see. Though he hasn't talked to her in a long time, probably because their bond/group of friends was diminished as soon as Haley left, he knew she had changed her ways. In the beginning of high school, and even middle school, Nathan had been with Brooke as she began her partying and….friendliness. For some reason, that all changed when she met his half-brother, Lucas.

Seeing her now, a pitiful state of sloppiness, his automatic assumption is that she's drinking her problems away because that certain half-brother of his is downstairs, talking to a certain skinny blonde. Nathan wished he was a good enough guy, a good enough friend, to care. To care enough to stop her from being like every other slut in this house. But he didn't care, at least not that much. It was her choice to make.

Just then, a manicured hand tapped him lightly on the shoulder. The girls face was covered heavily with make-up, and her slender body outlined in her tight, low-cut shirt and jeans. Nathan nodded at her and she giggled as he finished what was left in his plastic cup. As she lead the way to the stairs, he heard down below a couple guys' laughs and hollers. It had been a long time since Nathan did the walk of shame up the stairway of a house-party. He used to do it countless times, with girls like Theresa, Bevin, and even Brooke. That was a long time ago, but now that he had no one to answer to, he figured he might as well let out some of his anger in a physical release.

The girl stopped in her tracks, turned around, and pressed Nathan into the wall. She straddled his left leg, and whispered in his ear that her name was Tracy, right before biting it. Her lips began to lick, then kiss his neck. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the tingling sensation he felt in his groin. It had been a while, so he was getting excited early. She noticed this, and with her right hand, began massaging his crotch. He stood there in bliss for a moment, trying to imagine she was Haley.

He realized what he was doing, and got disgusted with himself. Almost walking away, he was stopped when she pulled him back and opened up the nearest bedroom. Brooke lay there, topless, and almost completely motionless. The guy was taking off her skirt as she was mumbling and trying to kick him away with the little coherence she had left in her.

The girl named Tracy began to apologize and walk out, Nathan almost letting her, until he realized what was happening. Something inside him snapped.

"Woah, man, get the fuck out of here. Nathan, is that you?"

Nathan went up to the bed and grabbed the guy's shoulders. He instantly realized it was Robert Drought, a Tree Hill Alumni who was attending a community college nearby. Robert had used to be the hot shot back in the day at Tree Hill, and apparently now thought he was going to get action with a half passed out high school girl.

"What the hell are you doing, dude? And why are you at a high school party?" Nathan was outraged.

Robert smirked. "Obviously, to get girls like this" he responded. "Now get the fuck out of here, I want to get laid tonight."

Brooke's eyes fluttered open a little bit, and mumbled "Get away….Not…Lucas".

"Baby, I'll be whoever you want me to be" Robert said, and sucked her neck roughly. Then he turned to Nathan, and told him to get out of the room.

Nathan pulled the guy up by his collar, and punched him square in the jaw. Tracy gasped and Tim and Skillz, who were walking by, walked in to the room to see what was going on.

"Yo Nate, what's all this about?" Questioned skillz.

"Just get this fool out of the house, now!" came Nathan's menacing voice.

He looked Robert dead in the eye. "Don't touch her again" Nathan warned, and pushed him and Tracy out, and locked the door. He ran his fingers through his hair, and looked at the half empty bottle next to the bed. Awkwardly, he pulled back up Brooke's white skirt, and attempted to put her tank top on, giving up on the vest. He decided that she should go home, so he picked her up, and carried her outside. On the drive home, he had to pull over twice to let her throw up. Her petite frame trembled as physical waves shook her. Finally, they made it to her house, and he helped her upstairs and to her bed, giving her a glass of water.

As he shut off the lights, Brooke took a large gulp of water, and looked at Nathan. Her eyes, once full of vibrance and love that literally made them sparkle, were dull and blank. "Please" she whispered, "Stay here with me."

He looked down at her and asked her if she even know who he was.

"Nathan, I know who you are. You're the only one who feels what I feel. I never thought I'd say that, but you are the only one...who is alone like me."

Her slurred words hung in the air as he swallowed what she said. Though she was inebriated out of her mind and probably wouldn't remember what she had said the next morning, she was right. He would have never imagined that one night he'd leave a party and a possible hook-up, because Brooke Davis didn't want to sleep with someone. He wouldn't have ever dreamed that he would be in a bed, together with Brooke, while they both let the sorrow of being the two loneliest people in Tree Hill wash over them. But there were here nonetheless, with Brooke drunkenly passed out, and Nathan wide awake thinking about what Haley was doing on tour. They were in the same bed, together, but very very alone at the same time..

So..what do you think? Please PLEASE review! And don't be too mean :) I'll try to update this as soon as I get enough reviews that'll encourage me to continue!