Chapter 3: But the perfect end....
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"Um what did she mean by that?" Julian asked confused.
"I have long given up trying to figure out the words that come out of that girl's mouth," Brooke said seriously, wanting to strangle Sam. She had told her to keep her smart comments to herself, but she just had to say anything and everything that came to her mind.
The night hadn't even started and it was already turning out to be a disaster.
It's gonna be me baby
It's gonna be you baby
"Yeah, I don't think anyone actually understands what goes on in that girl's head," Julian said laughing, easing the tension around them.
"She lights up the house though. Her endless chatter and sarcasm are the only reason I have survived the past two weeks," Brooke said affectionately as she led Julian into the living room.
"Yeah, she's really grown on me too. She's a big part of my everyday life, I mean her sarcasm and smart comments are the only one that could make me laugh in the last couple of days after some very unpleasant conversations with my father," Julian said distastefully.
"You don't really like your father, do you?" Brooke asked curiously.
"No, not really. But I really don't want to talk about it right now, if you don't mind," Julian said uncomfortably.
"Oh no it's okay. I understand what it's like to have disappointing parents," Brooke said wincing as she thought about Victoria.
"I don't think it's a good idea to start the night talking about disappointing parents. Ruin the whole mood don't you think?" Julian asked playfully.
"I agree," Brooke said matching his playful tone, "So what do you suggest we do to lighten the mood?"
"Are you insinuating something Brooke?" Julian asked teasingly.
"Oh please, don't flatter yourself. I didn't mean it that way," Brooke said wrinkling her nose, but the slight blush on her cheeks told Julian that she was more uncomfortable then she led on.
"You're starting to sound like Sam with each passing day, she's a bad influence on you, and I don't think I can have two Samantha Walker's in Tree Hill," Julian said jokingly, casually changing the subject.
"Puhleez, you know you love us," Brooke said smirking.
"Hmmm…you might me right about that. These two weeks have changed my life, you know. I used to be this depressed, lonely guy and then I came to Tree Hill, and even though the first few weeks were tough here, now it seems more like home than LA has ever felt," Julian said honestly.
Time I've been patient for so long
How can I pretend to be so strong?
Looking at you baby
Feeling it too baby
If I'm asking you to hold me tight
then it's gonna be all right
"That's the thing with Tree Hill. Once someone comes here, they never want to leave. Well maybe except for Jake, Rachel, Gigi…oh that's not even the point," Brooke trailed off.
"Don't worry, I get what you're trying to say. There's something about this place that's inviting. No, let me rephrase that, there's something about the people here that attracts you. I guess that's the advantage of living in a small town," Julian observed.
"Not everything about living in a small town is good. They all have their pro and cons. But I am glad you're finding Lucas bearable to work with," Brooke said smiling.
"Lucas? What does Lucas have to do with this?" Julian asked confused wondering where Lucas suddenly came into the conversation.
"Well you just said that there's something about the people here that attracts you, and I just thought that it might be Lucas, after all he was the reason you came here after all," Brooke explained.
"Woah, why would you get the idea that Lucas attracted me here? I mean yeah, his book was the reason I came here, and granted that he and I are getting along better than we did before, but he had nothing to do in making me fall in love with Tree Hill. I think the credit all goes to you and Sam. You guys were the first two people I felt comfortable with in the past couple of years, well ever since I walked out of my dad's place," Julian said seriously.
"I am glad to hear that. And for what it's worth, you're a great guy. I don't know what the deal with your father was, but you really are a good person, and you have no idea how much you've helped both Sam and me in the past couple of weeks," Brooke added.
"Why thank you, but now that we're done with the compliments and all that good stuff, do you think we can have dinner now? I don't want to sound all starved and stuff, but I am starving," Julian said smirking.
"Hmm Sam was right," Brooke said teasingly as she turned and started walking towards the kitchen.
"Why? What did she say? Did she say something about me?" Julian inquired urgently. What rumors was Sam spreading about him this time?
"Oh nothing, she just said that you were always hungry," Brooke said innocently trying not to burst out laughing at the horrified look on Julian's face.
"I am NOT always hungry. She just caught me on a couple of bad times. And you should know by now not to trust anything she says," Julian mumbled.
"And miss that look on your face? No way in hell," Brooke burst out laughing as she set out the chicken and mashed potatoes on the table.
It's gonna be Love
It's gonna be great
It's gonna be more then I can take
It's gonna be free
It's gonna be real
"Is that how you treat someone you have invited on a date? I expected better from you Brooke," Julian said teasingly not noticing how Brooke tensed up immediately at his words.
"So, is this a date?" Brooke asked slowly, all the humor gone from her voice.
"Is it? You're the one who invited me. You tell me," Julian said softly, his eyes gazing into hers trying to read her murky thoughts.
"I don't know," Brooke confessed honestly.
"That's okay, I wasn't really expecting an answer. With the way things have been, I hardly think you would have spent time thinking about dating. So why don't we put that out of our minds and eat?" Julian proposed.
"Sound like a plan," Brooke said gratefully, glad that he had not probed the subject further, because she knew that if he had had asked more questions, she would have given to what her heart had been screaming for the past week, and she didn't think she was ready for that just yet.
"And Julian, thanks," Brooke said after a couple of seconds.
"For what?" Julian asked confused as he helped himself to some chicken.
"For everything, just about everything," Brooke said seriously.
"You're welcome, for everything I guess," Julian replied. "By the way, this is really good," Julian continued taking a bit of his roast chicken.
"I try. I am not the world's best cook, so I was very apprehensive about how this turned out to be," Brooke confessed.
"Its perfect," Julian said as he looked up and met her eyes over the candle she had set in between.
"Thanks," Brooke said softly, turning her eyes away from his intense gaze, "Would you like some wine?"
"I would love some," Julian said turning his attention back to his food as Brooke handed him a glass of classic wine.
"Pinot Noir, classy," Julian said taking a sip on his wine.
"I like my wine to be the best. That's one thing I don't compromise on," Brooke said smiling.
"Now that's a woman with priorities," Julian said teasingly.
"You're probably the first person who had said that to me," Brooke said softly.
"It's the first of the many things you'll hear from me Brooke Davis. Just wait and see," Julian said giving her a small wink over the candle, making Brooke's face glow in the warm candlelight.
Damn she was getting closer and closer to giving in to him.
It's gonna change everything I feel
It's gonna be sad
It's gonna be true
It's gonna be me baby
It's gonna be you baby
It's gonna be...Its gonna be Love
--
"So that was really good," Julian said as he helped Brooke clear the table after dinner.
"Thanks once again, and you really don't have to do this you know," Brooks said pointing to the dishes in his hands.
"For the millionth time, I don't mind. In fact, it's kinda fun," Julian said.
"Fun? I would hardly call putting dirty dishes away fun," Brooke said sarcastically.
"Well it all depends on who you're doing with doesn't it?" Julian asked innocently, the underlying meaning evident in his voice.
"Mr. Baker are you implying what I think you're implying?" Brooke asked flirtatiously, while her heard pounded in her chest. She knew what Julian was trying to do, he was trying to get her to make the first move. Well, she wasn't going to stand there acting like a blumbering idiot, oh no, she would give him just what he was asking for. She had done enough of putting other things in front of heart, but those days were finished especially now when such a hot and sexy guy clearly wanted her.
"Well that would depend on what you're thinking," Julian said smirking as he took a step closer to where she was standing next to the sink.
"Well I think that you're saying that you enjoy spending time with me," Brooke said wiggling her eyebrows suggestively as she too took one step towards Julian. Now they were merely 5 feet apart.
"You know what I am thinking?" Julian asked softly out as he took another step closer.
"What?" Brooke breathed out, completely closing the distance between them.
"I think I need another drink," Julian blurted out taking two huge steps away from Brooke, as her recently closed eyes fluttered open at his statement.
"What?" Brooke asked hoarsely, her heart pounding in her throat as she thought about what just happened a second ago.
Time am I restless or a fool?
How can you pretend to be so cruel?
Maybe it's me baby
Maybe it's true baby
Maybe it's everything were dreaming of
We waited long enough
"More wine," Julian mumbled out as he poured himself a glass and downed in one gulp, clearly just as affected as Brooke.
"Why the hell did you do that?" Brooke asked angrily. She had never been so frustrated at a guy before, no man had ever dared to get into one feet of Brooke Davis and not kiss her, and she wasn't going to let Julian get off that easily either. Not when she had finally accepted the fact that she has feelings for him.
"Do what?" Julian asked innocently his back still turned towards Brooke.
"Don't play dumb with me Julian. Why the hell did you turn away like that?" Brooke asked forcefully.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Julian said defiantly.
"Oh yeah, so you're saying that you weren't about to kiss me, before something went around in that thick head of yours causing you to turn away?" Brooke asked sarcastically, as she forcefully turned Julian around so that he was facing her.
"Look Brooke you were the one who was undecided about what this whole deal between us is. I don't know what you want and I don't want to push you either. I don't want this to be something you regret later on," Julian said seriously, looking straight into her eyes.
"I want this Julian. I would have stopped you long before this, if I wasn't sure," Brooke said earnestly.
"I don't think you want to be with me, Brooke. I am not that kind of a guy," Julian said cryptically.
"Okay this is the second time you have said that to me, and I have no idea what you mean. You're not what kind of a guy Julian?" Brooke asked frustrated, wanting to strangle Julian at his lack of cooperation.
"I am not the knight in shining armor kind of guy, like most girls want their boyfriends to be. I have a temper, and I sometimes completely disregard other people's feelings. I can't promise you that I will always be there to protect you, and I am very unstable. I am not the kind of guy you would want to be with Brooke. I am not good enough for you. You've been through enough, and you need someone who's always going to be there," Julian said seriously.
Brooke blinked in surprise after Julian was done. Of all the things he could have said, that response was the last thing she expected.
"Okay that was probably the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard in my life. Because one, the guy like you just described above, only exist in fairytales. I have seen enough of life to know that knight in shining armors and the image of a perfect guy don't exist in real life. And second, I don't think I am looking for forever in a guy right now. Right now I am just looking for something that makes me feel happy and fulfilled, and Julian you're the only one who fits that criteria. You've been there for me more than you could ever realize in the past two weeks, and that's what makes you more than good enough for me," Brooke said sincerely taking his hands in her own.
The sooner you let two hearts beat together
The sooner you know this love is forever
Love needs time now or never
You really got to believe
It's gonna be strong enough
"But—"
"Okay now I am starting to think that you don't want this," Brooke said aggravated.
"You sure you want this?" Julian asked one last time, slowly grasping Brooke's face in his hands.
"Yes," Brooke choked out, her eyes fluttering shut at the sudden physical contact.
"You know that there is no going back once—"
"Just kiss me already," Brooke snapped, and that was all Julian needed to hear.
Lowering his head slowly, he gently placed his lips over Brooke's. Brooke's eyes snapped open at the contact, but not because she was surprised, but because of the sudden jolt that went through her as Julian started moving her lips upon her, slowly urging her on. Lifting her hands, she placed her left hand on his chest while her right made its way to the back of his head. She could feel one of Julian's hand on her back pulling her closer to his body so that there was literally no gap between them while the other one gently stroked her cheeks.
She couldn't believe this was happening. Her whole body was tingling, and by the urgency in the way Julian was kissing, she knew he was enjoying this just as much as she was.
When air became an issue, Julian regretfully pulled away but kept his hand securely around Brooke's waist leaving her flushed against his chest.
"So this is what Sam said when she said keep it PG-13 huh?" Julian asked smirking once his breathing had evened out.
"I guess so, but honestly I didn't see this night ending this way," Brooke confessed, her breathing still a bit ragged.
"Oh honey, the night is far from over. You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into," Julian said teasingly as he ran his finger along Brooke's naked arms, making her shiver in anticipation.
"Well then shut up and kiss me," Brooke demanded, as she lifted her head from his chest, her eyes gleaming mischievously.
"Your wish is my command," Julian said laughing before he leaned down and claimed her lips once again.
As Brooke felt herself melt into Julian's warm embrace, she couldn't help but think how this whole thing had started. So much for this just being business.
But she didn't have much time to ponder over it because it wasn't long before Julian drove every other thought from her mind leaving her into a state of blissful happiness.
So even though this night had started off with a rocky start, the ending was just perfect. And in the end, that's what really matters.
As the saying goes, Love conquers all.
It's gonna be me baby
It's gonna be you
It's gonna be real
It's gonna be love
A/N: Well, there you go! It's done!!!!!!!!! How did you like it? Was it a cute ending? A sappy one? A horrible one? This is one of the first fics I have finished, so I am not very experienced with endings, but I seriously hope this wasn't disappointing! I wanted to leave Brooke and Julian in their element, and I thought this was the perfect way to end it.
In my initial plan, I wanted to do a chapter when Brooke and Sam talks about what how the date went and all that stuff, but I don't think I'll be writing that chapter, because this ending seems good enough to me. But if you guys really want a final chapter with Brooke/ Sam, and I get that request in more than 20 reviews, then maybe I'll add it, but if not, then this is the ending of Happiness at Long last!
As for a sequel, I have nothing specific planned, but if I get any inspiration then who knows I might write one after I am done with my Leyton fic Too far Gone, which is slowly coming to an end! I'll post up an A/N as a separate chapter if I plan to write a sequel, so all of you know!
Finally, I would like to thank everyone single one of you who have reviewed and added me to your story alert/ favorite story list! It means the world to me! I will be personally answering all signed reviews for this chapter thanking all of you who took the time to read this and let me know what you thought.
Also, since this is the end, I would like to know your final thoughts and comments about the whole story, so those of you who've read both previous chapters and not reviewed, I would really appreciate it if you leave a review telling me what you thought!
So once again, thank you so much for making this story such a success, I love you all!
Song: It's gonna be love- Mandy Moore