Thank you again to everyone who is taking the time to read and review the story. Who knew that reading your comments would make me smile so much! Hopefully, the drama isn't too much… and is true to Brooke's character. I was a little worried that she was overreacting, but I think it should be ok. I also want to apologize for any problems with formatting. I tried to include spaces and lines to show a kind of change in scenes, but it didn't transfer over when I loaded it. I hope you're able to read it still, because I didn't see it on the main page for OTH… I was afraid I had deleted it or hid it. Thanks again!

Chapter 6:

"Baker, a moment?" Julian glanced over a desk covered with flowers to see a seething Lucas. Julian sighed and followed his screenwriter towards a stocking room in the back of Tric. Once they were away from the questioning, curious eyes of the crew, Lucas turned and punched Julian's jaw.

Julian closed his eyes and actually didn't mind the pain. It had been 8 days since Brooke threw him out of her house and he knew this moment with Lucas was coming. He was actually surprised it took Lucas a week to find out the reason Brooke wasn't speaking to him or coming near the movie production. He did not, however, expect the onslaught he quickly realized he was about to receive. Lucas stepped aside and Peyton was suddenly in front of him and slapped him across the face, then Haley, and then Sam. "Et tu, Sampson?" Julian quietly whispered to her as he placed a hand to his stinging cheek. He was prepared to stand there stoically and allow them to hit him, but when he saw Nathan stride determinedly towards him, Julian held up his hands.

Nathan looked at Julian with disappointment, "Don't worry, I'm not going to kick your ass… like I should. Come on. I'm here to drive." He pushed Julian back towards the door. Lucas gave Peyton a quick kiss on her palm (that was still stinging from the slap she had given Julian) before following Nathan and Julian out the back exit of Tric.

"Ass!"

"Idiot!"

"Dumb ass!"

"Dumb ass idiot!" Julian sat in silence in the back of Nathan's car as Lucas and Nathan called him various names. Luke turned from the passenger seat, "Whatever gave you the impression it was ok to go behind your girlfriend's back to sign her former company to do wardrobe?!"

Julian opened his mouth to explain, but shut his mouth, then suddenly replied, "It doesn't matter. She can't forgive me… not for this." He was relieved to see Nathan pull up to the Rivercourt and not a spot in the woods. Nathan turned to look at Julian and rolled his eyes, "Dude, shut up! She forgave this tool," he motioned to Lucas who gave him a scowl, "after he cheated TWICE with her best friend. Don't underestimate the size of Brooke Davis's heart."

The three men exited the car and began to walk towards the picnic tables. Lucas threw a basketball at Julian, "Why? And I want a better explanation than 'it is only business!"

Julian threw the ball angrily back to Lucas, "I've tried to explain it to her, but she won't see me, accept my calls. She blocks my email and chat attempts." Julian was emphasizing each failed attempt to communicate with Brooke by counting them on his fingers, then he screamed in frustration. "She even refuses my flowers, Lucas." Lucas and Nathan both lift their eyebrows at that revelation. "I mean why else did you think we had flower deliveries every hour for the past week?! She refused them back to me!"

"Well, stop sending flowers! They are giving everyone a freaking migraine!" Lucas shouted to Julian. Nathan laughed, "I thought it was some weird LA movie thing." Lucas threw the ball at Nathan, "Nate? Seriously, flowers?" Nathan shrugged while Lucas shook his head.

Julian coughed loudly to refocus the brothers. "Look, we need Clothes Over Bros. for the film. It is a company, it is trademarked. The only way Victoria would allow us to use the company's name was if we used them for wardrobe. I had no choice." Julian slumped to sit on the pavement of the basketball court.

Lucas finally understood… he was another victim in Victoria's sick attempt to ruin her daughter. He and Nathan sat down on either side of Julian, "You always have a choice." Julian shook his head and took a moment for his voice to be stronger. He looked to Lucas and then Nathan with pleading eyes, "How can you have Brooke in the movie and NOT mention her clothing line? You can't. It is a part of her history, it'd be a disservice to her legacy to ignore it. It is one of the most amazing things about her… how she could be so daring, successful… brave." Julian attempted a small grin, but it was bitter. "The irony of this whole fucked up thing, is that I did it for her. I'd rather work with Osama bin Laden than that bitch."

Lucas punched him in the shoulder, "Ok… whatever. But why didn't you discuss it with her or with me first?" Julian dropped his eyes and lifted one shoulder, "I didn't want to say anything until Victoria agreed. She was being such an ass with the negotiations. I thought it would be better to wait until the contracts were signed." Lucas started to speak, but Julian finished, "She had come to town that day to sign the contracts. I was going to tell Brooke that evening, but apparently, Victoria beat me to it."

Nathan put a hand on Julian's shoulder, "You need to talk to her." Julian slowly turned to Nathan with an incredulous expression, "and HOW am I gonna do that? I told you she won't speak to me."

Nathan and Lucas stood up to walk towards the car. Julian began to get up when Lucas shook his head "You obviously need time to think." The two brothers got into the car and looked at Julian. Nathan leaned out his window as he pulled away, "Besides, you're still the ass who signed Victoria. See you back at Tric."

Brooke's store

Peyton and Haley had arrived to Brooke's store to work on the gowns for Peyton and Lucas's upcoming wedding. Haley, ever the prepared mom, brought snacks and drinks. Peyton brought over the newest songs from her most successful artist, Mia, to replace the depressive, break-up music Brooke had favored for a week. Brooke winced at the upbeat and optimistic song of new love, but put a big smile on her face for her closest friends. She grabbed the sketches she had finished and some of the fabric choices, and headed over to the seating area with Haley and Peyton.

The three young women were soon laughing and enjoying Haley's fresh-baked cookies while Brooke discussed one of the sketches. Haley and Peyton both looked up when they heard the chime of the front door; however, Brooke continued to keep her eyes on the sketch. Brooke simply said, "No thank you." Haley and Peyton looked at each other stunned. Without even looking or any further instructions, Brooke had declined what appeared to be an arrangement of two dozen purple roses.

"Now, tutor mom, I really think we should go off the shoulder with a deep v in the back…" Brooke continued to make improvements on the sketch in front of her. "Whoa… Brooke?! What the hell was that?" Haley questioned her.

Brooke gave a weary sigh and shrugged, "Julian's been sending flowers practically every hour for the past week. I just tell Tim 'no' and he takes the flowers to Julian." She looked up with tears in her eyes to see her friends rush to her side to hug her.

"B. Davis… I am so sorry that you're hurting and Julian hired Bitchtoria." Brooke looked up at her friends with a questioning look, she hadn't told them the reason she wasn't speaking to Julian. "Sam," all three said at the same time.

"I just can't believe I let my guard down and actually start to freaking fall for a guy and then he betrays me. I mean… I haven't hurt this much since…" she tailed off and looked at Peyton and motioned towards her, "You know… you were whoring around with Lucas behind my back."

"I'm going to let that one slide B. Davis because you're clearly out of your mind with grief." Peyton chuckled and wrapped her arms around her friend. "But, maybe you should hear him out… it isn't as bad as you think." Brooke looked up at Peyton with disbelief.

"Peyton, you know more than anyone what my mother did and is capable of."

"Yeah, I know, Brooke… I know… but what about Julian? Did he know everything about your mom and how much this would hurt you? He doesn't know the extent, and I think he underestimated how much this would hurt you. Seriously, who doesn't complain about their parents? I think you should hear him out."

"Tigger, I agree with Peyton. I love you and obviously support you, but you're hurting." She laughed and held up her palm, "And I know Julian is hurting, too."

Haley and Peyton began to fill Brooke in on how the group had come to Brooke's defense. Brooke's eyes looked up at them with concern, but also appreciation. "Poor Julian… he just got bitch slapped by my posse."

"Brooke, just try to soften those walls to hear him out. We're not saying to forgive him or anything. Just give the guy a chance to explain." Haley had just finished pleading Julian's case to Brooke when the chimes for the front door signaled the arrival of more flowers.

Tim was in the process of turning around expecting Brooke's refusal when he was stopped by a raspy voice. "I'd like them on the counter, please." Nearly dropping the vase, Tim slowly turned to Brooke, "Excuse me?" Brooke cleared her throat and repeated in a louder, stronger voice, "I'd like them on the counter, please. Thank you Tim." Tim hurried to place the vase on the counter and scurried out of the store. He quickly dialed the shop to tell them she finally accepted the flowers and to tell everyone he got the 200 bucks. Tim smiled and punched the ceiling, he had just won the shop's pool when/if Brooke would ever accept Julian's flowers.

Tric – Julian & Lucas's office

Julian had been arguing with Lucas for the past thirty minutes about script changes when he looked up and started to think. He checked his watch, and a grin began to play out on his lips. He put his pen down and quickly stood up and went to his lap top. He ran to Lucas and grabbed his left hand only to throw it down in disgust. "Why don't you wear a freaking watch?!"

Lucas watched Julian run to check the time on three different clocks with confusion. Julian ran from the room to confirm the time and his suspicions with their assistant. He ran back into the room with the first smile Lucas had seen in days. "What the hell, man?" Lucas could only smile back at his producer with confusion.

"The flowers… she kept… she didn't refuse the flowers." He was grabbing his jacket and hitting his pockets mumbling, "keys?"

A glint of silver caught his eye and Julian quickly grabbed the set of keys Lucas had just hurled towards him through the air. Julian shouted a quick "thanks" and was out the door. He had to find Brooke. This was his opening and he was prepared to do whatever it took to win a place back in her life.