A.N: I'm soooooo so so so so so very sorry that it took this long to write chapter 6. I could give you a list of excuses but I'm sure you're all too enraged to care and are preparing your tomato themed catapults as I type this. Exams, studying, 6form, hobbies and maintaining a girlfriend are the main reasons I struggled to finish this fic off but Jodie hasn't been much help since she says this thing called "college" keeps her busy most of the time. Pfft. But she has done her bit and for that I thank the sexy Scot. On lighter news Paris Hilton is in jail. Again! There is a god! At least one with a kickass sense of humour. And to this god I sacrifice 10 billion baby lambs. –sigh- Let's hope for face cancer.

I do go on but I'm sure you've missed my misguided, moronic, monkey-like gibbering (three M's all in a row! I know there's a word for when you do that but I forget...alliteration? Anyone wanna share the answer. I should know wanting to be a writer and all but brain like a sieve carrying hydrochloric acid.) Hennn-e-way, thank rock music and my slight insomnia for completing the sixth and final chapter of TDOBD. Please enjoy.

And pray for the eventual psychotic piss puddle that will become of Paris Hilton in the next few weeks. And I know, three P's in a row, how sex am I?

As sex as a fish you say. Fair enough.

Oh yes, enjoy!

Disclaimer: Me no own sexy "possibly-lesbionic" girls of one tree hill.

Chapter 6:

Hold the honeymoon, this wedding's cancelled

"What's the time?" Brooke asked as she grabbed her bridesmaids dress from her wardrobe and left a strangely empty and Haley-less apartment.

"What's the time?" Brooke asked as she struggled with the zipper of her dress in the back of Lucas' car.

"What's the time?" Brooke asked as she sat back down in the front passenger seat to see they'd just passed the Tree Hill mall.

"What's the-?"

"BROOKE!" She jumped and looked at Lucas as if to say "What?!". "It's been two minutes since we left your apartment and like I said five seconds ago its still 11:31!!"

He turned back to watch the road slightly flustered with his tie askew.

"11.31?! But we'll be too late! We've only got-!"

"Three quarters of an hour."

"...till the service begins..." Brooke fell into a fidgety silence, only feeling a smidgen of guilt for pestering Lucas as he had volunteered to help and he was getting the full on impatient Brooke treatment. She was anxious, gut wrenchingly anxious. The whole spurring speech earlier had made everything seem so clear but the abrupt absence of Haley at the apartment had made the fight for her that little bit harder. Where had she even gotten changed?! What if she'd gotten so mad she'd stormed over to Nathan's to tell him the ridiculous "story" Brooke had confessed to her. Brooke became obsessed with thoughts of an angry Nathan and what he might do to shut her up, never mind the reputation of Dan Scott. Like father like son? Brooke sunk down in her seat, suddenly feeling a lot less eager about where she was heading.

"Oh I'm a dead girl. Dead dead dead." Brooke groaned as she bit down hard on the nails between her teeth. Lucas stopped the car and it dawned on her that they had arrived. She peered out of the car window to gaze upon a large, white marquee that had been set up on beautiful verdant garden. Wild flowers and vines snaked up white trellises, aligning a pebble path up to the magnificent marquee as it shifted gently in the stiff breeze. Brooke saw family and friends talking and seating themselves in the distance and gulped. She silently cursed Haley for having the reception so close to the damn apartment.

"Lucas? I've changed my mind. Let's go home. Or Canada. Canada's good too."

Lucas, whom had already left the car and was smartening himself up with the aid of his wing mirror, gave her a soft look and went around to open the passenger door. "If you don't try you'll never know. And for the rest of your life you'll wonder "what if". Don't be that girl. Be the girl that fights for what she deserves, dying with a smile if it all goes bad."

"Please don't say die." Brooke whined as she caught the sight of Nathan talking to his mother back at the marquee and gulped a second time.

"If you're telling the truth about Nate, then we both no this marriage can't happen. It's not fair on Haley and if you won't crash this wedding and tell her you love her, then I'll just have to do it instead." He smiled as Brooke scowled up at him through tightly drawn eyes. She took a moment to consider what she was about to do.

"And if it all goes to crap and Nathan tries to throttle me we can move to Canada?"

"I'll already be packed."

Brooke beamed at Lucas and got out of his car, closing the door with a flourish. "Then let's go steal me a bride."

-x-

Walking up into the marquee with Lucas by her side, Brooke felt more at ease…well, as much at ease as a person could feel while planning to ruin a wedding, out the groom as an adulterous man-whore and steal the bride right out from under him. Oh yes, Brooke Davis's life? Far from boring.

Like right now for example, if she hadn't turned her head in the hopes of finding Haley, she wouldn't have spotted Peyton and she certainly wouldn't be pulling her arm out from under Lucas's and heading towards Peyton. Walking towards her, all her thoughts jumbled together and she wished she could pick a sentence out from her this seething ball of anger, but she couldn't, but after taking a breath she let that anger fade, the last thing she needed was anger.

"Hey Brooke, you look amazing!" Peyton gushed and Brooke had to wonder how she could fake the happiness. It had to be fake right? She couldn't be that two faced and actually be happy for both Haley and Nathan after she had done god knows what with Nathan.

"Hey skank bitch, you look like a ten dollar hooker!" Brooke let fly, because in her eyes Peyton wasn't worthy of any other name. She noticed Peyton's shocked face, not that it was hard to notice, Peyton never could convey emotion subtly. "What's wrong Sawyer? Cat got your tongue?" she asked feigning concern, "Or should that be Nathan got your tongue."

"I-"

"And I'm sure he's had the sweet adulterous joy of having that tongue wherever he wants." Brooke continued with a smile that unnerved Peyton to the core. She knew she was in deep shit and Brooke was doing her the simple favour of not making a scene. Strangely, this calm and happy Brooke was more terrifying than the screaming, hair-pulling variety.

"Oh like you're perfect Brooke," was the biting remark back. "How many is it now? In the hundreds? I've lost count honestly." Brooke seemed surprised at the come back but her smile only widened as she bit back harder.

"Oh you've got a nerve Blondie. You make a habit of screwing around with everyone else's men and turn around to tell me how I'm the whore?" Brooke let out a big laugh as if Peyton had just told her the funniest joke in the world. "You have no idea how much shit you're actually in."

"No, listen Brooke it was a mista-"

"Please do not go there; if you go there I will smack the slut out of you. You don't want me to make a scene." Brooke threatened becoming suddenly much colder. "You didn't just trip and fall onto it Peyton. No you were probably laying there with your legs open and begging him."

"Oh come on, whatever you saw wasn't that bad, quit being a bitch and let them have their stupid wedding for all its worth." Peyton rebutted as she fidgeted in agitation. She was glancing over to nearby guests and it was obvious what was bothering her. When Brooke replied she made sure her voice was that little bit louder.

"Oh yeah, I'mthe bitch. After all I'mthe one who's whoring about with the groom, right Peyton? Right? I'm the one who's the slut and goes behind your supposed best friend's back to screw their husband, right? That's me, not some blonde, easy, STI walking whore, isn't it?" Brooke asked rhetorically, glaring at Peyton, who had the decency to look away.

"What are you going to do?" She asked quietly.

Grinning Brooke started to walk away. "Just watch the fireworks Skank, just watch."

-x-

She had planned to find Lucas again and let him tell her why this was such a good idea, because she needed the reassurance, she really did. But looking for him didn't so much lead to Lucas as it did to Haley. For future warning, finding Haley was heart attack material, serious heart attack material. She could almost picture her heart bursting into little shards and piercing every other organ within leaving her dead…not that she knew what an actual heart attack felt like, but seeing Haley staring at her while she was unprepared felt like that. The only other time she had ever felt like this was at cheer camp when she experimented with some hair dye one girl had snuck in and looked in the mirror and seen green hair staring back at her.

"Brooke…." Haley's voice rang out and pulled her from the hazy fog that was her mind.

"What is it?" She asked when she saw the dear-caught-in-headlights look Brooke was giving her.

"I was looking for Lucas," because I needed the Dutch courage to do this. Or possibly seven glasses of champagne, she finished silently. They should really have "BRIDE IS IN HERE" signs when walking around a huge pavilion. The place was a maze and yet she so easily stumbled upon the smaller tent just outside the main marquee. Curiosity got the better off her and BAM: there was Haley. And what a sight she was to behold. Now that Brooke had had the time to take everything in she saw the dress. The dress that seemed to fit Haley like a diamond studded glove and complete her. Brooke was more in love than she had ever been with this amazing girl and the jagged remnants of her heart cut a little deeper. God, this girl. This girl was driving her insane! She couldn't cope anymore! How am I meant to ruin her day? I can't watch that face fall, watch tears scar that perfect smile, take away her greatest dream. Love is everything to her and she's already found it. Just not in me...

"Please don't tell me you've come to lie about Nathan some more," Haley sighed with a hint of resentment. She looked suddenly stressed and flustered. But still drop-dead gorgeous, Brooke thought as she fought the urge to bite her lip. "I'm getting married. It's happening...please accept it B-"

"You're beautiful." Blurted Brooke and Haley blinked. "I mean, you look...beautiful. Stunning." The last word was almost a sob as she gestured. Brooke didn't know if it was down to the sight of bride Haley or the growing realisation that her love would have to stay unrequited, but it hurt. A lot. She was bleeding from the inside out it hurt so bad. No guy had ever hurt her this much, the neglect of her parents was nothing compared to this agony, even the time Peyton stole Lucas from her seemed like a pleasant, blissful memory.

Haley surveyed her curiously, "Thanks Tigger."

And Brooke was privileged with a genuine smile formed by lips fit for an angel.

Brooke burst into tears.

Haley's eyes bugged and she rushed to her best friend as if she were on fire. "No don't cry! You look beautiful too!" She stammered wildly, getting no answer from the now weeping Brooke who had covered her face with her hands. "Oh crap. Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap. Look its okay about earlier I'm not mad, I swear, please just stop crying or you're gonna make me cry and then my make up'll run!"

Haley's heart skipped as a giggle escaped from between Brooke's fingers. The teary eyed brunette wiped at her face and gave Haley a watery smile. "Why do you have to be so damn cute," She sighed croakily, causing Haley's heart to skip for a completely different reason. The sincerity and sadness in Brooke's voice had been so strong. Haley swallowed and tried to hide her creeping blush by hugging Brooke.

"Was born this way. Lot of people can't handle what I'm packing." Haley said simply into her ear. Brooke laughed out loud and forgot about the tears dotted across her face.

"I am such a bad influence on you. But I love it." She added with another giggle.

"I'm sorry I just left the apartment like that. I went to Karen's, she had the dress and I made my way here from there. I should have told you...I just...I guess you hit a nerve. The one thing the bride wants to hear on the day of wedding is "oh by the way the groom's cheating on you." She said sternly but gently. Haley wasn't one to hold a grudge and she'd already forgiven Brooke by the time she'd closed the door to their apartment.

"I had to know if you were okay. I left things so badly," Brooke muttered. "But I was drunk." Brooke shuddered with anger as she said it, but she had to for the sake of every stupid ethical reason in the book. "So, so very drunk," She continued as she put on a faux guilty grimace. "I'm really sorry, but drunk people tend to say they love everything in close proximity. As for the Peyton thing..." She paused trying to explain that outburst, "So, so very drunk."

Haley seemed to perk up a lot more, "I figured as much. But it's fine. All that matters is you're here and you're my bridesmaid!" They allowed five seconds of frantic jumping around as required by all excited girls. "God I've missed you. No more silly fights. Deal?"

"Pinky swear." Brooke declared as she locked pinkies with Haley and shook. A comfortable silence followed in which Haley wiped off the remaining tears on Brooke's cheeks. It was enough to make Brooke want to leave, because if she kept gazing at those big, innocent, hazel eyes she'd do something stupid. Stupider than green hair dye. "Hey Hales, I gotta go get ready for you're whole walk down the aisle thingy, so...I'll catch up with you later kay?"

Haley looked a little nervous at the prospect of being left alone to wait for her elegant entrance but nodded slowly. Brooke smiled, gave Haley one last big hug and walked out of the tent. Her absence stung more than usual and Haley was slowly beginning to feel like a crazy person. She turned to go back to the full body mirror that stood in a corner of her tent. She twirled to examine the effect and gave a half-smile.

She then watched Brooke walk hurriedly back in and Haley looked over her shoulder worried something had gone wrong. "Just forgot to give you this." Brooke breathed and without hesitation she closed the gap between them and kissed Haley gently on the forehead. It lasted about 3 seconds and when Brooke moved back she saw Haley had closed her eyes. She opened them slowly, looking slightly giddy. Brooke gave her trademark grin and whispered in the most casual, neutral tone she could muster, "Love ya Hales."

She walked back out with a secret smile across her face, glad she'd conveyed her feelings in a sneaky, but satisfactory way. If only she'd stayed a little longer to see the peculiar look adorning Haley's face.

When Brooke passed Lucas in the marquee he looked hopefully at her. "Change of plans Scott, looks like you'll be walking her to Nathan after all. No, it's fine," She added as he tried to argue, "It's for the best Luke. Trust me."

"But where are you going?"

Brooke shrugged. "Tell her I felt ill. Or went to go hang myself. In Canada." She joked humourlessly. "Just make it sound more poetic, you're good at that kind of thing."

She walked away.

-x-

Time was crawling by like a snail on its back and it was making Haley very nervous. She had no clock or watch to tell her the time and no one was allowed in her tent apart from the person who had to walk her down the aisle, and that was Lucas. No Lucas in sight. With a mixture of boredom and anticipation she took a small stroll out onto the grass but shot back inside when she saw Nathan only fifteen feet away outside the main marquee. What is he doing?! He knows its bad luck to see the bride before the wedding! Which is in minutes, he should be waiting at the alter! Haley's mind buzzed with anxious worry but it exploded when she saw who was with him.

As she peered around the flap in the tent, she watched Nathan talk animatedly to a flushed and angry Peyton. Nathan looked equally unhappy. Haley strained to hear what they were obviously arguing about but had a horrible feeling she already knew as she picked up on the odd sentence:

"...she knows? How? How the hell did she find out?!..."

"...she just came up to me..."

"...what's she gonna do?"

"...watch the fireworks..."

"...great Peyton, great...Lucas' been giving me looks too...be surprised if the whole guest list doesn't already know..."

"I'm sorry Nathan I didn't mean-"

"What the hell are you doing, this is the goddamn wedding!" Nathan snapped loudly as Peyton had placed her hands on his chest imploringly. He stormed off back into the marquee and after a moment Peyton followed suit. Haley sank back into the tent, her heart hammered in her chest like a frantic drum beat. Oh my god...

"She was telling the truth...but...he wouldn't...he...no..." Haley tried to take a deep breath but it made her choke. She tried again and this time it worked. She relaxed briefly, getting a clear perspective of the situation, only to be disturbed with,

"Time for your big part."

Lucas stood at the flap of the tent smiling. But it seemed to be forced, keeping up appearances for her. She thought back to Brooke's apology...

"Oh god, I've been so stupid!" Haley cried out, putting her hands to her mouth and letting everything crash down upon her with painful realisation. "Oh mega holy shit Lucas!" she cried again as Lucas stared at her in shocked silence. "She was telling the truth the whole time," She went on and it dawned on Lucas what she meant, "And I shouted at her! I...oh my god I hit her and threw her out of the apartment she owns when she was telling the truth!"

"Yeah...pretty much." Lucas said unhelpfully. His comment barely registered as the next thunderbolt hit her.

"Oh crap on a holy shit...she does love me." She exclaimed, her last four words barely a whisper.

And then the wedding march echoed in from the marquee.

Haley had started to shake, physically shuddering at the revelation she had uncovered. What was she supposed to do? She hadn't expected this. Out of every possibly dramatic scenario she played through her head this one had never occurred to her. But then again...the signs had been so numerous and in her face. Brooke distancing herself, her uncharacteristic behaviour at the bachelorette party, the general weirdness she'd been receiving from her best friend lately. But she had to be certain, "Lucas. Brooke wouldn't lie to me would she?"

She looked at him with eyes that begged for an answer from this twisted torment. Lucas stepped up to her and took her hand in his, making sure he looked as sincere as possible. "The only reason Brooke would lie to you would be to make you happy, because the girl is crazy over you."

Haley took another well needed deep breath. "That seems a good enough reason to ruin a wedding." She said with a coy smile, "Where's Brooke?"

"Er...she left. I think she's heading for the car." He replied but she'd already kissed him on the cheek and ran out of the tent.

-x-

"Brooke! Brooke!" Haley's cries fell on deaf ears so she tried something more personal, "TIGGER!" That got her attention. Brooke's head snapped back to her and a confused, incredulous look greeted the runaway bride as she caught up with her runaway bridesmaid. "You were never drunk." She gasped between breaths.

"Huh..."

"Last night. You weren't drunk. The complete opposite in fact. I was the one out of my head trying to get you to date men that were clearly not heterosexual. I had the hangover and you stroked my hair in a very sober fashion," Haley declared as she wagged a finger at her friend in an accusing way. "So saying you said what you did out of intoxication is a down right lie."

"Er..."

"And I saw Peyton and Nathan arguing and I saw enough to know what's going on between them and u lied about that too."

"I..."

"And lastly," Haley struggled for breath at this point, "For a tutor I'm pretty damn stupid."

Brooke gaped at her and seemed at a loss for words as Haley took her hands gently between her fingers. The scene was serene; two beautiful young women, hand in hand, gazing at each other like a pair of dorks. "Sooooo," Haley broke the silence coming on all innocent and curious, "since you kissed my forehead do I have to kiss your chin?"

Brooke giggled at Haley's never-ending, endearing cuteness. "On the lips will do just fine Tutorgirl." She replied breathlessly not believing the words were coming out of her mouth. She was even more disbelieving of the soft hesitant lips that met her own and stayed there for a good 10 seconds. She was bordering denial when Haley said, "You call that a kiss? Lucas said you were crazy for me...that's not a crazy kiss." She remarked like a cheeky school girl correcting a teacher. Brooke raised an eyebrow and leaned in towards her, lips barely brushing before she closed the gap and kissed her deeply. Her tongue ran slowly over her bottom lip and she savoured the moan that escaped her best friend's lips. Brooke's heart had bandaged itself, downed five litres of morphine so it could heal and then explode when Haley's tongue crept between her lips and moved eagerly against hers. Brooke ended the kiss, sucking on Haley's bottom lip for a few extra seconds and indulging on the totally turned on look Haley was giving her.

"Humana humana humana..." she breathed and Brooke giggled.

"You're welcome." She replied sultrily and Haley seriously began to question why she had never wanted to jump Brooke as much as she did now. She looked wistfully back at the great, white marquee and turned to Brooke with a half frown.

"So much for my perfect wedding..." Haley muttered as she looked guiltily up at Brooke. "We better go before the insanity of what I'm doing catches up with me...that and Nathan's dad."

Brooke bit her lip and turned to look at Lucas' car. A smile sly enough to make a fox blush spread across Brooke's face. "Well..." She offered casually, "At least we can make use of the honeymoon." It was Haley's turn to raise an eyebrow, "That is...if you want to." Brooke looked rather shy but Haley raised her chin and whispered two words that made Brooke practically kiss her lips off.

"I do."

The End

A.N: Well there you have it. All done. Hope it was up to expectations and worth the really long wait. Reviews must be sent or your families will die. Or a girl with no face will jump on you in the night and stab you or something; you know how those chain letters go –dodges tomatoes-

REVIEWS ME LOVE YOU!

Mike –xxxx-