Disclaimer: I do not, as much as I wish I did, own OTH or any of the songs in this story. All I own is the plot of the story, and I barely own that.

AN: Okay, so I've had a lot of people ask me where my chapter titles come from because some of them seem not to make sense. I choose song titles for the chapters – some of them, the titles make sense with the chapter, and other times it's the lyrics themselves that do. And just a hint for the Brucas fans, check out the lyrics for the song title I used in chapter 17 – in my opinion – it's very Brucas.

And I am soooo sorry that this update took so long, but I got banned on the lounge, and I was feeling very uninspired. A few really great friends helped me with that though; Lelina, her Brulian heart is still beating strong – very inspiring. Shannon (who doesn't even read OTH FF), she gave me quite a few great ideas that will be coming up in a few chapters. Bert, who ALWAYS writes me amazing reviews, and who has also given me a pretty great idea that will be in one of the upcoming chapters. Thanks everyone else so reviewed as well! I really appreciate it.

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Chapter 18: Dreams

Brooke raised her eyebrow at the tall musician; his face was covered in what could only be known as guilt, "What did you do this time?"

He frowned and threw his hands up, "Uh, don't freak out. But I sort of…did something you asked me not to do."

Her brows furrowed further, "Okay? Well, what did you do?"

"Promise you won't get mad?"

She gave him a look, "No."

"Oh come on, Davis. I don't wanna tell you if you're just gonna get all mad…"

She rolled her eyes, "Spit it out, Keller. What did you do?"

His eyes strayed, lifting toward the stairs, looking in the exact direction of her bedroom, "…I sort of broke your vacuum."

"Damn it, Chris!" She gave him a look of exasperation, "I told you not to use it if you didn't know how!" Her voice sounded angry, but he could see the relief in her eyes; the sight made him angry at himself for showing Lucas where her box of stuff she'd kept from their relationship was located.

"I thought I did! But then it blew up!"

Brooke's eyes widened, "Define 'blew up.'"

His expression grew even guiltier, "Uh…take a look in the living room."

Brooke shook her head and walked toward the room he'd named, and, as soon as she entered, her jaw dropped. The entire room was covered in dirt and grime and dust. She glanced up to see that there was even dirt up on her ceiling and on the highest parts of her walls. She shook her head, her eyes angry, "Chris, you have three seconds to run before I murder you!"

And immediately they both took running, he sprinting as fast as he could, trying to avoid her grip, and she trying her hardest to grab any part of him.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Jake sat up slowly, his eyes shifting around his high school bedroom while his mind ran in circles thinking of the two best friends who had both somehow managed to capture a portion of his heart. He could hear Jenny and his mother in the kitchen making breakfast, and the sound of his beautiful daughter's laughter brought a broad grin to his lips. Because if there was one thing of which Jake Jagielski was sure, it was that he would forever love his daughter. He could wait forever for romantic love, for a wife and the white picket fence, because as long as he had his little beauty, the rest didn't matter nearly as much.

He stretched as he walked into the kitchen, pressing a kiss against his mother's cheek and wrapping his daughter into a tight hug. He grinned down at her as she hugged him just as tightly, "What are you doing, munchkin?"

She smiled a toothy grin, "Grandma's teaching me how to make pancakes with chocolate chips in them." Her smile grew, "Did you know that those are Aunt Brooke's favorites?"

Her eyes were so innocent that his smile faltered slightly, "I sure did."

He winked at her and sent a grin his mother's way as the sound of someone knocking on the door caught his attention. He walked over to the oak door and quickly opened the door, not really expecting the person who stood on the other side.

Julian looked at Jake, his gaze neither angry nor friendly, "We need to talk."

Jake nodded and stepped out the front door, shutting it softly behind him. He glanced down, "I'm sorry for what you saw between Brooke and me; she's my best friend, and I…"

Julian rolled his eyes and lifted his hand to stop the flow of the single father's words, "That's not why I'm here."

Jake frowned, his eyebrows coming together in confusion, "Then why are you?"

"I'm in love with Brooke, and we're back together." Julian glanced back at his car, not seeing the look of pain that covered Jake's face. Jake quickly composed himself as Julian looked back at him, frowning, "I'm not going to let anything come between us again." He gives the other guy a knowing look, "You may love her, but she loves me. Don't forget that…she chose to be with me. I won't let anyone ruin that this time."

Jake opened his mouth, his eyes both hurt and angry, "Good. But if you so much as make her cry once, I will destroy you." Julian looked up, shocked at the other man's bluntness, having been convinced that this man lacked a backbone, "I'm a nice guy; I don't start fights, and I usually wouldn't do something like this. But let me get one thing straight; that girl, that woman is the most important person, other than my daughter, in my life. She is my best friend, and she is the most beautiful person I have ever met, in and out. I will not let you hurt her, and, if you ever try, they won't find your body for weeks."

Julian took a step back, not sure what to say. Lucas had mentioned this man several times in the novel, always describing him as nice, dependable, friendly, and loving. He never once mentioned Jake being in a fight or even raising his voice at someone. The producer glanced down, remembering just how much time could change a person, how much Brooke Davis could change a person. And when he looked into the eyes of the man before him, he didn't see the young teenager that was simply looking for love, he saw a man who would do anything for the girl he already loves, the girl that Julian, too, loves.

He glanced up at Jake, his look defiant, "I would never."

Jake quirked his brow, a habit he'd surely gotten from being around Brooke, "Good."

Julian glared at the other guy and headed for his car, planning on catching up on a bit of sleep since Brooke told him that she was going to be busy with the new line.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

The teenager's eyes widened comically and tears pricked behind her eyes as she began giggling, her body contracting with her laughter. The first thing she'd seen when she arrived home from school and entered the living room was the sight of Brooke straddling Chris, her hands holding his wrists tightly above his head, both of them covered in dirt and dust. The older brunette looked up, cocking her eyebrow at the younger girl, but kept her hands wrapped tightly around the blonde musician's wrists.

Sam shook her head with a laugh and began walking toward her room, "I'm not going to ask."

Brooke looked back down at her captive, a small smile covering her annoyed look. Her grip went limp and her right hand made its way to his chest, stroking the silver necklace she'd just noticed, "Aw, you kept it?"

Chris grinned, glancing down at the plastic ring attached to the silver chain, "Well, yeah. My best friend threw that at me on our second date."

She giggled and shook her head, "You deserved it! You called me a cow!"

He groaned, "I did not! I said you were heavier than I remembered." She glared down at him and yanked his head up by his hair, "That's not an insult!"

Brooke rolled her eyes and let go of his hair as she stood up, grabbing his hand and pulling him with her. She glanced around the filthy room, but her eyes were unfocused and sad. Her eyes met Chris's and she frowned, "Chris, I…"

His lips bent down at the corners as he looked into his best friend's eyes, feeling the serious air that had just taken over the room, "What is it, Brookie?"

"What if this is wrong?"

Chris furrowed his brow, "What if what is wrong? I don't get it."

"All of this," she gestured to the room, her right hand lying immobile on her stomach. "What if I made the wrong choice…" she shook her head, not meeting his gaze, "Chris, I think I'm…"

Sam burst into the room then, effectively silencing the rest of Brooke's statement. "Brooke! Have you seen my left shoe?"

Brooke exhaled sharply and pointed to the left, and, sure enough, her shoe was sitting in front of the couch.

Sam frowned, sensing the tension in the room, "Is something wrong?"

Brooke quickly shook her head, her eyes pleading with Chris to keep his mouth shut. "I'm gonna go out for a bit; I'll see you two later."

The teenager and the musician both frowned as they watched her scurry from the room, slamming the front door behind her. Sam looked over at him curiously, "Is she okay?"

Chris shrugged, his eyes thoughtful, "I hope so."

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Peyton sighed for the seventh time as she stood there, staring at the door before her. She'd already been there for twenty minutes, but she'd been unable to get the courage to knock. She frowned and started breathing slowly in an effort to calm herself; her hand made its way to the door and she rapped on it softly.

Within seconds she found herself face to face with Julian, "We need to talk."

He nodded and opened the door wider, both their faces apprehensive, "Sure, come on in."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Nathan frowned down at the beautiful brunette whose feisty expression was currently burning through him. He took a step back, and she took two forward, her expression angry and hurt.

"Brooke…"

She shook her head, her eyes not softening, "Don't. You knew how I felt, Nate…why would you send me out there unprepared? Why would you do that?" Tears of anger filled her eyes and she glared at him harshly, "I've been trying to pretend like it didn't happen for the last week or so, but I can't anymore. Just tell me why…"

"Because you love him."

"I love Julian," she glanced down, her eyes sad, "Any feelings I had for Lucas are gone. They have to be."

Nathan shook his head, "No, they don't. If you two are meant to be together then…"

Brooke cut his words of sharply, "Don't you dare spout my own words back at me. Those words mean nothing. Lucas Scott and Brooke Davis do not belong together. This isn't some fairytale," her eyes softened, "…it isn't my fairytale."

"Did something happen between you and Lucas?"

She glanced away from his probing gaze, "He kissed me." He raised his eyebrow as if he expected more. "That's all that happened. I won't be the girl who throws away a lifelong friendship over a guy who never knew how to truly love me. I can't be her again."

Nathan frowned and pulled the petite brunette into his arms, "I loved you when you were that girl, and I love you now." He pulled back, looking down into her sad, hazel eyes, "And I am sorry…"

"I know you are," she sighed quietly and pulled away completely, her eyes searching, "Is Hales here?"

He shook his head, "Nope, she took Jamie with her to the grocery store. Is something wrong?"

She nervously pulled on the hem of her top, "No, no, no. I'm great." She gave him her famous grin and started walking for the door, "Have her give me a call."

He frowned at her retreating back, his mind trying fervently to figure out why she had bolted from the room so quickly. He shook his head and walked toward the bathroom to take a shower; he'd figure it out later.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

The blond frowned, her eyes taking in the sight of the small hotel room, "You really love her right? She's the one?"

He frowned, his eyebrows lowering slightly, "Peyt, why are you asking me this?"

"I was mad at her for being with you. I said it was okay, that I had moved on…but I was so mad." She shook her head and sat on the edge of his bed, "Why Brooke?"

"She's charming and beautiful and…"

She cut him off, "I don't need some speech about how great she is! I just need to know why you went after her…why you left me and then went after her."

"Peyt…"

Her eyes were sad, "We were happy in LA, and you just left. Why didn't you trust me enough to stay?"

He sat next to her, taking her hand in his hesitantly, "You loved Lucas."

"But I loved you too!"

He shook his head, tightening his grip on her hand slightly, "But you were in love with him…"

Julian sighed then, letting go of her hand, realizing that maybe the real reason Brooke was unable to love him had nothing to do with the single father who had just popped back into the picture. Maybe it had everything to do with Lucas Scott and Peyton Sawyer.

He stood up, his eyes slightly harsh as sudden realization hits him, "That's why she won't say she's in love with me..."

The brooding blond frowned and raised an eyebrow, "What are you talking about?"

Julian shook his head, swallowing hard, "Nothing…" His brow creased, "Why are you really here, Peyton? To rehash our painful history?"

"I need closure. I love Lucas, but things with us just ended so quickly that I'm not sure I even truly had a chance to move on…" she glanced at the door, "You never trusted me."

His eyes were hard and his voice even harder, "You never gave me a reason to trust you."

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Brooke's hands were shaking as she knocked on his door, the small box in her pocket reminding her of an anvil; she could almost feel it weighing her down as her panic began to take over. She hadn't spoken to him since their impromptu kiss. Because, if she was honest with herself, she wasn't sure how she felt about it. There was something about the way his lips felt against hers, the way his body seemed to match hers perfectly, the way he made her feel when he held her hand and whispered sweet nothings in her ear.

Seconds later he opened the door. They stood there, neither of them moving. Her eyes filled with tears, though she wasn't quite sure why. She looked down at the ground, almost scared of what she would see if she looked too deeply at him.

"I need you."

He nodded, pulling her into his arms immediately. He inhaled deeply, the scent of sweet vanilla filling his nostrils and reminding him of all the times he'd been the one to comfort her, all the times she could have been his but their fear got in the way. He took her by the hand, leading her back to his bedroom. They sat on the bed, unmoving.

She tilted her eyes toward him, "It wasn't fair for you to kiss me."

He frowned, his eyes meeting hers, "It wasn't fair for you to leave me alone after I kissed you…"

"I'm not talking about the kiss in Savannah."

He nodded, "I know…but I am."

She rolled her eyes, but her expression was guarded, "There were never supposed to be feelings between us. I was caught off guard."

"And you don't think I was?" She shrugged, not really sure how to answer that, "I had only ever been in love with Peyton, but then you showed up and it was like all the pain that she and I inflicted on each other didn't matter anymore. You made me forget the pain…"

One tear slid down Brooke's cheek, "And you made me remember mine."

He wrapped his arms around her like he had dozens of times before, his head resting on her shoulder and she buried her face in his neck, "When did it all change? When did I fall?"

She frowned into his neck, her fingertips drawing patterns on his back, "New York changed everything. It changed me, it changed you, and it changed love." She gripped him tighter, "I fell too…You were someone new for me; the opposite of what I thought I wanted." She pulled away, looking at the pictures of Jenny on his wall, "You made me want a family. You changed everything."

He laid his head on hers, his arm making its way around her shoulder, "You changed my heart."

She smiled at his words, glancing at more pictures of Jenny. Slowly her smile faded, "Jake…"

She pulled away from him, standing. Her eyes were terrified as she pulled the small box from her hand, placing in on the palm of his hand. His eyes widened as he looked down at it, and his heart constricted in his chest.

"Are you?"

She shrugged, her hands shaking, "I don't know. But I can't do it alone…" She looked down at her hands, "I know this isn't fair to you, but Haley was busy and I didn't know what to do…"

Ho nodded, handing the box back to her, "It's okay, Brooke…You deserve to have a family."

Her eyes followed his to the small box, and both friends stared down at it, fear in their eyes as they reread the words: pregnancy test.

TBC…