Finally!!! I tried thw whole weekend to upload this chaps. and I just couldn't, the site was not working, but here I am... In this chap., I'm kind of doubtful, is Patrick in love with Brooke or not? What you think? And in the next one, is Brooke going nuts? Or she's just sad? Tell me tell me please ;)

Foxy4ever, all my loving to you, thanks for your wonderful message.

Enjoy...

Chapter 41

Back in New York, Brooke had turn into an emotional mess. She kept saying to herself this was just a disagreement between Jack and her, and kept thinking he'd call her any minute. But when she saw he was not calling, severe anxiety attacks came to her body. She hadn't told a soul she had broken up with him, not even Ilana, 'cause in her mind that wasn't happening at all.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday went on, and he hadn't called her. On Thursday, she still had a moment when she believed Jack was showing up at the wedding on Saturday. She even felt content and thought it would be absolutely Hollywood-type romantic.

On Friday, Ilana's rehearsal was held. Brooke was cool and even content, unaware that she was actually rehearsing for being at her best friend's wedding with a happy smile and a broken heart, for real.

When she woke up on Saturday morning and Jack still hadn't called, it started sinking in. Feeling like she had million thorns nailed in her heart, she went to the salon to have her hair done. Then she went back to her apartment and started doing her make-up, covering her face, her eyes, her lips, but especially her sadness, in expensive cosmetics.

When she was done with her make-up, she got into the beautiful coral gown. She put on earrings, a necklace and a bracelet on her left wrist. On the other wrist she was still wearing the bracelet Jack gave her. Then she put on her heels and was ready to go.

Since she was the maid of honor, Ilana arranged a special car to pick her up and drive her. On the way, a dark feeling of infinite sadness grew inside her. Her hope of seeing Jack standing outside the church waiting for her was fading away every minute.

When the driver stopped in front of the church, she thought for a second Jack was there when she saw a tall man facing backwards. But he soon turned around and she saw it wasn't him. She knew it was time to face it: Jack wasn't going to be there, not now and probably never again. She started shaking and found herself with no strength to get out of the car.

But she knew she had to put herself together. Her best friend was getting married and she couldn't allow anything ruin her happiness. She breathed deeply and remembered her days as a model. It didn't matter if there was sun or rain, if it was cold, if she was sick or sad, or if somebody had died. She had to smile and look pretty, because that was her job, as it was at that moment. She shook her head and sighed, then she thanked the driver with the best impassive smile she had ever thrown and gracefully got off the car, ready to walk the runway.

Ilana was standing backwards, but the minute she sensed Brooke's presence, she turned around. Her smile disappeared when she saw Brooke alone, and she opened her eyes wide in concern.

– Where's Jack? –she asked immediately, concern in her voice.

– He's not coming. –Brooke replied nonchalant.

– Why?! What's going on?

– Nothing. Hospital emergency. –she assured, not looking in her eyes.

Ilana frowned. – You're lying to me.

– Why would I lie to you?

Ilana looked down, disconcerted. She was obviously very emotional and her eyes started watering, thinking of the worse. Brooke spoke. – Hey… everything's fine. Remember what you told me? This is what sucks about having a doctor boyfriend, huh? But I'm here, and this is your special day, that's all that matters, okay? –she said sweetly with an honest smile, running her fingers through her veil.

Ilana raised an eyebrow, suspicious. Then she grabbed Brooke's hand. She felt relieved when she saw Jack's bracelet was still in her wrist. She was too nervous and excited to notice Brooke was not being honest. She gave it a rest and believed her. – Damn, what a pity, that son of a bitch owes me big time! –Ilana affirmed shaking her head.

– He sure does. –Brooke retorted. – So, are you ready?

– I am. –Ilana replied jittery.

It was a beautiful and emotive ceremony. Brooke had to block her ears whilst the priest was giving his speech, 'cause if she listened to him talking about love and commitment, she'd sure burst into tears. Her mind was million miles away. She just kept playing her role.

Outside the church, she posed on every single picture she had to be in. Then she got on the limo with the bride and the groom, as well as the other bride's maids and the best man, to go to the garden where the reception was going to be held. When they arrived, Patrick was already there, waiting. He had seen neither Brooke nor Jack since that afternoon when he had lunch with her.

The minute he saw her getting out of the car, he knew. She looked stunning and was definitely smiling like a movie star. But Patrick knew her enough to buy her act.

– Hey… –he told Brooke, throwing her a sympathetic look.

Brooke, of course, had a strong bond with him and knew he had noticed. She just looked away. – Please don't ask.

– Ask what? –he said with calm in his voice.

– Anything.

– I wasn't going to. So, I guess it's just you and me this time, like in the old days, huh? –he said with that smug attitude of his.

– Oh yeah. –she replied.

Then they both took their places at the table. Brooke almost cried when she saw the missing spots of Marion's and Jack's chairs.

The reception went on and Ilana was thrilled. Brooke had really put together an amazing party, everything was perfect, the napkins included. Brooke managed to enjoy it, sort of, having a nice chat with Patrick and also dancing with him.

Soon came the time for her to make the toast for the newly weds. She knew her speech by heart. She had written it one morning when she was waiting for Jack at his apartment. The night before they'd made love and Jack had been particularly passionate and sweet. That gave her the inspiration and a vivid idea of what love was all about.

Now she had to stand up and say it, really meaning it, with the love of her life missing and a hole in her soul. When she was announced, she glanced at Patrick with an anguished look. He cast her a short smile and nodded in complicity, meaning she could handle it.

Finally, after taking a deep breath, she stood up and lifted her glass.

– I lift my glass to Ilana and Lance, and the new family they're starting. Today we celebrate not only their wedding, but also the lesson they're giving to all of us. They've shown us we can dare to dream there's someone out there who is our soul mate, for real. They've shown us we can still believe in unconditional, committed, true love. They've shown me that for this kind of love to happen, all you need is an open heart. Their marriage is living proof that fairy tales do become true. I wish for you, Ilana and Lance, all the happiness in the world, and for us sharing this moment with them, I wish we get to live a fairy tale of our own next to the one we love. Cheers…

After she finished the toast, everybody clapped and cheered. Ilana was now crying and soon after she kissed Lance. When Brooke looked around, she found the scene surreal, and that's when it finally sank in and hit her like a heavy enraged wave. She was no longer Jack's girlfriend. He didn't want to share his life with her, so he had just dumped her. An unspeakable sadness took over her heart, and she couldn't stand it anymore. Once the eyes were not longer on her, she ran to the bride's dressing room and burst into tears, crying her eyes out, because her fairy tale was over and the man she loved didn't love her back. And she didn't even get to kiss him goodbye.

She sat on the floor, her back against the wall, and just released all the tears she hadn't cried in a week. She remained there for quite a while, to the point she lost notion of time. She didn't notice when Patrick walked in. She just felt his hands gripping her shoulders, after he squatted to look for her eyes.

– Hey… –he said softly.

– Hey… –she replied, wiping her eyes.

– You okay?

– Uh… yeah, I'm just very emotional, you know… –she said, not looking at him.

Patrick joined her and sat against the wall beside her. – They're looking for you. I think they're throwing the bouquet any time soon. Melissa's going to walk in here any moment.

– Uh, yeah, I'm coming…

But Patrick stayed there, silent, waiting for her to talk. He gave her a complicity look and she just crack. – We broke up. –she confessed, her voice breaking and bursting into tears again.

He grimaced and shook his head. – Brooke I'm so sorry…

– I… He just… He doesn't love me Patrick. I thought I meant something to him. I told him I wanted it all and he just said we're done. –Brooke stated, sobbing.

– I just don't believe it. It's like you were talking about someone else. I never thought Jack was like that. –Patrick affirmed incredulous.

– Now what I'm going to do? –Brooke asked in panic, covering her face with her hands and sobbing in despair.

Patrick looked at her and affirmed determined. – You'll move on, as you always do.

– I can't Patrick. I won't be able to do it, not this time.

Patrick cupped her face in his hands. – Yes you will. –then he threw a longing look. – You should never, ever, cry for a man. He'll regret it Brooke, I know it. He just doesn't know what he's missing. –he declared.

– I love him Patrick, I… Why am I not good enough?

– Oh Brooke, don't you say that! This has nothing to do with you. Jack, he… he's not himself. Otherwise he'd never let you go. –But she kept sobbing and wiping her tears, which kept running nonstop through her cheeks. – Brookie, please, I know this is not easy, but you've got to try. Take one step at a time, okay? Now, you get up, fix your face and go back to the party, and tomorrow we'll figure it out, how about that? –Patrick advised, trying to lighten her up.

After she heard that, she remembered she was celebrating her best friend's wedding, so she nodded. – Okay. –she replied breathing deeply, and finally stopped crying. – Please tell Missy I'm coming.

– Of course.

Then Patrick got up and gave her his hand to help her rise as well. When he lifted her up, he noticed the bracelet in her wrist and gave her a questioning look. – I can't take it off. He's got the key. –she explained.

He nodded and left the dressing room, whilst Brooke went to the mirror and put herself together again. She fixed her hair and make-up, and once she was ready, she went back to "model mode" and drew on her face a winning smile, which she kept until Ilana and Lance left the celebration to go on their 2 week honeymoon.

Meanwhile, back in Los Angeles, Jack was ending a hell of a week. Since he had broken up with Brooke, he had lost his grip again, just as it happened when he divorced Sarah and when Kate died. He was the epitome of fury and everybody around him resented it. At the hospital, he kept yelling to interns, residents and nurses at the lamest excuse. He couldn't stand the presence of none of his friends, not even Marion.

At home, he had to use all the patience he didn't have to deal with the kids and not take it on them. Yet he was being rude and bitter with Margo, Claire and poor Hurley. They all noticed his abrupt change of mood and got worried. They knew there was something definitely wrong, but didn't dare to ask at that moment.

Besides being a bad-ass, he did another crazy thing. He subscribed to Brooke's paper and to every single well-known fashion magazine there was. He was obsessed with finding at least a mention of her, and he wanted to keep track of what she was writing. But Brooke wasn't exactly focusing on work, so she had Irene covering her. In every page Jack read, he couldn't find a trace of her, and that incredibly frustrated him.

Yet that changed on Sunday. Since Ilana was an acknowledged book editor, her wedding made the papers. He felt like shooting himself when he saw one of the pictures. Ilana and Lance were leaving the reception between the clapping hands of their guests. And right behind them was Brooke, widely smiling in their direction whilst Patrick had his arm around her waist and looked at her content, with a satisfying smile on his face. That was it for Jack. He felt like burning inside and an insane madness possessed him. How could she be smiling like that? How dared him to hold his girl? He felt unbearably jealous. Rage didn't let him sleep that night.

The next day, he tried to locate Patrick as soon as he got to the hospital. But since Patrick had been out of the city for over a week, he had a full schedule. But Jack waited for the moment, like a predator waits for its prey.

At 8:23 pm, Aimee, Patrick's secretary, called Dr. Shephard's extension and let him know Dr. Mayer was finally out of surgery and back in his office, as Jack had ordered her. Within a minute he stepped into Patrick's office pounding abruptly the door. He scared the shit out of Patrick, who stared at him stunned.

– You had a pretty busy day. –Jack told him sternly.

Patrick raised an eyebrow. He was definitely not in the mood to speak or even look at Jack. – Yeah. –he replied, standing up from his armchair.

– Well, I've got to say I'm impressed. It must be exhausting, especially after that weekend you had. –Jack said wryly.

Patrick got the message, but he wasn't willing to get into his game. – Is there anything you need Jack? –he asked politely, now standing in front of him.

Jack threw him a set look. – I didn't know you were a back stabber. –he assured.

– What are you talking about? –asked Patrick, trying to avoid the confrontation.

– You just had to tell her, right? You just couldn't wait.

– I had to tell who what?

– Don't fuck with me Patrick. You know I'm talking about Brooke.

Patrick's face went long. – Well, I don't remember signing any privacy policy to back up your lies. –he replied reproachfully.

– Oh, so you just saved her from me, didn't you?

Patrick gave him a disgusted look. – When did you become a liar Jack?

That question enraged Jack and he started raising his voice. – Marion's right. You have feelings for Brooke. –he affirmed, slamming his fist against the desk.

– Of course I have feelings for her! I've told you zillion times she's like my sister.

Jack threw that wry smile of his. – Come on Patrick, just cut that sister shit. You're in love with her! –he snapped to his face.

Now Patrick had lost his temper. – You're being so incredibly stupid, you just don't get it! Any man on Earth would be grateful to have her. She's one of a kind, Jack. I'd be damn lucky if she put her eyes on me. That time, when I found her at the book party, for a second I thought maybe fate had brought her back to me. But then she fell in love with you, and I felt absolutely happy for you both, and I mean it! I just want the best for her and I thought you would give her what she deserves. I thought you were man enough for her. Because God knows I don't deserve her! I thought you did, but I was wrong. –Patrick snapped, yelling at him.

Jack ran out of words. He knew Patrick was absolutely right. He felt defeated and looked away. He just turned his back on Patrick and started walking away. Then Patrick said from behind him: – She wants the key.

Jack turned around and asked puzzled: ­­– What?

– To take off the bracelet.

Jack felt his blood boil and turned violent. He approached Patrick and gripped him from his white coat. Then he threw him against the wall, cornering him. – If she wants that key, you tell her to ask me for it herself. –he demanded with a threatening voice. Then he let go off Patrick and left his office