Hey guys!!! I am sooo sorry for the long wait! I've been very busy with school and it's been pretty hectic since it just began. I hope all of you have been doing well! This is Chapter 18. It's centered mostly around Brooke. So you can see how she's doing. Thank you for all your reviews!!! I loved them: )

Also, I'm going to start a new story. So be on the look out. It will be called How to Love a Guy in 10 Days, loosely based off of movie How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. I'm not sure about the couples yet, I may change them up since I did Brathan for this story but I'm not sure yet.

Anyway, Enjoy!!

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"It's the choices we make and the chances we take that determine our density," – Anonymous.

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!

"Ugh, what the heck?!"

Brooke Davis turned around and slammed her alarm clock off. She slowly lifted her head and stared at the bright red numbers. 6:30. Too early to wake up, too early to face reality. But sometimes you don't get what you want, especially if you have two kids to think about. Slowly dragging herself from the comforts of her bed, Brooke made her way to the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were still red and puffy and there were hints of mascara streaks still on her cheeks from the endless hours of crying.

"God, Brooke, toughen up!"

She had to toughen up. At least for her kids. At least to prove to herself that Nathan Scott didn't mean a thing to her. She could repeat that a million times but deep down in her heart she knew that that was the biggest lie of all. He did mean a thing to her. She had loved him and she still did. But he had broken her heart, just like she had done to Lucas. Poor Lucas! The innocent victim in all this mess. At least he would be pursuing his dreams in California. They still had to sort out this divorce nonsense and she really didn't have the energy right now to call him up and do that. So she didn't.

The sound of the bathroom door opening startled her as she jumped up and clutched her chest.

"Hi Mommy! Morning!" Five year old Aaron said, smiling brightly, his dimples shinning clearly.

"Good Morning, baby! What are you doing up this early?" said Brooke as she scooped her son into her arms and made her way down to the kitchen. The three of them, Brooke, Aaron and Shelly, had been staying at her parents' house. Luckily, the Davis' had taken a month long trip to Paris, so Brooke didn't have to share the current state of her messy life.

"I couldn't sleep. I miss Daddy," he said innocently. Poor boy, he had no idea.

I miss Daddy. It was times like these where Brooke wished, just wished, that she could take back everything with Nathan. It would have been her, Lucas, and the kids. No divorce, no affair, no you-sister-is-actually-your-half-sister nonsense. It was times like these where she wished she was a better person, a better mom. She had brought all this drama into her children's lives. And she would be the one who explained why their Daddy wasn't here and why they would have to fly to California every holiday just to see him. It was all her fault.

"Mommy?? Mommy? Are you ok?" He stared up at her with a concerned face.

Brooke snapped out of Thinking Land and smiled. "Yes, I'm perfect, I just was wondering what a little superhero would like for breakfast."

Suddenly, the concern vanished and excitement bubbled. All thoughts of Lucas were lost and food was now in the question. It was funny how the smallest things could perk up kids.

"Can I have chocolate chip pancakes?"

"Hmmm….let me think about it…" she mocked thinking, teasing the little boy along.

"Please Mommy! Please! I'll be a good boy!" He yelped jumping up and down in her arms.

"Okay okay superstar….let's get you some chocolate chip pancakes."

"Yes! I wish Uncle Natey was here…he makes the best pancakes ever!"

She stopped in her tracks at his words. Uncle Natey…yes, hunny, I wish Uncle Natey was here too. Feeling tears dangerously fill up her eyes she turned on the TV for the little boy and rushed to the nearest bathroom, finally crying her heart out once again.

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He looked around. All he saw was an endless amount of people. People rushing around, all looking as if they were in a hurry. He had no clue where the heck he was going. He needed some coffee. And some food too, seeing as he had missed breakfast and dinner from that previous night. And then he needed a cab….yes, a cab. A cab to take him to his destination….the place he was dreading to go…the person he was dreading to see.

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Brooke slowly composed herself and made her way back to the kitchen. The sight of a half opened door, though, caught her eye and she stopped, slowly making her way into the still dark room. There on the twin sized pink bed laid Shelly, sleeping like a precious angel. Brooke smiled at the sight of her daughter. Her dark locks, long lashes, little fingers gripping her teddy bear. She was seriously the cutest thing. So precious a child born from an act of infidelity. As Brooke stared at the three year old, she couldn't help but think of Nathan again. But this time she didn't cry. Maybe because her daughter reminded her of all the good memories shared between the two or maybe because it was him who helped her when she needed someone the most. There was a part of her heart that didn't and couldn't believe that Nathan would cheat on her. He had promised that he would be there when she came back, no matter what. Maybe she had overreacted….maybe she had just misunderstood….but the sight of him and Haley kept on popping up….telling her that she had made the right choice. But deep down she really didn't think that she did. She loved him. And he had loved her. Everyone made mistakes….geez, she herself was the queen of making mistakes….what if what she saw was purely a mistake? Nothing more, nothing less? Was there another reason why she ran away? Not just because of Haley and Nathan….but a secret more hidden reason why she had left Tree Hill? Why she had left the guy who had found a way into her heart? A heart that had been slowly forming a barrier during her marriage with Lucas?

Her thoughts halted as she heard Aaron scream her name from the living room. She placed a sweet kiss on Shelly's head and made her way back to her son. No, what Nathan did was wrong. She just needed to find a way to deal with that. That's all.

"Mommy, what took you so long? I'm hunnnnggrryyyyy…." He said, stretching out the word hungry so that his mom laughed.

"Come on superstar lets get you some pancakes."

But before she could step foot in the other direction, the doorbell rang. She glanced at the clock. 7:15. Oh, didn't Mrs. Weatherly say she was going to come by to pick up the check from her mother? The number one most annoying lady who was apart of New York's elite gossip association. Must be her.

Ring! Ring!

"Jeez, hold on a sec!" She trudged to the door, rolling her eyes. Did she have to start her day staring at a fifty-four year old hyena? She finally opened the door; however, her attention was on the checkbook in her hand.

"Hi Mrs. Weatherly, how much do I ―" the words dried up in her mouth as she stared at the figure before her. Her expression was priceless, the shock radiating from her face.

"Hey Brooke," he said casually, as if nothing was wrong between them.

What was he doing here?!

He wasn't supposed to be here!

She had left to be AWAY from him!

Why the heck couldn't it have been Mrs. Weatherly for once?

She stared at him. His hands were in his pockets and he was rocking back and forth on his feet, obviously nervous. His blue eyes stared into hers, silently asking her to respond. She looked up at the guy she knew so well and finally spoke up.

"What are you doing here?"

End of chapter! Hope you guys liked it! Please R&R!!! And I'll try to update as quickly as I can. Thanks!