The door slammed, breaking Brooke and Sylvia away from their conversation. They heard footsteps march down the hallway and through the living room until the person reached the kitchen where the two women were having a chat at the breakfast bar over a cup of coffee.

Julian placed the grocery bags on the counter and turned to the two most important people with a huff.

Brooke giggled. ''What's the matter, Princess?'' she asked in a teasing tone. ''Does Brooke Davis have to slap a bitch?''

''Brooke,'' Sylvia scolded.

''Sorry.'' she said sheepishly, and then turned back to her boyfriend. ''What's the matter?''

''Alex Dupre hit on me!'' Julian exclaimed. He was just angry; he doesn't like that Alex is trying to be better than Brooke. He doesn't like that she's hurting his friends too. He's just mad that she's now tried to use him to hurt the girl he loves. When Brooke doesn't even deserve it in the first place.

Brooke stood up as her fists instantly clenched. ''She did what?''

''I was in the store... and she was just there. She started asking me if I was okay and then she just tried to kiss me and I pushed her away and she just started saying stuff and I got really angry. And I'm sorry.'' he rambled, running his hand through his hair.

Brooke walked over to him and placed her hand on his shoulders. ''What have you got to be sorry for?''

''Talking to her?'' Julian suggested. He was just sorry, he didn't really get why. Maybe he was just mad at himself for letting Alex get him mad in the first place.

''Don't let her get to you. She has this trick, she can just draw people in. She can get people to do whatever she wants. If she comes near you, then ignore her, walk right past. I know what she wants. She wants to be one of us. She wants to sit at that table just like us. She wants to part of the five, well, it's six now.''

''I'm part of the five?'' he asked incredulously.

Brooke giggled and sent him a small smile. ''Of course. But I told you, it's six now. And there's no way that Alex Dupre is making it a seven.''

''We're a weird group. The mathlete, the head cheerleader, the nerd, the jock, the writer, the tortured artist...''

''It's perfect.''

''You're right, no slut is joining our six.''

''Never.''

Sylvia sighed from her place at the breakfast bar. ''Will you two just leave? You're soppiness is making me feel a little sick.''

The couple both laughed. Brooke held her hand out for Julian to take, which he did. And they walked out of the kitchen hand-in-hand through the living room and outside onto the front porch.

''Why did we just walk out here?'' Brooke asked him with a laugh.

''Well, I was thinking...'' Julian trailed off as he brought his body closer to hers and wrapped his arms around her waist. ''That we could take advantage of that big house of yours, the one with more than one bathroom which you could fit my house in at least three times.''

Brooke smirked, remembering the same words Julian used a couple of days ago. ''Sure, we could go there.''

''Nathan, I need to talk to you.'' Lucas announced as he and Peyton walked into the younger Scott's bedroom. Nathan was lay on his bed on his laptop, just staring at it blankly. It's not like he's doing homework or anything.

''What?'' he asked, not moving his eyes away from the screen.

''We were talking about Haley,'' Lucas said as they sat on the end of his brother's bed. ''And we think she should go and see Jimmy.''

Nathan's head shot up and looked at his brother and best friend in disbelief. ''No.''

Peyton moved her legs so she was sat Indian Style on his bed. ''Nathan, this could be good for her. This could give her closure.''

''No. This is just going to scare her even more. You better not talk to her about this. I swear to God, if you do-''

''Nathan,'' Lucas warned. ''Just hear Peyton out.''

''I'm not going to tell her to do something she doesn't want to do. I'm not upsetting her when she doesn't need to be upset. Why would she want to see the guy she's been having nightmares about? Who would want that?''

Lucas sighed. His brother was so stubborn sometimes. ''But she might. She would be able to hear his reasons and maybe he'll assure her that he's not going to hurt her. Then she'll be okay. It's worth a shot.''

Nathan stayed silent. He didn't want to upset Haley even more, that wasn't fair. She might say yes, but there's a bigger chance that she'll say no too. He doesn't want to scare her by suggesting this. It's the last thing he wants. He was supposed to protect her, but he didn't. He's not protected her from this. He didn't protect her after Lucas was shot. He was supposed to. But he didn't.

''Nate,'' Peyton started. ''My Dad told me a story last year about my Mom's Aunt, I've never met her because they didn't really want anything to do with me after my Mom died, but that's not the point. My Mom's Aunt is called Emma, and she's the manager of a bank in Charlotte. A couple of years ago they got robbed, like real robbers came in and held her at gun point. The guy who did it was arrested. But she couldn't sleep properly, she was constantly scared in case he came back to get her. Three years later he got released from prison and went to see her. He apologised to her and explained his reasons for why he did it. He promised that he wasn't going to hurt her, and he never was. She finally got closer, she can sleep now. She's better. He even opened a bank account that day.'' she told him truthfully.

''Really? And she got closure?'' Nathan asked with a hopeful smile.

Peyton nodded. ''She did. It might not work for Haley, but what if it does? You want her to be okay, don't you?''

Nathan pointed to his laptop screen. ''I want her to be her again.''

Lucas and Peyton both looked at the screen and saw a photograph from about two months ago. It was taken at the fun fair. Haley's mouth was full of candy floss as she grinned at the camera, not caring what she looked like. Nathan had his arms wrapped around her waist from behind her as he smiled at the camera too. They looked so happy. They haven't looked like that in a while.

''She will be, Nate. Just give it a shot.''

''I'm telling you, guys. She flirted with him, she tried to kiss him in the store.'' Brooke told her two best girlfriends as they stood at her locker.

''What a whore.''

Peyton turned to Haley in shock. ''Did you really just say that? Don't you normally try and justify her actions? That's not like you. You would normally say something like Maybe she's lonely. What if she genuinely likes Julian? Give her a break.''

Haley shrugged. ''What's the point in being nice? It's not gonna get you anywhere.'' she said. ''Brooke, are you gonna slap her? You know like when I said last time that you shouldn't get her for saying that stuff about me? Well I've changed my mind.''

Brooke grinned. ''Nice, ex-TG. I'm up for slapping that bitch.''

Peyton looked at the two in concern. Normally she's the one that doesn't care about having a fight. But she doesn't want to Haley to regret this because she probably will. But maybe this could help Haley let off some steam or something. And it's not Peyton's place to get involved.

So she shrugged. ''Fine, I'm in.''

''So how are we going to get her?'' Haley asked. ''Peyton, you should pull her hair again.''

''No. I'm getting her. She's the one that flirted with my boyfriend. You two can be back-up.'' Brooke announced. ''She doesn't flirt with Nathan or Lucas anymore, but she's moved onto Julian. I need to stop her.''

Both girls nodded.

''We're here for you, B. Davis.''

Brooke nodded. ''That bitch is gonna pay.''

Alex Dupre walked across the car park with a familiar smirk on her face, the one she wears everyday because it makes her look more tough. She likes to think of herself as 'popular', but she's not really. She's working on it though. If she gets on the table then people will show her more respect. She's tried being with Lucas, but he shot her down. She's tried Nathan, but that didn't work either. So now it's Julian's turn. Even though it's a long shot because he's not been friends with them as long, but it could work.

When she reached her car she realised that three people were sat on the hood.

''What do you skanks want?''

Haley laughed bitterly and stood up. ''Watch it you bitch. I'm not scared anymore, I'll get you.''

Peyton grabbed Haley's arm and pulled her back. ''Stop Hales, remember what Brooke said earlier.''

Brooke stood up and took a step towards Alex. ''Stay away from Julian. Don't bring him into this. This has nothing to do with his, it's to do with you hating me, and I don't care. Just stay away from my boyfriend. He doesn't want you. He's never gonna want you. If you come near him again, I'll kick your ass.''

''He wants me,'' Alex said with a smirk. ''He only told you because he wants you to think that he didn't like it. But he did, he so wants me. You guys will be broken up i-''

Alex was cut off by Brooke's fist in her face, causing her to fall to the ground.

''Stay away from us.'' Brooke warned, pointing her finger at the girl on the floor warningly.

Brooke walked away from her. That was it, this was done. Alex wasn't going to hurt them, she wasn't going to let her anymore.

She wasn't going to let Alex take Julian away.

AN: I'm not really impressed with this chapter, but I had no time to improve. I'm back at school now so updates won't be everyday, they'll probably be every two days, but I'll try my best.

Sorry for not replying to your reviews! I had no time. But thank you all!

There were different answers for my last question, and some answered twice:
S1:4
S2:1
S3:3
S4:2
S5:1
S6:1
S7:0
Mine has to be season6, because that was when we got Julian. And Nathan and Lucas were just so hot. And Carrie got shot, woohoo. Oh, and Sam and Jack joined the show. Who are amazing. But season4 is a close second.

Question of the chapter- which is your favourite wedding. Naley's second one? Leyton's? Or Brooke 'dream' wedding?

Please Review!:)