''You punched Alex?'' Julian asked incredulously as he stormed into his bedroom.
Brooke was sat at his desk writing something down when he charged in, she looked up at him in confusion. ''Yeah?'' she said, though it sounded more like a question. So what? She punched Alex. The bitch deserved it. Why does Julian even care? He said that he can't stand her.
Julian ran his hand through his hair. He had found out from Mouth when he was walking to his car. It got him angry. Because Brooke had said that they were going to ignore her, but she didn't. This was just making it all worse. He didn't want her telling him to do something and then have her doing the exact same thing.
''Don't you even care?''
Brooke stood up as she felt anger rise inside of her over the fact that Julian was mad at her in the first place. ''Honestly, no, I don't. She had at coming. And I was the one to give it to her.''
''We said that we were gonna leave it.'' he reminded her, still shocked that she didn't feel guilty over the fact that she punched someone in the face.
''I changed my mind. She hasn't hurt you as much as she's hurt me. How do you think I felt when I heard that she threw an egg in Haley's face? Or when she spread the rumour about her last year? Or when she trashed her when she and Nathan started dating. Alex has said things about me, about Peyton, about Haley. I can't sit around any longer and do nothing as she hurts the people I care about. And that's what she's been trying to do.'' she said, as her voice gradually got louder with each sentence. She was almost shouting.
''I know she has. But you can't just tell me to ignore someone and then punch them the next day!'' he shouted back.
Brooke ran her hand through her hair in frustration. ''This isn't just about you!''
Julian laughed bitterly. ''No, this is about you trying to get one over on Alex Dupre.''
''You're such a hypocrite!'' she exclaimed. ''You punched Jimmy, but yet I can't punch the girl I've hated for as long as I can remember.''
''I was defending you.''
''And I was defending you from her viciousness.''
Julian rolled his eyes. ''I thought this wasn't about me? God Brooke. Do you honestly think I want to be with her or something? I thought we trusted each other. I don't like hearing guys talk about how hot you are, but I get over it because I know you're mine, and I know you wouldn't cheat on me. So why is it so hard to believe that I feel the same about you?''
Brooke scoffed. ''You think I'm jealous?''
''I know you are. You're forgetting that I know you, Brooke Davis.''
''I'm not jealous of her.'' she denied.
''You don't have to be. Because I love you.''
''I'm not insecure!'' Brooke exclaimed. ''God, I told you, this isn't just about you. You don't understand how much she gets under my skin. You don't understand how much it hurts me when she hurts my friends. I don't want her drawing you in and saying things like she already has.''
Julian's eyes widened. ''Why? What did she say?''
''She said that we'll break up soon. She said that you liked it when she flirted with you, that you want her.'' she whispered, looking down to the floor.
''You know that's not true, right?''
Brooke shrugged. ''But what if you do?''
''Brooke! Have you not been listening to a word I've said for as long as I've known you?'' Julian exclaimed. ''I love you, I want you. Stop being jealous.''
''I'm not jealous of her!'' she repeated, running her hands through her hair again. Right now she doesn't even want to be around him. So she walked towards the wardrobe and grabbed her back, she reached the hangers and grabbed a bunch of clothes and threw them inside roughly.
Julian sighed. ''Brooke, what are you doing?'' he asked as she walked towards the draws and put more clothes inside.
Brooke kneeled under the bed and grabbed a couple of pairs of shoes. ''I'm going to stay with Peyton at Lucas'. I don't wanna be around you right now. I'll probably see you on Monday at school. Bye Julian.''
And then she was gone.
Nathan pulled up the car at the prison. He glanced at Haley who was fiddling with the ring on the pinkie finger, something she often did when she was scared or nervous about something. Thursday after Lucas and Peyton had suggested that Haley go and see Jimmy, Nathan had suggested it to her. Eventually, she came around to the idea. So they had agreed to come on Saturday, so that's why they're here.
''Are you sure you want to do this?'' he asked for the tenth time today.
Haley looked at him and sent him a shaky smile. ''Yeah. I'm just nervous.''
''I can still come in with you if you want.''
''No,'' she shook her head. ''It's something I have to do on my own.''
''Okay,'' Nathan nodded sadly. ''I'll be right out here, waiting for you. It's going to be okay. This is going to help you.''
Haley nodded. ''I know. Thank you.''
''For what?''
''Everything. You've been so great through all of this. And I love you for it.'' she said softly as a tear fell from her eye as she thought about how amazing he's been since the shooting, how amazing he's still being.
''You don't have to thank me for anything.'' he told her as he cupped her face and wiped her tear with his thumb ''I'll be right here. I love you.''
Haley smiled slightly. ''I love you too.''
Then she opened the door and walked towards the building.
''Mornin'.'' Brooke yawned as she walked down the stairs of the Scott house. She knows Peyton stays at Lucas' a lot now, so she decided to sleep in their spare bedroom. It was like a little sleepover, because Haley was there too. It wasn't exactly fun because Peyton and Lucas were making out the whole time. Brooke was crying over her fight with Julian. And Haley and Nathan were worried about the next day.
Peyton and Lucas smiled at Brooke from their place cuddled up together on the sofa, with Lucas' leg propped up on the table.
''Hey Brooke, how are you feeling?'' Peyton asked softly as Brooke took a seat on the other couch.
''Stupid.''
Lucas chuckled. ''You realised that you shouldn't have stormed out in a huff?''
Peyton slapped his arm weakly. ''Don't blame her. That's just how she is. She runs away from her problems.''
''Hey!'' Brooke objected. ''I do not.''
Peyton laughed softly. ''You know I love you B. Davis. But you don't like to face up to your problems. You don't want Julian to know that you're jealous that Alex hit on him. But you are. You punched her because she's trying to get her claws into him and you know it. You just won't tell him.''
Brooke shrugged, knowing Peyton was right. ''I know. I just don't think it was fair that he was angry with me for hitting her in the first place. It had nothing to do with him.''
''It had everything to do with him.'' Lucas corrected with a chuckle. ''He loves you; of course he's going to be mad that you hit someone. Just like you were mad when he hit Jimmy.''
''I hate you.'' Brooke grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. ''You know me too well.''
''Well, we are your best friends.''
Haley felt her hands shake as she sat in the little booth as she waited for Jimmy to walk through the doors. But Nathan was right, this was closure. She was going to find out his reasons for doing what he did. She was going to find out if he intended to hurt her or Lucas. She was going to find out if he was planning on hurting her in the future.
The door opened and there he was. His hair was a mess, and he looked like a real criminal in his orange jumpsuit. He looked dreadful.
Jimmy sat down and grabbed the phone, bringing it to his ear at the same time as she did.
''What are you doing here?'' he asked her.
''Um, I wanted to ask you something.'' Haley said quietly. ''If that's okay.''
Jimmy nodded.
''Why did you do it, Jimmy? Why did you do that to us? To me?''
Jimmy thought about it for a moment. ''I wanted to make a stand. I wanted all of this to stop, to go away. I just wanted to show them that they couldn't all forget about me, that I wasn't invisible, and that I was never going to be.''
''Why me?'' she asked as a tear rolled down her cheek. One that made her regret ever ignoring him, making her wish that she would have talked to him when he returned to Tree Hill High. It made her wish that Nathan did too.
''I don't know. Because when I come back we didn't really talk anymore, and I didn't like it. I felt like you should be punished. But I am sorry, Haley. I regret bringing you into this. I regret all of it.''
Haley looked at him hopefully. ''Really? So you were never going to hurt me?''
Jimmy shook his head. ''That was never the plan; I never wanted to hurt anyone, especially not you or Mouth.''
''But you're not after revenge are you? You're not going to come after me when you get out?''
''Of course not, Haley. What is this about?'' he asked in wonder.
Haley took a deep breath. ''I keep on having nightmares about you shooting me. You shoot me every time, but in different circumstances. It scares me, it makes me cry every night. Nathan suggested that I come and see you to get my answers. Because I can't deal with all of this anymore. I just feel sad all of the time.''
Jimmy's mouth widened in shock. ''I'm so sorry Haley.''
Haley nodded. ''Thanks, I guess. Um, have you spoke to anyone? Like a therapist?''
''I'm talking to the prison therapist, they're trying to see if there's something there, something in my mind that caused me to do it. I really do regret this Haley. How's everyone else been? Are they having nightmares too?''
She shook her head. ''No. It kind of brought everyone together, it made them see what was important. But I already knew what was important... I just didn't get why you did it.''
''Haley, I wasn't in the right frame of mind at the time.''
''I know. Lucas is okay, by the way. His leg's healing. He's going to be fine. He just has to rest and ice his leg a lot, and he has to go to physical therapy. Him and Peyton admitted their feelings too.''
Jimmy smiled. ''Thank you for coming to see me. I hope those nightmares stop. I'm not going to hurt you. I promise. I'll never hurt you.''
''Thanks Jimmy,'' Haley said softly as another tear fell from her eye, a happy tear. ''I hope you get better.''
They both hung up the phone and went their separate ways. And Haley finally got what she wanted.
Closure.
''Leyton, stop it!'' Brooke whined, throwing a cushion at the pair, effectively breaking them away from their make out session. ''I've had a fight with Julian, you're not supposed to be rubbing in the fact that you're happy.''
Lucas groaned and glared at his attention seeking friend. ''Brooke, you are happy.''
Brooke shrugged. ''That doesn't mean you can be all kissy face in front of me.''
Peyton laughed at Brooke's antics. ''Stop being jealous, B. Go and make up with Julian already. Whiney, moany Brooke is annoying.''
''I do not get jealous!'' she exclaimed. Why does she keep have to say that?
''Yes you do.'' Peyton and Lucas both said in unison with the same pointed look.
The front door then opened with a bang, and Haley came pouncing inside, a huge grin on her face. Nathan followed behind, with a little less enthusiasm, but anyone could tell he was happy as he watched Haley jumped around in excitement.
''Whoa, I think we should start calling you Tigger.'' Peyton remarked as Haley bounced on the spot.
''Guess what I just did!'' Haley shouted, still bouncing in the centre of the living room.
Brooke smirked. ''Took a bunch of pills?''
Haley shook her head, the smile not faltering. ''I threw an egg at Alex!''
The three friends' eyes widened as Nathan's smirk seemed to get bigger.
''What- how?'' Brooke sputtered in shock. This was unbelievable, so un Haley-like. Of course she was proud of Haley for getting revenge, doing to Alex the same thing she did to her. But it was just staggering. ''When?''
''Okay, so I couldn't stop crying when I got out from seeing Jimmy -I'll fill you in about that later-, so Nathan took me to the store to get some ice cream. We were walking down the one of the isles and saw Alex buying something. And she had a really big black eye by the way. Then I spotted some eggs, it was so random but I grabbed one out of the carton and just threw it. It splattered her all of the back of her head.''
They all looked at her in astonishment. ''Wow.'' was all they could say.
''I know, right?'' Nathan said with a chuckle, sitting down next to Peyton on the couch. ''I was so shocked and I knew we were gonna get in trouble so I flung her over my shoulder and ran out.''
''Wait, what happened at the prison? Why were you crying?'' Lucas asked after he finally registered Haley's happy mood, the fact that she was crying, and that she went to see Jimmy today, which had completely slipped his mind.
Haley sat down on Nathan's lap, he instantly wrapped his arms around her.
''I talked to him, and he was really... nice. He told me that he wasn't in the right frame of mind when it all happened. He said sorry too, and that he never intended to hurt anyone. And you know the best part? He promised not to hurt me when he gets out. I don't even feel scared anymore, it's like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders.''
''That's great, Hales.''
Nathan kissed her forehead lightly. ''I'm so proud of you.'' he whispered against her temple.
''We love you, ex-TG.'' Brooke said softly.
Haley smiled. ''I love you too. Sorry for being such a pain these past couple of weeks, I just wasn't in a good place.''
All of them shook their heads.
''Don't be stupid Haley, you could never be a pain.''
Knock. Knock.
''I'll get it,'' Brooke announced.
Nathan rolled his eyes. ''Yeah, just answer our door Brooke, we don't mind.'' he said sarcastically, though he was still smiling because his girl was back.
Brooke just stuck her tongue out at him in return.
She reached the door and couldn't help but smile slightly at the person on the other side. ''Hi,''
''Hi.'' he said softly, with a cute apologetic smile.
''I'm sorry.'' they both said in unison, their smiles widening as they looked into each others eyes. They both knew they fight was stupid. They both knew that they were stubborn. They both knew that Alex was getting to them, even though they had sworn that she wouldn't. They both knew that they should face this together. They both knew that they had to just forget about Alex. Because they love each other.
''You're right, I'm jealous.''
''You're right... I'm an idiot.''
Brooke giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck. ''I know you would never cheat, but I know she'll say that you did. I just got jealous because I'm scared... I mean, she's Alex Dupre. She's part of the top five too. I guess I didn't want you to fall for her.''
''Never,'' he said immediately. ''She's a stupid skank. I love you, I don't want anyone else, and I'm never going to. You're the one for me. And I'm the guy for you, Brooke Davis.''
''I love you too.'' Brooke whispered. ''I always will.''
''You're kinda terrific, Brooke Davis.''
Brooke smirked her smirk. ''So I've been told.''
''Let's play a game.'' Haley announced, still sat on her boyfriend's lap. They're all now sat in the Scott's living room, luckily the brothers' parents are away for the weekend. Brooke had gotten dressed, and now they were just hanging out together, something they've not done since the shooting.
Lucas chuckled. ''Like what?''
Haley shrugged, she just wanted to play a game, no matter what it was. ''I don't know.''
''How about 'hide and seek'?''
Brooke grinned. ''I love that game.''
''Guys, aren't we a little old to be playing 'hide and seek'?'' Peyton asked with a raised eyebrow, glancing at her boyfriend who's sat next to her, who will be unable to play because of his injured leg.
''Yeah, Luke can't even play.''
Lucas rolled his eyes and sighed. ''Shut up, Nate. You guys hide, Peyton can seek. She can count down here with me to a hundred, wait, make it two hundred.'' he said, sending a smirk and a wink to his girl.
Peyton shoved him lightly, but nodded. ''Yeah guys, I'll count.''
''Eew, gross.'' Nathan whined with an eye roll. ''Fine, we'll hide. Don't be too long, or I'll end up being sick from you two... you're so sickening.''
Julian laughed, along with the others. ''Says Mr. Always and Forever.'' he mocked.
Nathan threw a cushion at the mathlete's head. ''Shut up. You're kinda terrific, Brooke Davis.''
''I'm Nathan and if you're a guy and talk to Haley, I'll kick your ass. 'Cause I'm Nathan Scott, that's what I do.'' he said in a deep voice, trying to imitate Nathan, flexing his 'muscles'.
The friends burst into a fit of laughter at Julian's imitation, which sounded so stupid but was so true.
''Now that's true.'' Brooke said with a giggle.
Nathan glared at the laughing people. ''I'm Julian, I'd punch that guy for you Brooke, but wait, I don't wanna break my knuckle again.'' he said, in a slightly higher tone.
''Okay, okay. Stop it now. Both of you. We don't want any trouble.'' Haley said in a teasing tone, holding her hands up in surrender.
''200, 199, 198, 197, 196...'' Peyton started to count, causing all of the friends to jump up and run in different directions.
''Ready or not, here I come!'' they heard shout from downstairs.
Brooke giggled into the darkness. ''She's not gonna find us.'' she whispered.
''Really?'' Julian asked coyly with a smirk. He wrapped his arms around her waist and started to kiss her neck sweetly. ''So no one's gonna find us.''
''We're in a closet.'' she reminded him with a giggle as chills ran down her spine. ''I'm not having sex in a closet.'' she said sternly. Peyton was currently looking for them, which would just be awkward and embarrassing if she found them, just like it was when Nathan did. And she just really didn't want to do it in a closet. What's special about that?
Julian continued to kiss her neck and whispered hotly into her ear, ''It's a big closet.''
Brooke mocked gasped, feeling her knees go weak from the effect he had on her. ''Julian Baker, are you suggesting that we have make up sex in a closet?''
''Maybe.''
AN: Sorry for ending it there! I know this chapter's longer than the others, but this is actually one and a half chapters, I just couldn't think of how to continue the next one. So guess what? The next chapter is the last one. Ahh! I know, shocking. I had said three, but I just feel like now is the right time to end it. And I can focus on my new story;) I'll post the summary on the next chapter. Also sorry if I got any prison stuff wrong, and I hope you don't think Haley got over everything a little too quick, I just wanted her to be okay again.
Tisha b - Hehe, thanks for answering my question and thanks for reviewing!
SHAUN - Thanks so much for your review, and no worries. Thank for answering, I love hearing peoples opinions:)
Katie - I love your name:) And yeah, sorry about that. I get really, really carried away with the other characters, which I've mentioned before. I've even mentioned not calling this a Brulian story, just a multi-couple story. But it's based around Brulian, so I can't really. Thanks for reviewing though.
Thanks for everyone who answered (some answered more than once, so that counts as a vote for each one you said):
Leyton: 6
Naley: 6
Brooke's Dream Wedding: 1
So Naley and Leyton drew. I did not add mine in there, if I did then... Leyton's would have won. They're my third favourite couple on the show but I loved their wedding. It was just awesome. They knew she could die and they were still talking about the future. It was beautiful and romantic. I love how the core 5 all had a major part in it. P- Bride, L- Groom, H- Minister, N- Best Man, B- Maid of Honour. And Julian returned! It was great for all the couples. And what made me watch the show from the start after seeing that wedding.
Please Review!:) Question- who should be with Chase? Mia or Alex?