"She won't answer any of my calls.", Lucas, Peyton, Nathan and Haley were sitting in Karen's caffé and talking about Brooke.

"Mine neither.", Nathan said and went through his hair.

"That's not Brooke.", Haley was in thoughts and wondered what her friend was going through at the moment. She hoped that Brooke was all right but she knew that this hope would not be the truth.

Victoria was a bitch. And they could only guess that Richard had not changed through the years either.

Karen came over to them and sat down as well. She could see that all of them were missing Brooke and worried very much.

"Okay kids. I could not get through either. All we can do now is wait for a call but if she does not call back by the end of the week I will definitely fly to New York."

"I bet their parents have taken away her cell phone.", Peyton hit the table with her fist.

"Do you really think they are capable of such things?", Haley did not know Brooke's parents very good and could not believe that parents could be so mean to their own daughter.

Especially now, with Brooke going through so much.
"Oh, you should have seen them how they treated her when she was a kid.", Peyton made a grimase when she remembered how Victria had yelled for hours at Brooke only because her clothes had been dirty and how she had repeated over and over again how ashamed she was of her own daughter.

There were so many times that Brooke came crying over to Peyton and wondering why she never was enough.

xxxxx

"Let me out.", Brooke was still knocking from inside her door with her fists. She did it so hard that her fists hurt and started to bleed a little.

But she did not care at the moment, all she wanted was getting out of her room and not being held hostage by her parents for no reason.

She cried hard, yes she had cried for hours and still the tears were falling down on the floor and left little blotches.

"Let me out. Please.", Brooke cried into her hands and felt so helpless. She was at a place she did not want to be. Not at all.

She felt guilty and did not like herself very much at the moment and of course she missed her friends.

She was locked in her room for three days now and only occasionally her parents would come in to bring her something to eat. It always ended in Brooke trying to get out and her father pulling her forcefully back to her bed.

"You stay here. When you have calmed down you can come out.", he pointed madly at his daughter and closed the door again.

They did not hit her but nevertheless it was torture. Having no one to talk to made her feel even more alone.

Not that she was really keen of talking at all but being alone with all her thoughts and feelings and her nightmares was horrible.

She sat down on her bed and looked at her meal. She was disgusted by it and threw it to the ground and hugged her little teddy bear. He was the only thing that was left and that made her feel safe for a moment.

After some hours her mother came into the room with some dresses and sat down in a chair in front of her bed.

Brooke was still hugging the bear and did not look at her. She was so mad at this woman that she wished she could just make her vanish forever.

"I see. You haven't eaten again.", Victoria said calm and looked at the meal on the floor.

"The cleaning woman will clean it later. So, I have enough of your behavior. Enough with the yelling and screaming and hitting. I want you to wear one of this clothes and I want you to shower because you smell like a boy. On Wednesday we are going to have dinner as a family at a fine restaurant. You will behave. If not, there will be some consequences."

Brooke did not say anything and stiffened up.

Inside she just wanted to jump at her mother and hit her with all her force. But she had never done anything like this before and she knew that she would not stand a chance against Victoria.

Victoria went out and a little later the cleaning woman came into her room without saying a word.

xxxx

Brooke was lying on her back and looking at the ceiling.

"Hey young miss.", the cleaning woman said and smiled at Brooke when Brooke looked at her in surprise with her sad and lonely eyes.

"I bought you this.", she threw some magazines onto Brooke's bed and hoped to get a reaction from the girl in front of her.

Brooke looked confused at the magazines and then whispered "Thank you."

"Must be boring to stay in your room all day long?", the cleaning woman said and Brooke nodded.

"I don't know what you did to be punished this way but you know what?", the cleaning woman was in her late fifties and not really thin. She had many wrinkles and although she was not the most beautiful woman, she was beautiful in her own way.

Brooke shook her head.

"I have a key to your room. Your parents are away most of the time. How about you come out sometime to get some fresh air?"

Brooke was astonished, why was she so nice to her?

"Um…ok." Brooke whispered almost shyly and hugged her bear again.

xxxx

They next two days Veronica, the cleaning lady, opened Brooke's room whenever the Davis were away.

At first Brooke did not really know what she should do but then she helped Veronica with everything that needed to be done around the house.

"And you do that every day?", Brooke asked Veronica while she cleaned the oven.

"Well, I have a family and money does not grow on trees.", Veronica smiled and took out a broom "Have you ever moped the floor to music?"

Brooke looked confused at her and shook her head. Of course not.

"Well, there is a first time for everything.", she gave the mop to Brooke, started the music and suddenly she danced through the kitchen while cleaning and singing to the music.

Brooke looked shocked at her and did not move at all.

"C'mon. Join me.", finally Brooke got out of her trance and danced with Veronica.

"If you wanna know, if he loves you so, it's in his kiss.", Veronica sang and gave the microphone, well, the broom, to Brooke who sang into it "That's where it is?"

"Oh yeah."

It was the first time that Brooke forgot about everything and just enjoyed the moment.

"That was fun.", Brooke and Veronica slumped down the couch totally exhausted and laughed.

"You sure know how to dance kiddo.", she pinched Brooke's nose and Brooke smiled at her.

"You too."

Suddenly she heard the car outside and hid.

"Shit. My parents Veronica."

"Don't be afraid. C'mon.", Veronica took Brooke's hand and dragged her to another stair. Brooke did not know that there was another stair in the back.

She went into her room and when Veronica was about to close the door, Brooke ran to her and hugged her tight.

Veronica smiled at her but closed the door promptly because the Davis were coming upstairs.

"Did she behave?", Victoria and Richard asked Veronica who looked at the ground and nodded.

"Yes mam."

They entered her room and saw Brooke smiling at them. Not a nice smile but a smile that told them that they could not get her down.

"Why are you smiling at us?", Victoria asked hard.

"Oh, just because I am happy, mother.", Brooke said back and then looked into a book.

Victoria and Richard were confused and got out again.

xxxx

The next day Brooke helped Veronica again and she started liking cleaning more and more. She liked it because Veronica made a game out of everything.

"Why are you so sad Brooke?", Veronica did not look at Brooke while she cleaned the shower but she just needed to know what Brooke was holding in.

"I…miss my friends.", Brooke whispered.

"Why don't you call them? I know that your parents have your phone but there is still one around the house."

Brooke hesitated a moment but then answered shyly.

"I think they are better off without me."

Veronica looked at the girl and realized how broken she was.

"Oh I think that's a lie. I know you for a week now and I would never want to miss that week. So the people who know you basically your whole life long would definitely not want that either."

Brooke stopped the cleaning and looked at Veronica and thought about her parents. They were the one who knew her the longest. Well, they did not really know anything about their daughter but they were the ones who had seen her at first when she had been born.

Veronica realized in what conflict Brooke was and stopped the cleaning and threw the washcloth into Brooke's face.

"Your parents are idiots Brooke."

Brooke looked shocked at her but then burst out into laughing.

"So, are you going to call them?", Veronica was a woman who always got the answer to her questions. Even if it meant asking the question over and over again.

"Not today. Maybe tomorrow."

"Okay we make a deal. If you don't call them this week I won't let you out again."

Brooke looked totally shocked at her "That's not a deal that is blackmailing."

"Call it whatever you want.", Veronica laughed and went out of the room.

"Hey Brookie Cookie", the cook went through Brooke's hair when Brooke came into the kitchen.

"Your parents told me to make you succotash today, do you even like that?", the cook was in his forties and the funniest men Brooke had ever seen.

He was always talking to the food like they were alive and whenever he got the opportunity to joke he told a joke.

"I hate it.", Brooke said and he threw a cooking book towards her.

"Tell me what you want.", he pointed at the book and Brooke opened the book and was overwhelmed by all the recipes.

"Umm…maybe this.", Brooke pointed at a lasagna with many vegetables.

"Great. Wanna help?", he asked her and she nodded immediately.

"Sure. Why not.", she washed her hands "Just tell me what to do. I've never cooked before."

He looked shocked at Brooke and then smiled "You sure are a spoiled kid."

"Adam!", Veronica yelled from the next floor.

"What? She is. But a very lovable one.", Brooke smiled at him and took the carrots and washed them.

"So Brookie Cookie. Do you have a boyfriend? A pretty girl like you must have one!"

Brooke thought about Julian and wondered how he was doing in LA. She did not realize that a tear went down her face.

"Oh. Did he break your heart kiddo.", Adam took Brooke's chin and made her look at him.

"No. He just had to move away and now I am stuck here.", she snipped the carrot madly.

"It's not the carrot's fault.", Adam took it away from her and she had to laugh.

"So you don't like being stuck with us. Huh?"

"No. I like it with you. But I have no other friends and my parents lock me in all the time."

"You are the little Cinderella of New York. Just wait a bit and you will be the princess.", Adam began to sing and Brooke just listened to him.

She was glad that she could eat again and with other people.

"That tastes very good."

"Only the best for Cinderella. But trust me, Cinderella would not wear a base cap.", Adam pointed at her cap which made Brooke stop eating for a moment.

She jumped up in surprise when Veronica took off her cap and pointed at her forehead.

"That's why she is wearing it. She hits her head at the wall all the time when she's mad."

Brooke blushed and did not know what to say.

"Oh. Veronica.", Adam yelled after her "remember when I was mad at myself because I cooked something that tasted horrible."

"Yeah Adam. More than once."

"Oh and do you remember when I made myself eat all of it at once?"

"Oh yeah. I still see you puking on the whole floor."

"Eww…Brookie Cookie that was disgusting. But I learned to pay more attention and not to eat anything that I did not like and punish myself. You should too."

Brooke thought that nothing of what he had said made any sense and continued eating.

"Why did you hit yourself?", Veronica sat down besides her and really wanted to understand the girl.

Brooke was shocked again. They were so brutally honest and asked everything that was on their mind.

"Um…", she looked away in embarrassment "I was mad at myself."

"Why?", Adam asked, "because you are a beautiful, caring and lovely young woman although your parents are the exact difference?"

"Um….no.", Brooke whispered.

"It's because you like seeing your forehead in blue and red, right?", Adam said again and thought about more ideas.

"Adam, stop it.", Veronica pointed with her finger at him and took her arm around Brooke.

Brooke took a deep breath and then told about Jimmy and everything that had happened. She could not believe that she really was able to tell them the whole story and cried through it.

"Oh kiddo. That's horrible.", Veronica pulled Brooke to her chest and caressed her back.

"I think it is your fault.", Brooke and Veronica looked shocked at Adam.

"Adam!", Veronica yelled at him and held Brooke even tighter to protect her.

"It was my fault too when I did not get my kid into the hospital immediately with a high fever and now is brain damaged and we cannot pretend that nothing is our faults. But there is a difference between a fault and an intention."

Brooke listened carefully to Adam while sobbing.

"But you learn from your faults and this is the punishment you get your whole life long. You have to make a difference for other people and for yourself.

Of course it was your fault Brooke. That Jimmy boy had no one and no one could see his pain but it was also the teacher's fault, other pupils' and his parents'. And of course his own.

By punishing yourself now you make the same mistake he did and in the end you make your friends feel like you do now and realizing that they lost you because it was their faults."

Veronica looked surprised at Adam. It was the first time that he saw him so serious.

"I have just one question for you Brookie Cookie. Was it your intention that he would shoot himself?"

Brooke was speechless. Of course it was not and she shook her head.

"I see him every night and the blood…", Brooke whispered.

"Oh. I bet. It sounds like a horror movie to me. Maybe you should find the one that can get the DVD out of the player."

Adam squeezed Brooke's cheek and Brooke started crying real hard. Adam opened his arms and she fell into them. He cried with her and let it all out. After some minutes Brooke looked up at him.

"Did you cry?"

Adam raised an eyebrow "How could I not cry with a girl I want to be happy in my arms crying her heart out. That would mean I have a cold heart Brookie Cookie."

Brooke smiled and hugged him tight again.

Although she did not know them well, where they really came from or how their life looked like, apart of their jobs, she felt close to them. It was sad that she felt closer to them than to her own parents.

"How about you take a bath now and wash all those bad thoughts and guilty feelings away and then you dress in one of those expensive clothes you have and go to dinner with your evil parents and show them that they don't get you down.

They will be away for the weekend and I have a big surprise for you. I promise that this surprise will make you happy."

Brooke nodded and went upstairs and into the tube.

She went under the water and stayed there until she could not breath any more.

She came up with a small smile and puffed the foam away.

Then she heard her door open and her dad looking at her and coming into the bathroom.

"Dad. I am in the tube.", she hid her breasts, of course for some kids it was normal showing them naked in front of their parents but Brooke felt weird because she was not used living around her parents at all.

"I know. I've seen you naked all the time Brooke.", Richard said and sat down on the toilet seat.

"I want you to make your mother happy today. Do you understand me?", he looked at his daughter without any interest in her body or realization that she definitely had become a young woman.

"Yes, I do. Now get out...Please.", she added and he stood up and went out of her room locking her door again.
Brooke rolled her eyes and went under the water again. She had the urge to hit herself again but she just focused on her breath and held it until she had to breath again which showed her that she was still alive.

xxxxx

They were sitting in the restaurant and Richard and Victoria could only talk about their business. They did not even ask Brooke one time how she felt or whether she missed her friends.

Brooke concentrated on her meal but did not feel like eating at all, so she just looked around and looked at all the families.

Those families were laughing and everybody was talking to each other. Not only the parents.

She remembered the times when she was younger and they always had gone out to eat that she always had fallen asleep in her chair.

It was never about her.

Her desires and needs had never been important. Yes, she had gotten the best clothes, the best ballet teacher, the best food but did that really count to kids?

Of course not!

Growing up in an environment that showed you every day that you were just an accessory matter to your own parents, did not really help your self-esteem.

Brooke knew why she always fooled around with boys and was very loyal to her friends.

She hated to be alone. Although there were people around her, she felt very lonely at the moment.

She thought about her own kids. She would never treat them the way her parents did. She would want them to be happy. Just happy.

"Brooke Penelope Davis. Eat your meal.", Victoria said sternly to her daughter and Brooke went out of her trance and looked at her.

Of course she did not want to make a scene in a restaurant but she did not want her parents to feel like they had the upper hand either.

"I am not going to…", suddenly her father took her hand and squeezed it very hard.

"Owww…that…", she protested and tried to get her hand back but he squeezed it even harder and she had to suppress her tears falling down.

"Eat.", he said merciless and let go of her hand when she started eating while the tears went down her face.

She did not say anything until they were home.

There she stormed into the house and yelled at them.

"I hate you so much. I wish you were dead."

It was the first time that she really feared her dad when he came towards her.

"Go upstairs. Now.", he did not yell at her but his eyes showed that he was past fury and it was scary how he bit his lip.

"What do you think I was about to do? I don't like being around you fucking assholes.", Brooke was surprised by her own strength and cursing but soon took her hand to her cheek and looked shocked at her dad.

Tears appeared in her eyes. Her father had hit her. Her own father.

"It's enough Richard.", Victoria touched his arm but he shook his head.

"You don't get to talk to us like this. We give you everything you want and yet you talk to us like that. I want you to apologize.", he pointed his finger at Brooke who shivered.

Since when had her dad become so aggressive?

Victoria pulled at his arms. "Let her be Richard."

"No I won't.", he slapped his wife's hand away.

"Apologize. Now." Brooke shivered but there was no way that she was going to say that she was sorry. Because that would be a lie. A big one.

"No I won't.", she ran upstairs and screamed when her dad ran after her.

She ran into her room and tried to close the door but he was stronger and took her arm strongly.

"Dad. Leave me alone.", she almost pleaded but she saw a fury in his eyes that told her that he would not just leave her room.

She ducked when his first hit came towards her face. It hit her hard and never in all her life had she expected him to use such force against her.

"I am sick of your behavior.", he still had a pretty good grip on her arm and she knew that this would leave a bruise.

"Please stop.", she screamed hysterically and tried to get free.

But she was just a young woman without any strength against her big father.

She felt another punch but this time to her stomach, which mad her loose her balance. She cried heavily but he just pushed her backwards on her bed and held her arms up with his force.

"Now apologize.", he screamed into her face.

Brooke flinched and whispered, "I am sorry."

He let got of her and went outside, "I hope this is a lesson for you.", he locked the door again and did not care that his own daughter slumped to the floor and cried into her hands for hours.

When Brooke finally had calmed down she went into the bathroom and looked at her face. Her lip and her nose were bleeding and she flinched in pain when she touched them.

Carefully she washed the blood away and went to her bed again and held her bear tightly. She heard her parents fighting downstairs and Victoria yelling at Richard that it was not okay to hit their daughter.

She remembered the times her parents had been constantly yelling at each other and tried to get away from all of it by covering her ears and closing her eyes.

Sorry I updated this story later than the other ones (but three of my stories today...I wrote at night). Some asked me whether I will even update them because I focussed more on "Healing pocess"...but of course I will! And I really, really try to always give you a next chapter ASAP. There was just so much drama in "Healing process" and many, many questions I had to write down and answer. If you like stories about becoming a family and with Sam, Brulian, Naley and their kids...then maybe you'll like "Healing process" and of course would make me happy to review to it as well.

I know. Her parents are really not the nicest one and her dad even hit her the first time...I am sad for Brooke...weird, because I wrote it LoL. Anyways, thanks for reading and would love to know your thoughts!