Title: Damaged

Pairing: Brooke/Clay

The liquid slides down her throat, burning her insides. It numbs the pain. Even if the feeling is temporary, she forgets. Forgets how incredibly screwed up her life is. She forgets that Julian is always gone. That he thinks the idea of them getting married is the worst idea in the world. She thought she'd finally found happiness and although she pretends to be happy, she's really not. She loves Julian so much, or at least she used to. But now she's not sure. They spend more time apart than they actually spend together. And she's beginning to think that he's not the type to settle down any time soon.

"Someone's looking a little sad."

She turns her head slowly, surprised to see Clay Evans occupying the once empty barstool beside her. She looks at him expectantly and shakes her head. She knows he's the type of boy that she should stay away from. She's heard stories about Nathan's womanizing agent.

She scoffs and slams down another shot of tequila. Patron is her best friend right now. He gives her a lopsided smile and calls Chase for a drink of his own. "And something for the lady next me," he winks at Brooke, his blue eyes casting a suggestive look her way. "What's your poison?"

"Tequila," she responds in a dry voice.

"Tequila?" he raises an eyebrow naturally. "Must be trying to numb the pain; nobody just shoots tequila for the hell of it."

Damn, the boy could read her like an open book. Maybe they are more similar than she would have ever suspected. She shrugs as Chase places the shot in front of her, Clay handing him a bill.

Clay holds his shot glass up for a toast but Brooke's tequila is already sliding down her throat with ease. She makes it look effortless; like her body is accustomed to the burning.

He chuckles and holds his head back to chase down his own shot. "So, you're Brooke Davis huh?"

She nods, slamming her empty shot glass onto the counter and wiping the stray liquid from the corner of her mouth.

"You don't talk much," he notes. "Clay Evans…"

"I know who you are," she mumbles, drumming her fingers against the countertop aimlessly. "I've heard lots about you."

He smirks. Brooke studies him from the side, noting that he is nothing like Julian. He's much shorter but built thick with muscle. He's blonde with icy blue eyes. And he isn't serious about anything. To him, life is a game, and he plays everyone in his life. Maybe tequila isn't what she needs to forget; maybe Clay Evans is what she needs to forget.

"Let's go back to my place," she whispers, almost regretfully, because she is still with Julian.

"Aren't you dating that movie producer or whatever," he asks with a shrug.

She shrugs, dropping her legs from the barstool. "Not for long." It was time to stop feeling like this. Damaged. And the only way to make herself feel better was to let go of Julian. Because, it just wasn't working anymore. They were just two completely different people. And she felt that her life was becoming a boring routine. She missed the days when her life was like this. When she could meet a stranger at the bar and have meaningless sex, without any feelings attached. That way she could never get hurt again.

He looks away momentarily. "Look, I don't want to be the one to ruin your relationship…"

"My relationship has been ruined for a long time," she replies back, without missing a beat.

She shoots him a suggestive smile before turning around and walking away, her voluptuous hips swaying with every step; Clay's mouth falls agape and he let out a sigh. He was in trouble with this one.

"You coming?" she questions with a smirk, eyebrows raised naturally.

He nods. Resisting temptation is simply out of the question this time.

He figures it won't really matter if he goes home with her tonight. She's broken; full of pain and hurt. And he is too. Maybe they could be broken together.

AN: Lift-me-up, I'm so glad you liked the Chase/Mia fic and I'm glad I could help cheer you up some with a simple story. And that would be great if you want to let your readers know about my story. Also, let me know which pairing or character you'd like to see next.