Disclaimer: I don't own One Tree Hill or its characters...I own nothing but this story's plot!!!

Chapter 3:

Whisper

Brooke rushed around trying to get ready for her big date tonight with Nate while Rachel and Olivia set on her bed watching her. Obviously they were finding amusement in watching her scramble around like a chicken with her head cut off.

Rachel finally erupted in a fit of laughter that caused Brooke to send a stern look her way, the kind only mothers could send.

"What is so funny?" Brooke asked her, not amused by the situation in the least.

"You are," Rachel told her, not worried about how her comments made her friend feel. If you asked her, Brooke was acting crazy. "Brooke, you could wear a garbage bag and Nate would still think you were the most gorgeous girl on the face of this planet," she told her.

Brooke looked down at her feet, though it did relieve some of her anxiety hearing her friend say that, she didn't know how much she actually believed it. After having Liv the last thing she ever expected was starting up a relationship with someone else. I mean, who would want a single mother of a three year old?

Rachel stood up from the bed and walked over to her friend. "You know I'm right," she said, calmly placing a hand on each of her friend's shoulders. "Nate is a great guy. It's going to be fine. Now go put back on that sexy black dress with the black Christian Louboutin heels. Come back and I'll help you finish your hair and makeup."

Brooke smiled and nodded her head like an obedient little girl. It had been so long since she had actually been on a date; she had forgotten how to act, how to stay calm and just get ready. Actually, the last date she had been on was probably with…No; she wasn't going to let herself think about it.

She walked into her closet and changed into the outfit Rachel had described to her. Emerging only after she was completely dressed, she was met by the much approving faces of the two most important people in her life.

"You looks pretty, Mommy," Olivia told her as she clapped her hands in delight. She loved dress up, and especially playing in her mother's things. "Can I put some shoes on too?" She asked her eagerly.

"Sure baby," Brooke smiled, walking over and picking up the little girl who squealed with delight. "You go on in the closet and see which shoes you like the best," she said, giving her daughter a squeeze and setting her down on the ground.

"That was definitely the right outfit," Rachel said, admiring her friend's appearance. "If he doesn't sleep with you he is sooo gay," she told her with a laugh.

"Rachel," Brooke hissed. "I am not trying to get him to sleep with me! We are just going on a date! That is all, just dinner."

"Whatever you say," Rachel said, waving off Brooke's comment. "Now let's fix your hair and makeup," she suggested. "I was thinking a smoky eye and pale lips. Then just tousle up your hair a little bit with some of this styling spray and you'll be good to go. What do you think," she asked, turning from where she had been rummaging through Brooke's beauty products to look at her face.

"Whatever you say," Brooke smiled at her friend. "You are the evil genius behind this whole ensemble after all. It's only fair you get to complete the look. That is as long as I don't look like total trash when you get done."

Rachel rolled her eyes at her friend. Sometimes Brooke just underestimated her. I mean, when was she going to realize that makeovers were pretty much her calling in life? "You are going to look hot as hell. I promise you that much," Rachel told her as she dragged her to the vanity and forced her to sit down on the stool. "Now this shouldn't take too long, and hopefully Nate won't show up till after we're finished."

"I think we're fine on time," Brooke reassured her. "Besides I can always get Liv to help me finish up and you can go entertain him," she told her with a wink.

"Haha," The red head laughed. "I know you wouldn't trust a three-year old to do your makeup over me."

"I don't know," Brooke laughed along with her. "If you don't let me look at what you're doing pretty soon I may have to let Liv take over."

"Don't be such a party pooper," Rachel told her. "I'll let you see it when it's done. I want you to get the entire effect before you judge, not just you seeing one eye and totally freaking out."

"Fine, fine," Brooke reluctantly agreed. "But you know patience is not my strong suit," she reminded her friend.

"I know," Rachel answered. "That is what makes it all the more fun!" She laughed as she continued to cover Brooke's face with makeup, leaving her friend to wonder what to finished product was actually going to look like.

"Wow, you look amazing," Nate greeted Brooke at her front door later that night.

"Thanks," she quietly answered him, blushing a little under her makeup. She moved out of the way so that he could enter her apartment.

As he walked in her revealed a bouquet of stargazer lilies he had been hiding behind his back. "So is it totally cliché if I give you these?" He asked her as he handed the flowers off to her.

Brooke smiled widely and took the flowers from him. "Well maybe a little," she said, and smelled the flowers, "But I love them anyway. Let me get some water to put them in."

While she went to look for a vase, Olivia came prancing in the room dressed in a mismatched pair of Brooke's high heels and one of her Disney Princess costumes. "How I look?" She asked Nate, wobbly turning around in her mother's shoes.

"Well, who is this beautiful girl? This can't be little Olivia," He humored the girl, pretending to be shocked by her appearance.

"It is me, Natie!" She screamed, flinging her hands in the air and taking a little hop. "Do I's look like Mommy?" She asked him.

"You look just like your mother! All the way down to your attention-craving personality," Rachel commented as she walked in from the hallway.

"Very funny, Rach," Brooke sarcastically laughed at her. "I do not crave attention…well, not that much," she added, sticking out her tongue.

"Whatever, more like you constantly need it," Rachel teased her friend. "Oh hey, Nate," she finally acknowledged he was in the room. "You look nice tonight," she added, turning to Brooke and wiggling her eyebrows.

Brooke just raised an eyebrow back at her friend, her signature look when she was not amused with something.

"Uh, thanks," Nate answered, not really sure how to take the compliment. "So Brooke, you ready to go?" He asked her, moving back towards her in the kitchen.

"Sure," she answered. "Just let me say goodbye to my little angel," she said as she walked into the living room where Olivia and Rachel were.

"Bye Brooke," Rachel called as soon as the words had left her friend's mouth.

"Bye Rach," she told her. "Bye bye munchkin," she said, giving Olivia a huge hug. "You be sweet for Aunt Rachel and Mommy will be home before you know it." She kissed her daughter on the top of the head and then stood up to her full height once again.

"I be good, Mommy," Olivia told her. "Me and Auntie Rachie have fun!" She screamed and then she ran towards Nate and hugged his leg. "Bye bye, Natie. Come and play next morning."

"Alright, Livvie," he said, as he patted the little girl on the top of her head.

"Okay, Liv. Come back over here and you and I are going to watch this movie. Then we'll make Mommy a mess to clean up," Rachel called to the little girl.

"Okay!" Olivia screamed in excitement as she raced over to Rachel and leaped on top of her on the couch.

"Just don't make too big of a mess," Brooke said as she walked over beside Nate and he guided her through the door by the small of her back.

"Auntie Rachie, I wanna paint Mommy a picture please," Olivia told her when their movie had gone off.

"Okay Missy. I think we can do that," Rachel said, standing up and turning off the DVD player. "But first we have to get some dinner in you. So what sounds good? A PB&J? A bowl of oatmeal?" Rachel asked her, limiting her choices to what she knew she could actually make.

"Hmmm," Olivia answered her, putting a tiny finger up to her cheek as if she was thinking. "I want a cheese grill!" She announced.

Rachel laughed at the little girl's word reversal. "You mean a grilled cheese?" She asked her, thoroughly amused. "Wouldn't you rather have a super yummy hotdog?" She asked her, trying to copy the excited voice Brooke used when she tried to convince Olivia to do something.

Olivia scrunched her eyebrows and looked at Rachel like she was crazy. "Auntie Rachie, I no like hotdogs," she plainly explained to her. "They are yuck!" She added and she stuck her tongue out.

Rachel looked at her defeated. There was no way she was going to risk burning down Brooke's house just so this little girl could have the meal she wanted. She stood there for a minute racking her brain for other possible options.

The she decided to check the fridge for something she would actually be able to make. "How does a salad sound?" She poked her head out to ask the girl who was now standing at her feet.

"Gross," Olivia answered and stuck her tongue out again. "Oooh, oooh, can I have a waffle?" She asked her, suddenly perking back up.

Rachel looked in the freezer, Eggo waffles she could handle. "Sure," She told her. "And you know what; I think I'm going to have a waffle too."

"They are so so so so soooo yummy, Auntie Rachie," Olivia told her, her eyes growing as wide as quarters as a grin spread across her face.

"Well I guess we're in for a treat then," she laughed at the little girl as she popped two waffles into the toaster. She moved to get the syrup while Olivia climbed up into her chair at the kitchen table.

"Can I's have some chocolate milk, please?" She asked Rachel, turning around in her chair to face her, a persuasive smile covering her tiny features.

"How can I say no to that face?" She asked her, not really expecting an answer. "It's the same reason I always gave into your mom's wacky whims."

Olivia laughed and turned back around in her chair. She was hungry. And she was ready to eat her waffles.

"I hope you don't mind Japanese food," Nate told Brooke as they sat in a newly opened Hibachi grill called Kyoto.

"Actually I can't stand it," she told him, making a face to show her disgust.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry," he immediately began apologizing. "I should have asked you before I just made reservations. We can leave if you w—"

Brooke cut him off with a laugh, starting to feel bad about her joke. "I was totally joking," she said, hoping he would find the joke as funny as she had. "I love sushi. It's one of my favorite foods. And surprisingly enough, Liv loves it too."

"That is surprising. She's a remarkable little girl," he told her, a smile forming on his face. "And just so you know, that joke, so not funny," he added with a chuckle.

"Not even a little bit?" She asked, holding her thumb and pointer finger near each other to display how much.

"Nope," he quickly replied and playfully turned his head from side to side. He couldn't have hid the smile on his face if he had wanted to.

Brooke laughed at his antics and was actually having a great time on her date. She hadn't been on a date in some time and she hadn't expected to ease back into the swing of things so easily. But Nate made it easy. He was patient, funny, caring, and a perfect gentleman—all in one. And his modelesque looks didn't seem to hurt either. She actually found herself getting lost in conversation and being able to totally attend to Nate.

"I'm really glad we did this," she told him, flashing him one of her megawatt smiles.

"Me too," he agreed with her, as he leaned forward across the table to give one of her delicate hands a squeeze. "You're incredible, you know that?" He asked her, locking his green eyes with her hazel ones.

"It's nice to hear it," she said back to him, still smiling. "But what makes you say that?" She curiously asked him, tilting her head to the side.

"You do it all," he told her, leaning back in his chair. "You have a career, a beautiful daughter, a loyal best friend you treat like some long-lost family member. And you still find time to go out with guys like me. You're like superwoman."

His words caused Brooke to laugh. "I wouldn't say superwoman, but if you insist," she said, eating one of the wonton appetizers their waiter had just brought.

"I insist," he said, picking up her hand and bringing to his mouth, giving it a light kiss before returning it to the table.

"Are you ready to order?" The waiter asked, walking up to stand at their tableside.

"I think so," Nate answered him, looking at Brooke who nodded her head in approval.

"Alright well what will we be having tonight?" He asked as the two began to scan their menu for the entrées they'd selected to order.

Brooke entered her house after her date feeling lighter than she had in a long time. She wasn't sure what it was but there was definitely something about Nate. He made her feel worthy. And he actually wanted her…and Olivia in his life.

The smile she couldn't wipe off her face was priceless. She leaned her back against the front door and relished the moment before she had to get back to life. She flipped on a light by the door so she could see to get a snack from the kitchen. She was hoping Rachel and Olivia were asleep in the other room because she didn't want to wake them.

She whipped open the refrigerator door and began rummaging for her favorite raspberry yogurt. Finally she found it and grabbed it and a water bottle. She was about to close the door when she heard…

"You little slut, trying to be all quiet and sneak in without giving me any details," Rachel said to her, walking into the kitchen to face her brunette friend.

Brooke slammed the fridge door and pressed her back up against in. The smile she couldn't get rid of turned into a fit of laughter at Rachel and her nosiness. She opened her water bottle and took a sip to clear her throat. "What are you talking about?" She asked her. "It's not like I'm avoiding you. I thought you were asleep."

"Yeah, yeah. That's not even a good excuse," Rachel said. "So spill. How was it? I mean, I know it must have been unbelievable because you have had that stupid smile on your face since I first cornered you."

"It was nice," Brooke said, teasing her friend. She knew Rachel would die from her vague responses. And she moved over a little to sit on the counter top.

"Nice. Nice? That's all you're going to give me?" Rachel asked her, following her to stand face to face with her Brooke.

Brooke smirked at her friend as she began to eat her yogurt. She licked a bite off her spoon and said, "Yep. That's all I'm going to give you." She knew Rachel would think she was being a total bitch but she couldn't help it, Rachel just got so funny when she was mad.

"Brooke, stop being such a little prissy bitch and tell me already!" Rachel demanded. "I mean, I sit here and watch your daughter, who I might add tried to convince me to burn down your house by cooking for her. I don't mess up your house, shocker, I know. And I even bring this for you," she said pointing to where she had hung the infamous wedding invite on the fridge.

Brooke looked at where she was pointing and her stomach fell. She sat down the yogurt cup she had been eating; suddenly she wasn't so hungry anymore.

Rachel noticing the reaction her friend was having immediately backed off and tried to regain some of the Brooke Davis that had been tempting her with information just a minute ago. "God Brooke, I'm sorry," she said, taking the invite down off the fridge. "I thought you wanted to go to this thing. I was an idiot to think you actually meant it, that you were ready," she lectured herself. And she was about to tear the card up when Brooke stopped her.

"Rachel, wait," she said, jumping off the counter and taking a hold of her friend's hand. "It's not your fault. And I do want to go. I just wasn't expecting to see this tonight, to think about it. I have to be warned about some things and this is one of them. I know its lame, but when you spring it on me, it, well it catches me completely off guard. Sorry I reacted that way."

"Its fine," Rachel reassured her. "I swear. I just hate I ruined your perfect date night, because whether or not you want to admit it to me I could tell by your face that's what it was. Trust me, now words were needed because I could read you like a book."

"Really?" Brooke tried to get back some of the high she had been on, but she couldn't. It was gone. "It was great Rach. We went to that new Japanese place. He was a perfect gentleman, everything you could ask for."

"Well what's the problem?" She asked her friend, not seeing why she was still down. She figured talking about her date would perk her back up, but obviously she had been wrong.

Brooke looked at her and shook her head, "Nothing, no problem. I'm just really tired. We'll talk tomorrow though. I promise," she told her friend as she walked over and gave her a hug.

"Okay," Rachel reluctantly gave into Brooke and didn't make her divulge any more details to her. "Liv is in your bed, I hope you don't mind," she added, pulling away from the hug.

"No, that sounds perfect," she told her. "Bye Rachel," she called over her shoulder as she headed back to her bedroom.

Okay, so I know she's not in Tree Hill yet, but it is coming...and I promise it wont be too much longer! I'm glad everyone is enjoying the Brooke and Nate pairing for now anyway...I guess you all will have to keep reading to see how it turns out. I mean, because who knows what will happen when she goes back to Tree Hill...I might do something crazier than the actual writers! LOL! Thanks so much to everyone who has been reading, reviewing, and who has this story on alert! All your kind words and insights are so much fun to read...especially those of you who get into it and use great detail! ;) Until next time... Oh, and I bet you can't guess where the title of this chapter came from?? haha

Audra