Luke and Haley pulled up in front of Brooke's house for their annual Saturday morning pancake breakfast. They both looked at each other when they saw Nathan's car in the driveway but before Luke jumped to conclusion Haley felt that she needed to fill him in on what was going on. "Nathan is Brooke's math tutor and most of the time they work so late that he just ends up spending the night."
"So are they dating?"
"Nope just from what I hear from Brooke they've gotten closer so they're getting there." Luke nodded and got out of the car grabbing the bags of pancakes from the backseat.
"So it's a good thing that you got extra pancakes."
"Well I knew he was here last night so I put two and two together."
"You're so smart." Luke replied lightly kissing her as they stood in front of Brooke's door about to just go in when Nathan opened the door.
"It's too early for that guys, I haven't eaten yet." Nathan whined throwing his hand over his eyes. Luke laughed and swatted at Nathan hitting him in the chest. "Geez you're just like Brooke always hitting me." Luke went to open his mouth and say something when Brooke walked down the stairs in one of Nathan's sweatshirts and a pair of sweats.
"Well don't just stand there I want some pancakes." She smiled at Luke's face and knew that Haley had told him about Nathan spending the night. Things with Nathan were progressing in the direction that she wanted them too and she hoped that it was only a matter of time before they got together. Nathan moved so Luke and Haley could walk in and led the way to the kitchen. Luke watched Nathan move around Brooke's house as if he lived there but what Luke didn't know was Nathan did almost live there because things at home had taken a turn for the worst. Brooke was the only one that knew that Deb and Dan were having problems and that it was affecting Nathan both physically and emotionally. Nathan didn't know that he and Brooke shared the common thread of shitty families.
They group laughed and made small talk throughout breakfast Luke still not able to wrap his head around what was exactly going on between Brooke and Nathan. Brooke was having a fun time with her friends when the house phone rang and she knew that if the house phone was ringing that it was her parents and sense of dread washed over her. Nathan watched her genuine smile wash from her face and the faked and forced one slip in its place. He watched with concern as she picked up the phone and walked outside shutting the door behind her. Haley watched Nathan watching Brooke and wanted to 'Aww' out loud. 'He's so
cute being concerned over her, ask her out already damnit!' Haley thought in her head as she stood up and started cleaning up breakfast.
Brooke sat down in one of the chairs as her mother went on and on about what was going on with her and Brooke's father. Brooke loved her parents but she wished that they would for once pay attention to her and actually call to see how she was not just to vent about what was going on in their lives. She felt the tears well up in her eyes and she didn't want to cry, she was tired of crying over her parents not giving a damn about her or what was going on in her life. These were the times that Brooke was jealous of the relationships that Luke and Haley had with her parents.
After Brooke was outside for 10 minutes Nathan excused himself and slipped outside to check on her. He found her silently crying with the phone still up to her ear and judging by her silence whoever she was on the phone with didn't know that she was crying. He walked over towards her and sat down next to her wrapping his arm around her shoulder giving her a shoulder to cry on. Brooke knew that he was the one that came to check on her since both Luke and Haley usually just gave her some space when her parents called but she was glad that Nathan had come outside to check on her. She rested his head on his shoulder as he leaned back in the chair. Finally a couple of moments later Brooke told her mom that she loved her and hung up the phone drying the tears from her eyes.
"You okay?" She shrugged her shoulders not really knowing how to answer that. "Well I'm here for you if you need to talk to me." She nodded her head not trusting her voice at the moment. "We better get inside before Luke and Haley think something's up." When they were about to walk in they heard Haley and Luke having a tense discussion and decided to leave the couple alone and walked back outside.
"That was my mom on the phone in case you were wondering." Nathan nodded his head not wanting to tell her that he thought it was her mom. "I hate it when she calls, all she does is bitch about my dad or one of the ladies she calls her associates but never asks me how I am. It's like she only calls because she knows that she can vent at me. How can you be a mother and not care about your kid? How can you not wonder if they're still alive or dead? I don't understand it." Nathan without replying just pulled her into his arms letting her sob while running his hand up and down her back.
Haley looked through the door about to open it when she saw Brooke move into Nathan's opens arms and knew at that moment that Brooke had probably told him about the situation with her parents and decided to give them some time and left the house leaving Brooke a note.
Almost an hour later Brooke pulled herself out of Nathan's arms and both walked back into the house not surprised to find it empty. Nathan looked at Brooke who was sitting against the arm of the couch with the sadness look on her face and Nathan swore it felt his heart break. Nathan went to say something anything to put that smile on her face but she started talking. "I'm gonna lay down for a little bit."
"Alright call me when you wake up and we'll do something." She nodded and hugged him again silently thanking him for being there for her. "Remember I'm always a phone call away." She nodded and smiled a small smile as if she was doing it just for him. Nathan smiled back at her before leaving her to take a nap in peace.
Nathan got in his car fully intended on going home and seeing how his mom was but as he pulled out of Brooke's driveway he found himself turning towards Luke's house. Nathan walked up to the door hoping that Haley wasn't there because he needed to talk to his brother. He sighed in relief when Luke answered the door and there was no sign of Haley anywhere.
"What's up Nate?"
"I need to talk to you."
"What's wrong?" Luke instantly asked noting that his brother's happy demeanor he saw earlier had been replaced with worry.
"Okay so ya know how we talked about my little problem with the two girl's right?" Luke nodded not knowing where this conversation was going. "Well I think that I'm starting to lose interest with this mystery girl. I mean I've been spending so much time with Brooke that I'm starting to feel like Brooke's the right girl for me." Luke looked at Nathan searching his eyes for any hint of all this being a joke.
"Well what if Brooke was the girl sending you the notes?" Luke clamped his hand over his mouth the second the last word left his mouth. 'Nice going Luke, Brooke's gonna kill you.'
"What?" Nathan asked completely caught off-guard by Luke's slip of the tongue. Luke shook his head not wanting to say something else he's going to regret. "No come on Luke I won't tell her I swear."
"I can't Nate, I promised her I wouldn't."
"I'm your brother! That trumps the best friend."
"I can't Nathan! She's been through so much I can't break that trust!" Nathan sighs falling down to Luke's bed his head in his hands. If what Luke said was true then Brooke was the girl sending him the notes and worming her way into his heart both in person and through the letters that she sent him. Luke watched his brother fall to his bed and wanted to tell him, wanted to let him know but knew that he would be breaking his promise to Brooke, the girl that's seen her 'best friend' all over the guy in front of her for over a year, and if he tells his brother the secret he's been keeping for weeks now he also runs the risk of losing Haley's trust and he can't do that. He can't lose Haley but as he sits down next to his brother the bond that he has made with Nathan wins out over everything. "I want to tell you but I run the risk of losing both of my best friends and my girlfriend. But you're my brother and I know that this whole situation is making your head spin and I feel like I have to tell you because if it's going to make two important people in my life happy I feel the need to tell you but promise you that you won't say anything to her until she tells you."
"What is going on?"
"Brooke's been sending you those notes. It's been her all along."
"Why?"
"That's something you have to ask Brooke when she tells you and I stress the phrase when she tells you. Just give her a chance." Nathan nodded letting the new information sink in. 'So Brooke's the one that's been sending me the notes? That must means that she shares the same feelings right? But I should probably just let things take their course. Yeah that's what I'll do.'
"Thanks for telling me Luke."
"Don't let her know that you know, please."
"I have a plan."
"What?"
"You'll just have to wait and see." Nathan smiled and hugged Luke before leaving to finally go home and check on his mom. When Nathan got home he was shocked to see a pink envelope wedged in-between the door and the door jam. He smiled at the envelope his heart pounding in his chest, knowing who was sending him the notes now it made it ten times better when he got the pink envelopes. He walked into his house and closed the door slipping the note into his back pocket as he called for his mom. Sighing when he realized she wasn't home he walked up the stairs and into his room pulling the note out of his pocket as he sat down on his bed.
Nathan
When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.
There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.
You raise me up... To more than I can be.
-Secret Admirer
Nathan folded up the letter and slipped it back into the envelope as he stood up and walked over to the drawer that contained the other letters. He smiled as his phone rang in his pocket, the ringtone letting him know that it was indeed his secret admirer Brooke calling him.
"Hey Brooke, feeling better after your nap?" He smiled as she then began telling him that he had literally an hour to get ready before he joined her for a movie night with Haley. "Yes Brooke I'll be there in an hour and no I won't forget this time." He laughed as he hung up the phone. "Get ready Brooke Davis, you're about to have all your dreams come true." Nathan said to his empty room already hatching his plan to get Brooke Davis to be his girlfriend.
A/N: So Nathan knows that Brooke's sending him the notes, wonder what's going to happen next? How long will it take for them to finally get together? Stay tuned to find out! Brooke's note is "You Raise Me Up" by Josh Groban.