Brooke heard the song the moment she and Haley pulled up to the after party. It was one of her favorite Nickelback songs and she smiled softly singing along as they walked up the walkway.

I judge by what she's wearing
Just how many heads I'm tearing
Off of assholes coming on to her

Brooke walked into the crowded house the music blaring around her a feeling of uneasiness washing over her. It had been over a year since she had been to a party and her goal tonight was just to have fun and forget all about a certain raven haired basketball player that was currently ignoring her. 'Not like he doesn't have a reason to.' She thought in her head as she smiled at the already drunken teenagers dancing and laughing around her. She walked into the kitchen and bumped into Nathan who almost spilled the contents of his cup on her. She wanted to say something but didn't when she saw a random girl come up behind Nathan and wrap her arms around his waist. "Sorry for bumping into you." He looked up at her shocked that she had said something to him but nodded giving her a small smile before moving out of her way and out of the kitchen.

Each night seems like it's getting worse
And I wish she'd take the night off
So I don't have to fight off
Every asshole coming on to her

Haley walked in after Nathan and looked at Brooke who was chugging the contents of her red cup before grabbing the bottle of vodka again and pouring it in the cup. Haley went to stop her when Brooke looked at her ready to cry. "Just please Haley leave me alone." Haley went to stop her again but Brooke ripped the bottle away from the counter and left the room not wanting to hear anything that Haley had to say to her. Right now all she wanted to do was get drunk and forget all about Nathan.

They'll go and ask the DJ
Find out just what would she say
If they all tried coming on to her
Don't they know it's never going to work

Almost an hour after Brooke had arrived at the party she was wasted; she couldn't walk more than two steps without falling over and everything Felix said had made her giggle whether it was funny or not. Nathan had forgotten all about the girl that had tried to hook up with him earlier because he was too busy watching over Brooke. "You know one would think you're a creep." Nathan turned towards Haley and shook his head. "She's drunk."

They think they'll get inside her
With every drink they buy her
As they all try coming on to her
This time somebody's getting hurt

"And he seems overly friendly." Nathan added watching as Felix tried to pull Brooke flush against his body. Haley watched Nathan ball his fists and squeeze his hands and smiled.

"I promise to cover for you if it comes down to beating him to a bloody pulp." Nathan laughed and turned his head towards Haley smiling for the first time in almost 2 weeks. 'Since about the same time that he and Brooke stopped talking.' Haley thought to herself smiling. A loud crashing noise ripped Nathan's attention away from Brooke and Felix to the fight that had broken out in the living room between Tim and Jake. Nathan without thinking rushed into the living room pulling Jake away from a drunken Tim.

Here comes the next contestant

Haley watched Nathan pull Jake away from Tim and when she turned around she saw Felix pulling Brooke up the stairs and from what Haley could see Brooke wasn't too keen on the idea of going upstairs with Felix. Haley rushed over to Nathan and pulled his attention away from Tim and Jake a look of pure panic washing over her face. "Nathan something's not right."

"Why?"

"I saw Felix and Brooke going upstairs and she didn't look like she wanted to go up there."

"Haley's she's drunk, she's always happy to go upstairs when she's drunk." Nathan replied matter-of-factly no matter how much to hurt to say it.

"Nathan will you just go come with to check? It would make me feel better."

"Fine." Nathan sighed preparing him to see Brooke hooking up with another guy as they walked up the stairs Haley directing him to the last three rooms while she did the first three and Nathan wanted to call Haley an idiot because the only thing he saw in the first two rooms were random people making out but when he opened the last door he got the shock of his life. Felix was on top of Brooke who was trying to push him off of her. Nathan felt the rage course through his body as he rushed into the room and rip Felix off of Brooke. Brooke in her drunken state looked at Nathan's angry face and started backing away from him a look of relief washing over her face as she saw Haley come into the room. Nathan's face instantly softened and he backed away as if she had burned him and he turned towards Felix who was moaning on the floor in pain. The song seemed to be on repeat in his head as he watched Felix ready to fight him.

Is that your hand on my girlfriend?
Is that your hand?
I wish you'd do it again
I'll watch you leave here limping
I wish you'd do it again
I'll watch you leave here limping
There goes the next contestant

Haley looked over at Nathan who was about to leave the room when she remembered that there was no way that Brooke was going to get down the stairs by herself and there was no way that Haley could support her down the stairs. "Nathan I need your help." He turned and nodded knowing what Haley needed his help for. He walked over to Brooke and smiled at her hoping that she wouldn't be so afraid of him being there.

I even fear the ladies
They're cool but twice as crazy
Just as bad for coming on to her
Don't they know it's never going to work
Each time she bats an eyelash
Somebody's grabbing her ass
Everyone keeps coming on to her
This time somebody's getting hurt

"Come on Brooke we're gonna take you home." She nodded wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her head in the crook of his neck, which judging by the look on Nathan's face he didn't mind carrying her down the stairs. He walked her out of the house and towards Haley's car when Brooke mumbled something about wanting to go home with Nathan. Haley laughed at how cute Brooke was when she was in Nathan's arms as if it was only the two of them. Haley looked at Nathan expectantly and he just nodded his head. "Alright I'll take her home."

Here comes the next contestant

"Thanks Nathan, wait are you sure you're okay to drive home?"

"Yep sober as you are." She looked at him skeptically trying to decide for herself if he was and Nathan had to laugh. "Haley just because I had a red cup doesn't mean that alcohol was in there, I had coke that's it." He explained to her as if she was his mother and satisfied with his answer she nodded silently telling him not to kill her best friend on the way back to her house. Nathan put her in the front seat of his car looking at she was wearing. Her skirt was too short and her shirt was too tight; she was just oozing sex and Nathan knew that she was more than that. He felt protective of her as she sat in the front seat fighting to stay awake and mumbling 'I'm sorry' over and over and Nathan wanted to tell her that it was fine now that she and he were talking although he wished that it had happened under different circumstances.

I'm hating what she's wearing
Everybody here keeps staring
Can't wait 'til they get what they deserve
This time somebody's getting hurt

Nathan pulled up in front of Brooke's house and with little difficulty got Brooke out of the car and her keys out of her pocket and made their way towards the house. Brooke tried to walk through the door when Nathan put her down to open the door and giggled when she fell down. Nathan smiled at her and picked her up carrying her up the stairs and into her bedroom. He set her down on the bed and turned to look for something she could change into and when he turned around Brooke had stripped out of her skirt and top throwing them at Nathan. He had to calm himself down before he did something he would later regret, she had just almost been raped by Felix and there was no way that Nathan was going to do anything. She looked up at Nathan and gave him a small smile. He kissed her forehead and turned to leave the room when her hand shot out stopping him just like that night that he had first spent the night. He sighed sitting on the chair that faced her bed watching her drift off to sleep.

Here comes the next contestant

I wish you'd do it again
Each night seems like it's getting worse
I wish you'd do it again
This time somebody's getting hurt

There goes the next contestant

Nathan heard the song in his head as he drifted off to sleep feeling like the song was perfect for the night the two had just had.

A/N: So there's the next chapter, the song is "Next Contestant" by Nickelback. I thought it fit perfectly with what happened during this chapter and Brathan are talking again! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!