Nathan had been watching Brooke like a hawk in the days following the major leak of their secrets. And there really wasn't any doubt that the entire student body knew all about Dan's abusive behavior and Brooke's past. She had been just as strong, her back had been just as straight as she walked with him through the hallways but there was something else. Something that Nathan hoped wouldn't erupt into a full fledged bitch fight.

"How you doing buddy," Brooke sat down in front of him at the lunch table they sat at with a huge grin.

He looked her over, it was a game day so like all of the other cheerleaders she was wearing a dress but she looked particularly good, "what's gotten you so happy?"

"Can't seeing my bestest friend make me happy," she wondered.

Nathan smiled at her, "what do you want?"

She sighed dramatically, "you are very cynical!"

"That's probably true, now tell me what's going on," he persisted.

"Fine," she pouted for a moment before continuing on, "I've figured out where I'm going to take you this weekend since we have the game tonight instead of Friday this week. Whitey's idea for Thursday games was genius!"

"Where are we going," Nathan questioned, sudden excitement burning a hole through his usual calm demeanor.

She winked and casually linked their hands across the table, "it's a secret but you're going to love it."

"Okay," he nodded, "I trust you."

Brooke beamed her wide smile at him and he couldn't help but return it.

XOXOXOXO

"I want to destroy her," Peyton told no one in particular.

"I think you got pretty close with spreading her business like that," Haley told her absentmindedly, flipping through a college catalog.

Peyton looked at the magazine in disgust, "why are you paying more attention to that nonsense then your best friend?"

"It's not nonsense, Peyton, it's my future. I don't want to live in Tree Hill working at Karen's forever and she wants me to go to college," Haley added.

"Yeah right, Haley! You're going the same place I am the day after graduation and you know it," Peyton insisted.

"And where's that?"

Peyton rolled her eyes again, "social services to get our very own Benefit cards."

"I can't believe you would even say that," Haley told her slapping the magazine shut.

"What's your problem?"

"My problem is that you demean Brooke for being rich because you're poor and then you act and say things like a degenerate! I'm poor too but I'd never say anything like that!"

Lucas sat down across from them, "hey ladies. Haley, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she rose immediately and wasted no time in leaving the entire cafeteria.

"Is she okay," Lucas asked staring after her.

Peyton grabbed his chin and forced him to meet her eyes, "yeah, she's fine, probably PMS-ing."

"Speaking of which what would possess you to put up pictures of Dan hitting Nathan on the internet?"

"I thought you'd approve," Peyton told him and that was when Lucas felt her naked foot playing with crotch of his pants.

He swatted her foot away, "well I don't! Do you realize how tacky that makes us look? Nathan gets beat on at school for being the lucky son of Dan Scott while also being beat up at home for being the lucky son of Dan Scott?!"

"Don't get sarcastic," Peyton told him replacing her foot on his crotch, "do you want to get out of here for a while?"

"You know," Lucas smacked her foot to the floor making her scowl furiously, "I don't think there is anything I'd like to do less."

Peyton watched him walk away in complete surprise. She looked around and found Brooke's eyes on her. She scowled even harder before lifting her bag and stalking out of the cafeteria.

XOXOXOXO

They lost the game that night because Lucas was playing selfishly and was also uncharacteristically distracted. Nathan knew as soon as he entered his house that his father was there and judging by the smells in the rooms, he was drunk. Nathan tried to sneak up the stairs but wasn't too surprised when he heard Dan bark his name.

He entered the parlor where Dan was sipping on a cup of whiskey, "what the fuck happened tonight?"

"What do you mean?"

"You lost," Dan told him.

The slight slur of his voice alerted Nathan to the fact that Dan wasn't merely drunk he was trashed, "I never was allowed to get the ball so it wasn't my loss."

"Don't back talk me!"

"I'm not," Nathan sighed, "look its been a long day and I have plans tomorrow so I'm going to go take a shower."

"Don't walk away from me," Nathan wasn't prepared for Dan to lunge after him, grabbing his shirt collar and yanking him back.

"Dad," Nathan shouted before turning. He didn't see the hit coming and staggered back a few steps by the intensity of the impact of his father's fist in his face.

"You're useless, can't even get the ball from that bastard Lucas," Dan told his son before knocking his head back furiously with one opened palm.

"Dan, what the hell are you doing," Deb's voice from the doorway was Nathan's saving grace, "Nathan come out of there!"
Nathan walked past his mother, who was thankfully sober that night and stopped, "he's drunk."

"I know it," she nodded, "go on up stairs and pack some clothes, you have plans to go away this weekend right?"

"Yeah," he had texted her earlier in the day.

"Go ahead, honey," Deb was still locked in a staring contest with Dan.

"I don't want to leave you alone with him," Nathan murmured.

Deb finally looked at him, "I'll be fine. I love you and have a good time."

Nathan nodded, when Deb was like this, sober, he believed in her. She was a strong woman and he would never understand what she had seen in Dan Scott, "I love you too, mom."

XOXOXOXO

Brooke opened her door with excitement, expecting to see Nathan ready to go out to the movies with her but her breath caught in her throat when she looked at him. She grasped his hand and pulled him inside.

"What the fuck did that fucking monster do to you," Brooke asked.

Nathan had completely forgotten about the punch, he was probably swollen, "nothing really, my mother came home before he could do damage."

"Oh, Nate, sit down" he watched her as she ran around the kitchen until she had a makeshift ice pack. She bent in front of him as he sat in the chair she had indicated and placed the ice pack very gently over his cheek bone.

She was frowning and maybe it was the release of adrenaline from getting into an physical and emotional battle with his father but he brought his hand up and ran his thumb over her pouty bottom lip, "you shouldn't frown, you have a beautiful smile."

Brooke's hazel eyes rose to meet his blue set in surprise, they were surprisingly intense. She exhaled rather harshly and she watched in surprise as time slowed. Her head lowered and she sucked in Nathan's exhale of breath, their lips were so close that with one little moment she would be able to taste him.

"We shouldn't," his voice surprised her.

After a moment she nodded, "you're right, of course!"

Before she could walk away he gently grabbed her wrist, forcing her to look at him again, "it's not because you're not beautiful or because now I know about your past. It's because I can't risk losing you, Brooke. I can't risk losing the only person I've ever had on my side for a few hours of whatever! I need you too much."

Her eyes softened and he knew that she understood, "how about we get some take out and rent a movie instead of going out?"

"Sounds good," he agreed.

XOXOXOXO

They were on the road by nine the next morning. They had slept together in the same bed as they had been doing since the Charlotte trip the weekend before. Thankfully it hadn't been awkward for either of them, it was just another level of understanding. Brooke now understood that as much as she loved and relished the security of Nathan's arm around her waist protecting her in her sleep he felt the same way about just being with her. She understood his hesitancy to do anything to ruin their relationship.

"I can drive if you want," Brooke offered.

Nathan smiled at her before turning his eyes back to the road, "I'm good to drive, I just look like shit!"

"Oh, honey, you look beautiful," she teased and gave his good cheek a pinch.

"You're ridiculous, you know that, right? Are we still heading Southeast or are we taking that exit Southwest?"

"Stay Southeast," Brooke replied and then laid her head back on head cushion. Nathan's cell phone rang so Brooke checked the caller ID, "it's a Tree Hill number but you're phone doesn't recognize the person."

"Answer it," Nathan prompted, relieved that it wasn't his mother calling saying something had happened.

"Hello, this is Nathan Scott's phone and this is his life partner Brooke, how may we help you," Nathan laughed out loud but quieted when her smile fell at the reply. She sighed and pressed the speaker button, "hello, Lucas, what can we do for you?"

"How the hell did you get my number," Nathan asked.

There was a pause, "it doesn't matter. Where the hell are you? We're doing an emergency practice and you need to be here."

"Maybe you wouldn't need a meeting if you could learn to really lead and pass the ball," Brooke mentioned.

"No one asked-"

Nathan interrupted him before the two of them got into an argument, "I'm in the car with Brooke and we're out of the state right now so you'll have to wait until the planned Sunday practice."

"You're not going to be back until Sunday," he sounded incredulous, "what the fuck are you doing out of the state?"

"There you go trying to make us the buddy-buddy brotherly types again. I'll be home in time for Sunday practice," Nathan nodded at Brooke. She closed the cell phone and looked at him intently for a few moments until he couldn't take it any longer, "what?"

"Lucas has been trying to talk to you," she asked.

"He tried to play his game while I was waiting for you to come back with food before out first game last weekend."

"Has that ever happened before," she wondered and began to tweak her finger nails.

"No, but I know it's just a new way he's devised of making me pay for being the son who's lucky enough to get beat," Nathan told her, his voice bitter and scathing.

"What if he's trying to mend bridges," she questioned nonchalantly.

Nathan shook his head, "I know that you think you can cure everyone of their rampant stupidity but you can't, Brooke. He'll never leave me in peace. As long as we're in the same town he'll always make me pay for what Dan did to his mother and his neglect."

Brooke sighed, letting the conversation go for now, she took his hand and squeezed gently letting him know she was there for him no matter what.

XOXOXOXO

"Okay," Brooke took a deep breath and stopped the car outside of Ashville, South Carolina. She had insisted on driving the rest of the way after lunch so Nathan could rest his eyes and she had been glad for the distraction of driving. It was going to be the first time she'd been back to her hometown in over a year and she was nervous.

Nathan didn't open his eyes as they sat in the silence of the parked car but knew enough about his friend of only a few months to know that her mind was racing, "just drive, Brooke. If you can't do it then keep driving. I'm with you no matter what."

She took a deep breath and stared at her friend, the first one she had let in since Alex. If he could be with her, despite her past, she could be brave enough to face the people she had left behind.

"Let's go," she told herself quietly. As they drove through the city Brooke pointed out the town's beautiful attributes. Ashville was reminiscent of Tree Hill in many ways but there was a distinct air of complete wealth that permeated the area.

Brooke finally stopped the car and looked over to Nathan, "this is Ashville Academy, it's the boarding school I went to from sixth grade until pretty much now. And this building is where the people I left behind here live."

Nathan looked at the building. It was a small brownstone that would probably be more at home in the heart of Brooklyn. He gently squeezed Brooke's fingers and opened his door, "ready?"

She nodded and turned the car off. They approached the door hand in hand but before Brooke could knock the door swung open and she was being hoisted into the arms of a tall, broad shouldered guy with dark brown hair and soulful brown eyes.

"Do you know this guy," Nathan asked, he still hadn't released her hand.

Brooke nodded and when Nathan finally let go of her hand she wrapped her arms around his neck. The guy held her tightly, his eyes squeezed shut, "damn it's good to see you, Brookie."

She laughed out loud in his neck but tears still escaped her eyes. She clutched his shoulders tightly and then pulled away gently, "Jake Jagielski, I want you to meet Nathan Scott, he's from Tree Hill."

Jake seemed to assess Nathan with deep piercing eyes and suddenly Nathan was desperately hoping for approval from a guy he knew meant so much to Brooke. He held out his hand finally and grinned, "nice to meet you, Nathan."

Nathan grasped the hand, "it's nice to meet you too."

"Is Rachel here," as soon as Brooke asked the question Jake was being pushed aside by a red headed girl.

The girl, who Nathan assumed to be Rachel, looked him over and raised one dark red eyebrow, "nice."

"Hey, Rach," Brooke's voice sounded weary as if she wasn't sure if the redhead would hug her or strangle her.

"And if it isn't little miss run from all of her problems," Rachel stated, her voice bland.

Nathan tensed ready for Brooke to either burst into tears or bring in her attitude. To his surprise Brooke did neither and instead took a step toward the girl, "it's been a while, too long."

"Yeah, you couldn't bother to pick up your phone," Rachel reminded her.

"It was too hard," Brooke admitted.

Rachel nodded and Nathan saw the tenderness in her eyes before she turned back to him, "so what has this cow done to deserve such a fine looking specimen?"

Nathan gasped at her insult but Brooke laughed out loud. She put one hand on his arm, "don't mind her, Nate, once a slut always a slut!"

Rachel laughed too and Nathan watched as she pulled Brooke to her for a hug. Rachel held her tightly for a moment before murmuring, "don't ever leave me like that again, whore."

Brooke nodded, "can we come in?"

Jake held open the door, "of course, this is your home too."

XOXOXOXO

Nathan watched as Brooke interacted with the people around the large dining room table. Jake had created a veritable feast and together, with a few bottles of wine, the entire group had shared the dinner over stimulating and often times hilarious conversation. Two other people lived with Rachel and Jake, Millicent and Mouth, who were the perfect couple if Nathan had ever seen it.

"So Mr. Quiet and Mysterious what's your story," Rachel asked, her fingers idly rubbing the rim of her wine glass.

Brooke looked at Nathan and nodded her head. He took a deep breath before telling them the sordid tale of his father and the result of his neglect of his older brother.

Jake whistled and poured Nathan more wine, "your father sure screwed up your life."

"Sounds like the brother needs an enema, the girlfriend needs to go back to the trailer park and the best friend needs to get off her high horse," Rachel commented.

"I can't believe they posted stuff so personal on the school web page," Mouth told them.

Brooke nodded, "it was hard to see it so public again."

Nathan took her hand and squeezed gently, it was becoming their ritual of strength for one another, "but we got through the first few days and those are always the worst."

Jake and Rachel shared a glance with one another before Millicent asked the question on everyone's mind, "I'm glad you have each other and God knows I'm so happy to see you again, but is there something else that you need?"

"Actually that's one of the reasons I brought Nathan here," Brooke admitted, "first, I wanted him to meet people who didn't give a damn about his past. And second, I thought I could handle the Tree Hill situation on my own but it looks like I need reinforcements."

"Oh, yeah, a good old fashion ass whooping," Rachel rubbed her hands together with a smirk.

Jake rolled his eyes, "I don't think she had that in mind, Rach."

"Oh," her disappointment was evident.

"What'd you have in mind," Mouth asked.

"Yeah, what'd you have in mind," Nathan repeated.

Brooke smiled around the table, "well…"

XOXOXOXO

After dinner Nathan went upstairs to the room he and Brooke would be staying in to use the adjacent bathroom for a shower. While he was washing up he thought about how obviously attached each of the friends was to one another. They were so comfortable around each other and easily let their personalities shine. He had never had a group of friends that loved each other so much. And the living room was full of pictures of them; Pictures of Mouth and Millicent at a winter ball, Brooke and Rachel cheering side by side, Jake playing his guitar with Rachel and Mouth listening intently, and a huge group picture of them on the beach complete with Alex. Nathan didn't want to think that he was jealous of a dead man but it didn't mean that it wasn't true.

The bathroom door opened and he could hear Brooke as she lifted the toilet seat, "so what do you think of them?"

"I think they're great, and they're fun," he added as he soaped up his torso.

She sighed, "I'm so glad we did this. I needed to see them again but I don't think I would have had the strength to face them without you."

Nathan smiled to himself, "yes you would have. I think you've needed them ever since you left and it's obvious they've needed you."

"What about Rachel," Brooke laughed and he could hear her rising and putting the toilet seat down.

"She's interesting," he admitted.

"She means well but she has no brain filter. I think the plan will work and I think that we're going to have a fantastic time tonight," she added, "flush the toilet when you get out."

Nathan listened as the door closed and smiled to himself, having Brooke Davis in his life was a miracle.

XOXOXOXO

"Okay people, cell phones on vibrate because you won't be able to hear them in the club. Let's enjoy ourselves since we have B back for the night," Rachel told them.

Millicent rolled her eyes, "let's go Rachel."

"What an inspirational speech," Mouth added.

Nathan followed the group into the club and to his surprise he wasn't even questioned about the fake ID Rachel had handed him earlier in the evening. They walked through the crowded club toward a table that was strangely bare despite the large quantity of people there.

Rachel raised her hand and within a moment there was a staff member at the table to collect their jackets. When she caught Nathan's look of consternation she smiled, "I don't care what Tree Hill thinks about money, my parents have it, so I spend it."

"Ever the stereotypical rich girl," Brooke told him with a conspiratorial whisper.

The staff member returned with Jack and Cokes and left with a huge smile on his face when Rachel slipped him a fifty dollar bill. She shrugged, "I like to live well and it's the least my parents can do after not bothering to see me in person for nine months! Oh, fyi, I'm not spending another Christmas in Ashville without you and since I know you're not going anywhere do you mind if I crash in Tree Hill with you?"

"Absolutely not, we'd love to have you," Brooke told her immediately. It wasn't lost on any of them that Brooke had included Nathan in her invitation.

"I would have taken you home with me," Mouth offered.

Rachel's gaze softened as Nathan noticed it only did with her group of friends, "I know but what would Millie do?"

Millicent smiled gently nudged Rachel with her elbow, "we can always make room for you and you know it!"

"I know," Rachel admitted, "but I want to dig my heels into Tree Hill. It sounds like it would be a blast to cause mischief there!"

Jake rolled his eyes, "let's go dance and then we'll get another drink."

Nathan followed them onto the dance floor. It was a popular club and was playing all of the hits in the hip-hop genre which equated to a lot of gyrating bodies doing things probably best left in bed.

"Wanna dance, friend," Brooke asked with a devious grin.

He nodded and turned her so her ass was pushed against his groin, "I've been waiting all night."

After the first dance Nathan was sure he'd made a mistake because Brooke had been a cheerleader and dancer for a long time, she knew exactly how to move her hips to drive him crazy. After the second dance he stopped letting her own him and put a possessive arm around her waist and let her know who was boss, he heard her gasp and then watched as she rose to the occasion turning and wrapping an arm around his neck. By the time Jake asked if they were ready for another drink Nathan was subtly trying to hold down his erection.

"It's hot as balls tonight in here," Jake told them as soon as they were back at the table.

"Tell me about it," Nathan noticed that Millicent's voice was slurred.

"Here we go," Brooke commented.

Millicent blinked several times, "I am not drunk!"

"Wine at dinner, plus drinks at the club equal a drunk light weight," Jake confided in Nathan.

Mouth grinned and Nathan had to smile at his friendly face, "and Mouth getting lucky."

Everyone laughed and in that moment Nathan was so grateful to be a part of their group. He had barely known them for more then six hours but he felt like they'd accepted him without question or reservation. It felt good and more then ever he was tired of his treatment back at home.

XOXOXOXO

Rachel, Millicent and Brooke took a bathroom break together and Brooke knew there would be an interrogation about to commence.

"So," Rachel applied lip liner, "he's cute, have you tapped that yet?"

"Rach," Brooke warned.

"Let's just be open and honest," Millie suggested before staggering from the stall to the sink.

Brooke sighed and didn't even try to fight it, "we're friends, like the way I'm friends with you guys except I never look at you guys and Jake and Mouth the way I look at him. But I'm kind of scared because I haven't been interested in a guy since Alex and look where that got him! And he's scared because he thinks sex would ruin our friendship and trust me when I say he wasn't being dramatic when he said he has no friends despite being an amazing basketball player and great guy. I really want to fuck him!"

Millicent and Rachel listened to her babble, which took all of three seconds for her to spit out in record time. They shared a look and then Rachel firmly took Brooke's shoulders into her hands, "Alex was a big boy, B. He knew better then to get into that car, especially with all of us there. He knew one of us would have driven him home. Yes, you hurt his feelings but that doesn't make his bad decision your fault. It has never been your fault."

"We knew you thought it was," Millie put her arms around Brooke from the side, "but not one of us, not even Alex's parents, ever thought it was your fault. You've been blaming yourself for too long."

Brooke nodded, ashamed that her guilt had kept her away from the only people that had ever truly cared about her, and then she thought of Nathan. He cared about her and she knew it, she saw it in every action toward her.

"Now," Rachel released her but said sternly, "tell me more about the snitch captain of the cheer squad."

XOXOXOXO

Nathan sipped his drink while the girls were in the bathroom. He had listened to Jake and Mouth debate about basketball before finally joining by siding with Mouth.

"See," Mouth smiled and bumped elbows with Nathan.

Jake shook his head, "I don't care what you say the Boston Celtics will never win a championship again."

"Mark my words," Mouth warned.

"So, Nate," Jake began.

Nathan sighed, he knew it was only a matter of time. He was protective of Brooke and had only known her for a small period of time he couldn't imagine what he would be like after knowing her for years, "yeah?"

"I guess I don't need to tell you that if you break her heart I'll break your neck," Jake questioned.

"I don't think I could. She means," he paused looking for the right words before finally admitting, "I love her."

Mouth nodded and shared a look with Jake, "good. She needs someone to love her unconditionally."

"Alex was a good guy but he was too passionate and too all consumed with her. If he had lived they still wouldn't have lasted," Jake commented.

"She's my best friend," Nathan added.

"She's good at being a great friend but not so good at receiving it, especially if she feels like she doesn't deserve it," Mouth told him.

"So if you love her, why aren't you with her," Nathan knew what Jake was asking and didn't pretend not to.

"I'd rather never touch her and to watch her be happy with someone else then to make love to her and it not work and her not be in my life. It's not worth it, I need her now."

Jake stared in the direction of the bathroom where the girls were beginning to walk toward them. Nathan noticed his eyes on Rachel, "trust me, man, I understand that."

XOXOXOXO

"So," Brooke got under the covers with Nathan and shivered. She put her cold feet on his shins and sighed at the warmth, "what did you think of Ashville's finest club?"

Nathan snuggled into her more. He put one arm under the pillow beneath her head and wrapped the other around her waist before taking a deep breath of her perfume and responding, "I had a great time. I think your friends are great!"

"They liked you too," she told him.

"Can we come back every weekend," he asked.

Brooke laughed, "we'll see! We have a pretty amazing basketball team here. I'm sure your dad would let you transfer here if it meant more Southern basketball accomplishments."

Nathan frowned down at Brooke, "thank you for the offer, but I told you I wasn't going to run away."

She turned in his arms facing him. In the dark her could still see her features lit by the moonlight, "I know Nathan, and that is admirable but in case you need to know, my friends are your friends now. They'd welcome you with open arms."

"Thank you," he whispered, it was amazing to know.

"By the way, you are a great dancer!"

"You seem surprised," Nathan laughed.

She snuggled into him again, her face pressed against his chest, "I wasn't expecting the Usher moves that came out after drink number four."

The rumbling of his chest as he laughed made her smile, "under the influence of alcohol I can do all sorts of amazing things."

"Oh yeah," maybe it was the alcohol or maybe it was the sexual attraction that was harbored so deeply within them both but Brooke sat up, "try this on for size."

Nathan could barely suck in a breath before her lips met his. If ever there was a moment where the world stood still and tipped on its axis it was the moment he kissed Brooke. She tasted like wintergreen and her lips felt like warm silk and her tongue was absolutely devious.

"What do you think," she asked breathlessly.

Nathan pulled his fingers through her hair and pulled her back down, this time he controlled the kiss and Brooke sighed as his tongue slid warmly into her mouth, greeting her tongue with a long, hot sweeping gesture. His fingers were tangled in her hair and she suddenly she was very aware of her breasts pushed against his chest and the hard length of his erection pressed into her stomach.

He groaned and pulled away. She was left mid-kiss, dazed and confused, "what's wrong?"

"We can't do this Brooke," he told her.

"Why not," he smiled because he knew she was pouting.

"Because I care about you too much. I can't lose you," he told her.

"You won't, trust me, once you're inside of me you won't be going anywhere for a long time," she told him and he shivered when he felt her hand on his stomach.

He took her hand and kissed it, "I'm going to take a cold shower. We have an early morning if we're going to see everything you want to show me and leave by five."

Brooke huffed before dropping her hand, "fine! But you'd better bring yourself back to this bed in a timely fashion."

"Yes, ma'am," he told her.

As he closed the bathroom door he heard she offer, "I could take the shower with you!"

He laughed but then groaned, he took his cock into his hand and prepared for yet another long, cold shower.