You're aching, you're breaking
And I can see the pain in your eyes
Says everybody's changing
And I don't know why
So little time
Try to understand that I'm
Trying to make a move just to stay in the game
I try to stay awake and remember my name
But everybody's changing
And I don't feel the same
-Keane
xxxx
"You two know each other?"
Both Julian and Alex nodded as Brooke's narrowed eyes darted back and forth between them.
"How?" the brunette asked as she let out a sharp breath.
"Well…" Julian started but was cut off as Alex rudely cut in. "Is that really any of your business?"
"Considering that you are working for me and Julian is a good friend of mine, yes it is my business and I would like to know where your relationship with Julian stands before we start working together," Brooke answered flatly as she sent the young girl a satisfied smile.
"Why do you and Julian have a thing going on?"
"No! EW that's just wrong. No offense or anything Julian," Brooke scrunched up her face at the thought of dating Julian. He was like her brother and although she would admit that at times they acted like they were a couple, they definitely were not nor would they ever be.
"None taken," Julian rolled his eyes as he focused his attention back on Alex. "Alex and I met in LA. I was trying to get over my divorce with Haley and I became good friends with Alex. She understood me and she was somebody to unleash my frustrations and troubles with Haley out on. Eventually, we became so close that we spent almost every waking second together and that led into something more…"
"Ok, I get it!" Brooke put her hand up disgustedly before Julian could get into detail. "So you two dated and fell in love I assume?"
Alex nodded her head slowly, "something like that."
"If you don't mind me asking, what happened?" the brunette pried.
"Actually I do mind you asking," Alex grumbled as she flicked her brunette hair over her shoulder.
"I wasn't asking you," Brooke growled coldly as she turned to Julian. "And how come I didn't know about this Jules?"
"I just felt that it wasn't my story to tell because of Haley. I didn't want to hurt her…"
"Haley doesn't know that you've been involved in another big relationship after the divorce?" Brooke's eyes widened. "Mind you I'm not surprised. She would've mentioned it, if she'd known."
"We broke up because of Haley," Alex blurted out in attempt to contribute to the conversation.
Brooke instantly turned to face her new model. "What?"
"I accused Julian of still being in love with Haley because everything always came back to Haley. Haley this, Haley that…"
"That's not true Alex. I loved you goddamit so leave Haley out of this. Haley had nothing to do with our break up at all. It was all you and your stupid paranoid insecurities!"
"Well I did have something to be paranoid about and I couldn't be with someone that was still holding onto their first love," Alex retorted venomously as she ran a hand through her long brunette locks.
"I have to go," Julian mumbled as he leaned over and gave Brooke a hug. "I'll see you tomorrow morning Davis, bright and early. And Alex it was nice seeing you again."
"I'll see you tomorrow morning, bright and early?" Alex raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow at Brooke. "Looks like Haley isn't the one to be concerned about this time. I came back here thinking that Haley would be my main competition but it looks like I was wrong."
Brooke shot her a dirty glare, "There's nothing between Julian and I. Besides Haley's the one to watch out for not me."
"So…" Alex mused as she ran her hand along the countertop. "How come you're not banging Julian? I mean he is super hot and single. As if anyone would pass up the chance to sleep with him."
"He's like my brother. The thought of that is just plain gross…" Brooke shuddered yet again at the thought of her and Julian.
"Or is it because you can't get any?" Alex questioned with a playful smirk. "I know girls like you. They fuck everything in sight but they never fall in love because their heart has been broken one too many times. They fall for the same shit every time and they always get burned so they learn to put up walls around their heart. They do it too protect themselves from getting hurt."
Damn, Alex could read her like an open book. She definitely had her pegged. "How do you know that?"
"Because I used to be that girl," Alex answered sadly as she looked down at the ground. "I guess I still am that girl."
"I have a boyfriend," Brooke blurted out quickly, without even thinking.
"You do?" Alex questioned with an amused smile. "And it's not Julian?"
"No, it's uh… Lucas," Brooke smiled as the bell above the door jingled and the blonde appeared inside the store with a small smile on his face.
"LUCAS!" Brooke laughed as she ran over to her best friend and engulfed him into a massive hug. "I missed you babe."
"Babe?" Lucas asked quietly. "Are you feeling okay?"
"That bitch behind me is the new model for my line and she used to date Julian but she thinks that Julian and I have a thing and when I told her we didn't she said it was because I couldn't get any so I kinda told her that you were my boyfriend so she'd shut up," Brooke whispered in his ear as Alex shot the couple an amused smile. "Please don't be mad."
"How could I be mad at you, girlfriend?" he joked as he wrapped an arm around her waist. "I can go along with it for now."
"Yum…" Alex licked her lips seductively as Lucas and Brooke walked over to her. "Way too score Davis. He's pretty hot."
"Do I know you?" Lucas asked with a nervous laugh as Alex's eyes travelled up and down his body.
"Alex Dupree. The new model for your girlfriend's line," she smiled as she stuck her hand out for Lucas to shake. "And former girlfriend of Julian Baker."
"Right…" Lucas nodded as he let go of Alex's hand and focused his attention back on Brooke. "Well, I just came by to tell you that Haley is having us over for dinner tonight."
"Sounds good babe, I was just about ready to close up the store anyways," Brooke smiled quickly. "Here, Alex just sign these contracts and stop by tomorrow so we can start the modeling for the new line," she added as she handed Alex a few sheets of paper.
"Okay," Alex nodded as she grabbed the pen and began scribbling her signature on the blank lines. "And here you go."
"Alex, you're supposed to read it," Brooke hissed as she snatched the papers from the younger brunette.
"Too many big words," Alex shrugged as she sent Brooke a dimpled smile. "But I'm sure that whatever is in that contract will be fine."
"Are you really that simple-minded?"
"No, just lazy," she shrugged, throwing her gorgeous brunette locks over her shoulder. "So this dinner at Haley's am I invited?"
Brooke let out a small chuckle. "Alex, do you honestly think that Julian wants you there? You'll just stir up drama and we really don't need that in Tree Hill right now because enough shit is going on."
"Well, I'd like to meet Haley and I don't think that Julian will care because obviously he is over me."
"Whatever, Alex I don't care. You can show up if you want. Here's Haley's address," she growled as she flung a piece of paper with Haley's address written on it at the brunette's face. "Now let's go boyfriend," she grabbed Lucas's hand and ushered Alex out the door before locking it behind herself.
"I'll see you tonight," Alex winked at Brooke and Lucas before getting in her car and speeding off.
"Okay what the hell just happened?" Lucas asked once they got inside of Brooke's car.
"You mean this whole situation between you and me or me inviting Alex to Haley's for dinner?"
"Both," Lucas sighed. "I mean why exactly did you tell Alex that we were dating."
"Because she thinks that I have a thing for Julian and considering they dated I didn't want her to be out to get me. She already gives me enough attitude problems," Brooke answered seriously. "Well that and she mentioned that I couldn't get any and that was why I wasn't screwing Julian and for some reason that just angered me so when I saw you walk through that door I just blurted out that we were dating. I'm sorry Luke, I just panicked."
"It's okay Brooke," Lucas whispered sympathetically, his blue eyes meeting her hazel ones. "I understand why you did it but what the hell are we gonna tell everyone else and how are we gonna pull this off?"
"How about we just break up in like a week. As for Haley and Julian and everyone else, well we will just have to get them to go along with it," Brooke answered thoughtfully. "I mean it could work right? I date you for like a week, we break up and Alex won't be out to get me or think that I'm a pathetic and hopeless romantic."
Lucas nodded. "Okay, Brooke. But what about you inviting Alex to Haley's? That was just plain stupid."
"You don't know how she is Lucas," Brooke sighed deeply. "She pulls out those stupid claws of hers and all of a sudden she manipulates you into doing things for her. I can tell that this going to be a long year with her in town."
"It'll be okay," Lucas promised as he squeezed her hand reassuringly. "You always make it through."
"What the hell are you doing here?" Julian's eyes raged with malice as he pulled the front door open and saw his ex-girlfriend standing on the steps with a manipulative smile, one that he knew all too well.
"Brooke invited me," she smiled as she pushed Julian out of the way and stepped into the house. "It's very homey," she commented, her eyes searching the small but welcoming house that Haley James owned.
"BROOKE!" Julian boomed, his dark blue eyes possessing a newfound emotion of angriness.
"What?" the brunette asked as she made her way into the front hallway with a casual smile on her face. "Oh, Alex glad you could make it, come on in," Brooke smiled as she grabbed Alex's coat and set it on the chair.
"What the hell is this about?" Julian hissed venomously. He loved Brooke, like a sister of course but it was this kind of stupid shit that she did that made him question that. Yes, it was hard to be mad at Brooke Davis but sometimes he wished that she had the willpower to be a total and complete bitch to someone she didn't really know.
"You know how she is Julian," Brooke whispered quietly so that Alex couldn't hear. "She wouldn't shut her stupid mouth and I was frustrated and trying to get her to sign modeling contracts and then Lucas came in and mentioned the dinner over here and Alex asked if she was invited and I couldn't say no…"
"Yes you could've Brooke," Julian growled as he sent Alex a menacing glare. "I don't want her and Haley to be exposed to each other. If I know Alex Dupree, and trust me I do, she only came here to stir up the drama pot and mess with our lives."
"It'll be fine Julian," Brooke reassured him as she patted his arm graciously. "Oh, and just so you know she thinks that Luke and I are an item so just go along with it."
"An item?" Julian asked with surprise. "What is that all about?"
"Well earlier today she was bugging us about being a couple, remember?"
"Yeah, I remember and you basically said that the thought of us being a couple was gross…"
"Well it is," Brooke grinned as she shot Julian a playful smile. "Anyways, she said that I wasn't banging you because I couldn't ever get a man to love me and then Lucas walked in and there was something about what she'd said to me that triggered some kind of anger inside of me and I kind of blurted out that Lucas was my boyfriend."
"Right. And how exactly are you going to justify that?"
"We will just break up in a week or so but for now we are a couple."
"Hey babe," Brooke smiled widely as her and Julian walked into the room together, Alex giving them a fake smile. She walked over to Lucas and gave him a quick kiss.
"What the h…"
"So Brooke, how did you and Lucas get together?" Alex cut Haley off with a small smile.
"Yeah Brooke, how did you and Lucas get together?" Peyton raised an eyebrow and gave the embarrassed "couple" a smirk.
"Uh… well…"
"Brooke can I talk to you for a second?" Haley asked with a lighthearted smile as she pulled her friend into the living room, Peyton following close behind.
"Looks like I don't have a choice…"
"So you two finally realized what we've being seeing all along?" Haley grinned as she jabbed Brooke in the ribs playfully. "It's about damn time because I wasn't sure how much longer I could've waited for you two to realize your feelings without intervening…"
"We're not dating Haley," Brooke whispered sharply. "I thought Lucas was supposed to tell you guys this. Well he told Jake, Sophia, and Rachel but clearly he left you guys out of the loop."
"What is it?" Peyton asked impatiently. "Why are you guys acting like a couple if you're not…"
"Because of Alex…"
"You mean the new model for your line?" Peyton asked causally, wondering what Alex had to do with any of this.
"Yes, she told me that I could never get a man and then Luke walked in and I just blurted out that we were dating but don't worry our temporary relationship will be over in a week. I just want Alex to lay off me a little bit, she's kind of impulsive."
"If that's your story," Haley smirked. "Oh and by the way, you and Luke make an adorable couple, just sayin'."
"Shut up," Brooke laughed as she smacked Haley on the arm playfully. "You're so immature."
"But you love me."
"That I do Haley James, that I do," Brooke agreed as she wrapped her arm around Haley and then wrapped her free one around Peyton's shoulders.
Sophia Davis impatiently tapped her foot against the floor as she waited for her boyfriend. He was always late and they had dinner plans.
"Got a minute?"
The brunette snapped her head up and glared at the man before her. "You have some nerve…"
"Look, I just wanna talk please?" he pleaded. "Just five minutes?"
"What do you want?" she snapped hostilely as he slipped into the seat opposite her.
"I want to get to know my daughter. Haven't you ever wondered about your father?"
"Nope," she shrugged as she took a sip of her drink. "I mean yes when I was little I did but now that I'm old enough to understand what an idiot he is, I don't give a fuck about him."
"That's cold," he whispered with a chuckle. "You're brave, you know. Just like your mother."
"You don't know me," she hissed coldly. "And you never will."
"Look, I know I've been an ass but I want you to understand something," Nathan insisted as he stared into his daughter's eyes, a remnant of his very own.
"Enlighten me," she smirked and Nathan couldn't help but smile as he noticed the similarities between her and her mother.
"I want you to understand why I gave you up…"
"This ought to be good," she rolled her eyes in typical Davis fashion, another habit that she had stolen from her mother.
"Look, I was young okay? I didn't want you to have a life like I did. My father neglected me because he never got to live out his dreams and I was afraid that if I stayed and never got my dreams that I'd end up treating you like my father did to me. The last thing I wanted to become was Dan Scott. And your mother was in love with Lucas even though she was in denial. I knew that Lucas would do a better job raising you than me because he had been on your end of things. He'd been in your position so he could relate."
"Well that's very touching," the teen mumbled, the sarcasm dripping from her voice. "But it still doesn't change a thing. There is nothing that you can say or do to erase the years of pain that you caused when you left. I mean did you even think about me? I understand that your father was an ass but that doesn't give you an excuse. You made your choice Nathan and there is nothing you can say to atone for your sins."
"Sophia I…"
"Don't," she held up her hand stubbornly. "Don't say you're sorry Nathan because I'm sick of apologies. I believe that deep down in there somewhere you are a good guy but you've made some stupid ass choices and they are always going to follow you until the day you die. I won't let you sit here and say you're sorry because I don't want to hear it. You're dead to me Nathan. The day that you decided to walk out on your family was the day that you became dead to me and everyone else. I hope you have a good life Nathan but was it really worth it?"
She was about to leave when the sound of someone clearing their throat interrupted their little squabble. Sophia looked up and saw Jamie. He was always rescuing her.
"Mind if I cut in?"
"She's all yours," Nathan smiled at Jamie as he got up and pushed his chair in. "I'll see you around," he smiled at Sophia before turning and leaving, like he always did.
"What was that all about?" Jamie asked, turning to his girlfriend with curiousity written all over his face.
"Never mind," Sophia grinned as she picked up the menu. "Let's just order. I'm starving."
"Okay," Jamie smiled back. "But I'll get it out of you later."
"So, how long are you going to be in town?" Haley asked politely as she sent Alex a small smile.
"Hopefully until the end of the year," Alex smiled back as she bit into her food.
"God help us all," Julian mumbled under his breath, receiving a glare from Brooke.
"What was that?" Haley asked Julian as she looked back and forth between Alex and Julian. She'd sensed some tension between them all night and it was kind of weird.
"He said very good," Brooke smiled as she kicked Julian under the table.
"Ouch, what the hell Brooke!"
"Is everything okay?" Jake asked from across the table as he set his fork down and eyed Julian and Brooke suspiciously.
"Perfect," Brooke smiled. "Julian, can I talk to you for a second?"
Before the brunette could even reply she was dragging him into the living room. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?"
"What?" Julian looked at her innocently. "I'm not quite following."
"You've been making stupid comments about Alex all night and everyone is starting to get suspicious. Cut it out Julian," Brooke glared at the brunette. "Now let's go back in there and act like you and Alex don't even know each other."
"Why do you even care?" Julian scoffed as he rolled his eyes at Brooke.
"I care because Alex works for me and I don't want anything to happen that should cause an argument between her and Haley. I mean yes I would pick Haley's side over Alex's any day but I need Alex for my new line so I don't want any tension between them okay?"
She didn't give Julian a chance to reply before dragging him back into the room.
"So, tell me about you and Lucas," Alex winked as she casted a glance between the two. "How did you two hook up?"
"Uh… well… we were…"
"Lucas let me do the talking sweetie," Brooke smiled sweetly as she rested her hand on top of Lucas's.
"This ought to be good," Peyton smirked as she leaned back in her chair and rested her hands behind her head. Brooke shot her a glare and continued.
"We were high school sweethearts and then we broke up just before senior year and I started dating his asshole brother…"
"That's low," Alex mumbled, which resulted in a glare from both Brooke and Lucas.
"Anyways, I got pregnant during senior year with my daughter Sophia and Nathan left to pursue his NBA career so Lucas and I, who remained best friends after the breakup, raised Sophia together and about a year ago we realized that we were meant to be."
"How cute," Alex growled sardonically as she started stabbing at the food on her plate. "You know boys are assholes they say they love you and then they treat you like shit…" Her dark eyes brewed with anger as she shot Julian a dirty glare.
"You know what Alex," Julian yelled as he stood up and shoved his chair back. "You are one heartless bitch. I did love you and you were just insecure so why don't you fuck off and leave me alone. If you came here to stir up trouble just leave because you aren't wanted here." Suddenly the whole room went quiet.
"Who wants pie?" Brooke asked with a smile. "There's cherry or apple."
"Fuck pie. I want to know what the hell is going on!" Haley demanded as she stood up and walked over to Julian. "I want you to tell me how you know her and I expect an explanation behind your random outburst."
"We dated in LA and then I asked her to marry me and she said no…" Julian shrugged. "I don't what she's doing here and I don't know why she's trying to stir trouble up but I do know that when Alex Dupree wants revenge, she'll do anything to get it."
"You asked her to marry you?" Haley screeched as she rubbed her temple tiredly. "How did I not know about this? We share a child together Julian and I thought that we were supposed to be friends but you fail to mention that you almost got married what the hell!"
"I didn't want you to know because the reason Alex and I broke up was because of you," Julian replied quietly as he looked at his feet.
"Me? What the hell do I have to do with this?"
"She said no because she thought that I was still in love with you…"
"Are you?" Haley asked flatly. "Are you still in love with me?"
"No," he shook his head. "I mean, yes a part of me will always love you because you were my first love and we have a child together but I'm not in love with you anymore. I did love Alex and I was ready to spend the rest of my life with her but she had in her head that I was still in love with you."
"Because you were," Alex blurted out. "Look I'm just gonna go now because it looks like you two have got some issues to sort out but it was nice meeting you Haley. I hope that we can put this weirdness behind us."
"Yeah, I gotta bounce too, I've got myself a date with hot bartender Owen," Rachel smiled as she grabbed her purse and followed Alex out the door.
"Well I've gotta get back home too," Peyton smiled as got up and hugged Haley. "Thanks for the dinner."
"Oh and Brooke, I feel bad for you having to work with that basket case," she laughed lightly as she offered the brunette a hug. "Jake you need a ride?" she asked turning towards the brunette man, putting an emphasis on the word ride.
"Yeah, Jenny should be home shortly," Jake smiled as he said his goodbyes and followed Peyton out the door for yet another night of steaming hot forbidden sex.
"Well that was awkward, I'm gonna go home now too," Brooke grinned as she headed towards the door, Lucas following close behind.
"Wait a minute Brooke, you're not going anywhere," Haley shook her head as she blocked the door from Brooke. "You knew about this and you never told me?"
"Give her a break Haley," Julian cut in. "I was at the store when she met Alex and that was when she found out. She wanted to tell you but I made her promise not to. And she didn't want any tension between you and Alex because she didn't want to get put in the middle."
"Oh honey, I'd never put you in the middle," Haley smiled as she pulled Brooke into a hug. "But you would pick my side right?"
"Of course I would Haley," Brooke nodded as she let go of the petit brunette. "Come on Luke, let's go home. It looks like these two have got some talking to do."
"Julian, I don't understand why you wouldn't just tell me? I understand that you didn't want to hurt me but I had a right to know about Alex okay? And don't say that it doesn't affect me because it does. If you'd married Alex she would've been my son's step mom…"
"I know, I know Hales," Julian answered with frustration as he paced back and forth. "I wanted to tell you but I was afraid of your reaction. I didn't want you to think that I was moving too fast."
"If it made you happy Julian then you should know that I'd be okay with it," Haley whispered as she placed a hand on Julian's shoulder. "We are friends now and I hope that we can put the past behind us and just be honest with each other…"
"No more secrets," Julian nodded in agreement as he stepped forward and embraced the brunette in a hug. "I'm so sorry for not telling you Haley and I promise that we will no longer keep secrets from one another."
"Good," Haley smiled as she pulled away from the embrace. "So do you still love her?"
"I uh… well…" Julian scratched his head as his brain struggled to think of ways how to tell his ex-wife that he was possibly still in love with someone else. "It's complicated…"
"Julian," Haley raised her eyebrows, seriousness creeping across her face. "We are friends now and I want you to be able to tell me things. I don't want you to feel weird about confessing your innermost thoughts to me. Just think of me as you would Brooke and I know that you'd tell Brooke how you were feeling…"
"I don't know!" Julian answered frustratedly as he ran a hand tiredly through his shaggy light brown locks. "I don't know how I feel okay? I think that I might still love her but I know that she can also be a very spiteful person and I'm not clear on what her intentions are. If she came here to stir up trouble then I don't want to be with her but if she is still the same old Alex that I fell for in LA, then I think I could still love her. I don't know what to do about it."
Haley took in a deep breath. A part of her still loved Julian and a part of her always would but lately she'd found herself starting to have feelings for someone else. Someone that she knew she shouldn't have feelings for. "I guess you just need to find out what her intentions are then."
"And if I did reconcile with Alex, you'd be okay with it?"
"More than okay," Haley offered him a small smile. Yes it would hurt like hell but if it made Julian happy then she could deal with it and besides it may allow her to finally let go and move on with her life. She was still holding onto a piece of Julian that she knew she should've let go of a very long time ago.
"I want you to be happy too Hales and if it hurts too much then..."
"Don't Julian," Haley help up her hand quickly. "Don't throw away the person you love because you don't want me to suffer. I appreciate it Julian but I'm trying to move on with my life as well and it will make me more than happy if you find someone else to fill that empty void in your heart."
Julian nodded his head gratefully. "Thank you so much Haley," he whispered. "I hope that you can find someone to fill that empty void too."
"Yeah, so do I," Haley whispered sadly as she stared into Julian's intricate blue eyes. But I think I've already found him and I know that I am forbidden to have any kind of romantic feelings for him, she thought to herself.
"Well that went over well," Brooke chuckled to herself as Lucas pulled up in front of her house.
"Hey, your sarcasm is not needed," Lucas laughed and for the first time in well a very long time, Brooke noticed a shine in his eyes.
"Are you happy Luke?" she asked suddenly, turning towards him.
Lucas shrugged as he faced the brunette that he was so desperately in love with. "I think I could be. I'm just making myself miserable and I think that I could really be happy if I tried to move on you know?"
"Yeah," Brooke nodded her head slowly. "So do you wanna come in for a little bit?"
"Sure," Lucas smiled as he killed the engine. He was glad that they were starting to get back on track, even though things still felt incredibly awkward.
"I can't believe that Julian randomly started yelling at Alex during dinner," Lucas laughed as Brooke threw the door open.
"I know right. I was so mad but at least Alex and Haley didn't get into a fight. That would've been awful," Brooke chuckled as she dropped her purse to the floor and slipped out of her heels.
"But kind of funny," Lucas grinned as she walked over to the couch and plopped down.
"You are one twisted man Lucas Scott," Brooke shook her head with amusement as she joined him on the couch and flicked the TV on.
"I try."
"So how are the two 'lovebirds' doing," Sophia smirked as she descended down the stairs, only to find her mom and Lucas extremely close to one another. She really was getting a kick out of their whole fake dating thing. It was quite amusing actually.
Brooke shot her daughter a glare. "Shouldn't you be in bed young lady?"
"Mom, it's nine o'clock," she laughed as she perched herself on the chair in the living room. "So how did dinner go?"
"It went fine. Haley and Alex know about each other though," Brooke shrugged as she stood up and glanced at Lucas. "Would you like some wine or something?"
"That would be great. After tonight's dinner, I think I need a drink," Lucas chuckled as he leaned back on the couch.
"Wine?" Sophia raised an eyebrow. "How romantic."
Lucas just rolled his eyes at Sophia's comment. "So how was your date with Jamie?"
"Well, I ran into Nathan," she answered with a shrug. "No big deal."
"Did I just hear you say that you ran into Nathan?" Brooke questioned as she returned to the room with 2 glasses of wine.
"Yeah I did. He said he wanted to get to know me and he gave me a bunch of reasons as to why he left us."
"I thought I told that ass to stay away from you," Brooke hissed as she handed Lucas his wine.
"If he bothers you again, I will seriously knock some sense into him," Lucas seethed as she took a long sip of his wine.
"Actually," Sophia's lips curved into a smile. "I don't mind it at all. It's kind of pathetic really to watch him squirm like that. It makes me feel like I hold some kind of power over him like he did to me for the last 16 years."
"That's kind of twisted," Brooke smirked at her daughter. "But I can't stop you from getting to know your father if that's what you want."
"I don't want to get to know him, I just enjoy having that kind of power over him. It's quite amusing to watch him beg for my attention. Now he knows how it feels to be treated like that."
"Besides I have Lucas, why would I want Nathan?" Sophia asked rhetorically as she wrapped her arm around Lucas's shoulder. "As long as I have you two, Jamie, Uncle Julian, Aunt Haley, Jenny, and Uncle Jake, what more do I need?"
"I love you kiddo, you know that right?" Lucas smiled at the girl that he had always thought of as a daughter. It didn't matter that she wasn't biologically his because he had raised her and he had been there since day one. He didn't need a birth certificate to prove that she was his daughter.
"Who doesn't?" she smirked as she stood up and have her mother a peck on the cheek. "Well I'm going to bed now. Night lovebirds."
"You are too much like your mother," Lucas shook his head as the teenager started heading towards the stairs.
"Is that a bad thing?" Brooke questioned as she turned to Lucas with a mock glare on her face.
"Not at all pretty girl," Lucas smiled contently as he leaned his head against Brooke's shoulder.
"What are you guys in High School?" Sophia smirked as she turned around halfway up the stairs. "Fake dating, denying your feelings, trying to move on with other people… should I go on?"
"Go to bed," Brooke laughed at her daughter as she turned back to Lucas and smiled. "Sometimes I wonder about her."
"We should probably go to bed since we have a big day ahead of us tomorrow," Brooke yawned as she stood up and stretched her arms out. "You can stay in the guest room if you'd like."
"That's okay, I should probably just go home but I'll see you tomorrow morning Brooke Davis," Lucas chuckled as he gave the brunette a quick hug and placed a kiss on her forehead.
"Yeah, see you tomorrow morning," Brooke whispered as she touched her forehead where he'd kissed her. She couldn't be falling for him, could she? She was well aware of his feelings but she hadn't expected herself to actually reciprocate them. There was no way that she could be feeling like this. There flame had been burnt out for a long time. Right?
AN: I am so sorry for the wait on this update but you know how life can be sometimes. I've had the majority of this chapter written for weeks but I just couldn't find the time to finish it off so here it is and its extra long and contains lots of Brucas as an apology for the long wait. I promise that Brucas will be together soon, possibly in a few more chapters. I'm not terribly fond of this chapter but I needed to give you guys something. Also would anyone of you mind Julian and Alex ending up together? Honestly, I love Alex to death and in this story I'd love for her and Julian to end up together but that's up to you guys. If not, there will still be some flashbacks about their relationship in LA. I hope that I didn't lose any readers due to my long waits for updates and I will give a bit of a spoiler for the next chapter to apologize yet again for my lack of updates. Next chapter will be set during Julian's premiere and someone will catch Jake and Peyton in the act, not saying who though, you'll have to wait to find that out. Brooke and Lucas will have a heated conversation, mostly about Lindsey and the Sawyer/Sophia/Jamie triangle will heat up. Also Jamie/Nathan might have a little bit of a run in at the rivercourt just before they leave for vacation and I hope to bring in more Lucas/Nathan interaction soon as well. And Rachel and Owen will spend some time together while the gang is away on vacation. Thanks for the patience and I hope that everyone continues to read even if I suck at updating. Please review and let me know what you think. More reviews will lead to speedier updates because that gives me even more incentive to write, just sayin'!