Chapter 2: Some Things Die Hard

Brooke woke from her deep sleep when she felt something shifting by her side. She opened her eyes only to shut them after being blinded by the harshness of the morning sun. Well that was unpleasant. Let's try this again. Brooke slowly opened her eyes only to squinting proportion, so this is why Lucas is always squinting…hehe…he just doesn't like the sun. After finally adjusting to the light she opened her eyes fully trying to take in her surroundings. OK, I'm in Haley's living room on her couch and…Haley's sleeping next to me…interesting. And just like that the previous night's happenings came rushing back to the brunette. I made out with Haley James…numerous times. Brooke looked down at the sleeping beauty curled up by her side. It didn't feel weird or awkward to have Haley snuggled against her side if anything it felt right, perfect. Deciding that it was best to let Haley sleep, she had a rough night after all, Brooke quietly removed herself from Haley's grasp and made her way into the kitchen.

Haley awoke when the warmth beside her vanished. It took her a moment to adjust to the sunlight but when she finally did she closed her eyes when she realized that she was alone. You think that I'd be used to this by now. Reluctantly Haley pushed herself into a sitting position allowing her body to work out the knots that had formed, that's the last time I sleep on the couch. A familiar scent wafted into the living room, I don't remember setting the coffee maker…ugh just great, well at least I didn't burn the house down. She padded towards the kitchen not in the mood to face the day, it was hard enough dealing with the divorce but now she was going to have to deal with the awkwardness that was bound to form between her and Brooke.

Lifting her gaze Haley's jaw dropped. "You look surprised to see me," Brooke observed with a puzzled look.

"I thought you left," she didn't bother trying to hide the shock in her voice.

Of course I'm here, why wouldn't I be? "Why would you think that I would leave?"

"I just figured that you realized that last night was a mistake," Haley sighed.

"What would make you think that?" Brooke asked the shock evident in her voice, does she really think that little of me?

"I figured that you woulda booked it outta here the moment you woke up, the moment you realized that last night was a mistake," Haley laughed bitterly. "It had to have been a mistake, it was me. God I'm such an idiot to think that I could ever mean something to anyone."

Brooke's heart was breaking at the sight before her. Haley, one of her strongest most confident friends, was breaking at the seams. She thought that things had gotten better as time allowed her wounds to heal but she was oh so wrong. Haley was as broken now as she was when Nathan stepped out of that shower with Carrie, I'm gonna kill him for doing this to her. Brooke wasn't an idiot, she knew of all the insecurities that Haley had when she started dating Nathan, but she would never have guessed that those insecurities still plagued Haley's life.

"You don't really believe that, do you?" Brooke asked hesitantly knowing that the response she was about to get would most likely break her heart even more.

"Of course I do," Haley gasped in disbelief of Brooke question. "How could I not? He's Nathan fucking Scott! I suddenly had to compare to all his past girlfriends and conquests even though I knew that I would never be able to live up to them. So I had to make myself into someone that could and I did. I became someone that Nathan could be proud to be with, I became a girlfriend that he wasn't ashamed of being with. But throughout it all there was this nagging thought in the back of my mind that always told me that I wasn't good enough for him, that I never would be good enough for him no matter how hard I tried. I guess that over the years my insecurities started to fade but when he asked for the divorce they came flooding back. I kept asking myself when he stopped loving me, what I did wrong, why I couldn't be enough, why my love wasn't enough and then I just realized that I would never be enough. I realized that I didn't have anything to offer anyone, that my heart wasn't enough." By the end of her speech Haley had tears streaming from her eyes releasing everything that was pent up inside.

Brooke too had tears in her eyes, how can she think these things? "You are so wrong in so many ways…" Brooke held up her hand when Haley started to protest. "Let me finish and then you can tell me how wrong I am. I don't even know where to start. You have this amazing heart that allows you to love with this passion that I have never seen before. You pushed Nathan out of the way of a speeding car for crying out loud, if that doesn't say 'I have a big heart' then I don't know what does," she paused loving the slight giggle that Haley let slip. "And that, your laugh, has to be the most adorable thing that I have ever heard. I know you have an amazing voice but when I hear your laugh…that's music to my ears," she paused again noticing that Haley allowed a small smile to play across her lips. "Your smile lights up a room. I know that when I'm having a bad day all I have to do is look your way and look for that smile and my day suddenly brightens, it's amazing the things you can do with it. You are an amazing person Haley JAMES and it kills me to see you so down on yourself but if I have to have this same talk with you every day I will because you're worth it and so much more." Throughout her speech Brooke had found her way to Haley not stopping until she was a foot away from the brunette. She reached out her hand and wiped the tears from Haley's cheek allowing her fingers to linger there. "And last night wasn't a mistake…definitely unexpected but not a mistake. And I know that you're probably not ready for anything serious but I want to see where this leads us," she finished shyly not knowing if she was about to get rejected. The butterflies in her stomach were working overtime doing flips, twirls, and jumps as the silence settled between the brunettes.

Haley smiled innocently at the nervous brunette in front of her, how can I say no to that? "You're right," Brooke gave her a quizzical look. "I'm not ready for anything serious but I do want to see where this goes."

"Really?" Brooke asked the eagerness radiating from her smile.

"Really," Haley smiled as the thrill of Brooke's words started to consume her body.

"Oh yeah," Brooke smiled leaning in forward brushing her lips gently across Haley's before pulling back to look at the small brunette. "So what do you want to do today?"

"That was nice," Haley smiled referencing their kiss.

Brooke arched her eyebrow knowing that she would love to spend the rest of the day making out with Haley but also knowing that they needed to take things slow. "I thought we agreed that we weren't going to rush things."

"I did but that doesn't mean that I can't kiss you," Haley answered with her own arched eyebrow knowing that Brooke wouldn't be able to resist.

"I'd hope not cuz your lips are addicting," Brooke smirked before sneaking another kiss. "Again, what do you want to do today?"

"I have to go save Lucas and Peyton from Jamie and then I was thinking a nice day at the pool would do Jamie some good," Haley smiled hoping that Brooke would want to join them.

"Mind if I tag along?" Brooke asked already knowing the answer from Haley's smile.

"I was hoping you would ask."

"What're we doing today Mama?" Jamie asked as he entered the house and setting his backpack on the ground.

"I was thinking that we could have a nice relaxing day by the pool," Haley suggested knowing that her son wouldn't be able to resist the opportunity to spend a day in the water. Brooke decided that she would go home and grab her suit and just join them later on in the day allowing them some mother-son time.

"Yes!" Jamie hollered with a jump and a fist punch.

"Now go bring your backpack upstairs and change into your suit," Haley ordered lightheartedly as she watched Jamie sprint upstairs. She followed Jamie upstairs heading towards her own room in search of her bathing suit. She reached her dresser and pulled out all her bathing suits and laying them on the bed. "Bikini or one piece?" That 'tis the question.

"Mama, hurry up!" Jamie impatiently called from the hall.

"I'll be down in a second," Haley called to Jamie knowing that he was about to go running down there without her. "Go downstairs and put your wingies on." She heard Jamie grumble something before she heard his little footsteps stomping downstairs. "Now back to my dilemma," she looked from the one piece to the bikini, might as well live a little. She changed quickly not wanting Jamie to wait any longer than he had to; it still amazed her at how much of a fish her boy was. The pool was the major selling point when she and Nathan were looking at the house, it was more of a plus for them and the hot summer days but after Jamie learned to swim it was like pulling teeth to get him out.

"C'mon Mama I wanna go swimming," Jamie pleaded while grabbing Haley's hand and tugging her out the back door. "Watch me Mama!" Jamie called as he did a cannon ball into the pool forming a little splash as he hit the water.

Haley chuckled while she went about setting up her lounge chair. She lay down feeling the warmth of the sun beating down on her bare skin.

"You should really put some sunscreen on, don't want that gorgeous skin to get burned," Brooke whispered into Haley's ears before letting out a giggle at the visible chills that went through Haley's body. She snuck a look at Haley enjoying the view that her bikini allowed, thank God for bikinis!

"I wouldn't want that," Haley grinned, Brooke just called me gorgeous…well my skin but I'll take it. "Do you mind helping?" She asked slyly while leaning forward.

Brooke gulped, easy Brookie, it's just Haley, you're just putting sunscreen on her back…her perfectly toned back…oh boy. "Scoot forwards," Brooke choked out she didn't care that Haley could clearly hear the hitch in her voice. After last night's events all things Haley were running a marathon through her head; Haley's eyes, smile, lips, body, touch, smell, it was all teasing her and now she was being given free rein to touch her amazing body. Positioning herself behind Haley Brooke took a deep breath before squeezing the lotion into her hand. "Sorry," Brooke squeaked when Haley flinched at the contact.

"It wasn't you," Haley replied trying to withhold her laugh. "Sunscreen was just cold."

"Oh," Brooke sighed, focus Brooke. Brooke ran her hands along Haley's back taking in every curve she could memorizing the feel of her silky smooth skin beneath her fingers. She couldn't help but notice the pace of Haley's breathing increasing as her hands moved across her back. She halted her movements when she came to Haley's lower back, 23, why must he forever haunt me? She idly traced the number with her index finger.

"Are you ok?" Haley asked knowing exactly what Brooke was doing. The moment she asked Brooke to help her out she knew that her tattoo would present some issue. She waited for Brooke's response but instead of saying something she continued to trace her tattoo. "Brooke, talk to me."

"It's nothing really, it's stupid," Brooke started finally taking her finger away from Haley's tattoo.

"It's obviously something if it's bothering you this much," Haley sighed while swinging her legs over the side of the lounger. She took Brooke's hand in hers and sighed, she knew that whatever was bothering Brooke had something to do with her tattoo but she wasn't exactly sure what.

"It's just…you guys were Naley for crying out loud. You had this epic lover affair that everyone knew was the real deal. You two were the rock that held everyone together, when it seemed that everything was going wrong in the world we would look to you and see the good that this life could offer. Even when you two weren't on speaking ground we all knew that you would get through it even if you didn't. I guess what I'm getting at is…well…how am I supposed to compete with that?" Brooke sighed while bowing her head. "Not to mention that I'm going to have a reminder thrown in my face all the time."

Haley reached out her hand forcing Brooke to lift her chin. "I don't expect you to compete with that. Sure Nathan was a big part of my past, but that's where it ends he's going to stay in the past. Sure he's still going to be in my life but only as Jamie's father, nothing more nothing less. But you, Brooke Davis, are all that I care about when it comes to my love life. And I don't want you to feel like you have to compete with him, this…us, is so much different from what Nathan and I shared. I know that it's going to be hard for you at first to come to terms with my tattoo but I really hope that you can. I mean how do you think Peyton feels? She has to look at Luke's tattoo everyday but she knows that his relationship with you is in the past," Haley smiled reassuringly hoping that she had calmed Brooke's fears. She knew from past heart to hearts with the bubbly brunette that she had insecurities brought on by her parents' absence. What child wouldn't feel like enough if their parents never bothered to stick around long enough to tell them how special they were?

"I know," Brooke sighed. She knew that her thoughts were irrational especially after everything Nathan put Haley through; she just had these nagging thoughts in the back of her mind. "It's just that you were Naley!"

"Well it might help you if you stop referring to us as Naley," Haley giggled.

"Nicknames are what I do though," Brooke pouted.

"Well then you need to either stop coming up with nicknames or think of another one," Haley smiled noticing the upbeat tone that Brooke's voice was taking on.

Brooke scrunched up her nose trying to understand what Haley was saying. "I don't get…you're talking about a nickname for us," Brooke stated more than asked. Haley nodded and smiled knowing that this would calm Brooke's fears. "Hmmmm…I know. Baley, yeah Baley."

"Baley, I love it," Haley smiled while leaning in to capture Brooke's lips. "Almost as much as I love kissing you."

"Why are you kissing?" Jamie asked from behind Haley.

Both brunettes started to blush, caught red handed…OMG we didn't even talk about how we're going to tell Jamie. Before Brooke could say anything Haley interrupted. "You know how people kiss when they care about each other?" Haley asked trying her best to put this situation into something that Jamie would understand.

"Yeah," Jamie nodded his head.

"Well, I care a lot about your Auntie Brooke…"

"And I care about your Mama very much," Brooke interrupted with a smile as she snuck a glance at a blushing Haley.

"I know that," Jamie sighed the frustration evident in his voice. "But you were kissing like Mama and Daddy used to. Girls aren't supposed to do that."

"That's not true Jamie," Haley sighed knowing that this would be difficult for Jamie to understand. "Two girls can kiss that like, just like two girls can love each other like a man and a woman can. Do you understand?"

"I guess so," Jamie said still looking a little confused. "Then are you going to hurt Mama like Daddy did too?"

Haley's heart broke at her son's question. She was a fool to think that Jamie hadn't noticed her sullen mood, of course he would notice; he's an observant little boy. "No, Jamie. I don't plan on hurting your Mama like your Daddy did," Brooke explained hoping to reassure her nephew. She picked him up and placed him on her lap. "I hope you're okay with that?"

"Just as long as you don't hurt Mama," Jamie grunted while crossing his little arms with a pout.

"I don't," Brooke smiled before tickling Jamie. "Now let's get in that pool."

Jamie went running off towards the pool while Haley and Brooke stood from the lounger. "Thank you," Haley smiled. She captured Brooke's lips in a slow sensual kiss.

"For what?" Brooke asked slightly dazed.

Haley stifled a giggle at Brooke's hazy eyes. "For being so good with Jamie."

"Anything for you."

YAY! An update…I know shocking. Well my summer class ended the other day so I'm finally free to write whenever I want and fully focus on my stories. I've been gradually working on all the stories that I have going and this just happens to be the first one that I finished.

I hope that you enjoy and I still plan on having this end in two more chapters. There might be a sequel but I don't know depends on the reviews I get, wink wink.

Tell me what you think.

=]