Title: Third Time's the Charm, right?
Disclaimer:Characters and the entire show belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I own nothing. No copyright infringement intended. (Although I really wished I'd own it, which you guys have probably read tonnes of, but think about it, if one of us Brucas shipper owned OTH then Lucas would have been smart enough to realize how Brooke was the one for him, and he would have seriously fought harder for her in S4 rather than giving up after what like a week? Well who am I to talk I haven't even watched that cursed season yet. No but seriously Lucas would have realized that he and Peyton were too similar to be anything but friends, I mean seriously Peyton is practically Lucas but the girl version. Anyway Rachel wouldn't have gotten hitched with Dan, she would still be besties with Brooke, and Naley would well be Naley. And Jeyton would have totally been end game. Brucas, Naley and Jeyton…Yup that's the way it should have been! The way it should be…)
A/N:Hey Guys, sorry for the super slow update, and yes I admit I suck, but you know it's been hard to find the inspiration to write a Brucas fanfic. I miss those two like hell and re-watching OTH didn't really help because I have this disappointed feeling. As much as I love the show, it has disappointed me esp. how Brucas shippers were totally ignored and Leyton became end game. And not to mention the fact that OTH officially finished filming their final season tonight. They're having their OTH wrap party tonight and all I can do is wallow and attempt to write a chapter for the most amazing couple ever that wasn't even endgame. I'm not ready to let go as of yet. Not ready to let go of Brooke Davis (who btw is my all-time favourite television character). I'm so miserable right now. Anyway here you go, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and please review. All reviews motivate me in finishing this story, so please tell me what you think. The next few updates will probably be slow (my updates are always slow, what am I on about?) because this year's my last year of high school and I really need to focus on my studies so I can ace my HSC (ATAR AIM: 99), which means I won't be able to update often. Plus, studying kinda ruins my mojo in writing but please continue giving your support, because I promise you, I will finish this story. And I always keep my promises. Anyway here's the next chapter. Enjoy!
Title: Third Time's the Charm, right?
Chapter 3:
The slap silenced everything in the room. Brooke looked at her mother, her eyes wide in shock, and her hand cradling her heat and pain stricken cheek. Jordan and Lucas stared, dumbfounded at what had unraveled in front of them. Lucas, clenched his fist tightly, his knuckles turning white instantly, his eyes narrowed into slits as he stared the woman who dared to lay a finger on one of the most important person in his life. Stepping forward, Lucas stared at the woman who had been so fortunate to have a daughter like Brooke but was too damn stupid to see how amazing her daughter was.
"Victoria I think it's time for you to leave." Lucas said, his voice calm, but his internals threatened to explode in anger.
Victoria looked at Lucas as if he grew another head, before her expression changed altogether. She wore an arrogant and disbelieving expression, which made Lucas only angrier. "Excuse me? If anyone should be leaving, it'd be you, you country leeching good for nothing blondie. Why can't you just leave my rather pathetic daughter alone, are you really that dense and not see how you're existence is only ruining her life?" Victoria spat out, her voice laced with venom.
Brooke's eyes widened at her mother words, and her resolved steeled. No one spoke to her family that way, and Lucas was more of a family than Victoria ever was, or ever will. Before Brooke had the chance to jump to Lucas' defense, Lucas answered with a voice that made a chill run down Brooke's spine. His voice was dangerously low and Brooke was certain that Lucas was attempting to calm himself down considering how she could hear his voice cracking and if the situation wasn't going to be diffused soon, Lucas would definitely explode and only god knows what would happen because when Scott men lose their temper, they really lose their temper. She had never seen Lucas this way where his eyes gazed at Victoria as if he was ready to kill her with his bare hands Brooke could see Lucas trembling, trying hard to control his anger and was afraid at the colour that his knuckles had turned into.
"Victoria I suggest you leave right now, because I swear to you, if you say one more demoralizing thing that is aimed at anyone in this room, especially Brooke, I will not be held accountable to what would be resulted." Lucas said his voice was so foreign that even he doubted his voice originated from him.
"What are you going to do, hit me?" Victoria taunted her eyes defiant and narrowed. "Because if you even lay a single finger on me, I will make sure you get what you deserve and rot in the jail you'll end up in."
Lucas was unaffected by her threat and took a step towards Victoria, who realized that she may be in physical danger stumbled a bit and step back. "I should tell you, I don't hit women but if you continue with this, I'll make an exception." Lucas threatened, making Brooke shiver in fear.
Victoria was about to counter Lucas' threat when Jordan stepped in and voiced his thought. "I suggest you listen to Lucas Mrs. Davis, because I'll be damned before I let you say or do anything else to hurt Brooke. If you know what's good for you, you'd leave now." Jordan spoke, his eyes emptyand felt his insides burn in frustration and anger at the sight of the woman, and although he was calmer that Lucas, Jordan's threat shone through and showed his true emotions.
Victoria, not wanting to be defeated, looked at the two men defiantly and sneered. "You two won't lay a finger on me. You think I'd believe, you pathetic-"
"Don't push me Victoria." Lucas cut off and took another step towards her, his face unreadable. He was about to take another step when Brooke caught the hem of his shirt, effectively stopping him. "Lucas please." She whispered, so softly that Lucas almost didn't hear. Lucas however did hear, and he looked at her, his determination to get rid of Victoria and rescue her was shining through and that made Brooke's heart swell in appreciation. She was ecstatic that Lucas was actually saving her from all of it, but her mother was defiant and stubborn, possibly more so than the brunette herself, and she was pretty sure that she got those two qualities from the woman who she had wished wanted her. Instead she stared at the woman she knew would never be the mother she had hoped for, and so Brooke decided to do what she should have done a long time ago.
"You're fired." Brooke whispered, just as Victoria was about to let out another one of her spiteful comments. Everyone in the room looked at Brooke in disbelief. Silence enveloped the room for a slight moment before Victoria responded.
"What did you just say?" her mother asked, her face in disbelief, and a signs of a scowl began to imprint themselves on her face.
"You heard me, you're fired."
"You're going to fire me?" Victoria scoffed, "and risk our company? Do you know how ridiculous you sound right now?"
"But see Bitchtoria, it's not our company, it's my company, so you're fired." Brooke said, her confidence regaining knowing well enough that her mother had no chance of winning this with her or any board members since Brooke had been wise enough to listen to Peyton, Rachel and Haley's advice on not giving her mother any huge portion of company ownership.
"I'm not just any employee Brooke," Victoria began, deliberately softening her voice and face in hopes that her daughter would come to her senses and realize how stupid her decision is. "I am your mother."
"I know," Brooke whispered sadly as she had realized what it had come down to. Never was Brooke Davis ever getting the mother she had dreamed of having for so long, instead she was given a woman who didn't even want her or cared for her, but rather a woman who was willing to throw her own daughter away for success and power. "You're fired." Brooke said the determination in her eyes made Victoria realize that her daughter was actually serious about this.
"Oh no! Did I hurt your little feelings and now you're firing me? Don't be stupid Brooke. I don't have a clue why you're being such an ungrateful little brat to me when all I've done was help and provide for you, but you know what? I can take it, but our company? It can't."
"God don't you get it Victoria? It isn't your company! It's my company!" Brooke exclaimed why couldn't her mother just get it through her head that Clothes Over Bros was not shared between them. Rather it was Brooke's, Clothes Over Bros was the result of her hard work, staying up late at night to finish all the sketches, meeting with potential buyers, organizing the models and the clothes for live fashion shows. And sure her mother had an active participation in the coming out of the company, and Brooke couldn't be any more grateful, but she didn't need her mother to be her business partner. No she could have anyone to be her business partner, but all she wanted from her mother was someone who would support her, be proud of her, want to spend time with her and most importantly love her. But her mother was never going to be that, and so to protect herself from any more hurt, Brooke had decided to severe her ties with the woman. She was no longer going to let her mother trample all over her, or her friends for that matter.
"Brooke-" Victoria tried before being cut off.
"You're fired Victoria. Please just leave." Brooke said, her voice straining from the exhaustion that she was beginning to feel.
Lucas noticing how this situation was beginning to take a toll on Brooke decided to step in once more. "You heard her. Leave." He said his voice ice cold, and his piercing blue eyes, dangerous. Jordan too noticed Brooke's exhaustion and stood by Lucas, his expression hardened.
Victoria, knowing that there was no way she could argue herself out of this one, huffed before pointing a threatening finger at them. "Don't come crawling back to me when you fail Brooke, and don't worry I'll be back. And when I do, you'll regret this." And without waiting for a response from them, she whipped around and stormed out of Brooke's apartment and life. For now at least.
Peyton was on her break from her pathetic job when she stumbled across a newsagent stand. There it sat a newly printed gossip magazine that blared the image of her "best friend" and her former boyfriend who she was destined to be with. Her supposed soul mate was grinning at the brunette walking beside him, gazing at her adoringly. Peyton felt her stomach flipped into somersaults and felt her "Lucas Stealing Face" come on, although she'd never admit it. Sure, Peyton hadn't said yes to the brooding blonde's proposal but she didn't say no either. Technically she didn't reject him, only wanting to be a tad bit older when she does become Mrs. Lucas Scott, but the brooding author had taken it to be a rejection and fled the scene. Ever since that night, the two hadn't spoken to each other. She had occasionally asked how he was via Brooke and Haley, but nothing really came out of it. And sure, she did have a rather serious relationship with someone else, someone who she had thought that she could fall in love with and maybe someday marry, but like always her feelings for Lucas Scott would once again appear, destroying everything. But now seeing her supposed soul mate prance around New York City happily stirred some emotions in her that she hadn't felt for a long time. Although she had come to accept that she and Lucas were over and that he had the right to move on, she couldn't help but feel rather jealous of her best friend. This of course made Peyton realize how ridiculous she was being. Her best friend would not try again with Lucas Scott, especially when the both times she decided to try with Lucas ended up with her heartbroken. No, Brooke wouldn't risk it again, not after the second time. Of course there was always that saying that said third time's the charm, but when it came to love with Brooke and Lucas, a third time will simply end with someone getting hurt. And so with this knowledge Peyton felt herself relax a bit. This relaxation however did not waver her determination in finding out whatever is going on between her two friends. There was no way in hell was she going to be kept out of the loop, not when it comes to Lucas Scott.
Rachel stared at her phone, willing it to ring. She had already left her fashion designer best friend ten voicemails and thirty text messages and yet nothing. And the red heads temper was reaching its limit, and her curiosity was at its peak, but mostly her worry for her best friend was taking a toll on her. Rachel had been there with Brooke after the extemporaneous night with the famous Lucas Scott, and she was worried that her best friend would once again throw herself at her work, focusing on nothing but her precious company and not worrying about her health. Brooke had done so after that night, and had lost a great amount of weight at an alarming rate, worrying the red head as well as Haley. And this terrible habit of the brunette had just been lifted a few months back after realizing that what she was doing was not beneficial for the company and herself considering how she may have to get treatment or worse the disapproval of the public and the board. Brooke coming to her sense brought nothing but joy and relief to both herself and Haley and they couldn't be any more supportive of Brooke's new regime. However with the way things are going as of right now, it looks like Brooke would once again get sucked into the world of wallowing for her non-existent love life and her obvious but denied love for Lucas Scott. And this frustrated Rachel to no end. Here was her best friend, finally getting herself together, and in comes Lucas Scott, prancing around poor Brooke, flashing her his handsome smiles and spew out some of his articulate words, making Brooke fall for him just a tad bit more. And for a while, the pair would be just friends, before Lucas would do something stupid that would put their friendship on thin ice, and before you know it, their moments of vomiting rainbows would come to a halt with Brooke hurting. And the cycle would once again continue, and this made Rachel so frustrated with the blonde that Rachel would be happy to give the author a good beating.
Frustrated that her best friend still hadn't called her back, the red head once more picked up her phone and dialed the cursed number. The feisty model let out a stream of irritated words as her call once again went straight to voicemail. Never in her life did she wasn't to wrangle her best friend for not picking up her phone, which was rather ironic considering how Brooke was always on the phone, either for business or for her regular calls to the Naley Clan. Knowing that she won't get any calls from the brunette for a while, Rachel rummaged through her hotel room for a much needed dose of alcohol to calm her irritated nerves. Letting a few unladylike words slip through her mouth, Rachel realised that she wouldn't really get some proper sleep tonight. Cursing her best friend for making her worry, Rachel readied herself for a very long night.
His feet pounded onto the pavement, his heart raced, his torso wet from sweat due to the strenuous exercise he was currently undertaking. Julian Baker felt the lingering eyes of several females on him as he ran past them. He chuckled to himself at the thought but pushed it aside as he sprinted the last few metres. Coming to a complete stop Julian checked him watch and groaned. He only had ten minutes to get ready for work. Rushing inside his home, Julian swept through his morning routine with impeccable speed and jumped into his car. He once more looked at his watched and smirked knowing that the five minutes he had was more than enough to get to work.
Without a second too late Julian entered his office floor, his dress shirt clinging to his attractive upper body figure and the eyes of the female workers were hooked on him. Julian smiled at them politely, abashed at their intense gaze and hurried for the comforts of his office. Before having the chance to retire into his office, Julian was stopped by his father.
"Julian pack your bags." Paul said casually as he stood beside his son.
"What…?" Julian asked, perplexed at the sudden order.
"Pack your bags" Paul said, this time slower, mocking his son.
"I heard you the first time, what I meant was why?" Julian said, gritting his teeth. Frustration once more surged through Julian as he recognized his father's usual mocking. All his life Julian felt inferior to his father's expectations, never being good enough for his father. Always being the son who disappointed him. His father had never showed or even implied that he was interested in his son's work or achievements, and Julian had come to the conclusion that he would never make his father proud, that he was never going to make his father want to get to know him and spend time with him. After years in trying, Julian had simply given up on ever meeting his father's expectations because his father would never really be satisfied with him even if he won the Nobel Prize.
"You're flying to New York. You're producing a movie based on that book you've been telling me about. Get the author as screen writer and you've got yourself a movie. He's in New York right now."
"What?" Julian replied, as he was having trouble comprehending what his father had just said. His father had never approved of his inputs before, and although Julian had produced several number of film, they had always been his own money. This was possibly the first time his father had approved something he had suggested.
"I said you're flying to New-"
"I heard what you said."
"Then go." And with that his father turned and left.
Sighing, Julian walked into his office to gather some paper work. Without a second glance, Julian would begin his turbulent journey into the world of drama and angst that surrounded the tree hill citizens
What do you do when someone you love has the unfortunate luck of firing their mother when all they've ever wanted was for their parents to love them? Be proud of them? What do you do when you failed to keep the promise of protecting them from it all? What do you do when the person you love begin to break down in front of you? Begging you to give them answers? Answers to questions that have never ever crossed your mind about them? What do you do when they ask if they were so horrible that no one can ever love them unconditionally? That they were so unlovable that even their own mother didn't love them? That those who claimed to love them just ended up hurting them and stop loving them? What do you do when you know that you're one of those people who announced to the entire world that you loved them only to disappoint and hurt them in the end? What do you do when you are probably the main reason for that person to believe such a thing? What do you do? Do you take them into your arms and whisper words of comfort? Would you tell them that everything will be okay and that they are the most amazing person you've ever met? Would you tell them that those who broke their heart and let them down were idiots when you know for a fact that you did the exact thing? Do you whisper sweet things about them? Lists all their amazing qualities? Number all the reasons why you love them? Tell them about their little quirks that make them so unique and so loved? Or do you just wrap your arms tightly around them and hope that from that simple gesture they would understand what you're trying to tell them but can't? Or if you were Lucas watch someone else offer her all the things that she had for so long longed for.
As Lucas stood there, he felt his heart constrict in pain in ways he never thought possible. Here he was, standing before the broken girl he had so long ago love with his entire heart, only to watch her sob into the arms of another man. Lucas didn't know what the relationship between the two, only knowing that they were dating according to the tabloids, but either way Lucas did not enjoy the emotions that roused from the sight before him. He also didn't like the guilt he felt knowing that once again he had failed her. He had failed his Pretty Girl once more. And there was nothing he could do but watch her obtain comfort from someone else. Feeling his eyes tear at the broken sight in from of him, Lucas gathered the strength to walk away, intending to go to the bathroom to wash his face hoping that Brooke wouldn't see his weakness. However before he had the chance to actually take a step away from him, Brooke stopped him.
"Lucas don't" she whimpered, her eyes filled with tears as she looked at him. She looked exhausted but most of all broken. Her eyes told him everything he needed to know and that was she needed him, she needed him to keep the promise he made to her so long ago. The promise of rescuing her. She knew that her mother's actions and its result shouldn't have made her feel so distraught. Feel so unloved when for a fact she was surrounded that so many who loved her dearly, but growing up with no parents to love her, Brooke finally comprehended that no matter what she did she would never obtain their love. And this hurt her. More than it should, but it hurt her nonetheless.
Lucas without any hesitance reached for Brooke and Jordan released her from his hold knowing that she needed Lucas more. Wrapping her tiny figure in his arms Lucas held onto Brooke, hoping that his simple act can bring her some form of comfort. He felt her dig her head deeper into his chest and felt her tears wet his shirt, but he didn't give a damn. All he gave a damn for was to bring the comfort that Brooke needed, to take away her pain and to be there for her, like he should have been for the past year. Nothing mattered anymore because as of that moment, Lucas Scott vowed that he was not going to let anyone hurt her anymore. He was going to make sure that Brooke would never feel unloved and he sure as hell would never let his idiot self ever hurt her so bad that she would question herself as being the reason why she wasn't loved, because Brooke Penelope Davis is and will always be loved. Either by him or their Tree Hill Family.
Done. Once again sorry for the super long wait. And I know this is really short but I haven't had the time to write anything with so many things going on. I decided to upload what I had so far so that you guys would have something to read because as of today assessments will be thrown at me left and right so I won't be able to get any writing done for a very long time. Please review, I'd appreciate that very much.