Author's Note- I apologize for the delay. I had posted the last chapter while on vacation, and didn't get too much chance to write anymore until recent days. I'm really touched by the reception of this story. I hope it lives up to its potential.

I'm really not in love with this chapter at all. It still feels empty and useless. I suppose it's going to take a little bit for me to really set the stage, so there you go.

Please keep reviewing- I really do love and cherish every review. Thanks.

-xx-

"Put Julian through, Maggie."

"But Miss Davis, he's in an important meeting."

"Tough. Tell him his 3 year old kid would like to speak with him."

This is not Brooke's afternoon. On the way out of Starbucks, she bumped into a man in a business suit, too wrapped up in his newspaper to pay attention to where he was going (not that Brooke was paying attention, either), and the encounter sent her iced beverage flying. The result left Hazel upset and Brooke upset. When they finally reached their flat, it took ten minutes of digging in her purse for Brooke to find her key. Hazel ended up sitting on the stoop, crying her eyes out, quite loudly. By the time Brooke found her key, she was near a breakdown as well.

Now Julian is continuing to be difficult to reach and it is not Brooke's day.

"Alright, I'll try", the woman says, giving in to Brooke's request.

When Maggie, Julian's secretary, finally puts Brooke on hold to find Julian, Brooke makes a mad dash to the kitchen to get Hazel a sippy cup of juice before returning to the living room area where Hazel is watching television and Brooke is trying in vain to design the fall/winter line.

"Oh, come on, Julian…" Brooke mutters to herself.

The young woman taps the pencil on the coffee table as she waits…and waits. She steals a look at the clock in the kitchen and finds she's been on hold for five minutes. This is not an uncommon occurrence these days.

"Hello?"

A gruff voice is heard on the line and Brooke sighs, thankful that at least Julian has answered though she has no idea how the conversation will go.

"Hey, it's me", Brooke says.

"I can't talk for too long, babe. My director's in with me now."

"I've had a really sucky day and I just wanted to hear your voice…"

Now Julian sighs. "I'm sorry. I can't talk too long. I'll be home at about 7, okay?"

"Wait, please wait. Hazy wants to talk to you."

"Sure, put her on."

Brooke puts the phone down slowly and rests it on her shoulder. This was not how the conversation was supposed to go, but it's not like she can expect anything different lately. At least Julian was willing to talk to his daughter, that's one thing Brooke knew would never go away.

"Haze, daddy wants to talk to you", the mother says to the child sitting across the living room from her. She picks herself up off the couch to pass the phone to the young girl.

"Okay…are you going to say goodbye to daddy?" Hazel asks. She's disturbingly perceptive for a 3 year old.

The worst thing, both of them knew it, was what this distance between them was doing to Hazel.

Brooke puts the phone back up to her ear to speak, "Hey, listen…I love you."

"I love you, too, Brooke." There was emotion there. There always was. They don't hate each other and for that Brooke is grateful. It's something and Brooke will take it.

"I'll see you later. Bye Baker."

"See ya, Davis."

Brooke smiles and passes the phone to Hazel who grabs it and puts it to her ear enthusiastically.

"Daddy!" the child squeals.

"Hey Hazy. How are you today?"

"I'm just fine! Mumma and I had coffee!"

"Is that so, Hazy?"

"No, I had chocolate milk. I just feel all grown up if I say I had coffee, like Mumma!"

"You are grown up. You're practically a teenager!", Julian teases. The banter between father and daughter is what keeps things light when the family is together.

"Nuh no, daddy! I am only free. Just a bitty thing!"

"Nah, I thought you were ten feet tall."

"Oh, daddy." Hazel says, sighing and shaking her head at her silly father.

Julian sighs to himself now. He misses Hazel. He hates that their communication is virtually solely over the phone these days. Some nights, Brooke will let Hazel stay up until Julian gets home but usually she doesn't and Julian is left to kiss his sleeping daughter's forehead as she cuddles into her bed. It's on these nights when he lies in his own bed and thinks about scrapping his next film, cutting his hours, hiring a co-producer or co-director. Maybe one day soon. He misses his family and the life they used to have.

"I know", he replies.

"You're being daft, don't do that."

"I'll work on that, Haze", Julian says and pauses. "Listen, I hope to be home before bedtime tonight."

"Do you promise?"

"I can't promise, but I'm going to really, really, really try."

"I guess that's okay, too. I miss you, daddy! A lot."

"I know, and I really miss you, too. Can you put your mom on?"

"Okay! Buh bye, daddy."

"Bye, baby."

Hazel puts the phone down, hops off the couch and runs over to her mother who has escaped to the kitchen to begin preparing a late lunch. Once Hazel reaches her mother, she pulls on her skirt (yet again, a frequent habit of Hazel's) and speaks up.

"Mum, daddy wants to talk to you!"

"Alright. Go hop up on your chair and you'll have your sandwich in a second."

Hazel nods wordlessly as she hands her mother the phone and runs over to the dining room table, busying herself with trying to get up on the chair.

"Hey Julian, what's up?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to say goodbye again."

"Okay. I'll see you later. 7, you said?"

"Yeah."

"Bye again."

"Bye…"

It's weird, both Brooke and Julian note that the conversation wasn't all that awful. It was just…odd, but still had an air of hopefulness. That contradiction is what defines their relationship at this point in time.

They don't fight, neither is angry, they don't hate each other. They just miss each other and they can't or won't sort themselves out.

-xx-

It's early evening by now, nearing 6PM and Brooke is scurrying around the flat's kitchen to organize some kind of healthy dinner for herself and Hazel, also keeping in mind that she should make something for Julian, in case he does come home by 7, as he promised.

She's yapping away at the same time as these thoughts run through her head, the phone wedged between her cheek and shoulder. It's almost noon in Tree Hill and Haley sits at her desk at Tree Hill Elementary, happy to be given a short break from the children while they play at recess.

The two best friends talk every day, sometimes twice and sometimes exchange e-mails on top of the twice-a-day phone conversations. Skype conversations on top of the e-mails and phone conversations are not unheard of for the pair, either.

"I'm trying to figure out what to cook Julian for dinner", Brooke says, continuing their conversation. "I can't even say I know what he likes to eat anymore."

Haley scoffs quietly to herself, knowing not to upset Brooke, "That's such a lie. You know Julian like the back of your hand."

"Oh, Hales- I really don't think so anymore. I think we've both turned into two different people."

"That's not true, either and you know it. What brought you two together so many years ago?"

One word escapes from Brooke's mouth before she can even screen it. "Hazel", she mutters.

"No, besides Hazel."

"Hey", Brooke exclaims, ignoring Haley. "Hazel brought us together, made us a family. I could have another baby, right?"

Whoa, there. What?

"Nooo, Brooke. Do not do that. You know that's a bad idea", Haley says. "You just need to figure out what brought you two together. Besides your daughter. You fell in love for a reason. Find that reason again."

"I don't think I can do it", Brooke admits. She stops running around the kitchen now, finally settling herself on a stool. She puts her head in her hands and can't help but lament her current situation.

"Of course you can! Your relationship is not over, it's not even close. You just need to bring yourself together again. Make sure Julian comes home as he promised tonight. If he's not home by 7:15, call the office and tell him you'll flip your shit if he's not home immediately."

"Haley!", Brooke yells, shocked by her best friend's tone and language.

"And then show him why he fell in love with you."

"Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?"

Haley laughs loudly on the other end of the line. "Your call, Tigger. But please don't be so pessimistic. Don't give up and you can make everything better again."

If Brooke believed anything anyone said, it would be anything that came out of Haley James-Scott's mouth. Perhaps she will start her work tonight. Trying to make things better again.

-xx-