Brooke fell back on her bed and sighed, she had nothing nice to wear for Nathan's mom. She wanted this trip to be perfect to make a great impression on his mom and make his mom love her. She just wanted everything perfect.
Nathan walked into the apartment tossing his keys on the counter a huge smile on his face. He walked into the bedroom and laughed to himself when he saw Brooke sprawled on the bed muttering to herself. He flopped on the bed next to her. "Talking to yourself won't pack your bags."
"I have nothing nice to wear for your mom, Nate."
"What are you talking about? You have a lot of stuff."
"But that's clubbing clothes not take me home to meet mommy clothes."
"I bet you have nice clothes." He sat up and looked through all her clothes sprawled on the bed. He then walked over to the closet, looking through the clothes that still hung on the rack. Brooke watched him for several moments before he turned around smiling again. "We can buy you some new clothes."
"Nathan we don't have that much money."
"Brooke, don't worry about money, come on." He pulled her up and out the door. They drove to the nearest mall and set out finding Brooke's take me home to meet mommy clothes. After spending 2 hours in the mall Brooke was satisfied and they went back home to spend their last day in the apartment before spending a week in Tree Hill for Christmas.
Brooke moved the last of her bags into the living room and turned back to the coffee maker. Nathan was still packing so she brought him a cup of coffee. He kissed her cheek and zipped his suitcase. "Are you ready for this?"
"To be honest…" She trailed off meeting his eyes. "No." He smiled at her uneasiness, he knew it was going to be hard to go back to Tree Hill but he promised her that they would just stay at the beach house with his mom if she wanted too. "I called my parents and told them that I was going to be home for Christmas and they want to meet you."
"Do they miss you?"
"Actually they do but they support me."
"Did you tell them about work?"
"No I thought I would save that surprise for in person." She beamed when she thought about telling her parents that she was going to open her own business with a friend from work. She was actually going to do what she's always wanted to do. She leaned into Nathan as they entered the airport. Going back to Tree Hill wasn't as scary as she thought.
Deb waited for Nathan and Brooke at the airport with Karen. She was really excited to have Nathan home for Christmas and hoped that he was happy with Brooke after all she'd heard. She'd admit that she didn't like Haley but all that matter was Nathan's happiness so now Deb was open to meet anybody that Nathan brought home.
Nathan stopped after getting off the plane pulling Brooke to close to him. He didn't know how she was taking all of this so well because almost 3 months ago they were both running away from this place and now they were back. He didn't know how she wasn't worried like he was because of Lucas and Haley. He hoped that they didn't know that they were back in town because knowing them they would do anything to try and break them up. That scared Nathan more than anything; he didn't want to lose Brooke. She was too important in his life now that he had seen the real her and wasn't about to throw all that away because of his jaded ex-wife. He pulled away from Brooke and kissed her forehead lightly trying to convey his feelings into one action so she'd understand and she just smiled brightly something he hadn't seen that much of since the whole Haley thing went down. Then it finally clicked for Nathan, Brooke was afraid of losing him to Haley, she was afraid that he was going to come back here and stay leaving Brooke back at square one. He smiled happily to himself about his realization as they continued their walk to baggage claim.
When Deb saw Nathan her whole face lit up and she threw her arms around her so happy that her baby was back. She pulled away from Nathan and kissed his cheek too happy to speak. She then turned to Brooke and looked between them, this was the first time that Nathan had a real smile on his face and Deb hugged Brooke. "Thank you for making my son happy again." She whispered into Brooke's ear and Brooke just nodded in response smiling as they broke apart. They silently walked back to the car when Brooke realized that Karen might have told Lucas that she and Nathan were coming home for a visit. She stopped and pulled Nathan aside, "What if Karen told Lucas about us?" She whispered nervously looking at Nathan with scared eyes.
"Don't worry even if he does know nothing will happen, I promise." He kissed his cheek pulling her along to catch up with his mom and Karen. 'This is going to be interesting.' Nathan thought as they rode back to Tree Hill preparing to face the firing squad. 'At least they're still in school and can't do anything till later.' He kept repeating in his head as they drove into the all too familiar town of Tree Hill.
After they were all settled at the beach house Nathan and Brooke took off from Deb and Karen and took a walk on the beach. "This is the only good part about Tree Hill, there's no drama here." Brooke whispered as they walked and Nathan just nodded not knowing what to say. It was weird being back in Tree Hill after being gone for so long, he didn't think that it would have ever come back after deciding to run away with Brooke.
Lucas and Peyton sat in their class of the day when Haley waved to him through the window motioning for him to come out into the hallway. Lucas quickly asked the teacher if he could go to the bathroom and almost rushed out of the room. "What is it Haley?" He whispered not wanting anyone to hear them out in the hallway knowing that if they were heard they would get in trouble.
"Lucas, Brooke and Nathan are back in town." She whispered a look of relief washed over her face. He just stared at her in disbelief not knowing if she was just telling him so rumor she had heard or if it was the truth. He didn't know if he should be happy that they came home or angry that they didn't even bother to call and tell them that they were coming home for however long they were home.
Nathan looked at the clock as he and Brooke lay on the couch watching some TV knowing that if he was right they would be seeing the people that pushed to leave Tree Hill in the first place and Nathan didn't know if Brooke could handle it. "I'm going to take a nap." Brooke whispered getting up off the couch laying a kiss upon Nathan's cheek. There was something up with Brooke since they stepped off the plane, it was like she was keeping Nathan at bay in case something happened so she could just take off for Boston. As soon as Brooke was in the bedroom there was a knock on the door and Nathan feared that it was Lucas which he was right. He just glared at all of them as he stood leaning against the front door his worry about Brooke replaced with anger and numbness. Haley's smile faded a little bit but didn't say anything. "What are you guys doing here?"
"We came here to see you, I mean you did take off and leave without saying goodbye. Is there a crime against that?" Peyton spoke up knowing that Lucas and Haley wouldn't say anything.
"Well that's really nice of you," Nathan started the sarcasm and anger dripping from his voice. "But I don't see you guys." She went to shut the door but Haley stepped up and put her hand on it stopping it and making Nathan look up at her.
"Just give me 2 minutes, Nathan." He sighed and nodded letting them in. Haley continued past the living room out onto the deck.
"So what do you wanna talk about?" Nathan asked at least trying to be nice, maybe if he was nice she would leave faster.
"I wanna talk about us." She looked up at him with those beautiful eyes that stole his heart last year; he sighed and turned away from her. "Nathan, do you really wanna give up what we have for some little phase or whatever you're going through by going out with Brooke?"
"Haley you can't think that I'm just going to drop everything and come running back to you after everything you did and said. I'm happy in Boston with Brooke and I know that it's hard for you to comprehend that but that's the truth."
As Nathan and Haley were talking on the deck Brooke walked out of the bedroom coming face to face with Lucas and Peyton both surprised to actually see her and in a pair of Nathan's old sweats and a baggy t-shirt. She plastered a fake smile on her face and looks out onto the deck just in time to see Nathan and Haley kiss. Her heart sinks and tears instantly filling her eyes and before anyone could say anything she had her bags in a cab heading to her parent's house.
Nathan pushed Haley away from him and saw Brooke running out of the house. He took off towards her ignoring the calls from Haley and Lucas; he just kept running after the cab that seemed to be going faster than Nathan could run. He finally gave up when the cab turned and Nathan lost sight of it not knowing where she was going. He walked back to the house and saw the three of them standing on the porch watching him with such intensity that it made Nathan feel even worse. "I want you guys out of here and I never want to see you again." He said the last part looking straight at Haley before going back into the house slamming the front door hard behind him.
Brooke slid down the front door of her parent's house crying and wondering why she ever invited Nathan to come with her. "It looks like I'll be starting over in Boston alone." She muttered calling her parents telling them she would be returning back to Boston but she loved them and would see them if they ever came to Boston. She sat in the foyer of the house not wanting to move but wanting to leave and never look back. She knew that she had to tell Nathan that she was okay with him being with Haley and that she would let them have the apartment in Boston.
She decided to write him a letter and have Deb give it to him. She knew it was cop out but that's all she knows how to do. She has never been good with dealing with the people that broke her heart. So after dropping the letter off Brooke found herself sitting on a plane going home to spend the holidays with a friend from work. She vowed to never come back to Tree Hill ever again.
Nathan was sitting on the beach when his mom came up to him a small smile on her face as she handed him the letter his name sprawled on it in Brooke's handwriting, he knew that this wasn't good and sighed thanking his mom for giving it to him. He just looked at for awhile before opening and quickly scanning over the letter. One thing caught his eye right off the bat, "You and Haley can have the apartment." His heart sank when he read that one sentence of the whole letter and had to get out of here. He stood and walked up the walkway back to the beach house stopping dead in his tracks when he saw Haley standing in front of him.
"God can't you just get a hint?" He screamed in frustration. "I'm done with you Haley; you picked Chris over me Haley so just face it we're over. There will never be an us again. I left because of you and now I've lost everything because of you." He pushed past her the last part of his tirade hitting him hard. He'd lost everything that mattered to him in a matter of hours. He fell back on the bed a wave of sadness hitting him. He knew that Brooke wouldn't never take him back after what he had let happen. He had no choice to go back to Boston and move his stuff out of the apartment. He had to find another place because staying in Tree Hill was out of the question. He stood up again and walked out of the house calling out to his mom that he was leaving and that he was sorry for ruining her Christmas. He sat on the plane alone knowing that nothing was ever going to be the same. Starting over in Boston was a bad idea I shouldn't have never left. He thought as the plane landed in Boston and he took a cab back to the apartment to start packing his stuff. He wasn't surprised to find that Brooke wasn't there so he packed up his clothes, leaving everything else leaving Brooke a note she could keep it before going to check in a hotel for the night. It was definitely over for them that he was sure of no matter how much it hurt him to say it.
