A/N: I'm back! I can't believe that I took so long to update this and I can't apologize enough. I need someone to just stay on me about updating or else I completely let life take over. I hope you guys like this chapter.
Brooke looked around the room at all the people there to celebrate the launch of her line. She smiled at the people passing her and said the occasional thanks, yet her heart was not fully in celebration mode. It had been a long 6 months for Brooke while she created the line and tonight was the celebration of the success of the line so far, most of the big department stores had picked up the line and the fashion show at Fashion Week had been a success, so everyone involved was celebrating. Looking around the room one more time Brooke sighed for the millionth time in three hours and decided to take a little breather.
Stepping out in the nippy December air, Brooke took a deep breath snuggling further into her jacket. She stood at the balcony and leaned over taking in the snow beneath her and thought of Nathan, who was not able to make it to the party because of finals and basketball. Pulling her phone out of the small clutch she carried with her Brooke opened a new message and began typing.
Nathan sat at the desk in his room hunched over trying to memorize the psychology terms for his final when his phone beeped. Nathan's first instinct was to ignore the message but something in the pit of his stomach told him to open the text message. Deciding to take a much needed break anyway Nathan grabbed his phone and opened it, happy then worried to see a text message from Brooke.
I should be happy right now, my dream is coming true, yet I can't be happy no matter how hard I try.
Nathan sighed and rubbed his tired eyes his heart breaking slightly. He knew that Brooke was probably feeling really alone at the moment, no one was there to celebrate with her. He felt horrible that he couldn't be there for her and in a moment of anger pushed his textbook away from him, startling Luke, who had fallen asleep on his psychology book. "What's wrong?" He asked sitting up and running a hand through his hair. Nathan didn't answer but held his phone out to Luke; he quickly read the message and looked up at Nathan eyes wide in slight panic. "What are you going to do?"
"I don't know, Luke. What should I do?" Luke thought about it for a moment before smiling and looking up at Nathan.
"We should fly up there this weekend and surprise her. That way you and Brooke get to send some time together and Peyton and I can spend some time together." Nathan nodded slowly processing the idea before smiling and high-fiving Luke.
Brooke had just stepped back into the party her forced smile back in place when her phone beeped. Stepping into the corner she pulled out her phone and opened the text message from Nathan.
I wish I was there, to make you as happy as I am. I'm so proud of you Brooke. Love you, Nathan.
Brooke smiled slightly and shut her phone, deciding that if Nathan can be happy for her then she should be happy for herself. Immersing herself into the party Brooke began mingling with her guests, a renewed feeling of pride for herself building in the pit of her stomach. Looking back down at the text message a few moments later she knew that all she needed to keep going was to know that someone like Nathan was proud of her.
Nathan sat on his bed across from Luke the two of them quizzing each other when Nathan's phone beeped again and without a second thought Nathan picked it up smiling broadly at the screen of his phone.
Thank you, you have no idea how much I needed to hear that someone loved me and was proud of me. Good luck on your final, I love you. B.
Nathan shut his phone and continued his quizzing with Luke, a new feeling of confidence building within him.
Nathan and Luke stepped off the plane and looked at each other beyond excitement that they had pulled off their surprise without alerting Brooke or Peyton of their plan. Quickly high-fiving each other they took off through the crowded airport and headed for the apartment where their clueless girlfriends were most likely still sleeping.
At the apartment Brooke and Peyton were passed out in Brooke's bed after they had spent most of the previous night catching up and just enjoying each other's company. Although the night would have been better if Nathan and Luke had been there, but the girls were lucky to get to have some time together before the craziness of the holidays and basketball games began.
Nathan and Luke pulled up in front of the apartment and quickly ran up the stairs and slipped into the apartment. They smiled at each other and made their way to the bedroom both moving over to the side of the bed where their girlfriends were sleeping. Nathan walked up to Brooke's side and smiled at her sleeping form before crouching down and lightly kissing beneath her ear, stifling his laughter as she moaned quietly in her sleep whispering his name. He began trailing kisses from beneath her ear to the corner of her mouth before kissing her soundly on the lips, mentally counting how long it took her to realize that he was actually kissing her. After fifteen seconds of kissing her Brooke's eyes flew open and she pushed Nathan away from her jumping up with Peyton, who was receiving the same treatment from Luke and together the two screamed and clung to each other while Nathan and Luke doubled over in a fit of laughter.
"Nathan? What the hell?!" Brooke exclaimed jumping down from the bed and standing in front of Nathan.
"Surprise!" Luke and Nathan cried laughing at the shocked faces of their girlfriends before both getting smacked soundly in the stomach by said girlfriends.
"That was not funny Nathan!" Brooke cried slightly angry at him for scaring her like that.
"I'm sorry." Nathan honestly replied looking down at her with an innocently sweet smile spread across his face. "I just wanted to surprise you and it seemed like a good idea at the time." Brooke sighed and shook her head not angry at Nathan that much for his surprise awakening.
"Well I can't say that I didn't enjoy being woken up like that, but geez you scared the hell out of me." Nathan chuckled a little bit and wrapped his arms around Brooke relishing the moment between them. Looking up at Peyton and Luke Nathan smiled at his brother, mentally congratulating him on the success of their surprise. "Now I wish that Peyton and Luke weren't here." Brooke whispered a few moments later, the soft raspy sound of her voice sending a shiver down Nathan's spine. Almost as if Peyton was thinking the same thing she pulled away from Luke and murmured something to Brooke before she was dragging Luke out of the apartment.
"That was easy." Nathan joked keeping his one arm wrapped around Brooke's shoulders as they exited the bedroom and went towards the kitchen. Their plan to spend the weekend together had fallen apart within the first three days of Nathan being together. She sighed, feeling as if she was failing him as a girlfriend.
"What's wrong?" Nathan asked pulling her against him wrapping his arms securely around her waist.
"When did we fall apart? When did we become so consumed with life that we forgot about each other?" She asked her voice slightly muffled by Nathan's shirt.
"What are you talking about?" Nathan asked pulling away slightly to look into her eyes, searching desperately for the answer to what was going on in her head.
"When I came to visit back when the season started we had a plan, and here it is almost two months later and that plan didn't work out. Is fate trying to tell us something or do I just suck as a girlfriend?" Brooke quietly asked the tears slipping from her eyes. Nathan sighed and ran a hand through her hair pulling her tightly against his body.
"You do not suck as a girlfriend Brooke Davis and fate isn't trying to tell us something. We just let life and all its problems get in the way. All we have to do is find a plan that works for us and stick to it."
"What if you're wrong?" She asked completely pulling out of his arms and took a few steps back. "I think that fate's trying to tell us something."
"Like what Brooke?" Nathan asked taking a step towards her, desperately wanting to pull her into his arms.
"I don't know, maybe we're not supposed to be together right now. Maybe we're supposed to take the time and get our lives together then we'll be able to work." She replied tears now streaming down her face.
"Brooke." Nathan whispered not wanting her to say something they'd both regret later.
"Nathan, I love you with all of my heart. I know that you're the one that I'm going to end up with. But maybe we need to get our careers up and going before we make that happen."
"Brooke." Nathan whispered again too stunned by the words coming out of her mouth to actually form a sentence.
"I'm being pulled in fifty different directions for Clothes Over Bros and you deserve a better than me, I can't keep hurting you by not supporting you. I know it hurts you every time I miss a game. Nathan we can't keep doing this to ourselves."
"What are you saying? You want to end this so you can focus on your career and not feel guilty about it?" Nathan asked his blue eyes finally meeting her teary brown eyes. Brooke opened her mouth and closed it a second later. "Is this what you really want? Do you really want to break up?" Nathan pressed taking a step towards her and forcing her to keep eye contact with him.
"No Nathan it's not what I want, what I want is to have things the way they were before you left for Duke. I want to be able to see you more often and be able to have an actual fucking relationship with you!" She yelled, suddenly furious with the situation they were in.
"Then let's change it. Don't let some stupid bullshit like distance ruin the best damn thing either of us has ever had! Don't shut me out just because it's too hard. Don't do this to me!" He yelled fire in his eyes. Brooke looked up at him and for a long moment they just stood there staring at each other.
"Where did it all go wrong?" Brooke whispered moments later, reminding Nathan of how the conversation started.
"When we forgot just how much we need each other." He honestly replied reaching out and grabbing her hand, holding it tightly in his own. "It's not going to easy baby, but I promise you that I'm going to fight like hell to make it work. I'll do whatever it takes to make it work. Please just don't run away from this." Nathan replied his voice cracking at the end of his sentence. Brooke looked up at him and her heart broke at the uncertainty he held in his eyes. Brooke lifted her free hand and gently cupped his cheek rubbing her thumb lightly against it.
"Don't give up on me." She whispered her eyes glassy again with tears. Nathan softly smiled and pulled her close resting his forehead against hers. "I promise to make it work no matter how it can get." Nathan nodded his head and lightly kissed Brooke pulling her so close to him that her feet actually left the ground.
"That's all that I want." He replied before kissing her again. Before Brooke let herself get lost in his kiss she suddenly had an idea how to make situation just little bit better. Smiling at herself Brooke finally gave into Nathan's passionate kiss happy at the turn of events that came from Nathans' surprise visit.
A/N: So I was actually planning on them breaking up but I wasn't happy with the way the chapter ended up, so I decided to have them stay together. I really hope you guys like this chapter. Thank you to all of those that have stayed around and been patient with me.
