Chapter 15

Brooke was standing against the bar, relaxed now as she watched Leah interact with her family. Despite all that was going on with her, being with Leah made everything... better.

When Brooke turned back to the bar, she rose a brow, looking to her right, sucking in a sharp breath as Leo's gaze fell on her. He was standing a few feet away, clearly angry. And now he was here...with her family and by the looks of it he was about to make a big scene.

"Maybe I should've gone to Joanne." She muttered to herself, still frozen in her place, her eyes going wide as she watched the man pull his hand from his coat, his fingers tightly wrapped around a black object. "Maybe I should've gone to Joanne." She repeated again, her heart pounding in her chest.

Brooke's dad had been off in the shadow's, keeping an eye on Brooke. He still wanted to talk to her before he did as she requested and disappeared for a little while. It seemed like him and Brooke were the only two people to notice Leo, and as the man pulled the gun out, he pushed his way towards his daughter.

The next few seconds happened so fast, but were so real. A loud gunshot sounded, everyone turned to where it came from, some people ducking, and others too shocked to really move.

Leah quickly looked around for Brooke, looking to the bar, seeing a man with his arms around her, "Brooke!" she quickly shot forward, Joanne to slow to grab her arm, but they had nothing to worry about anymore since Leo had fled as soon as he took the shot, but no one else knew that, and Maureen was quickly after her.

"Oh god." Brooke whispered, her eyes tightly shut.

"It's okay baby." Her dad softly said, "You're okay."

"Dad?" Brooke whispered slowly opening her eyes, looking at the pained expression on his face, "Dad?"

He softly smirked, before slowly sinking to the ground, his body responsible for blocking the bullet that was meant for Brooke.

He looked up at Brooke, taking her hand, smiling weakly, "At least you know I love you." He whispered, his eyes fluttering shut.

"Dad!" Brooke shouted kneeling on the ground next to him. "Someone call an ambulance!"

"Police and ambulance are already on their way." Roger stated.

"Brooke!" Leah came over, checking her over, "Why was someone shooting at you?" She asked tears in her eyes.

"Is that?" Maureen questioned looking at the man on the ground, "Brooke..."

"It's my dad." She finally nodded holding his hand, "He's changed, Maureen, I swear." She said tears in her eyes as well.

Maureen sighed, "Brooke-"

"Maureen..." Joanne said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Maureen bit her lip nodding, "Someone's coming." She softly said. "He'll be okay."

A few hours later Maureen, Joanne, Leah and Brooke waited in the hospital waiting room, while everyone else went back to the loft.

Leah held Brooke's hand, brushing her thumb softly back and forth, "Why didn't you tell me he was back?"

Joanne looked up, "Leah." she whispered Leah looked up at her, and all Joanne did was shake her head, pretty much telling her now was not the time to be questioning her lover.

Leah sighed nodding, pressing a kiss to Brooke's temple.

A bit later the doctor called on Brooke. Brooke stood; Joanne did as well, walking over to the doctor with her. Leah and Maureen watching in silence, until Brooke's cry echoed through out the quiet room. Leah was quickly over there, her arms tightly wrapped around her girlfriend.

"He's dead Leah, he's gone." She cried.

"I'm so sorry, Brooke." She whispered, running her fingers through her hair, "I'm so sorry."

"I have no one." Brooke cried. "I have no family."

"That isn't true." Maureen said, coming over, lacing her fingers with Joanne's, "You know you have us, you've had us for a while now. You already lost him remember?"

"But he came back, and he was good." Brooke whispered, "He was good. I had my dad back. The dad before my mother died."

Joanne sighed, walking over resting her hand on Brooke's shoulder, "I know." She softly said, "Come on, let's go home. You had a long night."

Brooke sighed, nodding, just standing in Leah's arms for a few minutes, so she could control her tears, and then finally she took Leah's hand and headed home.