Thanks to everyone who reviewed and encouraged me. So I worked harder than ever to write this chapter.

I'm back at college and already I can tell this workload is going to be super tough. Oh lord. Well this will definately be my escape. That and a little man named captain morgan lol. OH AND I CANT WAIT FOR SEASON 9 ep 2 obviously! :)

Enjoy part two!

AGE 10 1/2 PART 2

Pinned to the ground under that disgusting pig of a man, Brooke screamed her heart out.

He was literally sitting on her, pinning her to the ground. But no matter how many times Ronan hit her, no matter how many times he hit her head against the floor, no matter how many times he ripped the fabric of her clothes, none of it would prompt her to give up her fight against him.

Unfortunately she'd been through this before... and she'd changed then. God only knows what would change this time. Especially if Ronan succeeded in his mission.

"Let me go!" Brooke cried over and over.

Her flowy dress was just about torn to bits and there wasn't much left for Ronan to uncover. He slipped a hand under her panties and ripped them clear off. He shoved two fingers inside of her and Brooke screamed bloody murder.

Ronan smiled as he reached for his own belt, but it was hard to undress with Brooke putting up such a fight.

As he unzipped, Ronan was pulled from his state of power as someone grabbed his hair by the root and ripped him backwards.

Brooke cried as the load on top of her was taken away.

Ronan was thrown to the ground and the one and only Nathan Scott began to take out all his anger on the man's face.

"What the fuck is wrong with you!" Nathan screamed as he beat the man senseless. "You deserve to die!"

In seconds Ronan was unconscious, but Nathan kept beating on him regardless. Nathan wanted to make it clear that Ronan was done hurting one of his best friends.

"Nathan..."

Nathan turned and saw Brooke. She was on her knees now and was wiping the blood off the floor with her ripped clothing. Nate kicked Ronan slightly as he moved towards Brooke and took off his jacket. He wrapped it around Brooke's shoulders and covered her exposed parts. She didn't seem to notice anyways - she was clearly in shock - but Nathan was a gentleman and a protector.

"Brooke... he's not gunna hurt you anymore."

"I need Julian."

"I know, honey, I'm gunna call him right after I call the police."

"No, I need Julian."

"I know, I know, but we need to get you to a hospital..."

At the word hospital, Brooke's hand went to the back of her head. Her hair was sticky with blood and it scared her. The tears flowed as Nathan brought her in tighter while he held the cell phone up to his ear. She felt pain radiating through her body but she was overcome with shock.

She didn't hear what he said to the 911 operator. She just focused on breathing. And she held onto Nathan. Brooke didn't think she would have felt this comfortable in the arms of a man after this, but Nathan Scott was the only consistant man in her life ever until Julian. She'd known him since grade school, for goodness sakes. They were her boys' age when they'd really started to be friends: Nate, Peyton, and Brooke, ruling the middle school. She considered Nathan to be her brother in a lot of ways, and the way he was saving and protecting her now was something she'd never be able to repay.

;

When Julian saw Nathan's number flashing on the caller ID, he was confused. He assumed Nathan and Brooke would have already met up and picked out a present for Haley by now. So why was Nate calling him now? It wasn't that he minded, though; Julian liked being part of Nathan's circle, as he called it. He was finally friends with the jock, even if it was a decade or two too late.

"Hey Nate, what's up?"

"Julian... something happened at the store. Brooke was attacked again."

"What?" Julian couldn't even fathom those words.

"I got there and stopped him, but she's pretty banged up. We're headed to the hospital, but she's asking for you."

Silence was all Nathan got as a response. Police lights flashed on Nathan though the window as he sighed into the phone. He knew Julian was having a heart attack; he certainly would be if the situation was reversed.

"Julian listen to me. I know you're freaking out, but I need you to get in your car and drive very carefully to Tree Hill Memorial, okay. I'm gunna text Jamie and he'll come watch the kids. They'll be fine on their own until he gets there. Okay... Julian?...She's gunna be okay, man. I promise."

"I'm coming."

Julian dropped the phone and was about to run straight out the door when he saw his son sit up on the couch.

"Where are you going, Dad?"

Julian babbled a few vowels before spitting out a lie. "I, uh, I have to go to the office for a little while, but Jamie's coming to watch you guys, okay?"

"Really?" Jude said, coming down the staircase.

"Cool," Davis smiled. His stomach felt better and, besides, there was no way he was missing out on having fun with his coolest 'cousin'.

Julian grabbed his keys and grabbed the door knob.

"Wait! You're leaving now? Jamie's not even here yet."

"I'm in a rush so I'm trusting you guys. Don't kill each other or Avery and don't burn the house down, please."

Julian was gone before they could even agree. And Davis and Jude were pretty smart. They knew something was wrong, they just couldn't begin to understand what it was.

;

He had never felt so helpless and so angry all at the same time. Brooke was hurt and he was standing in the ER, he had no idea which way to turn to go find her.

"Julian.."

Nathan came up beside Julian and put a comforting hand on Julian's shoulder to steady his friend. He looked so lost.

"Where is she?"

"I, I don't know, but the doctors are taking good care of her. She's going to be okay."

Julian turned and looked at Nathan desperately.

"Who did this?"

Nathan looked down.

"I don't know... she said it was some guy she worked with... Roger or Rogan or something...?"

Ronan. Julian knew. He had a bad suspision about him all along, but Brooke had been the one to tell him he was over-reacting. And now... they were here. And here sucked.

"And.. and you pulled him off of her?"

Nathan nodded.

"Did he...?"

Nathan knew he would ask. Nathan was curious himself.

"I don't know. He could have.. her clothes were really torn up. I'm sure that was his mission. I just hope I got there in time."

"You did everything. Thank you, Nate."

Nathan wasn't a very semtimental guy that liked to show any PDA, especially with someone who wasn't his wife, and especially with another man, but Nathan pulled Julian into a hug anyway. A manly hug, but a comforting one too. Julian needed it.

"You saved my son at the Gable Bridge and I'm just repaying the favor... She gunna be okay."

Julian had heard that same 'she's gunna be okay' from Nathan at least ten times tonight already. He hoped to God that Nathan was telling the truth.

;

Julian badgered the nurses to let him see Brooke for almost an hour. They assured him that she was in good hands but that wasn't cutting it. He wanted to see for himself.

When he was finally brought to her new hospital room, the nurse stopped him just before her door. She explained Brooke's condition: how she was groggy from the pain meds and the sedative they'd given her to help her relax. She had two cracked ribs and stitches in her lip and on the back of her head. Her cheek bone was fractured and swollen, her wrist was sprained, her stomach was as black as a punching bag, her pelvis was most likely fractured although they couldn't visualize it just yet with x-ray due to swelling, and she had had some minimal vaginal bleeding.

The nice middle aged nurse gave him the opportunity to ask questions but Julian didn't. He wanted to get to Brooke. Plus, if Ronan had violated her, he wanted to hear it from Brooke. He didn't want to pry. She would tell him, he knew she would tell him the truth. Or he hoped she would.

As he stepped in the room, Julian felt as if all oxygen had leave his body completely.

Brooke heard someone come in and her eyes squeeked open. She could only imagine what she looked like, but whatever drugs she was on really helped her not freak out. Unfortunately those drugged up positive feelings did not extend to Julian.

"Hi.."

Julian stepped forwards just three small shuffles. "Oh Brooke."

She was so swollen and black and blue everywhere he looked already.

"I'm not breakable."

'Yes, you are,' Julian thought. But he didn't like that she thought he was scared. He was supposed to be her rock, not like a scared child. So he walked over and kneeled down beside her bed. He took her hand and was delicate around its IV tube.

"I love you so much."

Brooke's eye let go of a tear and she sniffed. "I love you too.. I'm sorry, you were right... He- -"

Brooke couldn't finish.

"He's not gunna get away with this Brooke. He's going to prison, I'll make sure of it. And Nathan, and everyone else too. We all want justice."

"Nathan.."

"He's in the waiting room, and Haley's coming too."

"He was so good, Julian. He was almost as good at comforting me as you are."

Julian lowered his chin. "I should have been there. I should have sensed it."

"It's not your fault. You couldn't have known... especially since I kept refusing to see it myself."

"Brooke, did - " As Julian looked up mid-sentence, he watched her eyes close in a restless slumber.

She needed her rest.

He lowered his body towards their clasped hands and put his head down on the edge of the bed. He breathed loudly, trying to stop the inevidable. He used his free hand to wipe away tears and looked up to the sky.

"Please... she has to be okay... please," he prayed.

Physically he knew she would heal, but emotionally, psychologically... there may be a long road ahead.

;

When nineteen year old James Lucas Scott got the call from his dad to get to Aunt Brooke's house immediately, he knew it couldn't be good. He left the Rivercourt, where he spent most of his summer break, as fast as he could to go distract the Baker kids from the fact that something was wrong with their Mom.

When he got to the house, Jude was sitting on the front porch. Jamie knew Jude could sense something was wrong. He wasn't naive. Something really bad had to happen for his parents to leave him and his siblings home alone without supervision at the last minute.

But when Jude saw Jamie's car pull up, he actually smiled. He stood up off the porch and grabbed the soccer ball beside him, throwing it at Jamie as he approached.

Jamie caught it with both hands.

"You know this isn't my sport. My feet are useless with this thing."

"Do you know where my dad went?"

Jamie frowned. "Uh.. no not really. I just got a call to come hang out with my favorite cousins."

"You mean babysit..." Jude rolled his eyes.

"Nah, buddy... Uh, you hungry? I make a mean bowl of pasta."

Inside, and over the next hour, he had nothing substantial to say when the kids asked about their parents. They were all confused, including Jamie. He truthfully had little idea of what was going on, just that Aunt Brooke was headed to the hospital with his dad at her side, and Julian was meeting them there. Soon after, Jamie faked going to answer a call from Chuck but really talked to his Mom, who had just joined his father in the waiting room at the hospital. He was filled in that his Aunt Brooke was attacked and that Nathan had stopped him, but they really didn't know the extent of Brooke's injuries. She was a little out of it, but Julian was in with her now.

Julian. Jamie remembered his day with Julian that was meant as a distraction. And now Jamie finally understood why Julian didn't tell him about his Aunt Quinn and Uncle Clay being shot all those years ago. Back then he was too young to understand everything, and Julian didnt want to ruin his innocent view of the world just yet, just like Jamie didn't want to do that to the Baker kids now. That wasn't Julian's job then, and it wasn't Jamie's now.

His job was to distract them.

;

Over the next few hours, Haley forced Julian to take a break and get food and clear his head, so Julian and Nathan headed to the cafeteria.

Brooke slept.

Haley sat with her, telling her how strong she was and how much she loved having Brooke in her life. Haley tried not to get teary eyed, but it was hard seeing her friend like this.. again. At the time, Haley didn't know Brooke had gotten attacked, but she remembered how depressed Brooke had been afterwards. Haley hoped history didn't repeat itself. Although unfortunately this time, it may even be worse.

As if on cue, when Julian came back, Brooke began to wake up. She was still groggy, but she seemed less out of it now.

"Hey sweetie. How are you feeling?"

"Okay."

"Do you need anything? Some water, or maybe something to-"

"Julian..."

He stopped and sat down, ready to give her anything she wanted.

"Last week I fired Ronan because he tried to hit on me.."

"What?" Julian was confused.

"...And I didn't fall at work. He hit me... punched me actually. I lied to you."

"Why Brooke? You should have told me."

"I know," Brooke's eyes watered. "I was going to... I just... I had made such a big deal that you were wrong about him but you were right and I was ashamed and I'm sorry!"

Brooke spit out her last words as Julian brought his arms around her in a hug. He didn't want to hurt her or touch something sore but it needed to be done.

"I love you Brooke. And I hate what's happened but we're going to get through it. I promise."

Brooke breathed out.

"He didn't rape me... he was going to but Nathan stopped him." She said this all into his neck, not prepared to see his reaction just yet.

Julian leaned back. "He didn't?"

Brooke clamped her eyes shut and shook her head tearfully.

"But he did put his fingers inside of me.. it hurt so bad. I thought he was going to get away with it, but Nathan saved me."

"I should have known. I should have been there to save you, but if I couldn't, I'm so thankful that Nathan was."

"You couldn't have known. I should have been honest with you."

"That doesn't matter now. It's over. And we're going to face everything together, one step at a time."

Brooke nodded and leaned back into her bed.

"Thank you."

A buzzing in Julian's pocket broke the moment. He pulled out his cell phone and saw his home number flashing on the screen.

"Hello?"

"Hi Daddy what's wrong?" Avery asked immediately.

Julian sighed and he heard Jamie come up and grab the phone.

"Avery I told you they would call when they could... I'm sorry Julian. They've been so worried about you guys, I just couldn't...They could sense something was wrong."

"It's okay Jamie. You did great. Tell the kids to go on the speaker phone in the living room."

Julian heard Jamie repeat his words and the kids' voices cheer. The phone crackled and beeped until he heard his kids resound together on the speaker phone.

"Hi Dad!"

Julian put his own phone on speaker too.

"Hi guys. I'm sorry I left you today, but Mommy had an accident."

"Is she okay?" Davis asked immediately.

"I'm okay guys. Don't worry," Brooke said loudly so they could hear her.

"Mommy!" Avery yelled.

"Are you okay?" Davis repeated.

"When are you coming home?" Jude asked.

"I don't know but I'm hoping tonight. But you don't have to worry. I'm a little banged up but I'm gunna be just fine."

Julian raised his eyebrows at the 'a little banged up' part. She was more than a little banged up. But he knew she was putting on a brave face... voice... for the kids.

"You guys have fun with Jamie and do whatever he says. And bed at nine if we don't get home before then."

The kids 'aww'ed and then said their goodbyes and Julian hung up.

"Everything you just said to the kids is true, Brooke. You are going to be just fine."

;

Brooke was kept overnight for observation, so Haley stayed with the kids at home. In the morning, Brooke was given the green light to go home by her doctor and a psychiatrist, despite Julian's objections.

"They shouldn't have let you go home so soon," Julina mumbled, driving his car towards their house."

"They can't keep me there forever."

Julina shook his head. "You're in a lot of pain, Brooke. I can tell. You shouldn't hide it."

"I'm not hiding anything! I am in so many different kids of pain, Julian, and there's no way I can hide this much," Brooke said forcefully.

Julian looked over and sighed. "God Brooke, I'm so sorry. Of course you're in pain and I know you're not trying to hide it... but... I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

Julian leaned over to touch her yoga-pants covered leg and she wasn't expecting it. Brooke lurched away fearfully.

"Oh Brooke, I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking... I just... ugh damnit."

"It's okay... I know you didn't mean it. It's just going to take some time... to get back to before."

"I know, I know, I'm so sorry." Julian felt horrible.

Brooke leaned against the window. "It's fine."

She had been saying that since it happened. 'It's fine. I'm okay.' But even she knew that was a lie.

;

As they walked up to the front door, Haley opened it.

"Hi guys. The kids are in the kitchen.. I made lunch if you're hungry."

Brooke approached slowly and gave her best friend a half-hearted smile. Haley went in for a hug but stopped.

"Am I going to hurt you?"

Brooke shook her head no so Haley hugged her gently.

"Thank you for bringing me clothes. And for sitting we me last night. Julian told me.."

Haley nodded. "Anything for you, Brooke."

Julian then hugged Haley too and thanked her before saying hi to his unsuspecting kids.

"We're home guys."

The three little Baker heads whipped around to see their Mom and Dad walking into view with Haley.

But they never expected to see their mother like this.

The boys were speechless, while Avery immediately started tearing up.

"What... what happened to you?" Jude practically yelled.

Brooke didn't know what to tell them. It was all just so... complicated.

Davis was the first to get up and walk over to his mother.

"Can I touch you?" he asked quietly.

Brooke answered by leaning down and kissing his forehead and then wrapping her arms around him. Davis was weary at first, but leaned into his mother's warmth. It was the same her.

"What happened to you?" Jude repeated as he made his way over to his mother now. He just couldn't find a situation or an accident in his head to match what would have caused his mom to be so black and blue. He just couldn't fathom that another person did it.

Haley made his way over to Avery and picked her up. She buried her head in Haley's shoulder, not wanting to see her mom like this.

"Boys, come with me, okay?" Julian said. He needed to give the boys and explaination.

,

In their bedroom, the boys sat down silently, waiting for Julian to speak.

"Now I know this is maybe hard for you to understand. But I'm going to tell you the truth.. because.. I don't want to lie to you."

The boys were wide eyes and Julian took a deep breath before continuing.

"You're mom was attacked by a man at her store yesterday while she was waiting for Uncle Nathan to get there... and when he did, Nathan stopped him and called the police."

Davis looked confused and upset, like he didn't even believe it. Jude looked angry.

"Is he in jail?" Jude asked.

"He is now."

"Who was it? Who would do this to Mom?" Davis asked.

"It was Ronan.. The man who helped Mom at work before. We didn't know that he was sick enough to do something like is a horrible horrible man and the police are going to make sure we never see him again."

"But why? Why did he do this?" Jude asked, clenching a fist.

Julian kneeled in front of the boys and took Jude's fist gently in his hands. Jude unclenched.

"Sometimes bad men do bad things to women.. But I want you to understand that nothing a girl ever does makes it okay. It is NEVER okay to hit a woman or force her to do anything she doesn't want to do, no matter what."

"Like sex?"

Julian's eyes widened at his not even eleven year old.

"What? I know about things...sometimes," Jude shrugged.

"Yes," Julian answered simply. That conversation was not happening today.

"Did that guy do that to mom?" Davis asked quietly, his face even more panicked than before.

"No."

The boys didn't say anything.

"I hate that you have to hear about this, boys. But the world isn't always such a great place. Horrible people do horrible things and that's why we get so protective over you guys. But your Mom is strong and her wounds are going to heal and we're going to help her get through this. Right?"

Davis and Jude nodded.

;

While the boys talked, Haley calmed Avery and assured her that her Mommy was the same, just a little hurt right now. Then Haley had to leave and Brooke brought Avery to the master bedroom.

"I'm not afraid of you, Mommy. I'm sorry I cried."

Brooke felt Avery snuggle against her more. It hurt her a little bit, but the fact that Avery felt comfortable with her was all she really cared about.

"I know it's scary honey. Don't worry."

"I don't like that someone hurt you, Mommy."

"I know, baby. But he's gone now. He can't hurt anyone ever again."

Avery sighed. "I love you."

Brooke kissed Avery's head.

"I love you too angel."

;

The family laided low at the house for the rest of the day and tried to act normal. But it was obvious the kids were walking on egg shells.

Brooke wanted to forget it all, but how could she when the constant sad looks she got reminded her. She wished her injuries weren't so evident.

At bedtime, the kids were compliant and they were in bed pretty fast. When Julian walked into the bedroom, he saw Brooke changing her shirt slowly. It was obvious that she was in pain.

"Can I help you? I can get you some of your pain meds."

Brooke shook her head, sitting down on the bed. "I just took some."

"Oh.."

The two got in bed and covered themselves in the covers. They looked over at one another and felt a bit uneasy. Julian didn't know if he should touch her or not. Or if she wanted him too.. It was all unknown.

"Is it okay if I put my arm around you?"

Brooke turned. "I'd like that."

Julian smiled and leaned forward while Brooke came closer.

"Even with what's happened, you always make me feel safer."

"I'm glad."

Brooke put her head on his chest and closer her eyes. Julian leaned over and shut off his light.

"We're gunna get through this Brooke. Whatever it takes. I promise everything's going to be okay."

She'd heard that statement a lot yesterday and today, but for the first time, wrapped snuggly in the arms of her husband - a man that respected her and would never ever hurt her - Brooke believed it too.

.

REVIEW PLEASE

~Haley :)