Alex Making her way to school her usual route Alex walked slowly down the streets. "Hello I'm looking for an Alexandra Forbes!" The woman on the other side of the phone said Alex understanding what this phone call was going to contain "I'm so sorry but your grandmother passed away peacefully in her sleep this morning" the woman said causing Alex's heart to stop.
Aarron walked into mrs Scott's classroom expecting to see Alex but didn't taking his seat figuring she was late he stared at the door expecting her to come through. Haley went down the registration calling name by name repeating Alex's name twice with a sigh moved on about 10 minutes into the lesson he received a 911 text from Alex Aarron didn't even stop to collect his stuff stood up and walked out! The class and Haley watched as he strolled out.
He ran for around 5 minutes till he reached the beach seeing the girl sitting her knees pulled to her chest he knew what was wrong as the rain fell he pulled the girl into his chest lifting her in his arms and carrying her to Brooke's house into her bed room that he was yet to see and lying perfectly still. As she cried into him Aarron grew up with this girl and had only ever seen her cry once when her step father yelled. Pulling out his phone after Alex had cried herself to sleep texting Natasha to grab his stuff from the English class he had walked out on.
Natasha made her way to Hayley's class room tears in her eyes having been close to Alex's gran for sometime now knocking before walking in to a thankfully empty class. "Hi Natasha are you okay?" Haley said concerned "yeah yeah no I'm fine I just came to collect Aarron's things after his dramatic exit" Natasha explained grabbing the books and putting them into the backpack that was sitting on the back of the chair "is everything okay?" Haley asked confused at the drama that took over her sophomore class "yes fine he just had to be with Alex today" Natasha explained "do you know where they are" Haley asked worried on where her step daughter had gotten to "yea at Alex's birth moms I was going to go give him this at lunch" Natasha explained "Okay why aren't they at school" Haley asked the tears more evident in the teens face "Alex's gran died this morning! That girl has been through so much it's just not fair" Natasha said tears now freely falling down her face Haley making her way over to the sad teen rubbing her arm.
Haley got someone to cover her classes getting in her car and driving way too fast to Brooke's house opening the door making Aarron jump as Haley made her way to Alex room Alex staring into space lying her back against the boy. Aarron waved silently making his way over "go back to school I have it from here" Haley said Arron understanding and making his way over to Alex's bed to say bye.
Haley taking the shift before Brooke could get out of a meeting to check her phone "hey girl you doing okay?" Haley said climbing into Alex's bed Alex nodded "it's okay if your not!" Haley said as the teen sat up wiping the tears from her face to hide the fact she was crying "I'm so sick of not being okay" Alex admitted Haley hugging the girl furiously as they lay completely still as Alex refusing to cry but was grateful to be held by Haley. Haley was certain the minute her mother came home the girl would breakdown and was right the minute Brooke came home frantically after breaking like 70 traffic laws and Haley left Alex allowed herself to cry in her mothers arms until she fell asleep Brooke falling asleep along side her.
A week later after the funeral and everything with the lawyers was over. Alex was feeling much better but still completely embarrassed by her meltdown in front of Aarron and Aarron becoming much more protective than ever before!
"Go it's okay I'm fine" Alex urged him to leave "you don't look fine" Aarron pleaded "dude are you okay your heads just not in it lately?" Alex said knowing Arron was more worried than ever about Alex but Alex wanted him to say it. "I'm fine you were the one who was dropped im so sorry" Aarron said sadness and guilt in his voice "you say it like its the first time in okay your okay what's the problem" Alex begged desperate to make it into Brooke's house. "Yea your right" Aarron said kissing her head and making his way back to his bike.
Alex waited for him to leave before stumbling into the house. To be met by Haley Quinn and Brooke. "Hi honey" Brooke sorta laughed at the struggle Alex was having with her dance bag "hey" Alex said slowly sitting on the arm chair unable to move "you okay?" Haley asked concerned "no Arron kept dropping me and I'm pretty sure I have broken every bone in my body" Alex whined "anyway what be you lot up to?" Alex said "nothing just wine and chat" Quinn said stuffing her face with food! "Oh fun" Alex said sarcastically "I'm going to bed" Alex whined trying to stand up but failing going for a second time making the girls laugh as she was about to leave "hey Nathan wanted to know If you'd spend the day with him and Jamie tomorrow" Haley asked Alex realizing how long it has been since she has seen Nathan was excited "yea sounds like fun" Alex said making her way to her bed.
Alex was yet to sleep through the night for quite some time now the nightmares getting worse and worse each time. The only person in Alex's world that had stopped her step father from braking her was gone. Alex was slightly grateful that her grandmother had died now she wasn't suffering! Alex lied still until around five in the morning exhaustion taking over.
"Choose!" Her stepfather yelled reaching into the closet and pulling Alex out by the hair! "Choose!" He yelled as he sent her flying into the next room of her old house "every thing is going to be okay" Brooke said from the chair in the corner "yes sweetheart it's going to be okay" Nathan said tied to a chair in the center Ale
x looking up could see Haley and her mother sitting side by side "choose! or they all die" Alex screamed as he grabbed her kicking her till her organs felt as though they would explode!
Waking up to the sound of a pan hitting the sink made her jolt. running to the bathroom passed Brooke who was making breakfast in the kitchen. Alex locked the door before emptying her stomach into the toilet "hey Alex are you okay?" Brooke asked knocking on the door Alex tried to reassure her mother between heaves but failed finishing she stood to open the door to Brooke not quite sure how to explain standing now brushing her teeth and figured trying to act like nothing happened was a safe bet! "Hey yea yeah I'm fine" Alex said finishing up with her teeth and walking back to her room unable to shake the dream she had Brooke was not fooled however walking straight into the room where Alex was sitting taking a deep breath.
"Alex!" Brooke said stubbornly Alex had thrown up every morning the past few days "this is the six morning in a row what do you expect other than for me to suspect the worse?" Brooke said causing Alex to laugh standing to get changed "no I'm not preggers Brooke, well god I hope not" Alex said her brow furrowing "no not pregnant" Alex said
reassuring "is there a possibility I mean are you.. A.. A.." Brooke stuttered awkwardly "a virgin" Alex finished Brooke's sentence "no" Alex answered laughing "but no there's no possibility I'm pregnant" Alex laughed "okay I'm going to work then to see Nathan I have my phone" Alex said waving running out to make it to her morning class.
"So she just flat out asked you?" Aarron said "yeah" Alex said as they sat surrounded by four year olds in tutus eating apples and juice boxes "and you answered truthfully?" Aarron laughed "well yea, but now I think she thinks I'm pregnant!" Alex laughed "okay 20 minutes till Nathan's picking me up!" Alex stated.
"Your not though? Pregnant?" Aarron asked teasing "no there is a 99.9% chance" Alex said reassuring her best friend.
Brooke was shocked by her daughters answer and reaction didn't know what to do got in the car and drove to the Scott residents knowing Alex wouldn't get there for another few hours to find Quinn and Haley at the breakfast table "hey? Are you okay?" Haley asked "no" Brooke growled sitting down throwing her hands up in defeat "Alex?" Quinn laughed "so I asked her about the throwing up in the morning. Not pregnant by the way oh but not a virgin!" Brooke said frustrated "she just tell you that" Haley asked "no I sort of forced her into it it was awkward and ugh... She opens up a tiny bit and then bang closed down shop thought we were making progress" Brooke complained
"Hey kiddo" Nathan says as Alex jumps in the car with her father and Jamie. "Hi!" Alex replies excited to see her dad "what we up to today?" Alex asked "thought we'd hang at the house today sound good?" Nathan said grateful for more time with his daughter! Alex nodded in response grateful she didn't have to go out. They got to the house and were met by Mia Haley and Quinn in the living room who said hello as Jamie and Alex went to play a fierce game of Mario cart.
After lunch Jamie was forced to go up stairs to do his homework and Alex sat with the adults "so do I get to hear a song now" Mia begged desperately "yes pleaseeee" Haley said shaking the teen and dragging her to the piano Alex sat in front and started to play a song she had written a while back.
"I can see your eyes staring into mine,
But it's a battlefield and you're on the other side.
You can throw your words, sharper than a knife,
And leave me cold in another house on fire.
I lay low, lay low and watch the bridges burn
I lay low, lay low. What more could I have done?
Now you only bring me black roses,
And they crumble into dust when they're held
Now you only bring me black roses,
Under your spell
She told me twice all her good advice,
But I couldn't see I was clouded by your lies.
Up in smoke, a vision she foretold,
She said, "Stay away 'cause that boy's a warning sign."
I lay low, lay low and watch the bridges burN
And I'm done trying to be the one picking up the broken pieces
And I'm done trying to be the one who says,
"I love you dear but I'm leaving."
Now you only bring me black roses
And they crumble into dust when they're held
Now you only bring me black roses
But I'm not under your spell
I'm not under your spell
I'm not under your spell
I'm not under your spell
I'm not under your spell"
This is a Nashville song Clare Bowen sings but I felt the lyrics fitted the storyline
"So Brooke told me about this morning" Haley said causing Alex to put her head in her hands "you know she's just worried bout you" Haley said now sitting with Alex and Quinn at the table "yeah I know but pregnant really?" Alex said "can you blame her?" Quinn chimed in "no I guess not!" Alex said quietly "is she mad?" Alex asked sadly "no? what no? Of course not!" Quinn jumped in "she's just worried" Alex nodded understanding.
Alex hadn't had a mom a real mom in a long time. Pissing of her mom was hard to do so the sex and drinking and riding that stupid bike was what she did for a glimmer of attention most the time failing. Brooke cared she really did and Alex wanted to confide in Brooke to tell her about the nightmares but couldn't. Alex put her walls up for a reason so people could not see she was vulnerable. After her father died Alex and her mother lay in Alex's bed for days not talking just lying in a state of fear hurt and grief Alex's mom threw herself into work a month later falling in love a year after that. The man was nice and cared for her mom made her feel better they were married 7 months later. At first it was okay good even Alex was happy her mom was happy every one was elated that her mom had found a new guy to take care of her and Alex. Then Alex scored her first Broadway production 2 year contract then another Broadway show then another then another and the money started swooping in making her stepfather a happy man therefore her mother was a happy woman then of course came the pressure to be the best of the best. Then her mother began to drink more and more her step dad becoming more and more violent first it started with throwing of objects when he got really angry then it was a slap here and there when he had a bad day then it was beatings after beatings because she was disgusting or a slut or whatever other excuse he would use her mother choosing to ignore the bruises.
Alex was silent the drive home to Brooke's Nathan choosing not to question it gave Alex a kiss on the cheek before driving off. "Hi" Alex said as Brooke looked up from her magazine "hey" brooke said moving her legs so Alex could sit down. "We should talk" Brooke said Alex complied "okay so your not pregnant, are you sick is everything okay?" Brooke asked worried "no no I'm not sick just.. Nothing it's nothing I'm fine" Alex said begging for Brooke to drop it "no Alexandra I'm not excepting that answer anymore!" Brooke said stubbornly "I have nightmares sometimes" Alex admitted "they scare me or frustrate me or stress me out so I get sick or panic" Alex confessed
"oh honey" Brooke said reaching out for Alex who jolted back "please don't do that!" Alex said shaking her head "do what?" Brooke asked slightly saddened "feel bad for me look at me with those sad eyes I'm not broken I'm not sad I'm not like that" Alex said looking into Brooke's eyes "I'm okay I'm fine" Alex reassured brooke wanting to stand and run away so fast but knew it would only make it worse stayed "it's okay not to be okay it's okay to breakdown it doesn't mean that you are weak it just means you have been strong for too long and that's what makes us human the tears the sadness anger fear it's okay you don't have to hide it from everyone not from me it can be our secret okay" Brooke said again reaching out to hug her daughter who nodded in response hugging her mother back crying slightly. Relieved to have someone to breakdown to that wasn't bug her usual sounding bored.
Brooke and Alex stayed in one another's arms for a while before Brooke stood to order dinner eating dinner talking about there day before watching a film on the couch. Brooke made her way to bed first being woke up at four in the morning by an hysterical Alex. "Hey kid it's okay it's going to be okay" Brooke cooed moving Alex from the bathroom floor to Brooke's bed before climbing in with her allowing Alex to tangle herself within Brooke's shirt she fell asleep almost instantly.
Alex woke up first this time stopping herself before running to the toilet lying back down admitting to herself this was getting out of hand. Brooke woke up almost seconds after "another dream?" Brooke asked Alex nodded in return "do you want to talk about it?" Brooke asked worried "no please don't make me" Alex cried "it's okay shh it's over now" Brooke said rocking Alex in a calming way "he made me choose" Alex said quietly "who made you choose?" Brooke asked still rocking the girl "my step dad in my dreams he asks me to choose between you and Nathan or my mother and himself and I can't I won't choose but he's scary and strong" Alex admitted "Alex you never have to choose between your parents and me and Nathan we are not trying to replace them" Brooke said pulling Alex from her holding her hands on her shoulder. Alex cuddling up beside Brooke feeling safe and calm allowed herself to drift to sleep.