A/N: so here is the start of a clue of the past for you with a flashback.
Chapter 4
Flashback
"Hi," I said seeing Nathan walk into the kitchen after coming home from work. I put the laundry basket in my arms down on the dining table then tied my hair into a pony tail.
"Hi," he said going straight over to the fridge and taking out a beer.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"Nothing," he said, noisily searching various drawers for a bottle opener.
I walked over to the other side of the island and took the opener out of the cupboard and passing it to him. He closed the drawer he had open with a bang and took it out my hands.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Colson at work got that assistant coaching job at the college," he said.
"He applied too?" I asked confused.
"Yep," Nathan said popping the 'p'.
"That's ok honey, you didn't even want it that much," I said, "you just applied."
"I know I don't know what I want but it's frustrating I can't get there," he said.
"What do you mean you can't get there?" I said rubbing his arm. He pulled away and walked over to the other side of the island.
"They told Colson he got it because he went to Duke," Nathan said.
"Nathan," I said biting my lip.
"Why the hell would I pass up Duke?" he said.
"You can't regret everything because you didn't get that one job," I said.
"It's not just the one job!" he said raising his voice, and Cody who was sitting at the table with his dinner and pushing the vegetables around the plate, turned around.
I raised my eyebrows to tell him to calm down.
"I wanted to get far Brooke, it was my dream. And now what am I? Assistant to the Coach of the Tree Hill High basketball team? Is that going to be my life now? Is that the furthest I can go?"
He put the bottle down noisily on the counter.
"Cody, if you don't want to eat it, then don't! Stop playing with your food," Nathan suddenly said to Cody in an irritated tone.
Cody tensed and I glared at Nathan.
"It's ok Codes, go see what your sisters are doing," I told him gently. He gave us a wary glance that shouldn't have been on someone's face who was so young, but then again he had seen his fair share of disagreements between me and Nathan lately. All the kids had.
Cody hopped off the chair and ran into the living room.
"Nathan, you cannot keep doing this," I said. The past two weeks had been filled with similar conversations as Nathan picked apart all the things he wasn't content with in his life, which would ultimately end up in a fight between the two of us, which would somehow project onto the kids. Most nights would end with Nathan storming out.
"Yeah well that's easy for you to say," he said.
"What is that supposed to mean?" I said putting my hand on my hip.
"You went to the college of your choice. You're working in a job you probably would have gotten to if—" Nathan stopped suddenly.
His pause alerted us both to what he very nearly just said.
My eyes widened in shock.
"If what?" I asked, daring him to finish.
Nathan looked at me, and I matched his stare.
"If we didn't get pregnant with Talia and get married?" I asked.
"Well you can't pretend that didn't make a difference," he said, and I took a step back.
"I didn't force you to marry me Nathan," I said, "I told you to go to Duke."
He scoffed and let out a short laugh.
"Mom have you seen my—" Talia said, walking into the kitchen.
"Not now!" both Nathan and me said at exactly the same time.
"Ok," she said, holding up both her hands, then going back the way she came.
"How the hell was I supposed to go to Duke Brooke?" he said, "I wasn't going to leave you."
"So you thought you'd marry me out of obligation?" I asked.
"No! You know that's not what I meant," he said frustrated, "I can't talk about this right now."
He went and pulled on his jacket and picked up his keys.
"No, we need to talk about this," I said.
"Well I don't want to right now," he said.
"Don't walk away from me," I said. He paused by the kitchen door.
"I'll see you later," he said softly before walking out.
End Flashback
xxxxxx
Present day
Nathan POV
"Lucas! I swear to god, open this door right now!" I yelled, not having any patience as I knocked again.
"Nathan?" Peyton asked, getting out the car as she drove into the driveway.
She started getting her house keys out but before I could respond the front door opened from inside.
"Calm down," Luke said stepping aside to let me. I walked in with Peyton hot on my heels.
"I need to know exactly what you said to Brooke," I demanded.
Luke closed the door and looked confused.
"Sweetie, what's going on?' Peyton asked, looking confused.
"I need to know exactly so I can fix this, then I need you to never interfere in my business ever again!" I shouted.
"Ok, it's ok, calm down," Peyton said, and gestured to us to go into the kitchen and move out the hallway, "Nathan, explain. What's going on?"
"I haven't spoken to her since Peyton's party," Luke said.
"Well whatever you said 'prompted' her to make her decision," I said frustrated.
"What decision?" Lucas asked.
"She wants a divorce," I said, the words sounding just as deflated as I internally felt after hearing them.
"No," Peyton said, sounding crestfallen.
"She said that?" Luke asked, "are you sure?"
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
"Yes I'm sure!" I said, "she said something about your talk made her realise it's unfair for her to keep me hanging. I want to be hanging Lucas! It's better than her cutting me out of her life completely!"
"Ok, ok, calm down, we can fix this," he said.
"No I don't think we can," I said.
"I can speak to her," he said.
" Actually I think you may have done enough," I said.
"What if I speak to her?" Peyton asked.
"I don't know what to do. She said we're just hurting ourselves by being stuck and we need closure. I don't want that type of closure!"
Panic filled my mind as thoughts of having no connection to Brooke at all actually became a possibility. We'd been separated for a year but the thought that it was only a separation kept me going. Right now I saw her every other weekend for a few minutes whilst we swapped over the kids, but what would happen when the kids got old enough to come without her? Would I ever see her?
"Nathan sit down," Peyton said gently, pushing me backward.
"She loves you Nate, she isn't just going to get a divorce," she soothed.
"Don't fill me with false hope Peyt, because this time I really don't know if there's any going back."
I clasped my hands on the back of my neck and leaned down, trying to control my breathing.
Peyton rubbed my back gently.
For so long Brooke had been my life, not because she had to be; because I wanted her to be. I didn't know how I was meant to function without her.
Xxxxxxx
Brooke POV
"Uncle Luke," I heard Talia say after the doorbell rang.
"Wow," I heard him say, "please tell me the other guy was much worse off."
"She was," Talia replied.
"That's my girl," he said and I heard a high five.
"Luke!" I yelled from the living room.
"Sorry! You shouldn't get into fights Natalia Scott," Luke said.
"Yes sir," she replied but I could hear the smile in her voice.
Lucas and Talia came into the living room and I put my glass of water on the coffee table.
"Brooke," he said looking wary.
"Lucas," I responded.
Talia looked between us for a few seconds then said, "I'm going to go make sure Cody didn't get out of bed again."
She flounced out the room, and Lucas hesitated by the doorway.
"Sit Luke," I said sensing his discomfort.
Luke came and sat on the other side of the couch.
"I just wanted to say sorry about the other night," he said, "I don't like you being mad at me."
"It's ok," I said, "I'm not mad anymore. You were just looking out for your brother."
"Brooke, I was looking out for you too," he said and I gave him a smile.
"I know, it's just hard sometimes to hear things about my own relationship when I'm trying not to think about it myself."
"Are we ok?" he asked.
"We're ok," I said and he looked relieved, "but maybe next time try not to yell?"
He cringed.
"I know, I'm sorry."
"It's ok."
"So if we're ok, you know you shouldn't listen to anything I say when I've been drinking slightly, and you therefore don't need to get a divorce."
I saw this coming. I sighed and twisted around on the couch more.
"Luke—"
"Come on Brooke," he said.
"As much as I didn't like what you said, you were right," I said.
"I'm not right, I'm never right," he said, "Just asked Peyton, she'll tell you."
"You were right," I enforced, "we're just hurting each other with what we're doing. I need to make a decision and I'm not ready right now to make the one you want and I can't keep Nathan on the side when I know I might never be ready. It's not fair to him or me."
"You love Nathan though," he said.
"And I probably always will, but sometimes love isn't enough."
"I don't want to force you into anything, but I think you should think about this," he said.
"Don't you think I have thought about this? It's divorce Luke, it's not something I just randomly thought of or is it something I'm talking lightly."
"I know," he said.
"Luke I appreciate everything and I know it's coming from a good place but I think for this one you all need to let me and Nathan figure it out. I know we've all grown up together and we're so used to being part of big life decisions but this time, you have to trust we'll make the right decision for us and the kids."
Xxxxxxxx
Brooke POV
"Brooke?"
"Yes?" I said, looking up from the pile of sketches I'd just put down on my desk.
"Mr Duane wants to see you in his office," Serena, his assistant said from my doorway.
"Ok, thanks," I said, grabbing my cell phone and walking down the hallway.
He probably wanted to know if I had changed my mind since yesterday about the job.
I got closer to his door, but it was already open, propped open by a chair.
Inside was Mr Duane with another man who had his back to me.
"Ahh Brooke, good," Mr Duane said.
The other man turned around and smiled.
"Brooke, I want you to meet Julian Baker," he said.
The man put out his hand and I shook it.
"Brooke Scott," I said.
"Nice to meet you," he responded.
"Brooke, Julian is the other member of our Tree Hill offices moving to Greensboro. If you decide to go you'll both be heading the same department and will be working together."
"I really hope you decide to come," Julian said, "I was looking through some of the work you did for the last line, and I'm very impressed. I think you'd be an asset to work with."
"Wow, thank you," I said, "I haven't fully made my decision yet though.
"Look, I'm putting you both on a joint project now. Let's see how it goes and how you feel working together. It might help with your decision," Mr Duane said.
"Ok," I said, still feeling slightly hesitant. I had never been involved in a project with only one other person before, it was clearly a step up from what I was used to. At the same time though I still wasn't sure it would change my resolve to stay in Tree Hill.
"Fantastic," he said, "I'll go and get the outline now."
Mr Duane left the room, leaving me and Julian.
"So how can you not be sure if you want to head a department?" Julian asked, "I've been waiting for this since I started."
"No, you're right. It's my dream too," I said.
"Then what's holding you back?" he asked.
"I have kids," I said, "and moving them away from school and from their Dad who lives here…it just seems a bit much."
"Oh," he said.
"Would it be easy for you to move?" I asked.
"My girlfriend's family is actually from Greensboro, and moving back would be ideal for us," he explained.
"That was lucky," I said.
"I know. It seems a little bit more complicated for you than it is for me," he said sitting in the chair.
"Yeah it is," I agreed.
Xxxxxxxxx
Two days later
Talia POV
"Tal?" Mom called up the stairs.
I grabbed my backpack and went downstairs.
Ella was putting her shoes on and I could hear Cody in the other room.
"We need to leave like five minutes ago," Mom said looking flustered, going through a pile of papers.
"I'm ready," I said, washing an apple off the table.
"I just need to find something then we can go," she said.
"Ok," I said taking a bite of the apple.
"Are you going to Dad's this weekend?" she asked.
"No," I said and she didn't even attempt to ask me why.
The doorbell rang and Mom looked even more stressed.
"You find what you need to find, I'll get the door," I said.
I went into the hall, and opened the door, expecting to see the postman. Instead though I found an extremely attractive guy standing on my doorstep.
"Umm hi," I said.
"Hi, you must be Ella?" he asked cautiously.
"No, Talia," I said.
"Right, I couldn't remember which way around it was," he said.
"And you are?" I asked confused.
"Oh sorry, I'm Julian. I work with your Mom," he said.
"Oh, right. She's in here, come on in," I said, stepping aside.
We went into the kitchen and Mom looked up.
"Julian! I can't find the –"
Before Mom could finish, Julian held up a few papers with notes on them.
"Oh thank god," she said looking relieved.
"I knew we'd need them for the pitch but didn't know which version you wanted so I came to check. It was on the way," he said.
"No, this is great. This is the last version," she said taking them from him and putting them in her bag.
"So I'll see you when you get into work? We can do a run through?" he asked.
"Definitely, I'm not going in without one," she said, putting on her jacket, "I just need to drop the kids to school first. Thanks to these missing sheets they'll both probably be late."
"I can drop Talia if you want," he said.
"Drop Talia?"
"Yeah isn't the high school near the office?" he asked.
"That would actually be a massive help," Mom said, then turned to me, "Tal, do you mind?"
"That's cool," I said shrugging.
"Right, then let's go," he said.
I grabbed my back, waved to Mom then followed him out to his car. I was actually glad I'd have the extra time to scout him out. Nobody from Mom's work had ever just dropped by before and I wondered who he was.
I knew from the second he turned on the music in the car that he was cool. The rest of the car ride went well and it wasn't awkward at all as we talked about random things like music and books.
Julian eventually pulled up in front of the building, going through the parking lot.
"Thank you so much," I said getting out.
"You're very welcome," he said, "I'll probably see you around."
"I will?"
"I'm working on a project with your Mom," he said.
"Right," I said swinging my bag onto my shoulder, "you're cool."
"Thanks for the approval," he said laughing.
Julian was cool. Why couldn't Mom somehow end up dating him? I knew it wouldn't happen. As much as I hated it, she was still hung up on Dad for some reason. I really wanted her to move on; not necessarily with Julian but just with life. She needed move to a better place. I hated seeing her only a shell of who she used to be.
"Natalia," I suddenly heard on my left, and I jumped in surprise.
"It's Talia," I said, seeing that Dad was leaning against the wall.
"I know what your name is," he said, "I did have a part in naming you, you know."
"Yep, your involvement is kind of stuck in my full name," I muttered.
"What?"
"Nothing," I said, "I have to go to class."
"Wait," he said, "who was that?"
"Who was who?" I asked, even though I was starting to realise who he was referring to.
"Who dropped you to school?" he asked.
Ok I know it was unnecessary and uncalled for but in that moment I was sad for Mom, and still upset over how he completely skipped over my feelings and my side of the story after the incident at school. I couldn't stop myself.
"Oh that?" I said casually, "you mean Julian?"
"Julian?" Dad asked looking confused.
"Oh yeah that's just Mom's friend," I said walking through the school doors.
"Her friend?" he asked looking confused. He had a weird look on his face that I couldn't read. He was walking beside me as I went to my locker.
"Yeah," I said like it was obvious, "Julian's really cool."
"Oh. Are they good friends?" he asked.
"Yeah I guess. We were all rushing this morning and since he was at home anyway he dropped me off," I said shrugging.
I wasn't an idiot. I knew exactly what I had just said and knew my phrasing implied something which wasn't exactly true, despite being technically accurate.
Dad went visibly white and for a split second I felt bad.
"So umm ok, I have to go," he said, "are you coming with El and Cody tonight?"
"No, I probably have work," I said.
"Right," Dad said looking dazed.
"I have class," I said, picking up my books and walking away.
I knew what I had done was fundamentally wrong but I couldn't help feel for the first time in a long time like I had the slight upper hand.
xxxxx
AN: Don't hate Talia. She feels hurt and like Nathan doesn't care about her and sometimes when you're hurt you do stupid things.