Looking For Solid Ground

++++++++OTH++++++++





"Hey you," Peyton smiled, joining Haley at the snack bar. "I don't remember if I said this, but you were awesome tonight."



"Thanks," Haley smiled. "Just following Brooke's advice."



"How's it going anyway?"



Haley raised an eyebrow.



"What? Just cause she's a girl doesn't mean I can't give you relationship advice anymore."



"She's your best friend. Isn't that kinda awkward?"



"Haley," Peyton laughed. "Nathan was my ex-boyfriend; it doesn't get much more awkward than that."



"True," Haley smiled. "It's going good. Actually, it's going amazing. I mean I am just so happy and so in love with that girl that at times I feel like it's a trick, you know? People don't get to be this happy, especially not me."



"Why not? I think you're due for some happiness."



"You know, you're right."



"Of course I am," Peyton replied, making the pair of them laugh. "But you seem to be beaming even more than usual. What's up?"



"The divorce is final."



"Oh?" she asked, not to sure how to take that.



"No, that's not why I'm beaming," Haley corrected. "It's what the divorce means that's why I'm beaming."



"And what does it mean?"



"That Brooke and I can be a real couple. No ifs ands or buts about it. It's finally just me and her," her eyes were sparkling with happiness and love.



"Hey best friend," Brooke greeted. "Hey girlfriend."



"Hey you," Haley smiled. "Having fun?"



"A blast!" Brooke smiled excitedly.



"Well, hey, there's been a lot of excitement for me this past week, and I think it's finally catching up," Haley said, smiling as Brooke kissed her hand. "So, I'm gonna head out, and go crash. But you stay here, ok? I like seeing you have fun like this. You deserve it."



"I'm not staying here without you," Brooke replied. "If you're ready, then so am I."



Haley shook her head, "No, you're not. And that's fine, seriously. I want you to stay and enjoy this. I'm just gonna go home and take a hot bath, and then I'm going to bed, so I'm not gonna be any fun anyway."



"Are you sure?" she asked. "Because if you want, I'll gladly go with you. It's no big deal, I promise."



"I'm sure," Haley smiled. "But walk me to the car?"



"Of course," Brooke smiled. "Wait, Pey, you can give me a ride back later, right?"



Peyton held up the drink in her hand.



"Ok, I'll drive us back," Brooke laughed, taking Haley's hand in her own, walking back to Brooke's car.



Brooke handed her the keys, as Haley leaned back against the door.



"Now please be careful," Brooke instructed. "That's my baby."



"I know," Haley rolled her eyes, taking the keys.



Brooke wrapped her arms around the tutor's waist, "I was talking to the car."



Haley couldn't help the goofy grin. She had to have the most amazing girlfriend ever.



"So, you sure you're gonna be ok?" Brooke asked again.



"I'm gonna be fine. Don't--" Haley laughed when Brooke opened her mouth, ready to tell Haley just how fine she was.



"Am I that predictable?" she pouted.



Haley smiled, pulling her closer, "I can honestly say that predictable is one thing that you are not, Brooke Davis."



"Good," she smiled. "Cause I like to keep you on your toes."



Haley gladly accepted the kiss that Brooke offered, leaning down. She couldn't help but sigh contentedly.



"Or on your back, either one," Brooke smiled mischievously as she pulled away.



Haley only shook her head. Some things would never change, and Brooke being hornier than any guy out there was definitely one of them.



"I'm gonna get going," Haley smiled.



"You sure? Cause we could just stay here the rest of the night. I mean no one's around. You're looking amazing--"



"Brooke, I'd rather our first time not be in a car in the middle of the boondocks."



"Not the adventurous type? That's alright, I'll change that."



"And I'm looking forward to it," Haley replied, standing on her tip toes to kiss her. "But right now, I'm looking forward to a hot bath and a bed."



"Alright. Well just drive safe, ok? It's late, and there's probably crazy people on the--" she was cut off by another kiss that was significantly more passionate than the first two.



"What was that for?" Brooke asked breathlessly, commending herself for being able to form a coherent thought after a kiss like that.



"For worrying about me," Haley smiled. "Even though I ask you not to."



Brooke merely shrugged, "It's what I do."



"I'll see you at home?"



"You can count on it," she kissed the girl's forehead before releasing her, allowing her to get into the car. Brooke watched as Haley pulled away, unaware that she was still smiling, ear to ear, even long after the tutor was gone.



++++++OTH++++++++



"Are you sure you're gonna be ok?" Brooke asked as Peyton exited the car.



"Yea, I'm just a little buzzed," Peyton replied with a smile. "Go home to your girl. Show her how proud you are of her."



"It's that obvious?"



"You haven't stopped smiling since she walked up to the podium," Peyton pointed out.



"It's hard not to smile when your life is perfect," Brooke grinned.



"Ok, seriously," the blonde sighed. "This cheese factor needs to stop. It's enough to make anyone barf, but it could probably kill an emo girl like me."



"Did I seriously just say that?" Brooke cringed.



"Yea," Peyton nodded. "You did."



Brooke sighed, shaking her head, "What's that girl doing to me?"



"I don't know, but whatever it is, it's good to see you smile," Peyton smiled herself, winking at her best friend as she walked up to the front of her house.



"And oh," the blonde turned around, after unlocking my door. "I want my car back in one piece tomorrow!"



"Yes ma'am Blondie," Brooke smiled, saluting her as she pulled out the driveway.



+++++++OTH++++++



Brooke unlocked the door of the apartment, walking in to a delicious smell. She smiled at the candles that were lining the counters. That girl was going to set the apartment on fire. She made a mental reminder to keep all the matches out of Haley's reach. That's when she heard it: the gentle strumming of a guitar. Brooke's eyes lit up. She hadn't heard Haley play since, well, probably since the last time they lived together.



Brooke made her way to the bedroom door that was closed. She was so zoned in on the music that she didn't even notice the rose petals lining the hall floor. That's when she heard what had to be the most beautiful sound in the world, Haley's voice.



"I--I don't hardly know her."



Brooke felt her heart skip a beat, recognizing the song immediately. She opened the door to the room, softly closing it behind her. She looked around, and felt her heart skip several more beats. There were more candles, lining the room with rose petals, leading the way to the bed. The bed. That's where Haley was sitting. On the edge of the bed, guitar in hand, still in her clothes from the party, not looking up.



"But I think I could love her.

Crimson and clover," she sang softly, but her voice was warm and full.



"I--oh when she comes walking over,

I've been dying to show her...I wanna show her,

Crimson and clover,

Over and over..."



Haley finally looked up, meeting Brooke's eyes, as if for the first time. She was biting her lip nervously, and the insecurity was evident in her eyes. Brooke only managed to smile back. She was finding it very hard to hold back the tears as she watched what she thought had to be the most beautiful scene known to mankind, play out before.



"Yea..." Haley's smile was so breathtakingly sweet that Brooke almost lost self control as that ever elusive growl that Haley had came out.



"Well, I'm not such a sweet thing.

I wanna do everything...everything.

What a beautiful feeling.

Crimson and clover.

Over and over..."



Brooke smiled, down at the girl. She had walked over to her during some part of the song, although she had no recollection of telling her feet to move. She gently took the guitar from her, carefully placing it behind them. She then reached out for Haley's waist, guiding her to her feet.



"That's our song," Brooke whispered with a soft smile.



Haley could only nod as her nerves coursed through her body.



"And this is our bedroom," Brooke said, taking Haley's hands in her own.



She nodded again.



"And you're?"



She nodded, biting her lip again.



"Why Haley James," Brooke smiled, trying to help the shorter girl relax. "Are you propositioning me?"



The girl could still only nod, and Brooke thought her heart was going to explode at the amount of love that was running through her for the adorable creature standing before her.



"You're sure?" Brooke asked, her own voice coming out a little shaky as she realized that this was real. She silently cursed herself for being so cliché, but she needed to hear Haley's voice.



"Yea," she breathed, looking up into Brooke's eyes. Brooke suddenly felt weak in the knees when she saw the openness in them. Haley was giving herself to her, fully giving herself. Brooke pushed a piece of hair out of Haley's eyes. She leaned down, kissing the girl softly, her heart already echoing in her ears.



She pulled away to find Haley smiling lovingly up at her. Brooke couldn't help it as she kissed both of the girl's cheeks, and eyelids, then her nose, finally making her way back to her lips--her amazingly warm and soft and skillful lips. Brooke had never been one to swoon. She usually made the other people do the swooning, but the things that girl was doing, she just couldn't help it.



Brooke slowly guided them back to the bed, knowing that she wouldn't be able to stand much longer. Haley felt the back of her knees hit the bed, and she obliged, sitting back down. Brooke smiled, sitting on the girl's lap, straddling her legs. She ran a hand through Haley's hair, kissing her once again. She traced her tongue along Haley's bottom lip, feeling the girl tremble beneath the touch. She mentally chided herself, going back to simply kissing the girl as if nothing had happened. She knew it wasn't that Haley didn't want to; it was just that she knew she would have to ease the girl into it. Besides, as long as the girl kept kissing her like she was, Brooke would gladly just do this all night.



Well, maybe not, she thought as a moan escaped her mouth when Haley tugged on her bottom lip. It was growing increasingly hard to keep herself from devouring the girl.



"Haley," her voice came out raspier than normal, sending shivers down the other girl's spine.



She looked up at her, innocently.



"I'm gonna need you to lie down," Brooke said, as gently as possible.



Haley nodded nervously.



"Hey," Brooke smiled, bringing a warm hand to the girl's cheek. "We're going to take this slow, alright? We have as much time as you need."



Haley nodded again, closing her eyes when she felt Brooke's lips against hers once again. She slowly leaned back, trusting Brooke to guide her safely, which she did.



She wrapped her arms around Brooke's waist, pulling her down, craving for more contact between the two bodies, moaning as Brooke's hips pressed against her own. Haley arched her back up into the touch, and Brooke struggled to fight off the wave of dizziness that had overtaken her. She ran her tongue across Haley's lips once more, this time getting the entrance that she had been craving. She sighed into the kiss, tilting Haley's head back slightly to give herself better access. Haley eventually pulled away, panting for air. Brooke on the other hand, didn't see the big deal about breathing at that moment, and she began to kiss her way along Haley's jaw line.



Brooke was finding it very hard to concentrate on the task at hand when she felt two small hands snake their way under her shirt. She groaned into Haley's neck making the girl shiver beneath her. Haley wasn't sure which way was up anymore as Brooke kissed her way down her neck. She hissed softly when Brooke nipped at her skin, but was quickly soothed by that skillful tongue of hers. It also wasn't helping that Brooke's skin had to be the softest thing she had ever felt as her hands slid over Brooke's sides and on to her back, trailing her nails gently down.



Brooke was struggling to keep her weight off of the girl as her arms began to shake from her touch. She soon found what she was looking for however as she pressed her lips against that soft spot between Haley's collar bone, sucking softly. She felt Haley's nails claw into her back as the girl pushed up against her. Brooke couldn't take it anymore, and she sat up, taking off her shirt in one swipe, making Haley giggle.



"Impatient?" she smiled, her voice almost non existent.



"If you would play fair," Brooke smiled, leaning back down and meeting her lips for a deep kiss. She soon realized however that Haley wasn't playing fair at all. She felt the girl's shaky hands slide up her stomach, and she couldn't help but smile at her nervousness. However, it was about time, in Brooke's opinion that they even things out. She slowly began to unbutton Haley's blouse, trying her best not to faint as the girl's small fingers slid across her ribs. Brooke sat back up, this time, pulling the girl with her, sliding her arms out of her shirt. She figured while she was at it, she might as well, and her arms snaked around Haley's back, unhooking her bra.



Brooke tugged on Haley's bottom lip as she lowered the thin piece of material, tossing it away from them. The kiss paused as Haley looked up into Brooke's eyes nervously.



"Hey," Brooke soothed, her eyes never leaving Haley's. "You're beautiful."



"I love you," Haley whispered, almost as if it were a confession.



"I love you too," Brooke smiled, running a hand through Haley's hair, finding her lips once again as she slowly laid them back down. Brooke tried not to giggle when she felt Haley's hands slide up her back tentatively, pausing as they shook slightly. The girl was definitely the most adorable thing in the world. One of Brooke's hands was making a slow path of its own upward, and she soon realized that Haley wasn't the only nervous one. Brooke found Haley's lips once more in a hot kiss, making her head spin. Haley's hand finally made its way to Brooke's bra clasp just as Brooke's hand found its own goal.



"Oh God," she moaned, arching into Brooke's touch, completely forgetting about the task at hand. Brooke had to fight back her own moan at the tutor's reaction. As her hand gently massaged the warm skin beneath her, she suddenly realized why guys were so fascinated with them. Haley found her lips once more, tugging a little harder than she meant to, but not able to control the desire that was coursing through her body. Her hand found its way back to Brooke's bra, unclasping it on the first try. Brooke smiled into the kiss. That was definitely a first for her. Brooke wiggled off the unnecessary piece of material, quickly tossing it to the side before looking back down at the girl beneath her.



Both of them were breathing heavy with glazed over eyes. Brooke watched as Haley stared up at her mesmerized. Her small hands making their way up Brooke's toned stomach, up to her chest where she cupped her softly. Brooke bit her lip, her head tilting back in pleasure. Haley couldn't help but smile at the reaction to her simple touch. She wrapped her arms around her girlfriend, pulling her back down, eager to continue their exploration of heaven.



Brooke's fingers danced light across Haley's stomach, loving how with each touch Haley was finding it harder and harder to breathe. She pulled back, her fingers running lightly over the button of Haley's jeans, meaning to ask once more if it was ok, but got her answer as Haley reached up, kissing her firmly. Brooke smiled, her head spinning as she moved from her lips, down her jaw line, to her neck as she flicked open the button to Haley's jeans with ease, sliding down the zipper. She continued kissing her way down Haley's body, her hands grazing over the newly exposed skin. Her fingers were shaking nervously as she pushed Haley's jeans down, giving her lips better access to her lower abdomen.



Haley clutched the sheets beneath her, breathing heavily as she trembled in anticipation.



"Brooke, please," she moaned. "You're killing me."



Brooke took this as the go ahead and hooked her thumbs in the waistband of Haley's black underwear, slipping them off along with her jeans. She took one look at the gorgeous girl lying before her and thought she was gonna cry. There was no way she deserved this. She knew she would wake up from this dream tomorrow morning, to find that none of this was real; none of these past few weeks were real. However, the look of want in Haley's eyes as she looked down at her, and the way her blood rushed from her own head as she slowly began to kiss her way back up to the tutor's beautiful lips, forced her to realize that this was all very very real.



"Brooke, please," Haley begged, her voice thick and raspy. "I love you...and I love you for...taking your time...but I can't...wait anymore."



Brooke nodded, locking eyes with her as her hand traveled down Haley's body. She leaned down, kissing her reassuringly as her hand found its destination, Haley moaning in pleasure against her lips. Brooke felt Haley's breath hitch as she started to move against her. Brooke moved her hand further and felt Haley pull away.



"Oh God," she gasped, her eyes rolling back. Brooke took this opportunity to taste more of the sweet skin that was beneath her, kissing her way across Haley's collar bone as she tilted her head back. Her other hand, rising up to Haley's chest. Brooke moaned against Haley's skin as her hips rolled upwards, furthering Brooke's touch.



Haley had to remind herself to breathe as a warmth spread throughout her. She gently shook beneath Brooke's touch. It was almost as if there was nothing else going on at that moment, except Brooke's lips on her skin, and her hand sending her closer and closer to the edge. Haley couldn't even feel the bed beneath her anymore. For all she knew, she was floating in mid-air.



"Shit," she breathed shakily as another wave of pleasure washed over her as Brooke started to quicken her motions, finding the perfect pace and rhythm. Brooke could feel Haley's stomach muscles clench beneath her lips and her hands tremble as she clenched her shoulders. Brooke made her way back up, wanting to look at her, needing to see her eyes. Haley clutched her back desperately, needing something to hold on to, something to keep her conscious as the waves of pleasure crashed over her, one after the other. Brooke winced as she felt Haley’s nails digging into her back, but didn't complain as she placed gentle reassuring kisses all over Haley's face.



She heard Haley cry out, beneath her as she whispered "I love you" in her ear, moving to Haley's lips, kissing her meaningfully as she rode it out.



Brooke pushed herself up, looking down at her. She brushed the damp hair out of Haley's eyes as her tears started to fall.



"Happy tears, right?" Brooke asked nervously.



"Happy tears," Haley nodded, surprised she could even form a sentence at that point, her head still reeling from what had just happened. "That was amazing," she assured her.



Brooke smiled happily, leaning down to kiss her lovingly. Haley kissed her back, hoping to portray everything that Brooke meant to her and everything that what had just happened meant to her.



"I love you so much," Haley smiled through the tears.



"I love you too," Brooke replied, surprised to feel her own eyes stinging as she lay down beside her. Haley instinctively turned onto her stomach, curling into Brooke's side. Brooke kissed the top of her head, running a soothing hand up and down her bare back.



"Thank you," she whispered.



"But I didn't do anything," Haley said, looking up at her confusingly.



"If you only knew how wrong that statement was," Brooke shook her head, smiling.



Haley looked up into her eyes and felt it--this feeling of safeness and home that she had been searching for for so long. And now she had it, with Brooke. What was that expression? Some of the greatest treasures in life are right under your nose? Well, Haley sighed in content as she felt Brooke's breathing even out and her own eyes start to close, maybe this time it was right above her nose, but either way, she had found it, and it had saved her. She smiled as she turned her head to kiss Brooke's skin gently. She felt a protective arm pull her closer as she fell into the most peaceful sleep she had been blessed with in months.





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Ok y'all, that's it for this fic. The whole point of the story was for Haley to find someone to pull her to solid ground, and it looks like she found it. Now, before you protest, I will be writing a sequel. There's still a whole bunch of stuff to write about. For one, they need to come out to the rest of their friends and family, and then there's the whole question of college. So yea, be looking out for that one some time later. Just wanted to give one last thanks for reading this story, and reviews are much appreciated. Thanks y'all.