Archive of Our Own ^beta

Coming down the stairs of the house he shared with his girlfriend, Julian Baker heard the sounds of the tv coming from the living room and as he walked in, he noticed the same movie playing that she'd already watched twice this week! Surprisingly it wasn't Groundhog Day, but to Julian, it sure felt like it.
"You know I didn't produce Love Actually right?" Julian asked as he lifted Brooke's legs and joined her on the couch.
Usually the only time movies became a watched obsession in their house was when he had a finished product of a new one that he'd make Brooke endlessly sit through time and time again for feedback.
"Course, that's why I'm indulging in it." She joked in her raspy voice and Julian opened his mouth in mock shock.
"Well I was planning on giving you a foot massage knowing you've been on your feet at the boutique all day, but I think I'll give it a miss now." He told her, only for Brooke to then pout and Julian just shook his head with a smile before letting his hands work their magic on her tired feet.
Even after two years together a single look that was shot his way from her would have him eating out of the palm of her hand. She really was irresistible to him.
"You know I love your movies really babe." Brooke suddenly said. 
Even though she knew that Julian had known she was teasing him before, she still wanted to clarify the fact that she had been. 
He worked hard at his job and was brilliant and talented at it.
Julian didn't feel the need to respond with words to that, he just nodded with his signature smile that always had Brooke's heart melting and he leaned closer to her and planted a soft kiss on her lips. 
It didn't take long for her to respond and kiss him back and it soon turned passionate, but before things could get heated between them, Brooke quickly pulled away claiming her favourite ever movie scene was coming up and Julian just shook his head and rolled his eyes.

The pair of them sat cuddled up in front of Love Actually for another half an hour when Julian got up to get some food for them both and while he was in the kitchen, he looked at the calendar on the wall and sighed to himself.
It was now the seventh of November and in a few weeks Brooke would be turning thirty, but as he looked at the date of her birthday, there was just an empty square box. Nothing was written in it, no plans, no party, nothing.
"You know instead of watching Christmas movies, maybe you should start thinking about an event coming up before that." Julian suggested as he walked back into the living room and put a big bowl of popcorn in her lap for them to share, but unlike the popcorn she didn't seem as happy at the topic he'd broached with her.
"Julian, don't. I've already told you, I'm not having a birthday this year. I don't want to celebrate." She informed him...again.
"Turning thirty isn't that bad you know." He tried, knowing that's why she didn't want to celebrate, and Brooke sighed as the credits to Love Actually started.
Hearing her sigh and noticing the credits himself, Julian wasn't sure if she was sighing because the movie had ended or if she was sighing because he'd mentioned her birthday that seemed to be off limits this year. 
He soon got his answer though...
"Just leave it ok. I'm not having one this year. End of discussion." She said and Julian decided to just drop it before he got on her fierce and fiery side.

It was now the fourteenth of November and Peyton was excited to start her Christmas shopping. She'd never been a big lover of Christmas when she was younger, especially after her Mum died, but since being married to Lucas and having Sawyer, all the magic and excitement of it had come back to her. She couldn't wait to walk around the shops, see all the decorations, hear all the music, but most importantly spend some time with her best friend while doing it all.
Her and Brooke had been long overdue a catch up. Recently work had been busy for the both of them and kept them apart more than they'd have liked, but it seemed work had also been keeping Peyton apart from Lucas lately and she was going to be in for a struggle to see Brooke at all today...
"Do you really have to go out? Can't you stay here with me and your mini me?" Lucas asked in a sexy, just woken up voice.
It didn't help that he had just literally woken up and was asking Peyton this from the comfort of their tempting looking bed that she'd dragged herself out of an hour earlier to feed and get Sawyer ready before seeing to herself.
"As much as I'd love to, I've got to see Brooke honey." She told him, only for him to then pull back the covers from their bed and she got a great view of his naked and sexy body from her dressing table mirror where she'd been sorting her hair and make up out.
"Please?" Lucas begged.
"I've got Christmas shopping to start and Sawyer's only down the hall watching Frozen, she'll hear us." Peyton replied, trying to keep her resolve, but it was fading fast!
"You and I both know how zoned out she is when that's on, she never heard that storm through it the other month and besides, you being ten minutes late for Brooke won't hurt." Lucas said, this time getting out of bed and wrapping his arms around her from behind.
"Ten minutes eh?" Peyton teased and Lucas nuzzled her neck, laughing into it before kissing it and that was it. Peyton succumbed and was soon being lifted up, thrown over her husband's shoulder and being stripped as naked as he currently was in the comfort of their bed.
By the time Peyton left the house, she messaged Brooke to apologise for running late and blamed it on the traffic, but this was her best friend and she'd always known when she'd had sex. The reply Peyton got back made the girl herself well aware of that fact.
'Loving with Lucas more like ;) See you in a few. xx'

When Peyton finally met up with Brooke to hit the shops, they caught up over a coffee first before starting their Christmas shopping and Brooke was feeling as excited as Peyton was. She was so happy that there was a festive loving side in Peyton these days as she got to share that excitement with her now.
Brooke had always loved Christmas, everywhere looking festive, the cold weather, cosy nights in by the fire and the magic and sparkle of it all. It really was the most wonderful time of the year.

The two of them had done well to begin with when it came to their shopping. They'd picked up gifts, ticked things off their lists and even managed to find some bargains, but then Peyton changed Brooke's whole mood completely.
"Seen anything you want for your birthday yet?" Peyton asked. 
It was a tradition of theirs, they'd go out Christmas shopping and usually Peyton would get Brooke's birthday present at the same time, especially if it was something Brooke had liked the look of in one of the shops, something that had caught her eye and taken her fancy, but this year, Brooke hadn't even been looking.
"Erm...no, not really." Brooke answered and then looked at Peyton and knew that what she was going to tell her next would probably confuse the hell out of her and possibly worry her too. "I don't actually want anything this year to be honest." Brooke said and there it was. Straight away a look of shock and confusion spread across Peyton's face and concern filled her eyes.
"What? Why?" Peyton asked and Brooke sighed to herself. She didn't get why people didn't understand. First Julian and now it seemed Peyton too.
"Well it's thirty isn't it. I don't actually want to celebrate it. I don't want a birthday this year." She explained and although Peyton had a look of understanding appear on her face, Brooke couldn't help but notice the slight disappointment on it too.
"I get it, but your birthday falls perfectly this year Brooke. It's on a Saturday which means you can party that night without having to worry about having a hangover the next day and you can..."
"I was actually thinking of working on the Sunday." Brooke interrupted before Peyton could list any more ideals of how perfectly it all fell, and her best friend's face looked dumbstruck and horrified. Brooke really was putting Peyton through every emotion with her birthday bombshell and her best friend had never worked a Sunday in her life!
"Brooke, you can't! It's your birthday! A big one, an important one, a special one...a milestone!" Peyton exclaimed!
"Trust me, you won't be saying that when you turn it. You'll be wanting to spend it in bed in denial." Brooke told her and Peyton let out a small chuckle, knowing that she was right.
"What's Julian said about all this?" Peyton then asked, knowing how romantic Julian could be and how he'd lavished and spoilt Brooke in the past and Brooke sighed.
"I don't think he's happy, but it's what I want. No fuss, no presents, no cards, nothing. I just want it to be a normal day." Brooke explained and even though Peyton nodded, seemingly agreeing to it, she was secretly feeling as happy about it as Julian was.

It was the beginning of the week, the nineteenth of November and Brooke's birthday was on Saturday. Julian had summoned everyone to his and Brooke's house while she was at work and for someone whose girlfriend didn't want to celebrate her birthday at the end of the week, Julian seemed pretty upbeat about everything...a little too upbeat?
"Alright what's going on? It's Monday, you're happy and you've got a moaning girlfriend who's refusing to acknowledge that it's her birthday at the weekend." Lucas stated with a squint and Julian just smirked.
"Oh she wont be, not with what I've got planned." He replied and everyone looked at each other in slight worry.
"Julian, she's said she doesn't want anything, not even a fuss being made. If you've got something up your sleeve, you better remove it quickly." Peyton warned with Nathan quick to agree.
"Yeah, a pissed off Brooke is not a sight I like to be around." He admitted with the others all agreeing.
"Wait, just hear him out. What is this plan of yours? Why are we all here?" Haley then asked, curiosity getting the better of her and after Julian explained everything, they all suddenly realised why he was so happy. The smiles appeared on their own faces at hearing what he'd lined up.
"This is going to be the best thirtieth ever!" Peyton said in joy and delight for her best friend and unlike the soon to be birthday girl herself, nobody could now wait for the weekend!

It was Saturday morning and Brooke woke up bright and early and for the first time in a long time, she'd be heading to work on her birthday. Being her own boss, she usually had the luxury of being able to take her birthday off, but this year it was the only place she wanted to be. It would be a welcome distraction.
Julian was still fast asleep, so she crept out of bed, had a shower and got ready for work. It was when she'd had breakfast earlier that curiosity had first gotten the better of her, she went on her phone which was a standard morning ritual and as much as she didn't want to admit it, she felt a little down to see no new texts. She then went online and checked her social media accounts, again another ritual that she did every morning and she ended up feeling even more disheartened at only seeing one birthday message. She knew it was early and that people probably weren't even up yet, especially with it being a Saturday, but she was expecting a few messages...even if she hadn't wanted any.
She shook it off and then left a note for Julian before heading off to work for the day, happy to be getting the distraction she'd intended.

By the time lunch came though, she'd found herself checking her phone again. She'd had a busy morning in the boutique and imagined there'd be a lot for her to catch up on, but just like first thing this morning, there was hardly anything. About two new birthday messages and a text from Julian thanking her for the note she'd left him and wishing her a good day at work. 
Nothing about her birthday. 
She knew she'd been telling him and everyone else that she didn't want to celebrate it this year, but she was now worried that everyone had actually forgotten!

The afternoon passed by quite slowly and when she got home, it was like any other day. There weren't any presents, no cards and not even anybody shouting 'surprise' when she'd walked in. 
Part of her had been wondering if Julian would have thrown a party for her to come home to without her knowing, but it seemed she was wrong and it seemed she'd been given the day she'd wished for.
"Hey babe, I thought I heard you come in. Dinner's nearly ready." Julian said as he greeted her in the living room with a kiss and Brooke smiled and thanked him.
When they sat down to eat it, it wasn't even Brooke's favourite meal, it was just a standard lasagna, one that she was sure had been done in the microwave as she'd heard it ding earlier. 
No expense had been spared so it seemed.

It was about an hour later when Brooke had finally had enough and she began to throw hints around. She mentioned how she now understood the saying of 'be careful what you wish for because you just might get it' and she even went as far as to put the episode of Friends on where they all turned thirty, but still nothing! 
Julian just seemed oblivious to everything...that was until his phone went off.
"It's Lucas, he's wondering if I fancy a night out with him and the boys. You don't mind if I go do you?" Julian asked and Brooke couldn't help but feel her jaw hit the floor! 
She couldn't believe he was wanting to!
"Are you serious?" She asked and Julian looked confused before nodding.
"Yeah, why? What's wrong?" He questioned and Brooke just sighed. She didn't want to bring up the fact that it was her birthday, the one she'd been dreading and the one she wanted forgotten about which it appeared actually now had been and how she was feeling more miserable about that than about the age she'd turned.
"No, nothing. You go out and enjoy yourself." She told Julian with a weak smile and he thanked her with a kiss before getting ready and then he headed out.

Peyton ended up texting Brooke about half an hour later and Brooke had expected it to be a birthday message, an apology for not sending one earlier, but it wasn't that at all. Just a message wondering if her and Sawyer could pop over seeing as Lucas was out with the boys. 
Brooke sighed realising she should have known that's what it would be about and replied saying it was fine.

Ten minutes later and there was a knock at Brooke's door. She got up to get it, but instead of seeing her best friend and goddaughter the other side of it, she got a surprise at seeing her boyfriend stood there instead and coming to think of it, the knock had been more of a manly one.
"What are you doing back so soon? And why did you knock? Did you forget your key?" She asked, feeling totally confused, but Julian put a finger to his lips, indicating for her to be quiet and she suddenly heard soft voices singing in the distance.
As she focused in the dark, she then noticed Nathan, Lucas, Skills and Mouth in one group and Haley, Millie, Jamie and Sawyer in another group near to them. Brooke then looked back to Julian about to ask what was going on, but she felt even more confused at now seeing a board in his hands.
'Not exactly carol singers, but the best I could do.' It read and Brooke laughed a little to herself.
'I know you said you didn't want to celebrate your birthday, but deep down I knew it wasn't true.' The next board said and suddenly Brooke realised that this was like the scene from Love Actually! The scene she'd always dreamed about, her favourite movie scene ever!
'So for now, let me say...'
'...what I've been wanting to say all day...'
'...happy birthday, baby...'
'...to me you are perfect...' 
At this point, Julian looked at Brooke and smiled and she smiled back with happy tears in her eyes, but the boards kept on coming...
'...and my heart will love you forever...'
'...so will you do me the honour...'
'...of becoming my wife?'
Brooke read the last one and then had to re-read it again...and again and then she looked at Julian and saw the love and hope in his eyes, but before she could answer, somebody cleared their throat and Julian and Brooke both looked to where the noise came from and it was only then when Peyton came into view, she'd been stood off to the side, clearly bagging the best view, but when Brooke saw Julian's professional movie camera in her hand, she realised Peyton had needed the best view as she was obviously filming the whole thing!
'Ring!' Peyton mouthed and Julian suddenly had a look of realisation on his face and he dropped the last board onto the ground where all the others were now laying and then got a box out of his pocket and dropped to one knee before opening it up and the sparkle of the diamond glistened in the dark.
Brooke just gasped in shock, still not believing that any of this was happening and then she nodded her head before finally saying what Julian had been longing to hear.
"Yes."
The boys cheered, the girls and kids squealed and Julian flashed that heart melting signature smile of his before getting up and embracing his new fiancée, spinning Brooke around as he did so and then when he placed her down, he got the ring out of the box and slid it onto her finger. It was the perfect fit.
"I can't believe you did all of this. I love you so much." Brooke told him, through an even raspier voice than normal thanks to her emotions.
"I'd do anything for you, I love you too." Julian replied and then they shared a kiss before getting engulfed by the others.
Originally Brooke had been hating the fact that she was leaving her twenties and turning thirty, but she couldn't have been any happier about it than she was right now!