A/N: So, this is a new story that I've had in my mind for awhile. I was halfway done writing this chapter when othfan80 posted their story The Stepmother. I'm happy to say that this story is completely different from theirs at least I hope and if there are some similarities it's totally coincidental.

I don't think that chapters will be this long, but we will have to see. I had a hard time trying to file this because it involves a lot of people, but I think filing it under the usual would be okay.

Chapter One: Julian's other Girl

Julian Baker woke up to the sun shining in his eyes from the window in his hotel room. It was the first time in a few weeks that he had stayed there despite paying for it. He was too busy with Brooke Davis, fashion designer and his new girlfriend.

He met Brooke Davis when he came into town trying to sign off on a new movie. Julian was a producer. He came to Tree Hill to meet Lucas Scott, the author of An Unkindness of Ravens. A book Lucas wrote in his senior year of high school.

When he first came to Tree Hill the movie almost didn't happen because Lucas had found out that his fiancée Peyton Sawyer had a relationship with him a few years ago, but with a lot of convincing Lucas accepted to do the movie.

Hearing the sound of his alarm going off, Julian reaches over and shuts it off. He sits in bed and stretches. He pulls out his cell phone and sees a couple of new text messages waiting for him.

Missed u last nite xoxo Brooke

Julian smiles and deletes the message. He opens up his last message.

I'll C U in a few days SammyB

Julian responds to the text.

I can't wait Princess

After reading that the message was sent Julian puts his phone away and gets ready for his day.

-WLOM-

Peyton Sawyer and Brooke Davis settled down in Brooke's store. They had spent the morning around town just hanging out, but now it was time for serious talking. Something had been bothering Brooke lately.

"Peyton, you dated Julian in LA, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Did he ever tell you about his past?"

At the mention of Julian's past, Peyton froze hoping Brooke didn't notice. Peyton did know about Julian's past. When she first started dating Julian she knew that his parents were divorced, but the more she found out about him the more surprised she found to be.

By hearing Brooke's question, Peyton realizes that Julian has neglected to tell Brooke about a certain brown haired, brown eyed girl. Turning to Brooke, Peyton finally answers.

"Eventually, he did yes."

Brooke bites the bottom of her lip.

"What is he hiding?"

Peyton shakes her head.

"I can't tell you that Brooke. It's his life."

"Peyton, is there another girl in his life?"

Peyton nods her head and Brooke looked mad. Peyton grabs her hand. "It's not for the reasons you think. Julian Baker is not cheating on you."

Brooke let's go of Peyton's hand and finally admits what she has been feeling for the last few weeks.

"I'm falling for him and I don't know how he feels about me."

"I'm pretty sure you are in his heart."

Brooke looks at Peyton hopefully.

"Do you really think so?"

"I know so," Brooke smiles at the statement. "If it helps, I can go talk to him for you."

Brooke smiles gratefully at her blonde haired best friend.

"That would be great."

-WLOM-

Julian hands over the current script to Lucas.

"It's really good Luke."

Lucas raises an eyebrow.

"Good, but not great?"

"Well it's one scene away from great actually and I think you know what scene that is."

Lucas nods his head in understanding.

"I know you wanted me to show it, but I think it would be better if the audience found out after the fact."

"Look, Lucas, I know this is close to you, but I'm telling you I can't bring this script to them without this scene. Every movie has a villain and Dan is yours. Figure out a way to write it."

"How am I supposed to write it when I wasn't there?"

Julian looked at Lucas with sympathy. Julian sits on the couch and Lucas follows him.

"What would you feel if it was Nathan standing in front of you with a gun pointed at you?"

Julian left that question for Lucas to mull over. When he walked outside of Lucas' house his phone signaled a text.

We need to talk-Peyton

Julian sighs and puts the phone away while getting into his car and driving off. Apparently Peyton needed to talk to him and he thinks he knows why.

-WLOM-

Julian walks into Peyton's office and he notices Peyton's stern look. Julian takes a seat in the chair and Peyton continues to look at him.

"What?"

"Don't 'what' me Julian Baker. How come you neglected to tell Brooke about a vital piece of your life?"

"I'm afraid," Julian admits. "I'm afraid that Brooke will just leave like Melanie and you did."

Peyton sighs.

"Okay, one, I met Melanie and she was a bitch and two, I loved you, but I was in love with Lucas and three, Brooke will understand."

"How do you know? I mean I kept this from Brooke for over a month."

Peyton sets a hand down on Julian's bouncing knee.

"I know Brooke Davis and trust me, its better that you tell her now then later."

-WLOM-

Julian enters Brooke's home intent on telling Brooke his secret. Brooke was sitting on the couch nursing a glass of wine with her feet resting on the coffee table. Brooke looks up and sees Julian enter the house. When Julian smiles hesitantly at her she looks away. Julian sits down next to Brooke.

"Do you want to tell me what's wrong?"

Brooke sets her wine glass on the table. She turns to Julian and blurts out what was on her mind.

"Are you cheating on me?"

"No," Julian states hardly. He grabs Brooke's hand and kisses it. "I'd never cheat on you."

Brooke nods her head.

"Julian, there is something you're not telling me."

Julian nods his head and pulls his hand away.

"There is something I'm not telling you."

"Then tell me what it is?" Brooke pleads in a whisper.

Julian turns his head to Brooke.

"You do know I am thirty years old, right?"

"Yeah, I know."

Julian took a deep breath and let it out.

"When I was fifteen I had a daughter."

-WLOM-

In Los Angeles, thirty year old, Sara Bryce entered the school where her fifteen year old daughter, Samantha Baker, goes. She had received a call from the principal stating that she was needed immediately, so Sara had to leave work early and she wasn't happy about it.

Walking through the halls of Winston High brought back memories to Sara. This was where she met her first boyfriend, Julian Baker, at age fourteen. She remembered her years as a Mathlete and she remembered the nine months when she was pregnant.

When Sara enters the office she is surprised to see Katherine Breeze, her niece waiting there.

"Katherine, what are you doing?"

The blonde haired girl looks at her aunt.

"Waiting for my turn, Sam is in there now."

"You don't look hurt," Sara says as she examines Katherine's face. "What am I going to walk into in there?"

Katherine remains silent. The door to the principal's office is opened and an older woman walks out looking agitated. Soon a brown haired teen walks out holding a tissue up to her nose which was bleeding.

"Miss Bryce, you may come in."

Sara enters the office and spots her daughter sitting in a chair looking bored. Examining Sam's face from where she was Sara could tell that Sam was going to have a really good shiner in the next couple of days. Sara takes a seat next to her daughter who doesn't bother looking at her because she knows she's in trouble.

"Principal Stevens, whatever my daughter has done I apologize."

The older woman smiles slightly.

"Sara, relax. You aren't the one in trouble. You aren't in high school anymore."

Sara releases a small smile and then glances at her daughter.

"Samantha, are you going to tell me what happened or is Mrs. Stevens?"

Sam shrugs her shoulders in response.

"Please, tell me what happened, Mrs. Stevens."

Mrs. Stevens folds her hands on the top of her desk.

"From what I know your daughter appeared to get into an altercation with another student. Obviously punches were thrown. Sam's lucky she didn't break the other girl's nose though."

"She started it I was just finishing it," Sam mutters.

"I can finish you when I can get home," Sara retorts making Sam shut her mouth quickly. Sara returns her focus back to Mrs. Stevens. "So, considering this is the last day of school, what's going to happen exactly?"

"That's where I am at a standstill. I've never had something like this before, but I have decided since this is the last day of school and nothing was broken. I'm going to leave it up to you and your household. And Sam, I hope to never see you in this office again."

"Whatever," Sam mutters as she gets up from the chair and walks out of the office.

Sara puts her face in her hands and sighs.

"Sara, you've come a long way in fifteen years. I've seen you walk these halls through everything. You've done a good job with Sam when most wouldn't have taken the route that you did."

Sara stands up from her chair and smiles.

"Thanks Mrs. Stevens."

"You just go handle your daughter and please send in your niece."

"Will do."

-WLOM-

Sara and Sam walked into their two bed room home and Sam instantly took a seat on the couch at her mother's request. Sara walked into the kitchen to grab some ice for her daughter's eye. When she returned to the living room, Sara handed the ice to Sam and sat down next to her.

"Is there a story behind the punches or did you think that you could just hit her?"

"Mom, she called you a whore. I wasn't going to let it slide."

Sara sighs at Sam's protectiveness wondering if Sam had gotten it from her or Julian.

"Honey, you don't have to protect me. I realized back in high school that I was going to be talked about and even today when people say I am too young to have a fifteen year old I tell them the short version. I got knocked up in high school and chose to keep my baby, a decision that me and your father made together. Sweetie, sometimes you just have to roll with the punches…no pun intended."

"Mom?" Sam says as she pulls the ice away from her face.

Sara directs the ice back to Sam's eye.

"Keep that there."

"How in trouble am I in, exactly?"

"Considering you are only here for a few days not much, but your father will be a different story."

Sam sighs and leans back into the couch.

"He's worse than you," Sam complains.

"Well, I wasn't the one that gave a girl a bloody nose."

Sam groans and closes her good eye. Seeing her father in a few days was going to be bad. In Sara and Julian's parental roles, Julian was always bad cop, very rarely was he good cop.

"Don't look so down Samantha. You get to spend your summer in Tree Hill, North Carolina. Isn't that where Peyton's from?"

Sam nods her head.

"Yeah, I hope I'll get to see her."

Sara had liked Peyton after the way she saw Peyton treat her daughter. Just like everyone else, Sara hated Melanie, the girl that didn't like kids and all she wanted was a boy.

"I'm sure you will, but by the way I am going with you for a few days."

"Everything just got a lot worse," Sam mutters. She was going to be screwed when she enters Tree Hill, but seeing her dad for the first time in a few months will be worth the trouble at least for her.