Seasons of Wither, Seasons of Love *A Steven Tyler Love Story*

Six Years Later

6 Years Later

February 12, 1982

Brooke stood in her small apartment, cutting the crust on two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, "Home Tonight" playing on the record player she got when she was a sophomore in college. Her five year old twins, Brianna Grace and Ethan Zachary, were busy drawing pictures and fighting for the green crayon.

Brooke looked at her children and sighed. She loved her twins, more than anything else in this world. But sometimes that was the only thing she actually felt. Over the last few years, everything has been a routine and she just went through the motions. She had Chloe living with her for support, but she felt sick having her best friend give up her life to raise her children. Brooke's gaze fell back to the lunch when Ethan looked up at her and gave an ear to ear grin.

'He and his sisters lips, so big' Brooke thought 'just like their father's?'

Her grip tightened on the knife on that thought. No, she had to stop that. Long ago Brooke did her best convincing herself that these were Shawn's children, not Steven's. But her best wasn't good enough sometimes.They couldn't be his though, simple as that. When the doctor said she was six weeks along all those years ago, she had the fear it could be. But then she remembered she and Shawn hooked up a few days before that. Or did she make it up to help her denial?

"Mommy?"

Brooke jumped, and the knife fell on the floor. She whirled around on her heel and looked at Brianna.

"When are we going on the picnic?" The five year old girl asked, doe eyes blinking rapidly at her mother "Is Aunt Chloe coming with us?"

Brooke bent down to grab the knife and placed it gently on the counter "Soon sweetie" Brooke said, eyes fixed on the knife "And I told you, Aunt Chloe has to work. Why don't you and Ethan wash up while I finish making lunch?" She said as she took her eyes from the sharp object and got out sandwich bags.

Brooke put the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the baggies and into the basket, put in a container of salad for herself in the basket too, along with some juices, sodas and cookies. She eyed the knife one more time, wondering what it would be like to run it blade across her skin. Would it take the pain away? The emptiness? Would she feel anything more than love for her children? Brooke shook her head. No, she wouldn't fall in that deep.

Brooke left the packed basket to go in her room. She opened one of her draws and dressed and took a small bag with cocaine in it. Brooke stared at the bag and sighed deeply. She laid it out, crushed it and cut it up with a credit card, and walked to the kitchen to get a straw. She returned to the room and snorted up the line, and waited to feel the high.

That sometimes when she didn't only feel live for her kids? The high was the other thing.

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Brooke sat in the park, staring at her closed container of salad. She had opened it before and took her eyes off it to make sure Brianna and Ethan hadn't gotten too far. When she turned back around, someone was running off from where her salad was. The paranoia from the coke made Brooke crazy. He put something in her salad, she just knew he did.

She sat there, glaring at the dressing drenched leaves and threw it in the basket. Brooke stood up and marched from the basket. She was getting her twins and leaving. She didn't feel safe.

For some reason, Brooke paused. She felt a shiver go through her body and she craned her neck while looking around the park. It was as if an unknown force was holding her in place, but she didn't know why.

Her eyes fell on a thin figure a few feet away on the sidewalk, walking into the park. Brooke tore her eyes from this person and picked up the picnic basket with shaking hands. As she lifted it, she started to survey for her children, but instead found herself staring at the figure again. Now that it was closer, she recognized that it was a man. Not just any man, but-