A SIDE NOTE : ENGLISH IS NOT MY FIRST LANGUAGE, SO IF YOU FIND MISTAKES AT SOME POINTS I APOLOGIZE.
This was the best day in his life. His biggest dream had come true and he couldn't ask for anything more. He finally married Peyton, the love of his life. The girl that he loved and wanted to be with for a long time, and now after all those years and after all that they had been through to be together, finally they could be together forever. He just didn't know that forever could be so short. He still couldn't believe it, like it was too huge and it happened too fast that his mind wasn't able to process it. It was a really horrible and cruel ending to the most beautiful day in his life.....
When they came home from the ceremony, he left to bring the surprise that he had prepared for her. The comet. They had so many beautiful memories with it, that's why he made so much effort and tried so hard to fix it.
He just kept imagining Peyton's face when she sees it. But when he opened the door something hard hit his head, everything became foggy in his eyes and then he didn't feel anything........
Detective: ok Mr Scott, I need you to focus and tell me exactly what happened.
Though Haley had put a bag of ice on his head, his head was still so painful but the real pain was in his heart and soul.
" I already said once, we came home, I left a few minutes to bring her car that I had fixed for her as a surprise and when I came back and opened the door he hit me in the head .when I opened my eyes, my hands were tied, then I saw him. "
Are you sure it was him?
Yes, it was him! That bastard psychopath, Ian.
Ok, then what happened?
"He told me that I had taken Peyton away from him, so he had waited for the perfect time for revenge. He said I took her away from him so he was gonna do the same to me. But he said he was gonna let me see her one last time....." he couldn't continue.
The detective paused a little and asked: "So you saw your wife? Was she...was she alive? "
WIFE. This word kept resonating in his head. "Yeah, she was.....she was unconscious but she was still breathing, I could see that. Then he carried her out, I tried to open my hands as soon as possible but...it was too late, he took her, he also took the comet."
Ok, we are searching for them. We'll inform you as soon as we find them, ok?
Luke nodded.
The police left. And he just sat there, kept staring at the ring on his hand, then he remembered a few hours ago, when she was putting that ring on his hand and when she said: "I'm so terribly in love with you". Tears came into his blue eyes but he was trying so hard not to let them fall. He kept saying to himself: "she'll come back. She'll come back....she has to. There is no reason right now to lose hope, they'll find her"
Haley realized, came to comfort him. She sat beside him and rubbed his back while she was trying not to cry in front of him: "Hey, It'll be okay, they are gonna find her. I'm sure she is ok."
He looked at her: "It's funny. I can't find a way to connect how I was feeling 3 hours ago with how I'm feeling now. I just really hope you are right, 'cause if not, I'm done. I'm done with this bullshit life and this cruel and unfair world......you know, I never had a easy life, but this one.....this one is just too much, its beyond my tolerance. I can't........ " He didn't even cry when he said these, in fact he looked so serious that Haley got scared and worried. What if it's not gonna be ok? What if she is dead? What would happen to him? Everyone knew how madly he was in love with Peyton but she knew better than anyone how much he loved her. They were best friends since childhood and she barely could remember a time that he hadn't talked about Peyton constantly. She tried to pull herself together quickly and said: "it will be ok, it will be." though she really wasn't sure.
Nathan and Skills were outside, they were going crazy too. It was so hard to see their brother and friend suffer like that. Brooke and Julian were in another room where she was crying and Julian was trying to comfort her. Millie and Mouth were in the kitchen. They all wanted to be there for their friend during that hard time, yet most of them couldn't stay in the same room with him. Plus everyone knew he needed his space and that always liked to be alone in the hardest times.
A few hours passed. Someone knocked the door. Everybody got nervous. They looked at each other with worried eyes. Eventually Skills opened the door. Yes, it was the police. Lucas stood up but didn't say a word, he was just waiting to hear whatever they wanted to say. The detective came inside. He was looking sad. He paused for a few seconds and finally said: "we found the car...apparently there has been an accident. We found two bodys, one was outside the car and belonged to Ian Banks, our guess is that he has pulled himself out of the car after the accident but has died from bleeding too much....the other one was a female body and was in the car."
Luke couldn't do or say anything, his mind was trying so hard to process what he was hearing: "A female body? What does that mean? Is it her? I should see with my own eyes to believe it" he finally spoke:
Can I see her? The body I mean.
No, unfortunately most of the car is burnt. So is the body, there is nothing much left from it.
Well then you can't say for sure that it's my wife, right?
The detective got even more sad and picked something from his pocket "we found this...do you know it?"
Lucas came closer. It was a ring, her ring, Keith's ring, the one that he gave her and she was supposed to wear it forever. He looked at the detective while he was stunned and so confused, like he couldn't believe it.
Detective continued: "we also found some little pieces of a white dress .......I'm really sorry, son."
Brooke started to cry loud. But Luke was still standing there, frozen, without saying a word or crying ,like he still was processing it, then after a few seconds he started to shake his head and took a few step back while he was staggering, like the whole world and everything in it was spinning around his head."No, this couldn't be true" he thought to himself. Haley wanted go towards him to hug him but then got shocked and confused by what he started to do. He was laughing! The detective said: "He is in shock ". Nathan went to him and slapped him as hard as he could. He stopped laughing by that, looked at Nathan while he was still stunned. He blinked a few times, then tears started falling from his eyes. Suddenly he lost all the strength in his legs and fell on his knees, then screamed so hard and started to cry. Nathan sat on the floor with him, pulled him into his arms and hugged him while he wasn't able to keep the tears in his own eyes anymore. Everyone was crying in the silence..............
A few days passed. Lucas was sleep in his bed, a serum was injected to him. There were some pills on the little table beside his bed. Haley was standing outside the room. She had stayed in his house since that terrible night. Nathan came and stood beside her. The door was open. Both looked at him as he was asleep. Both of them were wearing black.
"He finally could sleep last night…....with the help of thousands sleeping pills and sedatives, of course. But now I have to wake him up for the funeral." she said this and shook her head sadly.
Nathan looked at her, he was sad too but didn't say anything. Haley entered the room and sat on his bed. She stroked his hair and forehead very gently and called him: "Luke,......honey....."
He tried to open his eyes: "hmmm..."
Come on, you should get ready.
"For what?" he was still confused, but then noticed Haley's formal black dress. He shook his head "No. I'm.......I'm not coming."
What?......but you should.
"No! I can't just bury her, I can't." his voice was shaking and there were tears in his beautiful blue eyes. Haley got teary-eyed too, but said: "honey, you are not burying her! It's not her, not anymore. It's only her body. She is already gone. Bedside, you have to say goodbye....."
He shook his head again.
".....come on, I'll help you get ready. " she took a black suit, black shirt and black tie from the closet and helped him to put them on.....
In the cemetery everyone was standing, wearing black. And then there was a coffin with flowers on it. The priest was there too. Everyone was waiting. Larry looked at Skills and said:
"We can't keep everyone waiting more than this, maybe we should start until they come or maybe even he is not coming"
"No, they will come."
Nathan's car stopped by and Haley came out from it and moved towards Skills: "go help Nathan to bring him, he barely can stand on his feet."
"Ok."
He went and brought Lucas with Nathan's help. Nathan was holding his left arm and Skills was holding his right arm and they were helping him to walk over there. Larry, Brooke, Julian, Mouth, Millie, Chase, Mia and everyone else was shocked when they saw him. He truly looked like a ghost, really pale skin, totally hollow-eyed (probably from several sleepless nights and crying too much, both.) He didn't even look at either of them. He just kept staring at the ground. He was totally melancholic. Everyone was feeling deeply sorry for him.
When they got at the grave, Nathan silently asked Lucas by his eyes, that if he has the strength to stand by himself, so he can let go of his arm, and he nodded slightly. And they both let go of his arms but Nathan stood close to him, in case if he needed help again.
Priest started speaking but Lucas couldn't hear a single word, it was like he was in another world. When the priest got finished, someone had to go and take a little dust and do that kind of tradition thing that they do in the funerals. He did that for Keith, because his mom couldn't. But now he didn't have the strength, sure that was a hard time too but this.....this one was just unbearable. Priest was looking at him and was waiting for him to do that.
"Son.... "
He turned his head away and kept staring at the ground. Larry said: "I'll do it." and took some dust but when he let the dust go and when it started falling down, Luke felt his chest was gonna explode from pain. Everything became foggy in his eyes again and he fell. Nathan knelt in front of him: "are you okay?"
He looked at him and whispered: "just take me out of here."
"Ok."
Nathan helped him to get up, put Luke's arm around his own neck and took him to the car.
"I'll be right back." Nathan told Lucas. Then he went to Haley: "I'm gonna take him to his house, I know everyone is supposed to come to our house after the funeral but I don't think he can make it Or do it even there. If I can put him to sleep I'll come and host the guests myself."(they had decided it's better to invite the guests to Nathan's house not to Luke's, so this way he could rest more and wouldn't have to worry about organizing the house or anything like that)
"Ok" Haley said.
In the mean time while Luke was sitting in the car, for one moment he felt like he was choking and that he couldn't breathe, he opened his tie to breathe easier, and started to breathe heavily. Then he leaned his head to the car seat and closed his eyes........
When Nathan came back to the cemetery everyone was leaving, some were condoling and saying goodbye and some were gonna come to his house.
Haley: did he sleep?
Yeah.
I know everyone is coming to our house and we should be there but first I want to see him again, and even maybe he is better now and can come with us .
But……
She didn't let him finish: "but nothing, I need to see him and make sure he is okay. Deb is there, Larry is gonna be there too. It's ok if we're gonna be a little late "
While they were having this conversation Brooke and Julian, Skills, Mouth and Mille joined them:
Skills: yeah, I too want to see him and make sure he is okay.
Mouth: yeah, we are his friends, we need to show him that we are here for him. Let's go there together.
Brooke and Julian nodded.
Nathan: ok, I guess, first we can go there.
They drove there. When they got there, Haley said: "let me go inside first, if he was awake I'll call you guys to come in." she went inside and a few seconds later she screamed: "Nathan! Come here!"
They all looked at each other with terrified eyes and ran inside, while Nathan was the first one that entered Luke's room.
Haley was standing there crying and was covering her face with both hands. Nathan looked down. Lucas was there, lying on the floor unconscious while there was blood all over his hand and on the ground. There was also a knife covered with blood on the floor. Yes, he had tried to kill himself by cutting the blood-vessels of his hand. He was bleeding so badly. Nathan rushed to him and put his ear on his chest: "he is still breathing.... "
Skills: I'll call 911
No, he is losing too much blood, there is no time, we have to take him to hospital as soon as possible, go get my car.
Ok.
"Mouth, find a towel, put it on his hand and push it as hard as you can, so we can decrease the blood he is losing.......Julian come help me to take him to the car....." then he looked at his brother that was unconscious in his arms and whispered : "god, what did you do" ........
The boys took him to the hospital. Millie went to Nathan's house and Brooke and Haley went to the hospital with another car.
They were all in waiting room. Both girls were crying in their men's arms.
Haley : I wish at least Karen was here, you know her flight were canceled because of bad weather and she couldn't make it to the funeral, though she is gonna come in two days but I wish she was here already.
Doctor came. They all stood and looked at him with worried eyes.
Haley: is he okay?
Doctor: he had lost too much blood but fortunately we could save him, though he has to stay here at least 24 hours.
They all were relieved.
Haley: oh, thank god.
"yeah, he is gonna be ok, physically at least. But a therapist needs to see him." Doctor said this and went. They all looked at each other, they were so tired. Haley said: "I'm gonna stay with him here tonight, you guys go"..............
He was released from hospital, but he hadn't spoken one word to anyone including that therapist. Haley had stayed there all along and now she was driving him home. He went straight to bed without saying anything. Haley sat beside him: "why didn't you talk with that therapist? She can help you through this."
I didn't have anything to say to her.
Oh yeah? Well, maybe you have something to say to your mom. She is gonna be here tomorrow.
Luke got worried: "no, please don't tell her. Don't tell her that I......."
That you tried to kill yourself?
He nodded : "she has had enough...I....,I don't want her to worry or......please, I beg you, don't tell her, I'll manage to hide my hand from her somehow in this one week that she is here, I'll hide it under my sleeve or something, just please don't tell her."
She looked into his eyes and broken face and couldn't resist: "fine.".......
Karen came, Nathan picked her from airport. They had all agreed to not say a word about Lucas' attempt to suicide. Karen came home, the home that used to be hers, theirs, Luke's and hers. She entered his room, he was sitting on the bed. The moment she saw her son broken like that, her eyes got teary: "hey! "
"Hi mom." he was trying so hard to keep it together and not to lose it in front of her. She put her bags down and flew to him, took him into her arms and placed his head on her chest and started to stroke his head while tears were falling from her eyes. He couldn't keep tears in his eyes any longer too............
One week passed and it was time for Karen to go back to her home. Her flight was in an hour:
You sure you are okay? I mean don't you want me to stay longer?
Yeah, I'm fine, don't worry. You should go to Lily and Andy.
Are you sure?
Yeah.
He was pretending. In fact he had pretended that whole week that he was holding up ok. He didn't want his mom to know how shattered he was. The last thing he wanted was for her to worry about him, she had been through enough. It wasn't fair to her.
Ok, come here then (they hugged)
Bye.
Bye, take care of yourself, ok?
Ok.
Again, Nathan drove her to airport. Then came back to Lucas' house where Haley and Skills joined him.
Lucas: what are you guys doing here?
Haley: we decided that it's not good for you to live here alone for a while.
Lucas: what?
Skills: I'm gonna move in here for a while until you get better.
Lucas: what?! No.
Haley: you don't really have a choice here, we won't leave you alone again and btw, since you won't go to that therapist, she is gonna come here to see you, every 4 days. We talked to her and she has accepted.
Luke was mad but didn't want to argue, he just went into his room and slammed the door..............
It had been 2 weeks that Skills had moved in there and he sure was a pain in the ass for him:
You should eat the pills that your therapist has prescribed for you....
Come on, you should eat something, it has been nearly 20 hours that you haven't eaten anything, you are getting thinner and weaker everyday....
Where are you? You are not allowed to stay in bathroom more than 5 minutes considering what you did....
He was driving Luke crazy, him and that therapist both. He couldn't handle being around either of them or anyone for that matter and he barely even had talked to them.
Skills: ok, today that doctor is gonna come again, remember? So you can't sleep most of the day as you tend to do everyday. Just wanted to remind you that.
"Damn, it's one of those damn days that she comes here" he thought to himself. He couldn't handle this crap it anymore. None of them could get what he was going through or the pain he was feeling. He grabbed his coat and sneaked out from the door in his room while Skills was in bathroom.
He was walking in the street but didn't know where he was going. He was passing the street while he was drowned in his thoughts that the sound of the brake of a car took him out of his head. He looked and found himself about one centimeter away from a car. This whole thing rang a bell in his mind. That sweet memory of her, when she nearly ran him over by comet. Now comet was gone and his comet was gone too. He looked at the driver and saw her, with that gorgeous green eyes and curly blond hair. It was her! He blinked a few times and with doing that, she vanished and the real driver screamed: "move it asshole" and he passed the street.....
There he was......standing in front of that house again. He had been there a lot of times before. But this time was different. He was just standing there, looking at it. He had a lot of memories in it.....he was reviewing all those in his head when that teenage girl opened the door and said: "go away, I noticed that you were stalking my house since some minutes ago, if you stay I'll call the police"
Um, don't worry, I don't mean any harm and I'm gonna go now.
"Wait....." she thought he looked familiar and came closer "coach Scott, Is that you?"
He wondered how she knew him: "um...yeah, you know me?"
Of course I do. I go to Tree Hill High. I transferred there about one year ago, you were still coach back then, not to mention that I read your books and I totally fell in love with them, actually I'm a big fan of you! But at first I couldn't recognize you because of your long hair and beard. you looked so different back then. Btw, I've met Peyton too! Twice!
Oh yes, Peyton had talked about her once: "oh.....,yeah, she told me that......."
I'm Molly, and I'm officially so proud that I live in a house that you two spent so much time in it together. And also Peyton's old room is my room now! (She was talking with such excitement) do you wanna see how it looks like now?!
He was tempted to take a look but he wasn't sure about it. "Are you sure? I mean, is that okay?"
Yeah sure, and don't worry my parents aren't home now, come on in.
They went in. His heart was beating fast. The house hadn't changed a lot but the room totally was looking different. He remembered all the sweet things that had happened there and a slight smile came on his lips.
"Ok, now I wanna show you something" she opened the closet door, it was written "Lucas + Peyton =TLA" on it. "One year ago Peyton asked me to paint the closet door and I did but these words remained because they were carved on it, so....I guess they will never be erased! kinda like your love "
His smile faded and his facial expression suddenly changed. He got sad, so sad. He touched those words with his fingers and whispered to himself: "it'll never be erased". Once again those damn tears came into his eyes, like they weren't in his control anymore. He turned his head so that girl couldn't see his tears. But she realized something was up: "are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine....um, I have to go now. Thanks for letting me into the house" and he exited as quickly as he could. Then he went to a bar and ordered a lot of drinks. When he was sitting there, he saw himself in the glassy table. It had been a long time since the last time he looked himself in a mirror and now was shocked by what he was seeing, no wonder that poor girl couldn't recognize him, hell he barely could recognize himself with that long hair and beard and he certainly had become so thin, it's like he was fading.
In the mean time:
Haley: what do you mean he is gone? Weren't you there? You were supposed to watch him!
Skills: I just went to bathroom for a few minutes and then he was gone, I couldn't have done anything!
Haley: god, what do we do? What if he tries to do it again?!
Nathan: stop freaking out and focus, where could he be?
Haley: I know! At Peyton's grave or......river court!
Nathan: ok then, we'll go to Peyton's grave to look for him and I'll call Brooke and Julian to go look for him at river court. Skills you stay here in case if he comes back.
They looked for him in both places but he wasn't there. So perforce they came back. And thought maybe he would be back in a few hours. Brooke and Julian went to Brooke's and Nathan and Haley stayed with Skills at Luke's house, waiting for him.
Lucas was staggering in the empty street while he was drunk. He still had a full bottle in his hand. It was so late and so cold. You barely could find a human outside or any creature for that matter. Everyone was in their home, but where could he go? His house didn't feel like home anymore. He went to the cemetery, passed Keith's grave and stood in front of Peyton's. It was written "PEYTON SCOTT" on it. Peyton Scott, "Peyton Sawyer will become Peyton Scott ". This was his prediction that he made with Haley in 8th grade. They used to write their predictions in each year. Sort of what they hoped would happen in that year, or later in the future. And after 10 years this one became true but it didn't last even for one day. He remembered how she asked him to repeat, after he called her "Peyton Scott" for the first time:
"Say that again."
"Peyton Scott."
"God, I love the way that sounds."
Then he remembered the last words that he said to her: "hey! I love you Peyton Scott"
He was just staring at the grave. He wasn't even crying, he even couldn't bring himself to talk to her. He just stood there, frozen, without doing anything. After 20 minutes he started to walk again. And after a while he found himself at river court. This place meant a lot to him, and he always had come here when he was hurt, but this time there was too much pain that even coming here couldn't make him feel better. He was exhausted, emotionally and physically both. He sat on the ground, and drank a little more .Then lay down, touched the ground with his fingers. Like he was looking for that flaming heart that she painted years ago or those cure lyrics she wrote there about one year ago. But he couldn't find them, they were gone and so was she. A few minutes passed and he felt someone was coming over there. yeah it was her, again. He didn't care if she was only a dream or that she wasn't real, it was like he slowly was going insane but he didn't mind, he was just glad to see her again. She lay down beside him, and took his hand with hers and with her other hand started to stroke his face and then wiped his tears. She truly was looking like an angel. His angel. He smiled and whispered: "you're here........please, stay here with me, ok? Don't go anywhere"
"Ok". And the way she said, it was just so soothing for him. He smiled once again and closed his eyes..........
Haley: ok, its 6 AM , we searched everywhere, even hospitals. He spent all night outside and god knows where, while last night was a really cold night, plus it rained all night long I can't wait any longer, I should go search for him again.
All of them were there again, Mouth, Millie, Brooke, Julian, and Skills.
Nathan: but where? Like you said we searched everywhere.
Haley: I don't know,....anywhere.....all I know is that I can't just sit here.......I probably will go to river court again.
Skills: yeah, river court is close to here, it's on the way, and the possibility of him being there is high. We can stop there and if he wasn't there we should divide into 3 teams again and search every single place that he might be, then if we didn't find him we should go to the police.
They all agreed to do that.......
Brooke: oh god, is that him?!
Mouth: yeah,.....he has passed out!
They all ran to him. Millie called 911.
Haley touched his face : "my god, he is so cold". Julian took off his coat and put it on him, Nathan sat and placed Luke's head on his legs, wrapped his arms around him and held him tight to make him warm, while Haley and Brooke were trying to make his fingers warm by their breath. Finally the ambulance arrived and they started their work: oxygen, serum, medicine injection, etc. while they were at it, he opened his eyes moaning. His eyes were half open and he was so confused, he barely could see anything, and couldn't recognize the time or the place. He tried to move. And him doing that was interrupting those ambulance guys' work. One of them said:
"He is confused. Talk to him and make him stay still. "
Haley came closer and called him gently: "Luke,...dear, it's ok,...I'm here, ok? Try not to move"
"Peyton? "
All his friends were surprised by hearing that name, all including Haley .After a few seconds she responded: "no honey, it's me, Haley"
"Haley? .........where......where is Peyton?" he said this while he was looking for her with his eyes among them.
Haley's voice became shaky: "she is not here Luke"
"What? No.......she was right here with me, I saw her"
Haley was trying so hard not to cry while the others were trying to do the same "that's not possible Luke.......she is gone"
He couldn't understand what she was saying. He shook his head and said: "she was here.......she talked to me....." then he tried to move, one of those guys said: "hey, easy, you shouldn't move "
Luke got nervous and struggled even more "let me go, I should find her.......she was here"
One of the guys told the other: "hold his legs" and looked at Julian: "come help us,….here hold his hands " and then him himself injected a medicine to his body and sedated him. In one second he became so languid that he couldn't move anymore.
"Ok, ok that's good, easy...easy...." one of those guys said.
One single tear dropped from his eye before he closes it completely and falls asleep.......
In the hospital :
Nathan: what's wrong with him? Is he gonna be ok?
Doctor: its pneumonia and his lungs are not doing good, so he has a breathing problem and considering that he has a heart condition we should be very careful until the danger passes, but all in all I don't see a reason that he won't be ok, though it'll take time and he has to stay in hospital at least one week.
Nathan: thank you doctor.
The doctor walked away.
Haley: " I'm gonna stay with him"
Skills: no you go, I'll stay.
No thanks, I think you've done enough!
What is that supposed to mean? You think it's my fault?!
Of course it is! You were supposed to watch him and take care of him!
What was I supposed to do, tie him to his bed?! I already said what happened so I'm not gonna repeat it again, but I'm just gonna say this, none of us can take care of him or help him because it's much more serious than that, he needs someone professional to help him. And there are some places that..........
What are you saying?! You're talking about mental hospital?! He is not crazy! He is just so hurt and if it's so hard for you to take care of him I'm gonna do it myself! you can move back to your place and get back to your life!
It's not about me being able to take care of him and it sure as hell is not about me wanting to get back to my own life, I already said, none of us can help him, it's out of our hands.
Well, maybe you can't but I can and I'm gonna take care of him.
Ok, we'll see.........I should go, but I'll call later to see how he is doing, bye guys......
Everyone left except Nathan and Haley.
Haley was still pissed: "can you believe him?! I mean what the hell he was thinking when he brought up the mental hospital?! "
Nathan: I know you don't wanna hear it and admit it but I think he was right.
What?! You too?!
Try to be reasonable, it has been less than one month since her death and he has been in hospital twice.
It's not gonna happen again, I'm gonna take care of him and he is gonna be ok.
"I hope so...........I'm gonna go, call me if you need anything or if there was anything new. I'm gonna come later". He kissed his wife and left.
Haley entered the room. He was still unconscious. There were a lot of tubes and wires attached to his body. One tube into his mouth, one in his nose, that probably one of them was to convey the oxygen to his lungs and help him to breathe and the other was probably for the nutrition purpose, since he couldn't eat in that shape. Of course there was a serum and also a monitor to show his heart shape. Seeing her best friend like this was so hard for Haley. She thought to herself: "what if they are right? What if I can't help him?" but then denied it again and said: "I'm gonna make you okay"........