Hello everybody! Thanks for checking out this new story, I hope you enjoy it. It takes place after the second Naley wedding, but I have changed some things. You'll see as you go along, and I will try to make you aware of them as well. It is Brooke centric, but everybody has a part in it. Ok, I think we're ready…

Whit

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Ch.1 One Big Blur

It had been seven days, 168 hours, 10,080 minutes, and 604,800 seconds. Ok, maybe not down to the exact second, but pretty damn close. It had been one week and Nathan still had not woken up yet. The events leading up to it was very vivid in Brooke's mind, but everything since then seemed to be a blur. Nathan and Haley were supposed to be on a honeymoon not in a hospital. Brooke looked over at a very tired Haley. She would only leave the hospital to go home, shower, and take a brief nap. Brooke reached over and began to rub Haley's back whose head fell onto Brooke's shoulder, her eyes falling shut as well.

Moments like this, when it was eerily quiet, Brooke's mind would wander back to that day. In the middle of Nathan and Haley's reception it began to rain, and by the time they left it was coming down fairly hard. Of course Brooke wasn't there when the accident happened but Haley had told her of it enough times that she had a good picture in her head of what went down.

Nathan and Haley were not even five minutes gone when it happened. The rain was falling so hard it was difficult to see out the window. Before either of them knew it there was a car coming towards them. Nathan swerved to miss it but that only sent them spinning. The other car lost control as well and hit Nathan and Haley on the driver's side. It knocked both of them out but Nathan got the worst of it. And now here they were, waiting for Nathan to get better. Each day crept by slowly and most of what happened was a blur.

x-------

"Brooke, I'm sorry about the kiss. I shouldn't have kept it from you." Lucas pleaded from behind.

Brooke was facing the wall, hands clasped to one of the tables. A storm of lies, deceit, betrayal, and hurt were running through her body. She wanted to cry; fall into his arms and break down. She also wanted to hit him, or her, or even just a punching bag. She was mad, but not just at them, at herself as well. Was she not good enough? Was she not there for either of them when they needed her? This was a whole new set of events thrown at her feet. Brooke straightened her posture and turned to face a sad, guilty, somewhat hurt looking Lucas.

Lucas stared at her, eyebrows scrunched together, head tilted. She loved that look; she knew that look. He reached out with his arms and rubbed her elbows.

"I know sorry won't cut it this time. I should have told you about it…"

"Hold that thought, I'll be back." Brooke interrupted and ran out of the back room, back into the reception area.

She didn't have to stop to look around. She knew where Peyton was; dancing with Cooper, looking like she was on top of the world. Brooke knew that feeling, and it was definitely not something she had felt in the past twenty-four hours.

She gently linked her left hand with Peyton's, "Can I cut in Coop?" Brooke joked.

Cooper laughed and nodded. Brooke, as nonchalantly as possible, lead Peyton outside, letting go of her hand half way.

"You kissed him?" Brooke yelled.

"What…"

"Nope, you don't get to pull that 'I'm Peyton, I don't know what's going on' bullshit with me. Not right now. Tell me why you kissed him."

With a look of defeat Peyton nodded her head, "I had just been shot Brooke. I thought I was going to die…"

"Ok, I understand that Peyton but what possessed you to kiss him. There, at that moment? Did you have feelings for him then?" Brooke managed to ask, while holding back tears.

Peyton wasn't sure how to answer, and Brooke could see that. Her and Peyton had been friends for years, and Brooke knew Peyton's looks.

What do you do when your "best friend" falls in love with your boyfriend? Twice? Brooke cared about Peyton, loved her as a sister. But at that moment Brooke didn't see the Peyton she knew, this was a new Peyton and that frightened Brooke.

"I just need to know. How did it happen. Were you in such a daze that you just leaned in. I mean just tell me Peyton. You wanted to be honest." Brooke demanded more than asked.

Still, Peyton didn't answer. Brooke watched as her head sank low and she shook it while wiping away tears. Brooke wanted a clear cut answer, but she figured this might be all she got. For now anyway.

"Pretty girl?" Lucas' voice carried out into Brooke's head.

Brooke went to wipe away her tears but realized it would be useless. She watched out of the corner of her eye as Lucas stepped outside. The same perturbed look was on his face.

"Ummm…they're ready for our toasts." Lucas stammerd, "but, if you guys are busy…"

"No. I think we're all done here."

She didn't give Peyton another look. Instead she walked by Lucas, gave his arm a squeeze and walked back into the reception.

x-----

As Brooke sat there stroking Haley's hair she thought about how much she cared about Haley and Nathan. It scared her to think about. When did she start loving and worrying so much about these people? The only person she could ever remember feeling this way about was…Peyton.

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I hope you enjoyed it! Regardless, please,please leave a review. Let me know how you felt and what you hope happens. Thanks a bunch!