She Will Be Loved
Okay so here's some background info. It's close to three years into the future. Lucas and Peyton got married and have a little girl named Anna. Nathan and Haley are doing well, as is Jamie, who's now almost 8. Brooke and Julian began dating two years ago and are still going strong. Anyways, I hope you all like this fic. Check out my other story, Tears Are Not Enough…a new update will be coming up soon! - Jasmine :)
Accidents Will Happen
"I can't believe she won't stop crying!" said a flustered Peyton as she rocked her hysterical 18-month-old daughter. "It's been hours. Has her fever gone down?"
Lucas looked down at the thermometer in is hand. "No, it's gone up."
He showed it to Peyton, who gasped in fright. "102.3?! We need to take her to the hospital. Now."
Lucas vigorously nodded his head as Peyton exited the kitchen with Anna in tow and waited for Lucas, who was still in the kitchen, tearing it apart as he frantically searched for his keys.
Peyton called out to her husband. "Hurry up Luke! What is taking you so long?"
"I can't find my keys!" Lucas shouted, as he continued to rip the kitchen to shreds.
"Well then grab mine. They're upstairs on our bedroom nightstand."
Lucas jetted up the stairs and headed towards his bedroom. He scanned the room, found the keys on the nightstand, grabbed them and quickly ran back down the stairs.
"Alright I got them. Let's go."
Peyton handed him his jacket as her, Lucas and Anna headed out the door, hopped in the car and made there way to the hospital.
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"It's been two hours." said a teary-eyed Peyton to Lucas. "Why haven't they told us anything?!"
Lucas gently began to stroke Peyton's hair in an effort to comfort her. "I don't know Peyton. I don't know. But I'm not gonna just sit around and wait anymore. I'm going to find out."
Just as Lucas got up from his chair and began making his way to the front desk of the ER, a doctor emerged and approached Peyton. "Hi I'm Dr. Hudson. Are you Mrs. Scott?"
Lucas raced back over to Peyton's side as she responded to the doctor. "Yes! Yes, I am. How is she? How's Anna?"
"I'm sorry to tell you this, but you daughter is suffering from acute liver failure."
Peyton burst into tears and buried her face into her husband's chest. Though distraught himself, Lucas held his wife close to him in an attempt to console her and began to speak. "Anna…she was fine yesterday. How---how could she possibly be having liver failure?"
Dr. Hudson shook his head. "I'm not sure. Me and the other doctors…we haven't been able to find an identifiable cause."
Peyton removed her face from Lucas's chest and looked at the doctor. "So what happens now? What are you doing to help her?"
"Well, we've started to treat her. We have began removing the build up of toxins in Anna's bloodstream and we're hopeful that by doing that, her liver will be able to heal on its own."
"And if that doesn't work?" Lucas asked, though somewhat certain he already knew the answer to his own question.
"If her liver fails to heal, she will need a transplant."
The tears once again began to fall down Peyton's face, as well as Lucas's.
"There's still a small chance she might not need one, but in the event that she does, we want to be prepared and make sure that she has a compatible one waiting for her. And that's where you two come in."
Peyton eyed Dr. Hudson curiously. "How?"
"Well you see, the great thing about the liver is that it can regenerate."
"Meaning what exactly?" Lucas asked.
"Meaning that patients in need of a liver transplant can receive a liver from a living donor. As Anna's parents, you and your wife have a great chance of having a liver that is compatible with your daughter. If either of you is a suitable match, we could remove a portion of one your liver's and give it to Anna. I want to test both of you to see if either one of you could be a good match."
Peyton vigorously nodded her head up and down as Lucas responded. "Of course. Test us both right now."
"Alright then. Please follow me."
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"She's going to be okay, right?" Peyton asked her husband as she softly stroked a sleeping Anna's face.
Lucas gently took Peyton's free hand into his own and held it tightly. "Anna will be fine. She's a fighter. Just like you."
The room briefly filled with silence before Peyton spoke up once more. "But what if she can't beat this battle Lucas?! I can't lose her. She's our baby; our miracle baby. The one we went through so much to have. I can't lose her Luke. She can't die."
Lucas took his free hand and brought it to Peyton's face, stroked it tenderly, and wiped away a tear. "Anna is not going to die Peyton, okay? She's going to live. She will live."
Just then, Dr. Hudson entered into Anna's room. "I have the results of your tests."
"Well?!" Lucas asked anxiously.
"I'm sorry, but neither of you are suitable matches."
Lucas gasped as Peyton put her face into her hands.
"But…we're—we're her parents." Lucas said stuttering. "How could neither one of us be a match?"
"Because of your blood types. Lucas you're B, Peyton's A and Anna is O. As soon as we noticed that you two both had different blood types, we immediately stopped testing. There's no way either of you could donate to her because you're incompatible."
Peyton wiped away another tear from her face. "How is Anna's blood type different from ours?"
"It seems odd, but your two blood types actually have the capability of producing an offspring with any of the 4 types: A, B, AB, or O. Anna could have been B, like Lucas, and he would have been able to donate. If she had been A, then you could have. If she was AB either one of you could have donated. But unfortunately Anna is O and O is only compatible with O. She can't receive a liver from anyone with another blood type. She would immediately reject it."
Lucas looked down into Anna's hospital crib and began stroking her beautiful blonde hair softly. "I cannot believe this is happening. This can't be happening."
"Parents with a compatible blood type are the best living donors for their children, but not the only ones. All a donor for Anna will need is someone in good health with an O blood type and compatible tissues. A secondary relative, like one of your parents or siblings will be the next best alternative, though even a non-relative could be a great match as well. I would start talking to your family members and close friends…ones you think would be willing to donate and see if they will come down and get tested. I'll give you two a few minutes to talk."
Peyton nodded and Dr. Hudson made his way to the door and exited the room.
Peyton focused her attention to Lucas. "Well Derek's still over in Iraq…"
"And Mom's in New Zealand…but there's Nathan. We can call Nathan and Haley and have them come over."
"Brooke and Julian too."
Lucas nodded. "Skills, Mouth, Deb…we have to call all of them."
Peyton nodded her head in agreement. "Let's do it."
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About an hour later Brooke and Julian entered into the waiting room, where they soon spotted Lucas and Peyton.
Brooke immediately rushed over to her best friend. "Peyton, what's going on? What's wrong with Anna?"
Peyton was about to respond, when she saw Nathan and Haley, as well as Deb, Skills and Mouth enter the room and rush over.
"Luke, what happened?" Nathan asked worriedly. "Is Anna okay?"
Lucas gently shook his head. "No, she's sick. She's really sick. Anna…she has acute liver failure."
Nathan and Julian's mouth's dropped, Deb, Skills and Mouth stood quietly in shock, and Brooke and Haley gasped in fright
Lucas found himself getting chocked up, so Peyton continued. "The doctors…they're doing everything they can to help her, but Anna…she might need a transplant. Children seem to respond really well from living donor transplantation...when they receive a portion of an adult liver from a compatible donor. The best matches are usually parents, but Lucas and I…we're not matches."
Brooke looked confused. "But how is that possible? I mean, you're her parents."
"It's kind of complicated." Lucas answered honestly. "Anna has a different blood type from ours. It sounds odd, but it happens sometimes."
Peyton continued. "While compatible parents are the best match, anyone who is in excellent health, has the right blood type and compatible tissues could be a potential donor. Lucas and I…we're hoping that you all could be tested and that if one of you are a match, and if Anna needs the transplant, that you would donate."
"Absolutely!" Brooke said as she hugged her best friend. "Of course we'll get tested."
The entire gang adamantly shook their heads in agreement.
"But only if your type O." Lucas added quickly. "Or aren't sure of your type."
"I'm B." Brooke said shaking her head in disappointment.
Haley sighed. "And I'm type A."
"So am I." said Julian and Mouth in unison.
"I'm not sure what I am." Skills said scratching his head.
"But I'm O." Nathan said speaking up.
"Me too." Deb said walking over to Lucas and putting a hand on his shoulder. "One of us will be a match for Anna. I just know it."
"I hope so." Lucas said sadly. "I really hope so."
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A couple of hours had passed by, before Dr. Hudson finally came to the waiting room with the results. Lucas and Peyton immediately rushed over to him and the three began talking together quietly.
A few minutes later, the conversation ended and Lucas and Peyton head back over to the rest of the gang.
"So what did he say?" Brooke asked anxiously.
Lucas spoke up. "Skills you're type A, so you can't donate. But Nathan and Deb…you two are both great potential donors. You both have the right blood type and compatible tissues---"
"But they want to use you Nathan." Peyton said interrupting, focusing her attention toward her brother-in-law. "You and Anna are both O+ and because you're her uncle, they think it would be best to use you."
Nathan, who had been listening intently, took in a deep breath before speaking. "Alright I'll do it."
"Nathan, you have to be 100% sure." Lucas asked his brother seriously. "This is a big decision. It's a risky surgery that can result in complications. And it will keep you down. For weeks. And it might take months for your liver to completely regenerate and for you to be fully recovered. It would end all immediate plans you have regarding your basketball comeback."
Nathan shook his head in dismissal and walked over to his brother. "Lucas, if my niece needs a portion of my liver, than I will give it her."
The brothers hugged one another and Lucas whispered into Nathan's ear. "Thank you. Thank you so much."
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A couple more hours passed on by, and the day changed over to night. An exhausted Lucas had momentarily stepped out of his daughter's room. He walked down the hall and headed toward a nearby window. He had aimlessly been staring out of the window for a few minutes, alone, before noticing Nathan, who had been sitting in the waiting room with Haley, came to join him.
Lucas focused his attention back toward the window. "I really hate hospitals."
Nathan sighed. "I think we all do Luke."
"Peyton and I…we went through so much to have Anna. All of those trips to see specialists…the fertility drugs…nothing was working. But then we did the in-vitro fertilization and 9 months later we had our baby girl. Anna is it Nathan. She might very well be the only child Peyton and I ever have. I don't know how I could continue living if she were to die."
"She's not gonna die Luke. You have to believe that she's going to pull through."
"I know." Lucas said while nodding. He redirected his attention toward Nathan. "You're a good brother Nate. You've always been there when I needed you. When I was upset about losing Keith, you were there supporting me. When I was nervous about coming here and giving those doctors that semen sample for the in-vitro, you came and you did it with me."
"You know that was no big deal Lucas. I needed to give a sample to make sure my vasectomy worked anyway."
"True. But you could have had it taken at a doctor's office. Instead, you came down to the hospital and did it with me. And now my daughter might need a liver transplant and you're willing to give her a part of yours. That means a lot to me Nathan. More than you'll ever know."
"You know I'd do anything for you Luke. And I'm sure if the situation was reversed, you would donate for Jamie."
Lucas nodded. "I would."
Lucas and Nathan stood together in silence, staring out of the window, when Peyton and Haley came rushing over to them.
"Luke, Dr. Hudson wants to see us."
The four quickly headed down the hall and toward Anna's room where Dr. Hudson, and another doctor, were waiting for them.
"Is something wrong?" Lucas asked worriedly.
Dr. Hudson shook his head. "No. I actually called you all in to tell you that Anna is doing well…better than expected. She mostly likely won't need a transplant."
Nathan and Haley sighed in relief, while Peyton began crying tears of joy as she hugged her husband. "Thank God! Thank God."
"So she's going to be ok?" Lucas asked. "Her liver's healing itself?"
Dr. Hudson nodded. "It appears so. Of course we still want to keep your daughter here for a few days for observation, but I think she's going to be okay."
"Will she ever have to get a transplant in the future?" Peyton asked.
"Since we were not able to figure out why her liver started to fail in the first place, there's always a possibility that it might start to fail again and if it does, she will have to get a transplant. But there's still a really good chance that it won't. Once Anna's back home, I would continue to monitor her closely for a couple of weeks and if she shows any signs of sickness, bring her in."
"And if she doesn't show any signs? Lucas asked.
"Then I expect her liver will have completely healed itself and a transplant more than likely won't ever be necessary."
Lucas smiled and went back to hugging Peyton. The two were beyond ecstatic that their little girl was doing better and probably wouldn't even need a transplant.
"This is really great news." Nathan said, as Haley nodded her head in agreement.
"It is." Dr. Hudson concurred. He then focused his attention back to Lucas and Peyton. "Lucas…Peyton…there's someone I would like you to meet. This is Dr. Taylor and she would like to talk to you two alone for a few minutes."
Peyton eyed Dr. Taylor curiously. "But why? What's this about?"
Dr. Taylor focused her attention toward Peyton. "It's in regards to an unrelated issue. It won't take long. I would just like to talk to you and your husband for a few minutes."
Lucas nodded his head and Dr. Hudson, Nathan and Haley headed for the door and exited the room.
Peyton took a seat by Anna's crib. "Ok, so what is going?"
"The hospital was going to call you both down here tomorrow morning, but when we found out you were already here, we thought it would be best to come and talk to you about this issue now. It concerns your daughter."
Lucas looked at Dr. Taylor with worry. "But I thought Anna was---"
Dr. Taylor began shaking her head. "This has nothing to do with Anna's liver."
"Then what?" Peyton asked, growing irritated.
"I'm here to talk about the in-vitro procedure you two went through to have her."
Peyton glanced briefly at Lucas before directing her attention back to Dr. Taylor. "What about it?"
"The week that Lucas came to give his semen sample, was a week that a mix-up occurred at the hospital."
Lucas's eyes grew wide with horror. "What are you trying to say?"
Dr. Taylor sighed deeply. "What I'm trying to say is that Peyton…you may have been inseminated with the wrong sperm."
Lucas's jaw dropped and a distraught Peyton just put her face into her hands and began sobbing.
"How—how…" Lucas wiped away a tear and walked over to Anna's crib and looked down at his daughter, who was peacefully sleeping. "She's mine. She has to be mine! I can't believe this happening."
"I know this must be devast—"
"Really, you think?!" an angry, panic-stricken Lucas interrupted.
"But there's more."
Peyton looked up at Dr. Taylor. "More?! You've already told us that there may have been a mix up. What else could you possibly have to tell us?"
Dr. Taylor turned to Lucas. "When you came to give your sample, your brother Nathan accompanied you correct?"
Lucas didn't speak, but nodded his head yes.
"He had given a sample to see if his sperm count had started to decrease since his vasectomy, am I right?"
Again Lucas nodded, but was growing even more heated and frustrated. "What does that have to do with anything!?"
"It was your brother's first sample after the procedure and it still contained a decent amount of sperm and it was stored by mistake."
"And?…" Lucas asked slowly.
"The mix up here at the hospital labs…it involves him. The wrong Scott sperm may have been used. There's a chance that Peyton might have accidentally been inseminated with your brother's sperm instead of yours. Nathan could be Anna's biological father."
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Uh Oh!! Just when Lucas and Peyton learn that Anna's doing better, Dr. Taylor breaks their hearts with the news that not only is there a chance that Lucas is not Anna's real father, but that if he's not, then his brother is. How do you think Lucas and Peyton will react? And what do you think they will do with this devastating information? Will they keep it to themselves or tell Nathan? How do you think Nathan would react to finding out his niece, might actually be his daughter? What will Haley say? And who do you think is Anna's biological dad? Dr. Hudson ran tests and discovered that Lucas and Anna have different blood types, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. He didn't run a paternity test and besides, it's possible for a child to have a blood type that differs from that of both parents. But still, knowing that Nathan and Anna do have the same blood type? I'm sure that's not going to sit too well with Lucas…
Please review with your thoughts/comments/predictions…I greatly appreciate them!!
