In My Dream

Chapter One

Waiting at Lucas' bedside at the hospital Haley reads to him as Karen sleeps in the chair near the door. She couldn't help but think as she looks up over the top of the page from time to time that he's been laying there in a coma for weeks now. Was he supposed to be in it that long? What were the odds that he would actually wake up at this point? Would she loose her best friend in the whole world, or would he survive this? Could he even hear her reading to him?
There were just too many questions going through her mind and not enough answers, and it was effecting her sleep. Perhaps, if she knew what Karen did she could get some sleep. Karen seemed calm Haley thought for having a son laying there unconscious. Haley had tried to get Karen to tell her what the doctors had told her with no success. Was there something that she knew that would calm her down? Haley didn't have the slightest clue.

"I have to hand it to Haley," Skills says sitting down on the metal bleachers at the river court. "She's been there everyday reading to him."
"Yeah I know, she's making us all look bad."
"It became really hard to watch him just lay there motionless after a week went by."
"I know my mom's even started asking if Karen's alright," Fergie says looking down at the basketball that he's holding. "It's just not the same around here either."
"I just hope he doesn't think that we gave up on him."

"Back from your trip to the hospital already?"
"Yeah, it's just getting hard to read to him all the time."
"I'm taking it he didn't come to yet," Lydia says coming over to Haley and hugging her.
"I don't know if I should anymore, or if I'm just wasting my time."
"It partially depends on if you want to do it still."
"I do, but I don't know what to think anymore," Haley says as her and her mom go to sit down. "I want him to wake up, I really do. I don't know if he will though."
"Stick in there, it can't hurt to put in the time. Besides by reading to him you're getting something out of it."
"Well at least I'll know what I read even if he doesn't, I suppose."
"It's the thought that counts," Lydia says kissing Haley gently on the forehead.

"Hey," Brooke says as Haley bumps into her as she heads out of the tutoring center with a stack of books piled up to her eye level. "Watch where you're going."
Watching the books fall down to the floor of the hallway, Haley looks defeated. Just another bad reminder why she missed having Lucas up and awake. Usually when she needed help she would call him and he would come running, today though she had no one to turn to for help. She only had the other guys from the river court and they had headed out of town to go visit and talk to Faith to distract themselves, so she was truly alone to tackle taking the books back to the library.
"Do you think you could at least help pick them up?"
"You have to be kidding me."
"Of course," Haley says looking up at Brooke. "Why would you be considerate enough to do so? Just go back to swinging your little pompoms around and twirling your hair."
"Whatever, you bumped into me. I don't need to help you with anything."
"I'll help you."
"Come on Brooke let's go," Peyton says linking arms with Brooke. Turning to face Haley, Peyton mouths sorry to her. She was evidently used to apologizing for her Haley thought. "We have just enough time to hit the mall before my dad gets home."
"Thanks, at least someone's feeling helpful today."
"I just understand the need for help more than most others around here."
"Well I usually don't have to do this that often," Haley says looking over at Jake as he helps her gather the books. "Every now and then though some people decide to not return the books to the library themselves."
"I'm taking it that you usually get Lucas to help you."
"So you keep track of us little people?"
"Hey, I'm not that much different than you and your friends," Jake says getting up. "We're all just trying to make it through it day by day."
"By how some people are though you would never expect it."
"Don't worry life will eventually catch up with them."
"Thanks again for the help," Haley says as she closes the door to the tutoring center.

"How is he doing?"
"Who Lucas?"
"Yes, he is my grandson after all. I'm worried about him too," Royal says looking over at Keith as he leans against the counter at the body shop.
"I didn't know you even knew about him, or should I say that Dan ever mentioned it to you or even mom."
"Are you trying to insult our intelligence? It was rather obvious with the timing and everything."
"In that case then he's still unconscious the last time I checked."

Walking down the hallway in the hospital, holding her fall jacket, Haley is surprised to see Karen walking toward her. Was this a good sign or a bad sign she thought. Nearing, Haley takes into consideration that maybe Keith is in the room sitting with Lucas. Then as they reach each other a smile crosses Karen's face.
"You seem to have almost perfect timing, he just woke up about five minutes ago."
"Yeah, imagine that," Haley says as she heads off towards his room. Relieved and excited that he's up she speeds up her pace a little. As she reaches his room, she notices that the blanket that Karen was using is now thrown over the back of the chair closest to his hospital bed. Walking over to his bedside, she smiles at him as she sits down to the side of him on the bed. "Hey bud, it's good to see you awake again."
"It's good to see you again, and especially as yourself."
"What do you mean?"
"You were in my dream," Lucas says unsure of how much he should tell anyone.
"Really, was it good or was it a nightmare?"
"I'm not sure, but it was interesting."
"Come on," Haley says looking at him curiously. "I'm your best friend you have to tell me at least some of the details. Or did you forget that?"
"Well, Keith and Skills suckered me into playing ball for the school. Then we both started dating popular people, and you got married."
"Wait I got married?"
"Yeah," Lucas says looking at her weird. "Believe me you don't want to hear to whom."
"Please tell me I married someone like Jake at least."
"Yeah, you wish."