This is a Peyton/Haley friendship fic set in the next episode so possible spoiler warning there. I wrote it because I dont have a lot of faithin mark to give us a scene in the next episode. Let me know what you think.
You walk into the hospital and shudder slightly. You hate hospitals. Too many bad memories that you really do not need to relive and it looks like you have a couple more memories to add to that list. Your boyfriend and one of your closest friends. You close your eyes and try to push the tears back at the thought.
Brooke shakes you slightly and you notice that you are standing in front of Lucas' room. You push open the door and suck in a breath when you see him lying on the bed with a tube in his mouth.
"Peyton," Brooke whispers, and you snap your head towards her with a fear in your eyes and then shake your head a few times over and Brooke frowns at you.
"I can't do this, not again." You manage to stutter out before you stumble out of the room and rush down the hall getting as far away from that room as possible. You manage to stop your feet suddenly and press yourself against the wall as a few stray tears run down your cheeks.
You feel a hand on your shoulder and look up to see Whitey standing behind you with a concerned look on his face. You try to give him a smile but it just comes out as a frown.
"Are you okay?" He asks, and you fight the urge to scream at the top of your lungs. Instead, you just mutter, "Not really but I will be."
"Alright," He speaks slowly, as if talking to a small child, "I wanted to keep an eye on Nathan until someone else showed up. He's fallen asleep; do you think you could sit with them for a while until family shows up?"
You take a deep breath and shudder slightly but still answer with, "Yeah, that's fine."
He nods his head and you watch him walk down the hallway until you can no longer see him. You then turn towards the door and slowly push it open with one hand while brushing a strand of hair away from your eyes with the other.
The first thing you notice when walking into the room is Nathan curled up on the bed next to Haley with his feet hanging off the edge, his face tucked into her neck and his hand resting lightly on her stomach, which makes you smile softly, despite everything.
You quietly walk over to the chair beside Haley's bed and sit down while taking her hand in yours. You close your eyes and try to pretend you're somewhere else but that doesn't work, it never does. So you let the memories wash over you, smiling at the good times and frowning at how stupid you were.
You've done this so many times that it feels like it should be second nature. Yet, every time you open your mouth the words don't come out… You never what to ask if the person in the bed can actually here you.
"So, I'm probably not the person you want by your side talking to you but Brooke is with Lucas and Nathan's asleep so I guess I'll have to do." You look down at your hands and sigh, "Things have been kinda awkward, huh? I know it's my fault. It always is. I always manage to do something stupid to ruin a friendship and I really stuffed ours up. You cannot imagine how sorry I am Haley."
You sigh again, resting your head on the bed lightly before quickly sitting up not wanting to put anymore pressure on Haley, "I was a bitch and I know I've said that before… but I was a fool to think that a simple sorry would fix our friendship. It hasn't. We're nowhere near where we used to be and I hate that because your friendship was probably one of the best I've ever had and I miss you Haley, I miss you."
"I can't even sit by Lucas' bed, Brooke took me there and when I got there I just froze, he had all these tubes and I just didn't want to see that ya know? It just reminded me of last time when he was in an accident… only this time I didn't have you there to hold me up and support me. I needed that. I need you."
A tear rolls down your cheek but you make no move to wipe it away this time. Haley deserves this. She deserves your tears. Your faith. Your friendship even if you don't deserve hers.
You sniffle slightly, shaking your head and trying to make your voice sound strong as you rub your thumb against the back of her hand.
"So, you have to wake up Haley because our little unit of friends all depends on you. We don't function without you. We can't function without you. Nathan's a mess Hales, he really can't live without you; I would hate to see what this would do to him. Brooke needs you too, you two have gotten so close lately, and I don't think she could cope without you. So you have to wake up Haley, wake up!"
You sigh when she doesn't open her eyes and then mentally slap yourself; of course she's not going to wake up just because you said so.
You rest your head on the bed again and sit in silence as Nathan's breathing calms you somewhat. And then you hear a slight croak and frown thinking you must have been imagining things.
"Peyton," Your head snaps up and you see Haley who has her eyes open with a soft smile on her face. Your mouth falls open at the site of her. "Hi, can you get me a glass of water?" She whispers as she gently brings her hand up to run her fingers through Nathan's hair, trying not to wake him.
You quickly grab a glass of water and help her drink it before sitting back down in your chair and smiling at her.
"I can't believe you're awake. It seems like it was just seconds ago that I was telling you to wake up." You mutter quietly and Haley nods her head.
"I've been trying to wake up, it was like I was in the room and I could hear everything around me but I couldn't open my eyes or my mouth to say something. It was kind of like I was fighting against an invisible force and it wouldn't let me break free." She says, and you nod your head trying to understand what it must have been like for her.
"Then I heard you." She states and your head snaps toward hers in shock, "It was like you were this strength that could pull me through. You were strong. When Nathan was talking to me he was so sad and lost and I tried to let his voice lead me but it didn't work." She sighs, and you keep your mouth shut.
"And then you came and your voice started out like Nathan's, it was soft but every word got stronger and clearer and I followed your voice and then you told me to wake up and something snapped in me and it pulled me through and here I am."
You smile brightly at her.
"Did you here everything I said?"
"Yeah, I did and it's not your fault, Peyton! Well, not entirely." She pauses as if to collect her thoughts and you suck in a breath, "Granted it was your fault to start with but you did apologize, and even though that wasn't enough, it should have pushed me to bring it up with you again." She takes a deep breath, "I guess what I'm saying is that we are both at fault and we need to work on that because I miss you, too."
You smile brightly, leaning forward to give her a somewhat awkward hug being Nathan is in the way and you don't want to wake him. You pull back and Haley grins at you.
"Haley…" Nathan moans quietly, and you both turn your heads towards him and then back to each other before laughing.
"Well, I must admit that sounded dirty. Does that happen often?" You tease gently and Haley grins back at you.
"Well, you know, I bring out the best in him." She states with a smirk and you smirk right back at her.
"So he has wet dreams often then?" You state with an innocent look and Haley gasps with a smile.
"Peyton!" She gasps out between a laugh while slapping your arm lightly and you wink at her.
"Don't deny it, Haley."
"Haley, you're awake." Nathan says as you both look at him and Haley smiles lovingly down at him.
"Yeah, babe, I am."
"The doctors said they couldn't know when you would wake up … they said it could be days. I was so scared, Haley." He breaths out, wrapping his arms around her tighter, as he kisses her neck gently.
"I would never leave you, Nathan." She states firmly, as he looks up at her and then her eyes drift down to her stomach and her eyes widen in panic, "Nathan, our baby, is he okay? Oh God, please tell me that he's okay!"
Nathan quickly sits up, placing his hands on her face as his thumb rubs up and down her cheek in an attempt to calm her down. He leans over to kiss her gently before replying, "He's fine, baby. The doctors said it was practically a miracle that he pulled through but he did. They just need to keep an eye on you and the baby for a few days to make sure everything works out fine." He reassures her and she sighs in relief.
You get out of your chair and turn to leave the room not wanting to intrude on such an intimate moment.
"Peyton!" You spin around at Haley's voice.
"Yeah?"
"I'm glad it was you."
Thanks to Linds for the beta, your the best!