Life Sentence (Chapter 2)

Five days later…

Lucas paced around outside his locker trying to think of something other than the fact that his former best friend was lying in a hospital bed. It wasn't really that that was bothering him. It was more of the fact that he didn't know what was going on. He had no idea if Haley was dead, if she was in a coma or if she was simply in the hospital awaiting results to tests, fully conscious, etc. It was agonizing not knowing. "So, why don't you just go and visit her?" Peyton asked, rolling her eyes at her boyfriend's melodrama. Lucas looked up at her and shook his head.

"Visit her? That would require going to the hospital, talking to her family and actually setting foot in the same room as her," Lucas said. Brooke chuckled.

"That's generally what happens when you visit someone in the hospital," Brooke said. Lucas shook his head.

"I can't do that," he said.

"Mind telling us why?" Theresa asked, coming up to the group with Nathan behind her. Nathan put his arm on her shoulder and patted her. They weren't dating, but they were friends. Not friends who slept together, just friends.

"Because it's Haley," Lucas said, looking at her as if she were the dumbest person alive.

"Oh, right. It's Haley. As in the girl who was your best friend for like eight years and now that she's been hit by a car, possibly hanging on by a thread, you don't have the stuffing to go and visit her when she needs you," Theresa said sarcastically.

"It's not that easy. Haley and I haven't spoken in three years. How big of a jackass would I be if I just showed up at the hospital being the supportive friend after being MIA for so long?" Lucas asked.

"You would be someone who cares about her," Peyton said. Lucas shook his head.

"I wouldn't be able to face her," Lucas said.

"Lucas, it was more than a year ago. I'm sure she's past it by now," Brooke said.

"You guys don't know Haley that well," Lucas said.

"What do you mean?" Nathan asked.

"I mean that she can hold a grudge like no one else," Lucas said.

"So you're not going to visit her?" Theresa asked. Lucas shook his head.

"I can't," he said.

"Now that is being a jackass," Nathan said. Lucas sighed.

"Will you come with me?" he asked.

"I'll come with you," Peyton said. Brooke and Theresa both smiled showing their support. Lucas looked at Nathan.

"Sure," Nathan gave in.

"Thanks, Nate," Lucas said. Peyton looked at him in bewilderment and he kissed her lightly. "Thanks, Pey." Peyton smiled.

"It's no problem," Peyton said.

"I don't know if this is such a good idea, Luke," 14-year-old Haley James said. Lucas sighed. It was the beginning of the year and it was time for student elections. Their mutual friend Jake Jagielski had been nominated for Grade 8Class President and Jake had decided to accept and run. He and Luke were trying to convince Haley to be his running mate because she was well liked, kind and smart.

"Why not?" Lucas asked. "You love helping out the school."

"Yeah but student government is a huge leap, don't you think? I don't need to put myself out there for more public scrutiny," Haley said.

"Oh, come on, Hales. You are perfect for the job. You're sweet, funny, you don't take anything from anyone and you have the whole 'girl-next-door' thing working for you. Jake needs you. The eighth grade needs you. Don't sell yourself short; you're a born leader," Lucas said. Haley looked at him doubtfully. The other running team, Brooke Davis and Mouth McFadden had overheard and Brooke came over and laughed.

"More like born loser," Brooke started. Haley narrowed her eyes. "Do you honestly think that you and the mysterious jock have any chance running against me and Mouth? Get real. You throw out the trash, you don't vote it in."

"Back off, Brooke," Haley said.

"Does the truth hurt? But if you want to embarrass yourself and your entire family even more than nature intended then by all means, go right ahead. What's one more disappointment in a family full of screw-ups?" Brooke demanded.

"My family is not full of screw-ups," Haley said.

"Your dad is an ex-con, your brother is a felon, your sister is a slut, your mother is dead and your other brother is missing in action," Brooke said. Haley bit her lip at the mention of her eldest brother, Anthony who had joined the Marines and gone over to Iraq. His platoon had gone into enemy territory and now her brother was missing and had been for three months.

"That is exactly why she will win," Lucas said. Brooke looked at him in amusement and disbelief. "She doesn't have such a shallow outlook like you do."

Lucas walked into the hospital followed by Nathan, Peyton, Brooke and Theresa. He walked up to the second floor and sighed when he saw Jimmy James, Taylor James, Zach James and Anthony James waiting outside Haley's hospital room. Anthony had just returned to Tree Hill after being wounded in Iraq.

"Lucas?" Taylor James said. They all turned around and smirked at him.

"We were hoping you would come by," Jimmy James said, shaking his hand as they approached the family.

"I would have come sooner but I just found out while I was in school," Lucas said.

"Are you friends of Haley's?" Anthony asked, looking at the rest of the group. Nathan could hear Brooke's tiny scoff.

"This is my brother, Nathan, my girlfriend, Peyton and those two are Brooke and Theresa," Lucas said. They all stepped forward and shook their hands.

"How is she?" Lucas asked.

"She's stable, out of the woods, but she did sustain an injury," Taylor explained.

"Is she awake?" Nathan asked, suddenly overcome with curiosity. He wondered what kind of injury Haley had sustained.

"No. She's still in a coma," Zach replied.

"It's gotten pretty quiet," Taylor commented, trying to lighten the mood. Lucas chuckled. That was funny. When you first met Haley, she would come off as shy and quiet. But when you got to know her, there was no shutting her up.

"You can go ahead and see her," Jimmy said. Lucas nodded and looked to Nathan who sighed and nodded. The two Scotts walked into the hospital room.

Nathan followed Lucas into Haley's room. There were a bunch of baskets of flowers and bouquets around the room. "Hales?" Lucas asked. The body in the bed was small. Nathan didn't really know Haley James that well. He had nothing against her. But he never hung out with her. He thought she was a good person.

Taylor followed them in. There were cuts and bruises running up and down her arms. She walked over to her sister's bed, brushing past Nathan who stood at the foot of her bed, staring down at her. "Haley, sweetie. Wake up," she said. There was no response from Haley besides a slight jump in her blood pressure. Lucas looked at Taylor. "That's happened quite a bit. The doctor says that it's a good sign."

"She could wake up at any moment?" Lucas asked. Taylor nodded.

"That's good," Nathan said, trying to be helpful and positive but it was still a bad situation. He could tell his brother appreciated his effort.

"Yeah, it is. Hopefully, Hales will decide to grace us with her presence soon," Taylor said.

Four hours later…

Haley opened her eyes slowly and looked around. She was in the hospital. She could tell right away. The smell of medicine and cafeteria food was all around her. She froze when she saw Nathan Scott sitting in her room. At first, she thought she was hallucinating. So she closed her eyes for a second, convinced that when she opened them, he would not be there anymore. She opened them and he was still there. She made a small choking sound as she tried to speak and Nathan stirred. He opened his eyes and smirked at her. "Well, look who's finally awake," he said. Haley looked at the sink. "Water?" he asked. Haley nodded. He came back a few seconds later with a cup of water. Haley took the cup from him gently, but he still held it in her hands as she tipped the cup downward and took a few sips.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Lucas," Nathan replied. Now she was really confused.

"What about him?" Haley asked.

"I came here to for Lucas. He went down to the cafeteria," Nathan said. Haley nodded.

"Why's he here? What happened?" Haley asked. Nathan started to explain what had happened and Haley had panicked for some reason and started pushing the call button. Apparently, her doctor had been near the nursing station and came rushing into the room.

"Miss James, you're awake!" he exclaimed. Her family came rushing in as well.

"Why can't I move my legs?" Haley asked. They all sighed and looked down at the ground. The doctor grimaced. Nathan looked down as he realized what was wrong.

"I'm afraid you're paralysed from the waist down," the doctor said. He started to explain that her spinal cord had been severed in the accident. Then a thought came to Haley's mind.

"What about the driver of the car? Are they ok?" Haley asked.

"Presumably," her father replied. Relief washed over her and then she realized that that didn't really answer her question.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You were involved in a hit-and-run," Nathan reminded her. So, the driver is fine, Haley thought to herself and she was thankful for that. Then she realized the injustice.

"Wait a second. Are you telling me that he got off scot-free?" Haley asked.

"I'm afraid so. The police have been unlucky in their search," the doctor said. Haley chuckled bitterly.

"Well, this is hardly fair. He's the one who was speeding. He's the one who caused the accident. Yet he walks away clean and free and I'm the one being served with a life sentence?" Haley exclaimed.