(Honeygrove Memorial Hospital)

The doctor who had approached the group moments ago now led the group along a busy corridor and into a quiet side room.

Once the entire group had entered, the doctor beckoned for them to take a seat in the available chairs around the room. As the rest of her friends did as the doctor instructed, Peyton continued to stand, watching him closely as he met her gaze. The room they were in was small and dimly lit, the walls a dingy beige. The room felt ominous, the atmosphere tense and the air musty.

The doctor looked at Peyton for a moment before glancing quickly at the floor. When he next looked up, he indicated for Peyton to take one of the remaining seats.

"Why don't you take a seat?" the doctor asked kindly.

Peyton just continued to stand in place, refusing to do as he asked because of what the gesture implied. Peyton had watched enough TV to know that doctors only asked you to take a seat when they had something bad to tell you.

Peyton shook her head sadly from side to side as the doctor watched her empathetically.

Seeing Peyton's response, Lucas stood from his chair and approached her. He placed a hand gently on her shoulder.

"Peyton…" he said slipping his other hand around hers.

"No," Peyton said, her voice cracking as she turned to face him.

Lucas saw the tears in her eyes and struggled to hold back his own. Lucas reached up and brushed a tear from Peyton's cheek, before pulling her into a comforting embrace. He rested his head over her shoulder, his eyes closed as he stroked the back of her hair with his fingers.

After a moment Lucas squeezed her tightly in his arms and pulled back from her to look into her eyes.

"Come on," he said taking her hand in his again and leading her towards an empty chair.

Peyton followed Lucas, taking the seat beside him, her hand still in his. Lucas looked at Peyton once they were sitting, shaking her hand reassuringly as he smiled warmly at her.

Once everyone was sitting, the doctor looked between the enquiring faces watching him and quickly glanced at the floor before clearing his throat to speak.

"Before I start," the doctor began. "I need to ask if anyone here is a family member or other relative of Miss Davis?"

The doctor glanced around the room noting the youngsters shaking their heads in response to his question.

"We're just friends," Lucas finally voiced looking at Peyton who was staring at a spot on the floor.

"Do any of you know how we can get in contact with her parent's?" the doctor asked following Lucas' admission. Legally he was not allowed to divulge patient information to anyone other than family members or a legal guardian. "We've attempted phoning the number in her records, but so far we've been unable to reach them."

Lucas looked around at the faces of his friends, waiting for someone to answer. When nobody did, Lucas finally spoke.

"Uh, they live in California." Lucas said swallowing hard at his words. "Brooke lives on her own…"

"Does she have a legal guardian?" the doctor asked looking at the group of friends. "An adult who's responsible for her?"

Lucas shook his head sadly in response.

"No," he answered quietly. "It's just her."

The doctor sighed heavily.

"Listen," he said looking between them regretfully. "I know that you're worried about your friend, but unfortunately I can't share patient information with you without the consent of a parent or other family member. Legally I'm not allowed to. I'm sorry."

Suddenly Peyton was pulled from her thoughts and looked up to meet the apologetic gaze from the doctor.

"What?" she said sadly.

"I'm sorry," he said again, noticing the pain in her expression. "I really am, but legally I can't. I could lose my job…"

Peyton stood up from where she was standing removing her hand from Lucas' grasp.

"Please," she begged him through tears. "We just want to know that she's ok. Can't you at least tell us that?"

The doctor closed his eyes for a moment, struggling with his decision. If there was any possible way that he could tell them, he'd do it gladly, but unfortunately the law was working against them.

Peyton stepped closer to the doctor so that she was only inches away from him. She wiped at her eyes quickly before speaking.

"Ok…I know that legally… or genetically…I'm not related to Brooke." Peyton began sadly her voice breaking with emotion. "That technically we're not family…but we've been friends for ten years."

Peyton paused a moment to get control of her emotions as she started to cry again.

"We've been through everything together…. She means so much to me…I know that you might not understand this…. but she is my family… she's the only person that's always been there for me…she's not just my best friend ok? She's my sister…. not on paper…but in here."

As Peyton said this she placed her hand over her heart.

"Surely that has to count for something…" Peyton added quietly pleading with him.

On hearing Peyton's words, Lucas felt tears forming in his eyes. As he stood up to walk over towards her, he felt a tear roll down his cheek.

Lucas placed his hand on Peyton's back and began rubbing it comfortingly as she continued.

"She's like my dad's surrogate daughter…. when she lived with us…"

"Wait a minute?" the doctor interrupted her. "She lived with you?"

"Yeah," Peyton said, a confused expression on her face. "Earlier this year, she lived with me and my dad. Why?"

The doctor smiled slightly at this.

"During that time, was your dad her legal guardian?" the doctor asked Peyton.

"I guess so," Peyton answered, wiping at her eyes again.

"And now she lives on her own?" the doctor questioned. "Your dad was her last guardian?"

Peyton nodded finally understanding what the doctor meant by his questioning.

"She was his responsibility." Peyton said.

"Ok," the doctor said smiling and pointing towards the recently vacated chairs. "That's enough for me."

Peyton and Lucas walked back to take their seats. Once they'd settled into position the doctor began to inform them of Brooke's condition.

"Now, from what I understand," he started. "Brooke suffered a head injury yesterday. Is that right?"

Peyton nodded.

"The paramedic said she had concussion." Peyton informed him.

The doctor nodded.

"Then today she'd been drinking?" he asked.

Again Peyton nodded.

"She was upset…"

On hearing this, Haley glanced at Peyton, catching her eye. Peyton looked sadly at Haley before turning back to face the doctor.

"We often tell patients' not to drink following a concussion because the affects of it can lead to poor co-ordination which increases the risk of falling over and hitting your head again." The doctor explained. "From what the paramedics told me, they believe that she fell over tonight and somehow hit her head again, is that true?"

"Yes," Mouth spoke up looking at the doctor. "She fell onto her back in a bar. She could have hit her head then."

The doctor glanced between everyone watching him before continuing.

"Unfortunately, when Brooke arrived here earlier, she wasn't breathing properly and we had to intubate her in the ER. Luckily, we managed to stabilise her. At the moment she's on a ventilator up in the intensive care unit."

"Will she be alright?" Haley asked tearfully.

The doctor looked at Haley for a moment before glancing at his shoes.

"Uh, we don't know yet." He answered looking back up to meet her gaze. "The next 24 hours are crucial."

"I don't understand." Peyton said puzzled as another tear fell down her cheek. "What's wrong with her?"

The doctor turned to Peyton to answer her question.

"We believe that she suffered what is known as 'second impact syndrome.' Following a head injury, such as Brooke had yesterday; your brain becomes more susceptible to injury. Therefore, another minor blow to the head during the recovery period can lead to devastating consequences for the patient." The doctor explained.

For a moment he paused allowing this to sink in.

"When Brooke hit her head again today, her body was still recovery from the injury she sustained yesterday. The knock to her head caused the blood supply to her brain to be restricted and as a result caused her brain to swell, which led to her seizing. When the brain swells it causes the pressure within your skull to increase, and if this is left untreated it can lead to long-term neurological problems such as paralysis. "

"But people do recover from this don't they?" Lucas asked the doctor.

"Actually, the majority of patients' who suffer from 'second impact syndrome' are normally dead before the paramedics even arrive. Brooke was extremely lucky. Technically she should be dead right now."

At these words an uncomfortable silence fell over the group.

"At the moment we're keeping Brooke sedated. We're giving her steroids and other drugs to try and help decrease the swelling of her brain, but if that doesn't work we may have to operate." the doctor continued breaking the eerie quiet. "Does she have any other medical conditions that you know of which may affect her treatment? We're still waiting for her notes to be faxed over from Tree Hill."

Peyton glanced between Mouth and Lucas a moment before finally answering.

"Yeah…" Peyton began hesitantly looking at Nathan and Skills before turning back to the doctor. "Uh, she has ovarian cancer."

The doctor looked at Peyton for a moment, swallowing hard as he did.

After a moment he nodded.

"How long has she had it?" he asked her.

"A few months," Peyton said avoiding Nathan and Skills shocked expressions.

"Is she having any treatment at the moment?" the doctor asked. "Chemotherapy or Radiotherapy?"

"No," Peyton answered him. "She's supposed to have surgery next week."

The doctor looked up at Peyton from noting this all down on a small note pad he'd removed from his scrub pocket.

"Ok," he said. "Is that all? There's nothing else?"

"No that's it," Peyton answered him.

The doctor placed the note pad back into his pocket.

"Perhaps you guys should go home and get some rest. I'm afraid that at the moment all we can really do is wait. If you leave me a contact number at reception, I can contact you if her condition changes..." the doctor began.

"Can we see her?" Peyton interrupted the doctor as she quickly stood up.

The doctor looked between the group and nodded.

"Ok," he said. "However, because she's in the ICU, I'm afraid that only one of you can go in at a time."

Peyton looked around the group and saw them nod their agreement to her unasked question.

The doctor watched, understanding that Peyton would be coming up first.

"Follow me," the doctor said turning and opening the door to the room.

Lucas stood up and walked over to Peyton taking her hands in his.

"We'll wait here for you," he said kissing her lightly on the forehead.

Peyton nodded before releasing herself from Lucas' grasp and stepping out into the corridor, the doctor following after her.

Lucas and the others watched in silence as the door closed behind them.

(Intensive Care Unit)

The doctor kindly led Peyton towards the intensive care unit. When they entered he took her to where Brooke lay unconscious, her body covered in a multitude of wires and tubes. The doctor beckoned for Peyton to take a seat next to Brooke's bed.

Peyton sat down slowly and momentarily took her eyes off Brooke to look at the doctor.

"Just talk to her," the doctor said reading Peyton's enquiring expression. "I'll leave you to alone."

With that the doctor disappeared, leaving Peyton and Brooke alone.

Peyton turned her attention back to Brooke, taking in the scene before her. From where she was sitting she could see the steady rise and fall of Brooke's chest as the ventilator rhythmically filled her body with air, a gentle hiss coming from the machine as it worked. A steady beep could be heard from the monitor above Brooke's bed as it tracked her heart rate.

Peyton lowered her eyes to Brooke. An IV line to give her fluids could be seen coming from her arm and a pulse oximeter attached to her finger to monitor her pulse. Taped in place in the back of her hand was a cannula for the doctors to administer medication. As she lay there Peyton thought that Brooke looked peaceful, oblivious to the world as it carried on around her.

Peyton reached out slowly and took Brooke's hand up in hers; jumping slightly in surprise at how cold she felt to touch. Peyton looked at Brooke's hand for a moment as she stroked the back of it gently with her own, careful not to knock the cannula.

After a moment, Peyton leant forward in her chair so that she her elbows were resting on the edge of the bed, Brooke's hand still in her own. Peyton continued to stroke Brooke's hand gently as she reached forward with her free hand and began to brush the side of Brooke's face tenderly.

For a moment Peyton just sat like this, looking at her friend as she continued to stroke her face affectionately. As she sat there Peyton felt tears sting her eyes and finally broke down crying.

She leant forward and kissed Brooke's forehead gently before beginning to stroke it again.

"Hey," she said through tears after a minute or so. "It's me."

Peyton paused for a moment, half expecting Brooke to answer her before finally continuing.

"Listen Brooke," Peyton said emotionally as a tear ran down her cheek and fell onto Brooke's hand. "You're going to be alright aren't you?" Peyton asked sadly.

Peyton squeezed Brooke's hand in her own before continuing.

"I mean when I came to your house yesterday morning, you told me you weren't going anywhere without a fight... Do you remember that?"

Peyton looked at Brooke through tears and continued.

"Well, I'm going to have to hold you to that now, ok?" Peyton sobbed. "We can't have gone through everything we have the last two years just for it to end like this. I mean... you're my rock…. what am I supposed to do without you?"

Peyton rubbed at her eyes roughly for a minute.

"I love you," Peyton said sadly shaking Brooke's hand in her grasp. "You know that right?"

Peyton nodded her head sadly.

"I just…. I want you to wake up and for everything to be ok…. to see you smile again…and make fun of my outfit."

At this Peyton laughed for a moment before once again turning serious.

"I keep…I keep thinking about what it would be like if you were no longer here…" Peyton sighed.

"About what my life would be like if you weren't in it…. and how lost I'd feel without you. Let me tell you about that life B. Davis…. about how everything would be just that little bit darker…how it would all be a little bit duller without you to brighten things up…"

Peyton swallowed hard before finishing.

"Remember you promised...you promised that I'd have you no matter what... that you'd never leave me." Peyton said sadly. "Please…." Peyton pleaded. "Please don't leave me Brooke…. I'm not ready to experience that life yet, the one without you…I'm not ready to lose you yet, just…just stay with me a little bit longer ok? Just a little longer…."

With this Peyton kissed Brooke gently on the forehead again and leant her head down to rest on Brooke's chest. Peyton stroked Brooke's hand in her own as she said quietly through tears, "Just a little longer Brooke…that's all I want…just some more time."