AN: Well I am back with another chapter, hope you all like this one. I am going to switch from character to character. Of course like I said earlier it is in that particular character's pov. Thank you all for reading! This one's a little longer than the first chapter. Well, on with the story..
Tears are rolling down my eyes as I lay my head against Nathan. I wish I could have some of his strength in situations like these. Oh Luke, I am so sorry for the pain you have to go through right now. I know how much it hurts to be in your position. I wish there was some way I could take it all away, take that night away. I think as my mind drifts off to that night..
"Ha-ha-hales!!"
"Yeah? Who's this? Luke, is that you?" I ask as I start to get worried, he sounds like he's been crying.
"Yeah it's me, P-p-p-eyyy-ton is..." he stutters out, for the sobs are taking over his speech.
"What is it Luke, your starting to freak me out a bit" Oh Luke just say it, the suspense is killing me, what happened to Peyton?? But I can't say that, or else I won't get a word out of him..wait why am I shaking, I don't remember shaking..
I am startled out of my thoughts by light shakes. I look up into the eyes that I have grown to love and count on soo much. "Nathan.. I'm sorry I think I just dazed off for a minute there, what's wrong?" I ask worriedly. Oh no, Brooke, is everything alright? I start to panic, but he soon calms me down as he tells me.."Hey, hey calm down Hales, I just got worried you were staring off into space for like 10 minutes." his face etched with worry. "Oh. I'm fine, I better go check on Brooke, alright? I'll call you when I am done" I say as I start to stand with the support of his hand on my back.
"I can wait here for you, if you want me to. I don't mind." he says as he stands also, reaching out to give me a hand with my bag. "No, Nathan go home okay? Get some rest, we've been here for 2 1/2 hours already. Could you call Karen for me? To let her know that Lucas went to Peyton's for a while, to check on her?" I ask him as I sling my bag over my shoulder and put a hand to the underside of my tummy. "What, what is it? Is the baby okay?" He asks worriedly again. "Yes, I am fine, I told you i'm okay. He just moved into an odd position, I love you, I will call you when I'm ready, alright?" I don't wait for his answer as I kiss his cheek and slowly make my way to Brooke's room.
I know I should'nt have just turned and left like that but if I didn't we would've stood there for hours with him asking if i'm okay every 5 minutes. Come on Haley, can you blame him? I would be a bit concerned if he wasn't worried, every once in a while, but does he have to be like that all day? It feels like I am suffocating at times. I love Nathan with all of my heart but, he doesn't let me do anything without him basically treating me like a delicate child or something.
Ooh, that kind of hurt, "whoa there little fella, why are you making your mama uncomfortable?" I say as I rub my hand over my protruding belly. I never used to hate hospitals, but I can't help disliking them now, since that night..Alright Haley, you can get through this. I think as I slowly but surely make my way over to Brooke's room.. Brooke..
As I stand in front of Brooke's room I can't help but stop and pause. I don't know if I can go in there again, I hate seeing her like that!I always do this, but everytime I tell myself that if it were me she would be in there everyday holding my hand and telling me about the latest gossip. "Alright Brooke, I'm coming.." I say as I force open the door and make myself into the room.
"Hi Haley, how are you doing?" Rita says with a genuine smile on her face.
"Hey Rita, I'm good, could be better..how's our favorite patient doing?" I say, trying to lighten the mood.
"She's doing well..Haley, just talk to her. She can hear you. Do you know anyone else that could come and talk to her?" Rita asks in a sympathetic tone.
"Yeah I know someone who should be here. But she is going through a lot right now, although I wish she could just come and see Brooke.." I say starting to get choked up.
"Yes, well I will leave you two alone now. Take care Haley, she'll pull through. I'll be back to check on her in a couple hours." She says as she walks out the door.
"Alright, thanks. Bye Rita" I say the last part to myself as she is already gone. That's gotta be my favorite of Brooke's nurses. I think as I sit next to the girl that wedged her way into my heart and life. I take her hand and set my purse beside my chair.
"Brooke, sweetie, you need to wake up. There are so many people that are worried for you. Lucas, he's torn up. Nathan seems to be our rock, but you know how he can be. And Peyton, well Peyton is Peyton. You know how she is with hospitals."
"I wish I could take it all away tigger. God how could that have happened? Why do you have to be so good hearted..But I know what you would say..you had to be there for your best friend" I say with tears in my eyes.
"That night was so scary for me tigger.."
"Luke, Luke, hello?? What is it??" I say with a bit more urgency for he is only crying into the phone.
"Hales, Peyton is in the hospital, she was tied and gagg-ggg--gged" He manages to get out in between each sob.
"WHAT?? How could that have happened? Who did that to her? Which hospital is she at, Luke..?" I know I am acting hysterical but when you just find out over the phone that a friend is in the hospital due to being gagged and tied, I think you would be the same.
"I don't know..oh Tree Hill.. ER-ER-ER-ER" I hear the dial tone in my ear as it seems as if he hung up. I dial his number.."Hey you reached Lucas Scott, sorry I can't.." I hear as I hang up.."Damn it, voice mail." I say as I rub my belly..I'll try one more time.."Hey you reached Lucas Scott, sorry I can't come to the phone right now, leave a message and I'll get back to you..BEEP" "Lucas!" I yell.."why aren't you answering the phone? Where is Peyton? You do know there is more than one hospital in Tree Hill, although I don't understand that since this is such a small town.." I ramble on..yes, I do that at times..don't judge. "anyway that's beside the point..sorry..where is she? By the way have you seen Brooke?" I say as I hang up. Where is Brooke? Surely she would've called me by now.
"Oh Brooke, I wish you would've let one of us know where you were going, then maybe..I dunno..maybe someone could have helped..save you two" I whisper as my memory returns to the present time. I look up at her face. She looks so, so..I can't even say it, it's so hard to see her this way. That's when I hear the light patter of drops on the window..as it gets louder I look over and see what I already knew. Rain, hmm seems fitting for what's happening. I wonder how Peyton is doing, I haven't heard from her since that night..
"He's still not answering! GOD!" I yell at the ceiling as I pace around my room. I didn't even notice Nathan standing in the doorway watching me.
"Hales, you need to calm down, what's going on?" He asks with such concern on his beautiful face.
"Luke called and Peyton's in the hospital, apparently she was tied and gagged, I don't know what happened exactly or who did it cause Luke hung up on me or something" I said the first part slowly to let him digest my words. I know he will be hurt, because of how close Peyton and him were at once. I look into his eyes and I can see it, that small glimmer of being defeated, lost. As soon as that look came it left. And he was strong Nathan again.
"Everything will be okay, Peyton's alright, she's a stronger girl than she seems, she'll be alright" He says more to convince himself than me it seems.
"Did you not hear what I said? She's in the hos-pi-tal! And Luke isn't answering his phone..and I don't know which hospital she is in Tree Hill General, Tree Hill Memorial, Tree Hill Hospital.." I babble on. Yes, I am babbling again..oh god!
"Hales, everything will be okay" he whispers into my hair as he gathers me in his warm embrace. "You'll see, I bet the battery died, or maybe he has no service, he'll call you back" he soothes and rubs his hands on my back as he guides me to the bed to sit. "You need to relax, think of the baby, he can feel your anxiety."
"Yeah, I know, I'm sorry..It's just been 20 minutes and.." I am cut off by a kiss to my forehead.
"Hales..please. Come, lay down now. I will let you know if Luke calls. You need to get some rest, I will find out where Peyton is, okay? We were up on our feet all day and night."
"Alright" I say as I feel my eyes drift close. 45 minutes later..BOOM I am startled awake from the sound of a door slam.
"Nathan, what the.." My words drift off as I see the fear in his eyes.
"It's Brooke.."
Click I hear a door close as I am startled awake, as I was in my memory.
"Oh Haley, your still here, I am sorry to wake you, I just need to check Brooke's vitals and everything, would you please step outside for a bit?" She asks with a smile on her face.
"Hey Rita, gosh has it been two hours already? Wow! Where does the time go, huh? Of course..yeah. Just let me get my bag..actually, I think it's time for me to head on home." I grab my purse and look at Brooke, who is still asleep peacefully. "I'll see you later Brooke, love you."
"See you Rita, have a good night" I say as I make my way to the sink to wash my hands.
"Good night Haley, I will see you tomorrow?"
"Yeah I'll be here, like always.." I take one last glance at Rita then Brooke and make a silent prayer for her to be watched over as she sleeps and exit out the way I came. I grab my cell phone and pull up Nathan's name, I was about to press that little green button. When another name popped up on my screen. Peyton..
"Hey Peyton" I try to say with a smile in my voice.
"Haley..? Is it alright for you to talk now?" She asks defeatedly. She sounds so sad, broken, alone. Oh Peyton...
"Uh, I was actually gonna call Nathan to come pick me up, but what's up?"
"Oh I was wondering if you could come over so we could talk, I don't know where Luke went. I guess home, I woke up and he was go..ne" She says as she starts to get choked up.
"I'll be over as soon as I can, alright? Just let me go home and get something to eat and I'll be right there, I am gonna call Nathan now to come get me" I say as I make my way to the front of the hospital, ready to hang up.
"Alright, thanks Hales. Oh yeah, Haley...Have you seen Brooke around?"
I stop dead in my tracks and take a deep breath, because from what I know or heard she hasn't said anything about Brooke since that awful night. What do I say? What does she mean have I seen her around? Did she forget? Oh my God! Help!
AN: Thank you all again for reading my story. Please review to let me know how it's going and how you like it. I will try to update as often as I can. Thank you's to: TeamSophia for adding me to your story alert list. That makes me feel proud and like I'm doing an okay job at this. A special thank you to: tanya2byour21 for not only adding me to your story alert list, but for also reviewing. Your my first reviewer, so that makes you special, lol. Thanks a bunch! I am glad you like what I've done so far. I will try to post as fast as I can.