It's only been one week and i'm already having OTH withdrawerals!
Especially with that crazy cliffhanger ending and the promise of another Naley baby and a Brulian wedding for season 8!

I appreciate all the warm complaments and happiness from the sequel's first chapter.
it's funny, some of you put way more thought into the character studies than i do.
i mean to fuel no stereotypes or be predictable. i just write what comes to mind really:]

I hope you enjoy.

Chapter 2

When Brooke returned to the bedroom at around eight AM that morning and she opened bedroom door, she heard a faint grunt.

"Jay? You awake?"

"Mommy!" Sienna launched off the bed and attached her arms and legs around Brooke.

Julian turned over in bed and Brooke noticed multiple tissues scattered on the floor beside him.

"I feel awful. I think I'm getting sick. Will you take care of me?…"

"Oh honey. Is this just you wanting to role play again? It's the morning!"

He didn't respond with actual words, just a moan.

"I wanna play!" Sienna wanted to play as in with dolls, not having any clue to what Brooke was referring.

"Go out into the kitchen See-See and I'll be in soon to make you breakfast."

Brooke turned back to the bed and sat down beside Julian. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know…I'll be fine. I have to be. We're going to the Bobcats game today, Tristan and I, with Nathan, Jamie and Mouth though. He's really excited about it."

Brooke sat down next to her husband and touched her hand to his forehead. She felt the heat before she even touched him. He must have a temperature.

"Oh no babe, there is no way I'm letting you go. You're warm. You probably have a fever. Uhhh what am I going to do with you?" Brooke joked.

She didn't like seeing her husband sick. He rarely got sick, but when he did, he milked it for all it was worth. She went into the bathroom and got the kid's thermometer. She couldn't believe it when he whined as she took the temperature in his ear.

"NO! I have to go. I told Nathan that we could take out car since ours is bigger. But I feel so crappy…"

"Well then maybe we should get you to a doctor…"

"Only if that doctor is you…"

"I'm serious, Julian. A real doctor."

"No!" He whined. "I'll be okay if you take care of me…"

"Oh. You are such a baby. The kids are tougher than you. Your little sister Eli is defiantly tougher than you. I didn't know I had a seventh child to look after." She teased.

"Oh fine. won't go to the game." Julian sounded so defeated. "But YOU have to tell Tristan."

When Julian was asleep Brooke called Nathan and told them to go without Julian and Tristan to the game. Nathan insisted that Tristan shouldn't miss the game because of Julian, so he offered to pick Tristan up at the house in an hour. Brooke sat down with Tristan and told him that his dad was not going to the game. Her heart broke at the sight of his adorable frowny face, but he understood that his dad couldn't go.

"It's my first basketball game. Dad was gunna teach me stuff…"

"I know bud, but Uncle Nathan knows the game better than anyone. And Jamie too."

Since Nathan and Julian had met, they had become fast friends and Nathan had taught Julian everything he knew about sports, especially basketball of course.

"You'll have a great time and your Dad will catch the next game, I promise."

So Tristan left the house to have a great day with the guys, sans Julian. For the rest of the day, Nolan helped Brooke with Jeremy's therapy exercises and Jordan was a great help in following Bentley around to make sure he didn't hurt himself or get lost. He had developed a new liking to sneaking out of the house or the backyard. Brooke had a heart attack last week when she couldn't find Bentley and, low and behold, he was walking down the sidewalk by himself. She yelled at him, gave him a severe time out, and ever since, he has been pretty well behaved.

"Mom? I want a puppy." Jordan blurted out randomly.

"What? No."

"But I want one! Everyone at school has pets! Mostly dogs too."

"Well everyone at school doesn't have four younger siblings, do they?"

"It's not fair! I didn't ask for the triplets to come. I'm asking for a puppy. "

"I'm sorry but there is no way we...scratch that... I can take care of a dog."

"But I'll do it! It'll be my dog. I have cute names picked out and everything."

"Sorry Jord but I said no. Besides you're always busy at gymnastics."

"Daddy would say yes. He loves me." She whined.

"What, and I don't?"

"Guess not." Jordan stomped off in a huff.

"Get ready! We have to leave for your practice in twenty minutes. We can't be late like last time. I'm paying for your open gym time, you know!"

"Whatever!" Jordan was so much like Brooke it was astonishing.

"She's an idiot." Nolan came into the kitchen to add her own two cents.

"Don't call your sister that Nolan."

"Sorry...So i'm going out with Ky and Charlotte for dinner. That's okay right?"

"Sure, just keep me posted."

Brooke held up the cell phone that Nolan was bound to forget on the kitchen counter. Nolan took the phone and smiled.

"Okay good. Cause Char's brother is driving us and they're on their way here now."

"Oh nice...thanks for the notice." Brooke said sarcastically.

"Whatever, Mom." Nolan smiled and walked outside to wait for her friends.

;

Brooke ordered Julian some takeout chicken noodle soup. He was the cook in the family and she didn't want to kill him with her failed attempt to boil water.

"Here's your soup babe."

"Thanks…" Julian sneezed before taking the bowl from Brooke's hands.

"Jordan thinks I don't love her cause I won't get her a puppy. She's so draumatic."

"Aww Brooke. She'll come around. Before I met you, Nolan said she hated me 'cause I wouldn't get her a new Mommy. See how that turned out…" Julian laughed but ended up coughing.

"It's not funny. You did actually get her that. But you know there is no way we could ever handle that. I said no and you better back me up when she asks you."

"Of course I will."

"So do you feel any better since you slept?"

"Yeah I think it's just a 24 hour thing, so i'm even more bummed that I missed the game." He pulled out the wimpy illness card and made a sad puppy-dog face.

"My poor baby. Maybe I should play nurse and give you a sponge bath."

"Don't tease me…"

"I have to go. Jordan has practice…"

Brooke began kissing Julian's slightly hot and sweaty forehead and down to his neck but was interrupted when the phone rang. Brooke answered.

"Hello?...Haley honey. Are you crying? What's going on?...What! Are they okay?...Oh my god! Where are you sweetie?...Yeah, I'll be there soon."

Brooke hung up and her head immediately sunk into her hands. Tears started flowing. She was in shock.

"Honey what's wrong?"

"Nathan…uh…Nathan… They got in a car accident. Tristan was in the car…" Her fearful rambling started out as a whisper and ended up as a scream.

"Tristan was in the car! "

;

The ER was so busy. Brooke had no idea where to go or who to turn to to ask a question. Julian had wanted to come but he was sick and there was no one to stay and watch the little kids; Eli was at school and the triplets were too much for only Jordan to handle. She had convinced him that she would call when she knew anything about Tristan but right now she wished he was there with her. In the ER Brooke just kept getting pushed out of the way and found herself in a corner of the large, packed room. She pulled out her cell phone when she heard a familiar voice.

"Brooke! Over here!" It was Quinn.

"Hey do you know where they are? I need to see Tristan! Where's Tristan! Have you seen Haley or Rachel?" Brooke ranted with multiple random questions when she was scared.

"Haley's back here. Haven't seen Rachel yet. Come with me." Quinn took Brooke by the hand and they slipped behind the double doors.

"There's a surgery waiting room up here…"

"Surgery? Who's in surgery?" Brooke had a heart attack at the thought.

"Nathan and Marvin."

"Oh god! Are they going to be okay? How are the boys?"

Brooke was so beyond afraid that Tristan or Jamie was dead. She couldn't even stand the thought. But kids die in car accidents all the time.

"Momma!"

Tristan jumped down off an exam table in an open cubicle and came running towards his mom. He jumped into her awaiting arms. A nurse ran after him yelling that he shouldn't have left the room. Brooke knelt down and took her son in her arms.

"Baby are you okay? I was so scared!"

"I'm fine Mom."

"Your shirt is all bloody…are you hurt?"

"It's…not from me. I just got a burn on my arm. That's all. It's nothing. The lady said I was brave."

"A burn...That's not nothing! Did a doctor take a look at you?"

Just then a nurse approached.

"He is free to go. His burn might sting for a few days, but it will be fine in a week."

"Thank you."

Just as Brooke sent of a text to Julian saying that Tristan was unharmed, she heard a cry. As she grabbed Tristan's hand and they turned down a new hallway, she was relieved to find Jamie in Haley's arms. He was bawling his eyes out. Unbelievably, Brooke had never seen the sixteen-year-old cry this bad before, not even when he was little and Q died. Not that she was glad he was hurt or sad, but if he was crying…then he was also breathing.

"Tutor Mom?"

Haley looked up at Brooke with blood shot eyes.

"Hi friend. Can you stay with him for a little bit while I go talk to some doctors? I need to get more information about Nathan."

Brooke nodded and she and Tristan sat down next to Jamie while he gained a little composure. He turned to Brooke and she gasped slightly, surprised by the large black eye that was developing and the medical tape lines on his forehead. It was a miracle Tristan was relatively unscratched. Haley walked over to the nurses' station and Brooke talked to Jamie.

"Hey buddy. How are you feeling?"

"Sore."

Brooke noticed the huge bandages on his arms and the smaller patches on his exposed shin. "Your arms are burned pretty bad, Jame."

"I'll be okay. I just want to see Dad. He shouldn't die for saving me!"

"Saving you?"

"I don't want to be here. I want to go find him." Jamie ignored Brooke's question.

"Well you can't leave right yet but I'm sure you could go home in a little bit."

"No. I won't leave without Dad."

Haley walked back over to the two with Quinn close behind.

"Jamie…the nurses say you are free to go. But you have to go home to rest, okay? Aunt Quinn is going to take you home…"

"No! I'm not a little kid anymore! You can't make me go!"

"I'm sorry Jamie. Please don't fight with me. I'll call as soon as I hear about Dad."

"What about if Tristan goes with you, Jamie? Can you take him home too, Quinn?" Brooke suggested. "You both have had a rough day."

"Yeah sure. Of course I can" Quinn said.

Jamie was a good kid and didn't want to upset his Mom. He and Tristan left with Quinn and immediately Haley collapsed to the ground and cried. She had hidden all her fear and tears from her fragile teenage son.

"What do I tell him, Brooke? What do I say if his father is dead? He'll hate himself."

Brooke stepped in and got her to a sitting position in a chair.

"It's not his fault. He wasn't the other driver, Haley. Why would be blame himself?"

"Because Nathan went back to get him…"

"What?"

"When their car got hit by the truck, it rolled and Nathan was ejected. The passenger seat and the front of the car are totally wrecked. Jamie was behind the passenger seat and Tristan was behind Nathan's seat. Nathan woke up on the pavement, ran back to the car to get Tristan out and then Jamie. The boys and Mouth were stuck inside and Nathan pulled the kids out; he couldn't get Mouth unstuck…The car was on fire…He collapsed and he was still unconscious when they got him here."

Brooke realized then that that is why there is blood on Tristan's shirt…it's Nathan's.

"Oh Haley…I'm so sorr-—"

"WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!"

Brooke was interrupted by an angry and sobbing Rachel Gatina McFadden yelling at a nurse. She kept yelling obscenities at the nurses, something about their incompetence costing themselves and her family valuable brain cells. Brooke left Haley's side and let Quinn take over.

"Rachel, stop! STOP!" Rachel broke down in tears. "She's sorry. Please tell us when you know anything about Marvin McFadden or Nathan Scott" Brooke requested.

"I don't know what's happening, Brooke. All I get from a frickin' hospital recording is that my husband is in serious condition in the hospital and to please come…Like I wouldn't come!"

Brooke resisted her urge to make a 'that's what she said' comment but it just wasn't the time or place for jokes.

"He's in surgery Rach. That's what Haley heard. They both are. Tristan's okay though. And Jamie's okay, just some stitches, burns and bruises."

"I just want to wake up from this nightmare." Rachel sunk down in a chair.

"Excuse me? Are you all here for Nathan Scott?" A scrub-clad doctor stepped into their invisible little family/friends circle group.

"Yes! I'm his wife." Haley jumped up.

"You're husband's surgery went very well. His collapsed lung was repaired and the broken ribs were set. He will have a pretty bad concussion and some minor burns but he's an extremely lucky man."

"Oh my goodness. Thank you! Can I see him?"

"He's being transported to recovery now. You can see him shortly."

"I'm going to call Jamie." Haley ran off with her cell phone.

Rachel buried her face in her hands, desperately hoping her turn was immediately next, with the same prognosis. Only half came true…but not the part she was more hopeful for.

"Mrs. McFadden?...We did all that we could. Your husband had very severe burns and bleeding in the brain. I'm so sorry…"

Brooke had thought the scene Rachel made earlier would pale in comparison to the horrifically loud scene if she got bad news about Marvin. Unfortunately Brooke had to experience how wrong she was in that prediction. Rachel looked from the doctor's somber, empathetic face to the floor tiles and never looked up again. She would have fallen to the ground without Brooke's grip on her arm. She didn't cry. She just shut down. Tears slid from Brooke's eyes as she held a child-like version of her once lively friend in her arms, rocking her back and forth. The old, fun, happy, 'Wife Rachel' was gone. Only 'Widow Rachel' remained. Brooke cried for the loss of both her beloved friends, Mouth and 'Wife Rachel'.

;;

It was midnight before Brooke entered her dark master bedroom and searched for her husband in the bed.

She had left a distraught Rachel at the hospital with Haley, who was sitting by Nathan's bedside and also trying to comfort Rachel sometimes. The doctors had decided to admit Rachel for PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, evaluation so she wouldn't go home alone. Her daughter Rory was at a sleepover for the night and had no idea her father was dead.

Brooke crawled in beside Julian and only then realized he had company. Jeremy and Tristan were asleep, snuggled up on their Daddy's side of the bed. Brooke laid her head down against Julian's neck and cried. Julian stirred and heard his wife's sobs.

"Hey, hey. Are you okay, honey? What's wrong?"

Brooke couldn't stop crying enough to tell him anything remotely recognizable as actual words so he just held her until she calmed down.

"Mouth is dead…" she whispered.

"Oh baby. Oh no. I'm so sorry. I know he was a great friend to you."

"I can't believe we're using past tense…he IS my great friend, one of my best friends. He's my…my…scarecrow."

Julian didn't know what she meant but he just tried to help her as best he could.

"Sleep honey. Just please sleep."

"She…he…Rachel's a mess…what is she going to tell Rory?...she wouldn't even talk to me, how is she going to tell her daughter? How am I going to tell Tristan? The kids? They love Mouth."

"It's okay Brooke. We'll deal with that in the morning, okay. Just close your eyes. I'm right here to protect you."

"It could have been you! It could've been you if you went to the game today and I would be broken…It would break me if you weren't here to hold me and the kids."

"Momma?" Jeremy had only woken up to hear Brooke crying. He didn't hear anything about death but he was still scared that he mom was hurt.

"It's okay JJ. Mommy's just sad. Go back to sleep. We're okay…"

Jeremy laid his head back down on the pillow before Brooke whispered anything.

"It's not going to be okay, Julian. It's just……it's not."

I know you might find it strange (or even annoying, i understand) that i'm bringing in more excessory characters like naley and rachel for this part of the story line instead of more about the baker kids, but it is all in setup of another big story that i think you all will enjoy (since it is what some of you have asked for). You might not get it for a few chapters down the road, but it'll come eventually. This chapter was a long one for me, and i hope you enjoyed that too. The next one will be pretty long also. I will have a lot going on for different characters all at once and i appreciate your patience.

Reviews are greatly appreciated. Thank you.

~Haley