Chapter Three: Confessions

Lucas, Karen, Keith, and the gang waited in the waiting room, awaiting news on Haley. Lucas sat with his head buried in his hands, Keith had his arms wrapped around Karen's back, Nathan doing the same with Brooke, and Peyton sitting quietly next to Mouth and Skills. They had been sitting that way for over half an hour.

Haley's doctor walked out behind the double doors walked over to the group.

"I am guessing you all are here for Haley James?"

Lucas stood tall quickly, "Is she okay?"

The doctor smiled at the young man, "She's fine. The bullet missed any major blood vessels but she needs to remain off her leg for the next few weeks. She will be free to go home whenever she is ready." And with that, the doctor walked away.

Lucas heard sighs of relief come from everyone and sighed as well. He walked over to the desk and asked for Haley's room number.

"Thank you." Lucas replied as the nurse gave him the room number.

Peyton walked over to Lucas before he got to her room, "Lucas!" He turned around, "You wouldn't mind if I saw Haley first would you?"

"Well P-"

"Thanks Luke." She quickly brushed pass Lucas and ran into Haley's room.

Peyton opened the door and saw Haley flicking through the TV stations with her leg held up by pillows. "Hey Hales."

"Hey Peyton." She clicked off the TV and looked Peyton in the eyes, seeing something was wrong, "What's wrong?"

"I need to tell you something about what happened at the school today."

"What's up."

"Dan tried to kill Keith after Jimmy shot his self." Peyton blurted it out really quickly and hung her head low.

"What!? Dan tried to- he. How do you know?"

"I had gone into the school after Lucas carried you out and I saw Keith talking to Jimmy telling him to give him the gun, but instead he shot his self in the chest. Then Dan walked in and picked up the gun and I walked over to him and slapped Dan across the face and called him an asshole."

Haley smiled at Peyton, "I bet that felt good."

"It did." Peyton smirked as she looked up at Haley.

"I bet. Peyton why were you in there in the first place?"

"I don't know. I had saw Dan and Keith talking and then Dan led Keith into the school and I, of course going against my better judgment, followed them in."

"Peyton something could have happened to you and YOU know that! Dan could've done something to you if he saw you after he shot Keith or something!"

"I know, I know! And I'm sorry Haley. I'm sorry!" Peyton broke down at the foot of Haley's bed, shaking and sobbing uncontrollably.

"Peyton, Peyt, come here." Peyton walked next to Haley and sat down. Haley hugged Peyton tightly and added, "I'm sorry for flipping out on you."

"You had every right to Hales. I shouldn't have walked in'"

"But if you hadn't, Keith would be… he'd be d-dead Peyt. You saved his life." Haley interrupted her.

There was a knock on the door and Lucas' head popped out. "Hey girls. Everything okay in here?"

Haley smiled at Lucas as Peyton sat up and laid down next to Haley, "Yeah, everything's fine."

Lucas started at Haley and shared a smile in return. Peyton watched this interaction and felt happy, that after all that happened there could still be happiness.

"I'm gonna go get your stuff Hales. Back later."

"Thanks, Peyt."

"No prob. Get some rest okay?"

"I will mother." Peyton smiled down at Haley and kissed her lightly on the head before walking out the door and leaving Lucas and Haley alone.

"So how you feeling?"

"Okay. I can't really feel anything right now but I am sure I'll start to soon." Haley smiled again brightly and Lucas forgot to breathe. Haley had always managed to steal his breath away. "Lucas, you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm glad you're okay."

"Me too. Thank you Lucas. For saving me and being a great guy."

Lucas felt his lips turn into a smile, "You're welcome." "Listen, I gotta get going. I'll see you when you get out?"

"You can count on it." They shared one more smiled before Lucas walked out the door and out of the hospital.


The Next Day

Haley was sitting in her room in Peyton's house. After she had come back from the tour, she had no where to go and Peyton said she could stay with her. Haley gladly accepted.

Haley stared around the room as a picture caught her eye. She got up and hobbled over to her mirror where the picture was tapped to. It was of her and Lucas in their freshman year of high school and they were down at the rivercourt for a little game of one on one. Of course Haley lost, and Lucas won. Skills and the guys had come by later that day and they all hung out. In the picture Haley was on Lucas back and they were both smiling happily. Haley always loved that picture because she felt as though it captured the happiness of their life before the basketball team and the popularity. Not that she wasn't happy after all of it, just that she loved it when it was just Haley and Lucas, Luke and Hales.

Lucas was in his room staring at the same picture, smiling down at it. Just like Haley, Lucas had loved the picture and cherished it, just not for the same reasons. He loved it because it was a reminder that, that day was the day he started to grow feelings for Haley. He still couldn't believe how he tried to forget them and move on with Brooke, and the Peyton. But move on only made him want her more. She was always there, in his thoughts, in his dreams, and in his life. He realized that she was the only one he wanted and he wasn't going to let anything or anyone change his mind.

Lucas walked out of his room through the door that led to the outside. He sat down on the step and stared down the street and thought about his life so far. He thought about his first year in high school, the time Haley asked him to be her fake boyfriend to keep guys away, him and Haley's first date for the boy toy auction, his first date with Brooke and the tattoo he had gotten. He thought about it all and how it led him to where he is now. A senior at Tree Hill High, a son, a best friend.

Haley smiled down at the picture and then sat back down on her bed after she put the picture back. She grabbed her cell phone and dialed a familiar number.

"Hey, it's Haley… Can you come over? I need to talk to you….Thanks, I'll see you when you get here."

Haley hung up the phone and laid back down on the bed and waited.

Lucas walked back into his room and grabbed his cellphone.

"Hey, it's Luke, I need some help with a problem… Could you come over?...Thanks."

Lucas hung up his phone and walked back outside and saw down on the chair on the porch.

Brooke and Nathan hung up their cellphones and stared at each other. Brooke was the first to speak, "Haley?"

"Yeah, Lucas?"

"Yup. Let's go."

They got up from the table and grabbed their jackets before walking out the door to help their friends in need.

Brooke knocked on Lucas's bedroom door. He opened it, moving aside for Brooke to walk inside.

"So, what's up Luke?"

"I need your help on deciding whether or not I should tell Haley the truth."

"The truth about what?"

"That I might be in love with her."

"Aww, Lukey's in love." Brooke smiled as she clapped her hands slightly.

"Thank you Brooke. Now advice, what should I do?"

"Tell her, duh."

"What if she doesn't feel the same way?"

"Well then at least you were honest with her. Just tell her Lucas, she needs to know whether she loves you back or not."

Nathan walked up the stairs and knocked on Haley's bedroom door. She opened the door and walked back over to her bed as Nathan walked inside and sat down by her computer.

"So what's wrong Hales?"

"What makes you think something is wrong?"

"Haley,"

"Okay, okay, I think I might be in love with Lucas."

"You think or you are?"

"Are."

"That's great. It's about time you started realizing it."

"What are you talking about?"

"Come on, Haley. You know what I mean. You and Luke have been crushing on each other since the day I met you. You can't deny it Hales, it's obvious to everyone but you guys."

"So what do you think I should do?"

"Tell him, simple as that." Nathan smiled over at Haley as he saw her lay down on the bed.

"What if he-"

"Doesn't love you back? Of course he does Haley. Any guy would be crazy not to fall in love with you."

Hale sat up in the bed and stared over at Nathan, "You think?"

Nathan got up from the chair and sat down on the bed next to Haley, "I know. Now no more worrying."

Haley smiled at Nathan as she hugged him tightly, "Thanks Nate."

"No problem Hales."


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