CHAPTER 4
"What's going on Allison?" Dr. Morrow asked as he sidestepped through the crowd and came into Brooke's room.
"I am not sure doctor. I came into check her vitals and suddenly she started shaking and twisting. She seemed unconscious but her blood pressure rose to dangerous levels. The shaking just stopped but she is sweating and her blood pressure is still too high."
"Thank you Allison but I am not sure that was a seizure. I think Brooke was having a nightmare." The doctor turned to Nathan, "Maybe if you stayed with her for a while reassured her, she might calm down and feel better."
Nathan agreed and sat down next to his restless wife, taking her hand in his and giving it a reassuring squeeze just as the rest of the crowd began to disband from the room.
"Lucas…" Brooke moaned the name so softly that Nathan almost didn't hear her.
"Brooke…baby it's okay, I got you now," Nathan softly reassured her.
"Please don't leave Lucas. Just stay with me." This time there was no mistaking the name Brooke muttered quietly in her unconsciousness. Before Nathan had a chance to react to that, someone quietly cleared their voice behind him.
Peyton stood at the door to Brooke's room and from the expression on her face it was clear that she had heard Brooke's last comment. She gave Nathan a sympathetic look and said, "Nate why don't you go home for a bit. Haley really needs you. Lucas and I can take over for a while. Just go home take a shower, tuck your little girl in bed, and get some sleep yourself. Come back first thing tomorrow morning. You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow, you are going to need all the strength you can get."
Nathan sighed and headed toward the door, "You are right Peyton. Besides it seems like I am not really the one she needs right now."
Peyton reached out and touched Nathan's sleeve and started, "Nate…"
Nathan gave Peyton a sad smile and gently kissed her on the forehead, "Take care of her, will you? I'll come relieve you guys early tomorrow. Thanks for everything."
Nathan stepped outside the room and saw Haley playing tickle fest with her Uncle Luke. He scooped her up and threw her in the air, earning a loud, happy squeal from his baby girl, "Lets go home honey."
The next morning Nathan woke up bright and early, not that he slept much anyway. On his way to the hospital, he stopped by Karen's to drop Haley off and had secretly hoped that he might be lucky enough to drop his son to school but by the time he got there, Jamie had already left.
"How about some coffee Nathan?" Karen asked the worn out young man.
"Can you make it to go?" came the hurried response.
"Nathan why don't you just sit down for a little bit, have some breakfast and then head back to the hospital."
"As tempting as that offer is Karen, I really should go back. Peyton and Lucas have been there all night and I should probably go relieve them from their night shift."
"Lucas and Peyton can survive a few more minutes without your help. Come sit down and let me get you a muffin and coffee. Have you heard from your parents?"
"Oh yah dad called from prison, wishing me well. And mom is still in rehab. This is what like her 100th time there?" came the bitter reply.
"I am really sorry you have to go through all this Nathan. But now that Brooke is awake, things will get better I am sure."
"I am not sure if you heard but Brooke is awake but she cannot remember the last seven years of her life. Those seven years include our marriage, the accident and Haley's birth. I am not sure if I would say that Brooke's waking up is so much better."
"Don't say that Nathan. Her waking up is the first step. Recovery will probably be a long road for you both but at least you will have each other and Haley will have both her parents."
Nathan gave Karen a desperate look and running his hands through his hair, he exclaimed, "But she doesn't remember us Karen. Not me, not Haley. Last night she was having a bad dream, she called out Lucas' name, not Nathan but Lucas. As far as she is concerned, he is still the one for her. After everything, I just don't know if I can deal with this Karen."
Karen laid a reassuring hand on Nathan's and said, "Nathan, you and Brooke didn't start out on the best foot either but things got better, you guys got through it. I am sure you can get through this too."
Nathan sighed, "That's what makes this worse Karen. Brooke and I were just getting to a good place. We were just starting to be happy, so why did this have to happen now? Its like taking one step forward and a million steps back."
Karen smiled, "Hang in there kiddo. Just remember your family is always going to be there for you, and that includes me."
Nathan smiled up at Karen; "I know and thank you so much for that Karen. You have already done so much for Jamie. I can't thank you enough for that. As soon as Brooke recovers from everything, I am going to focus all my energy on him. I miss him."
"He misses you too Nathan but that little boy is a lot stronger than you give him credit for. Trust me, he will get through this. You all will."
"Thanks for the coffee and the talk Karen, I really needed it."
Karen came around the counter and gave Nathan a warm hug; "Call me if you need me. I'll stop by later to see Brooke and I'll bring you guys some dinner."
Nathan hugged her back, "Thank you."
As Nathan walked down the hospital hallway and toward Brooke's room, he found a worried Lucas pacing frantically. Before he reached Brooke's room, Lucas quickly pulled him away and exclaimed, "She's awake!"
"Yeah thanks I kind of already knew that." Nathan thanked his brother for stating the obvious.
"No, I mean she woke up from her sleep…"
"Yah Luke I get the point. Now can I go see her please?" Nathan asked sarcastically as he pushed his brother aside and headed toward Brooke's room again.
"Nathan she's been asking questions. And neither Peyton nor I knew what exactly to say. Where the hell have you been?"
"Sorry I was just grabbing some breakfast at Karen's. What kind of questions has she been asking?" asked a curious Nathan.
Lucas shrugged, "you know the usual. What year is it? Who is she married to? Does she have a child?"
"And what did you tell her?"
"Nothing we have just kind of been stalling I guess." Lucas then looked at his brother and quietly said, "She thinks she is married to me."
Nathan smirked, "and you are surprised? She is stuck in 2006 and the last man she would expect to be married to, would be me. Hell even she was stuck in 2010, the last person she would consider her husband would still be me."
"Nathan…" Luke started but Nathan just held up a hand and entered the room. When he entered, he couldn't find Brooke or Peyton in the room. Nathan turned to Lucas, "where did they go?"
"No clue."
At that very moment Brooke stepped out of the bathroom with Peyton's help. Nathan and Lucas both rushed over to the girls. Nathan quickly swept Brooke up in his arms and carried her to the bed, "You shouldn't be out of bed without the nurse."
"Well excuse me for wanting to use the bathroom for the first time in three years. Beside I wanted to see what the 25-year-old Brooke looks like. Stop freaking out boy toy husband, I am fine. If anything I should be the one freaking out. Here I am thinking I am yet to graduate high school but apparently not only am I not 18 anymore but I am also married to the last person I ever expected and I am the mother of a child. Wow yah okay now that I say all that out loud, I am definitely freaking out," Brooke started hyperventilating and a nervous Nathan quickly got her a glass of water, "Easy babe, just take a deep breath and relax, okay?"
Brooke nodded and raising a quizzical eyebrow at Nathan she asked, "babe?"
Nathan just shrugged, not really knowing how to respond to that. Lucas and Peyton, who had so far been watching the interactions from a distance, made their presence felt.
Peyton leaned over to give Brooke a hug, "I missed you Brooke Davis and I am so glad you are back, or at least most of you is…I guess" She pulled away and continued, "I promise, we'll work everything out okay?"
Brooke nodded, "I am going to hold you to that P. Sawyer."
Lucas was next in line to give Brooke a hug. Both Nathan and Peyton noticed that she held onto him a little longer than necessary. Lucas finally pulled away and gave her quick kiss on the forehead, "Welcome back, pretty girl. We all missed you like crazy. Don't you ever scare us like that. "
Brooke smiled, flashing her gorgeous dimples, which was definitely a sight her friends more than welcomed back. Lucas smiled back and he followed Peyton to the door, closing it behind them.
When the couple left, Nathan turned to his wife, who looked very unlike the Brooke Davis that he knew. She looked unsure, almost shy in his presence. If the situation wasn't so awkward, he might have actually found that kinda cute. Finally Brooke looked up at him and asked, "So what has Brooke Davis Scott been up to these past 7 years?"
