Chapter 4

When the door to the house was opened, Lucas actually stepped back in shock. The room was completely rampaged. The couch was pushed over, and there was glass strewn about on the floor.

Shit, he thought. "Mom? Mom, where are you?" he shouted, frantic worry edging into his voice. He ran towards the kitchen, but it was empty. Of his mother and of the liquor. Next he tried Karen's bedroom, where all the lights were out. "Mom!" It was empty, but he could see a faint light coming from the bathroom.

Knocking on the door frantically, he heard no response. He shouted again for his mother and tried the knob, but it was locked. Finally he kicked the door as hard as he could, and it sprang open.

Eyes widening, Lucas stumbled backwards. "M-m-mom?" he whispered in shock. There was his mother was, arms covered in blood, and frighteningly pale. He crawled forward and put his fingers on Karen's neck, he could feel a faint pulse.

His arms groped behind him, searching desperately for the phone, all the while not daring to take his eyes off his mothers body. Lucas' arms collided with something hard; the bedside table. Reaching upwards, his hand clamped on to the portable phone.

Fingers shaking, he managed to dial 911, and check his mother's pulse again. Still there. He ran his hands down his mothers arms, inadvertently getting soaked in blood. Lucas was in a state of complete shock.

"911 how can I help you?" said a woman on the other end. "I need an ambulance, my mother, she, she," he struggled to get the evil words out, "she slit her wrists." In a daze, he told the woman his address and they promised to get the ambulance there in a couple minutes.

He put his fingers back on Karen's neck and left them there, he refused to let her pulse die. The higher part of his brain didn't seem to have processed what had happened, his mind was a complete blank. Everything he knew seemed to have been wiped out, and replaced by the haunting vision of his mother lying on the floor, dying. Tears leaked out without his noticing, and the ambulance crew ran in.

Then men pulled his mother onto the stretcher, and one led him outside.

"Do you want to come into the ambulance?" he asked, trying to be nice to the shocked boy. The EMT felt bad for him, he didn't look older than 17 or 18, way too young to have to see this.

The majority of his brain was screaming no, he didn't want to come into the fucking ambulance and watch his mother's life slip away, but he couldn't keep his eyes off her. So instead he climbed silently into the ambulance.

He knew the EMTs were talking, yelling, but nothing made sense. It was all just a blur. He was also pretty sure at least one was trying to get his attention, but it all seemed so far way. They were circling around his mother, all denying the one and only thing Lucas knew for sure then.

His mother was going to die.

When they reached the hospital he was escorted to the waiting room, where he sat down. He still hadn't said a word. All he could think about was the picture of his mother, the blood. Her still form. He felt his stomach convulsing violently, and he ran towards the bathroom. Through the tears and throwing up, he could still see her. He wanted it all to go away, why wasn't this going away?

Fishing in his pocket Lucas pulled out his cell and dialed Haley's number. "Hales" he said in a hoarse whisper.

xxxxxXXXXXXXxxxxxxx

Nathan, Brooke, and Haley were all in the apartment when Haley's cell went off.

"Hello?" she answered. "Lucas? What the-" Nathan and Brooke turned around curiously. "Oh my God, Lucas calm down. It'll be okay, I'll be right there. Just stay there." The phone call ended and Haley turned back towards her confused friends.

"Karen," she began, not knowing how to put it. "She tried to kill herself," God that sounded blunt, she thought angrily at herself. "They're at the hospital now, the don't know if she's gonna make it.

There was a flurry of movement and confusion as the three teens rushed towards the car. Brooke was in shock, how could she do this? To Lucas? Didn't Karen have any idea how much she meant to her son? Brooke was scared to even consider what Lucas might do if his mother did die.

The ride to the hospital was for the most part silent, except for the occasional sob. Tears were flowing down all their cheeks, but strangely, not that much for Karen. They all were rather angry at Karen; their tears were shed for Lucas, and how much he was going through.

When they entered the waiting room, Brooke ran towards her boyfriend. Even though they weren't on the best terms right then, they both knew they loved one another. Brooke hugged him close, but he didn't return the gesture. Lucas was completely unresponsive.

Brooke realized her hands were wet, and she broke away from Lucas. They were covered in blood. She looked down at Lucas' arms and saw the same thing. Trying not to scream out in disgust, she bent next to her boyfriend, and gently said they should get him cleaned up.

Brooke led Lucas towards one of the bathrooms as Haley broke down in Nathan's arms. Nathan hugged her close, feeling his own tears trickle down his face.

Moments after Lucas and Brooke sat down again, a doctor came out looking for the family of Ms. Roe. Lucas stood up, feeling an eerie sense of dread. What the doctor said next could quite possibly change his life.

"We're sorry, the blood loss was quite severe, and I'm afraid we lost her." Lucas simply stared at the doctor for a few moments. His friends turned to face him worriedly, but he just continued glaring at the man. Finally, ignoring the calls from his friends, he strode out of the waiting room quickly.

Knowing that Brooke, Nathan and Haley were all following him, Lucas began to run once he reached the parking lot. He ran as fast as he could, until he was out of earshot of his friends desperate shouts. He couldn't bear to listen to them for another second, he couldn't bear their pity.

"Damnit!" Lucas shouted to no one in particular. He kicked a pole on the sidewalk, trying to relieve his pain. Rain had begun to fall and it mixed with his tears. He just wanted to go home. But he didn't have a home. Not anymore.

A/N- OK, what do you guys think? I wasn't sure how to write the beginning, and I

definitely don't know how doctors act, so I sort of guessed. I hope you

liked it, let me know if I should continue. I love reviews!

-kt