Chapter 8: Echoes of Silence

Everything after that moment is a blur. Brooke screamed, Peyton pulled her back inside… Jake and I scoured the wreckage as Rachel called the ambulance. Haley had been thrown from the car, Peyton brought me a blanket to cover her up with. She was unconscious but she had a pulse. Nathan however was still pinned in the car with his head in the windshield. Glass was shattered every which way around him.

The paramedics couldn't make it all of the way onto the street. There was a tree down at the corner blocking the road. They had to cut the top of the roof off of the car to get Nathan out. Both he and Haley were both flown to Shock Trauma where we are now waiting for word on them.

Rachel had stayed back at the house with the kids. Jake drove me, Peyton and Brooke to the hospital.

Brooke is white as a ghost as she huddles on the couch beside Peyton. She has her hands folded in front of her mouth while Peyton looks just as devastated beside her. Jake however looks at me reassuringly.

"It'll be alright man." He laid a calm hand on my shoulder

As much as Jakes words helped in the moment I know better than to believe it. You had to have seen it. The twisted metal, the shredded glass… there is no way that it is going to be okay.

"I hope so."

And then my thoughts automatically travel to Ben. What is going to happen to him if Nathan and Hal- no. I cant think about that. Nathan and Haley need us to be strong.

"Mr. Scott?" One of the doctors questions the waiting room. I look up immediately.

"I'm Lucas Scott." I offer flying from the chair to meet the doctor.

"Your brother made it through surgery." The tone that he spoke in was pointed and even. "However his condition is still grave. He sustained serious head injuries in the accident and has moderate swelling of the brain. We were forced to remove a portion of the skull to accommodate his brain. He had also suffered a collapsed lung and several broken bones. He is still in a drug induced coma, at this point it is up to him whether or not he comes out of it."

It was all so much information to digest.

"When could that be?" I ask

"Next week, next month, next year, never. There is really no way to tell. His brain needs to heal and then once it does we will see how much capacity it has or if the damage has been too great."

So my brother could never wake up… and if he does he may not be the same person. He may not even be able to function.

"And Haley?" I ask hoping that she fared better than Nathan had.

"Haley, like Nathan sustained severe head trauma. She has a broken rib, several shattered ribs, a broken arm and minor internal injuries." He explains

"So she will be okay?"

"She is comatose as well Mr. Scott, but like I said her prognosis is better than Nathans. Luckily the baby made it through the accident-"

"Baby?" Brooke cut in. She must have crept over without me knowing.

"Yes, Haley is about four months pregnant." The doctor continued.

"Did you all know this?" I turn to Peyton and Jake to ask

Both Peyton and Jake look down and nod sadly.

"Good god." Brooke sighed sitting back into her chair

They survived, that was the very least that I had prayed. Now we just have to wait it out.

"Can I see them?"

The doctor shook his head no.

"Not until their conditions stabalize. At this point there is actually nothing else that you kids can do here tonight. You should just get on home to your families."

Begrudgingly we all raised to our feet.

"What are we going to tell Ben?" Brooke says finally, the rest of the ride had been completely silent as everyone else ponders the same question.

No one spoke because no one knew the answer. That night connected us all, everyone that was well at least. We made it back to Nathan and Haley house in one piece. Jake went almost immediately upstairs to where Jenny was lying with Charlotte and slipped in bed beside her. Peyton followed in suit. This day has taken a lot out of us all.

Mouth is passed out in the bathroom clutching the toilet bowl.

The last thing that I can do right now is sleep though. I notice that the door to Bens room is cracked open.

I peer inside to see Ben in just his pajama pants. He snuggles up to Brookes chest as he sleeps. She on the other hand is surveying the scars, the burns, on his side as she rubs them soothingly. It leads me to wonder even more what happened.

"Hey." I finally reveal myself in the doorway.

"How long are you going to be here Lucas?" She asks me. Her voice sounds young and scared.

"I'm not leaving you guys." I step further into the light

"That's what you said last time." She spoke, but her voice doesn't sound bitter. It is more sad. "I'm going back to Charlotte Lucas."

"Brooke-" I plead

"And I'm taking Ben with me."

"Brooke." Rachel shook me awake

I guess that I had fallen asleep beside Ben god knows how long ago.

"What do you want Ho, I'm trying to sleep!" I turn over to see Rachel standing above me as she rocks Gracie.

"Have you talked to Lucas yet?" Rachel asks plopping beside me, ignoring my obvious frustration from having been woken up.

"Ugh." I swear that I would slap Rachel for waking me up were she not holding Gracie. "Yes, well no. He told me that he wasn't going to leave us again."

I look down at my son soundly asleep beside me. He is so innocent in all of this. He doesn't deserve it.

"Well that's good right?" Rachel asks as she settles against the headboard, balancing Gracie on her chest.

"No it's not good! That is the same thing that he said before and look what happened." I point out

Those years had been so hard for me. I wanted to prove to myself that I was good enough for someone. I wanted to know that I was good enough to be someones mother, someones girlfriend, and maybe even someday someones wife. I wanted the family that I never had, but I was young.

Rachel sighed.

"I'm taking Ben back to Charlotte."

Rachels eyes get big as I turn to face her.

"You know that you cant do that right?" She asks as she quirks a brow at me.

"What do you mean I can't do that?"

I don't like being told that I am wrong. Especially by Rachel.

"Ben just lost his parents, well kinda. You cant take all of this away from him too. This is the only home that he has ever really known!"

Rachel does have a point though although I remain hesitant to admit it. I don't want to take Ben away from his life. I just don't think that I can stand to live here with Lucas again. Maybe it is time for me to get over myself and do what is best for my son for once in his life.

"I know." I sigh. "I just don't think that I can live here with Lucas."

"Well live with me then." Rachel chirps

"What?"

"I'm leaving Mouth."

Rachel's words ring in my ears. "I'm leaving Mouth." Sure the two of them have had their problems but I always figured that they would work it out. Somehow they seem so perfectly dysfunctional that it worked. It leads me to wonder now if there is hope for any of us.

XOXOXOXOXO

Hey, sorry for the wait. I just am super busy in life. Anyway do any of you know how to save a doc so that the formatting is preserved? Other than that I'm deciding whether to continue Lyrical Chastity or just maybe to a quick tie up to. I posted these stories at the same time to see which one would get a better response and it has been this one. Other than that I'm starting to type all of the stories out before i post another new one so the ones in the works (although they wont be seen for awhile) are "Moms Red Hooker Boots", and "Waif Me." Moms red hooker boots focuses strongly on Lucas Peyton and Brooke, not even in a love triangle sort of way and Brachel friendship, while Waif Me will primarily focus the girls- and it is going to be super dark, kind of my take on the whole attack thing... but its humor too.

Thanks!

Jules