Chapter 10: The Day you slipped away

Peyton enters her home; she was still figuring out that how everyone's lives will ever be the same again after what just happened. One life ended, but with it so many lives will change.

"Dad I'm home," Peyton said as she wanted Larry to know that she's home.

"He's sleeping…" Lucas said coming inside the living room.

Peyton at once ran towards him and hugged him.

"Lucas…I'm…I'm so sorry."

Lucas was silent.

"Please Lucas say something!" Peyton said, she was so worried about her husband.

Lucas was again silent. He slowly turned around and began walking towards Brain's room. Peyton was struggling hard to hold her tears, and her heart was breaking watching her husband like that, but she fallowed Lucas to Brain's room.

Lucas was now standing beside Brain's cradle, and watching his son sleeping so quietly. Peyton stood behind him.

"Just look at him, he looks so innocent!" Lucas said gently stroking his son's soft hair.

"Lucas, please talk to me!" Peyton wanted to take Lucas's pain, but she couldn't.

Lucas turned to his wife and hugged her, she also held him tight.

"Peyton you know, I'm remembering the time when Jamie was a baby like Brian…" Lucas took a small pause, "I remember Nathan and Haley sitting beside him, watching him and talking about him."

Peyton was quietly listening to her husband.

"They were planning his future; they argued a lot because Haley wanted him to be a rock star but Nathan wanted him to be a basketball player, but they were so happy and they had so many dreams in their eyes."

Peyton could no longer hold her tears and began crying but Lucas was still holding her.

"For last eighteen years I saw Jamie grew up, and he became exactly what Nathan and Haley dreamed of, but tonight all their dreams were taken away from them!"

"Lucas…I know," Peyton said in her tears.

"You know when Keith died, I thought I lost everything but when I held Jamie for the first time, you know what if felt…I felt like Keith sent him from heaven to us," Lucas said placing his head on Peyton's shoulder, "Now he is gone too; taken away just like Uncle Keith!"

"You still have me," Peyton said to her grieving husband, "We still have our kids!"

"Peyton, we raise the kids to continue our legacy…not to watch them die…"

Peyton was silent, she had no answer.

Lucas raised his head and then froze in horror, "Oh my God…"

Peyton at once turned around and then her reaction wasn't any different. Sawyer was standing there, and by the look of her face, she knew that Sawyer heard everything.

"Sawyer, please come here…" Peyton came to Sawyer, but she backed away, "Sawyer, please talk to us!"

"Leave me alone," Sawyer said and ran to her room, Peyton fallowed her but Sawyer locked her room.

"Please Sawyer, open the door." Peyton knocked her door, she was afraid; her daughter was too young to handle this alone. Lucas also came there and asked Sawyer to open the door, and after few minutes Sawyer finally opened the door and silently sat on her bed.

"Sawyer you already heard us, I'm afraid your cousin Jamie is gone…"

"Mom, how can he be dead…people his age don't die!"

"Sawyer…people die regardless how old they are."

"I just don't believe it…I can't!"

"But we have to believe it."

"Uncle Nathan and Aunt Haley…." Sawyer looked at both her parents, but both her parents were silent, thinking about them was breaking their hearts.

"Please stay with me…I don't want to sleep alone!"

"Don't worry, we'll never leave you," Lucas said and sat beside his daughter, he was also afraid…afraid that if he turned around, his kids will also be gone forever.

Julian woke up by the ring of his cell phone. He checked his table clock, and it was one thirty in the morning. He checked his cell and that call was coming from Brook's home. He was expecting that call, but he didn't expect it to be so late.

"Hello…" Julian said but then got up at once. On the other side was his daughter; Julian was confused that why his daughter is calling him in the middle of the night.

"Rebecca, why are you calling me?" Julian asked but deep inside of him, he knew something was wrong.

"Dad…" Rebecca said in low voice and Julian could feel the tension in her voice.

"Rebecca its ok, tell me what's wrong."

"Dad when mom came with Shawn, Aunt Peyton also arrived a little later, and she told mom something that really made her angry and she left the house."

"Your mom left all of you alone?" Julian couldn't believe it, "Where is your mom now?"

"Aunt Peyton brought her home and…" there was a pause.

"Please Rebecca, tell me clearly," Julian was now worried and concerned; everything was fine with Brook when he left her.

"Ever since mom came back, she's been crying hard and not talking to anyone."

Julian knew something really bad has happened back there.

"Is there someone with your mom?"

"Aunt Millie is with her, and I know she's hiding something from me," Rebecca told Julian, "Dad, I'm scared!"

"Don't worry; your Aunt Millie is with your mom," Julian assured his daughter, "Everything will be alright."

What could have gone so wrong…Julian thought, and then he dialed Peyton's number; he had to find out; what did she say to Brook that made her so upset? Julian call was at once picked, but before Julian could ask, Peyton told him everything.

When the call was finished, Julian was sweating. He dialed his cell again and this time it was his P.A.

"Hello, I need you to cancel all my meetings tomorrow and arrange me a plane ticket to Tree Hill," Julian knew he has to get to the Tree Hill as soon as possible, but on other side, there was a hesitation.

"I DON'T CARE!" Julian yelled, "My family and friends need me, and no matter what it takes, arrange me the plane Ticket," Julian ended the call; only thing he wanted is to reach Tree Hill.

At Savannah, Georgia…

Jake Jagielski was sleeping in his home with his brunette wife Erin beside him. Erin was Jenny's kindergarten teacher and got close to her, and through Jenny she got close to Jake. They began dating and after some time they realized that they were meant for each other. They married and soon they were blessed with a son, whom they named John, and now he was about to turn thirteen.

Jake's cell began ringing but he didn't wake up. Erin opened her eyes and glanced at her husband.

"Jake…" Erin called his name and then picked his cell; it was Jenny's number, so she decided to attend it.

"Jenny, why are you calling your dad in the middle of the night?"

"Mom…" Jenny always called Erin mom, because Erin loved Jenny like she was her own, "I need to talk to dad so please wake him."

"Jenny…" Erin could hear that Jenny was crying, "What's wrong?"

"Please…" Jenny pleaded.

"Ok…just wait," Erin began shaking Jake.

He opened his eyes, "What's wrong…. Please let me sleep."

"Jake…Jenny is on the phone, and I don't know, but she's crying and asking for you."

Jake at once woke up. He knew his daughter is not the kind of girl who just began crying for small reasons, she was a tough cookie.

"Ok give me the cell," Jake took the cell from Erin and began hearing what Jenny has to say to him, and soon Jake's expressions changed

"Jake, what is wrong with Jenny?" Erin asked.

Jake gave a look at his wife, "Erin, do you know Jamie?"

"You're kidding me?" Erin couldn't believe that Jake asked her that question, "Of course I know him."

"Jamie was shot…he's dead."

"Oh my God!" Erin covered her face with shock, "I can't believe this…Nathan and Haley's son?"

"Yes, that's him," Jake said with a pain in his voice, "Losing a young son to a murder…nothing can be worse than this!"

"I just can't imagine it myself!" Erin was sad.

"We have to go to Tree Hill, do you any other plans?"

"No…I have don't have any plans; I'll go with you," Erin said, "I just can't imagine what Haley is going through right now!"

In The Morning…

Nathan was lying on his bed, thinking about how he and his family will ever go through this. The door opened and he saw his mother coming inside and sat beside him.

"Nathan…" Deb held her son hand, "How are you doing?"

"Mom…I just don't know!"

"I know what you and Haley just lost; I'm a mother too…"

"You know, Haley and I've been through a lot, we faced so many obstacles together, but this one…I just don't know."

Deb didn't have the answer, her son was right, but someone has to be strong.

"Listen Nathan, we are here for you and Haley?"

"Yes mom, you're here, I'm here, everyone is here but my son is gone!"

Deb was about to break loose again hearing those words, but she controlled herself, she can't do this in front of her son.

"Mom, do you saw Haley?"

"She's in Jamie's room, lying on his bed," Deb actually went to Jamie's room before she arrived at Nathan and Haley's room, "I tried to talk to her, but she's not saying anything."

"Mom, we lost our son in the worst possible way," Nathan said, "Why this has to be like this…"

"Listen Nathan none of us was prepared for that, but you have to be strong for your wife and your other kids." Deb also stood up.

"My other kids…I just don't know how I can tell them!"

"But we have to tell them Nathan," Deb said and held her son from shoulders, "They need to know from us."

"What should I do?"

"Please go to Haley and talk to her."

"Ok, I think you're right," Nathan said and stood up.

Julian came out of the Tree Hill airport. It was raining heavily, and weather wasn't good either, but somehow he managed to arrive at Tree Hill safely. It was 7 am and he had to reach Brook and his kids as soon as possible. He came near a newspapers stand and took the paper. There was a big headline on the front paper:-

'Charlotte Bobcats point guard Nathan Scott's eighteen years old son brutally murdered'

Julian sighed; he has known Jamie, since he was a child, and it was hurting him to see how media will be going to exploit all this. He called the nearest cab, and luckily he got one.

"So you've read the news," Driver said watching the newspaper in Julian's hand.

"I think the whole town must have read it," Julian answered.

"You don't going to believe it, yesterday I was dropping a woman, she had a little boy with her, and we just passed by the crime scene," he was the same driver who dropped Brook last night.

"You won't believe it either, I have known him since he was a kid, and he was my ex-wife's Godson."

"I'm sorry…I didn't know that…"

"I'm sorry too…my ex-wife loved him like he was her own."

Mouth was standing in front of Skillz apartment. He got the news last night and ever since he was feeling so bad for the Scotts. He was there to comfort Skillz. Door opened and Skillz was in front of him.

"Hey man…you're here so early?" Skillz welcomed Mouth, "Did Millie kicked you out?"

Mouth realized that Skillz didn't get the news, "Can I come in?"

"Come in but what is with your face?" Skillz said looking at Mouth so down.

"Did you read a paper or heard some news?"

"No, but what's so big?" Skillz was still taking everything easy.

"Skillz…" Mouth took a pause, "Last night while coming home Jamie was shot…he didn't make it."

Before Mouth could say anything further he felt a huge pain in his right chin and fell on the floor, Skillz punched him as hard as he could.

"Man I never took you for the one who can make jokes, but you picked the wrong one…" Skillz was raging, "Get the hell out of here before I do something that I'll regret later!"

Mouth got up, his right lip was cut, and he was bleeding, but he was expecting that reaction from Skillz, and to prove himself, he brought a newspaper with him.

"Skillz please read this," Mouth handed Skillz the paper.

Skillz took the paper and he didn't have to search for the news; it was on the front page. Newspaper fell from his hand.

"Man…what is this? Skillz held his head by both his hands, "Why him…why?"

Mouth grabbed Skillz and helped him sit on a couch. Skillz bend forward and covered his eyes.

"Skillz I know it's hard to understand…"

"I promised Haley that I'll always have her kid's back…"

"It wasn't your fault."

"It is my fault; I shouldn't have left the Tree Hill!" Skillz got up and left the apartment, and Mouth couldn't stop him.

"Did Andre talk to you?" Tina asked Denise.

Ever since Andre got the news that his best friend was killed, just like the way his brother was killed thirteen years ago, he was so upset that Denise has to call Tina who also devastated by the news; Jamie was also her close friend, but at that time her boyfriend needed her.

"What can he say?" Denise wiped her tears away, "Just like Quentin, he lost Jamie."

"I'm still finding it hard to believe, just two days ago we were all celebrating and having fun and now…" Tina wiped her tears.

"When ma boy Quentin was killed, I wished that no mother would go through this pain, but it happened again, and it happened to the person whom I never would have wished."

Andre came out of his room; he heard what his mother just said.

"Well mom, God doesn't give a damn about us!" Andre said bitterly and left, and Tina fallowed him.

Denise lowered her head and began thinking what her son just said; for the first time in her life, she was really questioning her faith.

Haley was still lying on Jamie's bed. She didn't sleep the whole night, the only thing she did was to hold her son's basketball jersey. She heard the footsteps and by the sound of them, she knew it was Nathan. Nathan sat beside Haley, her back was towards him. He touched her shoulder; even it was hurting him as bad, he knew he has to be do that.

"Haley…" Nathan whispered her name but Haley didn't move.

"Haley…we have to tell this to Ashley, Adam and Maggie, and I can't do this alone…I need you!"

All of sudden Haley remembered her other kids, whom she totally forgot. She turned her face to Nathan.

"How can we tell them?" Haley asked the question which Nathan was asking himself for all night.

"Haley, we have to tell them."

"Nathan you know when my mom was dying, it was so hard, but at least God had given me the time to prepare for it, but this..."

"Haley I know, God has taken Jamie from us in a worst possible way…"

"How can we go on, without our Jimmy Jam?" Haley buried her face in Nathan's chest.

"But we have to…we have to live without him!" Nathan said those and felt his heart break even more.

"Without him…" Haley bitterly looked at her husband, "Are you sure?"

"Haley, we have to try."

"What if we can't?"

"Please Haley…we have to tell this to the kids before they find out from someone else."

Haley got up; she knew her kids need to now. She didn't want them to feel this pain, but that was one pain she couldn't shield her kids from. She slowly fallowed Nathan to the main room. Deb and Copper were waiting for them.

"Kids, we'll be here soon," Deb told Nathan and Haley.

"Mom I think we should do this alone." Nathan said and Haley also nodded.

"But…" Deb wasn't sure but Copper came to Deb.

"Please let them do as a family."

Deb slowly walked away to the other room, but she saw Ashley, Adam and Maggie entering in the living room. Nathan and Haley looked at their children; it wasn't the first time they have to do that. Twice in their lives they have to tell this news to their son Jamie, but now it was lot different, now this time they have to prepare their other kids about his death.

"Mom dad, what is wrong," Ashley asked, she was worried sick, she never saw her parents like that before.

"Where is Jamie?" Adam asked.

"Yes where is he?" Ashley also asked.

Maggie was very confused, she was a child, but she could understand that her parents were very sad.

"Mom, dad what is wrong," Ashley came to her parents, "Both of you are freaking me out, and why isn't Jamie here?"

"Please all of you come here," Haley asked her kids, and they did what she asked.

"Your brother is gone…" Nathan finally said those words.

"What do you mean he is gone?" Adam was confused.

"Please tell us clearly." Ashley demanded.

Nathan and Haley looked at each other and then Nathan looked towards his kids.

"Your brother is gone forever…last night when he was coming home, he was shot…he died in the hospital," it was very hard for Nathan to say and Haley to hear, but they had to; their kids deserved to know the truth.

"I don't believe you…" Ashley yelled and Adam ran towards Jamie's room, and Nathan fallowed Adam to Jamie's room.

Haley grabbed her daughter. Ashley couldn't believe this; her brother who was supposed to look after her and to protect her is dead…just like that, this can't be true.

"Mom, just tell me you're lying!"

"Honey I'm sorry…"

"Why anybody wants to kill my brother," Ashley said, "WHY DID THIS HAPPENED TO US…TO JAMIE."

Ashley yelled and buried her face in her mother's chest. Haley held her daughter. Maggie was just watching all this; she was still too young to understand the concept of death.

Adam was in Jamie's room. Door opened and Nathan entered the room, he knew that Adam was in denial.

"Dad, I know I tease Jamie a lot, and he is doing this to get back at me," Adam said looking around for his brother, "Just tell him to come out, and I promise I'll never tease him again!"

If there was any way Nathan could bring Jamie back, he would have done that but there was no way Jamie could ever come back. He came and held his younger son.

"Adam, I wasn't lying, do you think your mom and I can lie to you like this."

"THAT'S NOT FAIR," Adam yelled and began crying.

Nathan held his son, Adam was right; it wasn't fair for him, his wife and his kids.

Brook and Millie were sitting at the dinner, they just told the news to their kids and as expected none of them took it so easily, they always saw Jamie as a role model and their hero. As both were thinking they heard a doorbell rang.

"I'll check it," Millie said and went to open the door.

Brook wanted this pain to go away. All her life, she comforted the people who lost someone they loved, but now she lost someone she loved and realized for the first time that how much it hurts. She saw Julian coming inside and ran towards him; she really needed him at that time.

"I'm so glad you are here!" Brook said with her tears.

"I have to come…but how all this happen?"

"I just don't know!" Brook said crying, "All I want to do is to scratch their faces with my nails!"

"Ok sit down," Julian and Brook sat on the couch.

"I'm also upset," Julian said holding Brook's hand, "I'll do everything in my power to find those people, and I'll make sure that Jamie will get the justice."

"How you got the news?" Brook asked.

"Rebecca called me at night, and then I got the details from Peyton." Julian said, "Did you told kids?"

"I told them a moment ago…they are so devastated."

Julian could picture that, "Ok let them be alone, I'll soon talk to them."

"Yes, I want you to talk to them because I can't deal with this on my own."

"Brook please, I always saw you as the strongest one!"

"I need some time."

"Ok…but Haley and Nathan need you, and they need you to be strong." Julian said and stood up.

"Where are you going?" Brook asked.

"I'm going to hotel."

"Please Julian, stay here..." Brook also stood up.

"Brook…" Julian was surprised, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I need you, and kids need you, so stay with us…until this nightmare is over."

"Ok, I'll stay as long as you'll want me," Julian held Brook.

"Thanks Julian!" Brook said and let Julian hold her.

Rebecca, Davis and Shawn were watching them. They wanted their parents to be together…but not at that price.

So that's was my 10 chapter, I can't believe I'm finally in double digits now. I would have posted this chapter earlier, but I got busy, next chapter will continue this chapter and in chapter 12 there will be funeral. If anyone can give me any suggestions, I'll be great full.

AnnOTH21: Thanks for reviewing the last chapter…I didn't want to make you cry.

Mcgirl6541: Your advice was great and it gave me a whole new idea concerning Lily and Lucas and I think you'll like it.

HaleyDavisBaker: Trust me, I also like Brook and Julian, and I'll try my best that they get a good storyline. I never was a fan of Brucas, and I hope you'll like this chapter.