Thank you so much to everyone reading. Special thanks to C, Kellyyy and Nanard for your comments, they mean the world.
Part 2. Hope you enjoy! Lexie :)
...
Piper ran into the coffee house ahead of her Mom and straight to the pastry counter. She grinned when a face appeared opposite hers from the other side of the glass. Austin was her favourite employee at the coffee place. He was around eighteen or nineteen, played guitar and had a grin that melted chocolate.
"Hey, Piper," Austin curved his lips around her name. "Now, I know how you like cookies and I may have a very special one here for you."
She watched, transfixed as he reached into the cabinet and carefully iced a perfect 'P' on top of the cookie. She flushed pink in the cheeks and smiled as he set it on the counter to cool and harden.
"How about that little brother of yours?" Austin asked, "What would he like?"
Peyton caught up to her daughter and smirked over at Austin, "And just what are you tempting my kid with now, Austin? You know she'd happily watch me buy the shop if my purse were deep enough."
Austin threw the older of the two Scotts another of his wicked smirks, "Don't make me take the cookie back, Mrs S. I couldn't take disappointing the little lady."
"Well I couldn't have that, could I?" Peyton said with a roll of her eyes. She couldn't help from like the kid though, he was sweet to always make an effort with Piper and Holden. Naturally Lucas hated him. "Make that a coffee to go as well as whatever Piper chooses for our breakfast."
Piper's eyes lit up at the open invitation to choose a range of pastries for her family's breakfast and Austin shared a grin with her. Peyton laughed at the pair and excused herself as her phone began to trill. Austin called her back at the last moment and pressed a styrofoam cup of coffee into her hand; black with one sugar, just the way she liked it. She nodded in thanks and strode away to a quieter corner.
"Okay, Piper, your wish is my command." Austin said, flourishing his arms out at the selection of cakes and pastries.
Her wide green eyes danced over the mouth-watering display, "What's that one?" Her finger pressed against the glass, pointing towards a pecan and banana cake.
"You won't like it." Austin teased. "It's horrid."
Piper giggled, "Austiiiin, you only make nice-,"
She paused at the sound of a hollow gasp from the corner of the cafe. Austin frowned down at the little blonde haired girl who was stood frozen before him, her eyes trained towards her Mom. Austin followed her eye line just in time to see Peyton Scott drop her scalding hot coffee onto the floor where it exploded like a grounded firework.
Piper stared at her Mom, all thoughts of pastries and cute teenage boys forgotten. She watched a forlorn expression sweep across her Mom's face and tears sparking in her eyes before they fell in heavy sobs.
Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Piper jumped. She turned to see Austin wearing a more serious expression than she could have ever expected him to muster. He nodded down at her, "Hey, Piper, you sit right here and have that special cookie, alright? I'm just going to talk to your Mom."
Shaking her head, Piper dashed forward to Peyton, "Mom?"
Peyton reached out for her daughter, as though gathering a toddler up after taking their first steps. Piper struggled a little as she Mom squeezed her shoulders tightly and cried a little into her hair. "Mom, what's wrong?"
Standing to her full height, Peyton wiped her eyes and grabbed for Piper's hand, "Honey, we need to go. Your Daddy, he's, um, oh God,"
Piper watched with confusion as Peyton broke out into another sob. "Is he okay?"
"I don't know, Baby." Peyton said rolling her tear filled eyes to the ceiling, "We need to go, I, oh dammit, I haven't even paid-,"
"Is everything alright?" Austin appeared with a mop and a worried frown.
"No. No, it's not. I need to go, how much money do I owe you?" Peyton asked, frantically pulling at her purse.
Austin held out his hands to still Peyton. He waited until her eyes met his and then read them carefully, seeing the heavy fear in her shining green irises. "Don't worry about paying. Come on, I'll get you a cab." He put his arm around her shoulder in a comforting manner and led her forwards, trying to give Piper a reassuring smile at the same time. When they passed by the counter, Austin dipped his hand into the Tips jar and pulled out some notes. He gave them to Piper and winked, "You're in charge of paying for the cab, okay, Piper?"
He strode purposely into the street, not wanting to give Peyton and Piper any time to dwell on what might be happening. He held his arm out to an approaching cab and then opened the door for the girls. "Where to?"
The corners of Peyton's lips twitched as she answered from the back seat of the car, "Saint Luke's Hospital."
The car pulled away from the kerb and Austin watched it melt into the traffic. He stood transfixed, his hands on his head, staring on long after he'd lost sight of the cab Peyton and Piper were in. He really liked all of the Scott family, honestly because they reminded him of his own family growing up. He hoped that whatever was going on wasn't as bad as it seemed from where he was stood. He'd seen his own Mom wear the same expression Peyton had. The day his little sister was taken into the hospital. He hated to link the two events, since he knew nothing of what was happening with Peyton and Piper, but he couldn't help from thinking about the day they lost Emily.
…
Nathan leaned back against the cool wall of the hospital waiting room, Holden's warm body pressed tightly to his side. He scrubbed his hand over his features almost in the hope that he'd be able wake himself up from this nightmare. But when he opened his eyes again he was in the same bland, cold waiting room with only chairs and worry for company. He swallowed down the huge lump in his throat and tried to push away the picture that kept swimming back into his mind of his big brother grey and breathless.
Feeling a tug on his hand, Nathan looked down to his young nephew, almost glad for the distraction. Holden, as ever, looked the picture of his Daddy. Nathan could remember seeing Lucas for the first time at a little league meet back when they were kids; he'd looked at his illegitimate brother and was met with forlorn blue eyes and a distinct scowl that was too old and wise for his young shoulders. Nathan couldn't recall a time when Holden looked more like Lucas than now. His puffy eyes were swimming with tears and his hands were grasping at his uncle's polo shirt although Nathan was sure the kid wouldn't be able to say what exactly he was reaching out for. The only thing Nathan could think to do was pick the little boy up and let him lie against him to sob or kick or scream or do whatever he wanted. Nathan would forgive him for anything he chose to do; he was just a little kid who had watched his Dad flat line on the floor.
"I'm here, Buddy, I'm right here." Nathan told him in a hushed voiced, one arm hugging onto him tighter than he could remember holding his own kids in a long time.
"I want Dad," Holden said through a wrangled sob. His hand curling into bunched fists and his tears already leaking through Nathan's shirt. "Where's my Daddy?"
Nathan clenched his eyes closed and rubbed circles on Holden's back, "He's with the doctors, Bud. They're helping him get better, okay?"
Holden's voice dropped to a quieter tone, "I want my Momma."
"She's coming." Nathan said, hearing the distinct crack in his own voice.
He threw his head back and stared at the blinding florescent light above until he couldn't see anything else but the brightness. His heart was pulling all over the place; bleeding for Lucas; for their family back in Tree Hill; for Peyton, Piper and Holden; and also desperately for himself. Lucas was his big brother. They'd already missed out on a childhood together, thanks to their Dad, and Nathan didn't know that he could stomach missing out on any more years with him. He didn't know how to be without his big brother.
Holden wriggled in Nathan's hold, so ferociously that Nathan set him back down on the floor. He frowned when Holden hit the floor running, towards the other side of the room. When his eyes readjusted a little, he realised that Peyton was stood in the doorway, Piper pressed to her side, both looking somewhere between completely lost and desperately hopeful.
"Mommy! Momma!" Holden cried out, sprinting his way over the tiled floor. He crashed into Peyton, coiling his arms tightly around her waist and clinging on desperately.
"Oh god," Peyton crouched down and gathered her arms around him, letting him cling and wipe his snotty nose over her shoulder. "I'm here now. Shh, shh, I'm here. I'm here."
Nathan watched as they melted together into a tight hug and Peyton's hands cupped her little boy's face.
She rolled her eyes to the ceiling, cursing the fact that Holden had witnessed this. At her side she felt Piper straighten rigidly and almost subconsciously she could feel her daughter retreating and pulling away. She stood, with a little difficulty due to Holden's clinging hands and reached her own hand out for her daughter to take again. With what seemed like a little reluctance, Piper slipped her fingers between her Mom's.
Finally breaking her gaze from her kids, Peyton turned to look at Nathan. The look she saw in his eyes terrified her.
"Nathan," She greeted her brother-in-law with a watery grimace and, Holden allowing, moved across the room to pull Nathan into a one armed hug. "What's happening? Talk to me, Nathan."
He took a deep breath, "It's, I mean, um," His eyes flickered over his niece and nephew cautiously, not wishing to frighten them further.
"There's nowhere else for them to go." Peyton realised in a hollow tone, grasping onto both of her children tightly. She hated the thought of her kids having to hear what Nathan might be about to say but she felt trapped by the moment. There was nowhere else for them to go, there was no one to look after them but her.
"I know." Nathan said huskily. He sank down onto the beaten couch and pushed his hands through his hair, "The doctors are working on him. They got him back. Twice."
Peyton swallowed thickly, trying to digest the impossible news. She felt Piper's grip on her hand go slack as Holden's intensified. Turning to her daughter, she was sure she felt her heart break. Her little girl was wearing a look beyond her years; there was a streak of anger across her features, dark and just a hint of brooding. Peyton could see a portrait of herself in her little girl's eyes and hear her own mantra looking back at her, people always leave.
"Piper," She called out to her as Holden sank down against her and wrapped his arm around her leg, pressing his head into the crease behind her knee. "Holden, Baby,"
With extreme difficulty she managed to twist around to hook her hands under Holden's arms and pull him up. She held him flush against her, his tall eight year old body a hefty weight in her slight arms. His legs coiled around her hips and his head fell down against her shoulder, the heat of his heavy tears almost burning her skin.
"Shhh," She rocked him, best she could and stroked his soft slightly curling hair. She edged carefully to the couch where Nathan was sat and slumped down beside him, Holden still awkwardly cradled in her arms. She cut her gaze over to her daughter who was fixed to her spot by the door, "Piper, come sit down."
There was a slight hesitation in Piper's frame before she crossed the room and curled up on the couch into her Mom's side. Peyton closed her eyes for a second, wishing that somehow she could have protected them from this pain.
"He collapsed in the gym, I wasn't there, he was playing with Holden," Nathan told them, or more Peyton, in a thick tone.
Peyton nodded taking it all in as though she was swallowing Ayers Rock down whole. "He didn't take his meds. Usually when we have breakfast I make him a coffee and give them to him. He and Holden got up before me and went straight out."
Nathan nodded tightly, "I told the doctors it was likely something like that had happened."
He took a shaking breath and dropped his head towards the floor, looking completely broken. Peyton pushed back her tears, she didn't want to cry, not in front of Piper and Holden. "And now?"
"They're working on him, I guess. Now we just have to wait." Nathan shrugged, not lifting his gaze. Lucas had suffered a heart attack once before, back when they were in high school. Nathan had been a witness to that too. The waiting felt the same; incomparably paralysing. "I called Keith and Karen. They're gonna fly in. Haley's on her way, she's just going to drop the kids off with Rachel-,"
"Rachel?" Peyton echoed, her voice laced with surprise. Rachel never sat for the kids.
"Yeah, I know." Nathan assured, but this was kind of an emergency. "Brooke and Julian are coming too."
Peyton laid her head back on the back of the couch and took a deep breath. She knew that everyone flocking to the hospital was…good, or something, but it wasn't the words she needed to hear. What she needed was that crisp slightly teasing Hey, Blondie.
"I'm going to the bathroom." Piper's voice crashed through Peyton's thoughts. The words sounded robotic, as though her little girl had been rehearsing them in her head.
"I'll take you." Peyton said quickly as Holden whined and clung on harder. By the time Peyton had pulled herself forward on the couch, Piper was at the door, "Piper Trinity Scott, you don't go anywhere in this hospital without me!"
The young girl looked back at her with a stare Peyton recognised instantly; her eyes watery but her jaw defiant. And then, with the rebellious nature Piper was famous for, she slipped out of the room.
"I got her." Nathan said, lifting to his feet and rushing out of the door leaving Peyton with only one little Scott.
Nathan raced through the corridors in search of a head of blonde ringlets or a flash of blue converse sneakers. He turned left and right, feeling a nervous sweat covering his forehead as he wondered where Piper would go to hide. He felt a responsibility to find her, not just because she was a little girl in a busy ER, and his niece at that, but because Lucas couldn't. The safety of both Piper and Holden, much as his own three kids, suddenly felt like his duty.
He jogged through the halls desperately, trying to rack his brains as to where Piper would run to. He stopped a few people along the way; harassed nurses, bewildered visitors and helpless janitorial staff, asking if they'd seen a little girl with blonde hair wearing ripped jeans with converse sneakers. No one had, save for one apologetic nurse who indicated towards a quieter corridor. He frowned down it, seeing a few hospital rooms and, a janitor's closet.
With a new found enthusiasm, he rushed forwards and pulled at the handle but the door was jammed.
"Piper! Piper? You in there?" Nathan called through the door.
He was silent for a moment and in the hush he heard a distinctive shuffle from behind the door.
"It's just me, Kid, open up." Nathan requested, hoping that the plead in his voice would persuade her. He rested his head on the door and sighed, before hearing a subtle click. Piper didn't step out into the corridor or even come to the door. Cautiously Nathan entered the tiny room, sensing that his niece was sat down on the floor. He pushed the door closed behind him and sank down into a cramped seating position, his knees pulled uncomfortably high to his chest.
"Your Mom's worried about you." Nathan said in a light tone.
He heard Piper sniff, "She should worry about Holden, he was there."
"She's your Mom, Pipe. She doesn't get to choose which of you she worries about; you're both as important as each other." Nathan told her. He then took a deep breath, "It's okay to be scared, you know. It's more than okay. I'm scared."
He saw Piper blink up at him, his eyes adjusting slowly to the darkness "You are?"
"Of course." Nathan shrugged, "Your Dad is my big brother. I need my brother."
"I need him too." Piper echoed sadly, drawing circles on the floor with her fingertip. With her other hand she swept her palm beneath her eyes, no doubt clearing away her tears.
Nathan reached out, finding Piper's skinny body, and lifted the little girl onto his lap, somehow, despite the confined space. He felt her arms slip around his neck and cling onto him in the way he'd seen her hold onto her Daddy countless times before. Nathan held onto her just as tightly, feeling the release finally of all the tears he'd been holding back.
"It's okay to be scared. Remember that." Nathan whispered into her ear as she sobbed against his chest.
And he sobbed with her.
…
Peyton snapped her gaze up at the sound of the door to the waiting room being twisted open. She was filled with both disappointment and relief when Brooke, Julian and Haley entered the room wearing fretful expressions. Holden was now in a deep sleep across her lap and she was able to gently move him along the couch without waking him to stand to fall into the arms of her waiting friends.
"Oh, Peyton," Brooke pushed a stray curl out of Peyton's eyeline in a motherly motion. "We came as soon as Nathan called."
"Have you heard anything more?" Julian asked, his dark eyes weak with worry.
Sadly shaking her head, Peyton sighed, "Not a thing since I got here. Nathan said they're 'working on him'. I don't even know what that means."
Haley reached out and knotted her fingers between Peyton's, "Where is Nathan?"
"He went to find Piper…she tore off." Peyton looked up and pushed back the ever-present threat of tears. "Holden had hold of me and she just ran. I don't know if he caught up with her, I didn't want to leave here in case there was any news…"
"Hey, she'll be okay." Brooke soothed, "She's just too much like her Mom for her own good. Nathan will get her."
Peyton nodded resignedly and sank back down onto the couch, her fingers finding the soothing softness of Holden's slightly curling hair. "He didn't take his meds this morning. I didn't even think to remind him, I was in bed."
"Peyton you cannot blame yourself." Haley told her firmly. "This happened before you know, he has a weak heart."
"I know." Peyton said hoarsely, "I know. This is the second time. How much more can one heart take?"
"That boy is stronger than you think. And if you think he is going to be giving up any time soon, you're wrong, Girly." Haley implored, "Nathan gave him compressions right away. He was breathing, his heart beating."
Peyton bit down on her lower lip, "He flat-lined twice. Twice. He…he died."
Brooke stepped over and crouched before her friend, "Peyton, he came back. Twice."
The three girls linked hands in a physical representation of their trinity and Haley leaned in to kiss Peyton's temple, "We're going to be right here with you, okay, Peyton? And that boy of yours is fighting through there, so don't you dare give up on him, Miss Pessimism."
In response Peyton almost managed a ghostly smile at the reminder of herself as the pessimist, Haley the realist and Brooke ever the optimist. "I'm not giving up on him." She promised.
"Glad to hear it." Brooke winked, although Peyton noted the puffiness around her red rimmed eyes.
Julian fell into one of the seats opposite and held his arm open for Brooke who took as seat next to him, "How did this happen anyway?"
Glancing down at her flush-faced little boy, Peyton sighed, "Luke and Holden went out early for a game of basketball. He must have over-worked himself. He never puts himself first, he'd have just been thinking of Holden and the game. Thank God Nathan was there though, Holden must have been terrified. He keeps flinching in his sleep, and murmuring, he's always been a sound sleeper…and I can't take that away for him."
"He just wants his Daddy back." Brooke said in a soft tone, her wet hazel gaze fixed on Holden as he breathed deeply in his sleep.
Julian swallowed thickly, "We all do."
"How about I get us all a drink?" Brooke proposed, "You need some sugar, P Scott."
"I'm fine." Peyton said in a clipped tone. She didn't want tea or coffee or sugar. She only wanted her family; Holden without any nightmares, Piper in her eye line and Lucas in her arms.
"Peyton, you have to-,"
Haley was cut off by the door swinging open and Piper shyly stepping inside. Peyton gave her daughter a sympathetic smile, telling her that she understood completely, before rushing up to wrap her arms around her shoulders. Nathan walked inside too, as Peyton and Piper hugged, and fell neatly into Haley's embrace.
"I'm scared, Mom." Piper admitted tightly.
Peyton nodded, "I know, honey. Me too."
Piper didn't fight the tears. She was too tired anyway. She let her Mom think that she was crying for her Dad - which she was, of course she was - but it was more than that; she couldn't remember a time her parents couldn't assure that everything was going to be okay. She understood that today was the first such occasion that she would realise that her parents were only human. They weren't invincible. They weren't superheroes with the power to make everything better. They were just as helpless as her.