Chapter Ten

"The doctor... no hospital please Lucas." Haley whispered as she went into a coughing fit. Lucas could hear how severe and productive her coughing had become over the past day, it almost sounded like it was worse at night. The coughing sounded like she had come down with one of three things, a severe cold, sinus infection, or even starting to catch pneumonia. Lucas just hoped and prayed that it wasn't the last one.

Haley looked up at him when her coughing fit subsided and could see the amount of worry in his eyes.

"Oh Hales... what's wrong with you?" Lucas asked as he pulled her into another hug.

"I don't know Luke, but I want to go home." Haley said as a couple more tears ran down her face.

"I know, I know." Lucas whispered as he gently wiped the tears from her face.

"Hales why doesn't Nathan know about the whole doctor situation?"

"Because I didn't want to tell him that his wife is terrified of something as stupid as going to the doctor's office. He would never let me live that one down."

"Haley he would never do that and you know it." Lucas explained.

"But still you try and tell the person that you love that your terrified of doctors because of some stupid reason." Haley tried to explain.

"Haley everyone is afraid of something yours just happens to be doctors. Why would he be ashamed of that?" Lucas asked seriously not understanding why Haley was so ashamed.

"Because it's stupid. Can we just drop this I really don't feel well." Haley asked.

"Sure." Lucas said wrapping his arm over Haley's shoulder as they walked towards the road and their friends.

Nathan noticed them coming closer and immediately got up off the grass and started walking towards them.

"Nathan don't do anything stupid!" Brooke shouted. Nathan rolled his eyes and continued to walk towards his wife and brother.

"Hey..." Nathan said when he was right in front of them.

"Hey..." Haley said a little shyly. which shocked both Nathan and Lucas.

"Are you feeling any better?" Nathan asked as he tried to pull Haley into a hug, but she resisted.

"What's wrong?" Nathan asked both Haley and Lucas now really confused.

"Nothing..." Haley said tentively, and then to everyone, who was watching, shocked she went over to where no one was sat down then put her head in her hands. Everyone except maybe Haley could see the hurt in Nathan's eyes.

"What in the hell is going on with her?" Peyton asked, but before anyone could answer the question the all heard Whitey yell that the bus would be there in about twenty minutes.

"Good she needs to be at home not here." Nathan said, and everyone could here the sadness in his voice.

"I'm going to go and talk to her." Brooke said as she got on her feet.

Brooke walked over to Haley and sat down next to her. "Okay Tutor girl what's going on?"

"Nothing Brooke." Haley said without even lifting her head up. "Just leave me alone please."

"Wohhh Haley what's going on?" Brooke asked a little concerned. This attitude wasn't like Haley.

"Nothing… I feel like crap, have a fever, just want to go home and sleep in my own freaking bed, but no we're stranded on the side of the road with a broken down bus. Could this day get any worse!" Haley demanded as she began to tear up yet again.

"Hey sweetie the bus is going to be here in about ten minutes and you're going to be okay I promise." Brooke said sweetly as she gently pulled Haley into a hug and let her break down in tears on her shoulder.

Ten Minutes Later

Everyone started cheering when they saw the school bus with the letters Tree Hill High come down the road. They were finally free.

Haley was just about to fall asleep on Brooke's shoulder when she gently felt herself being lifted up off the ground, but she was to tired to tell Nathan to put her down at let her walk on her own. So as she carried her towards the bus, Haley nudged her head into his chest trying to find a comfortable position.

Haley was sound asleep before Nathan even took the first step onto the bus. Whitey gave him a "what in the hell are you doing" kind of look, but he quickly explained that she had come down with a cold and was extremely tired, so he let it slide.

Lucas gently grabbed Haley out of Nathan's arms, let Nathan sit down, and then placed her on the seat so her head was supported by his legs, like a pillow.

Within a matter of minutes the five friends were consumed in a conversation, but suddenly Brooke started feeling a tickle in her throat begin and it wasn't going away. "Oh great please don't say I'm getting sick! Thanks a lot Haley if I am." Brooke thought to herself as she tried to find a way to clear her throat without causing a scene.