Paul Bryant once said, "Winning isn't everything, but it beats anything that comes in second."
Today, the Ravens exactly knew what he meant.
The Ravens had become the State Champions. It was a dream come true. A common dream seen by many, that had a different meaning for each and everyone of them. To some it meant making their parents proud, to some it meant breaking stereotypes, to some it was a college scholarship and to some,it meant winning the world itself.
To Nathan it meant proving himself to his father, achieving something Dan didn't. To Whitey,it was erasing some of his past mistakes and regrets, rewriting the fate of the Ravens. To Lucas, it was bittersweet, it was a last chance to be a part of something great, and to bid farewell to the first love of his life, the perfect way, that he could have ever imagined. Yes, Ravens had finally won the championship. They all believed they could, but it still felt so unbelievable.
-x-
There was a bustle in the locker room. Toasts were raised to the Ravens, to Victory, to Whitey and to Lucas. Lucas had been awarded the MOP trophy. Most Outstanding Player of the match, and he so very well was. He had blocked some crucial shots of the Pontiacs, created some very important partnerships with Skills and Nathan and shot some outstanding baskets. And well, the winning shot, oh what a shot it was! What an incredible timing. That final winning shot was certainly going down the history of state championship basketball.
Nathan looked so proud. Who could ever imagine, that Nathan could be proud of someone else becoming the MOP, and that too, his half brother Lucas. But he was. He hugged him and clapped his back "you did well, old man!" he said jovially. "You didn't do bad yourself little brother" Lucas paused and smirked "that is in the second half."
-x-
You could breathe victory in the air of their little town, Tree Hill. There was a flutter in everyone's heart. A flutter of joy, a flutter of pride. There was a flutter in Lucas' heart too, but he knew, it wasn't the good flutter.
Lucas Parked his car in the parking lot. He saw Haley and Brooke at a distance. Worried, he called out Haley. "What are you girls going here? Are you alright Hales?"
"Yes Luke,I am fine... I had a little pain during the game." she scrunched her face. Seeing the worried look on her best friend's face she quickly added "I saw a doctor at the hospital near the stadium. He said everything was fine. I feel fine right now, but I just wanted to check with my OB-GYN once."
"Oh god Hales!, so that's the reason you guys were missing from the first half of the match. Where is Nathan?" he looked around, knowing Nathan's instincts were absolutely right during the game.
"Oh no Luke, he doesn't know... And lets keep it that way. This victory means a lot to him, he is with the boys, celebrating." Lucas gave her a disapproving glare. "And anyways, the doctor said I was perfectly fine, my reports were all normal and I feel great right now, so no point dampening his spirits for nothing...right?" Haley smiled remembering her the smile on her husband's face.
"Okay fine, but promise me, you will tell me if there anything to worry about" Lucas was worried but none the less he respected Haley's wish.
"But what are you doing here Mr. MOP? Why aren't you with the boys?" Brooke interrupted the two best friends, furrowing her brows, wondering if Karen was alright.
"Oh! ... Umm no, I- I just came to get mom's prescriptions filled." his heart fluttering a little more as he lied. "You guys carry on, I just..uh... forgot the prescriptions in the car. I'll see you in a bit." he said masking his nervousness.
-x-
As Haley and Brooke walked towards the hospital building, both agreed that Lucas acted a bit weirdly. "Maybe winning's got into his head already" Brooke joked and kinked her brow. Lucas was at a safe distance from the girls. Haley and Brooke were crossing the road, when Haley slightly stumbled on her undone shoe lace, so she bent down to tie it.
Lucas was on the other side of the road when he saw a black Cadillac, recklessly speeding in Haley's direction. He yelled out her name in horror. Brooke looked at him and saw the Panic in his eyes, she looked at the direction where his eyes were fixed, she saw the car dangerously racing towards Haley.
Brooke pulled Haley out of the path of the monstrous car, just in time. The car missed them by a hair's breadth. Brooke had felt the gush of air on her face when the car passed them. "You asshole!" Brooke yelled behind the zigzagging car, her heart, racing at the thought of what could have just happened. She turned her attention to her terror-stricken friend. "Are you alright?" ... "umm... god...yes.. I think so... damn it! How didn't I see that coming?" Haley stammered, involuntarily caressing her baby bump.
Lucas had seen the car racing, and with that raced his heart. Haley had barely missed the hit. The raging roar of the engine, the precarious velocity of the car and the screeching of the tyres were all too much for his poor fluttering heart. The lights started fading in front of his eyes. Until, it completely blacked out.
-X-
Brooke and Haley hastened, following the gurney carrying their lifeless friend "it's a code blue!" yelled the nurse. A group of doctors came running to him "get a crash cart!" the attending yelled to one of her interns. Soon electrode pads were attached to Lucas' chest. Haley was speechless, shocked out of her wits at how the events had turned in what looked like a fraction of a second, when suddenly Brooke spoke up "he has HCM" saying to herself, her voice croaked as she spoke. But she was loud enough for the doctors to hear that important piece of information "Quick, push 1 of epi and 2 of atropine...charge to 100!...CLEAR!"
-x-
Lucas was sitting on a park bench, the whole park was empty. He could see no one around. It was dead silent. He looked to his left, not a soul in sight. He looked to his right and was dumbfound. There was Keith, sitting besides him, in all his leisure.
Keith! his dead uncle! was sitting besides him, in flesh and bone, smiling at him. "Keith!" Lucas pulled his uncle into a hug. "Hey kiddo!" Keith smiled at his nephew's ecstatic expressions. Lucas pulled back from the hug and then it hit him. "Where I am? ...I am dead?" he looked at Keith curiously. "eh! Not exactly..." he said lightly and stood up and started walking leisurely.
"Keith! Where are you going?" Lucas sprinted to follow him. "Is this heaven?" asked the inquisitive Lucas. "Ummm... I don't think so" Said Keith with a playful smile. "This sucks!" Lucas gave him a frustrated glare.
They walked through the park when Lucas sighed "I miss you Keith, it's good that now I can stay with you." Keith furrowed his brows "why the hell would you want to stay here?" Frustrated, Lucas replied "Obviously to be with you." Keith rolled his eyes at him "I'm flattered, but you see I am a dead, there is no point flattering me" Lucas sighed "I have screwed up too many people's lives. I have messed up too many relations, mine and other's. I guess the world is better off without me." Keith looked at him sadly, "follow me kid."
Keith opened a door, and behind it was their School corridor, bustling with high schoolers. His eyes fell on a guy wearing a letterman jacket. The guy smacked a cheerleader's ass on his way to another girl. the other jocks laughed at his act and high-fived him. The guy then pushed another cheerleader towards a locker and started kissing her, feeling her ass.
As the guy turned to leave with the cheerleader in his arm, that's when recognition dawned on Lucas' face, it was Nathan! "What the..." he stopped mid-sentence, remembering his uncle's presence. Keith snorted "yes.. what the..." Lucas looked at him quizzically, "What the hell happened to him?" he asked. "Well, you weren't there in his life, so how could have this douchebag brother of your's ever met a fabulous girl like our Haley?" Lucas' face twisted, "So they never met?" Lucas asked in shock. "No, you were the bridge between their worlds. But you weren't there in this world. So, their worlds never collided with each other's, they never met, and without her support, he never emancipated himself from Dan and Deb,and remained a douchebag." Keith shrugged.
Keith started walking towards the door again. Lucas caught up with him "Come on!they could have met without my help too. They are Naley! They are destined to be together" he said, not believing that Naley could not have happened."eh! maybe" Keith said playfully and opened the door to exit the school building. Lucas was getting irritated by his playful tone. As he followed Keith to the school grounds he saw Keith loking at a girl sitting there, on the bench, a gothic girl.
Lucas scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. "Is that Brooke? Now what the hell happened to her?" he asked, not able to imagine Brooke, void of colors. "why don't you go ask her?" Keith suggested. Lucas looked unsure but Keith encouraged him. He slowly walked towards her, taking in her looks. This was definitely not his cheery. A harshness on her face, not a hint of smile, no dimples and no shimmer in her eyes. "Hey,Brooke?" he called her hesitantly. She looked at him, her features getting harsher "get away from me" she hissed. "what happened?"he asked, in shock. "how many times do I have to tell you... GET AWAY FROM ME!" she screamed at him.
Lucas stumbled back, in shock, Brooke had never spoken to him like this, with such hatred. He turned to Keith,stared at him in horror. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?" he yelled. Keith shrugged "this is the world, without Lucas Scott" Lucas pulled his hair in frustration "What about the real life?" Keith tucked his hands in the pockets of his jacket and smirked "real life is still there" and he started walking away. Lucas huffed and jogged to catch up with him.
-x-
"He is not responding to the CPR Dr. Tanner" said the intern. "push another epi and 40 units of vasopressin" ordered Dr. Tanner. "Charge to 250...CLEAR!"
-x-
They were in his house. Lucas looked at Keith nervously. They opened Karen's bedroom door and found Karen sobbing in Andy's arms. They slowly walked to the foot of the bed and silently watched her cry. "She blames herself for letting you play. She is feeling so helpless now. You are lying on a hospital bed and she can't even be with you because of her condition." Lucas winced "it's all my fault. I didn't take the pills" He confessed. Keith shot him a look "that was a very stupid thing to do" Lucas frowned "I was trying to win state championship... anyways, are spirits allowed to call people stupid?" he said squinting at Keith. "I am dead. I can say whatever the hell I want" Keith whispered playfully. "Yeah well, it wasn't very nice!" Lucas huffed. Keith rolled his eyes at him "ah well, not taking your pills wasn't very nice, either" and looked back at Karen. "Yes, I know, but you don't have to call me stupid" Lucas squinted in frustration. Keith squeezed is eyes shut and shook his head, still finding it hard to believe, that Lucas would do something so stupid.
He huffed and his eyes moved to Andy, "I never thought I'll ever say this, but I am glad he is here." he sighed. Lucas looked at Keith and his glared turned soft "yeah, he is a good guy, but she misses you, you know" Keith looked at him and gave him a kind smile "I know she does. and yes Andy is a good. He loves her a lot. Karen deserves to be happy." Lucas looked back at his sobbing mother and sighed, finally accepting the not taking his pills was stupid. "So... what if I don't wake up?" he asked slowly. Keith cocked his head "i don't know... you tell me?" Lucas rolled his eyes in exasperation "you don't know...you know for a spirit, you suck at this!" he pressed his lips. Keith huffed "what do you want me to say?" Lucas was getting really irked by all the ambiguity. "well I wanna know if there's a heaven, I wanna know about eternal life and all that stuff... I wanna know..." he huffed and looked at Keith, his face softened "I wanna know if we're ever gonna see each other again?" he said softly. Keith looked at him, sadness in his eyes, he shrugged "well,we are seeing each other know, right?" Lucas rolls is eyes again "oh man! you really such at this, Keith." Keith pouted at him "alright, get out" signalling towards the door. They took a last look at Karen and left her room.
-x-
"No pulse yet" said the intern, now worried for his patient. "How long has it been?"asked Dr. Tanner. "17 mins" answered the intern. Brooke watched in horror, Haley held Nathan hand and kept praying. "push another epi, lidocaine and amiodarone each... charge to 300...CLEAR!"
-x-
Lucas and Keith were in the cemetery. There was a broken Brooke, standing in front of a grave, tears running down her face."Whose grave is she standing at?" Lucas asked, looking at Brooke. Keith put his arm around Lucas' shoulder "You weren't there in this world,Luke, so never went back into the school. Peyton got shot, and bled to death that fateful day. Brooke never forgave herself for leaving her behind. She blames herself for the death of her best friend." Lucas' face screwed at the news. He looked at the tombstone. It read, 'Peyton Elisabeth SAWYER. July 12,1988 - March 1,2006'. Lucas looked distressed. "I don't like this world,Keith. I can't be here." he said creasing his forehead, and Keith sympathetically led him off the cemetery grounds.
-x-
Keith and Lucas walked in to the hospital. Lucas, silent for the first time since he met Keith. "What are you thinking Kid?" he gave his shoulder a nudge. Lucas came out of his thoughts and sighed, "There friendship was a legend..." Keith looked at him quizzically. Lucas clarified "Brooke and Peyton...they were best friends, loved each other like sisters...and I ruined that too" hissed Lucas, angry at his doing. Keith looked at him with seriousness in his eyes "Did you?" Lucas looked at him, his brows furrowed "what do you mean? he questioned. " nevermind, look!" Keith pointed at a bed. Lucas raised his eyes to the bed and saw himself lying there.
He walked closer to the bed. He saw his own pale,lifeless face. He was hooked to a heart rate monitor, which was flat-lined. He saw himself surrounded by doctors, trying to resuscitate him. "No pulse" said the intern, pressing the diaphragm of the stethoscope on Lucas' chest. "Time?" asked the attending "26 minutes" answered the intern,checking the clock.
Lucas' eyes drifted from his uninhabited body to Haley and Nathan. Nathan had held her close, and was looking a Lucas' body with glistened eyes. Haley saying some sort of a prayer, she was never very religious, so it surprised Lucas. His eyes wandered to Brooke. he let a small, satisfactory smile slip his lips. She was wearing her normal colorful clothes, had the usual softness in her features. But there was no smile on her face nor there was a twinkle in her eyes. Her hazel eyes were blank. she was muttering something. Lucas walked closer to her and heard her saying "Breathe broody breathe, please... you have got to breath..." his face fell. "you have to wake up... for Karen... wake up Karen Luke... she needs you... wake up broody..breath" Lucas closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
He looked back at the doctors "start a crystalloid, and give me an epi, NaCO2 and calcium chloride." the doctor pushed the injections and charged the defibrillator again "CLEAR!"
-x-
Luke found himself in the cemetery again. This time, walking towards Keith's grave "Geez! what does a guy have to do to get some flowers once in a while?" keith joked to remove the tension from the air. "Sorry" Lucas crinkled his nose. "Mom really wants to come, but it is hard for her. And now, she is on bed rest." he said sadly thinking about his mother again. "And what about you?" Keith asked with a kind smile. Lucas didn't meet his eyes "I just figured... it was a waste of time." Keith chuckled and nodded. Guilt shadowed Lucas' features. "Look, I didn't believe when Nathan said...you rescued him" he looked at Keith, trying to see his reaction. Seeing nothing readable, he continued "because... I didn't believe in you." feeling guilty as he said it. "When you died...I didn't believe in the idea of you" Keith smiled and nodded understandingly. "its okay Luke, I didn't come her to make you believe in me. I came here to make you believe in you... You know, you've got a lot of good things in this life, Luke... You got Family, friends...Love... Those are the things, that are worth believing in." Lucas looked at him defeatedly.
"Love" he chuckled dryly. "I have no idea about that anymore Keith... I have no idea where my love-life is taking me. I had loved Peyton since the day I saw her, but fate kept us apart." the shut his eyes and took a deep breath. "Then I met Brooke, she was just...extraordinary... I fell in love with her. I thought she was the one. But that didn't work out, either. So, when Peyton told me she loved me I thought maybe this is it, maybe we were really destined to be together, but now... I don't know anything anymore. I don't know, what is happening to her. It's like I don't know her anymore. Honestly, I it's like i don't know myself anymore. I am worried about her...and for myself." he said with a sadness in his voice.
Keith smiled at him empathetically. "Luke, love is simple, we people tend to make it complicated. There are two kinds of love, Luke. One, where you fall in love with a person, another where you fall in love with the idea of the person." Lucas' forehead creased, not really understanding what Keith's words meant. "You are lost, I agree. Everyone is, at one point or the other. But in your heart, you have it all figured out, trust me. Luke, love is beautiful, don't run away from it... Its nurtures you into a better person." Keith smiled, thinking of Karen.
Keith and Lucas silently walked through the cemetery. "Keith, is there a heaven?" he asked breaking the silence. Keith smirked "i don't know, is there?" Lucas looked at him with disbelief "you know you really suck at this" he mocked him. He shook his head and smiled gently "because if there is...I.. was kinda wondering if i could go with you. "Well Luke, that's up to you" Keith sighed "the future right now is.. ummm.. it's unwritten... But I want you to understand, if you go back, there are going to be tough time, you know?... some heartache and pain. Some unpredictable situations, some tough decisions to make... But there also will be love, laughter... uh.. a-a life full of accomplishments... It's up to you." Lucas nodded, understanding what Keith said.
He looked up and saw they had reached Peyton's grave again. He knitted his eyebrows "who's the woman at Peyton's grave?" Keith turned to looked at her. "Someone who used to know her... But its not Peyton's grave." Keith informed him. "What do you mean" Lucas asked, not able to tear his eyes off the woman. "Well, Peyton lived, because you saved her that day." Lucas, unwillingly tore his eyes from the woman and looked at Keith. "So whose grave is it?" Keith looked at him with seriousness marking his face. "it's your grave,Luke...if that's what you choose." Lucas looked back at the grave and then at the woman,and asked "and the woman?" Keith looked back at the woman. "I don't Know Luke. You tell me" Lucas looked at him with frustration "Man! you are seriously doing this again?" Keith Looked at him "I seriously don't know, Luke."
He looked back at the woman. He noticed something strange. She was wearing white. He felt he had seen her before...But where?...He wanted to see her face, but the sunlight hit her in such an angle, that her face wasn't visible to him from his distance. "I think I have seen her before" he whispered to himself. He walked towards the grave. The woman in white started walking away. He called her out "Excuse me!", but the woman didn't stop. Lucas started feeling anxious at once, it was something he had experienced before, a deja vu. he sprinted to follow her. By the time he reached, she was gone. "The angel in white!" he breathed out. He remembered her from his dream. He had seen her in his dreams. Even then he couldn't see her Face, after walking up he tried to see her face again, but failed. Everything he felt that night came gushing back to him. This was not a dream, that night didn't feel like a dream either...
-x-
The doctors were giving up. It had been 32 minutes,that they had been trying to resuscitate Lucas with no success. They had tried everything. They were left to their last resort.
Brooke stood at Lucas' feet, she touched him and whispered "Lucas, please...please breath ...please ... for Karen...you know, Peyton must be so worried right now. Wake up for her... look at Tutorwife, she is so stressed, its not good for the baby, wake up for your nephew, Luke...wake up for me Broody."
"Okay Brown, one last around... of Epi, 1 of vasopressin and 1 of magnesium ... charge to 350...CLEAR!"
-x-
Lucas walked in to Keith's garage. Keith was working on the Camry, that they both had last worked on together. Keith looked up "So, who was she?" he asked raising his brows. Lucas shook his head and chuckled "You'll think I'm crazy" Keith looked at him quizzically. "She was the angel from my dream." Keith snorted at him "what?" Lucas smirked "See! I told you, you'll think I'm crazy...Well, a had this dream the other night, I saw this angel in white, but she disappeared before I could see her face... just like she disappeared today." Lucas' face contorted in frustration. "When I woke up from that dream that night, it felt so real. I felt...umm... I felt so much...so many things. ...Today seeing her leave, all those feelings came back... What does this mean, Keith? Who is she?"
Keith looked at him and took a deep breath. "I don't have the answers, Luke. May be you need to go back to find out the answers." he smiled kindly. Lucas thought of everything he had seen today, his mom, Nathan, Haley, Brooke...and the Angel. He knew he had to go back for everyone, he had to go back for himself. He smiled "I have to go back,Keith" he said. Keith chuckled "Are you sure?" Lucas looked at Keith with confident eyes "I want to go back" he said, almost in a whisper and smiled at how good it felt to say those words, at how sure he was.
Keith smile at him brightly, happy with his answer. "okay then!" he huffed "I guess this is the hard part... it's time for me to go now" he smiled sadly. Lucas miserable at the thought "but, I don't want you to go" his voice, husky with tears "god!.. I am gonna miss you so much" he said blinking back his tears. "why?... I'm with you every day" Keith replied with a smiled and pulled Lucas into a hug, one last time " besides" he cleared his throat, "we'll see each other again" Lucas sniffled pulling back from the hug he asked "we will?" Keith smiled "You believe that." Keith cleared his throat once again, trying to control his emotions. He picked up the car battery charger and chuckled "now...uh...this is gonna hurt a little." he pursed his lips and then put the battery clips near lucas's chest "I love you,kid" he said and before Lucas could say anything he electrocuted him.
"Sinus brady!" said the intern excitedly, every doctor and nurse sighed in relief. "Great we have a pulse!p
Author's Note: You might be thinking this chapter is too much like the original episode and yes, I agree, it is. This was one of the very few episodes that I liked in season 4. But I always wanted to rewrite a few scenes, that I didn't like (read Peyton scenes). I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. :)