"Hi there," Jake choked out sitting next to the baby for the first time, "I'm your daddy. I'm sorry we haven't met sooner, but I'm never leaving you now. I love you too much to lose you," He couldn't hold back the tears, so he watched them land on the glass box, and let his head rest against it. Looking in on her from behind the wall she looked so small, but sitting next to her watching as the machine pumped air into her tiny lungs, pushing her stomach up and down, he saw just how helpless she seemed.

He reached his shaky hand threw the opening and gently rubbed her tummy. "I want to keep you baby," he paused, "but I need a sign from you that I'm doing the right thing." He gently put his index finger into the palm of her hand and closed his eyes, "Give me a sign," He whispered; "Tell me you need me in your life."

"She's getting stronger, ya know," The overnight pediatric nurse told him, "It's good to see you in here with her," Jake watched quietly as she checked the machines and made sure that his daughter wasn't in any danger, "Everything looks great."

"I just need a sign," He repeated.

She clutched her clipboard against her chest and looked at him curiously, "A sign?"

Jake glanced up at the older woman, as he began to withdraw his hands five tiny figures reached around and grabbed onto his much longer one. He looked down at his daughter and grinned for the first time since she had been born, "She's squeezing my finger!" He grinned happily on the verge of both laughter and tears. Before the nurse could respond, the sweetest sound Jake had ever heard rang out, his daughters first cry, proving that her lungs had finally developed.

Alexa wrapped her arms around Haley, "I'm sure that they are going to be fine," Haley was visibly shaking with fear, "Come on, and stand up. I'll take you." Alexa helped Haley into the car and then ran back to wake Deb up.

Once the three had made it to the emergency room they ran in demanding answers, "Where's my son!" Deb yelled frantically to anyone who would listen, "And Jeff?" Haley stood back still upset trying to keep her breathing steady.

A heavy set, no non-sense nurse walked towards them, "Who are you looking for?"

"Where you not listening?" Deb yelled at the shorter woman, "My son and husband."

"Please calm down," The woman replied crossing her arms.

"Tell me they're ok!"

Alexa stepped up when she noticed the nurse's mouth open to respond, "I'm sorry. We're looking for Jeff James and Nathan Scott."

The nurse nodded recognizing the names, sadness passed over her eyes but she quickly replaced it with her original stony look, "They are both being prepped for surgery. We need consent forms signed."

"Fine give them to me," Deb replied following the nurse to the counter. Alexa turned to see Haley collapse in a chair on the other side of the room.

Haley leaned her head against the wall with her eyes closed and breathed in the stagnant hospital scent. She knew Alexa sat next to her, "I sat here for two days straight when my mother died." She opened her eyes and looked at Alexa, "There was an old man sitting right there who told me the best stories. He had lost his wife and didn't want to leave. He knew that the moment he left the death would be real. Just like me, so we both settled for stories, him telling them and me listening. They were wonderful, now I know that they were big fish stories, but it's exactly what I needed at the time."

"Big fish?" Alexa asked reaching out for her hand.

Haley watched as Deb sat away from them and pull out her cell phone, "Why do people insist on breaking the rules?" Alexa shrugged looking for the person who brought on that question, "I mean everyone knows that cell phones are not allowed," she shook her head and looked back to the old man's chair, "Big fish stories are like obviously exaggerated stories." She thought of an explanation briefly, "Like if I went fishing and caught a small fish," She made a measurement with her hands, "but when I tell you the story I embellish to the point where I'm obviously exaggerating."

"Oh," Alexa didn't want Haley to get upset again, "Everything is gonna be fine."

She sniffled, never letting her eyes leave the chair in front of her, "My dad sat right there, exactly where you are sitting and said those same words to me. He said it only moments before the doctor came out and said that due to internal bleeding they had lost my mother."

"Medicine has progressed since then, there are so many options now."

"I can't believe this is happening again," Haley rested her head in her hands, Alexa reached over and patted her back, "Do me a favor," Her muffled voice came from her hands, she knew Alexa would do as she asked, "Give me some time alone."

"Sure let me know if you need anything," Alexa squeezed Haley's shoulder before walking away.

"If you came for any other reason than to borrow an egg you can leave," Brooke said walking away from the open door to her private entrance.

Peyton smiled to herself, she had been on Brooke's doorstep for the last half hour knocking. After the first ten minutes of banging, Brooke turned on her stereo, so Peyton began ringing the bell. She knew that sooner or later Mr. or Mrs. Scott would get annoyed and yell at her, "I'm worried about you." Peyton shut the door behind herself.

"Don't be." Brooke plopped on her bed, and watched as Peyton wrapped her hands around the bedpost, "You weren't when Haley and Nathan were sneaking around."

"Yes I was!" Determination fled through her, "I thought it was over with them. Hell Haley thought it was over."

"I don't care what either one of those backstabbing losers think," Brooke spit out and her face twisted like she had just tasted something sour.

Peyton sighed and sat on the edge of the bed and faced Brooke, "You should understand that this isn't her fault," Brooke glared at the blonde, "NATHAN lied to you. HE told you it was Alexa. YOU took him back and even when he told you it wasn't her YOU didn't believe him. You didn't want to see what was in front of your face."

"Don't you dare tell me that it's my fault!" Brooke sat up and yelled pointing at herself, "I did NOT ask him to cheat on me! I'll take blame for a lot of things, but him and Haley's actions take the cake. There is nothing that can change that betrayal."

"They're in love," Peyton whispered avoiding Brooke's eye contact.

"Ha!" Brooke yelled, if she hadn't been so angry this would have amused her, "Hooking up because she hates me, and because Nathan hates Lucas is not love."

"Whatever Brooke. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but Haley told me it was over."

"Clearly not, and coming here and trying to defend them is not a way to get me to forgive you." Brooke leaned back and crossed her arms.

"I know this is not going to end our friendship," She said somewhat unsure of herself.

Brooke sensed the hint of uncertainty, "No, but I'm not ready to get over it. Not you, and defiantly not for Haley or Nathan."

"No one expects you to jump right back up," She reached out and took Brooke's hand and stared into her eyes, "But please talk about your feelings rather than taking it out on things that can't defend itself."

Brooke smiled and took her hand back, "I was acting kind of crazy huh?"

Peyton grinned, "Just a little," both girls stopped talking and let their smiles fade, "So I didn't just come to harass you."

"No?" Brooke raised her eyebrows.

"Nope," Peyton looked in her bag and pulled out a box wrapped up, "Merry Christmas."

Brooke grinned, "P-Sawyer, forgiveness is getting closer with every gift." They both laughed, "Seriously you didn't have to."

"Ok," She said withdrawing the gift.

"No way!" Brooke said grabbing the gift back.