Chapter 27: Promises
When they returned to the waiting room, Peyton pointed the surgeon out to Brooke. Brooke placed a hand on her belly as she waddled over to greet him, Peyton following behind her.
"Doctor," Brooke said as she approached the surgeon. "I'm Brooke Davis. Chase Adams is my daughter's father. We were married."
Dr. Kip nodded as he held out his hand to accept Brooke's handshake when she offered it.
"How is Chase?" Brooke asked. "Did he make it out of surgery okay?"
Dr. Kip answered with a short nod of his head.
"He did," he responded. "However, he is still in critical condition. His injuries are very severe, inside and out. He may still need more surgery."
"More surgery?" Brooke repeated, alarmed. Hadn't Chase been in surgery for hours already?
Dr. Kip nodded. "Yes, I'm afraid so. We are still waiting for test results, but we are concerned that there may still be some internal bleeding. So we will need to go in again and determine the cause of the bleeding and try to repair it. I wanted to update his family before taking him in again."
Brooke glanced away as she felt herself beginning to cry again. Peyton reached for her friend's hand.
"When will you know?" Peyton asked. "If you have to go in again?"
"We should know soon. I'd say within the next hour."
"Can, I, um…" Brooke sniffled as she looked back at the doctor. "Can I see him?"
Dr. Kip nodded. "Sure. I can take you back to him now. He has been in and out of consciousness since he arrived to the hospital, though, so he may or may not be awake when we go back."
Brooke nodded. "I understand. I just, um…I just need to see him."
"Okay. I will take you back there then, if you'd like."
Brooke glanced at Peyton before walking away and she asked, "You want to go see Ava?"
Peyton nodded. "Yeah, but I'll wait for you here. We will go back to Ava's room together."
Brooke nodded before turning and following the surgeon back to ICU.
As expected, Chase was unconscious when Brooke entered his room. For a second time that night, Brooke realized the severity of the accident when she saw the seriousness of Chase's condition. Like their daughter, Chase's face was swollen and bruised, and he had a gash across his forehead that had been stitched. But with a brace around his neck and casts applied to three of his limbs—both of his legs and his left arm—Chase's condition was clearly much more severe than their daughter's.
Tears were still sliding down Brooke's cheeks as she approached Chase's hospital bed. Slowly, she sat down in the chair on the left side—Chase's right—and she reached for his hand. She didn't say anything right away. Instead, she held his hand with both of hers while she cried quietly, praying and wondering what to say. What could she say that would be enough to help him through this?
Slight movement from Chase's fingers startled Brooke. She looked up, and she smiled when she saw that he had opened his eyes.
"Hey," she said, offering him a smile, her attempt at "putting on a brave face" for him. she knew that would be what he'd want from her. "You're awake."
Chase didn't say anything immediately. Brooke noticed that his eyes were scanning the room, probably taking in his surroundings and trying to understand where he was and what had happened to him.
"Chase…" Brooke spoke slowly. "Do you remember what happened?"
Chase realized that he couldn't nod his head because of the brace that was wrapped around his neck. Instead, he tried to speak, though even his speaking ability felt weak, like it took a few extra breaths to use his vocal cords.
"A truck…" He spoke slowly, hoarsely. He paused and tried to recall what he remembered. "Slid into…"
Brooke touched his shoulder gently. "Shh…you don't have to talk. I know it must hurt."
Chase blinked, holding his eyes closed briefly.
"Ava…"
"She's okay," Brooke assured him, even though she was still waiting to know for sure for her own piece of mind. "Um…she has a broken leg and arm, and a little concussion, and they had to operate, but the doctor said that she should be okay with some physical therapy. She's not awake yet, but she made it through the surgery."
Chase closed his eyes again, relief flooding through him. When he opened his eyes, he tried to speak again.
"I-I'm sorry," he said, still weakly. He seemed to be taking all of the energy and strength he had just to breathe a few words, and Brooke considered the very likely possibility that Chase had broken a few ribs in this accident as well.
"I-I'm sorry…"
Brooke shook her head. "No, don't be. The accident wasn't your fault."
"No…not just that. I'm…I'm sorry about…what I put…you through…with the custody…with everything I said…to you. I never…meant…to hurt you."
Chase paused to catch his breath. "I…I love…you."
Brooke's face was soaked with tears again.
"I love you too," she whispered.
"No…" Chase blinked again, closing his eyes to take a painful, but necessary deep breath in. "You love…Lucas."
Brooke shook her head and she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"But I love you too, Chase. We've been through so much together. And you gave me the most important person in my life. No matter the things we've done and said to one another, I will always love you."
"T-Thank you. But…" Chase struggled through another deep breath. "I don't…deserve it. I…didn't treat you always…the way that I should have. I didn't love you…the way I should have…the way Lucas…loves you. He's the one…the one you should be with."
Chase paused again to swallow. He continued before Brooke could argue.
"I was…I was threatened before…by Lucas. I always knew…that he loved you. Then I realized…that you still loved him…that you were…in love with him again. And I was angry…until I realized that…you can't ever forget…your first love. It was still hard…for me to try…to be friends with you; it was easier to be…an ass because…you…you were my…first love."
Brooke's tears did not stop, even as Chase paused again—this time to cough. Brooke was even more surprised by what he had to say next.
"I was wrong…about Lucas. He is…a great guy…a good father. I know…I know that he…will be good to you…and to Ava. I know that…I know that you love him…that you want to be with him, even if…even if you're afraid of that. You should be with him. I want…you to be."
Brooke tried to stop crying long enough to say something back to him in response. She finally managed to whisper thank you to him. They were both silent for a moment after that. They stared at one another while Chase took a few deep breaths before finally relaxing.
"You should know," Brooke spoke, breaking the silence. "That the doctors think you may need more surgery yet tonight. They're afraid that you may still have some internal bleeding. They are waiting for your lab results, but it could be anytime now."
"T-Thank you…for telling me."
They were quiet again as Chase took in another deep breath. After another painful cough, Chase looked back at Brooke and asked, "Is, um… is Lucas here too?"
Brooke nodded. "Yeah. He is with Ava. I didn't want to leave her alone."
"Would you…would you ask him to come in? I, um…I'd like to…apologize."
"Okay." Brooke agreed. Before she left, she kissed his cheek.
"Brooke…" Chase spoke after Brooke had released his hand, preparing to walk away.
Brooke turned back to him slowly. She watched him close his eyes briefly again. He swallowed again before he spoke.
"I, um…I don't think I'm…" Chase paused again. Brooke could see the pain in his expression. She could tell that it wasn't only because he was having difficulty breathing, but because whatever he was trying to say was difficult emotionally.
"I think that I'm going…to get to meet Andrew."
Brooke quietly burst into tears again at his words. She cried over this revelation that the father of her child was dying. She cried over the memory of the son they had lost; the son that Chase believed he was going to meet tonight.
Despite what Chase's words meant and how sad it made Brooke feel, she didn't try and talk him out of his thinking. Because she understood that it was more than just thinking; she could see the pain he was experiencing, and she understood that he honestly felt that he was getting weaker. And she knew that he didn't want to get weaker, but that he was fighting for his life now. And seeing him in so much pain, Brooke hurt for him and she wished she could do something to take his pain away.
Brooke squeezed Chase's hand and sniffled.
"If you do…" she spoke slowly, "you tell him that I love him. And you remember that I will always love and be thinking of you both."
Even with his searing pain, Chase managed the tiniest of smiles.
"And you…" he spoke softly. "You tell Ava…tell my little monkey…that I love her."
Brooke nodded. "I will. Promise."
After one more tight squeeze of Chase's hand, Brooke left his room.
Lucas turned his head when he heard the door open. Brooke and Peyton came around the curtain and Lucas smiled at them both.
"How is she?" Brooke asked as she walked toward him and the bed. When she reached him, she placed a hand on his back.
Lucas looked back at Ava, who was still unconscious.
"Uh, no change," he answered as he stood up next to Brooke. He wrapped his arm around her waist and looked back at her.
"How's Chase?"
Slowly, Brooke shook her head in response. She did her best to retain her composure, hoping not to burst into tears again. She was so tired of crying.
"Not so good," she answered. "He's awake. He's talking, but he can barely breathe when he does. I, um…" Brooke paused when she felt the tears welling up again. So much for not crying.
"I don't think he's going to make it."
Lucas held Brooke close to him then.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
Brooke hugged him. When she felt she had regained her composure, she pulled away and said, "He, um…he wants to see you."
Lucas stared back at her, an expression of confusion.
"Me?"
Brooke nodded.
"Okay…I'll, um… I'll be back in a bit then, I guess."
Lucas kissed the top of Brooke's head. After Lucas left the room, Peyton moved over to hug Brooke. Brooke gave in and she cried into her friend's arms.
Lucas walked into the adult ICU room slowly. He couldn't escape the awkwardness he felt as he did. He wasn't sure why Chase wanted to see him—the man who had slept with his wife (who also happened to be the love of Lucas's life) and had gotten her pregnant. Lucas wasn't sure what he was supposed to say, what he should say.
Chase's eyes were shut as Lucas approached the bed. But he opened them he heard footsteps.
"H-Hey," Chase whispered—it was a little easier for him to whisper. It didn't require as much energy for him to whisper.
"Hey," Lucas returned with a nod.
"T-Thanks for coming."
Again, Lucas offered Chase a nod. Still unsure of what to say or do, Lucas sat down in the chair next to the bed. The awkward silence remained for another minute or two. Finally, Lucas cleared his throat and spoke.
"Brooke said that you asked to see me."
"Yes." Chase paused a moment, now wondering how he should begin. He could tell that Lucas was nervous, as was he, admittedly. There had been a lot of ill-feelings between the two of them for a long time, even before Lucas had slept with Brooke. Despite all that, Chase felt Lucas needed to hear what was on Chase's mind now.
"I wanted…to apologize for how I've…treated you. I was…jealous. And I was angry at…myself…for not loving her…like you loved her; like you do love her. And I…I took my anger…out on you. I'm…I'm sorry."
Lucas nodded. He understood where Chase was coming from. Frankly, if the situation had been reversed, Lucas was sure he probably would have acted similarly, if not the same.
Lucas shrugged his shoulders and replied with, "It's okay."
"No…it's not. But…thank you…for saying so."
Chase coughed then while Lucas watched him struggle, afraid and unsure of what he should do—if there was anything that he could do.
Once his coughing spell ended—for the moment, anyway—Chase spoke again.
"I, um…I need to…to ask you…to do something…for me."
Slowly, Lucas nodded. "Sure."
"I'm not…" Chase coughed again, only one painful cough this time. "I'm not going to make it…through this. I can feel it. The pain…is less. It should be…so much more…than it is. I'm not…going to make it. But…I need to know…before…I need to know…that Brooke and Ava…will be okay."
Chase stopped talking a moment to try and catch his breath. It was becoming even more difficult to do that. But he needed to finish first.
"They mean…the world to me. I need to know…that they…will be taken care of. I need you...to promise me, Lucas. Promise me…that you will take care…of my girls…for me."
Lucas already knew that he would take care of Brooke and Ava without Chase's request. He had always taken care of them, and would always do so. Still, Lucas gave Chase what he was asking for, what he needed: a verbal promise.
"I promise, Chase," Lucas agreed. "I will take care of them. They are my world too."
"I know." Chase coughed again, harder this time. He swallowed before he spoke again. "Promise…that you won't ever hurt her…like I hurt her."
Lucas noticed there were tears in Chase's eyes now. They were his last tears probably, both Lucas and Chase were both certain of, given Chase's declining ability to breathe.
Again, Lucas nodded as he made Chase another promise.
"I promise. I'll never hurt her. I'll never hurt either of them. They will always be able to count on me."
Quietly, Chase struggled with, what Lucas could tell from the increased shortness of breath Chase was experiencing now, were his last words.
"T-Thank y-you."
Lucas couldn't even respond, as the monitors to which Chase was connected that monitored his breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure, started beeping quickly, loudly, alarmingly, and Chase closed his eyes just before the nurses and doctors came rushing into the room.
It was still quiet in the pediatric ICU. In a private room, Brooke sat at her daughter's bedside, holding her hand. Peyton was sitting in a chair on the opposite side of the bed.
Brooke continued to stare at her daughter's bruised and swollen face as she ran a hand through the hair on her little girl's head.
"Ava," Brooke spoke quietly, almost inaudibly. "You have to wake up, baby…for mommy. Please…wake up for me. I need to know that you're okay."
Despite the softness of the tone Brooke spoke in, Peyton had heard her friend's plea to her daughter. She glanced over at her goddaughter, hoping to see her finally open her eyes. They both stared at the little girl for several minutes, but she didn't wake.
Brooke looked over at Peyton, a tear slipping down her already wet cheeks.
"Why hasn't she woken up yet, Peyton?"
Peyton leaned over the bed and touched her friend's arm.
"She will, honey," Peyton answered, comfortingly. "She's just stubborn like you, remember? She does things in her own time. Like when she learned to walk? She was a year and a half and you were freaking out because she hadn't even taken a step yet. You'd been trying to get her to walk everyday for weeks at that point. And the day you took a break from it, she took her first steps." Peyton stopped and smiled at that memory before she reiterated her point. "She didn't do it when everyone said that she was supposed to do it, but she did it. She walked. She'll do this too, Brooke. She will wake up. In her own time."
Brooke nodded slowly as she digested the point her friend had made. She looked back at her daughter then.
"Okay, then, baby," she whispered. She sighed before she continued. "I won't push you anymore. Just take your time. As long as you promise to wake up, you can have all the time you want. I'll be here. I'll never give up on you."
The room went quiet again, except for the occasional beeps from the monitors as it tracked Ava's vital signs. Still holding her hand, Brooke suddenly felt her daughter's fingers flinch and she glanced down at Ava's little hand. She then looked quickly at her daughter's face.
"Ava?"
Brooke noticed her daughter move in the bed. She stood up from her chair and leaned over—as far as she could with her pregnant belly—and touched her daughter's small face.
"Come on, baby," she said calmly, though inside she felt a little panicked. "Wake up, Ava, honey…wake up. It's mommy."
Slowly then, Ava's eyes fluttered open. Brooke and Peyton both smiled when she did.
"Oh, thank god!" Brooke sighed in relief and leaned in to kiss her daughter's face.
"Mommy?" Ava spoke groggily.
"Yeah, honey," Brooke said, running a hand through Ava's hair. "It's mommy. You were in a car accident with daddy, but you're going to be okay. I'm here with you. So is aunt Peyton. Look."
Ava turned her head toward Peyton.
"Hey, princess," Peyton said, grinning, though there were tears in her own eyes as well.
Ava smiled and said, "Hi."
She looked back at her mother then.
"Mommy…I'm tired. Can I go back to sleep now?"
Brooke grinned. "Yeah, honey. Go back to sleep. I'll still be here when you wake up."
Ava closed her eyes and fell asleep again. Brooke looked at Peyton then. She smiled and sighed at the same time.
"See? I told you," Peyton said. "At least you know she's okay now."
Brooke nodded her agreement. The door to Ava's room slid open then, and the women looked over a Lucas entered. Brooke stared at him, noticing the somber expression he wore, and she knew at that moment that Chase, that the father of her daughter, was gone. Lucas embraced Brooke as her tears began to fall again, and he held her while she cried.
So I really hope this chapter was okay. I added some things as I was typing it that I hope add to the emotion. Hopefully you, my wonderful readers, will review and let me know what you think. There's not much left to review so please send me one with any thoughts and/or comments!
There will be at least one more chapter, possibly two. Whether it is two more chapters depends on if I can develop and epilogue, which I usually can but it has been awhile since I looked at my notes. But I am hoping a review of my notes and motivation from all of you will help inspire me. A little sneak peek at the next chapter…(ok, so really more like one of those trailers they show at the end of an episode about what is going to happen the next week)…this chapter will mainly be about closure and wrapping up the storyline. We will probably see a time jump. Then the epilogue I am hoping will provide a glimpse at what happens next for the characters, leaving the opportunity open for a sequel. I don't know that I am going to be able to write a sequel any time soon, but those of you who have been reading my stories know that I love writing sequels as much as I love writing cliff hangers….and whether the ending to this story will have a cliff hanger? Guess you will just have to read and see! Thanks everyone!