Chapter Thirty: Worrying

Rob steps off the elevator with two plastic cups in his hands. He returns to the waiting room. Haley is sitting on the couch, leaning forward with her hand on her forehead.

"Hey," Rob says when he stops in front of her. She looks up. "I brought you some coffee."

"Thanks," Haley says, accepting the cup.

Rob sits down next to her and asks, "Anything yet?"

Haley shakes her head and says, "But it's only been, what…like fifteen minutes?"

"Seems like fifteen hours in situations like these, doesn't it?"

"I don't think I can last even one hour not knowing anything."

"Well, you know what they say?" Rob looks at Haley as she looks at him. "No news is good news, right?"

"I hope so. I don't know what I'll do if he's not okay."

Rob rubs her back like he would his own daughter. After a few seconds, she remembers another worry on her mind and she asks," Oh, did you talk to Nathan? Is Henry with him? Is he okay?"

"Yeah, yeah…he's fine, he's safe. Nathan has Henry and Dan is in jail for good. He never made it past the border."

"Oh thank god." Haley sighs relief as she leans back against the couch. "That bastard needs to rot in hell for all eternity for what he's done, especially if…"

She can't even think about the possibility that Cooper might not live through this. No…she needs to believe he'll be okay…she needs to have faith.

"Have you seen Lucas anywhere yet?" She asks. "Do you know what's going on with Brooke and the baby?"

"No, I haven't seen him. But they should be here. Their ambulance left a few minutes after yours."

"God…I hope she's okay."

Down the hall, Lucas steps off the elevator and looks around for direction to the waiting room. Haley looks to her right when the presence of someone very close to her heart overwhelms her.

"Luke…" she says as she smiles.

His eyes see her too.

"Haley…"

Haley jumps from the couch and runs to him as he runs for her. They meet with the biggest embrace they've ever had in al their years of friendship. She cries into his shoulder while he runs his hand over the back of her head.

"I missed you so much, Luke."

"Me too, Hales…more than you'll ever know. I'm so glad you're okay."

They finally pull away from each other and stare into one another's eyes. Before she can even ask the question, from the pain in his eyes, Haley knows it's not good.

"Where is she?" She asks instead.

It takes much strength for him just to answer," They, um…they brought her up here for an emergency C-Section."

"What? But she's—"

"I know, but they said if they didn't, we could lose Brooke and the baby."

"Oh my god…I'm so sorry Luke."

Haley hugs him again.

"What about Cooper?" Lucas asks after their hug. "How's he doing?"

"I don't know. He's still in surgery."

"Surgery? For what?"

"He was stabbed, Luke…Dan stabbed him."

"Oh my god, Haley, I'm so sorry. I thought he just really sick. I didn't know he was…"

"It's okay," Haley says. "At least I hope it will be."

"Thanks for coming over, Mom," Nathan says as he holds the door open for his mom about forty five minutes after getting the call from Rob.

"Of course, honey," Deb replies, removing her coat. "I told you to call me if you need me."

"I know, but I feel like I've been leaning on you a lot lately and—"

"Nathan, I'm your mother…that's what I'm here for."

Nathan smiles and says, "Well, I want to get on the road as soon as possible and you already know the kids' routine, so… oh, Henry will probably be up in about an hour wanting to eat again. I already made a bottle, so all you have to do is heat it up for him when he wakes up."

"Okay. Anything else?"

"Not that I can think of right now. Like I said, you've been with them, so you know their routine."

There's a soft knock on the door and Nathan opens it.

"Hey guys, c'mon in."

Peyton and Keith step inside and Nathan closes the door. Peyton throws her arms around Nathan and he hugs her back.

"Thank you so much for calling," she says. "For letting us in on what's going on."

"Of course. I know how worried you've been too." Nathan looks over to Keith and asks," How's Karen?"

"Worried," he replies. " Just as I am."

"Well, Rob said Brooke is in pretty serious condition and their phones haven't been working, so that's probably why he hasn't called. He's got to be hurting pretty bad."

"Yeah…that's why I want to get up there too so I can be there for him."

"You guys should get going before the kids wake up and hear you," Deb suggests.

"Yeah," Nathan agrees, putting on his coat. " Are you sure you can handle explaining to them tomorrow?"

"Yeah. Do you all have your birth certificates and the necessary documents?"

They nod and Nathan says, "Okay, then let's go."

"Wait…I want to come too."

They turn and see James standing on the stairs, dressed and with his coat and shoes on too.

"Please let me come, Dad," he says, walking down the rest of the stairs.

"James…" Nathan says, walking to him. "You can't come."

"Please, Dad…let me come. I need to go too."

"I know you want to, Sport." Nathan kneels down in front of him. "But it's not a good idea right now. Your brother is in bad shape and everything is so crazy and we need to wait until it all settles down. I need you to stay here with grandma and help with your sisters and your little brother. Besides, you've still got a week of school before break."

"But nothing happens in the last week before Christmas break, Dad. Besides, I wouldn't be able to concentrate. I need to go with you. I need to be there for Cooper like he was for me. Please…don't make me wait anymore to see my mom and my brother."

Nathan sighs as he stares at his son. It's at moments like these when he sees Haley in him more and more.

"It seems like we've been waiting for days," Haley says with her head on her best friend's shoulder. "I can't take it anymore."

"Me either," Lucas says. "I need to know what's going on with Brooke. I need to know she's okay."

He leans forward and asks," Hales, all this time you were with her, did it ever seem like something wasn't right?"

"No, not at all. And I paid close attention, Luke, I promise. Everything seemed normal and I'm sure it was. It was probably the stress that sent her into labor. That's what did it for me. But I truly believe she and the baby are going to pull through this just fine. Brooke's a fighter and completely stubborn. And if this baby is anything like her, he or she will inherit those traits too."

"I hope so."

"Mr. Scott?"

Haley and Lucas both look up at the doctor, standing before them, dressed in blue scrubs with a white paper mask hanging from his neck…and holding a paper hat in his hands.

A/n: okay…another cliff hanger, but that's all I have written right now. Plus, I need to be sure all my readers will come back to read after Christmas LOL. There probably won't be another update until then. So feel free to scold me if you must. LOL. Let me know what you think. Thanks, and Merry Christmas everyone, or Happy Holidays!! 