Chapter 36 - When a piece is missing

Have you ever felt so much anger, so much hatred for one person that it starts to take over? It's like you can't think of anything else. Right now at this very moment in time that was what was surging through Lucas' mind, his body, his veins and it was all for one person, that person being Dan Scott. Dan his father who abandoned him and his mother, who never once cared about anyone else besides himself, and now all of a sudden he's begging for forgiveness. Well that wasn't enough not for Lucas, he knew the type of person Dan was and he didn't want to hear his pathetic reasons and apologies for the past he just wanted him out of his and his family's lives for good. However, things don't always go how you want them to, and this just happened to be one of those things. Dan wouldn't leave them alone, he couldn't just walk away, he couldn't just do the right thing for once in his life. Instead he chose to be persistent and then to cross the line by physically harming his wife and kidnapping his four month old daughter.

Lucas couldn't just sit back and let him get away with it. Dan had already gotten away with so much. He had to find him, he needed revenge, but most importantly he needed his daughter back. Emilie was his world, he couldn't imagine his life without her. It would break him, it would tear him apart, and he couldn't even begin to think how Peyton would cope without their bundle of joy. He thought about Peyton calling after him when he ran from the apartment and he felt bad for leaving her there but he couldn't just sit around not when Dan had Emilie. Lucas was walking around the town desperately trying to find Dan, his mind was all over the place and all rational thinking had long gone. He didn't know where to look, he had no idea where he would have gone so he just searched everywhere and anywhere his feet would take him.

Meanwhile Nathan and Haley were sitting in the waiting area. Peyton had been getting checked over and stitched up for the past fifteen minutes. Nathan and Haley were both so shocked by what had just happened to their best friends, to their goddaughter, their niece. Haley was sat holding James closely, the whole thing just made her that much more cautious and protective of him.

"I'm gonna call Brooke" Nathan said and Haley automatically snapped out of her thoughts and back to reality.

"Yeah she would want to be here. You should probably try and get in touch with Karen and Larry as well" Haley replied.

"Okay I'll be back in a minute"

"Okay"

A few minutes later and Nathan returned. "Brooke said she'd be here as soon as"

"What about Karen and Larry?" Haley asked

"Well when I told Karen she started to cry, she asked about Lucas and well him running off just upset her more. She said she'd try and get in touch with Larry herself"

"O…okay" Haley replied. She wanted this whole day to be a terrible nightmare but she knew it wasn't, she knew it was real. She couldn't quite believe it, she didn't know what to do or if there was anything she could do. Both of her best friends were going through hell and she couldn't do anything to make it better for them. "I feel so useless" Haley said breaking the silence.

"I know me too." Nathan replied and wrapped his arm around his wife. "There isn't a lot we can do Hales, we've just got to be there for them give them support…it's all we can do" She nodded and then they both shared a loving kiss.

Ten minutes later and Brooke arrived at the hospital. She burst through the doors and into the waiting area startling Haley.

"Hi" she said a little breathlessly.

"Hey" they both replied in unison.

"How is she?" Brooke asked sitting down beside Nathan.

"She has a pretty bad cut on her forehead, they're stitching her up and checking her over now." Nathan replied.

"I can't believe this is happening. I feel so…so…"

"Useless?" Nathan offered.

"Yeah"

"Join the club"

"So where's Lucas?"

"He stormed off, gone looking for Dan I suspect"

Brooke nodded and then turned her attention to Haley who hadn't spoken. "You okay Hales?"

"I guess…I just feel so bad for them yet so relieved it wasn't James that probably makes me sound like a selfish bitch"

"Its not selfish, you're only human, feeling relieved that it wasn't your own son doesn't make you care any less about Emilie or make you a bad person"

"I know you're right…it's just something always seems to happen to Peyton or Lucas"

"Yeah I know they've been through a lot"

"And there's nothing I can do to make it better for them" Haley said feeling so sad for them both and scared for her goddaughter.

"There's nothing any of us can do except be there for them and Lucas and Peyton wouldn't expect anything more"

"I know you're right"

"I'm gonna go see if I can go and see her" Brooke said getting up from her seat "I'll see you both soon"

"Bye" they replied in unison

Brooke had been told the room number that Peyton was in and was making her way there. She soon approached the door and looked through the glass seeing her best friend sat on the edge of the bed alone with tears streaming down her face. With that she made her way into the room as fast as her legs would carry her and wrapped her arms around her best friend.

"I'm so sorry Peyton" she whispered into her ear

"Its all my fault" Peyton replied as more tears fell freely down her cheeks and onto Brooke's shoulder.

"It's not your fault Peyton. Look at me" She said pulling back from the embrace so that they could make eye contact. "You are not to blame Dan is"

"But I said some things and I just can't help but think that if I wasn't so harsh to him none of this would've happened"

"Listen to me whatever you said I'm sure it was the truth" She nodded and Brooke continued "And even if you did say some harsh things a) it doesn't give him the right to kidnap your child and physically hurt you and b)he has done so many hurtful things to people over the past that he deserved it."

"Thanks Brooke"

"No problem. So are you free to go?" Brooke asked noticing that she had been stitched up.

"Almost the doctors are just waiting for some test results"

"What kind of tests?" Brooke asked a little nervously

"Well when Dan hit me I hit my head pretty hard so they had to run some tests to make sure that there won't be any permanent damage"

"Oh my god" Brooke replied and then pulled her friend in for another hug.

"Is Lucas here?" Peyton asked, she knew he probably wouldn't be but she couldn't help but hope.

"No sweetie, I guess he's still looking for Emilie"

"Brooke what if Lucas blames me? I mean if we can't find her he might blame me, he loves her so much"

"Don't be silly, you are not to blame Lucas would never blame you he loves you too and the police will find her. Dan can't run forever. It would be a different story if the police had no idea who it was but they know who did this they will find him."

"I just need her back Brooke, I need my Emilie in my arms where she belongs. She must be so scared. You know she cries at people she doesn't recognise especially men"

Brooke didn't know what to say, her heart was breaking for her best friend but there was nothing she could do. "They will find her Peyt" she said pulling her into yet another embrace. Truth of the matter was Brooke didn't know for sure whether or not the police would find her, she just had to keep the faith that they would, she had to be strong and hopeful for Peyton.

Fifteen minutes had passed and Brooke and Peyton made their way to the waiting area. The test results all came back clear which was a relief. The doctor said that her head would probably hurt for a few days and that it would eventually bruise, but there would be no permanent life altering damage. Brooke was so worried for her best friend so the news was such a relief for her, Peyton on the other hand didn't show any signs of happiness or relief because she just didn't care about herself all she cared about right now was Emilie. Having carried her around for nine months, and watching how much she had grown in her four months of being on the planet she had never felt such a strong connection. The way she would smile when she or Lucas picked her up and gave her the attention she was seeking, the way she would laugh when she or Lucas would pull a funny face or make a silly noise, the way she smelled, Emilie had her own distinctive scent that Peyton absolutely loved, and the way she would kick her legs and splash in the bath sending most of the water onto the floor. It was these times, these moments that Peyton cherished. It was these moments that made her so happy that she and Lucas had created this life. It was these moments that kept her living so how could she carry on without her? Lucas and Emilie were Peyton's world and without them she found it difficult to function, because without them she didn't have a reason to live. They were both such important parts of her life that without one of them it felt like a piece of her was missing. They made her complete, so how could she live without one of them? Brooke and Peyton entered the waiting room and almost instantly Larry rushed to his daughter's side. Larry and Karen had arrive ten minutes ago. Larry would always consider Peyton his little girl regardless of how grown up she was. Karen soon followed and the three of them got caught up in a hug. The embrace only made Peyton that much more emotional. She was glad to have so many people who cared but 'hugs' and 'I'm sorry' didn't really help and they weren't going to bring her daughter back.

Eventually they all made their way back to Peyton's apartment. No one had really spoken the entire ride home, because no one knew what to say. There was nothing they could say. They all decided to stay with Peyton not wanting to leave her alone at a time like this. Larry and Karen couldn't believe what Dan had done, they knew he had done things in the past but to actually kidnap a baby, they never once thought that he would go that far. They all sat down in the living area, and now the silence was starting to become unbearable.

"Can I get you anything Peyton?" Brooke asked even though she already knew the answer.

"No" She replied with no real emotion in her voice, she was empty and it showed. "Shouldn't you be packing and heading to New York?" Peyton asked remembering that college was starting very soon and also wanting to change the subject.

"It can wait, you're more important to me" Brooke replied. Peyton just smiled weakly and embraced the side hug that Brooke was offering. Peyton then turned the television on wanting to break the silence that had seemed to linger over the room. She was flicking through the channels when she saw her face. Her daughter's face. The police had wasted no time she was already all over the news. Everyone noticed the single tear slide down Peyton's cheek and everyone else's eyes had began to water. It was heartbreaking for them to watch.

"This is good Peyton, the more people who know about it the more likely someone will spot Dan" Haley said trying to offer some comforting words.

She nodded slowly and then whispered "Yeah"

They all listened to the news report, and the picture kept appearing across the screen, along with numbers to call if anyone has any information. The picture of Emilie was the hardest for Peyton to see because it reminded her of only a few days ago. A day she would never forget her wedding day when everything was fine with the world and she was happy. It was difficult to comprehend how quickly things could change, how quickly she could go from being blissfully happy to heartbroken and distraught. After a few more moments she couldn't take it anymore. She stood up and grabbed her jacket and headed for the door.

"Peyton sweetheart where are you going?" Her father asked

"I can't just sit here and do nothing, I have to look, I have to find her" She replied and then she ran out of the door before anyone could protest. She went in search of her daughter, her missing piece.