DISCLAIMER: I do not own One Tree Hill, or any of the characters, except the made up ones.

AN: Sorry about the wait but I'm just a little obsessed with the Office at the moment. I watch a lot of TV but that was one of the shows that I never watched and I just rented all the seasons from work and I haven't slept in like two days. It's just so funny and I'm a huge nerd so I love it. Pam and Jim are so adorable. And these people like never work and they have a party like everyday…it seriously sounds like me job.

Quote of the Day:

Michael: Ugh…Who's ahead in points?
Pam: Well, I think they're even. At various times you gave Jim ten points, Dwight a gold star, and Stanley thumbs up. And I don't really know how to compare those to...
Michael: Check to see if there's a conversion chart.
Pam: ...I really doubt it, Michael.
Michael: Please just check.

Chapter 36

…As We Know It

Silence was all that could be heard from the waiting room at Tree Hill Memorial. For the first time since they had arrived, Haley looked up from her seat. Lucas was holding Brooke and trying to comfort her. From across the room it looked like Dan was doing the same for Karen but it was hard to tell because she wouldn't stop pacing back and forth. It felt like a second ago that Nathan was telling her how much he loved her and now she didn't know how he was. Once Lucas had pulled her away, Dan and Karen came running out of the café screaming and crying. Soon after the paramedics had arrived and took him away. Lucas had taken charge and followed the ambulance to the hospital with everyone in his car. Once they pulled up to the hospital, they all ran out the car and rushed to the doctors that were rushing Nathan's body inside. They all followed until they were stopped by two nurses saying that they couldn't go any further. They were all led to this small waiting room.

It was still exactly the same as she remembered it. The white walls with one tiny picture of flowers hung in the middle of one of the walls. The blue chairs still lined up the same way around the room. The sofa was still right in the middle of the room with a small little stand next to it. The same cheap fake plate was in one of the corners. The TV was still in the same corner with the same channel playing. Even the little table with the free coffee and cups was exactly the same. This place was just the definition of depression. Haley felt the same way when her mother had her accident. Even before then she really wasn't a huge fan of hospitals. Once when she was nine her father took her to work with him, in this very hospital, and let her follow him around all day while he worked. After meeting all the sick people, eating the nasty cafeteria food, and the smell of the place she just never wanted to go back.

She remembered the night her mother died. She and Nathan had been down at the river court. They had brought a blanket and laid it out in the middle of the court and just laid down looking up at the sky. It was just another normal night for them. That was until they got the phone call to go straight to the hospital. Nathan drove quickly as she cried the whole way there. Once they arrived and she ran inside, she noticed her brother and father standing in front of a doctor. A part of her wanted to run away in that moment as she noticed her brother sobbing in their father's arms. Just like that her whole world came crashing down and she felt empty inside. She wanted to run to them but her body wouldn't move. It just stayed in place. Not even a second later she felt Nathan's hand in hers and that's all it took for her to break. She fell to the ground screaming and crying. No matter how much she wanted to stop she just couldn't. The tears wouldn't stop and even as Nathan picked her up like she was some kind of baby, they only fell more. Now everything was happening all over again.

The pain in her heart was back again. That feeling like her whole world is coming to a complete end and there's nothing that she could do about. Only this time she also felt something different. Guilt. She's the one that wanted them to leave. If they had just stayed longer then this wouldn't have happened. He pushed her out the way. He was so worried about her that all he had time for was to push her away from the car and he got hit instead. It should have been her.

"I'm gonna try Jake and Peyton again," Brooke said softly standing up and leaving the room.

It felt like once again her whole world was just spinning out of control. She wanted to stand up and be there for Karen but somehow she couldn't. The thought of not seeing Nathan ever again was driving her crazy. He had to be okay. There was just no way that she could live without him.

"What the hell is taking so long?" Karen shouted to herself. Haley couldn't imagine what Karen must be feeling. Nathan was her son. Her baby boy. She was such an amazing mother and she was really close to both Lucas and Nathan.

"Karen just calm down," Dan said standing up and taking her in his arms.

"I can't," Karen sobbed into his chest. "He has to be okay."

"I know," Dan said trying to sooth her. He had to keep himself in check because he needed to be there for his wife and son. He needed to be strong for them. Nathan was tough and he knew that he would make it.

Haley brushed a few tears from her face as she looked over to Lucas. He looked at her for a second before putting his head down.

"Haley!" Looking over at the door she noticed Jake rush into the room and look around for her. Standing up quickly he took her in a big bear hug as she started crying uncontrollably again. Jake always made everything better. She felt his grip on her tighten and she knew that he wasn't going to let her go.

"How is he?" Peyton asked hugging Lucas.

"They said that we'd have to wait until the doctor came and talked to us," Dan said still holding his wife in his arms.

"God their taking forever," Brooke sighed in frustration.

"Everything's gonna be okay," Jake whispered to Haley. Closing her eyes she pictured everything being okay again. Everyone was at the river court as the guys played basketball. She and Peyton would be sitting down listening to Brooke but her eyes would stay glued to Nathan.

She felt Jake let her go as they both took a seat. Instantly Peyton sat on the other side of her as both of them held her hand.

They all looked up in anticipation as someone entered the room but it was just a cop. He held a small notepad in his hand as he looked around the room.

"I'm sorry but is there a Haley James here?" The cop asked.

"Here," Haley said weakly.

"I'm officer Hodge and I have a few questions for you regarding the hit and run that you witnessed," Officer Hodge asked.

"Okay," Haley said softly.

"What were you and Mr. Scott doing in the middle of the street?"

"Walking to his car," Haley mumbled.

"Did you happen to see who was driving the car that hit Mr. Scott?"

Shaking her head she felt another batch of tears resurfacing. Of course she didn't see who was driving the car. Nathan had been the one to notice the car coming before pushing her out of the way. If she had seen it then she would have certainly pushed him out of the way.

"How about the make of the car? The color?"

"It all happened so fast," Haley said softly trying to remember. The only thing that she could picture was the terrified look on Nathan's face as he pushed her out of the way.

"I just really need you to remember."

"Hey back off," Jake said standing up. He had about enough of this guy. "Instead of standing here harassing my sister you should be on the streets looking for the guy that did this."

"Now's not a good time for this," Dan said approaching the officer. "When she remembers something we'll let you know. Now please just leave my family alone." The officer nodded his head understanding as he pulled out his card and handed it to Haley.

"As soon as you feel up to it give me a call so I can get a statement from you," officer Hodge said before leaving the room.

"Are you okay?" Dan asked.

It was really weird seeing him being all caring. "I'm okay." That was a lie.

Dan nodded his head before walking back over to his wife. Dan Scott was actually being nice to other people. What world were they in? He was never really a harsh man but Haley didn't like the way he treated Nathan or now used to treat him because Nathan said his father had changed. And it seemed that he really did. They all heard footsteps again as someone entered the waiting room.

"I'm looking for the Scott family."

"That's us. How's my son?" Karen said rushing in front of him with Dan by her side. Lucas stood up also and stood next to his father. They all watched as the doctor looked around the room at the three other people.

"Can we speak in private," the doctor said looking at Karen.

"We're all family here," Karen said holding the tissue to her cheeks wiping a few more tears away. "Please just tell me if he's okay."

The guy looked like he was maybe in his late twenties. He didn't even look like he could be a doctor. The way he was shuffling his feet and looking at the clipboard in his hands every few seconds was actually kind of weird. Her father acted nothing like this. He seriously must have just started.

"It's not looking good," the doctor said softly as his hands started shaking. "You should prepare yourselves."

Everything stopped moving. Haley felt her heart pounding in her chest as her brother took her in his arms. Out of all the things that she expected the doctor to say that wasn't one of them. That's just not something that you tell family members.

"Dr. Ray may I see you out in the hall," Jimmy shouted as he walked into the room. The young man nodded his head as he walked out of the waiting room. Jimmy looked around the room.

"Just give me a second and I'll fill you in on everything," Jimmy said before walking out of the waiting room.

"Is there a problem?" Dr. Ray asked nervously. Jimmy held out his hand for the chart.

"That is no way to talk people," Jimmy shouted. "You never tell a family something like that."

"But sir –"

"No," Jimmy said holding up his hand. "I'm suspending you for three weeks starting now."

"But –"

"We're done here," Jimmy said turning and walking back into the room. "I'm sorry he had no right to…I'm sorry."

"How is he?" Karen asked.

"I'm not going to lie to you," Jimmy said looking down at Nathan's charts. "It's bad."

"Oh god," Karen said falling into her husband's arms.

"But we are doing everything that we can for him," Jimmy said putting a comforting hand on Karen's shoulder. "He's has severe blunt trauma to his chest which was caused by the impacted of the car hitting his body. His right lung has collapsed and he's losing a great deal of blood. Now his blood type is very rare so –"

"I'm the same. I'll donate," Karen said.

"Is he in surgery?" Dan asked.

"Well we are prepping him at the moment," Jimmy said. "Karen go down the hall to your left and I'll be down there in minute."

"Thank you," Dan said shaking Jimmy's hand. With that Dan walked out of the room following his wife as Jimmy made it across the room to his two children.

"Daddy he's going to be okay, right?" Haley asked as her father took her in his arms.

"I'm going to do everything that I can," Jimmy said rubbing her back trying to sooth her.

"You have to save him," Haley cried in his arms. "Please. Promise me. I can't live without –"

"I know," Jimmy said softly. Pulling out of the hug he took the time to look at his daughter. Her face was red and swollen from all the crying. She was still in her cheerleading uniform and she was covered in blood. "Are you okay?" Lifting her hands in his he took the time to look over her body. "You're covered with –"

"It's not mine," Haley whispered as she looked down at herself. It was all Nathan's blood and she was covered in it. "It should have been me."

"No," Jimmy said taking her hands in his forcing her to look at him.

"He pushed me out of the way…it should have been me….and now he could die and it's all my fault," Haley cried out.

"This is not your fault," Jimmy said firmly pulling her into a hug.

"I can't lose him," Haley whispered. Nathan was her heart and soul. Ever since they were little kids and he would chase her around the playground. They always shared this special connection. It was like they were make for each other and somehow the universe knew because they were thrown together. They were soul mates. How was she supposed to live without him?

"I'm gonna fix this," Jimmy said softly before making Jake take over for him. He looked over at Brooke and Peyton motioning them to come talk to him. They all three made it into the hall and he glanced one more time at his daughter before looking at the two girls. "I need you to do me a huge favor."

"What is it?" Peyton asked.

"Can you please take her home? She's um…covered in blood. So just make her take a shower and change. And just whatever you do don't leave her alone," Jimmy asked.

"Of course," Brooke said nodding her head.

"I have to go," Jimmy said looking at his watch. "Everything is going to be fine." With that he left the two girls standing there. They took a few minutes to watch him go before Brooke took Peyton's hand and they walked back into the waiting room. They approached Jake and Haley.

"Hales," Brooke said softly.

"Let's get you home to change," Peyton said.

"I can't leave him," Haley said shaking her head.

"It'll only take about an hour," Brooke said. "We'll be right back."

"I don't want to," Haley shouted. Peyton gave Jake a look telling him to help out.

"Hales," Jake said softly putting his hands on her shoulders so she would look at him. "There's nothing that we can do right now. You let the girls take you home to change and I'll stay here. I'll call if I hear anything…I promise."

She didn't want to leave but she noticed the way everyone had been looking at her. She looked terrible. Her whole body was covered in Nathan's blood. Nodding her head she took Brooke's hand as all three girls walked out of the waiting room.

Jake took a seat in one of the chairs. Putting his head down he ran his fingers through his hair trying to hold everything in. Everything seemed to be going so good earlier that night. They had finally won the state championship, he found out that he was going to have a baby girl, and he was now engaged to be married. Everything seemed so perfect. Today was supposed to be one of the happiest days of his life but now it wasn't. His bestfriend was fighting for his life. His sister needed Nathan to wake up. How can one day hold so many happy memories with one very painful one?

"It was Damien," Lucas said rushing into the waiting room.

"What?" Jake shouted standing up.

"The police they uh…found his car a few miles away from the café. Apparently he was drinking and after he hit Nathan he ran into a tree and –"

"That son of a bitch," Jake said balling up his fist.

"He's dead," Lucas said softly. "The impact of the crash killed him."

"Oh my god," Jake muttered.

Peyton pulled out her keys and unlocked the door to the house. Stepping aside she watched as Brooke pulled Haley into the house. All three girls walked upstairs and Haley couldn't help but notice all the pictures on the wall all along the stairs. So many pictures of when they were all kids running and playing around. She noticed the one when they were all eight for Halloween and the guys all wanted to be superheros. Jake was Spiderman, Lucas was the Flash, and Nathan was Superman. She felt a few tears slide down her face as they made it to her room. Peyton opened the door and they all walked in before stopping to take a look around.

This was her surprise. Her whole bed was covered with the little purple wildflowers that she loved. This is what Nathan wanted to show her.

She couldn't move and she felt her grip on Brooke's hand tighten. Both girls watched as Peyton walked over to the middle of the room and grabbed something off the bed before looking at them.

"What is it?" Brooke asked.

Peyton looked at the two girls before looking back at the note in her hand. She felt a few tears falling as she started to read it to them.

"Hales, I know today is going to be perfect and it's all because of you. My love for you is tied to everything that I do and without you I have nothing. So after we win the state championship tonight I'm going to tell you how much I love you and how much I need you. Then I know that we'll both be walking into your room together and I'm going to play you this song because it's our song, and because I can't live without you and I just needed you to know, I love you. I'm in love with you and I always will be. Love, Nathan."

"I can't breathe," Haley whispered before putting a hand over her mouth.

Folding the paper back up, she picked up the CD and walked over to Haley's radio. Putting it in, she hit play before turning back towards the two girls. She felt her heart breaking for Haley. If it had been Jake she didn't know what she would do.

You need a friend
I'll be around
Don't let this end
before I see you again
What can I say to convince you to change your mind?

As she listened to these words she fell to her knees in tears as she felt four arms wrap around her holding her tight.

I'm gonna love you more than anyone
I'm gonna hold you closer than before
And when I kiss your soul, your body be free, I'll be free for you anytime
I'm gonna love you more than anyone

AN: Please review. So some of you guessed that it was Damien that hit them and that's correct. Also the part about the doctor telling them to prepare themselves was something from Grey's. It was the one where Meredith was dying after drowning and Addison told the other interns that. I was just so outraged with that. It's just not something that you tell people. That song was "More Than Anyone" by Gavin Degraw.