"Hey P. Sawyer" the blonde glanced up from her position on the bed just as Brooke ploped herself down at her feet.
"You seem happy" Brooke shrugged a let a small noise escape her lips.
"No more than usual…you on the other hand look more…blaah than usual" Peyton rolled her eyes before turning her attention back to the TV. She wrinkled her brows when Brooke grabbed the remote and turned the television off. The blonde tried to reach for the remote only to have it held out of her reach.
"Brooke…" the brunette just raised both brows and set the remote aside.
"And I know something has to be wrong…"
"And why is that…"
"Because Lucas called me and asked me to come over here…now I know we're on better terms now and we're doing good with the whole civility thing, but picking up the phone and actually asking me to come see you surpasses being civil." She watched her best friend sigh and fix her gaze towards the window. "He's really worried about you Peyton…I don't know what happened but it had to be something big for him to turn to me for help."
"Nothing happened…he went shopping and then Haley came over and we talked…I went to sleep and when I woke up he was back. We haven't even had a real conversation today…he's been busy grading midterms and I've been up here watching TV."
"Where's Alex?"
"She went to spend some time with Nathan and Haley…its been a little while since it was just the three of them."
"Oh…well something had to have set him off…what…I don't know."
"Neither do I…" it was the truth…Peyton had no idea about the argument between Haley and Lucas. Things had seemed to be normal when she woke up, but maybe she was wrong. Maybe he had noticed how distressed she looked…how tired she was and how stressed she was getting. But like she told Haley…she couldn't talk to Brooke about the things she wanted to…her best friend was living in denial…she was in a world of her own where everything was going to turn out alright.
"So how has everything been…good I hope" She was determined that everything was going to be alright…she couldn't lose her best friend…she refused to. She never admitted it to anyone, but Peyton was all she had. Sure she knew a lot of people, but she considered all of them acquaintances. Peyton was the only one she considered a friend…the only one she's ever really considered a friend. She had left her job and moved back to Tree Hill for the girl she considered a sister. She would go to any lengths to take care of the one person who was always there to take care of her. She didn't know how she would survive if she lost Peyton…it's why even thought she knows things aren't looking too good, she refuses to show it…to let anyone know that everyday she's slowly starting to lose hope.
"I'm okay…just a little tired is all" I wasn't a complete lie…she was feeling better than this morning…she just omitted the fact that her hair was falling out. She didn't want to hear Brooke try and convince her that everything was going to be okay…she didn't want to hear that it was just a side effect of the chemo…that her hair would grow back in time.
"Alright…well I'll head out and let you get your rest…I'll call you later" Brooke sat up ad pulled her fragile friend into a tight hug…one that they both needed.
"Bye…" she watched as the brunette waved and walked out of the room, once again leaving her by herself. She let her body relax onto the bed as her head began to pound. She closed her eyes when the sever wave of nausea hit her. It was one feeling she never got used to…she could take the dizziness and exhaustion…she could even handle the increasing migraines, but having her stomach twist and knot for an hour straight always bought her to tears.
"Mommy" Peyton shut her eyes tightly as she forced herself to sit up. She bit back tears as she sat up...the room spinning so much she couldn't focus on her daughter.
"Hey" her voice was barely audible. She tried desperately to see her daughters face clearly, but the more she tried, the harder it became.
"Can you help me with my homework" Alex could tell something was wrong…but at her age she didn't know how sever the situation was…how hard it was for her mother to stay sitting up…to do her best to appear normal.
"I…" she wanted so badly to say yes…to be able to do the things she supposed to do with her daughter…but she could feel her eyes starting to roll and her body swaying. Her breathes were quickly growing more raspy as the arm she was using to hold her body up began to shake. "Can…can you ask your dad…"
"Okay…" she could hear the disappointment in her little girl's voice and it broke her heart. She waited until she heard the stairs creak before she let her body collapse back into the sheets. She could feel her body jerking as her stomached continued to tighten. She allowed the tears to leak form her closed eyes as she curled herself into a small ball on the center of the bed. Every muscle in her body was aching…her ears ringing…heat radiating from her skin even though she felt cold as ice.
"Daddy…can you help me with my homework" Alex walked slowly up to the kitchen table. Lucas lifted the small blonde onto his lap. Lucas glanced down at the paper before smiling down at Alex.
"Sweetie…this involved coloring and drawing…I'm sure your mommy would love to help you with this" He watched as the small hgirl shook her head no. He frowned as he waited for her response.
"She told me to ask you…she doesn't feel good again" Lucas stood up and set Alex back down on the chair.
"Tell ya what…how about you get started…and I'll be back to help you in a little while…sound good?" He watched her bob her head before he started towards the stairs. He was worried…Peyton always pushed the pain aside when it came to Alex…something had to be wrong…very wrong.
He raced up the stairs and into the bedroom to find Peyton shaking on the bed, beads of sweat lingering on her skin. He quickly sat down beside her and began rubbing her back as he always did, but this time she flinched.
"Don't…" it was always comforting when he rubbed her back, but this time it just hurt…she couldn't bear to be touched…to have any amount of pressure on her body. Even laying on her side was causing her pain, but she couldn't sit up.
Tears were streaming rapidly down her flushed cheeks. She moaned lightly when he placed his hand against her forehead. Her skin had turned cold but the moisture continued to form on her body. "Peyton…"
"Luke…it hurts" her voice was small, but that pain that was carried with each word was heavy. He reached over her body quickly and grabbed the phone.
"Hello…"
"Nate I need you to come get Alex"
"I'll be right there…" He hung up as soon as he heard the words leave his brother's mouth.
"Luke…I…I don't wanna go…I…" She was scared…her could see it in her bloodshot eyes. She never wanted to go to the hospital…but he couldn't blame her…he never wanted to go either and wasn't the one who was asked million question and got stuck with needles repeatedly.
"Peyt I'm sorry…" he lifted her gently into his arms and cradled her body against his as he proceeded out of the room. He reached the bottom stairs just as Nathan and Haley came through the front door.
"Luke stay with Alex…Nate and I will take Peyton to the hospital…" Haley prayed that he would just let them take Peyton.
"Haley…"
"Luke…Alex is gunna need you here and there's nothing you can do at the hospital but wait. She may be young but she still gets upset and worries when both of you just disappear. Stay here Luke…we'll call you as soon as we know anything" She was thankful when she watched Lucas let Nathan take Peyton in his arms. The younger Scott immediately turned around and walked back to the car. "I'll call you…" the brunette gave a small smile before leaving Lucas alone by the foot of the steps…worry etched in his features.
Haley climbed into the backseat with Peyton, letting the blonde rest her head on her lap. She had wanted Luke to stay with Alex, but both she and Nathan knew that Peyton didn't need anymore promises that things were going to be okay…promises that couldn't be kept.