Chapter 3
Thank you so much for those who reviewed, I hope you enjoy how this story is going, we are definitely heading towards some drama, so buckle up. This chapter is dedicated to the ever lovely Isabella (bella . toric ), thank you for being so adorably nice to me always. Love you.
A knock sounded and then another. Haley jumped up from her sleep with a start and noticed that it was still dark. She heard more rapid knocking. She untangled herself from the blanket and fixed her nightgown. Haley stumbled as she put on a robe to cover herself. The clock read one-fifteen, after midnight, who could it be at this hour? They were practically banging at the door now. Her thoughts raced as she did the same towards the front door. Anxiety was one of the downsides of living alone. She cautiously opened the door, holding her robe closed with a clenched fist.
"Brooke!"
Trembling from head to foot, the place wasn't well-lit but she could see that Brooke's face was devoid of any color, sweat was glistening on her forehead and her breathing was labored like she had been running for hours. She hesitated for long enough, before she finally stammered, her voice quavering "I-I have done something. Haley, I need help."
"What is it?" Haley asked concerned "Come on in."
Haley extended her arm to invite Brooke into the house, but she pulled back, shaking her head "No, you have to come with me."
Brooke put an impatient hand on Haley's arm and pulled her suddenly out of the door, the rollers still attached to her hair were all crooked, her face greasy from the cold cream, and she tripped in barely worn blue indoor slippers. Haley tried to resist as Brooke dragged her down the stairs, leaving the door wide open.
"Wait! Wait! Brooke, I am not dressed. My slippers are coming off- wait! Brooke, slow down, we will fall. I haven't closed the door! What are you doing? What is wrong?"
"Come on, hurry!" was her only response.
When Brooke released her she felt she would faint, they had rounded the corner and ended up in a dark deserted alley.
"Goodness, Brooke!"
"Haley, please shush! Someone will hear us" whispered Brooke. She glanced around, making sure nobody was there.
Haley's mind froze and she was positive her eyes were playing tricks on her. Right in the middle of that alley, there was a hospital bed with someone on it. Julian Baker, Dan's right-hand man, unconscious and with an oxygen mask over his face, leading up to a tank next to the small bed.
"How did he get here?" she questioned in a paranoid voice "Why is he here?"
"It wasn't easy, trust me. And the 'why' will take a while, that's not even the biggest problem."
"What is the biggest problem?" asked Haley warily.
"I believe he is waking up."
Brooke fumbled with her hands as Haley's eyes widened to twice their size.
Now that they were back in the house and had Julian tied securely to his hospital bed, they could finally breathe and sit down to talk about everything. Haley had made sure the coast was clear, grateful there weren't so many steps up to her place, but Brooke was the real champion managing to move Julian's bed efficiently and cleverly; with some help from Haley. She was still shaking, but her composure was much better, Haley had thrown a blanket over her shoulders, more for reassurance than warmth. They glanced at his bed every couple of seconds and jumped up at any slight movement or sound coming from that direction, even if it was just the curtains blowing in the wind.
"Oh, for God's sake." cried Haley, she jumped up, to close the windows "those curtains will give me a heart attack."
"Haley, do you suppose anyone could've seen me?" she questioned, staring blankly ahead.
"Brooke, what were you thinking? Kidnapping Julian and bringing him here!"
She looked down apologetically "I knew that the first place the police would look was mine. I have been sitting at Julian's bed every day since what happened. I am the only person who visited him actually."
"Why?!"
"Hasn't got anyone, I suppose" Brooke shrugged.
"No, why would you visit him?" Haley asked, exasperated "Brooke, after everything he has done, after everything they have done."
She ignored the question, stating "Dan's out of prison."
"I know."
"And they have arrested Lucas."
Haley sighed, closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose "I know. I was there. He is being accused of shooting Julian, can you believe the audacity of Dan?"
"He did."
Brooke had uttered those words so softly that Haley thought she must have heard her wrong "What?"
The memories of that night came rushing back as Brooke tearfully recalled every single detail, she didn't spare Haley any, and soon everything was put into perspective. How Peyton had died, how Julian got hurt, and why Lucas was in jail. Haley found herself unable to speak for a long time, she couldn't even comfort Brooke who was curled up and sniveling. Lucas had been so distraught ever since that night that he hardly spoke any, she had just assumed that Dan was responsible for everything.
"So, Dan wasn't lying." Haley declared after minutes of silence, her hands clasped together really tight that her fingers were turning a deep shade of scarlet "but if what you are telling is true, then how come he is out of jail? Brooke, he did kill Peyton, and what about Lucas- why hasn't he been arrested before."
Brooke didn't respond, so Haley went on "Brooke, you were questioned by the police, did you tell them all of this?!"
"No." Brooke patted her wet eyes with the back of her hand.
"That's perjury." Haley whispered loudly, as if someone would hear her.
"No it isn't. I didn't lie! I just didn't say some of the truth." She defended "Haley, you know how broken Lucas has been."
Julian moaned a little and Haley jumped up, "he insists on killing me."
"He has been doing that for a couple of days now. Doctor says he is doing much better and could wake up anytime soon."
"Aren't you worried?" frowned Haley.
"Petrified. But, what am I going to do? If he wakes up and talks, Lucas will surely go to jail. Right now, it's our word against Dan's."
"Okay" Haley sighed, sitting down "I understand, but this still doesn't make it right. Dan is back in business. Did you know that? Like nothing has happened."
Brooke didn't miss the disgust in her voice, and responded "I know."
"And he has asked me to come sing for him again."
"What did you say? Do tell!"
"Wait, I need to go use the bathroom first" said Haley, she returned two minutes later carrying on the conversation "of course I refused, I may have also told him where he could go."
"Haley, this is the second time you have used the bathroom since I have been here."
"Why are you counting?"
"Well, I am not, but don't you think it's a little odd. Perhaps you are ill."
"Not as odd as you supervising my lavatory habits" Haley crossed her arm jokingly, and Brooke rolled her eyes "I had too much water before bed, don't worry about it. Back to the subject at hand."
"Right, did you go and see Lucas after they arrested him?"
"I tried to" said Haley "They have all of those stupid regulations, it's hard to visit a prisoner anytime you please."
Brooke bit her bottom lip and nodded, looking over Haley's shoulder at Julian whose brows were furrowed "I hope this oxygen mask keeps him silent if he were to wake up." She whispered more to herself than to anyone else.
"Listen, not that I don't love having an outlaw and a comatose mob member in my house, but have you thought about what to do next."
The brunette smiled a little "I just need the night to figure everything out."
Haley nodded "have you had anything to eat?"
"No" there was a pause then she said "Haley, if you don't want us here, I understand…"
"I am glad you came." Haley interrupted, going into the kitchen to fetch Brooke a plate of orange drop cookies and a glass of milk, she raised her voice so Brooke could hear over the distance and shuffling in the kitchen. "Honestly, I should be doing this. I owe Luke so much. He has been a wonderful friend all these years. Stay as long as you need."
"Thank you."
After she returned and handed her the food, Haley tugged on Julian's restraints a few times to make sure they would hold, then announced "I will get you something to sleep in."
"Oh, Haley!" Brooke called, stopping her, she asked a little awkwardly "could you also get me sanitary towels? Seeing I was in a hurry, I didn't actually have time to get any."
Haley froze, her face paled and was devoid of any emotion as she stared at Brooke, who started to snap her finger in front of her vacant eyes "Haley, hello, are you alright? I want sanitary towels; do you have any?"
"Of course" Haley said automatically, forcing a small smile and hurrying out of the room, leaving a baffled Brooke behind.
Locking the bathroom door behind her, she tried her hardest to steady her breathing. She put a hand over her bosom, and willed her heartbeats to slow when she felt her insides about to explode.
As she counted the days on shaky fingers, her bottom lip caught into her teeth, she came to the same conclusion every time and knew that her menstrual period was late. As she recalled recent events, swelling-up, eating almost everything in sight, crying at the drop of the hat, for Haley those always were indicators of her cycle. She has never felt nauseated during that time though, and her nausea these days seemed to make an appearance during the morning period, even if she had had nothing to eat, then it would disappear the rest of the day as though nothing had happened.
Surely she couldn't be bearing a child. Perhaps she has had an ailment, or maybe all the tension around was throwing her body out of loop. Still. Haley couldn't help a smile, when her hands went over her belly, the thought of Nathan's child growing inside of her sending waves of joy to wash over her worries. Nathan with his gallant and mischief in a little bundle of joy running around them both.
She sat down at the edge of the tub and hid her face in her hands. How could she be pregnant when they had only been together once? And when Nathan was miles away at war? How could she have a child when sources were incredibly hard to obtain?
Still, it had been her wish to have a child with the man she loved, and she had found a man whom she had fallen for unlike any other, the word love didn't seem enough anymore.
"Oh, I am just being silly." Haley whispered to herself, standing to splash some water on her face. She hadn't even gone to the doctor yet and already she was jumping to conclusions, maybe there was nothing growing inside of her, it would be counterproductive to hang on to false hope.
"Haley?" called Brooke, knocking on the bathroom door "Are you okay?"
Putting one hand on her belly, Haley couldn't help but feel just a little smidge of hope. She closed her eyes and sighed "I am."
The sun beat down on their necks and had everyone in the unit squinting. The airplanes stood lined up in a structured manner, of equal distance to one another. Chase Adams puffed his chest out in front of their aircrafts, his head held high. The newly polished air force pins gleamed in the sun and became precious golden attachments. Next to Chase, his comrades, and good friends, Nathan and Jake stood lacking his confidence, waiting for their order to board. They didn't really mind flying hundreds of feet in the air, but they didn't share Chase's ache for it either.
Nathan glanced to his right and his heart dropped. Jake held a tiny polaroid of his baby Jenny, and was staring at it longingly. He waited until their sergeant was out of earshot, but didn't turn his head, then he whispered "how are you feeling, Jake?"
"Like I have seen my daughter for the last time." He responded gravely.
Filled with fears of his own, Nathan couldn't bring himself to respond.
"Raise your heads high fellows," whispered Chase "we have this in the bag."
As always, Chase's enthusiasm was slightly infuriating and extremely amusing, that they cracked a small smile and nodded. But, in the depths of their hearts, they all knew of the risks of their mission. Even Chase himself.
When the privates got their orders, all boarded their designated planes and started the engines. The planes made loud rumbles as they took off with mindboggling speed and a trail of smoke, storming the skies. Then he felt it, that rush Chase had been talking about as he stirred the aircraft into the right direction, Chase was flying to his left with the joy of a little kid on Christmas day, he looked back at Nathan and gave him a thumbs up, and a smile, which Nathan returned, he knew that the Californian was refraining himself from doing cartwheels with his aircraft.
Confidence overcame him, and Nathan managed to relax back into his seat. As his hands fiddled with the controls, he chuckled a little, never having owned a car and the first thing he stirred would be a fighter bomber.
The entire air force unit moved in delicate precision, over the Atlantic, led by the highest in ranking, they flew over houses and cities, nearing the targeted military base. Nathan squared his shoulders and looked at Chase with determination, both nodded, sharing the same sentiments, they weren't just doing this for their countries or their ladies. They were doing it for Jake, and his daughter Jenny, for every time someone persecuted them over their identity. It was time. How long would it be till the war was over? For everything to be alright? A week? Two? Maybe a month… Tomorrow?
Their orders came roaring through the radio, and they dove dangerously low, the aircrafts almost entirely vertical. Nathan's hand hovered over the controls, ready to bomb the place into smithereens.
They set themselves into position, released the bombs and…
Something whooshed past the aircraft.
Crashing underneath his feet.
Pulled into a whirlwind of dust and fire.
Spinning out of control.
More crashing.
Toppling forward.
Ramming into solidness.
Haley.
Bitter taste of iron.
Scarlet.
Blood. Blood everywhere.
Dripping down his face.
Pounding in his ears.
Everywhere.
A thunderous cry. Then thousands more followed.
Flares of pain in his back and legs.
Haley.
Directionless.
"Eject! Eject!" someone roared.
He hoped he hit the right button.
Drifting at an alarming speed.
Struggling for breath amid gusts of wind.
Surrounded with nothing.
Where did the rip cord go?
Haul.
More screams.
Haley.
Deafening explosions.
Someone was on fire.
It was him. He was on fire.
Drop.
He hurtled towards foams of blue, gray and white.
Icy grip around his chest.
Gasping.
Haley.
Burning throat.
Scream for help!
No sound.
Entangled in wires
His pocket knife?
Throttled.
Distorted light.
Cut.
Release.
Haley.
Thrashing and kicking.
Close to the surface, he emerged from the veil of water, coughing and spluttering. Burns split and tore his muscles as he kicked to remain above water. The salt of the ocean rubbed against his wounds, he let out pained gasps. He couldn't believe he was alive. Nathan frantically looked around, water and debris surrounded him.
He threw his upper body on part of an aircraft for support.
Alive.
But for how long?
He was delaying the inevitable. If he let go, now, he would be dead within a couple of minutes, and if he didn't, he would still die eventually, at least the first option would let him go in peace.
I am coming back to you, Haley.
I am.
His last words to his wife rang in his head, and Nathan kicked again, swimming further and further to… he didn't know where. So far, his plan was to tread the entire Atlantic Ocean with the enemy lurking around everywhere, he saw many flaws with it, but kept going, cringing with every movement stabbing at his muscles.
...
What do you think will happen next? What is Brooke planning on doing? Is Haley pregnant? What about Nathan? Will he survive?
Leave your opinions in the review box
xx