'AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!'
Lucas felt the world spin around him as Haley and Peyton both shrieked at once. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't tear his gaze away from the gruesome site before him.
Tim was dead, of that Lucas had no doubt. His eyes were fixed open and his chest no longer moved.
Lucas looked at the three people he cared about so much infront of him and knew it was up to him to keep them all together now.
Lucas's first concern was for Nathan, his brother was throwing up so much that Luke doubted there was anything left inside of him to get rid of. Haley and Peyton were screaming and crying clinging to one another for dear life.
Luke walked over to Nathan, 'Nate...' he whispered softly as his brother continued to vomit onto the forest bed, 'come on man, it's ok.' He slowly brought a hand up to gently rub Nathan's hunched back.
Nathan didn't reply he uttered an almost animal like groan, and continued to retch, it seemed that Lucas had been right he really did have nothing left to throw up.
This was bound to hit him hard, Tim had been his best friend since they were 8 and Lucas was seriously worried for Nathan's mental and physical state.
He was also frightened to death about a murderer on the loose preying on his friends.
Continuing to rub circles on his brother's back, Lucas's mind worked quickly, they had to move now, that psychopath had murdered Tim, right in front of them, he knew where they were, they had to get away towards the road. The awful part Lucas realised was that they were going to have to leave Tim's body behind, they couldn't physically drag him with them.
Lucas winced at the thought of how Nathan would react to leaving his best friend's body behind in the forest.
He jumped when he realised Haley was at his side, immediately Lucas's eyes searched for Peyton, he was letting nobody out of his sight. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw her stood near to where he was crouched. He gently reached out a hand and placed it on her leg, needing the contact, needing to know that she was safe.
Haley walked towards Nathan, she reached his other side, and kneeled in the leaves next to him.
Her face was streaked with tears, she slowly reached a hand out and traced a finger down the side of her boyfriend's face, with such tenderness that Luke had to look away feeling like he was almost intruding on something so personal.
'Nathan?' Haley whispered softly, he didn't flinch, he didn't acknowledge her, he didn't move.
'Nathan'. Haley tried again, tilting his chin slowly up so his eyes were looking directly into hers, 'Nathan honey?'
Still nothing, his eyes were almost glazed, his skin white, his forehead shiny with perspiration contrasted horribly with the vigorous shaking his body was suffering.
Haley looked up fearfully at Lucas, he leaned forward too, 'Hey little brother? Talk to me ok, talk to us, come on man, just say something for us will you Nate?'
Nathan looked up then very slowly, he looked at his brother and Haley and they were both horrified to see the sheer hopelessness in his eyes.
'What?' His croaked, his voice no more than a whisper, 'What do you want me to say? He's dead, Tim is dead.'
Lucas shook his head as Haley ran her hand over Nathan's hair, 'I know he is man, I know, but we have to get out of here now?'
Nathan looked up at Lucas sharply then, his eyes were wide, dreading what he knew Lucas was going to confirm, 'You're saying we have to leave him here aren't you?'
Lucas didn't have to answer, he just swallowed sympathetically at Nathan, and he confirmed it.
'NO WAY!' Nathan snapped, vigorously shaking his head, 'nuhuh! There's no way in hell Luke..no way!'
'Nate....'
'No! I can't believe you're even suggesting this, he's my best friend Luke, my best friend, what the hell is wrong with you.'
Lucas sighed, 'Nate, would you listen to me?'
'No, you listen to me Luke, lets get one thing straight right here, right now, you want to leave him then go right on ahead, but you're going to have to leave me too, cos there's no way I'm leaving him here to just rot!' Nathan was furious now, and he was so ashen that he looked on the verge of collapse.
Haley tried to calm him, she gripped his shoulders roughly, 'Nathan, sweetie, listen to me, we'll come back for him....'
Nathan whirled on her, 'Come back?' He shouted his voice rising, 'come back for him? Are you serious? This is Tim we're talking about here, not some stranger, not some body, my best friend! And you actually want me to leave him here?'
Haley sobbed as a tear ran down her cheek, 'I don't know.' she said softly. Lucas jumped in, 'Nate..listen to me, ok..' When Nathan started to interrupt once again he held a hand up, stopping him, 'listen carefully, none of us, not one of us wants to leave Tim, you got it? But right now we haven't got a lot of choice, now we have got a killer on our tails, a missing girl and we need to get Haley, Peyton and ourselves out of here, now there is nothing we can do for Tim now, but we could help Brooke, we could get our girlfriends to safety. And if that means leaving Tim, then that's what we have to do!'
Nathan listened to this in silence, he couldn't risk the girls or Luke's life for his own selfish loyalty, he slowly, tenderly moved a hand over to his best friend's face, he closed Tim's eyes with a shudder, then he took off his jacket and put it over Tim's head.
Haley watched all this, silent tears running down her cheek, she looked over at Luke and was surprised to see his own eyes filled with tears. Peyton was openly sobbing, little hiccupping gasps that broke the silence of the forest.
Nathan didn't cry at all.
He stood up, 'lets go.'
Luke and Haley got to their feet slowly, watching Nathan warily, he did not look good.
Peyton reached a hand out to steady him, and then linked her arm through his, Nathan gave her a weak smile, greatful for the support.
Lucas and Haley followed them slowly, the icy grip of fear tightening around their hearts.
'What did he say?' Dan asked impatiently.
'I already told you Dan' Deb replied with an impatient sigh, 'I couldn't make it out, all I heard was "we've left the campsite', then we lost the signal.
Dan swore, 'Oh great so that means they're wandering around the woods somewhere.'
Keith glared at his brother, 'Look we all know they're sensible kids, they know to head to the road if there's trouble, something must have happened if they're still in the woods.'
The three other adults fell silent at this, what had happened, this was a worrying thought.
Deb and Karen linked arms with one another, as the men walked ahead.
Karen leaned in and whispered in Deb's ear, 'hey this makes me sound like such a wimp, but does this scare you at all?' Deb smiled back at Karen and answered in a hushed voice, 'what you're a wimp for being afraid of wandering around the woods at 5.30 in the morning looking for our sons who may or may not be being pursued by a maniac hell- bent on revenge? Then I guess I'm one too.'
Karen smiled back, 'point taken.' As the two women hurried to keep up with the eldest Scott men, Karen thanked God again for Deb's friendship.
'Do you think they're arguing?'
Deb looked over at the backs of Dan and Keith, 'I don't know' she sighed, 'but if they are you can bet Dan's the one in the wrong.'
'How are things going with him back in the house anyway?' Karen asked cautiously, 'I mean we haven't had much of a chance to talk about it lately, it's got to be hard on you and Nathan.'
'It is. You know I don't know why I let him come crawling back, I just couldn't bear to see Nathan blame himself for the break up of our marriage, he has too much to deal with already.'
'But Deb, surely you can't stay in a marriage that's so destructive. To you and Nathan.'
'You know what Karen, you're right, I always used Nathan as the reason we stayed together, but now I feel he's the biggest reason we should be apart. Dan has damaged my son so badly, and I feel like I've failed him as a mother for not doing something about it.'
'Deb, no'.
'Yes Karen, I do. If I hadn't stopped Dan from pushing me out of Nathan's life while he was growing up, he wouldn't have got so messed up.'
Karen placed a reassuring arm around the younger woman's shoulders, 'Deb, you can not be blamed for Dan's mistakes, believe me, I know how it feels.'
Deb nodded, 'I just love Nate so much and I feel we've gotton so much closer since his collapse, I couldn't bear it if anything happened...'
'Don't say it' Karen whispered, 'nothing's going to happen, we're going to find Luke and Nathan and the others and they're all going to be fine.'
Karen had only just finished her sentence when they heard frantic shouts from the men. Sharing frightened glances, they ran over to where Keith and Dan stood.
'Keith?' Karen whispered.
'Dan?' Deb asked frightened.
Keith and Dan both stood frozen looking down, Deb and Karen followed their gaze and the forest erupted in screams.
Brooke, had to stop herself from shouting with happiness when she finally spat the cloth from her mouth, hah now on to the ropes!
She struggled vigorously, rubbing her wrist ropes against the log below her, she had no idea where that maniac was, but as long as he wasn't there to see her escaping, then she was grateful.
As she struggled to escape her bonds her mind wandered to the others. She hoped they were ok, they must know she was missing by now, and what about Tim? Brooke felt her heart race, the psycho guy had hit him pretty hard, and her mind didn't even want to go to where they were before he had interrupted him. Was she and Tim having a moment, he was about to kiss her, she knew he was.
Well all these years of treating him like the plague and now suddenly she felt excited at the prospect of being with Tim Smith. Brooke wasn't sure if it was the fact that her life was in danger or what but she found it incredible that she was thinking about Tim in this light.
Ever since she was 9 and she and Peyton had been put in the same class as Tim and Nathan, he had followed her around like a love-sick puppy. Brooke had seen him as no more than a nuisance, but lately, he'd changed, she could actually see Tim's potential, the way he'd been with her tonight, comforting and so sweet, Brooke couldn't deny feeling something for him.
As she struggled, she hoped feverently that Tim was ok, then she swallowed repeatedly, took a deep breath and screamed as loud as she possibly could, praying all the while that the people she wanted would hear her.
'Nathan please, come on talk to me.'
Nathan held Haley's hand in his own as they walked, he'd never felt so low in all his life, not after all the fights with his dad, not after the drugs, nothing had ever made him feel as bad as Tim's death.
He felt sick to his stomach, hot, cold, his head throbbed, and he couldn't think clearly. He just wanted to wake up and realise that this was all no more than a bad dream.
He squeezed Haley's hand tightly and drew in a deep breath, 'it's my fault', he whispered.
Haley tugged on his arm causing him to stop, Peyton and Lucas almost bumped into them.
'What's going on?' Peyton asked.
'What did you say Nate?' Haley asked eyes searching his face desperately.
Nathan raised his eyes to hers and swallowed the lump that was threatening to choke him in his throat.
'It's my fault Tim's dead.'
Lucas, Haley and Peyton all jumped in, 'No!'
'Yes,' Nathan argued, 'yes it is, if I hadn't taken my eyes off him, left him at the mercy of that monster while I was talking to my mom, this would never have happened, he wouldn't be dead.'
Nathan shivered violently then, he was wearing nothing more than a sleevless top now that he'd taken off his jumper. Lucas started to remove his but Nathan stopped him.
'Don't be stupid Luke, you've got nothing on under that you'll freeze.'
'Yeah but I'm not the one who looks like he's about to pass out'. Lucas replied, a worried frown across his forehead.
'Really Luke, please I'm fine.'
Peyton eyed Nathan seriously, 'you can't really think what happened to Tim was your fault Nathan, did you put that knife in his chest.'
'Well...no'.
'Then you're not responsible.'
'But...'
Haley interrupted them, 'SHHHHHHHHHHH!'
Lucas, Peyton and Nathan all stared at her, 'what?'
'Did you guys hear that?'
Peyton frowned, 'hear what?'
As she spoke they all heard what Haley had heard, a loud, piercing scream, 'heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp!'
Peyton's eyes widened, 'that was...that was Brooke!'
The group set off at a run, heading in the direction of the screams.
Deb couldn't look at the body in front of her, she squeezed her eyes shut tightly, she had seen enough.
'Oh God, oh no, oh please..' she stammered.
Keith and Dan stood staring down.
Dan crouched down low, he stared at the knife sticking out of the chest of the boy below him.
Karen swallowed hard, fear so intense it almost choked her, 'who is that?'
Deb felt her world crash in around her, she couldn't see the face, she only saw the jacket that covered it.
'It's Nathan's jacket....' she whispered, feeling like she was dying inside, 'Dan, that's our son.'
'BROOOOOOOOOOOOKE!' Peyton screamed as she ran in the direction of her best friend's voice.
'Brooke keep shouting!' Nathan yelled.
'YOU GUYYYYYYYYYS OVER HEEEEEEEEEEERE!' Brooke shrieked back, almost sobbing with relief to hear her friends' voices.
Haley's eyes widened as they reached the clearing, Brooke seemed to be tied to some sort of rigged up table made out of logs. She looked frightened but not hurt.
Nathan tore passed her and he Luke and Peyton quickly began untying her.
'Oh Brooke, are you ok?' Peyton asked tears streaming down her cheeks.
'Peyt! Oh God I was so scared!' Brooke sobbed back.
Nathan and Lucas soon had her untied and in seconds she was on her feet and the two girls were in a crushing embrace.
Haley walked over to them and placed a hand on Brooke's back, 'I'm glad you're ok Brooke' she said softly, and was almost suffocated to death when Brooke spun back around and pulled Haley into the hug too.
She let go of them both and turned to the Scotts. 'Ahh come here you gorgeous creatures.' She shrieked, pulling the startled guys into a hug.
Nathan had to bend very low, but he clutched her tightly back, for all her flightiness and thoughtlessness, Brooke was one of his oldest friends, and he loved her.
Lucas too, grinned, who would have thought a year ago that Brooke Davis, the cheerleading 'whore' of the school would come to be one of his closest friends.
'Now..' Brooke said pulling back, eyes darkening slightly, 'where's Tim?'
Nathan's face fell, everyone was silent.
Brooke arched an eyebrow, suddenly frightened by the change in atmosphere, 'well?'
Before anyone could answer a voice spoke from behind them, 'if you're talking about the young man I knifed in the chest a moment ago, then I'm afraid, he's dead.'
The five teenagers spun horrified.
Harry Jarvis stepped from the shadows and pulled off the balaclava that had concealed his face, his eyes narrowed menacingly as they came to rest on the features of the two young men in the group.
'Ahhh, Dan Scott's boys,' he smiled evily, 'it's about time we finally met!'
So next time,
Brooke learns the truth about Tim.
Dan, Deb, Karen and Keith come across the teens and Harry.
Dan squares off to his old nemesis.
A hostage standoff takes place.
Lucas felt the world spin around him as Haley and Peyton both shrieked at once. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't tear his gaze away from the gruesome site before him.
Tim was dead, of that Lucas had no doubt. His eyes were fixed open and his chest no longer moved.
Lucas looked at the three people he cared about so much infront of him and knew it was up to him to keep them all together now.
Lucas's first concern was for Nathan, his brother was throwing up so much that Luke doubted there was anything left inside of him to get rid of. Haley and Peyton were screaming and crying clinging to one another for dear life.
Luke walked over to Nathan, 'Nate...' he whispered softly as his brother continued to vomit onto the forest bed, 'come on man, it's ok.' He slowly brought a hand up to gently rub Nathan's hunched back.
Nathan didn't reply he uttered an almost animal like groan, and continued to retch, it seemed that Lucas had been right he really did have nothing left to throw up.
This was bound to hit him hard, Tim had been his best friend since they were 8 and Lucas was seriously worried for Nathan's mental and physical state.
He was also frightened to death about a murderer on the loose preying on his friends.
Continuing to rub circles on his brother's back, Lucas's mind worked quickly, they had to move now, that psychopath had murdered Tim, right in front of them, he knew where they were, they had to get away towards the road. The awful part Lucas realised was that they were going to have to leave Tim's body behind, they couldn't physically drag him with them.
Lucas winced at the thought of how Nathan would react to leaving his best friend's body behind in the forest.
He jumped when he realised Haley was at his side, immediately Lucas's eyes searched for Peyton, he was letting nobody out of his sight. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw her stood near to where he was crouched. He gently reached out a hand and placed it on her leg, needing the contact, needing to know that she was safe.
Haley walked towards Nathan, she reached his other side, and kneeled in the leaves next to him.
Her face was streaked with tears, she slowly reached a hand out and traced a finger down the side of her boyfriend's face, with such tenderness that Luke had to look away feeling like he was almost intruding on something so personal.
'Nathan?' Haley whispered softly, he didn't flinch, he didn't acknowledge her, he didn't move.
'Nathan'. Haley tried again, tilting his chin slowly up so his eyes were looking directly into hers, 'Nathan honey?'
Still nothing, his eyes were almost glazed, his skin white, his forehead shiny with perspiration contrasted horribly with the vigorous shaking his body was suffering.
Haley looked up fearfully at Lucas, he leaned forward too, 'Hey little brother? Talk to me ok, talk to us, come on man, just say something for us will you Nate?'
Nathan looked up then very slowly, he looked at his brother and Haley and they were both horrified to see the sheer hopelessness in his eyes.
'What?' His croaked, his voice no more than a whisper, 'What do you want me to say? He's dead, Tim is dead.'
Lucas shook his head as Haley ran her hand over Nathan's hair, 'I know he is man, I know, but we have to get out of here now?'
Nathan looked up at Lucas sharply then, his eyes were wide, dreading what he knew Lucas was going to confirm, 'You're saying we have to leave him here aren't you?'
Lucas didn't have to answer, he just swallowed sympathetically at Nathan, and he confirmed it.
'NO WAY!' Nathan snapped, vigorously shaking his head, 'nuhuh! There's no way in hell Luke..no way!'
'Nate....'
'No! I can't believe you're even suggesting this, he's my best friend Luke, my best friend, what the hell is wrong with you.'
Lucas sighed, 'Nate, would you listen to me?'
'No, you listen to me Luke, lets get one thing straight right here, right now, you want to leave him then go right on ahead, but you're going to have to leave me too, cos there's no way I'm leaving him here to just rot!' Nathan was furious now, and he was so ashen that he looked on the verge of collapse.
Haley tried to calm him, she gripped his shoulders roughly, 'Nathan, sweetie, listen to me, we'll come back for him....'
Nathan whirled on her, 'Come back?' He shouted his voice rising, 'come back for him? Are you serious? This is Tim we're talking about here, not some stranger, not some body, my best friend! And you actually want me to leave him here?'
Haley sobbed as a tear ran down her cheek, 'I don't know.' she said softly. Lucas jumped in, 'Nate..listen to me, ok..' When Nathan started to interrupt once again he held a hand up, stopping him, 'listen carefully, none of us, not one of us wants to leave Tim, you got it? But right now we haven't got a lot of choice, now we have got a killer on our tails, a missing girl and we need to get Haley, Peyton and ourselves out of here, now there is nothing we can do for Tim now, but we could help Brooke, we could get our girlfriends to safety. And if that means leaving Tim, then that's what we have to do!'
Nathan listened to this in silence, he couldn't risk the girls or Luke's life for his own selfish loyalty, he slowly, tenderly moved a hand over to his best friend's face, he closed Tim's eyes with a shudder, then he took off his jacket and put it over Tim's head.
Haley watched all this, silent tears running down her cheek, she looked over at Luke and was surprised to see his own eyes filled with tears. Peyton was openly sobbing, little hiccupping gasps that broke the silence of the forest.
Nathan didn't cry at all.
He stood up, 'lets go.'
Luke and Haley got to their feet slowly, watching Nathan warily, he did not look good.
Peyton reached a hand out to steady him, and then linked her arm through his, Nathan gave her a weak smile, greatful for the support.
Lucas and Haley followed them slowly, the icy grip of fear tightening around their hearts.
'What did he say?' Dan asked impatiently.
'I already told you Dan' Deb replied with an impatient sigh, 'I couldn't make it out, all I heard was "we've left the campsite', then we lost the signal.
Dan swore, 'Oh great so that means they're wandering around the woods somewhere.'
Keith glared at his brother, 'Look we all know they're sensible kids, they know to head to the road if there's trouble, something must have happened if they're still in the woods.'
The three other adults fell silent at this, what had happened, this was a worrying thought.
Deb and Karen linked arms with one another, as the men walked ahead.
Karen leaned in and whispered in Deb's ear, 'hey this makes me sound like such a wimp, but does this scare you at all?' Deb smiled back at Karen and answered in a hushed voice, 'what you're a wimp for being afraid of wandering around the woods at 5.30 in the morning looking for our sons who may or may not be being pursued by a maniac hell- bent on revenge? Then I guess I'm one too.'
Karen smiled back, 'point taken.' As the two women hurried to keep up with the eldest Scott men, Karen thanked God again for Deb's friendship.
'Do you think they're arguing?'
Deb looked over at the backs of Dan and Keith, 'I don't know' she sighed, 'but if they are you can bet Dan's the one in the wrong.'
'How are things going with him back in the house anyway?' Karen asked cautiously, 'I mean we haven't had much of a chance to talk about it lately, it's got to be hard on you and Nathan.'
'It is. You know I don't know why I let him come crawling back, I just couldn't bear to see Nathan blame himself for the break up of our marriage, he has too much to deal with already.'
'But Deb, surely you can't stay in a marriage that's so destructive. To you and Nathan.'
'You know what Karen, you're right, I always used Nathan as the reason we stayed together, but now I feel he's the biggest reason we should be apart. Dan has damaged my son so badly, and I feel like I've failed him as a mother for not doing something about it.'
'Deb, no'.
'Yes Karen, I do. If I hadn't stopped Dan from pushing me out of Nathan's life while he was growing up, he wouldn't have got so messed up.'
Karen placed a reassuring arm around the younger woman's shoulders, 'Deb, you can not be blamed for Dan's mistakes, believe me, I know how it feels.'
Deb nodded, 'I just love Nate so much and I feel we've gotton so much closer since his collapse, I couldn't bear it if anything happened...'
'Don't say it' Karen whispered, 'nothing's going to happen, we're going to find Luke and Nathan and the others and they're all going to be fine.'
Karen had only just finished her sentence when they heard frantic shouts from the men. Sharing frightened glances, they ran over to where Keith and Dan stood.
'Keith?' Karen whispered.
'Dan?' Deb asked frightened.
Keith and Dan both stood frozen looking down, Deb and Karen followed their gaze and the forest erupted in screams.
Brooke, had to stop herself from shouting with happiness when she finally spat the cloth from her mouth, hah now on to the ropes!
She struggled vigorously, rubbing her wrist ropes against the log below her, she had no idea where that maniac was, but as long as he wasn't there to see her escaping, then she was grateful.
As she struggled to escape her bonds her mind wandered to the others. She hoped they were ok, they must know she was missing by now, and what about Tim? Brooke felt her heart race, the psycho guy had hit him pretty hard, and her mind didn't even want to go to where they were before he had interrupted him. Was she and Tim having a moment, he was about to kiss her, she knew he was.
Well all these years of treating him like the plague and now suddenly she felt excited at the prospect of being with Tim Smith. Brooke wasn't sure if it was the fact that her life was in danger or what but she found it incredible that she was thinking about Tim in this light.
Ever since she was 9 and she and Peyton had been put in the same class as Tim and Nathan, he had followed her around like a love-sick puppy. Brooke had seen him as no more than a nuisance, but lately, he'd changed, she could actually see Tim's potential, the way he'd been with her tonight, comforting and so sweet, Brooke couldn't deny feeling something for him.
As she struggled, she hoped feverently that Tim was ok, then she swallowed repeatedly, took a deep breath and screamed as loud as she possibly could, praying all the while that the people she wanted would hear her.
'Nathan please, come on talk to me.'
Nathan held Haley's hand in his own as they walked, he'd never felt so low in all his life, not after all the fights with his dad, not after the drugs, nothing had ever made him feel as bad as Tim's death.
He felt sick to his stomach, hot, cold, his head throbbed, and he couldn't think clearly. He just wanted to wake up and realise that this was all no more than a bad dream.
He squeezed Haley's hand tightly and drew in a deep breath, 'it's my fault', he whispered.
Haley tugged on his arm causing him to stop, Peyton and Lucas almost bumped into them.
'What's going on?' Peyton asked.
'What did you say Nate?' Haley asked eyes searching his face desperately.
Nathan raised his eyes to hers and swallowed the lump that was threatening to choke him in his throat.
'It's my fault Tim's dead.'
Lucas, Haley and Peyton all jumped in, 'No!'
'Yes,' Nathan argued, 'yes it is, if I hadn't taken my eyes off him, left him at the mercy of that monster while I was talking to my mom, this would never have happened, he wouldn't be dead.'
Nathan shivered violently then, he was wearing nothing more than a sleevless top now that he'd taken off his jumper. Lucas started to remove his but Nathan stopped him.
'Don't be stupid Luke, you've got nothing on under that you'll freeze.'
'Yeah but I'm not the one who looks like he's about to pass out'. Lucas replied, a worried frown across his forehead.
'Really Luke, please I'm fine.'
Peyton eyed Nathan seriously, 'you can't really think what happened to Tim was your fault Nathan, did you put that knife in his chest.'
'Well...no'.
'Then you're not responsible.'
'But...'
Haley interrupted them, 'SHHHHHHHHHHH!'
Lucas, Peyton and Nathan all stared at her, 'what?'
'Did you guys hear that?'
Peyton frowned, 'hear what?'
As she spoke they all heard what Haley had heard, a loud, piercing scream, 'heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp!'
Peyton's eyes widened, 'that was...that was Brooke!'
The group set off at a run, heading in the direction of the screams.
Deb couldn't look at the body in front of her, she squeezed her eyes shut tightly, she had seen enough.
'Oh God, oh no, oh please..' she stammered.
Keith and Dan stood staring down.
Dan crouched down low, he stared at the knife sticking out of the chest of the boy below him.
Karen swallowed hard, fear so intense it almost choked her, 'who is that?'
Deb felt her world crash in around her, she couldn't see the face, she only saw the jacket that covered it.
'It's Nathan's jacket....' she whispered, feeling like she was dying inside, 'Dan, that's our son.'
'BROOOOOOOOOOOOKE!' Peyton screamed as she ran in the direction of her best friend's voice.
'Brooke keep shouting!' Nathan yelled.
'YOU GUYYYYYYYYYS OVER HEEEEEEEEEEERE!' Brooke shrieked back, almost sobbing with relief to hear her friends' voices.
Haley's eyes widened as they reached the clearing, Brooke seemed to be tied to some sort of rigged up table made out of logs. She looked frightened but not hurt.
Nathan tore passed her and he Luke and Peyton quickly began untying her.
'Oh Brooke, are you ok?' Peyton asked tears streaming down her cheeks.
'Peyt! Oh God I was so scared!' Brooke sobbed back.
Nathan and Lucas soon had her untied and in seconds she was on her feet and the two girls were in a crushing embrace.
Haley walked over to them and placed a hand on Brooke's back, 'I'm glad you're ok Brooke' she said softly, and was almost suffocated to death when Brooke spun back around and pulled Haley into the hug too.
She let go of them both and turned to the Scotts. 'Ahh come here you gorgeous creatures.' She shrieked, pulling the startled guys into a hug.
Nathan had to bend very low, but he clutched her tightly back, for all her flightiness and thoughtlessness, Brooke was one of his oldest friends, and he loved her.
Lucas too, grinned, who would have thought a year ago that Brooke Davis, the cheerleading 'whore' of the school would come to be one of his closest friends.
'Now..' Brooke said pulling back, eyes darkening slightly, 'where's Tim?'
Nathan's face fell, everyone was silent.
Brooke arched an eyebrow, suddenly frightened by the change in atmosphere, 'well?'
Before anyone could answer a voice spoke from behind them, 'if you're talking about the young man I knifed in the chest a moment ago, then I'm afraid, he's dead.'
The five teenagers spun horrified.
Harry Jarvis stepped from the shadows and pulled off the balaclava that had concealed his face, his eyes narrowed menacingly as they came to rest on the features of the two young men in the group.
'Ahhh, Dan Scott's boys,' he smiled evily, 'it's about time we finally met!'
So next time,
Brooke learns the truth about Tim.
Dan, Deb, Karen and Keith come across the teens and Harry.
Dan squares off to his old nemesis.
A hostage standoff takes place.