Chapter.6
"Hey, son. How are you feeling?"
The blond haired young man's forehead creased; he shifted long limbs restlessly. Seconds later, with a sharp intake of breath, blue eyes blinked dazedly into the muted daylight.
"Do you want anything? Glass of water?"
Lucas turned his head and made out a hazy form in the adjoining bed. Bed. It felt good not to move.
"Son?"
It took an effort to rouse himself, but Lucas eventually squinted into the sunshine striped room.
He shook his head. Narrow blinds hung at all the windows, giving the place an unfamiliar feel. Undecorated off-white walls. A mattress too smooth to be comfortable.
"Uncle Keith?"
Clothing rustled as someone turned. Luke pushed himself up on one arm and fought to clear his mind.
"I'll get that right away, son." Dan Scott threw Lucas a pointed look, one hand on Nathan's arm, before disappearing through the doorway.
Nathan Scott, a bandage wrapped one cheek, was propped up on mounds of pillows. Luke avoided his gaze, taking in the wild profusion of scents and colors that crowded every corner of the double room. There were flowers everywhere.
Nathan must have noticed his surprise; he reached over and plucked a card from the white roses between them.
"To Nathan, with love and support." Lucas watched in confusion as the dark haired Scott crumpled it in his fist and threw it against the wall.
He plucked another, sarcastically read, "Nathan, best wishes, the Guys."
Luke ignored him, silently wondering if any of the arrangements were addressed to him. It would be too embarrassing, searching through them, with his half brother there. However...a bunch of perky yellow blossoms caught his eye. There was a little figure of a dog on top, bouncing crazily on it's metal spring. A laugh escaped him. The canine was an awful assortment of white with blue spots. A helium balloon, the letters reading "super-boy." Lucas unfolded the tiny cream note."Thanks for being my hero. Please get better soon. There's no one else really sane to talk to around here. Love, Haley."
He turned to see his roommate regarding him intently.
"Who sent the color challenged dog?" Nathan was picking at a blanket, obviously more interested then his too casual tone let on.
"My best friend." Lucas pulled himself into a sitting position and brushed at the tight wrapping around his chest.
"I heard them talking about you. You have a cracked rib and some sort of internal thing they're watching."
Luke, feeling slightly frightened at what he might discover, gingerly moved his arms and legs. He stopped. Ah. That was something.
"Young man, please lie down."
His first impression of Nurse Hadley was a tall, strong looking woman with skin that seemed too tight stretched over an angular, sharp-eyed countenance.
"Where's my mom? Is she here?"
"Lie down before I call one of the doctors. The only reason I wasn't in here sooner, we're swamped. Everyone's dead on their feet, working extra shifts, no sleep, thanks to that driver of yours. And, no, your mother's resting. Poor woman."
Nurse Hadley, briskly jamming something into his mouth, inserting an iv tube with enough force to bring tears to his eyes.
Nathan coughed as she swept out, leaving Lucas rubbing his wrist and more confused then ever.
"What a treasure, that woman."
Luke faced him. "What's wrong with you?"
"Not much. Stitched up my jaw. Took a few hits in the old head; I hear we both did. My arm's fractured, though." Luke saw the shadow in his eyes. "I hope it doesn't keep me off the court too long...."
They were being painfully polite to each other; but the sidelong glances and stilted conversation made Lucas feel uncomfortable. He wished Karen, or his Uncle Keith would come along and explain things to him.
He fixed his eyes on the iv. "How is everyone?"
It had been there, in the back of his mind, ever since recalling the disjointed, almost instantaneous events of the accident. He had just been too afraid to ask.
"Stony's dead. He drove himself right into a grave."
Luke nodded. "I remember...thinking that he wouldn't make it. There wasn't a chance-"
"In hell." Nathan frowned.
"Haley. The girl-"
"I know." He interrupted Lucas shortly. "She's OK. Bruised up, minor stuff." Nathan observed his brother's relieved reaction, spoke coolly.
"Peyton's all cut up. She can't walk."
Lucas threw him a quick look. "Is she here?"
"I guess so. I haven't exactly been paying calls lately."
A gentle tap on the door. Lucas, heeding Nurse Henley's warning, craned his neck to see who it was.
"Hey."
"Haley!"
She rolled her squeaky wheelchair into the room, maneuvering between the two beds.
"You alright?"
Lucas nodded, an embarrassing moisture in his eyes. He took her hand, realizing, perhaps for the first time, how very fragile looking it was.
"I'm okay, you big hero." She stared at him intently; Lucas loved the way her forehead got that funny little wrinkle when she concentrated.
"You know, I probably owe you my life."
Lucas caught her other hand, the one swathed in gauze, and smiled at her.
Haley shook her head. "Remember, when we were just kids. Every time I hurt myself, if I started to cry, you would always kiss the spot and look at me with those big blue eyes and ask me solemnly, 'is it all better?' "
He laughed, self consciously, then bent impulsively and pressed a quick kiss to her fingers.
She hesitated, shy, then pulled away.
Lucas, not sure of what was happening between them, assumed a serious air. "And is it all better?"
"You know..." Haley laughed, herself once more, "I think I'd better get back to you on that."
The door swung open again, but this time it was Dan Scott, arms full of sports magazines. He paused in mid-stride, taking in the smile on Lucas's face, the pretty girl beside him. Nathan was silent, a brooding, sullen air about him Dan didn't understand.
"Do you mind? My son needs his rest. Nathan, are you okay?" Dan smiled coldly at Haley, stepping around her with his packages.
"Well, I'm talking to your other son."
Lucas felt Dan's angry gaze, nodded at her. "It's probably time you were getting back, Hales. You should be taking it easy."
The brunette pursed her lips, then slowly nodded. "You be careful. Your mom fell asleep, but I'm sure she'll be in here any time. Keith is at the shop, he finally left you in the doctor's hands and took his pacing elsewhere. I called him as soon as I heard you were awake. He's under a car right now, but as soon as he can clean up, he'll be over."
"Thanks." Lucas watched her spin the chair around, narrowly missing Dan. His father jumped out of the way, knocking over a flower display and scattering the magazines.
"Sorry about that. Not really used to steering this thing when large objects cross my path..."
Lucas caught the rest of her sentence as she wheeled through the doorway, pausing long enough to throw him a reassuring smile.
The room was too quiet. He closed his eyes, feeling out of place and drifting...[]
Dan Scott, arranging Nathan's pillows. He paused, wondering, eyes tracing Lucas's still features....really looking...for the first time in years..there was a child like quality about him that caused buried memories to surface...little boy, smaller then Nathan, even though he was the older of the two...blond hair, longer, curving around that solemn, blue eyed face...if one looked enough, the wistfulness was still there, all of it...carefully hidden under a mask of indifference...
Nathan shifted restlessly. "Dad-"
Lucas stirred, blinked sleepily up at him...
The moment was broken.
"Yes, son?"
[]
"Hey, son. How are you feeling?"
The blond haired young man's forehead creased; he shifted long limbs restlessly. Seconds later, with a sharp intake of breath, blue eyes blinked dazedly into the muted daylight.
"Do you want anything? Glass of water?"
Lucas turned his head and made out a hazy form in the adjoining bed. Bed. It felt good not to move.
"Son?"
It took an effort to rouse himself, but Lucas eventually squinted into the sunshine striped room.
He shook his head. Narrow blinds hung at all the windows, giving the place an unfamiliar feel. Undecorated off-white walls. A mattress too smooth to be comfortable.
"Uncle Keith?"
Clothing rustled as someone turned. Luke pushed himself up on one arm and fought to clear his mind.
"I'll get that right away, son." Dan Scott threw Lucas a pointed look, one hand on Nathan's arm, before disappearing through the doorway.
Nathan Scott, a bandage wrapped one cheek, was propped up on mounds of pillows. Luke avoided his gaze, taking in the wild profusion of scents and colors that crowded every corner of the double room. There were flowers everywhere.
Nathan must have noticed his surprise; he reached over and plucked a card from the white roses between them.
"To Nathan, with love and support." Lucas watched in confusion as the dark haired Scott crumpled it in his fist and threw it against the wall.
He plucked another, sarcastically read, "Nathan, best wishes, the Guys."
Luke ignored him, silently wondering if any of the arrangements were addressed to him. It would be too embarrassing, searching through them, with his half brother there. However...a bunch of perky yellow blossoms caught his eye. There was a little figure of a dog on top, bouncing crazily on it's metal spring. A laugh escaped him. The canine was an awful assortment of white with blue spots. A helium balloon, the letters reading "super-boy." Lucas unfolded the tiny cream note."Thanks for being my hero. Please get better soon. There's no one else really sane to talk to around here. Love, Haley."
He turned to see his roommate regarding him intently.
"Who sent the color challenged dog?" Nathan was picking at a blanket, obviously more interested then his too casual tone let on.
"My best friend." Lucas pulled himself into a sitting position and brushed at the tight wrapping around his chest.
"I heard them talking about you. You have a cracked rib and some sort of internal thing they're watching."
Luke, feeling slightly frightened at what he might discover, gingerly moved his arms and legs. He stopped. Ah. That was something.
"Young man, please lie down."
His first impression of Nurse Hadley was a tall, strong looking woman with skin that seemed too tight stretched over an angular, sharp-eyed countenance.
"Where's my mom? Is she here?"
"Lie down before I call one of the doctors. The only reason I wasn't in here sooner, we're swamped. Everyone's dead on their feet, working extra shifts, no sleep, thanks to that driver of yours. And, no, your mother's resting. Poor woman."
Nurse Hadley, briskly jamming something into his mouth, inserting an iv tube with enough force to bring tears to his eyes.
Nathan coughed as she swept out, leaving Lucas rubbing his wrist and more confused then ever.
"What a treasure, that woman."
Luke faced him. "What's wrong with you?"
"Not much. Stitched up my jaw. Took a few hits in the old head; I hear we both did. My arm's fractured, though." Luke saw the shadow in his eyes. "I hope it doesn't keep me off the court too long...."
They were being painfully polite to each other; but the sidelong glances and stilted conversation made Lucas feel uncomfortable. He wished Karen, or his Uncle Keith would come along and explain things to him.
He fixed his eyes on the iv. "How is everyone?"
It had been there, in the back of his mind, ever since recalling the disjointed, almost instantaneous events of the accident. He had just been too afraid to ask.
"Stony's dead. He drove himself right into a grave."
Luke nodded. "I remember...thinking that he wouldn't make it. There wasn't a chance-"
"In hell." Nathan frowned.
"Haley. The girl-"
"I know." He interrupted Lucas shortly. "She's OK. Bruised up, minor stuff." Nathan observed his brother's relieved reaction, spoke coolly.
"Peyton's all cut up. She can't walk."
Lucas threw him a quick look. "Is she here?"
"I guess so. I haven't exactly been paying calls lately."
A gentle tap on the door. Lucas, heeding Nurse Henley's warning, craned his neck to see who it was.
"Hey."
"Haley!"
She rolled her squeaky wheelchair into the room, maneuvering between the two beds.
"You alright?"
Lucas nodded, an embarrassing moisture in his eyes. He took her hand, realizing, perhaps for the first time, how very fragile looking it was.
"I'm okay, you big hero." She stared at him intently; Lucas loved the way her forehead got that funny little wrinkle when she concentrated.
"You know, I probably owe you my life."
Lucas caught her other hand, the one swathed in gauze, and smiled at her.
Haley shook her head. "Remember, when we were just kids. Every time I hurt myself, if I started to cry, you would always kiss the spot and look at me with those big blue eyes and ask me solemnly, 'is it all better?' "
He laughed, self consciously, then bent impulsively and pressed a quick kiss to her fingers.
She hesitated, shy, then pulled away.
Lucas, not sure of what was happening between them, assumed a serious air. "And is it all better?"
"You know..." Haley laughed, herself once more, "I think I'd better get back to you on that."
The door swung open again, but this time it was Dan Scott, arms full of sports magazines. He paused in mid-stride, taking in the smile on Lucas's face, the pretty girl beside him. Nathan was silent, a brooding, sullen air about him Dan didn't understand.
"Do you mind? My son needs his rest. Nathan, are you okay?" Dan smiled coldly at Haley, stepping around her with his packages.
"Well, I'm talking to your other son."
Lucas felt Dan's angry gaze, nodded at her. "It's probably time you were getting back, Hales. You should be taking it easy."
The brunette pursed her lips, then slowly nodded. "You be careful. Your mom fell asleep, but I'm sure she'll be in here any time. Keith is at the shop, he finally left you in the doctor's hands and took his pacing elsewhere. I called him as soon as I heard you were awake. He's under a car right now, but as soon as he can clean up, he'll be over."
"Thanks." Lucas watched her spin the chair around, narrowly missing Dan. His father jumped out of the way, knocking over a flower display and scattering the magazines.
"Sorry about that. Not really used to steering this thing when large objects cross my path..."
Lucas caught the rest of her sentence as she wheeled through the doorway, pausing long enough to throw him a reassuring smile.
The room was too quiet. He closed his eyes, feeling out of place and drifting...[]
Dan Scott, arranging Nathan's pillows. He paused, wondering, eyes tracing Lucas's still features....really looking...for the first time in years..there was a child like quality about him that caused buried memories to surface...little boy, smaller then Nathan, even though he was the older of the two...blond hair, longer, curving around that solemn, blue eyed face...if one looked enough, the wistfulness was still there, all of it...carefully hidden under a mask of indifference...
Nathan shifted restlessly. "Dad-"
Lucas stirred, blinked sleepily up at him...
The moment was broken.
"Yes, son?"
[]
