Author's Note: Chapter 72 and still going strong, I guess. Not bad for the "little story that could". Thanks again (and as always) for any and all feeback. I can't believe we broke 500 reviews...that's crazy!! : ) For the most part, everyone is staying positive and trusting me on this crazy and sometimes scary little "Brucas" journey while othersof you areon the verge of cardiac arrest yourselves. Whatever keeps you interested, I guess. Even when I have to endure bitching, pissing and moaning (and it DOES exist, although you guys don't get to see it firsthand) I try to take bashing/criticism with a grain of salt and that you're not flaming me as a writer but that you care enough about this story and the characters to react with such strong emotion. If the latter is the case, then I guess I'm doing my job. So enough of my rants. On with the next chapter!!!

P.S. For all you would be "bashers" out there, thanks for the "permission" to continue writing. Really. I wouldn't be able to post anymore without your blessings, lol...

Brooke fished the pockets of her jeans looking for enough spare change to buy what would be her fourth cup of coffee from the machine. She could taste the bitterness of the grounds and on a good cup, the liquid was almost warm. She was going on her 24th hour at the hospital. Exhausted and worried beyond belief, she was in need of sleep and food and probably in more need of a hot shower but she couldn't bring herself to leave his side just yet. What if something important happened while she was gone? What if he woke up and she wasn't there? She couldn't leave just yet. She had to make sure he was out of the woods first.

Finding three shiny quarters, Brooke mouthed a quick prayer of thanks and filled up her cup. Sipping it, she took a seat alone on a nearby bench. She had called friends and family and Luke's coach as well. Chantal had so graciously volunteered to watch Harmony. Brooke cursed to herself. Harmony. Chantal couldn't keep her forever and God knows how long Brooke would have to be at the hospital. An Intensive Care Unit was no place for a baby. She buried her face in her hands and tried to come up with a master plan.

"Brooke?"

"Karen?"

The petite dark haired woman bounded into her daughter in law, hugging her tightly.

"Oh God. Where is he? Is he okay?"

"They um, had to do emergency surgery that went as well as it could have. He's out of Recovery and in ICU now. It's pretty much touch and go…"

"Oh my God."

Hugging Karen, Brooke looked up and noticed Deb for the first time.

"You hanging in there, sweetie?" she asked, squeezing the younger girl's hand.

"I'm trying."

"Sweetheart, you look tired. Why don't you go home and try to get some rest? Just for a little while. Karen and I will be here and if anything changes, we'll give you a call."

"I can't", Brooke protested adamantly. "I can't leave him. Not yet."

It was no use in trying to persuade her to leave. Brooke obviously wasn't going anywhere.

"Okay. If there is anything I can do…"

"Actually, there is something. Deb, I really hate to ask but my friend, Chantal, is watching Harmony for me. I just feel bad because she's had her all night and day and I know she probably needs a break and she has her own son plus she works and goes to school…"

"It's okay", Deb managed to smile. "I'll get her."

"Thank you", Brooke said, grabbing a pen and some paper from her purse so she could scribble down Chantal's address. "I'll call her and tell her you're on your way and I know you're not that familiar with the city but just give the address to the cab driver. At the bottom is the address of my loft. Just take Harmony there and I'll be by as soon as I can. Here, take some money for cab fare and…"

"Brooke, sweetie, it's okay. Keep your money. I'll be fine."

"Thank you", Brooke mouthed again as they hugged and Deb left.

"Brooke, where is his room?" Karen asked. "I need to see him."

Brooke gently led her down the hall into the private room where Lucas lay still and quiet. A tear slid down Karen's cheek and she stroked her son's forehead and straightened his covers. They stood watching him in silence for what felt like forever. A few minutes later, the doctor entered the room.

"Is it normal for him to be unconscious like that?" Karen asked.

"Well, yes and no. Mr. Scott is sedated from the angioplasty but he suffered

major heart failure, he could be unconscious for a while yet."

"I don't understand, Doctor. My son is only 26 years old. He is the healthiest and most active person I know. He watches his diet and he exercise regularly. 26 year olds just don't have heart attacks. None of this makes any sense."

"Ma'am, your son does have the genetic heart defect known as HCM. This is a very serious condition that he was born with. Over time the heart muscles thicken and it prevents the heart from pumping blood. Excessive physical activity and excessive stress, poor diet and a number of other factors can contribute to how fast the process may take. Some people feel the repercussions in their teens or twenties, such as Mr. Scott did. In others the condition may not escalate until the forties, fifties or even sixties. Each case is different. Obviously this is a serious matter but there could have been a number of reasons that caused him to go into cardiac arrest."

The women stared at all the machines and tubes, scary foreign objects that were the difference between life and death for Lucas.

"If he had taken the test…"

"We would have discovered he had the disease and taken precautions from there."

"So this never would have happened?"

"Who's to say? There are prevention tactics and medication and lifestyle changes that help people live relatively normal lives with such a prognosis. In my professional opinion, if Mr. Scott had been diagnosed for certain, then I'm sorry. This incident probably wouldn't have happened."

Brooke stared at him. So quiet and still. Fighting for his life.

"Would it have mattered if I had found him sooner?" she asked in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Well in medicine, earlier is always better…but you called as soon as you

could, right?"

She nodded and the doctor soon left.

"I…I can't help but think that this is all my fault", she whispered.

"Don't beat yourself up, Brooke", Karen hugged her.

"You don't understand. Oh God, Karen if he…if Luke doesn't make it then I will never forgive myself. Never."

"Don't say that. Lucas will make it. He's going to be fine. He's going to be just fine. This isn't your fault, Brooke."

Brooke nodded but she wasn't so sure. The only thing she was sure of was that they couldn't lose Lucas.

"Remember when Harmony got pneumonia? That was the absolute worst! Lucas was on the road and I was all alone and she was so sick. I was scared out of my freaking mind. Even when the doctors worked on her and told me she was going to be fine, I still couldn't shake that awful feeling like something really bad was going to happen. Like I was going to lose her. So I went off to the chapel and I sat on the pew and balled my eyes out, just praying that my baby would be okay and nothing would go wrong."

"You didn't lose Harmony just like we aren't going to lose Lucas. Would you like you go to the chapel now? It might make you feel better. Deb and I went before we saw you."

"I don't know", Brooke shook her head. "I…I don't think God likes me very much right about now. In case you didn't notice, things haven't exactly been going great for me lately. Not to sound selfish at a time like this but I've been through so much. I just felt like if there was a God up there, He would have cut me a break this year…He would have cut us all a break. But He didn't. And now things seem to be getting worse and worse. I just don't understand. My faith is sort of at a crossroads I guess. I'm ashamed to admit it but I've been pretty angry at God lately. I don't think He wants to hear from me again."

"God hears us wherever we are, honey. He knows what's in our hearts", Karen whispered.

"Thanks Karen. I guess He does. At least I hope so. I just hope He knows that I'm not ready to let go of him yet. We have had our differences and we may or may not be divorced at the moment, but Lucas is still a good person deep down inside. And he's the father of my daughter."

"This brings back memories", Karen said, shaking her head.

"How could we ever forget?" Brooke asked. "The first time you and I ever met was in a hospital. Right after you came back from Italy and Luke and Keith were in the car accident."

"I was so scared. It seemed like it was forever before he finally woke up."

"You never left his side."

"I couldn't. Couldn't leave my Lucas. I just sat there singing to him and reading to him and holding his hand. Basically just waiting for him to wake up and be okay. You know what else I remember about that time?"

"What's that?"

"You. You hardly ever left his side either. I'll never forget that, Brooke. As sad and upset and terrified as I was, it was nice to see you with him like that. That's when I knew. Despite the quirkiness and the giggling, rich, shallow cheerleader persona and all the shopping…that's when I knew you were a loving and kind and genuine human being. And I knew that you love my son always. I knew you two would take care of each other forever."

Brooke looked over at the frail body on the bed. Take care of each forever? That thought was almost laughable. What a great job they had both done. And after all the love and togetherness and heartache, this was what it all had come down to.