Flashbacks are in italics!
12:15 a.m.
When Brooke and Karen arrived at the hospital, they were surprised to find a group of people in the waiting room. Lucas was talking to a couple who Brooke assumed was Sydney's parents, and Haley and Nathan were talking to Haley's parents.
"Hey guys." Brooke said as she walked up to the little group. "Any news?"
"Nothing yet." Haley said sadly
Soon after everyone introduced themselves to each other, the adults and the teens both split off into their own groups.
"Have you talked to Sydney anymore?" Brooke asked Lucas
Lucas nodded. "She was doing a little better. She's trying to remember what happened, and she's getting frustrated that it's still fuzzy."
"I would be frustrated too." Haley agreed
"Lucas, I just talked to Sydney. She wants to talk to you; all of you." Sydney's father said as he walked up to the teens. "I just went to check on her, and she said she remembers most of what happened."
"We were just talking about that. Do you think that it's ok for us to all go in there right now?" Lucas said, standing
"She said she wanted to see you all. She's waiting for you to go in there, so I think that she'll be ok. The doctors were fighting herto let you in there since it's past visiting hours, but Sydney can be quite convincing."
The teens all shared a look.
"Here we go guys." Lucas said
"I never realized how much I loved all of you until tonight." Sydney smiled when Lucas, Brooke, Nathan, and Haley all walked into Sydney's hospital room. "Hi Brooke."
"Hey Syd." Brooke smiled as she walked over to the bed. "How are you feeling?"
"Like shit. Better than before though."
"Are you sure you want to talk now Syd? I don't want you to feel rushed." Lucas said to his girlfriend
"I agree with Lucas. Don't push yourself." Haley said
"No guys, it's fine. I want to tell you guys what I remember." Sydney sighed. "We had just left a club about 30 minutes away."
"Tay, are you sure you're ok to drive?" Peyton asked as she slipped into the front seat while Sydney sat in the back and Taylor drove
"Duh. How many times have we driven more drunk than this? Besides, I'm not even that drunk." Taylor said as she pulled out onto the road
Halfway through the drive, the girls were all singing loudly to the song on the radio. They all giggled when the song had ended, and Peyton turned the music down.
"Does anyone else hate how you have to pee so damn bad when you drink?" Peyton asked as she grabbed her CD case to choose some music
"Me." Sydney agreed with a laugh
"All I want to do is go home and call Brooke. I have to talk to her. It just like, I'm so determined to stay clean this time, I can literally feel the change. You know?" Peyton said giddily
"I do, actually." Taylor said
"I'm so about to pass out." Sydney said from the backseat
Taylor and Peyton shook their heads.
"You're such a lightweight." Peyton joked
"Shut up. It just means I start having fun a whole hell of a lot faster then you fools." Sydney said. "Dammit, Pey. Would you just pick out a CD already?"
"Fine." Peyton said as she reached up to put a CD in the player. "Fuck." Peyton said when the CD she was holding fell out of her hand and onto the floor by Taylor's feet
"Good job Butterfingers." Taylor laughed. "I'll get it." She reached down with her hand and felt around on the floorboard. "Where the hell did it go?" She glanced down
"Taylor! Watch out!" Peyton screamed
Sydney began to come to, and slowly opened her eyes. She groaned and coughed as she tried to breathe. Where the hell am I? Looking around her, she saw quickly that she was in Peyton's car. She was hanging upside down, only held on by her seatbelt.
"Guys?" Sydney tried to ask, but her voice failed her. She cleared her throat and tried to speak again. "Guys?" This time, it came out as a hoarse whisper. A sob escaped Sydney's lips as she unhooked her seatbelt and fell to the floor. Crawling out of the broken window next to her, Sydney laid on the grass next to the car as she tried to catch her breath. Slowly pulling herself to her feet, Sydney backed up to look at the damage.
Peyton's car, which had once been envied by many people, was now twisted and contorted, leaning against a tree. Sydney looked around and realized what must have happened. The car must have flipped over through the ditch, and stopped when it hit the tree. "Oh my God." Sydney said as she looked around at all the broken glass that littered the grass at her feet.
Walking back over the car, Sydney kneeled down to look inside. Fear struck her when she saw Peyton, her face bloody and her body not moving. "Peyton!" Sydney screamed. Sydney reached through the broken passenger side window, and gently placed two fingers against Peyton's neck. Please let her be alive. Sydney breathed a sigh of relief when she felt a pulse.
Peyton's eyes suddenly flew open, horror written on her features. She looked around, panicked for a moment, and then locked eyes with Sydney. "Syd." Peyton said tearfully
"Shh. It's ok. Can you move? I don't want to move you if you think you hurt your back or neck or anything."
"No. I think I'm ok." Peyton said. "Please, just get me out of here." She said as she began to cry
"Hold on Pey."
After getting Peyton free from the car, Peyton and Sydney both sat on the grass, catching their breaths.
"I think I broke a rib." Peyton said, pain in her voice. "It hurts so bad." She took a few deep breaths
At the same time, they both turned to each other terrified.
"Taylor!" They both shouted
"Oh God. She wasn't in the car." Sydney said
"The windshield was gone. You don't think…" Peyton said, not finishing the chilling thought
Both girls got to their feet.
"You go that way." Sydney said as she pointed. Peyton nodded.
The two girls spread out to find Taylor, fearing the worst. Sydney prayed silently as she searched for her roommate/best friend.
"Sydney! Over here!" Peyton screamed
Sydney ran to Peyton, and fell to her knees when she saw Peyton's discovery.
"Is she…is she alive?" Sydney whispered
"I think so." Peyton nodded
Taylor was spread out on the grass, he leg bent unnaturally under her. On her forehead was a large gash, which was still bleeding heavily. There were numerous other cuts all over her body, and some of her shirt was ripped.
"Don't move her." Sydney warned as she pulled off her shirt, leaving her in her tank top, and held it to Taylor's head
Peyton began to cry and Sydney went and hugged her gently. "Come on. We have to find a phone. We have to call 911."
"I don't even know where we are." Peyton said. She put a hand to her head. "God, my head is pounding."
Sydney looked around her. "Peyton, come on. We have to find one of our phones."
"I can't leave Taylor." Peyton said, sobbing now
Sydney sighed. "Stay here. I'll be right back."
Sydney stood and went back over to the car. Amazingly, her purse was still in the backseat. She pulled out the phone and dialed 911.
"911. What is your emergency?" The operator asked
"I've been in an accident." Sydney said
"What's your location?"
"I'm on…shit. I don't remember the road. Umm… Highway 46. Me and my two friends. Please, I think that they are hurt badly."
"I'm sending someone out right now. Do you know what mile you are at on the highway? Are there any mile markers by you by chance? Can you try to find one?"
"Yeah." Sydney walked to the road and looked around. "I think I see one. Hold on." Sydney ran to what she thought might be a marker. "67." Sydney said into the phone when she read the sign
"Ok. Thank you. Someone should be there shortly."
"Uh huh." Sydney said as she ended the call
Sydney ran back over to Peyton and Taylor to find Peyton passed out in the grass next to Taylor. Sydney sank to the ground next to her friends, and cried until the emergency crew got there.
"That'd all I remember. I think I passed out before the ambulance got there." Sydney said
"That's horrible. I'm sorry you had to deal with that." Haley said quietly when Sydney had finished
Every occupant of that hospital room was crying as they talked about Peyton and Taylor. Neither had woken up, and no one knew if they would at this point
2:00 a.m.
Deciding that staying at the hospital another night was pointless, the teens all decided to get some sleep. Since Haley's parents were staying at Haley and Nathan's apartment for the night, and the four young people wanted to ride in one car, they all made their way to Sydney and Taylor's to stay the night.
Once they had all arrived at Taylor and Sydney's, they all stood in the walkway to discuss sleeping arrangements.
"Nathan and Haley, how about you guys take Taylor's room, Brooke takes Sydney's room, and I'll crash out on the couch bed." Lucas suggested
"All right. Good night guys." Nathan said as he and Haley made their way to Taylor's room
Brooke turned to Lucas. "Luke, you take Syd's room. I'm sure you practically live here anyway."
"Brooke, please. You take it." Lucas argued
"You know what? Let's just share. We can both just sleep in there." Brooke said, defeated
"Good thing she has a king size." Lucas smiled
"Just no touchy." Brooke joked as they walked to the room
"I'll try to remember that." Lucas joked back
For the first time in two days, the four young people finally got the sleep they needed.