Only in the News

By: caramelo

I do not own One Tree Hill or anything related to it.

Chapter Three: The Fear That Came Between Them

It was hard to stay so silent creeping through the hallways, which were so eerily empty compared to the usual chaos of a school day. Nathan had to clamp his hand over Haley's mouth a few times as she gasped at the slightest creak or click.

Nobody could blame her for being so jumpy. As soon as they had stepped out of the classroom, they had been met with a horrifying image.

"Mouth," Lucas whispered. It was toneless, and when Haley looked at Lucas's face, she could see it lacked any means of expression as well. The girl who must have been begging earlier, a cheerleader, lay not far away either, one that Haley had never seen before.

But Nathan had. She could see it written all over his face.

"Who is she?" Haley asked, wrapping an arm around his waist supportively.

Nathan shook his head. "I used to date her."

All three of them knew they had no time to stay and mourn for their friends, however, and were forced to turn their backs. Just before they turned a corner, Haley glanced back one last time. Her eyes caught in the lifeless gaze of a girl that had once meant something to Nathan, and she felt a shiver run down her spine. She considerably tightened her hold on her boyfriend as they rounded the corner, out of sight.

-----

"We should probably send out another person, one more time," Bevin said as the group crowded around the closet door. The heated, anxious gazes of two other cheerleaders, three basketball players, and three other students that Brooke and Peyton weren't well acquainted with, met her own. Bevin wasn't intimidated though.

She never was, Brooke thought admiringly, not even by me. Aside from Peyton, she was the only one who refused to put up Brooke's shit on the squad.

True to form, Bevin didn't back down. "I want to know for sure that it's clear. It has to be safe if we're all going out there."

"If we wait too long, then it definitely won't be clear anymore," a basketball player protested.

Bevin shot him an icy stare. "We can check one more time."

"I'll go," Jake volunteered suddenly, if only to put a stop to all the useless bickering. Brooke and Peyton turned to look at him, concerned.

Jake smiled at them tightly. "No big deal. I've done it already. I know what to do."

Peyton took a tentative step towards him. Jake noticed her attempts and met her halfway. She searched his eyes, her own filling with tears. "Be safe," she whispered, averting her gaze to the ground.

"Hey," Jake whispered back gently, taking her hands in his. "I'll be fine.

Peyton took a deep breath to calm herself down. It had little effect. "Promise me," she requested shakily.

"I promise," Jake answered, his voice soothing. He laid a gentle kiss on her forehead before releasing her hands and stepping away. "You'll barely notice I'm gone."

Brooke watched the exchange between them and felt something inside her breaking. She just hoped it wasn't her heart. As Jake walked passed her, she whispered, so soft she doubted he could even hear her.

"Come back to us, Jake."

The only slight indication that he even sensed her presence was an almost imperceptible pause at her words. Brooke wouldn't have been surprised if she had simply imagined it.

Bevin, who had had her ear pressed to the door the entire time to ensure Jake a safe exit, opened it quietly for him as he came. They had a brief, murmured conversation before Jake slipped away from her and out the door. Brooke could tell Peyton wasn't the only biting back tears anymore.

-----

Nathan, Lucas, and Haley's course had gone suspiciously unblocked as they weaved through the hallways towards the back door. What luck, Haley thought, somewhat unenthusiastically. She had long grown used to the sounds of the school settling and had since instinctively blocked them out. Whileshe, Nathan, and Lucas wereallgrateful for the fact that they weren't being shot at, the truth was, that the utter lack of commotion or even some sort of real noise, no matter how small, was disconcerting now. It put them all on the edge.

A desk sat in the hallway, a teacher no doubt had sent one of her unruly students out there earlier that day, and somehow, Haley's legs managed to get entangled with it. "Shoot!" she yelped softly as she felt herself falling. No doubt this would end in a gigantic clatter when she inevitably collided with the desk.

They couldn't afford to have any sort of gigantic clatter. A gigantic clatter could possibly cost them their lives.

Luckily, just before Haley made contact with the desk, she felt two sets of hands reach up and haul her to her feet. "Jesus, Hales, are you okay?" Nathan demanded.

Haley nodded while her cheeks burned with embarrassment and shame. The only saving grace out of all this was that she hadn't stirred up too much of a commotion. Thanks to Nathan and Lucas, of course. "I'm sorry," she whispered. She nestled against Nathan's chest.

He ran a hand through her hair soothingly. "Nothing to be sorry about."

"If you say so," Haley replied. She squeezed him tight one more time before pulling away. "At any rate, we should keep going."

Nathan nodded, and they set on their way. However, it was only a few steps when Haley noticed that Lucas wasn't following them. She looked back to see her best friend frozen in place, staring blankly ahead of them. An odd, unreadable look spread across his features.

Haley felt an odd sense of foreboding. "What is it, Luke?" she whispered.

Lucas seemed to snap back to his senses. Now, Haley could read his face clearly. Terror. "Footsteps," he hissed, grabbing at both of them. "They must have heard us!"

It was a wonder she hadn't heard them before, Haley reflected vaguely. They were so loud and threatening, and they were getting closer by the second. Before she had a chance to panic, Lucas had dragged her into the classroom beside the desk she had tripped over. Holding onto her hand tightly, he lunged and sent both of them sprawling behind the teacher's desk.

But Nathan, Nathan with all his seasoned basketball reflexes, hadn't reacted in time.

Haley could only watch as she saw Nathan freeze in the middle of the hallway, eyes wide with desperation and fear. The footsteps that had been pounding towards them suddenly stopped. When Haley heard the gun go off, it felt like everything around her had been shattered. She couldn't manage to tear her eyes away as Nathan twirled in some odd half-spin from the force of the impact and crashed down against that wretched desk.

When he finally hit the floor, he was facedown, completely motionless.

-----

Waiting for Jake was going to drive Peyton insane. She tapped her fingers and walked in circles. She attempted to count the grooves in the ceiling, but the poor lighting made her dizzy and lose her place. So she resumed pacing in her small area again, occasionally brushing against other occupants of the crowded closet.

Could be worse, Peyton mused absentmindedly, this thing is bigger than a bathroom stall.

It was way bigger than her closet at home too. Peyton imagined what it would be like to have closet space in her bedroom like this. She smiled half-heartedly. Even Brooke would be jealous. Peyton let her mind wander on from there, somewhat intentionally, trying to get her mind off the topic that worried her to no end.

Jake.

"Jesus, Peyton," Brooke hissed abruptly.

Peyton flinched and glanced up guiltily as if she thought Brooke knew what she had been thinking about. Sometimes, it seemed like she did. Brooke had the uncanny ability to voice Peyton's thoughts before even she herself could.

"What?" Peyton asked.

"Stop the pacing, will you?" Brooke snapped back, "You're making everybody crazy."

Peyton glanced at the other occupants of the room. Most hadn't even noticed Brooke's explosion. They were too busy staring off into space, no doubt strained and grieving.

Brooke didn't seem to notice, her eyes still hard and filled with annoyance.

But as Peyton glanced her friend over, she saw something else. Brooke was stressed beyond belief, but, unlike the others, she had no clue how to shut herself down. It just wasn't something she did. Peyton sympathized with her harassed friend but had no idea what she could to help. They stared at each other for a few more silent seconds when Peyton broke the connection.

"Yeah, sorry," she muttered, casting her eyes down.

Peyton could feel Brooke's gaze still on her for a moment after. However, the unkindness was gone as Brooke's eyes turned sad, and unless Peyton was mistaken, defeated.

Peyton knew that she was only seconds away from tears.

We didn't deserve this.

She pictured Jake again, cradling Jenny in his arms.

Then she pictured Jake lying helplessly in the hall, caught by a gun. Jenny would have to grow up without a father. She'd probably have to go into the social system, and everyone knew how awful that would be. She'd have no memories of a father who loved her very, very much.

Peyton pushed away the awful images, clearing her mind the best she could. Mentally, she repeated over and over that Jake would be all right, that he would be back in the closet with them soon. She wanted to believe he was safe and capable of remaining unseen, but it was so hard.

He has to come out of this alive, Peyton reassured herself, Jenny needs him.

She choked back a harsh combination of a laugh and a sob, sending more than a few nervous stares in her direction. For once, she didn't care.

Hell, I need him.

-----

If Lucas hadn't clamped his hand over Haley's mouth just before she screamed, they would have all been shot within a matter of seconds. Luckily, the sound was muffled enough that the gunman couldn't hear it down the hall.

Haley knew she was being irrational as she struggled and shook in Lucas's grasp, but she just had to get to Nathan.She couldn't lose him. Not now.

Not ever, Haley thought as tears welled up in her eyes. She couldn't tear her gaze away from Nathan's prone form, just hoping, praying, that…

Damn it, Nathan, move, she commanded silently. Flinch, breathe, do something. Please.

Nathan didn't budge. Haley felt her heart plummeting.

Dimly, Haley's mind registered the sound of footsteps walking quickly towards them. She heard, and felt, Lucas's breath hitch beside her. Haley was sure she had stopped breathing as well. That may have had to do something with the fact that Lucas's grip on her had gradually tightened until it was bone-crushing.

The footsteps were quick and small, almost as if the person were darting around. But there was something wrong. Some of the steps overlapped or were less than a second in between.

There are two of them, Haley realized with horror.

One person with a gun was a frightening enough concept, but two? Haley shivered. She and Lucas were as good as dead. She burrowed herself against Lucas, who, in turn, wrapped himself around her. The words were unspoken, but it didn't matter. They knew what they were preparing themselves for.

"Good shot," Haley heard a voice rasp just outside the door.

"He made it too easy," another voice answered back smugly. "Just standing there like a stupid deer. You'd think Mr. Big Shot could've put up a better fight."

Haley felt a burning anger rise within her. How could they talk about Nathan like that? Her Nathan. How could they? When she heard Lucas's soft grunt beside her, she knew she wasn't the only one upset.

Unfortunately, she also wasn't the only one who heard Lucas's noises of indignation.

"What's that?" one of the gunman snapped, glancing at the inside of the classroom. He turned to his friend. "Did you hear it?"

The other boy seemed annoyed. "Hear what?" he huffed.

"Noise," said the first one, "just inside that classroom."

"That's what you said about the last classroom," said the second, "and the one before that, and like five more before that."

"I'm serious!" the first insisted.

"Fine," sighed the other. "Let's take a look."

Haley sucked in her breath and held it as they stepped through the doorway. Lucas buried his face in her hair. She felt like crying and giving up, but she didn't want to die. Not now. She grasped Lucas's arm considerably tighter.

"Nothing here," the second one called, peering inside the closet.

"Here either," the first said as he checked behind the door.

"Let's just get out of this room, man," the second reasoned. "There's obviously nobody here."

Haley was ready to let out a sigh of relief when she realized the first one was walking towards their desk. She froze completely with horror.

"Just one more place," he said to his friend.

"Whatever," the other shrugged.

There was a dull roaring in Haley's ears as he approached. Closer…closer…It was agonizing to see those expensive brown boots marching towards her. It was almost as if the person had dressed nice on purpose that day, Haley thought when she noticed the sharply pressed khakis as well. Dressed nice to commemorate a special occasion…

Haley felt sick to her stomach. Her world was spinning, people were dying, Nathan had just been shot, and she was here, seconds away from death.

Tears welled up in her eyes.

Oh, God. Why couldn't it all just stop?

Haley got her wish when, very suddenly, everything went black.

-----

Brooke watched the door like a hawk, wondering why others weren't doing the same. Weren't they in the least bit frightened? Terrified, even?

She herself was paralyzed with fear.

At every sound she jumped, and if any movement occurred near her, she was forced to muffle a cry of fright.

Why didn't anybody look as agitated as her?

Jesus, Brooke, calm down, she instructed herself when a tap from Bevin's foot initiated a violent flinch. You're going to give yourself a goddamn heart-attack, and the whole point of this is to stay alive, remember?

Of course, right now, the idea of dying wasn't all together the most unappealing option. If anything, it might finally bring her some peace…

Brooke started.

What the fuck are you thinking?

Of course she didn't want to die. She was only sixteen! She had so much waiting for her, so much she still wanted to do. Life had basically sucked the past few months, she would admit, but things could change. They already were as a matter of fact. Brooke wanted to be alive for when they really got good.

You will be, Brooke assured herself. She was determined to get through this. She wanted to. Even if meant years of psychologists and doctors.

Brooke Davis always got what she wanted. And she wanted this most of all.

But, a tentative voice crept inside her head, the tiniest bit of doubt slipping through even as Brooke battled against it, things haven't been going your way for a while. What if this doesn't either?

Brooke refused to even acknowledge the thought. She couldn't think like that. She had to think positive. She was Cheery, for God's sake! Any moment now, she just knew Jake would rap on that door, face shining, and lead them all away from this horrible closet in this broken school. Every one of them, all together, would race outside and never look back. They would be safe. And when Brooke reached her house, she and Peyton would have a sleepover again, just so they wouldn't have to go through the night alone after something like this. Then, the next morning, the phone would ring continuously as everybody called to say that they had made it out all right.

Yeah, Brooke thought bitterly. That's exactly how it's going to be.

The truth was that Brooke knew her fantasy was just that. A fantasy. She had known it from the very beginning, when she had run past Theresa, obviously dead, having been shot by the kid in Brooke's world history class that Brooke had always suspected had a huge crush on her. His head had been covered by a mask, yes, but Brooke knew. He was wearing the same shirt she had complimented him on a couple weeks ago. The same shirt he wore at least once, if not twice, a week ever since she had.

Brooke angrily brushed at her eyes, which had apparently had tears streaming from them for quite some time now, judging from the amount of runny mascara streaked across the back of her hand now.

Funny. She didn't even realize she had started crying until then.

But somebody else had.

Brooke felt the odd, pricking feeling of someone watching her when she turned to catch Peyton's frightened eyes on her. Peyton, her best friend, the person she hadn't paid any attention to since she snapped at her for her damned pacing. Back and forth, back and forth, in such a tight area—at that point in time, Peyton had nearly driven Brooke insane. She had felt perfectly justified in putting an end to it, no matter how rudely.

Now, however, her previous harsh words brought a wave of shame over Brooke. Peyton was her best friend, going through the same thing she was, and probably out of her mind with worry for Jake, and Brooke had had no right to be so cruel.

Peyton was still watching her.

Shakily, Brooke rose to her feet, and, without a word, walked over to her friend. Still silent, they just stood facing each other for a few moments. Then Peyton's face crumpled, and Brooke was right there to just be there for her. The two friends stood there in the middle of the dimly lit closet, embracing each other, drawing comfort from the fact that they knew they weren't alone.

And they would never be. As long as both of them remained alive.

Unfortunately, the chances of both of them surviving were very slim.

That was when the doorknob began to jiggle frantically until the person finally managed to force it open. Peyton and Brooke sprung apart, faces alit with panic. Brooke regained a grip on Peyton's arm and squeezed it hard.

The person stepped through the doorway, haggard and limping. Without warning, he suddenly stumbled and fell forward.

Brooke and Peyton tried to steady him as they released soft, matching cries.

It was Jake.

Author's Note: Chapter Three! Hate me yet? Not a lot to say except I've written out reviewer responses, but they won't be posted till next chapter for reasons that are currently being withheld. ;)

until next time…

caramelo