Brooke practically ran down the corridors of the hospital. Opening the chapel door, she saw the solemn faces. Dan and Deb, Mark and Laurie, Karen and Peyton, Keith and Jules, and of course Lucas.

"Here", she handed the bag to Lucas. "Give this to Nathan and Megan."

"What's all this? Where have you been?"

"It's a christening gown for Yoanna. I looked all over and it was really hard to find one for a preemie but this is the best I could do."

"Brooke…" Lucas looked up, his eyes filling with tears.

What a sweet gesture. Just another poignant moment that reminded him, not that he needed one, why and how much he loved Brooke Davis.

"Thank you", he whispered.

She nodded and motioned for him to hurry up. It was important for the ceremony to start as unfortunately time was not on their sides. The chaplain on duty arrived and the small group gathered around. A nurse wheeled Megan in, Nathan by her side, as she cradled little Yoanna. It was time. The chaplain began with a prayer and a few scripture readings appropriate for what was relevant. The room was eerily and sadly quiet, except for a few sniffles. The ceremony commenced quickly, ending with the sprinkling of holy water onto the tiny baby's body.

Afterwards, the family and friends assembled outside Megan's hospital room. She sat in a rocker with Nathan beside her as they held their daughter, savoring those last few precious moments. One by one they would file in to see Yoanna and give their condolences to the parents.

Mark and Laurie held hands and prayed as they placed a single kiss each on the child's forehead. Dan was quiet and stone faced as Deb held their granddaughter close to her, silent tears spilling. Peyton and Karen took pictures so the couple could have a physical memory of their daughter as well as Keith and Jules filed in and out quickly, taking time to see the baby one last time before giving Nathan and Megan hugs. Then it was Lucas and Brooke's turn.

Lucas leaned over the small girl, gently stroking her skin.

"You should hold you niece", Megan tearfully told him.

Lucas nodded, his strong arms shaking as he held Yoanna. She was his niece, the child of his younger brother. The baby they had all wanted and looked forward to so desperately. The baby that was supposed to "fix" everything somehow.

"I love you, Yoanna", he cooed softly.

Brooke wiped away tears as she placed a kiss on the child's forehead.

"Good bye, little angel."

After a moment of silence, they handed her back to her parents and left the family alone.

"Hey, Luke?" Nathan called him back.

"Yeah, bro?"

"Could you do me a favor? Could you ask Peyton to come back in."

Lucas nodded and the blonde emerged seconds later.

"Nate…"

"Do you still keep that sketch pad in your car?"

"Yeah", she answered, confused.

"Could you…do you mind drawing a picture of Yoanna?"

Peyton was taken aback at the request. She looked at Megan who nodded.

"Okay…um, sure. Let me go get my stuff."

She ran out quickly to her car to retrieve what little utensils she had. When she returned, she took a seat in the room facing the family of three and taking a deep breath, began to sketch.

"Hi, Yoanna", Megan sniffled. "You are my beautiful, precious angel. I love you so much, you know that? All I ever wanted was to be a mother, your mother and now that's been taken away from me. I won't have the pleasure of seeing you crawl or take your first step or your first day of school but you will be with me everyday. You'll live on in my heart, baby girl. I promise you that. Every single day for the rest of my life. I will never, ever forget you. I will never, ever stop loving you, Yoanna."

Nathan listened to his wife. Inside he was falling apart. His heart was breaking. But he couldn't express it. He couldn't talk to his daughter. He couldn't even cry. All he could do was stroke her little body and kiss her. It was so painful to watch the tiny, helpless being bravely suck in each breath. Finally after a few minutes, there was nothing. No breath, no sound. Just peace.

"She's gone", Megan whispered.

The baby's short life had expired but her mother wasn't ready to let her go just yet. The body was still warm and she wanted to hold her until the last possible minute. Peyton, done with her drawing, placed it on a table and left the room. After a few minutes, Nathan kissed his wife and daughter and followed suit.

"It's over", he sighed. "She went quick and peacefully and in her mother's arms."

"Oh Nathan", Deb sighed running to her son.

He didn't return her embrace but he didn't fight it either.

"Can somebody call the funeral home? We just want to do something nice and quiet in Tree Hill. Make sure she's buried in the christening gown. I want a church funeral and a burial in the Scott family plot."

They nodded, wanting to do whatever they could to somehow make it easier. Nathan thanked them, then hands in his pockets, headed down to his car in the parking lot. He got in and cranked it, almost backing over Peyton when she opened the passenger door.

"What are you doing?"

"You don't need to be alone right now."

"Pey…"

She buckled her seatbelt and he knew there was no use in arguing, not that he felt like it anyway. He pulled out of the parking lot and they drove around aimlessly for hours.

"Where are we going?" she finally asked softly.

"I don't know", Nathan whispered. "But I can't stop. I feel like I might lose it if I do."

"That's okay, Nate. You're entitled. You just lost your daughter. I know you're hurting. It's okay to mourn, sweetie. It's alright to cry."

Nathan shook his head.

"I can't cry. I want to. I feel like it…but I just can't. Does that, does that make me a horrible person?"

"No", Peyton answered quietly.

Nathan pulled the car over on the side of the road.

"Can I just sit here for a minute?" he asked.

"Of course. Whatever you need."

Nathan nodded thankfully.

"Will you stay with me?"

"As long as you need me to."

And she did. She sat silently by his side for hours until he was ready to return to the hospital and face his tragic, new reality. The heartbreak and devastation was etched all over his handsome face and it killed her that he was hurting, that something so terrible had happened and especially that she couldn't do anything. She could be there and be his friend but at times, it didn't seem like enough.

Driving back to Jake and Jenny and her life in Tree Hill later that night, Peyton sighed. It had all been so sad but there was one thing left to do. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed a number.

"Hello?" it was answered on the third ring.

"Haley? It's me. It's Peyton."

"Hey you. What's going on?" she asked cheerfully.

"Um, I need to talk to you. Are you busy right now?"

"Nah. I can't really sleep. I was just watching TV. What's up? You sound upset. Are you okay?"

Peyton took a deep breath.

"No. No, I'm not okay. There's something I have to tell you, Haley…something you ought to know."

"What?"

"Megan went into premature labor. She had her baby."

Haley gasped.

"Oh my God. Is she okay? The baby…"

"It was a little girl, Yoanna Isabella."

"Was?" Haley asked, trying to contain her emotions.

"She died a little while ago."

"Oh no…"

"I'm sorry. Look, you were gonna find out anyway. I just felt like I should tell you. I know regardless of everything that has happened…"

"No. No, it's okay. I am so sorry to hear that but I'm glad you called. Thank you", Haley said as a tear fell.

"I thought you should hear it from a friend and not a television or newspaper. Look, it's been a long two days and I'm headed back to Tree Hill. I'll call you in a couple of days when things settle down, okay?"

"Okay", Haley hung up the phone.

She was stunned. Her own tears were falling heavily and not only could she not stop them, she couldn't explain why they were falling so freely. It was sad. She had heard how badly Megan had wanted her baby. Haley could only imagine the heart wrenching pain the young woman was now experiencing. And Nathan? Poor Nathan! He was already two steps from the edge now surely this would be the one event to push him over. God, it was so unfair! Why? Here, Megan was, perfectly healthy, thrilled to be pregnant and eagerly awaiting her new arrival. And Haley was beckon more depressed by the hour about hers. At times she even questioned if she wanted a baby. There must have been some kind of mix up. Maybe God got it all wrong. Maybe He was supposed to take Haley's baby instead.

Wiping away tears, she grabbed a piece of paper and a dark marker. She scribbled words on it and applied a single strip of tape, sticking it to the outside of the front door. Haley then opened the drawer by her bed and fished out the envelope that had been safely harbored there for days. Taking it, she walked back into the living room and tossed it into her blazing fireplace before heading back to bed where she cried herself to sleep.

Hours later when a partied out Taylor returned home, she fumbled with her key in the lock, looking up to notice a sign on the door written in her sister's handwriting. Courier Service Cancelled! Please Ignore Previous Request For Letter Pick Up. Taylor wrinkled her nose. What the hell could that mean? With Haley, she couldn't tell and she was too wasted and tired to try to figure it out. After all, it was Haley's life and her decisions. All her life she had seemed to do the right thing and somehow or another, everything always worked out, even if wasn't the planned way. Yeah, Haley would be alright. If anyone could get through tough times and come out smelling like a rose, it was Haley bub, Taylor thought as she passed out on her bed. She always had.