Brooke nervously hugged her knees to her chest. She took a deep breath and stared up at the clock mounted to the wall. It had been hours and the minutes and seconds ticked slowly. The hospital staff still had no news for them about Deb's condition. All they could do was continue to wait. But Brooke was not alone. Haley, on her fourth cup of coffee, was somewhere roaming the halls. And Skills and Christina had joined them after completing the duties of closing up the Den.

"You okay?" Skills asked, plopping down beside her.

Brooke shrugged.

"I guess. I'm just worried about Deb."

"Yeah, me too."

"That was pretty scary. I mean, I've never seen someone faint before."

Skills nodded.

"I have. Usually, it's nothing serious. And I hope that's the case with Boss Lady. I mean, she has to be alright."

Brooke agreed. Deb was going to be alright. She had to be alright. It was just an isolated incident…right? They all hoped so and silently prayed for the best but Brooke couldn't shake the incoherent state Deb had been in while they rode the ambulance. What if it was something really bad? What if it was serious?

"Someone should call Nathan", Haley joined them. "…And Lucas."

"I called Nate and Coop", Skills informed them. "I think they're on their way here."

"And um, I called Lucas", Brooke sighed. "Um, I didn't get through but I left a couple of messages."

Haley bit her lip, glancing at her watch.

"How long have we been here again? This is ridiculous! They should have told us something by now."

"I know", Skills said. "But sometimes, you know, they have to talk to the next of kin and stuff. It sounded like Nathan and Cooper were heading out as soon as I hung up and if that's the case, then they should be here any minute. We'll find out more then."

Haley knew Skills was right but the ache in her heart and her ever growing impatience was getting the best of her. The old saying went "no news is good news" didn't seem to apply to their situation. It made Haley feel uneasy, like something horrible was happening, something so bad that the doctors and nurses had to wait until Nathan arrived to deliver the awful news.

"I just can't sit around here", she jumped up. "I'm gonna go try to find something out."

They watched her nervously pace the halls.

"Is she gonna be okay?" Brooke whispered.

"Yeah", Skills answered. "She's just scared. Deb is like a second mother to her."

Brooke could certainly identify. She had only known her for a short time but Deb's warmth, nurturing and limitless hospitality had literally saved her life. Rubbing her tired eyes, she tried to adjust her body comfortably in the cramped little chair. She rested her head against her arms, slowly giving into fatigue as the emergency room lobby grew quieter and quieter, except for the low hum of a nearby television.

Her eyes, growing heavier by the second, fluttered, almost closing completely until she caught sight of the flash barreling through the automatic double doors. He was practically running, his eyes frantically darting around. He had no idea who she was but she'd know him anywhere. She'd seen all the pictures and heard all the stories. Now they were face to face.

"Deborah Lee", he called out to the no one in particular. "I'm looking for my mother. They said they brought her here."

Skills stood and walked up to his childhood friend. They bumped fists and exchanged their trademark, manly type hug.

"Hey, Dawg…"

"Skills, where is she? How's she doing? What happened?"

"We don't know, man. They brought her here by the rescue squad and they took her in one of those rooms in the back. I guess they've been working on her ever since but they aren't telling us anything."

Nathan marched right past him and over to the nurses' station.

"My name is Nathan Lee. My mom Deborah was brought here. She got sick at her restaurant."

"Yes, Mr. Lee. If you could just take a seat and someone will be out to talk to you shortly…"

"No", he shook his head. "Look, it's been hours already. What the hell is going on?"

"Mr. Lee, please…"

Nathan was growing irate as a he felt a tiny tug on his arm. He turned around and saw a pretty brunette he didn't recognize.

"Nathan?"

"What?"

"Hi. Um, I'm Brooke. I'm the one renting the room at your house from your mom."

"Oh yeah", he frowned.

"Yeah. Look, sorry to meet like this. Um, maybe you should have a seat…"

"I don't want to sit down! I want to know what's happening with Mom…"

"I know you do. We're all worried. But let's just give them a chance to do their job. I'm sure someone will be out soon."

He wanted to protest but after looking at Skills, he simply conceded. He shuffled over to one of the chairs in the waiting room.

"You want some coffee, Dawg? A soda? They got a snack machine down the hall…"

"It's cool", Nathan shook his head. "I don't want anything."

He didn't want anything except to know that his mother was going to be okay.

"Hey, guys", came a voice from behind the corner. "Coffee for everyone. It isn't the greatest but it will do. It's my fifth cup and I'm going to keep downing them before I put my foot in someone's ass. Still no word?"

It was Haley, trying to balance several cups in her grip. She finally looked up and found herself face to face with Nathan. A set of piercing blue eyes locked with a pair of soft brown ones and there was a moment of silence between a boy and a girl who had grown up the best of friends.

"Hales", he called out.

She swallowed hard.

"Nathan…"

Why was it such a surprise? She knew he was coming. Of course he was coming. She had told Skills to call him. Even though Deb was the surrogate mother to the community, Nathan was her only biological child. He had more than a right to be there. But why did it feel like…well, feel like that?

"Um, hey…" he stood.

There were no words. Tears filled her eyes and her body automatically reached out for him. They embraced, standing there just holding each other.

"I am so glad you're here", she kept whispering over and over.

Meanwhile, a few feet away down the hall, the front door swung open again. A tall, young man with an equally hypnotizing set of blue eyes entered. He too was sick with worry, searching for familiar faces as well as answers. And he wouldn't have to look far. He stopped. There were two very familiar faces in front of him…his brother and his wife. Or at least what he could see of their faces. It was almost impossible to get a good view the way their bodies were plastered together in a hug.

"Is she okay?" he asked, making his way over to the small gathered group.

Everyone stopped and looked over at Lucas.

"We're still waiting, Dawg", Skills said, as they slapped hands.

Lucas nodded at Christina, then over at Brooke.

"Thanks for calling me", he simply said.

"You're welcome", she answered in a small voice.

Then he looked right at his wife, the tears still welling in her eyes, replacing the ones that had already fallen and stained her soft, rosy cheeks.

"You okay?" he asked her.

She shifted her weight nervously from one foot to another before nodding uncomfortably.

"Yeah", she nodded.

Lucas reached in and hugged her. Haley's body was rigid at first but after a few seconds she gave in and returned his hold. Finally he pulled away and looked at his brother.

"I'm sorry, man."

"Yeah. Me too", he said as the two men hugged.

"Deb's gonna be alright", Lucas pulled away.

They all could only pray for such good news as they stood close to one another searching for some kind of comfort.

"Nate!"

All eyes turned once again to the entrance as Cooper made his way over. No one noticed the red head following closely behind him.

"Over here, man", Nathan waved at him.

"Any word yet?" he asked the crowd after exchanging pleasantries with everyone gathered.

They all solemnly shook their heads.

"I don't know what the hell is taking so long", Lucas muttered almost angrily.

Then as if on cue, a man in hospital scrubs holding a chart on a clipboard, walked over to them.

"Anyone here for Deborah Lee?" the doctor asked.

"Yes", everybody replied in unison.

"Who is the next of kin? I need blood relatives only."

"I'm her son", Nathan said.

"And I'm her brother", Cooper added.

"Very well. If you two gentlemen could step right over here…"

"Anything you say to us can be said right here", Nathan stated. "Just give it to us straight out."

The doctor sighed heavily.

"I'm afraid your mother has a serious condition…"

Nathan felt like he was going to be sick as everyone's faces fell. Haley immediately had the instinct to go over to him, hold him, touch his broad shoulder and let him know she was there for him. But she didn't have the chance. The quiet girl with the long reddish brown hair wearing a jacket covering a sexy party dress, had beat her to the punch.

Haley looked harder and recognized Daytona. They had met a few times over the years but Haley had remembered her as being younger, more of a tag along tomboy. But the tomboy had grown up. She was now a woman. A beautiful woman. A beautiful, young woman with her arm around Nathan and his snaked around her waist.