Daytona sat in the chair pulled up next to the bed. The room was so quiet, except for the beeping of the machines. And Nathan, tubes everywhere, looked so still. She had never seen him that way, not even when he was sleeping and that scared her. But she couldn't move. She couldn't tear herself away from his side. All she could do was hold his hand and lay her head across his warm body. He had to be okay. He had to wake up.

"Daytona?"

There was a soft knock on the door. She raised her head. It was Cooper.

"Hey."

"You alright."

She sniffled and nodded.

"Just waiting for him to wake up and be okay."

"He will be", Cooper said. "Look, you've been in here a while. Maybe you should try to eat or at least get some fresh air."

She shook her head.

"I'm fine."

"Daytona…"

"Cooper, no. I can't, okay? I can't just leave. Look at him. Besides, what happens if he wakes up and I'm not here?"

Cooper took a deep breath. He admired, sympathized and understood the young girl's frustration and devotion. He shared it as well.

"Daytona, I know you want to be here. We all do but maybe you should just take a little break…"

"Coop…"

"And the nurse says he can only have one visitor at a time. There are a lot of people out in that lobby who want to see him."

Daytona took a deep breath. Of course she wasn't the only one that cared. It would have been selfish to stay on and deny the rest of them their time with him.

"I'm sorry", she began tearfully.

"No, no. It's okay", he hugged. "It's cool. Just try to get some coffee or something and the rest of us will be out of here before you know it, okay?"

Daytona leaned down and kissed Nathan's cheek.

"I love you", she whispered.

She then nodded and left them alone as Cooper took her place. He looked at his nephew, always so strapping and strong, now looking like a vulnerable little boy on the huge bed.

He sighed.

"Hey, you. You know something? Your whole life, you've been a jokester. You always liked to make a lot of people laugh. Well, for someone who likes to make people laugh, you're making an awful lot of people cry right about now. But I know you. I know you're strong and you've got that Lee stubborn streak in you too. You're just waiting to wake up on your own terms. And that's fine, Nate. When you do, I'll be right here waiting for you and so will everyone else, okay? And about today…well, I just want you to know I'm proud of you. I mean that. You're a hell of a race car driver, kid, far better than I'll ever be. And you gave it your all. It might sound cheesy but you're a winner in my book and I hope that counts for something. You know, you've had it rough from the moment you came in this world. But you happened to have a pretty great lady for a mom and she raised a pretty great son. You're a good man, Nathan. I just wanted you to know that. And after this, after you're better, whatever you want to do whether it's racing or not, just know I'm here for you, man. I really am. I support you and I love you."

Silence. Nathan's eyes still remained closed. Cooper took a breath, praying somehow, someway his nephew had heard his words. There was no way to tell for sure so instead he stood and went back into the common area.

"How is he?" Haley immediately stood.

Cooper shrugged.

"Still no change. No better but no worse."

"Is he in a coma?"

"Not technically. He's just unconscious. There were no internal injuries, thank God. They say he should be okay, it's just a matter of him waking up. Do you want to see him?"

Haley's eyes widened.

"Oh, I don't know…"

"It's okay. He's allowed one visitor at a time."

"Yeah but…well, Coop, I don't think I can."

Cooper gently took her hand and guided her to the room.

"It's okay, Haley."

"What do I say?" she asked.

He winked at her.

"Whatever you feel."

Haley walked into the big, scary room letting the door shut behind her. Her legs felt like jello as she approached the bedside and sat in the chair.

"Hey", she said, afraid to touch him. "Um, I don't know if you can hear me, Nathan. They say you're going to be okay and I hope that's true. They say you have to wake up and I hope that's soon because you're really scaring me. You're scaring all of us. But um, I just want you to know that I'm sorry this happened to you. And you've always been my best friend ever since I can remember. I've been sitting out in that waiting room thinking about old times. Remember we used to veg out in front of the TV and watch the Smurfs and Alvin and the Chipmunks for hours while we ate Honey Combs? Remember that cereal? Or the miniature golf station we made because our parents were too poor to take us to the real thing. We'd hang out at the River Court for hours and talk and shoot hoops, not too well on my part, but anyway. I miss that. I just wanted you to know. It might sound dumb but I miss all of that…all of you. Going to thrift shops, and claiming dumb stuff at the Lost and Found and going to all the music and comic book stores. That was so fun. Gosh, we were so happy then. It seems like forever but I really miss it. And I want it back. And when you get out of this place, we're gonna do those things again. I promise. We'll be dumb and have lots of fun and eat junk food until we puke and squirt each other with water guns and all the other stupid stuff that makes us Nathan and Haley. You know, I still have that bracelet. Remember the plastic one with all the bright colors you pulled out of the Cracker Jack box when we were at the Docks. You gave that to me and I still have it. I don't know why but I kept it all these years. Pretty lame, huh? I don't know, I just couldn't part with it. You said, 'Don't say I never gave you anything'. But you did, Nate. You gave me plenty. You gave me good times and laughter and friendship. You gave me love. And yesterday, when you said what you said…God, it totally blew my mind. I can't believe you had a crush on me all those years ago. I can't believe you never told me. I guess it was a secret. But guess what? I had a secret of my own. You weren't the only one. I had a crush, too and it wasn't Lucas. I feel like a fool admitting this now but I don't know…back in the day a long time ago when you used to wear those black socks and ball on the court, well, I may have had like a teeny crush on you. Okay, okay, it was a big crush. Gosh, I love those black socks. But anyway. I never said anything because besides it feeling slightly incestual, well, I didn't want to make the friendship weird and I, I didn't think you'd feel the same way. But you did. That's funny. I wonder how it would have been if I'd told you. Maybe everything would be different now. Who knows? But um, that's not important now. What is important is that you're okay. I just want you to open your eyes and get back to bugging me and getting on my nerves, okay. Buddy?"

A tear had fallen and she wiped it away before kissing his hand and heading out to the waiting area where Lucas and Brooke were waiting.

"Still no change?" Brooke asked.

Haley shook her head.

"Sorry."

"We should call Deb."

"No", Lucas said adamantly.

"Why not? That's her son. She has the right to know, Luke."

"Nathan is going to be okay. Even the doctor said it. He just has to wake up. We can't worry Deb with that. She'll flip. She'll be sick with worry and come down here and I guarantee if that happens, she'll end up in a hospital bed of her own in a few days. She's sick, Brooke. The stress will send her into a relapse."

"But…"

"Brooke, he's right", Haley said softly. "Let's just give it a few more hours, okay?"

Brooke rolled her eyes but conceded in agreement.

"Fine. I need some air", she hurried out the automatic doors.

"What a bitch", Lucas mumbled.

"She's just scared", Haley came to her defense.

"Whatever. I'm going to see my brother."

He got up and went into the room where Nathan was still unconscious.

"Hey, bro. What's all this? This better not be your way of taking a coffee break away from the Den or I'll have to kick your ass. Just kidding, dude. I just don't know what to say. It's kind of weird seeing you like this. The doctors tell me you're fine but I won't believe that until you wake up. I'm scared, Nate. I, I just want you to be okay. I even went to the chapel and prayed for you. Don't worry, I don't see any lightning coming to strike us. I know I'm the last dude you'd expect to see in a church but I asked God to just look out for you. Because I haven't done a very good job of it. Okay, I admit it. I'm a lousy brother and a lousy human being sometimes and I'm sorry for that. I'm really trying to change but this isn't about me. It's about you. And I'm sorry if I've been a dick lately and we haven't got along much. It's all me, brother. Sometimes I just can't help being a jackass even when I try hard not to be. But most of the time, it's just jealousy. I know I was supposed to be the lucky one and the privileged one but all the while you had something I could only wish for. And money didn't buy it. It's called character. You're a stand up guy, Nate and I love you, little brother. I just wish…I wish one day I can become half the man you are."

There was a huge lump in Lucas' throat but he stopped short as he heard a noise at the door. It was Brooke.

"Hey…"

"Hey."

"Um, sorry to interrupt. I didn't know you were here. I'll just come back…"

"No, it's cool", he stood. "I was done anyway."

Brooke nodded as he brushed past her and she once again saw the sweet and sincere man she'd only had glimpses of before. Taking a breath, she walked over and pulled up a chair.

"Hey, Nate", she rubbed his arm. "I'm not gonna cry or anything because I know you're going to be okay. In fact, you're the lucky one here. You're the only one who looks peaceful. You're taking a break and there's nothing wrong with that. So don't worry about racing or Lucas or Cooper or the Den or any of that stuff. You just sleep as long as you need to and everything is going to be okay."