Disclaimer: I don't own One Tree Hill. You might also notice a few lines from past episodes, I don't own those either.
Note: THANKYOU ALL FOR THE REVIEWS! I was so happy to get them, especially since I didn't fulfill my Brucas conversation promise! But now I can happily say, it is here! Yay! Okay...first a couple little notes...I honestly lost track of what time it is in the story. So, for the sake of the story it is around seven in the morning the next day when Karen gets there. Sorry if that's off. Also, if the typing is a little hurried, I'm sorry! We just got hit by Rita so we have no electricity (I'm on a laptop)! Thankfully we are all okay and at least the phone lines are working!...Anyway, I'm sure that you all are tired of reading this author's note so...
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Dan pulled up to the beach house. The rain was pouring down in sheets, making the house look dark and lonely. Dan quickly jumped out of his car and ran towards the house. He didn't know why he thought that Keith was going to be there, he just did.
He unlocked the door in one quick motion and stepped inside. No lights were on, but he could tell that someone had been there recently because the blinds had been pulled closed and the remnants of a fire crackled in the darkness.
"Keith?" Dan's deep voice boomed in the silence like a sudden clap of thunder. No answer.
As he pulled off his jacket and laid it down on the chair by the door, Dan didn't even notice Keith standing in the darkness down the hall, watching him.
Trying again, Dan raised his voice, "Keith!" He was once again answered with silence.
Keith watched his brother from behind the door frame. He didn't know what to feel. What to say to him. Keith already knew that he would never be able to forgive him, but he also knew that Dan was his brother.
"It's important. So if you're ignoring me..." Dan took another step into the house, but then stopped. The house was so silent, so dead. Something was keeping him from walking further. Dan Scott had never been one to be scared of ghosts or goblins when he was little, and Freddy Crougar had made him laugh, but this was a different kind of scary. It was real.
Keith felt like rolling his eyes as his brother's eyes searched all the corners of the house. What could possibly be so important that he would come all the way down here to tell him. After he had, to put it lightly, ruined his life.
"Keith, I'm not going to wait around here all day. I know that you are here. Just come out. I need to tell you something. It's about Lucas." Dan kept his sentences sort and tight, not wanting to sound too brotherly. They had never really been brothers.
The last sentence caused Keith to take a step back, causing the floor to creak. Lucas? What about Lucas?"
Dan's head whipped in the direction of the sound. "Keith. You need to hear this."
Taking a deep breath, Keith finally stepped out. His fists were clenched tight, as if he was trying to hold everything back.
Keith didn't lock eyes with Dan, instead he looked somewhere past him, at something that wasn't there.
"Lucas is in the hospital. In San Diego. I don't know why or how he got there, but...he has HCM." Keith looked up at this, his dark eyes boring into Dan.
Keith leaned up against the door frame, sliding his back down until he hit the floor. His head was throbbing, his heart couldn't slow down, the room around him was spinning...Keith sat there in silence until Dan came and sat over next to him, careful to leave space between them.
Sitting in silence, they both came to one conclusion. They had both screwed up so bad, both in completely different ways, that there was nothing else they could do. Nothing to do but sit and wait, hoping that somehow things would work out.
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Brooke could feel her heart thumping against her chest as the bed slowly rolled into view. She thought she had gotten it all figured out, she thought that she knew what she was going to do or say. But as Lucas came into view, his eyes closed but his breathing uneven, as if he was waking, Brooke lost all train of thought.
As they wheeled Lucas's bed into place, Brooke took a step back. Everything was just too real. Flashes of Lucas's car accident came flooding into memory. How she waited for him to wake up, only to remember that Peyton was the one he wanted to wake up to.
"Brooke right? I'm Dr. Jonah." Brooke nodded her head slowly bed didn't take her eyes off of Lucas.
"I was told that Lucas's mother is on her way?" Once again Brooke nodded, almost mechanically. As if she wasn't really in her body.
"Well, please alert one of the nurses as soon as she gets here. Oh, and Brooke?" This time she glanced up at him, but for only a second. "I've informed Katie that you can visit any time you like." He added a formal smile to end the conversation and left the room.
By the time he left and Brooke had turned back to Lucas, his breathing had gained a rhythm again. He was asleep.
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Karen stepped out of the cab and ran into the bright lights. Andy had agreed to stay and get the luggage then meet her later.
"Hi." Karen took in a deep breath, "I'm Karen Roe, Lucas Scott's mother." Karen searched the receptionist's eyes for some sort of sign of how Lucas was, but the nurse simply keyed something into her computer.
"Room 308. I will alert the doctor that you are here." Karen took off down the hall, almost passing up the room.
Pulling open the door she ran over to Lucas's bed, not even noticing Brooke over in the corner.
Tears once again came streaming down her face. "I...Lucas...you can't leave me. I'm so sorry hunny. Lucas.." She could barley talk through her sobs. There was nothing else that mattered to her in those seconds as she clutched Lucas's hand.
Brooke watched on, paralyzed. She wanted to cry, she wanted to be with Lucas. She wanted to be there for Karen, but she couldn't. All she could think about was that she had left Lucas, she had caused this. She didn't deserve to be anywhere near him. He deserved better.
Karen finally noticed Brooke sitting over in the corner, her arms pulled tightly around her knees.
"Brooke..." Karen walked over to her, taking light steps, not wanting to break the silence. Brooke shook her head as she bit her lip, trying to hold back the tears. She felt so selfish. She wanted Karen to go over and be with Lucas.
Karen bent down and placed her hand on Brooke's knee. "Brooke.." Just then the Dr. Jonah came in.
"Mrs. Roe?" Karen stood up as she nodded, adding "Ms."
"Can I talk to you outside for a moment?" Karen looked back at Brooke one last time before following him out the door.
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"So..." Nathan turned to Jake. They were stopped at a red light in Tree Hill. "Where are we going?" Jake looked in every direction, as if there would be some sort of sign as of where to go. And then, there she was.
Jake watched as Peyton stepped out of her car, along with Haley, and walked across the street towards the movie rental store.
Her hair was straight, making him take another second to make sure it was her. But no, it was her. He would know her anywhere.
Haley and Peyton laughed as they playfully crossed in front of the car, arms linked, not noticing the occupants and stepped into the store.
After looking on in silence for a long couple of seconds, both guys turned to each other and said in unison, "Want to rent a movie?"
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Karen quietly opened the door. Her eyes were dry, she couldn't cry anymore. She found Brooke in the same position that she had left her in, curled up in the corner.
"Brooke, hunny? The doctor said that Lucas should be just fine. Some how that boy keeps pulling through." Brooke slowly looked up at Karen, who was holding a large box of chocolate.
Karen smiled, at least Brooke was responding. "Someone once told me that chocolate always makes you feel better in times like these." Karen smiled as she set the chocolate next to Brooke.
Brooke once again bit her lip, trying to hold back tears. She remembered saying something along those lines the last time. God, she thought to herself, she had been so stupid. She didn't think that anything could make her feel better.
"Brooke, you want to talk about it?" Karen took a seat next to Brooke and started peeling the plastic wrapping off of the box.
Brooke didn't even know where to start. "I just...It's...It'all my fault." Brooke buried her head into her knees so Karen couldn't see her face.
Karen put down the box and wrapped her arms around her. "Brooke, how could you think that? This is no ones fault. If anything, you have made everything better for Lucas." Brooke shook her head in her knees.
"Brooke, Lucas loves you. Enough to chase after you. And I know when he wakes up, the first person he will be looking for is you."
Finally, Brooke looked up. God, she hoped that that was true. "I just, I feel so selfish. You shouldn't be here sitting with me, you should be over there with Lucas." Brooke let her eyes fall on Lucas only to start crying again.
Karen squeezed Brooke's shoulders. "Brooke, you have grown up so much, I can't even explain. You are such a beautiful young woman, but there are still some things you need to learn. Honey, you are not being selfish at all. Because," She paused, waiting for Brooke to look at her, "Loving someone is the least selfish thing someone can do for someone."
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Haley and Peyton walked towards the back of the store towards the comedy section.
"Okay..so what do you want to rent? Since Brooke's not here, we finally get to get something other than Bring It On." Haley laughed as she nodded in agreement.
"Hmm..." Haley's eyes scanned the stacks of movies. Peyton turned to the other self behind her to begin looking along that shelf, but her eyes automatically looked past the self and towards the door.
Haley, still searching the same self picked up a couple of movies. "How about.." But she was quickly cut off by Peyton, "Drama." Haley shook her head in confusion, "I thought we wanted comedy?" When Peyton didn't respond she turned around and followed Peyton's gaze. "Oh."
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"Well, I'm going to go get us some coffee." Brooke managed to smile as she wiped her eyes with a napkin. She could only imagine what she looked like. Karen nodded, glad that Brooke had finally woken from her trance.
Karen walked over to Lucas and grabbed his hand in hers. "Lucas, I wish you would have told me," She whispered as she squeezed his hand tighter. Then, as if by magic, he squeezed her hand back.
"Lucas!" Before he even had a chance to fully open his eyes Karen wrapped herself around him.
"Lucas whispered lightly, "I'm sorry." Karen shook her head. "It's okay...well actually it's not, but you're sick so..." Lucas let out a tiny laugh as Karen sat back in her seat.
Karen watched as Lucas eyes searched the room. "I thought that maybe...no, it was probably just a dream." He said it out loud, but it was mostly for his own benefit.
Karen smiled and squeezed his hand again. "She went to get coffee." Lucas's head rotated toward Karen slowly, as if any sudden movement would send him crashing back into darkness.
"Brooke?" Karen nodded, letting on a small smile. "Don't screw this up again son." It was meant to be a light comment, but the weight was heavy for Lucas.
"I won't."
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Nathan and Jake stood frozen at one side of the store just as Haley and Peyton stood frozen at the other end. No one knew what to do, what to say.
Peyton was the first one to move. Slowly making her way past the endless rows of movies, she didn't even know if she was awake. Jake took a small step forward. He didn't know what to do, so he just watched as Peyton slowly approached.
"Are you back?" Her voice was as fragile as was her heart. Jake nodded, letting on a smile. But Peyton's face was still emotionless. "I won't be able to take it if you leave again Jake. You can't keep doing this to me."
Jake reached out and grabbed her hand. "I love you Peyton., but I've found out that I can't keep making promises. Love is a risk, I can't predict what is going to happen. I can say, though, that I love you more than you could ever know." Peyton finally let the tears fall down her cheeks as Jake pulled her to him.
"I could hold you in my arms forever, but it still wouldn't be long enough." Peyton let the words come out steady and low as she looked up into his eyes. Then, he kissed her. Everything that she had been feeling slid out of her body as he held her tightly against him. And for once in her life, she didn't care if this was a dream, she didn't think about how long it would last. Because no matter what happened, she would always have this feeling to remember. And that was something that no one could ever take away from her as long as she lived. And that, was a long time.
Nathan and Haley watched as Jake and Peyton got lost in each other. Neither knew what to do. Both knew that it wasn't going to be that easy. There was so much more involved, so many more twists and turns...or was there? Wasn't love just love?
As Nathan turned to look at Haley who was still watching Peyton and Jake, he knew that he would have to make the first step. So he did. He took one step forward.
Noticing the movement, Haley turned and looked at Nathan. Then as if in some cheesy, romantic novel, she took one small step forward.
It was Nathan's turn again, taking one more step forward, he knew that this was going to be hard and that he was going to have to work at it. One step at a time.
Haley, having learned a few things from Brooke, bit her lip as she took the next step. She wanted to be done crying. She didn't want to use it as a crutch.
Nathan took another step.
Then Haley.
Then Nathan.
Then there was one step left. Haley's. Standing there, she knew that this was more important than anything. She would have to be the one to make the last step. She was going to have to decide.
So, closing her eyes she took one last step forward. For a minute, there was no movement around her. It was if all time had stopped.
Then, she felt it. Nathan wrapped his arms around her tightly and kissed the top of her head. Maybe it wasn't the most romantic gesture in the world, maybe it wasn't a long kiss in the rain or a promise made in freezing cold water right before death. But it was something. Something that meant more than anything ever had before.
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Brooke balanced the two coffees in one hand as she made her way down the hall. She had stopped in the bathroom just to make sure that she didn't look like something that had just walked out of the swamp. But she had looked fine. Tired, but fine. That no mascara had been a good choice.
When she turned into the final hall, she saw Karen and Andy outside the door. What did this mean? Quickening her step, she closed the space between them.
"Is everything okay?" Karen smiled and nodded. "He is up." Brooke's breath caught in her throat as she looked at the door. Andy smiled and pulled the coffees out of her hand.
"Why don't you go in?" The question was so simple, but the answer wasn't as easy.
"Brooke?" Karen squeezed her shoulder and pressed it lightly towards the door.
Brooke's hand latched onto the cold metal, sending shivers up her arm. This was it.
She opened the door slowly, not looking in until it was fully open. When she looked up, Lucas was staring at her.
Walking over to him, she grabbed his hand as she kneeled on the floor. She had no idea where to start. Her eyes were brimming with tears again as she laid her head on his stomach. Lucas placed his other hand on her head and stroked her hair, which was still pulled up into a messy bun.
She could have laid there all day, but she felt he breathing become uneven. Shooting up she felt like slapping herself, "Oh, Lucas, I am so sorry...I'm so stupid...I mean, you just had surgery..." Lucas just smiled and squeezed her hand to get her to stop rambling.
"I've never seen you look so beautiful." Brooke, for the hundredth time that day bit her lip and nodded slowly.
"Lucas, I'm sorry." Placing his hand on her cheek, he just continued smiling.
"Brooke, you have nothing to be sorry for. It's me who needs to apologize. I know that I can never take back what I did to you. I know that you will always hurt because of what I did. But Brooke, I swear to you, I will do anything to make it up to you. I will never hurt you again. I will never ever hurt you again Brooke. I love you." Before Brooke could say anything else, Lucas continued, "I know I don't have the right to love you, but, god, Brooke, I do."
Brooke didn't care that she was crying once again. She had never felt this way in her life. She was sure her whole body was shaking, and that her hands were sweaty, her heart was beating faster than it ever had before, and she couldn't slow her breathing down. But somehow, through all of that, she felt calm, she felt safe.
"Brooke...let's not give up on each other." His eyes were now matched with Brooke's, brimmed with tears.
"I love you Lucas Scott. I never stopped." She was amazed at how easily the words came out. How right everything felt.
And as she looked into Lucas's eyes, she knew that this was it. This was one of those moments that she could look back on and say, "That's when it all changed."
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a/n: Okay. Wow. I have to say this chapter, out of all my stories, is the one that I am the most proud of. I really hope you all like it! R&R! Can't wait to hear what you all think!