Chapter 5

Peyton dialed Deb's number hoping Dan wouldn't pick up. Luckily he didn't, it was Nathan. "Hello, Scott Residence, Nathan speaking"
"Hey Nate, it's Peyton, is your mom there"
"Uh, yeah..." Nathan was confused, "Why do you want to speak to my mom? If you don't mind me asking"
"It's Luke." Peyton said plainly, "He is in hospital. I need to get through to Karen"
"What happened?" Nathan asked worriedly. This made him realise that what he had said to Luke about them not being brothers anymore had been a lie.
"I don't know, the doctors won't tell me cuz I'm not a relative. I found him on a heap on the floor this morning, he couldn't breathe and he was all sweaty. I thought he was going to die." Peyton found it hard to relive the experience.
"Shit. I bet he hasn't be taking his drugs..." Nathan said absent mindedly, deep in thought.
"What drugs? And for what? And why not"
"He has HCM. He told me he didn't have it but I knew he was lying." Everything started to click into place. "My dad must have been paying for his drugs. Now that Dan found out about Lucas trying to sabotage him he's has stopped paying for them"
"That's why Luke has been working two jobs. Oh God poor Luke. Why didn't he tell me"
"Because he is stubborn. I'll go get my mom now...she probably has a contact number for Karen...at least I hope so"
"Thanks Nate"
About 5 minutes later Deb came to the phone.
"Hello? Peyton? You still there"
"Yes I'm here. Did Nathan tell you what happened"
"Yes, is Lucas okay"
"No. He looks really sick. Do you have a contact number for Karen"
"Yes. I'll phone her immediately"
"Oh and Deb could you ask Nathan to explain to Haley what's going on? They are back on right"
"Yeah, they are back together. Taking it slow. I'll ask Nate to do that. I'll phone you back as soon as I get through to Karen. Nathan has your cell number right"
"Yeah he does. Thanks Deb"
"No problem, I'll probably come into the hospital with Nathan as soon as I can. Will you still be there"
"Yeah, for sure. I couldn't leave Lucas at a time like this. Brooke flew in from California as soon as she heard what happened. She is in with him now"
"Okay I'll see you in a while. Talk to you soon"
"Bye." Peyton hung up the phone. She sank into a nearby chair suddenly feeling exhausted.

Brooke couldn't believe this was happening. She shouldn't have left things the way she did. She had been such a coward. She began to cry harder as she began to realise that she may never get to tell him how much she loves him. She began talking to Luke again.
"You gotta come through this. I need you Luke." She got no response. She sat there in silence regreting all the terrible choices she had made. She was startled when Peyton came in.
"Sorry I didn't mean to scare you"
"It's okay, I was just thinking is all"
"I've been doing alot of that lately too. I called Deb she said she would call Karen. I was also talking to Nathan"
"And...what did he say? I know they haven't been friends recently"
"He said he knew what was wrong with Lucas"
"What's wrong with him"
"He has something called HCM. Don't ask me what it is all I know is that when Dan found out what Lucas was up to he stopped paying for the drugs Luke needed to control it"
"Couldn't his mom have paid for the drugs." Brooke was baffled.
"He didn't tell his mom. He didn't want anyone to know. Nathan only knew because he figured it out himself"
"Why didn't Lucas tell me?" Brooke was hurt by this fact.
"He didn't want anyone to know. He wanted to deal with it on his own. That's the only explanation. I'd say the only reason he told Dan was because he needed the drugs"
"Yeah, I suppose...poor Lucas. He carried this on his own for months that means"
"I know thats what I've been thinking too"
They sat in silence for a while thinking about was happening.

After what seemed like was only 5 minutes but was actually 45 minute Nathan knocked on the door, he was with Haley. Haley looked distraught she ran to Luke's side. Once she got there she didn't know what to do, because there was nothing she could do. Nathan stood behind her giving her space but still letting her know she was there if she needed him. He wanted to take her in his arms but he knew she needed space. Haley just stared at Lucas. She felt so guilty, she should have been there for Lucas but instead she was off touring. He needed a friend and she wasn't there for him. Her eyes welled with tears as she thought about this more and more. She turned and buried her face in Nathan's chest. She was so glad he was there for her. She needed him so much.

For the next couple of days the four teenagers were forced to play the waiting game. They took shifts in sitting with Lucas. Brooke and Haley barely left Lucas' side. They were woken up on the third day by Karen. She wanted to know what happened. She was hysterical. She looked like she hadn't slept for three days straight which was probably true. Lucas still looked really ill. Karen sat with Lucas for about an hour before she went to talk to the doctor. The doctor spent about 45 minutes explaining Luke's condition. Karen came in and collapsed in a chair when she came back into the room. Haley went over and hugged her tightly. Tears were rolling down both of there cheeks. What were they going to do if anything happened to Lucas.