AN: Sorry about the delay on the update. Hope you like.

Chapter 8

Brooke spent the next few days with Luke in the hospital. They mostly sat around enjoying each other's company. There were many silences but none of them were awkward. Everything felt right with Lucas. They got on so well, Brooke couldn't ever remember being this happy. Meanwhile Nathan and Haley were having a few problems. Mostly due to the fact that Lucas' illness had brought them together quicker than Nathan would have liked. Nathan wasn't fully ready to forgive Haley when Lucas fell ill. He wanted to spend some time with her and explain to her how he felt when she left but then Lucas got sick. He had to support her through this hard time. After all, he knew he was still in love with her. It was never a question of that. It was just that he needed her know, to know exactly what she had put him through. It all erupted the night Lucas was discharged from hospital. Nathan and Haley brought Luke home and then left him with Brooke and his mom. They were on the way home in the car listening to the radio and "When The Stars Go Blue" came on. Haley immediately swiped for the dial. Nathan caught her hand and looked at her with tears in his eyes, "We need to talk"
"Not now Nathan, please." Tears were now forming in Haley's eyes aswell.
"Tonight. We have to talk about this. We can't go on pretending like it never happened"
"I know Nathan" Haley said, staring at her lap as if it would make everything go away.
The rest of the car journey was spent in silence with the radio off.

Lucas spent the evening with Brooke. He lay in bed and she lay beside him in his arms. Lucas was still pretty weak, it would take him a good while before he would be back to normal but he knew and accepted that, he was just glad to have time to spend with Brooke.
"I love you, you know that" He said fiddling with Brooke's hair.
"Yeah, I know" Brooke replied cheekily and then added "I love you too"
"When you left for California I thought I had screwed up royally. I now know how lucky I am to have you in my life." Lucas kissed her softly.
"I thought I had lost you forever when Peyton phoned and when I saw you lying in that hospital bed I thought for sure I was going to lose you. I never want to feel like that again." Lucas leaned in and kissed her again, comforting her. The kiss grew deeper. Neither one wanting to pull away. Lucas eventually had to pull away for air. "I love you" Brooke repeated. She couldn't wait until he was well enough for them to go out together and do couple things. Brooke couldn't believe she now had someone in her life that really cared for her. Lucas felt the same.

Things were not going so well with Nathan and Haley. "Why didn't you tell me you were going"
"I don't know"
"Because the two things that hurt the most were that you didn't tell me and that you didn't ask me. I would have given up the world for you. You knew that and you still left." Tears were streaming down Nathan's cheeks. Haley had never seen him like this. No-one had ever seen him like this.
"I don't know why I did it. I felt trapped. I never stopped loving you. I just felt that because we were married I wasn't going to get to do all the things I dreamed of. I realise now that all my dreams have you in it. I should never have left"
"No you shouldn't." Nathan replied shortly.
"Nathan please don't be like this. You know how much I love you. I made a mistake, a pretty major one but a mistake. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I hurt you so much. I never want to do anything like that again" Haley took his hands in hers and kissed him tenderly on the lips.
Nathan broke away. "I know you are sorry. I just needed to hear it and I needed you to know how I felt. I forgive you Haley. I love you. I want you to be my wife"
"I love you. I want to be your husband. Did you hand in the papers yet"
"No. I'll tear them up. I can't stand life without you"
"Me neither." Haley replied burying her head in Nathans chest. He wrapped his arms around her.

AN: Please RnR. Thanks! Also thanks for all those people who reviewed. I really appreciate the support. :)