Chapter 1

Sarah Beth is scared to death
To hear what the doctor will say
She hasn't been well
Since the day that she fell
And the bruise, it just won't go away

So she sits and see waits with her mother and dad
and Flips through an old magazine
Til the nurse with the smile
Stands at the door
And says will you please come with me

Brooke Davis sat in the doctor's office, her hands shaking. She had not been feeling well for a few weeks, ever since she had fallen at cheerleading practice. Her hand slid to her thigh where the bruise was hiding under her jeans. The bruise had lasted too long and when she had finally went to her mother they had decided that she should go to the doctor.

She'd come in early that morning so that she could get blood work done and as she glanced at her watch she realized that they had been there for a long time. It was already after 1:00. Where did the time go? Brooke asked herself. She was stressing out because the doctor had looked so grave when she had told him about the bruise. And then all of the blood work.

She glances over at her parents, wondering at the fact that both of them were there. It sucked that she had to get sick for them both to come and it made her nervous. It had to be bad if they were both there right? She shook her head to clear the thoughts and thought back to the past week weeks starting with when she fell.

FLASHBACK

"One, two, three, lift." Brooke balanced herself as Peyton and Haley lifted her to the top of the pyramid. "Okay, guys that was great." She smiled. "Now let's get me down in one piece. One, two, three, toss." She tucked her arms in, keeping her legs extended as she spun to land in the cradle of their arms. Except something went wrong and she ended up slipping, the only thing keeping her from hitting her head on the ground was Peyton's grip on her leg. "Ouch!" She yelped as Peyton's elbow dug into her leg.

"Oh my God!" Haley squealed as she struggled to help Peyton get Brooke righted. "I'm so sorry Brooke, but my arm gave out on me."

Brooke shook her head as she slid to the ground. "That's okay. That's why we're training you harder." She shrugged. "Let's get back to work."

PRESENT TIME

Had that one little incident really led to this? Brooke picked up a magazine that lay on an end table and began flipping through it's pages absently, not really looking at it. Her mind drifted back to when she had first noticed the bruise.

FLASHBACK

Brooke, Haley and Peyton were all changing in the locker room before practice when Peyton suddenly gasped. "Brooke! What happened to you?"

"What? Huh?" Brooke looked at Peyton questioningly. "What are you talking about?"

Peyton nodded at her leg. "Your leg. That bruise. What happened?"

Brooke glanced down. "Hmmmm, that's weird. That's the bruise from when we were working on the pyramid stuff."

Haley's eyes widened. "But Brooke that was almost two weeks ago!"

Brooke shrugged. "Guess I wasn't paying attention. It doesn't seem to have gotten any better."

Peyton looked at her friend, concerned. "That's not the only one either. Look at your legs and arms."

Brooke glanced down and shrugged again. "Guess I'm getting klutzier. I'll be more careful. Let's get to practice." She pulled her shirt over her head and walked out, the other two trailing behind her.

PRESENT

Brooke sighed as she heard the door open."Brooke Davis?" The nurse stood in the open doorway.

Brooke stood up, followed by her parents. "That's me."

The nurse smiled kindly. "Will you come with me please? The doctor's ready to see you now."

Brooke smiled bravely at her parents and followed the nurse down the hall. Well at least now she would find out what was wrong.