Keep Hope Alive

Author's Notes: Thank you sooo much for all your reviews and patience. I'm sorry there hasn't been an update in awhile, but there was spring break, a computer crash, and I've started to write a new fic called 'Girls of the Clique' so please check it out when it's posted. Well, this story is nearing and end, but this is NOT the last chapter. I never wanted this one to be too long, so it should be around ending soon. The title credit…Fall to Pieces by Avril Lavigne.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that is One Tree Hill or its characters.

Chapter Eight: Fall To Pieces

Lucas lifted his head slightly and took one short glance at the door. Now Lucas had been through a lot in his life. He had felt the pressure and fear every time he stepped onto the court, or every time he was given the game winning shot. But nothing had ever amounted to the fear that he was feeling right now.

He could tell that the brunette, that was firmly rested his arms, was feeling it too. The pool of dripping wet tears that was now all over his shirt spoke for itself.

Mouth had been in Rachel's arm, at the time that the shot went off. He quickly jumped up from the redhead, and neared the door.

Lucas understood as if they we're reading minds. Slowly he lifted Brooke up and took her hand as they walked towards the door.

The rest of the group, slowly arose at different times and made their way to the door. Every person in the room was afraid of who the shots had been at. Even Tim had tears on his eyes as he slowly walked with the rest.

Brooke squeezed Lucas' hand as they stepped into the hall. A part of her was feeling sorry for him, and not because of what was happening. But because she was squeezing his hand so hard, it could have been bleeding.

She couldn't help but think, who was it? What if it was Haley or Nathan? What if they had saved each other and it was Jimmy? She wanted to chose the latter, but that gut-wrenching feeling that she had, told her otherwise.

Lucas rounded the corner with the rest of the group. He felt Brooke, who had been walking with him, now on the ground in sobs. He heard a few shrieks, and then more loud cries, but nothing else could register in his head at that moment.

The scene that was sitting before him, was like a horrible nightmare.

It was one of those dreams where you know nothing but bad can come and you desperately want to wake up, but its out of your control. Lucas felt that exact way. Why couldn't he wake up?

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Peyton stumbled into her father's arms as every person standing outside of the school heard those two shots ring out. Every single one of her closest friends, the wonderful people who helped her get through her days, were now inside, and any one of them could have been killed.

Karen glanced around frantically, hoping to find Keith. There was no sign of him. She fell onto the bench as people yelled, police screamed orders, and even Dan stood motionless. Although she was sitting on the bench, she felt as though everything from beneath her had been taken away.

She was stuck in some horrible dark room, with no escape, and no reassurance.

What if her son had been killed in there? What if her fiancée was really in that school? They had been in each other's lives since they we're teens, but it took them so long to really find each other.

Keith had survived the heartbreak that he received from Jules. He was able to return to Tree Hill, and the two we're finally together. They were supposed to get married. What if that was gone?

"Karen?" Karen's head whipped up at the faint voice, and saw Peyton standing above her with tears streaming down her face at the speed of a waterfall. Peyton immediately sat on the bench next to Karen, as the two wrapped each other in a hug.

They could see the men in black uniforms and guns, slowly going into the school. Sitting together, on the bench, the two cried a river.

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"Haley!"

The scream came from Nathan as he pulled himself to his wife. The scream, so loud coming from the man, had startled every eye in the room, and every single one was on the girl.

Laying on the cold floor, was the girl, his love, his everything. Nathan immediately scoped her into his arms and pulled her head to her knee. "Haley! Say something to me!" Nathan said, trying to yell, but instead it came out as cries.

"Haley. You're have to be okay." He whispered weakly, as he pressed his hand to the wound on her chest. She was bleeding profusely, and the floor had dark red stains all around her.

Keith rose to his feet as he finally came to the realization of the people before him. He hadn't seen the second shot, because the first had stunned him too much. Now he could see it.

Jimmy had raised the gun, and shot Haley. He then had pulled it to himself, taking his own life.

Lucas slowly walked over to his brother, and his sister. Even if she wasn't technically his blood sister, she was still a sister to him. After snapping out of the state of shock he was in, he quickly fell to the ground and began helping his brother.

"Is she…? She's… she's okay! Haley, you're okay!" Lucas screamed. How had this happened. He glanced over his shoulder, seeing Jimmy's lifeless body laying on the ground. Although it was the first thought that had ever crossed his mind, he felt that it was justice.

Nathan leaned over and slowly rested his head on Haley's stomach. The hall fell into complete silence. Not a single breath could be heard. The only thing audible in the hall, was the increasingly loud sobs that came from Nathan.

Mouth and Rachel stood against the wall, holding each other in an embrace. Rachel felt guilty because she had opened the time capsule. Mouth was feeling guilt because he hadn't been there for Jimmy like he felt he should have.

Bevin and Skillz stood near by, completely emotionless. Skillz wouldn't allow himself to let out the anger he was feeling, for the sake of Nathan and Lucas.

Bevin had her head rested on his shoulder, and quickly wiped every singly tear that streamed out. In some way, she felt guilty because she was crying, and because she couldn't understand what happened, or why it had happened. None of the day's events made sense.

The other', including Tim, stood near Brooke as they watched Nathan and Lucas crying over Haley's body. Brooke wanted to believe that nothing had happened. That this was Haley, and that no matter what, she was okay.

But that other part, that was deep down in her heart, knew that was not true. Some part of Brooke knew, she was gone.

She slowly inched herself to her best friend, her roomie, her tutor girl. Warm tears quickly flowed from her eyes, to her cheeks, to the floor. She took Lucas' hand in hers, and the three cried.

After a couple minutes, Nathan quickly stopped. How was it helping that everyone was just sitting around crying?

"Haley! You listen to me! You're are not dead. You are not, because you can't be!" He yelled. He quickly took off the top shirt he was wearing and pressed it to her wound. He leaned closer and rested his mouth on hers, to give her breaths.

After a minute, and a few words from Keith, Nathan pulled back. He knew. The deep love and connection that they shared had told him. That bond between the two let him know that she was gone, the second he saw her body.

"Ha…Haley. You can't go. I need you here. I can't be here without you."

He was forcefully pushed back by men in black attire. They scooped Haley up, and began rushing out of the school. Finally Nathan rose to his feet and stared as they also took Theresa and Jimmy.

Haley couldn't be gone. She couldn't. He told himself over and over again in his head, that they we're taking her to the hospital where she would be safe and sound. But his heart was telling him, no.

She was gone. He had lost her, forever.

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This chapter was a little hard, because it was so emotional. So I understand some of you might be a tinsy bit mad about this. And for that I'm sorry, but I've had that decided since before I wrote the first chapter. I hope you still enjoyed, and please review.