A/N- So I'm going to try and update all of my stories tonight but I don't know if that will actually happen. If I don't update them all tonight I will tomorrow.

As It Comes

Chapter Nine

What's To Come?

Nathan awoke in a hospital bed. He instantly felt a huge rush of pain to his head; he lifted his arm to touch his hair and realized his arm was in a full cast. He was in a single room, the walls painfully white and sterile looking. He looked around in a daze; he couldn't remember what had happened. Reaching his side he found the button to call a nurse or doctor. He pressed down on the remote. Within a minute a nurse arrived at the door.

"You're awake," she said cheerfully. She wore a bright pink nurse uniform, her name tag read Megan.

"How long have I been out?" Nathan asked slowly. So many thoughts were going through his head. The biggest one being what the hell happened?

"We brought you in eight hours ago, you were in a car accident and you only have minor injuries, you broken arm being the worse," she explained.

"Okay," Nathan said smiling at the young nurse. "Where's my girlfriend?"

"I haven't been able to contact your family yet, is there anyone else you like me to call?" Megan asked, ignoring the question about Peyton.

"Call Lucas Scott, he's my brother and he lives with his mom," Nathan replied, deciding not press the matter of Peyton yet.

"Okay," she responded, "what's his number?" Nathan quickly rattled off the familiar number and the nurse left, leaving Nathan with his thoughts. His thoughts immediately went to Peyton, where was she? He had to find out. Nathan slowly lifted his legs and turned and slipped out of the bed. He walked out the door and went to the front desk.

"I need to talk to someone about my girlfriend," Nathan demanded, glaring at the women at the desk.

"The car accident," Megan filled in the receptionists.

"Oh," she said quietly. "I'll get the doctor, sir and you must go back to bed."

"Okay," Nathan mumbled, shuffling towards his room.

"Mr. Scott?" Megan called.

"Yes," Nathan said turning to face her.

"I got a hold of your brother and he said he would come right away and he would tell Brooke and Haley if that means anything."

"Okay, they are my best friends," Nathan said and continued to his room. Nathan made himself comfortable in his bed and turned on the TV, a basketball game was on. For the first time, he realized he wouldn't be able to play ball with a broken arm. Angrily he flipped the television off. A man stood at the door of his room, watching him. "Can I help you?" Nathan asked rudely.

"I'm Doctor Roberts, I'm here to talk about your accident," he explained calmly, he was used to dealing with angry accident victims.

"Are you going to tell me about Peyton?" Nathan asked bluntly.

"First about you," he continued in a smoothing voice. Nathan simply nodded. The doctor explained he had minor injuries like the nurse had said. He also said the break in his arm was a clean break so it should heal nicely but it would take awhile.

"Now tell me about Peyton," Nathan said impatiently.

"Okay, Peyton hit her head quite hard and she is in a coma," Dr. Roberts tried to explain gently.

"What!" exclaimed Nathan, "where is she, I want to see her."

"Okay, but maybe you want to wait until your friends get here and they can be with you," Dr. Roberts said.

"Okay," Nathan agreed, he needed some support right now. Doctor Roberts exited the room slowly, looking at the confused young man sitting on the bed looking out into the distance in a complete daze. Nathan sat in his room, falling in and out of sleep when he heard a quiet knock on the door. Lucas, Brooke, and Haley stood there looking in at him. "Come in," Nathan directed.

"Hey," Haley said quietly, being the first one at his bedside. "We tried to call Peyton but she didn't answer."

"Well, that's because she is in a coma right now because of our accident," Nathan sputtered holding back tears.

"Oh my god," screamed Brooke, hiding in the protection of Lucas' arms. Her eyes filled with tears and she began to cry noisily, Lucas wrapped his arms tightly around her and ran his hands through her hair. Haley gave Nathan a hug and wiped her own tears from her eyes.

"The doctor said we'll could go and see her if you would like," Nathan said gaining back his composure, "I haven't seen her yet."

"Okay, I want to go," Haley said, her Peyton had become so close over the last few years and Haley was in shock.

"How about you, Brooke?" asked Nathan. Brooke had now separated herself from Lucas and he had his arm wrapped tightly around her shoulder. Brooke nodded still not able to talk. Lucas also nodded. Nathan jumped out of his bed throwing on a robe that was sitting on a near-by chair and led the group towards the front desk to ask where Peyton was. Doctor Roberts decided to join the group as they went to see Peyton. They reached her room; it was down the hall from Nathan's in Unit 45. She was hooked up to many tubes. Her blonde hair flattened against the bed, her eyes closed, and her chest was slowly moving up and down.

"You guys can talk to her," Dr. Roberts said as he left the teenagers alone. Nathan had collapsed into Haley's arms.

"Nathan its okay," Haley said soothingly. She rubbed his back slowly and just talked to him quietly.

"Haley, look at what happened, we were drunk you know," Nathan said angrily.

"Nathan, don't blame yourself, I'm sure it wasn't your fault," Haley said, not sure if what she was saying was true. The group sat around Peyton's bed talking about all things random and eventually they all fell asleep except Haley who was still awake thinking about what Nathan had told her. Haley got up and began to wander through the hospital, she went and got coffee and a bagel and ended up in Nathan's room reading a magazine. A knock was at the door, she looked up from her magazine to see a police officer standing in the doorway.

"I'm looking for Nathan Scott?" she asked, "do I have the right room?"

"Yes," Haley said, closing her magazine and stood up. "I'm Haley James, Nathan's friend," she continued extending her hand.

"Hello, Miss. James, do you know where Mr. Scott is?" the officer replied taking Haley's much smaller hand.

"He's with his girlfriend," Haley said, "I can take you there. Do you mind telling me what happened?"

"I can't tell you much but I can tell you that they were hit by a drunk driving who ran a red light," the officer explained, following Haley down the hall towards Peyton's room.

"Thanks, that's all I really wanted to know," Haley said gratefully. "This is her room." Haley pointed into the room, where everyone was were she had left them.

"Which one is he?"

"Brown hair, holding Peyton's hand," Haley directed pointing to Nathan who had his head resting on Peyton's bed and was holding her hand.

"Okay," she said and she walked in and lightly tapped Nathan on the shoulder. Nathan lifted his head slowly and looked the officer then waking up completely. The officer led Nathan to the hall where the discussed the details of the accident. She told him that a drunk driver hit them and he left the accident without any injury and that they would be pressing charges if their families would like. Nathan reentered the room. He walked to Haley who had taken his spot next to Peyton.

"It wasn't my fault," he said excitedly.

"I know," Haley said smiling. Haley got up to let Nathan take her spot and he sat down pulling Haley down with him and sat her on his lap. They fell asleep in each others arms.

A/N 2- Another chapter in As It Comes, please review!