Till Death

Waiting is always the hardest part. Waiting means not knowing. It means that you aren't doing anything to help the situation, or the outcome. Waiting makes you think. If you think too much, waiting can drive you insane.

Nathan paced the length of the corridor and decided that if it was the court, he'd done about fifty suicides.

"Where the heck are the girls?!" He asked aloud, knowing that if anyone would walk by, they'd deem him certifiable.

"I don't know, but I don't think the air would respond." Jake walked up and gave a man-hug to Nathan.

The two sat down as Nathan ran a hand through his jet black hair and let out a sigh. Jake leaned forward and stared intently at his friend.

"How is he?"

Nathan straightened and unclasped his hands and began to explain. "I don't know…we were talking one minute, and everything was fine. I went to grab some food and he was on the floor when I got back."

Sensing the next question Jake was going to ask, Nathan continued after pausing. "They don't know what triggered it," Nathan caught himself, "besides the whole needing a heart thing. He had a heart attack and they are trying to assess what happened so they know what to do next."

Jake exhaled and slouched against the yellow chair with his hands behind his head. "He's he on the list?"

Nathan followed suit and leaned back. "He's been on it. The good thing out of all this is that he's now at the top. If one becomes available, he's got it."

A silence introduced a question neither really wanted answered.

"How long does he have?"

Nathan shakily responded, "Not long."

After Karen saw the girls drive-up and quickly drive away, she chuckled out loud. Keith entered the kitchen from the back.

"What's so funny?"

Karen turned to face her husband. "Either Haley's hormonal or they don't like my food anymore."

Keith's confused expression bated Karen to explain. "They drove up, got out, then got back in and sped off. I don't know about those girls sometimes, they-"

Karen was cut off by a phone call. She walked over to the counter and picked it up. "Karen's Café."

"Karen? It's Nate, uh, Lucas collapsed, I uh-"

"What do you mean? Is he alright?"

Keith noticed his wife panic and walked over, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"We're on our way to the hospital, could you mee-"

"We're on our way," Karen cried as she hung up the phone. She rushed towards the door in tears.

"Karen?"

Karen looked at her husband as she grabbed her keys. "It's Lucas."

"Can't you drive any faster?!" Peyton yelled as she climbed to the backseat to check on Haley.

"I am! We don't want to die getting there!" Brooke retorted. Both took in the possibility of her words ringing true for one of them. "How is she doing?"

"I, I don't know. The same?" Peyton responded as she checked her friend over. "How much longer?"

"I can see it from here, so maybe two minutes."

Peyton was relieved. "Make it one."

Karen rushed the boys when she saw them. "How is he? Where is he? Have they told you anything?"

Keith caught up to his wife and waited for Nathan to answer.

"He had a heart attack."

Karen gasped as Nathan continued.

"He's at the top of the donor list. They'll let us see him in a minute." Nathan looked at their tear-stained faces. "I'll let you guys go in first."

Karen numbly nodded as she and Keith took a seat and waited; waited to see their son.

Nathan sat back down next to Jake.

"I just tried calling Haley and Brook. I'll call Peyton."

Nathan nodded as Jake dialed.

Brooke peeled up to the ambulance bay despite the waving arms that told her to do otherwise. "We need help over here!"

Setting aside irritation, a paramedic and doctor rushed to meet Peyton and Brooke attempting to arouse a still unconscious Haley.

"We've got it from here. What happened?"

As the two medics put Haley on a gurney the pair explained what happened.

"And she hasn't woken up since?" asked the doctor.

"No," Peyton firmly replied.

The followed them down the hall when they were stopped at a pair of swinging doors.

"This is where you stop," said the doctor. "We'll let you know as soon as we do what's going on. The nurse will show you to the waiting room."

With no more to do the girls hung onto each other and slid to the ground sobbing, ignoring the gentle persuasions of the nurse that stood over them.

A minute later Skills and Bevin rushed in. They noticed the girls who were oblivious to their arrival. They approached them as they smiled warmly at the nurse, signaling that they could handle the situation from there.

Brooke looked up, sniffling. "Skills? Bev?" They nodded gently as she continued. "Wha—what are you doing here?"

Bevin stroked Brooke's hair while she and Skills exchanged glances. "The same as you B," Skills answered.

Peyton looked up, tears abated. "How, how did you know?"

Bevin answered, "Jake called."

This brought a look of confusion over Brooke and Peyton. "We haven't told anyone yet. How would Jake know?"

"Nathan was with him when it happened," Skills explained. "I'm sorry Brooke."

Brooke stopped crying by now as well. She looked at Peyton as Bevin and Skills helped them up.

"I don't understand. He was with who when what happened?" Brooke asked.

Realization dawned that they weren't talking about the same thing. When Skills hesitated, Brooke began to panic.

"Who Skills? Who was Nathan with?!"

Skills gulped before he answered, "Lucas. Lucas had a heart attack."

Brooke felt like she was having one. She clutched her chest and didn't realize she was sliding back down until Bevin released her.

"Wha? How?" she choked out.

"We don't know, we were on our way to the waiting room where everyone else is."

Peyton looked at Brooke who looked more broken than before, which she didn't think was possible. The two shared a pained look. Skills and Bevin observed in confusion.

"Brooke, we have to go tell Nathan."

Brooke nodded absentmindedly.

"You have to tell him what?" Skills inquired. "Who else is here?"

Peyton looked at Skills through blurred vision. "Haley."

Not allowing himself to fully absorb all that was really happening, he ushered the girls toward the waiting room.

"Come on," Skills solemnly urged. "We have to tell everyone else."

"Why the hell aren't they answering their phones?" Nathan fumed, attempting to mask his fear with anger. "Where are they?"

Jake tried to assuage Nathan. "Maybe they're watching a movie or listening to music really loud. It's probably best they don't show up until we know more."

Nathan smiled apologetically to those gathered and took his seat. He signed deeply and put his head in his hands.

Keith was the first one to notice the four advancing toward them. Skills and Bevin looked shocked with gleaming eyes, while Brooke and Peyton looked like Lucas was already dead.

As Skills nodded to Keith and Jake, Nathan's and Karen's heads shot up. The four finally made their way in front of the others, heads down and defeated.

Nathan got up and met them. "Where were you guys?" he asked gently, taking in their appearance.

Peyton tried to answer. She knew she had to tell him but couldn't find the words or the strength to lift her head. Brooke was in no position either. She sat in a chair facing them as Bevin joined her, leaving Skills and Peyton standing, answers expected of them.

Skills looked to his right. Peyton wasn't going to get it out. She pleaded with her eyes and he nodded, willing to take the slack he could, attempting to take some of the harshness of the trauma they already experienced away.

"Nathan, uh…there's-"

Skills was cut off by a very much aware Nathan. "Where is Haley?" He meant for it to be a question without accusation or desperation. Those three words were filled with more emotion than any 'I love you.'

"Nate, she's," Skills began to falter but quickly regained his resolve. If he was Nathan, he would want to know.

He brought his head up to meet his friend of six years. "Nate, Haley's in the hospital too. She's unconscious." He stopped when he saw all the color drain from Nathan's face.

Nathan took a seat but didn't realize Jake helped him. Karen let out a sob while Keith attempted to console her, despite his own grief.

Skills continued, eager to get it all out. "They're checking her out. They'll let us know what's wrong when they figure it out." Skills paused before letting the last statement out, walking over to the other side of Nathan and gripping his arm. "And Nate," Nathan looked hollowly at Skills, "her water broke."

Nathan snapped and mumbled to himself. Those words soon became clearly audible as he broke away from his friends.

"No. No, no, no. This is not happening. Everything is fine. It's not real."

Peyton began to cry and walked up to Nathan, attempting to console him. "Nate, she's gonna be fine, you'll see."

Nathan yanked his arm away from her. "No! It's your fault! If you and Brooke didn't take her with you, she would be fine." He walked over to Brooke. "Can't you go ONE day without shopping?!"

Brooke began to sob while Jake and Skills stopped Nathan.

"Nate," Jake urged as he held Peyton. "Back off. It's not they're fault." Nathan backed away. "We understand if –"

"No. No you don't. You don't because I, I can't." Nathan's voice was eerily calm and even. He ran a hand swiftly through his hair only to do it again, grabbing a clump tightly and then releasing it. He began to walk away. Keith called out to him.

"Nate?"

Nathan looked back towards his second father. "I just need some air."

No one was in the shape to console him. Or stop him.

All any one could do really, was wait.

A/N: So, how do we like the realchapter? Don't worry, both characters will make a conscious appearance on Monday. Have a great weekend…go see Shrek!

xNaley-2158x: There's a bump in the fairytale, but it's not the end!

HJS-NS-23, ell6ange, scott-bruthr-luvr3-23, TutorGal23, courtneylovejason, daymiracle: You all had me laughing and smiling. Hope it's going in a direction to your liking! Love the reviews!

Bellasmomma, rose: I think you guys were the calmest reviewers. I'll update Monday!

Krizue: Let's hope they're alright!

Naley, DukeForever: Glad I shocked you! Hope to keep it intriguing.