Author's Note: Hey guys! I'm back with Chapter 9! This chapter has lots of drama in it just so you know. I have to say that I'm surprised at how well this story is going, both in the way I'm writing it and the WONDERFUL reviews I've been receiving for it. When I first started out this story, I had ideas for the beginning, the end, and a few select scenes in between. Other than that, the rest of the writing was up to my hands. Sometimes the words just come so easily to me that I don't even think about what I'm writing and when I read over it again, it fits so perfectly with where I want the story to go. Part of this inspiration is due to all of your lovely reviews, which I appreciate VERY much. Well, here's Chapter 9! As always, please read and review!
Disclaimer: I own nothing. One Tree Hill and its characters belong to the WB.
Rating: PG to PG-13
P.S. – I turn 18 in 5 DAYS!!!!
In the Presence of An Angel
Chapter 9
The next three days went off without incident and Haley was glad to be back at school again. She didn't want to mope around her house any longer and was happy for the distraction. She met up with Luke and Peyton by his locker, but her arrival went unnoticed as the two lovebirds were furiously making out. It reminded her of Friday night with Brooke and she smiled then it turned to a frown because she missed Brooke, missed being close to her. She put a smile back on her face and greeted her friends, "Hey guys. How was your weekend?" "It was amazing," Peyton said happily, excitement bursting in her eyes. Luke started blushing and Haley smiled even wider, "Lucas Scott, are you blushing? I thought I'd never see the day after that one time in third grade when that girl, I think her name was Mindy, kissed you."
"I was eight years old! I had never been kissed by a girl before," Lucas protested and when Haley opened her mouth to say something he quickly replied, "and my mother doesn't count." Haley closed her mouth and smiled again, "You know me too well." "Apparently not enough," he muttered under his breath. Haley heard this and responded crossly, ""Lucas, if I really wanted you to know, I would tell you. I will tell you when I'm ready, so until then would you please drop it?" He nodded mutely and then Jake walked up, "Hey kids, what's shakin'?" Haley grabbed his arm and pulled him away from Lucas and Peyton, "We've got to go."
Haley still had her hand on Jake's arm as they walked towards their first hour, Chemistry. "Haley, what's wrong," Jake asked concernedly. "Sorry, I just needed to get out of there." He gently removed her hand and held it, "What's going on Hales?" "Luke is just starting to get on my nerves. He knows something is bothering me but I won't tell him and he's mad about that because I usually talk to him about everything. But I can't tell him about this Jake; he wouldn't understand. Then we might not be as close as we are. Well, we haven't been that close lately besides that one night that Luke tried to make up with me from the fight with Nathan and the whole sleeping-with-him ordeal, but I'm afraid we might drift apart even more if he knew."
Jake hugged her, giving her silent comfort, for he knew not what to say to her in words. They parted from each other and Haley put a smile on her face as she said sarcastically, "Come on Jake, we've got some oh-so-exciting chemistry to learn about. Won't that be so much fun?" "Oh yeah, it'll be a blast," Jake replied in the same tone as they both laughed. They both entered their classroom and sat beside each other, talking before class began.
Despite being back at school, Haley dreaded going to her second hour, English, one of the classes she had with Brooke. She entered the class early and sat in her usual seat, this being one of the classes that didn't have assigned seats. Haley busied herself with reading a book to distract her from Brooke, who would probably be sauntering into the classroom in her usual late fashion a few minutes from now. What she didn't know though, was that Brooke had arrived to English a little early, hoping Haley would sit by her. However, it was if Haley had given her the cold shoulder. Or was it possible that she had not seen her sitting there? Was this how it was going to be? Friends outside of school but acting like they didn't know each other during it?
She tried to fight the tears threatening to fall and after a few moments of slow, steady breaths, she finally succeeded. It was getting all so hard. She missed Haley; she missed their closeness. It felt so right being in Haley's arms when she'd stayed at her house, no matter the circumstances it had been in. She wished they could be that close again, but knew that it would never happen, especially not in the way she wanted it to. So for once, she concentrated on her work, trying to forget about Haley.
When Brooke had not entered the classroom for half an hour, she looked around the room and spotted her. She had one arm curled, her fist between her neck and shoulder, and her cheek rested against the bottom of her arm as she leaned against it, her head almost on the desk surface. The back of Brooke's head greeted Haley and she looked on sadly as Brooke continued to write in her notebook.
As soon as English was over, she quickly met up with Jake, grabbing her books and rushing out of class to avoid Brooke. "Jake, it's getting so hard… I don't know what to do. I'm trying so hard to fight these feelings but I can't…I miss her so much…" she confessed to him in an emotional voice. He put his arm around her shoulders and spoke softly, "I know you do sweetie. Why don't you come to my house tonight to help me out with Jenny and we can talk about everything okay? Besides, I can't carry on a real conversation with Jenny. She just babbles and laughs at me. She doesn't really talk back." Haley giggled and replied, "Just wait until she gets to her teen years, then she'll really talk back." "Oh god, if she's anything like Nikki, I'll be in real trouble." "Nah, she won't be like that. Not when she's got such a great guy for a father. I just want you to know that it means so much to me that you're here for me to talk to. Nobody else I know would be as understanding as you," Haley replied sincerely as she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him lightly on the cheek, "Thanks Jake. I'll see you later tonight."
From down the hall, Brooke watched the exchange and Haley's happy smile as they parted from each other. Seeing this somehow triggered something in her mind and a scene flooded to her vision.
Brooke and Peyton had just entered Nathan's beach house and she searched for Haley, knowing she would be there. She quickly glanced at the dance floor then looked for Lucas, thinking she might be hanging out with him. However, her gaze was drawn back to the dance floor and she finally spotted Haley. However, what she saw was like a punch in the chest. She saw Haley kissing Jake. It was as if she couldn't breathe, the lights and music becoming fuzzier as she fought to reclaim oxygen. She quickly turned away from the sight as fast as she had seen it and made her way to the drink table to grab two cups then drank them both down. This was going to be a long night.
As she remembered this, Brooke thought, 'So Haley and Jake are together now.' This caused her to breathe harder and her heart to constrict in her chest. Pain radiated in her chest and spread through her body like a virus. She felt her left arm go numb and her legs become weak and shaky. Brooke was scared; she didn't know what was happening to her. Before she had a chance to scream for help, she collapsed onto the hard tile flooring. Her last thought before slipping into unconsciousness was of Haley; her beautiful face and bright smile but then the scene she had just witnessed clouded her vision and she thought, 'I'm too late…'
Later that afternoon, Haley knocked on Jake's door and he greeted her with a warm smile, "Hey Hales. Come on in." "I brought food. Hamburgers and fries for us and macaroni and applesauce for the little tyke," she smiled back then set the bag of food on the coffee table then went to Jenny's crib in the far side of the living room. She gazed down at the young child who stared back up at her with her soft honey brown eyes so much like her father's and her happy smile. "Hey Jenny girl. How are you sweetie? Aren't you just so beautiful? Yes you are," Haley cooed as Jenny babbled in response. She tickled the little girl's tummy and Jenny began to giggle loudly. "Can I hold her," Haley asked Jake as she turned to him. He nodded and she gently picked up Jenny then cradled her in her arms.
"Would you like to feed her," Jake asked as he held up a bottle of warm milk. Haley gave him a soft smile, "I'd like that." "Good. While you feed her, I'll go set up dinner in the kitchen," Jake responded as Haley nodded and took the bottle from him. Jake left with the food and Haley started humming as she walked around the room, swaying from side to side, as she fed Jenny.
After a few minutes, Haley said softly to the girl, "You are so lucky Jenny, to have someone that loves you so much. Your father is an amazing guy and I know he will always be there for you. You're so lucky to have him; cherish him for as long as you live and for all you're worth. Me, I don't have parents as amazing as your dad. Mine don't even care about me. Even though I know I have great friends and everything, sometimes I just feel so by myself, so alone. How can I have friends all around me and feel alone?"
Haley began to cry softly and Jake, who had been listening from the entrance to the living room, walked in further and placed his hand on her back. She jumped at his touch and cringed a little that he had heard what she'd said. "You're not alone, Haley. I'm here for you, whatever you need," he said quietly. He hugged her gently, Jenny snuggled in between them, as she cried on his shoulder.
Suddenly, there was a frantic knock on the door and Jake went to answer it, Haley following him with Jenny still in her arms. As soon as Jake opened the door, Nathan took a second to register the scene with Haley holding Jenny in her arms and her tearstained cheeks but she had a smile on her face. "Nathan, what are you doing here," Haley asked. "Brooke's in the hospital. Peyton told me to come get you and Jake; she's there with Luke now," Nathan said, his face crumpled with sadness.
Haley covered her mouth with a hand and uttered softly, "Oh god no…" Haley would have fallen to the floor if she hadn't been holding Jenny, but she felt her knees go weak and Jake held her up for support. "What happened," Jake asked his friend. "I don't know. All Peyton told me was that Brooke collapsed at school this afternoon. She found her and they've been at the hospital ever since. She hasn't told me anything else. I'm heading over there now, I'll give you two a ride," Nathan explained. "I have to get some stuff for Jenny," Jake said. "No Nathan, you go ahead. Jake and I will take my car," Haley said slowly, still in a state of shock. Nathan nodded and said his goodbyes.
After Nathan had left, Haley still stood there with the door wide open, her eyes wide with fright and clutching Jenny close to her chest. Jake was slightly worried that Haley might be hurting his young daughter because she had begun to whimper and cry a little. Jake carefully took her from Haley's grasp and still Haley did not move. He set Jenny down in her crib for a moment and went to console Haley. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked straight into her eyes, which were focused somewhere far off, "Brooke is going to be okay Haley." This shook her out of her daze and she started yelling, "How do you know that Jake? We don't even know what's wrong with her! She could have been hurt or maybe she's sick and didn't tell anybody! I can't lose her Jake! I can't lose her… I love her…" Haley finally collapsed to the floor in tears as sobs wracked her body and she rocked back and forth.
He crouched down beside her and held her, "You aren't going to lose her sweetie. I know Brooke; she's a fighter. The sooner we get to the hospital, the sooner we found out that she's okay." Haley nodded meekly and then helped Jake fix a bag of food, diapers, wipes, and toys for Jenny. They then bundled Jenny up in warm clothes and strapped her car seat into the back of Haley's car. Haley handed her keys to Jake, "I'm a nervous wreck Jake, you drive." He took the keys from her and started the car, driving carefully but quickly to the hospital.
As soon as they reached the emergency room, Haley rushed in and searched for Peyton and Lucas. She finally saw them in a corner with Nathan and she raced over, shouting, "Peyton, where is she? What's wrong with her? Please tell me!" Haley grabbed on to both of Peyton's hands as she looked pleadingly into her friend's eyes, begging for some kind, even just a little bit, of information on the love of her life. Peyton sat both of them down as she spoke softly, tears beginning to rise in her own eyes, "Brooke collapsed at school today and I brought her to the hospital. They did some tests and the doctor says that there was a spike in her heart rate, which caused her to go unconscious. When she fell, she hit her head on the flooring and she has a minor concussion. The doctor said that Brooke has been under extreme stress lately and that is what caused the spike. He also told us that she was dehydrated and that because of the concussion, she might not remember some things. He said that the memory loss could be temporary or permanent; either way, we'll have to wait until she wakes up. She hasn't woken up yet. She's so pale…" Haley stood up immediately and replied in a soft yet firm voice, "I need to see her." Peyton nodded and led her to the ICU, where she slowly opened the door to Brooke's room.
"Can I have a few minutes alone," Haley requested as she stood just a few feet inside the room, staring at Brooke's small form lying on the bed of white sheets, her pale ivory skin almost the same color. "Sure," Peyton said quietly as she closed the door. Once Haley saw that Peyton had left, she closed the blinds on the windows and pulled down the shade on the door so nobody would see. She pulled over a chair to her bedside and then leaned over her and kissed her softly on the forehead and then her mouth. She sat down and took Brooke's left hand in her own then pressed her lips to the back of her hand. "Hey Tigger," Haley said softly, "I'm so sorry I couldn't get here sooner… You need to be strong and come back to us, come back to me. I miss my best friend. I need you Brooke; you're one of the few people that understand me. You can't just leave me hanging here. You need to open those eyes and talk back. Please wake up…" Haley stroked her hair gently and brushed the back of her hand against Brooke's cheek. She then buried her head in the bed and cried.
About an hour later, Haley had dozed off but woke to the gentle squeeze of her hand and quickly looked up. Brooke was moving her head and she moaned in pain. Her eyes fluttered open slightly and she gazed at the person before her. "Who are you," Brooke asked confusedly as she pulled her hand away from Haley. Haley's eyes became as wide as saucers and she quickly stood and backed away from the bed in shock and fright, almost tripping over the chair. Tears welled in her eyes as she looked at her for one split second before running from the room.
Haley ran as fast as she could, desperately searching for the sliding emergency doors. She ran past the waiting room where all her friends sat and they saw her run by, all becoming worried of what had happened. "I'll go talk to her," Jake said, rising from his seat with Jenny in his arms. "I'll go see Brooke," Peyton replied in a shaky voice, hoping that nothing was wrong with her best friend.
Jake found her outside, huddled against a wall of the building as her body shuddered with immense sobs. "Haley, what happened? Is there something wrong with Brooke," Jake asked quietly as he sat down beside her. "She doesn't remember me…" Haley looked up at him with soaked cheeks, "she doesn't remember me, Jake. When she woke up, she asked who I was…" She cried into his shoulder and Jake responded softly, "It might only be temporary." "But what if it's permanent, Jake? What am I going to do? I can't lose her like that… it would kill me…" Jenny, sensing Haley's distress, reached out her arms to the young woman, her small hands barely touching Haley's cheeks.
Haley gently took Jenny from Jake and cradled the little girl in her arms, burying her head in the soft blanket that was wrapped around her. She inhaled Jenny's baby smell and the smell of baby powder and smiled slightly; she had always loved that smell. "You are so lucky that you are little, Jenny. You don't have to experience the troubles and hardships that life can bring you. You make the most of your childhood, little girl, because these days kids have to grow up so fast. Then one day you'll look back and realize how fast your life has passed you by. Live every day to its fullest because you will never have that day back again…" She kissed the baby's forehead and Jenny wrapped her small hand around Haley's index finger. She rocked the small child until her eyes had long since closed.
"You are so great with her," Jake whispered as Haley handed Jenny back over to Jake. However, she woke and began to whimper and cry again. He handed her back to Haley and Jenny settled down immediately. Jake shook his head and smiled softly, "My own daughter doesn't want me. She's only eleven months old and you've already corrupted her." Haley smiled too and shrugged her shoulders slightly, "Sometimes a baby just needs a woman's touch. Maybe she sensed how upset I was and wanted to comfort me. Babies can sense things like that." She looked down at Jenny, whose eyes were beginning to droop closed again, and whispered, "And you did comfort me. Thank you for making me feel better Jenny." She kissed the baby's crown again and Jake replied, "Hey what about me?" "You helped a lot too," she smiled as she laid her head on his shoulder, "thanks." "No thanks needed," Jake responded as he wrapped an arm around her, but then he felt her shiver, "come on, it's cold out here. Let's get inside."
They walked back into the hospital to find everyone in the waiting room with worried expressions on their faces. "How is Brooke," Jake asked. "We don't know, we haven't seen her yet. The doctor is checking on her and he said we can all see her when he's done," Peyton said sadly then looked up at Haley, "why did you run out? You had us so scared about you and that something had happened to Brooke." "She has memory loss, Peyton. She didn't remember me when she woke up…" Haley turned and buried her head in Jake's chest and he wrapped his arms around her. Lucas stood and Jake let go of Haley, allowing him to comfort his best friend. Lucas hugged her and rubbed her back, "I'm sorry… maybe it's only temporary." "That's what Jake said, but what if she doesn't remember us Luke, any of us?" She let that question hang in the air and everyone was silent as they thought of what would happen if the memory loss was permanent.
The doctor appeared in the waiting room and everyone looked expectantly up at him, awaiting the news on their friend. "Ms. Davis is fine. Her vitals look good and if everything goes well tonight, she should be able to go home tomorrow. You can all see her now," the doctor explained as he motioned them to follow. All were too happy about the news to remember to ask about the memory loss. Everybody filed into Brooke's hospital room; Jake and Haley, who was still holding a sleeping Jenny, were the last to enter. When Haley had come in, the memory of when she had last been in here hit her full force and she sucked in a vast amount of air as if it would be her last breath.
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Will Brooke remember the rest of the gang or will she have forgotten them too? Is her memory loss permanent or temporary?
You will find out in the next chapter of In the Presence of an Angel.