Author's Note: Hey guys! I'm back with Chapter 12! Sorry I didn't update sooner, it's just been a crazy week with finals and work and I had a case of writer's block for this story. I also had to help around the house, put up the Christmas tree and cater to my parents because they couldn't get off their lazy asses and do things for themselves. As you can see, I got off of being ground because otherwise, I wouldn't be posting another chapter right now. Boy am I glad to have the computer back. Two weeks without it and no way to write the stories (because I strictly write them on the computer, I don't have hard copies in notebooks or anything like that.) Okay, so I know this chapter is very short and BEYOND sucky! I know it, you'll know it after you read it, so just go ahead and admit it! If you hate it, tell me. It still isn't going to change the chapter. You do have something to look forward to though. I am planning on making the next chapter have the 'Big moment' so you can be happy about that. And for those who asked, yes, I will be continuing this story after they get together. Okay, I've said enough now. Here's Chapter 12 of In the Presence of an Angel! I hope you guys like it! As always, please read and review!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. One Tree Hill and its characters are property of the WB.

Rating: PG to PG-13

In the Presence of an Angel

Chapter 12

Two days later, Brooke was still confined to bed and she tried not to call Haley for every little thing she thought she needed. She hated feeling so helpless and she was itching to get out of bed, but knew Haley would kill her if she did. She was tired of sleeping, tired of sitting there, and just plain tired of being tired. Haley had provided her with things to do; books, homework, word searches, and crossword puzzles, but she had never been good at those.

Brooke sighed; she was bored. Haley hadn't been up to see her in over an hour; maybe she had decided to get some sleep herself. It seemed that ever since Brooke had left the hospital and come to Haley's house, Haley hadn't gotten even a minute of sleep. Although she could have slept while Brooke was knocked out from the pills, Brooke could tell that it was taking a toll on her. Haley had acquired dark circles under her puffy red eyes and her voice lacked its usual cheerfulness.

Brooke carefully got out of bed with painstaking slowness, standing on shaky legs. Using solid structures to grip onto as she took baby steps out of the bedroom and down the hall, she searched for Haley in all the rooms but couldn't find her. She looked outside and saw that Haley's car was still here. So where was Haley?

Brooke went to the back door and opened it to get some fresh air; that's where she found Haley. The girl was sitting on the bench swing sideways with her legs curled tight to her chest as she looked out into the expanse of the backyard, tears trickling down her cheeks. Haley was so preoccupied that she didn't notice Brooke standing beside her. "Haley, are you okay," Brooke asked tentatively then cursed herself silently. Of course she wasn't okay, she was crying.

Haley whipped her head around at the sound of Brooke's voice and quickly wiped the tears away then said loudly, "Brooke! What are you doing out of bed? You're still supposed to be on strict bed rest until tomorrow!" Brooke fumbled with her hands and replied nervously, not liking the pissed look Haley was glaring her way, "I-I was bored and-and you hadn't come to check on me in over an hour. I wanted to see if you were alright. You've hardly slept since I came home from the hospital and you've got dark circles under your eyes. You need to get some sleep. You can't watch me 24/7; you're running yourself ragged." Brooke smiled inwardly at a thought, 'I called Haley's house 'home'. Her house is home to me…' "I'm fine," Haley responded a little coldly then said in a slightly softer tone, "You're the one that needs taking care of, not me." "You were crying, Haley! If that isn't a sign that you need to be taken care of, then I don't know what is," Brooke exclaimed.

"I was just remembering memories of my brother," Haley said sadly as she buried her head in her knees. A shocked expression appeared on Brooke's face; she had forgotten about that; the anniversary of Haley's brother's death was tomorrow. She wrapped her arms around Haley's body and whispered in her ear, "I'm sorry… I forgot that it was tomorrow…"

"It's okay," Haley pulled away, "now let's get you back to bed." She stood and began to scoop her up, but Brooke shook her head, "I don't want to go back to bed. Can we watch a movie on the couch?" Haley nodded and tried to pick her up again, but Brooke wouldn't budge. "No, I want to walk," Brooke said. "Brooke…" Haley began to protest, but Brooke gave her a sad puppy look and a whiny "please…" She nearly melted with that look and all her organs became jelly. "Alright, but let me help you. Put your arm around my shoulders." Haley wrapped an arm around Brooke's waist and they slowly made their way back into the house and to the couch where Haley carefully lowered her onto it.

"What movie do you want to watch," she asked as she walked over to the video cabinet. "Hmm, how about Bring It On Again? I love that Marni chick; she's so neurotic and bitchy. Sometimes I wonder if me and the other cheerleaders are ever like that." "You guys can be sometimes," Haley said a little reservedly, "but some are like that by nature and others just act like that to fill the cheerleader stereotype so they won't see the real person inside." She smiled softly at Brooke, remembering the night Brooke had opened up to her and told her things about herself that she had never known. Brooke smiled back at her.

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The next day, Haley entered her bedroom where Brooke was currently reading and patted her leg. Come on, I'll help you get dressed. We need to go," she said sadly. Brooke knew not to protest and carefully stood while Haley got out some clothes for her. Once she was dressed, Haley grabbed their coats and purses then her keys and they left. On the way, they stopped at a florist where Haley picked out a beautiful bouquet of assorted flowers.

They finally reached their destination half an hour later; the cemetery. Haley drove past rows and rows of headstones and Brooke began to feel a little creeped out. Once they parked, Haley helped Brooke out of the car and carefully led her up a hill that had a tall oak residing on top. "Wait here, I'll come get you when I'm ready," she stated. She then walked down the other side of the hill and was a few feet away from it before she collapsed to her knees in front of a small marble headstone.

Haley got down on her knees and carefully laid the flowers on the ground of her brother's grave. She slowly traced the engraving of his name with an index finger before she burst into tears. "Hey little brother," she said, "I wish you were here… So much is going on in my life right now and I'm not sure how to handle all of it… I wish I had someone here to talk to…" She felt the wind pick up and her hair drift out as it blew away from her face. "Ryan," she asked in a whisper as she looked up into the air. As if to answer her, the wind blew fiercely again for a moment before settling down to a gentle breeze once more. "Oh Ry, I miss you so much… I need your help, I need some advice… I don't know what to do about Brooke, I love her a lot, you know? But I can't tell her how I feel because she doesn't feel the same way…" She knew it was kind of foolish to ask her three-year-old brother, dead or not, for advice but she had no one else to talk to about this besides Jake.

Lucas appeared beside Brooke and he stared at Haley crouched on the ground crying; he too held flowers in his hand. "How's she been doing," he asked quietly, his gaze never faltering from Haley. "She's been crying a lot and a little withdrawn. I don't think she's gotten any sleep since I came home from the hospital with her," Brooke replied sadly. "I'm going to go see her," he stated as he began to make his way down towards Haley. Brooke watched as Lucas crouched down beside her and took her in his arms; she wished that she could be the one comforting Haley. After a few minutes of words spoken between the two, Lucas slowly pulled away. Haley pressed her hand to her lips then placed it on her brother's headstone before wiping her eyes and standing, beginning to climb back up the hill while Lucas paid his respects.

"Hey Ryan, it's Lucas," he began, "a lot has gone on this year, let me tell you. I joined the school basketball team and I started dating this wonderful cheerleader named Peyton; we've been together for almost six months now. You would like her. Your sister is one amazing girl, you know that? Remember Nathan? I told you about him, didn't I? Well, he's my half-brother and for the longest time I hated him because he got the dad and I didn't. But I realize now that I'm the one who lucked out; I had Keith as my dad and he's the best father I could ever ask for. And Haley, she started tutoring Nathan behind my back. I was beyond angry when I found out because at that time, he had been my enemy ever since Mom told me about him. Haley saw something in Nathan that others didn't and eventually she started to change him, he started showing a different side of himself and he and Haley became friends. I tried to get along with him for Haley's sake, but then the big fight happened and once I realized that she wasn't sleeping with him, me and Nathan made up. We're going to try to be friends first then maybe sometime in the future, we can be brothers. Haley needs your help Ry, I've tried helping her but she just pushes me away. I don't know what's going on with her and when I ask her, she just says it's because of you, this time of year. I know better, there's something else bothering her. Please give her the guidance she needs…"

Haley waited with Brooke silently, unmoving, as Lucas finished talking to her brother. When she saw him stand up and make his way towards them, she took Brooke's hand in her own and began to walk down the hill. The three met in the middle of the incline and Haley said quietly to Luke, "We'll be back in a few minutes." He nodded as she and Brooke continued on down the hill.

Both girls knelt near the headstone and Haley brushed a hand against the smooth marble then looked up into the expanse of the gray sky. "Hey Ry," she said, "I've brought someone for you to meet. This is Brooke; she's my best friend besides Luke." The wind began to shift and pick up again, causing their hair to twist and turn to its discretion. "Haley, I know this sounds kind of weird considering I never really knew him, but could I be alone to talk for a little bit," Brooke asked. Haley gave her a small smile and nodded before rejoining Lucas.

"Hey Ryan, this is Brooke. I know that I never met you or knew you, but I still feel like I know you somehow. She misses you a lot, you know. I love her so much Ryan, but I'm scared. And Haley doesn't even like me like that… She's gone through a lot these past few weeks Ry, and I know she needs your help. Please help her with whatever she's going through because no matter how hard I try, she won't let me in. Sure, she tells me things, but I can tell there's something she's hiding from people, not just me. Please help her," Brooke requested as she placed her hand to the marble rock.

Once they had gotten home, they sat silently for a while with Haley crying as Brooke hugged her. After about an hour, Haley had finally drifted off into slumber. Brooke carefully picked her up and carried her to the bedroom and kissing her softly on the forehead before slipping under the covers beside her.