2 Weeks later

Nathan still hadn't woke up yet but he was now talking while in the coma. Ariel was there everyday, she never went to school, her friends would bring her, her assignments. Today though she had to go because the principal wanted to talk to her. So now she was sitting in the office waiting for Mr. Delfena.

"Ariel, you can go in now." Ariel nodded and walked in to his office. He smiled and motioned for her to take a seat.

"Ariel, I wanted to see how you were doing since the accident." Ariel smiled and nodded.

"I'm fine, I'm just worried about Nathan." Mr. Delfena nodded and passed her two envelopes. They were for her and Nathan and were from Duke. Ariel opened hers and read it quickly. She had got in but what did that mean anymore. She looked up at Mr. Delfena and he gave her a sympathetic smile. "Can I go?"

"Yeah go ahead." Ariel grabbed her stuff and left the office, making her way to her car.

"ARIEL!" Ariel turned around and saw Brooke running towards her.

"Brooke, hey!" Brooke grabbed her into a hug. Ariel pulled away and gave her a smile.

"Hunny, how are you? I'm sorry I haven't been to the hospital for awhile but I'm busy trying to graduate." Brooke laughed and Ariel smiled. She had missed hanging out with Brooke. "So why are you here?"

"Mr. Delfena wanted to talk to me. I got accepted to Duke, Nathan got a letter to but I didn't open it. They aren't going to give him a scholarship now, you know that right! He's not going to be able to play anymore." Brooke gave her a sympathetic smile and hugged her. Ariel said goodbye to her and headed over to the hospital. She walked into Nathans room and had the shock of her life. He was sitting up, talking with the doctors. He was awake! He looked over at her but she saw the look in his eyes. The doctor had already told him about basketball. Ariel walked over to him and sat down with him, grabbing his hand. The doctor left and he looked at her, with sadness in his eyes.

"Hey, I'm glad you're awake." Nathan nodded and kissed her forehead. "Everything will be okay Nate."

"No it won't, I probably will never play basketball again and my chance to go to Duke is ruined." Ariel nodded, not knowing what to say.

"Nathan, isn't there something else you want to do besides playing basketball and don't say it's your life because if it's your whole life where does that leave me." Nathan shrugged his shoulders and looked at his hands.

"I was so damn good at basketball though." Ariel nodded and thought for a moment.

"At least you got to play basketball. Since I was a little girl all I ever wanted to do was be on the basketball team but you couldn't because girls are too fragile. So I never got to play, I had to watch from the sidelines all the time. So at least you got to experience it." Nathan looked up at her in shock.

"I never knew you wanted to play basketball."

"Yeah well what was the point of talking about it when I knew it was never going to even happen." Ariel looked down at her hands and sighed. "I know you are hurting but all I can say is that at least you didn't die. What would I have done if you did die."

"I know I should be thinking about the positives but it's hard and it's probably going to take some time for me to get over this." Ariel nodded and grabbed his hand.

"And I'll be there for you, always. Only if you want me to though." Nathan smiled and gave her a kiss on the lips.

"Of course I do." Ariel nodded and leaned into him. Both of them laying there watching the television. The door was opened, Brooke, Peyton, Lucas and Jake walked in. They all smiled when they saw that Nathan was awake. Brooke ran over to him and gave him a hug.

"OH Nathan thank god, I didn't think you were going to wake up." Nathan laughed at her and Brooke pulled away. The rest of them gave him a hug and sat down around him and Ariel.

"So Nate how you feeling?" Lucas asked with concern, knowing about the basketball thing.

"Like my life is over." Ariel gave him a disappointed look and got up.

"I'm getting coffee, anyone want any?" Peyton and Brooke nodded and went with her. She looked back at Nathan who was laying back with his eyes closed. She walked out of the room down to where the coffee machine was. She got her coffee and sat down on one of the couches, Peyton and Brooke following her.

"You okay?" Ariel looked at Brooke with tears in her eyes and shook her head. Brooke put an arm around her and Ariel leaned into her.

"I know that basketball is everything to him but shouldn't he be grateful that he didn't die and doesn't he care about me. I'm just tired and confused and upset." Peyton grabbed her head and Ariel looked at her.

"He loves you Ariel, he's just upset at the moment about the whole basketball thing. Eventually he will get over it but you just have to be patient with him, okay." Ariel nodded and hugged her two friends. Luke and Jake came around the corner and Luke cleared his throat causing the three girls to look up at him.

"Ummm... Ariel Nathan wants to see you." Ariel nodded and walked back to his room and sat down in the chair beside him. He grabbed her hand and she looked up at him. He gave her a small smile but she didn't return it.

"I'm sorry Ariel, I'm just really upset about everything you know. Ariel if you weren't in my life, I would wish that I was dead. I'm lucky to have you but I probably will be miserable about everything for awhile." Ariel nodded and climbed into the bed with him. He put an arm around her and snuggled her close. Ariel leaned up and gave him a kiss on the lips. "Everything will turn out right, I promise."