Chapter 5

"Hello" Haley said into the receiver

"Hey Hales its Peyt"

"Oh hey, what's up?"

"Um…Lucas and I are headed to the hospital…Brooke's there."

"What?" Haley didn't know what to think. She had just talked to her and she seemed fine. But not really. She was keeping something from everyone and maybe that had gotten to her, or even worse, had caused it. "What happened?"

"She passed out. I don't know much more."

"Okay thanks." and they hung up the phone.

"Brooke's in the hospital, she passed out of something. I got to get over there."

"Okay, let me grab the keys and we can head over" said Nathan and he immediately went to the bedroom.

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As Lucas and Peyton were waiting in the waiting room, Lucas was getting very scared that no news had been reported yet. He loved Brooke, even with all the shit that had been going on lately. He didn't want to never see her again. He leaned into Peyton and began crying.

"Luke, everything's gonna be okay. Brooke is the strongest person I know. She's gonna make it."

"Peyton…"

"Lucas, lets just wait and see what happens instead of playing the what if game, okay?" she wanted to, at this exact moment, for some reason, wanted to tell Lucas everything. That she loved him. That that was probably one of the reason Brooke broke up with him in the first place. And above all, at this moment of weakness for Lucas, seeing him cry, made her want to kiss him so badly, but she knew that this was not the place, so she repressed those feelings.

"K" he said faintly

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Brooke woke up in a tiny, mint green room, not knowing where she was. She began to worry when a nurse walked in.

"It's good to see you're up Ms. Davis." said the nurse

"Where the hell am I?"

"You're in the hospital. You passed out after drinking too much alcohol. You're lucky to be alive. We had to pump your stomach to get rid of the alcohol poisoning. Do you remember anything that happened?"

Brooke tried searching her brain to figure out what had happened but she kept coming up blank. Her head and body felt like a train had crashed head on into her. "No, I can't remember anything."

"That's what I figured, but I thought I would ask anyway." the nurse checked Brooke's IV fluids and then walked out the door to the waiting room where many people had gathered for her.

"Okay guys, she's awake, but barely. No more than two visitors at a time ok, and only for 20 minutes each. She needs her rest." the nurse said before disappearing down the hall.

"I think you should go in first Lucas" Haley said

"I don't think I'm the first person she would want to see. Why don't you go in Hales? You guys have become pretty close."

"I don't know." she said a little uneasy.

"I'll do it" Peyton said, surprising everyone including herself. She rose to her feet and walked to the room that contained her ex-best friend.

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There was a knock at Brooke's door.

"I don't want any visitors" she barked

Peyton opened the door anyways.

"So I figured, even though you don't want any, and even though we kind of hate each other at the moment I guess, you could use someone in this hell hole. I mean you were with me when my mom died so I guess I can only return the favor." she kind of smiled at Brooke, hoping that she would say something back.

"Thanks Peyton, but if I wanted someone, I believe you would be the last person I would want to see right now." Brooke answered and turned her head.

Peyton was about to leave when she turned back around and sat at the foot of the bed. "Listen Brooke, I know that the situation we're in right now is pretty sucky. And I know you pretty much hate me, but I want, and need you to know that I am always here for you. You can yell at me, and try to push me away all you want; and yeah I'll probably get mad back, but at the end of the day, I'll always be here. And that should count for something." she paused. The emotion she had sprung up and she began getting teary eyed. "You see Brooke, the thing is that you may not need me, but I need you. And although I've tried to fight that feeling, I can't seem to. You were my best friend for 10 years, I can't just let that go. I'm not gonna sit here and beg for your forgiveness, but I will be here, and at this moment, there's nothing you can really do about that." she stopped and stared at Brooke. She couldn't see her face because it was turned away. She just sat there hoping that Brooke would respond. She slowly turned around and Peyton could see tears rolling down the side of her face. "Brooke?"

"Peyton, I…..I….." at that moment Haley walked in.

"Lucas needs you, he says its urgent. I know this is bad timing and all but…"
Peyton looked from Brooke to Haley and then back to Brooke.

"Go." Brooke barked.

"I'm sorry Brooke."

"You see Peyton, here's my problem, sometimes when I need you, you seem to be with Lucas." after the words had left Brooke's mouth, Peyton had left the room and Brooke began bawling.

"Brooke, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault." Haley said as she rushed over to Brooke.

"No Haley, it's not. It's mine."

"Brooke"

"Haley, can you please not let anyone else in, I really don't want any visitors right now."

"Brooke can you please tell me what's wrong with you, that would cause you to drink so much that you almost died. I mean what is so serious that you cant tell me?" Brooke began crying even harder. " Brooke?"

"I have Leukemia Haley. I'm sick. And I'm scared. And I'm all alone." She cried as hard as she could.

"Oh Brooke" Haley said so comforting. "Why couldn't you tell me? I would have been there for you."

"I want people to be there for me without knowing I desperately need them, cause in that case, they're only there out of pity, and I don't want that. And secondly, I don't want anyone to know. You have to promise you wont tell anyone." Brooke answered between sobs.

"I promise" Haley answered, another secret the two shared from the rest of the world.

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