I'm a loser but hey I promised to put another one up so here it is and not one hint. Read to find out how much your are going to hate me at the end and when you get there make sure you let me know just how sucky you think I am. I own nothing of OTH.

Chapter 15

Reconcile

The ride to the hospital was long. It was pure torture. The guys weren't allowed to ride in the ambulances so they walked back to Haley's SUV and drove there. Neither cared about the cold or how tired they were from their water rescues. All they wanted, all they cared about was on the way to Tree Hill Memorial Hospital. Neither had been so happy to hear that paramedic say they got Brooke back. She was alive. It was like having Christmas and a birthday all in one. The other concern was Haley. She was breathing and her heart was beating but she hadn't woken up by the time they left the bridge. What if she hit her head on the way down? None of the questions either men had were going to be put to rest till they knew both women were okay.

"It's going to be okay Nate. Haley's tough. She wouldn't let anything take her away from Jamie."

"What the hell was she thinking Luke? She could've gotten herself killed, she still could die and I…I don't know what I'd do if I lost her again."

Nathan's voice was all over the place. Lucas could tell something must've happened between them and for a second he was glad. It would at least be great if one couple found their way back to each other.

"It's gonna be okay. It has to be."

Nathan glanced over at his brother and saw the doubt.

"You're right Luke, it will be. I mean you heard the guy, they got a heart rhythm back."

"What if it's not enough Nate. She was in that water for a while before I found her."

"But you found her, and she's alive and it will work out, like you said. It has to."

They finally arrived and parked as fast as possible and started running to the emergency bay. When they got up there they saw the same paramedics from earlier and they were rushing Brooke inside.

"We lost her again, get the paddles charged and clear an OR she's got a gunshot wound to the…."

Everything else after that was a blur. Lucas caught a glimpse of her once lively face as they rushed by and saw nothing but emptiness. Lucas was now terrified. How did he not realize she had been shot? He was supposed to protect her, to save her. He now felt like he hadn't done that at all. They sat in the white waiting room for word on either woman. Lucas was sitting with his back to the sliding doors, Nathan was looking at all the faces in the room. Some hurting, some happy.

"Haley James Scott?" The doctor asked as he appeared from the double doors.

Nathan shot up and rushed him.

"I'm her husband, is she okay?"

"Mrs. Scott suffered a significant blow to the head on impact from the water. We've checked her brain activity and it looks promising enough. We're concerned however for the amount of time she has been unconscious."

"Can I see her?"

"Yes sir right this way."

Nathan nodded to Lucas and followed the doctor inside those double doors. Lucas was now sitting in the waiting room waiting for any indication of this working out. After an hour of no word he decided to go to the chapel after he gave the receptionist his number to call if they came out asking for anyone there for Brooke Davis. He made it to the chapel and felt a feeling of déjà vu. The last time he was there was when they brought Keith in after the accident and he had been in the chapel when they came out and said Keith didn't make it. Lucas had been praying non-stop and was sure when he and Brooke left that chapel that they'd get good news. Brooke had been with him. They had only suffered a few scratches from when he saw the car coming and jumped to her to push her out of the way. Brooke had been his rock during that time. And when they saw his mother crumpled up on the floor with Haley holding her they knew that all the prayers in the world wouldn't help them now. Mostly Lucas had lost a lot of his faith and himself that night. Now he stood back in front of those doors and ready to pray. He walked all the way through the empty chapel to the altar that was covered in candles. He kneeled down and placed his brow in his gathered hands and started talking.

"I know it's been a long time….a really long time but I got a favor to ask. I need you to make it so Brooke is okay. Not just tonight but from now on. I want her to be happy and safe and…if that's not here help her find her way. If you make sure she's okay then I'll back off. I won't pressure her or keep trying to make her want me back. I'll let her be just…just please don't take her away from us like Keith."

"You know I think you actually mean what you said Lukey."

Looks like other Brooke was back but something was different, she didn't seem so cold.

"I do mean it" Lucas said wiping a few of his tears away and knocking them to the floor. He didn't want to look up at the apparition but something in him willed it to happen. He turned to see 'Brooke' sitting on the front pew behind him, holding what looked to be a baby. She was dressed in a white dress and holding a blue blanket. He wanted to smile but he knew all this was in his head. There was no happily ever after.

"You aren't real."

"I'm real to you…" she looked down at the child in her arms, "and he's real if you want him to be."

"I do but it doesn't work that way Brooke. I don't get the happily ever after with the woman I love, she's probably somewhere in the hospital dying. I must think so deep down if you're here."

"Maybe I am here to soften the blow just like when she was there when Keith died…or maybe I'm here to show you that you can't give up on us. I was hard on you for a reason Luke but now that it's all out in the open you have nothing to feel guilty about. You should call him. He'd want to be here with her too."

"I'm not calling that Jake guy, he doesn't belong here."

"The way I figure it, he has just as much right if not more to be here. He loves her."

"He loves Sophia. I love Brooke."

"Now you're starting to be that guy again Lukey. Don't be that guy. It's not what SHE needs. Be the Lucas Scott that she loved and maybe…maybe you can have what it is you want."

'Brooke' looked down to the blanket and smiled. Lucas knew his wishful thinking was impossible, to have Brooke holding his baby, having his last name. That was his desire. He rose from the ground as his cell began to ring.

"Nathan what's up?"

"Haley's up and the doctor just came out with news about Brooke. Where are you?"

"Chapel, I'm on the way back."

He walked out the chapel past 'Brooke' who was still cooing at the imaginary baby and looked up and smiled at him. It was a dream he knew he was going to have to let go of. He made it back to the emergency room and found a waiting Nathan. He hugged him tightly to enjoy the news.

"Haley is awake man and the doctors say she's going to be okay. Just a few bumps and bruises."

"That's good." He said as the doctor approached

"Mr. Scott I'm doctor Edwards, I worked on Brooke."

"Is she going to be okay?"

"She suffered minimal damage to her shoulder. There was a clean exit wound that made things easier. There were a few times when they lost her but she's stable now. We have her on a ventilator to help her breathing. We're still waiting on some tests but the prognosis is good so far. The rest is up to her at this point."

"Can we see her" Lucas asked with hope.

"Sure, right this way."

The pair followed and Nathan broke away to go see Haley so Lucas could have some time alone with Brooke. When Lucas walked in he saw a vision fragile beauty. He had never seen her look so delicate. He almost wanted to crumble up into a ball but he held onto his break down for her. He sat beside her bed and let the few tears he had fell down his solemn face. Out of habit he reached out to grab her hand but hesitated. He'd made a promise to god that if she made it he's let go and that's what he planned on doing but what if having someone there helped. So against his better judgment he reached out and cradled her hand in both of his. Her skin was so warm and for that he was thankful.

"Hey Pretty Girl" he said with his voice sounding so broken, "I know I'm probably the last person you wanted to have bedside but…I felt the need to be here. Pretty Girl you got to wake up and get better."

Lucas was trying to stifle his sobs but was unsuccessful.

"God I love you so much. You remember the boat baby. You said you loved me and that you weren't going anywhere. You can't go anywhere Brooke. I need you."

He was struggling in the worst way and almost jumped out of his skin when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Sorry man but uh…Haley wanted to see you."

Lucas wiped his face on his forearm and cleared his throat. He quickly got up as Nathan spoke the room number.

"Stay with her. Talk to her."

"I will, I'll watch her while you're gone."

Lucas nodded and then left to see his friend. When he rounded the corner to her room he saw her wringing her hands and holding back her own tears. She looked up when Lucas stepped in the room and all the emotion she had been holding on to spilled out.

"Oh my god Lucas I'm so sorry. I should've grabbed the gun" Haley said crying her eyes out. Lucas quickly made it to her bedside and wrapped her up in his arms. She gripped his shirt and buried her face in his chest, fearing her actions had caused them to lose Brooke all over again.

"Shh Haley it's okay."

"But it's my fault!"

"No this is all Peyton's fault. You probably saved her life."

"How Luke, she's here fighting for her life and we don't know how bad it's going to be."

"The doctors said she's stable. You know Brooke she's strong. She wouldn't leave you Jamie or Nathan again."

Haley sniffled and pushed off Lucas so she could look into his eyes.

"She said she still loved you. It's not too late Luke."

Lucas let out an exhausted sigh and smiled at Haley.

"It is too late Hales. Too much damage has been done and…even if she did still love me, love isn't enough. I went to the chapel when they brought you guys in. I prayed for the first time in years."

Haley continued to listen as she stroked his back lovingly.

"Haley I promised that if she same out of this I'd let her go and that's exactly what I plan to do."

"Lucas-"

"No Haley it's what's best for her and that's all I want. I think I'm gonna go for a walk."

Haley's sympathetic smile did little for his spirit as he walked out. He stopped at the door and spoke one last time.

"I'm really happy you're okay Haley and I'm really glad you and Nathan are finding your way back to each other."

She didn't know how he knew because she was sure Nathan didn't say anything but she wasn't surprised, Lucas always knew her like the back of his hand.

Lucas was going to go back to Brooke's room but stopped at the sound of his brother's voice.

"…and I can't even believe I'm saying this but...I think you and Luke should give it another go. I know what I said about him not being good enough for you but you should've seen him. The guy was going to jump off a thirty foot bridge after you. People don't just do that without love being the drive behind it." Nathan took a beat and decided he needed to speak on lighter things. "Me and Haley decided to make a go of it again. We figured life's too short to let the past stop us from loving each other, being a family. I love you Brooke, Haley does too but Lucas is in love with you. He needs you to get better like Jamie does. I know what he did was horrible but I hope you can forgive him Brooke. You gotta come back to us and make the family whole again. Well I think I've talked your ear off enough. I'll be back soon Brookie. You better be here when I get back."

Nathan stood and placed a soft kiss on her forehead and turned to walk out when he caught sight of Lucas.

"How long you been there?"

"Long enough to feel like hell froze over. You telling her to forgive me must mean I drowned when I went back in the water to pull her out."

"No I guess I just realized that when two people belong together it's pointless to try and fight it."

"You mean like you and Haley."

"And like you and Brooke. Look I hated your ass with a passion that night and a lot of nights after that but now I guess I see what she saw in you back then. You might not be such an ass after all."

"Same to you little brother. Uh Haley's probably waiting on you. You go make our girl happy."

"Will do. You too."

Nathan walked back to Haley's room leaving Lucas alone in Brooke's doorway. The sound of the beeping heart monitor made him feel confident enough in his choice that he had just made. He knew Brooke better than anyone and knew what would make her happy. He walked to the front receptionist desk and asked to use the phone.

"Uh yes number for the Hargrove Motel…yeah connect me please."

The sun was a minor annoyance when Brooke finally cracked her eyes open. The first thing she registered was that first, her shoulder hurt like hell. Next her mouth was dry and her throat was sore. Then when her eyes adjusted she saw Jake curled up in the seat next to her bed. For just a second she expected to wake up and see Lucas, part of her was disappointed but she knew that road was one that she couldn't go back down. So instead she made a choice that she was happy to see Jake there. She tried to speak but the tubes that had been down her throat had only been removed for a day. Since speaking wasn't working she inched her hand over to the bed's remote and tossed off the side of the bed. That action alone sent shocks of pain though her body. Jake stirred first looking at the remote on the ground and then up at the brunette that looked less than happy to be in a hospital.

"Talk about déjà vu huh Brooke."

She went to speak again but a scratchy mess came out.

"Water" was what she got out. Jake smiled and grabbed the cup and brought it to her lips. She coughed a bit but the water was like heaven.

"What… happened?"

"Well from what Nathan told me you, Haley and that crazy woman went over the side of the bridge and into the water."

"Where… Haley?"

"She's much better than you. They let her out of this place a few days ago."

"How… long?"

"How long you been out?"

Brooke nodded.

"Eight days. You had a lot of people worried. I'm gonna go get the doctor and call them and tell them you're awake."

Brooke offered her dimpled smile as he got up. Just when he made it a few steps out the door the doctor caught him.

"Oh hey doc I wanted to let you know she's awake."

"That's great. We were all rooting for her. Would've been a shame to lose both of them."

"What?"

"Yeah, oh uh I guess no one came back to tell you guys but after the pregnancy test came back positive we did an ultrasound and found out that the baby was doing fine last time we checked. I'll get right in there and recheck her vitals and make sure everything is still on the up and up. Congratulations by the way" the doctor said patting Jake on the back as he walked to the nurses' station. He left behind a shell shocked Jake, standing there as if someone had socked him in the gut.

Bum Bum BUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMM. I have a flare for the dramatic and trust me it gets good still. Okay so I feel like I'm punished enough and it will be next week before there's another update on this one and I will resume the regular schedule. A'ight peeps time to hit that button cause simon says. Don't be shy.