"Hey," Tim said as he entered Keith's room with Brooke right behind him.
Haley was at the window holding Keith, "hey guys," she said not looking at them.
Lucas was sitting in a chair reading a magazine, "hey you ready," he asked.
"I guess so," Tim answered, "I just wanted to come up here first and check on him. How is he," Tim asked.
"Weak," Haley answered, "he didn't even sit up on his own today. Look at him."
Tim looked and Keith was awake but resting his head on Haley's shoulder. "He looks really pale today," Tim said.
"Yeah he's very pale," Haley said, "the doctor thinks its good we're going through with the procedure today he doesn't think we should wait any longer."
"Then its good we're not," Tim said.
"We should get you downstairs," Brooke said to Tim. "I'll be back up to wait it out with you guys ok?"
"Yeah," Haley sand Lucas answered.
"See you then," Brooke said as she and Tim left.
Nathan slowly walked up the street toward the hospital. He was continuously looking for signs of Bear's men but there were none. Now on the same as the hospital even if there were signs of Bear's men the street was too busy for them to do anything. Nathan walked up to the main entrance of the hospital. He was tired and out of breath he leaned against the wall next to the door. Everything went black again and Nathan rubbed his eyes.
"Youngman, are you ok," a voice asked.
Nathan continued to rub his eyes. He tried to move and almost fell over.
"Let me help you," the man's voice said. Then Nathan felt the man put Nathan's arm over his shoulder and then put his arm around Nathan. He tried to push away but the man resisted, "its ok son I'm helping you into the hospital. You're pretty banged up."
Nathan tried to speak but his ribs hurt too much to breathe let alone try to inhale enough air to speak. His vision had returned and the man did not look like one of Bear's men and they were going into the hospital. The receptionist in the main lobby was shocked at the sight of Nathan and the man. "Let me get a wheelchair," she said. Nathan shook his head. "Ok, well the ER is straight ahead take the first tight pass the elevators and through the door."
"Thank you," the man said. They followed her instructions and reached the door the man released Nathan. "I'm headed in the opposite direction do you think you can make it through the door yourself?" Nathan nodded.
"Good luck son," the man said and walked away.
Once the man was out of sight Nathan went to the elevator and pushed the up button.
Brooke had returned after Tim was settled and the nurse had prepped him for surgery. She was sitting in a chair in the waiting room at the end of the hall. Lucas was also sitting and they were both reading a magazine. Haley on the other hand was pacing back and forth. The nurse asked them to wait there because it was closer to the nurse's station then Keith's room.
"Haley you're going to ware a hole in the floor if you don't stop," Brooke said.
"They've been down there forever," Haley said.
"The doctor said it was at least a 3 hour procedure and they've only been gone 30 minutes they probably just started," Lucas said.
"Ugh," Haley sighed and put her hands on her head, "I need air."
"I'll come," Lucas said. He looked at Brooke, "we'll be back."
"Ok," she said, "I'll be here."
Lucas and Haley headed down the hall toward the elevator. They were about 100 feet from the elevator when the doors opened. Haley stopped dead in her tracks and grabbed Lucas' arm. Nathan stumbled off the elevator. He looked like he had been hit by a truck. His face was swollen, one eye almost shut, a gash on the side of his head that left a trail of blood down past his ear down his neck and onto his shirt. He was slumped over, his arm across his chest holding his side. He looked in their direction and saw them. He took two staggered steps, "Haley," he said so low she wasn't sure he said it. He gasped for air, "Keith," he said louder this time. Haley ran toward him but before she reached him he collapsed.
"Nathan," she screamed as she reached him and bent down next to him.
"We need a doctor over here," Lucas yelled running toward his brother.
Haley was screaming and shaking Nathan when Lucas got to them. A doctor and two nurses arrived right after Lucas. He pulled Haley away to let them tend to Nathan. Brooke had heard the commotion from down the hall and had come running, "what's going…oh my Nathan!"
"He's so pale," Haley said as Brooke took her arm to comfort her. She began to cry.