I own nothing—thanks for the reviews.
I am a one way motorway
I'm a road that drives away
and follows you back home
I am a streetlight shining
I'm a white light blinding bright
Burning off and on
Nathan let out a low breath and threw his head back against his chair; he ran his hands over his face and through his short black hair. He brought his head back down and his eyes rested on the sleeping blonde. He hated seeing her hooked up to machines. He hated it even more because he knew how much she hated it.
"Hey", she said softly. She handed him a cup of coffee and he nodded thankfully. "How's she doing?"
He let out a throaty groan. "She finally got to sleep. Actually, she cried herself to sleep and since then has mumbled a lot."
"She'll be okay", Haley whispered optimistically. She saw Nathan nod and turned her attention to her pregnant friend.
By the time Brooke called her and she got to the hospital, Peyton had been giving an IV that contained medicine that helped to stop the contractions. By the time the medicine kicked in, she was already four centimeters dilated. Dr. Darr was concerned about her contractions returning and decided to keep Peyton in the hospital. Needless to say, she had been put on mandatory bed rest.
"Where's Brooke?" he finally tore his eyes away from Peyton.
"She's talking to the nurses."
Brooke Davis could convince anyone of anything. The nurses at Tree Hill Memorial were no different. They hadn't needed much of the brunette's charm though. Most the nurses were as old as their grandparent's; they remembered the young, curly haired blonde sitting at her mother's bedside for days and then, they didn't see her anymore. They knew her father was all she had and apparently he was out of town.
When she was wheeled in by a frantic dark haired boy and a determined brunette there was no way they would turn their backs on her.
"Those nurses sure are something else", Brooke mused as she entered the room quietly.
"They love you", Haley stressed and even in the darkness she could see Brooke roll her eyes.
"They're old, they live for teenage stories", Brooke responded with a shrug of her shoulders.
"I hate seeing her like this", Nathan muttered after a moment of silence.
"Do you remember when we came with her to visit her mom?" Brooke asked Nathan softly.
He wasn't sure what had brought on her question, but nodded anyway. "All three of us sat at Anna's bedside and watched as her chest rose and fell with every breath."
"Nathan decided to take her mind off things and told everyone he was getting his tonsils taken out. I sent him a look and Peyton scoffed. You're darling husband didn't understand the problem so he kept talking about it, even said Peyton and I should do it because then we would all be best friends", she mocked in her best eight year old Nathan voice, "She was only eight, but she vowed to never step foot into another hospital again", all three smiled softly at the thought of a bull headed younger Peyton.
"And she did, until Lucas got into his accident."
"Shit", Haley mumbled. Nathan turned to face her with a shocked expression. Brooke raised a brow.
"I forgot to call Lucas."
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Late night phone calls are never a good thing. Lucas knew this for a fact. When his grandfather died, they received a phone call at two in the morning. When his dog, rocket, was run over the person who did it called the number on his tag at eleven. The phone rang and Lucas stared at the alarm clock.
1:52,this definitely was not good.
"Hello?"
"Luke, hey"
"What's wrong?" The tone of Haley's voice made him stand up and begin to pace.
He heard her sigh. "It's Peyton."
His blood ran cold and the room began to spin. "Wha—what happened?"
"She'd been having some back pains on and off, we didn't think anything of it, but then Nathan was at her house earlier and, well they were contractions."
He suddenly felt incredibly guilty. Peyton had told him about the pain and instead of telling her to go to the doctor's he made a sexual joke about.
"I'm on my way." He snapped the phone shut and put it in his pocket.
He walked into the other room and gently shook his mother.
"Ma."
"Lucas, go back to sleep", she muttered tiredly.
"Mom, we have to go back to Tree Hill", he said forcefully.
She turned to face him and slowly opened her eyes. She gave him a questioning glance.
"Peyton's in the hospital."
Karen's mouth dropped open. She kicked the covers off and began to run around the room.
"Go, start the car. I'll have our things packed and downstairs in five minutes", he gave her a grateful smile before grabbing the keys and walking out the door.
"Everything's going to be okay", Karen said optimistically. Lucas had been quiet the entire ride, they were about halfway home at this point and the silence was killing her.
"I hope", he said with dread in his voice.
Karen put her hand on his arm and spoke softly.
"Just breathe, Lucas. Just, keep breathing."
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Peyton woke up sometime during the night. She didn't open her eyes all the way so she couldn't tell the time, and she honestly didn't care. Her hands were at her sides and she furrowed her brows at the warmth that surrounded her right one. People had been holding her hand all day so it wasn't exactly that that surprised her. It was the happiness she felt that made her face the person next to her.
Her vision was still blurred with sleep, but she didn't need perfect eyesight to know who it was. His blonde hair was a mess. He was still in his flannel pajamas and 'Keith Scott Body Shop' sweatshirt. His elbow was bent on the arm rest of his chair and his head was resting in an open palm. His light snoring swayed his arm back and forth.
She smiled for the first time since she had gotten there. She didn't know when he came in or where everyone else was, but right now she really didn't care. He was here and that was all that mattered.
She slowly brought their joined hands to rest on her stomach. Her eyes swelled with tears and she could feel her throat burn. Her baby—their baby was at risk.
"Please, stay in there . . . just for a few more weeks."
It's times like these you learn to live again
It's times like these you give and give again
It's times like these you learn to love again
It's times like these time and time again
Let me know what you think.
