A/N: Hey Everyone, so I have resubmitted the last chapter because I was a little unhappy with it, so check it out. Thanks for all the reviews, I would love more particularly cause it is Valentine's Day!! They can be my valentines this year. Hehe. Anyway, I don't own OTH

Chapter 19-The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most

Haley and Brooke approached the nursery to find Lucas and Nathan pacing up and down

"What are you guys doing?" Brooke called out

"Oh thank god, where have you two been? We have been trying to call the both of you for an hour" Lucas said almost shaking Brooke

"What, what is going on?" Haley asked, kissing Nathan softly

"It's Ella" Lucas said, grabbing Brooke's hand and squeezing it

"What about her, Lucas" Brooke said, the fear evident in her voice

"I was sitting by her crib, and all of a sudden she started crying loudly, and I tried to soothe her, but nothing would work"

"And?" Brooke screeched

"So the nurses came in and checked all her stats and found that she had elevated heart rate and a fever" Lucas replied

"Oh my god"

"So she went to get some tests, and she isn't back yet" Nathan said

Brooke's mouth open and shut a few times before she slowly backed into the chair behind her.

"Brooke, sweetie?" Haley exclaimed

"Everything will be ok; it's probably just an infection or something" Nathan said, still holding onto his wife

Brooke remained mute, no thoughts were processing, her mind completely blank

Haley watched Brooke. Brooke, the most talkative person she had ever met, who would ramble on just to fill awkward silences, seemed to have fallen into a catatonic state.

Haley signalled to Lucas to come sit by her as she pulled Nathan to the other end of the corridor.

"I think we should ring Mouth" she stage whispered

"You really think?"

"Babies in nurseries who haven't left hospital shouldn't have a fever, Nate. I'm worried but I didn't want to say it in front of Brooke" Haley said rationally

"Ok, fair enough, I will go call him"

"Thanks, babe"

Haley walked briskly back to where Brooke and Lucas were sitting. Haley mouthed "How is she?" to Lucas. He only shrugged in reply.

"Cheery?? Talk to me" Lucas said, shaking her slightly.

Brooke started rocking back and forth, a single tear slipping down her cheek.

"Brooke, I know you can hear me, you have to know this isn't your fault" he said

"Nathan, I came as soon as I could" Mouth said running down the hall

"Thanks for coming man, the docs haven't talked to us since they took Ella away, and Brooke is having a mental breakdown" Nathan said as they both glanced at Brooke

"Ok I will go check with her doctor to see what's happening."

"Thanks, Mouth"

Nathan walked towards the small group, and knelt in front of Brooke and tried to look into Brooke's eyes.

"Brooke? Brooke? Mouth is here and is he going to talk to the doctor to see what's happening with Ella" Nathan said before taking a seat next to Haley

All she did was nod her head. The three others exchanged glances not sure what to do. As silence once again consumed the room, Mouth hurried down the corridor and stopped short in front of the group.

"Ok I talked to Ella's doctor" Mouth said in hushed tones. Haley watched as her old friend addressed them. There were a very few times in Haley's life she had seen Mouth look so grave. This scared Haley more then ever, and she prayed beyond belief that Ella was going to be ok; otherwise Brooke may never come out of her state.

"What wrong with her Mouth?" Lucas said, still holding onto Brooke's hand, although she remained limp in her chair.

"Do you remember that Ella was being monitored for any abnormalities because of her prematurity?"

"Of course" Lucas said glancing at Brooke.

"Brooke you need to listen real careful ok? I don't want you to be alarmed"

Brooke's head shot up suddenly, so much that Lucas jumped a little from his position next to her.

Mouth looked between Lucas and Brooke, and took a deep breath.

"Ella has what is called as hydrocephalus" he stated

"What does that mean?" Lucas asked

"Basically it is a build up of fluid in the brain" Mouth said, trying not to alarm everyone

"But what does that mean, Mouth? How do they fix it?" Lucas asked, a hint of panic in his voice.

"Ella is in surgery now; the neurosurgeon is putting a shunt in her brain that drains the fluid to the abdomen" Mouth continued

"How do we know she is going to be ok?" Nathan asked

"We don't, it's just a waiting game for now. I asked for hourly updates from the OR"

"Thanks Mouth"

Mouth could barely look at Brooke, seeing the heartbreak she was going through. She seemed so alone, yet surrounded by so many people.

"Brooke, Dr Raymond is one of the best neurosurgeons in the country. And Ella is a fighter. Just believe in that" Mouth said

Brooke broke eye contact with Mouth and resumed staring at the floor. She moved back in her chair, leant against Lucas, the shape of her head fitting perfectly in the nook of his shoulder. A large sob escaped from her, and echoed around the room. The tears fell rapidly down her solemn face, unable to stop the sobs shook her body.

Lucas tried to soothe her by rubbing her back and he softly kissed her on the head. Haley, Mouth and Nathan all walked away, giving Lucas and Brooke time to grieve.

"Mouth, straight up, how serious is Ella's condition?" Nathan asked their old friend

"If Ella makes it through the surgery, it's going to be an uphill battle" Mouth said, looking sadly back at Lucas and Brooke.

"What are you saying Mouth?" Haley asked, trying to read into what Mouth was saying
"I'm saying we should all prepare for the worst"

As Mouth, Haley and Nathan looked over at Lucas and Brooke remained in their previous position. Brooke's sobbing had subsided somewhat, her eyes still closed.

"What did they do to deserve this?" Haley wondered out loud

Peyton put the phone back on the receiver and turned to face the other occupants in the room.

"Hey Jen??" she said addressing her adopted daughter

"Yeah?" the girl replied, looking up from the book she was reading.

"Could you take James and Lily into Brooke's bedroom and put on a DVD for them?"

"Yeah, which one?"

"Just put in the Finding Nemo DVD Auntie Haley brought over"

"K, Mom" Jenny said as she grabbed the hands of the younger children.

"Thanks sweetie" Peyton said

"What was that about?" Jake said nodding towards the retreating children

"I didn't want them to get upset" Peyton said before sitting down on the couch

"What's wrong?" Jake asked, joining his wife on the couch.

"That was Haley on the phone."

"I'm guessing she and Brooke got carried away shopping" he said jokingly

"Not exactly, Jake. Haley was calling from the hospital, Ella is in surgery" Peyton said in a monotonic tone.

"What on earth happened?"

"Apparently there was some sort of issue with fluid building in her brain" Peyton said, her head wrinkling in confusion

"Ok god poor Ella"

"Poor Brooke and Lucas. They have been through so much already." Peyton said

"Yeah, did they say when she would be out of surgery?" Jake asked

"Apparently it will be a few hours yet, even then Haley says it will be touch and go" Peyton said, a single tear running down her cheek.

"What did she want us to do?"

"Haley asked if we could look after the kids tonight, and Karen and Keith will come by tomorrow so we can go check on everyone"

"Fair enough"

Peyton rested her head against Jake's chest, and listened to him breath in and out.

"I'm glad you're here with me"

"Me too" he said, stroking her hair as they sat in silence thinking about the unfortunate situation that Ella, Brooke and Lucas were in, and how lucky they had been with Jenny.