A/N: This took awhile to write, but I did write it and I really hope you all enjoy it. This chapter isn't as long as I wanted it to be, but I just felt like where I stopped writing was a good spot to end the chapter and I know some will agree after reading it.

Chapter Eleven: In Spirit

"There were some complications during the surgery…"

"What kind of complications?" Brooke demanded to know.

Peyton slipped her hand in Brooke's and squeezed tight waiting for the doctor to explain further.

"During surgery she lost a lot of blood causing her heart rate to drop. She went into cardiac arrest. We were able to get her back, but as of right now we don't know if there was any permanent damage done to the brain due to lack of oxygen. Sam has four broken ribs and some internal bleeding. As for…"

Brooke couldn't focus any longer on the surgeon. She couldn't concentrate at all. Never in her trips to the hospital where her friends were in trouble did they say there might be permanent damage done to the brain. With Lucas, sure he went into cardiac arrest after his car accident and he had a heart attack his senior year, but there was no brain damage.

"Brooke?"

Brooke snaps out of her thoughts and looks at Peyton.

"Excuse me what?"

"The doctor," Peyton explains.

Brooke turns to the doctor.

"I can get you in touch with a few plastic surgeons to have the words fixed from Sam's skin if that's what you want."

Brooke nods her head.

"Yeah, um, can I see her?"

The doctor nods.

"Um, just one at a time, she just got out of surgery so it may be awhile before she wakes up and when we do we'll know if there was any brain damage done."

The Tree Hill gang watches as Brooke follows the doctor.

-Complications of the Heart-

The moment Brooke walked into the room was a moment that she didn't want to have to relive again. Seeing Sam lying on the bed with wires all around her, hearing the sound of Sam's heartbeat on the monitor, made it all the more real for Brooke.

Sam didn't deserve this. Nobody deserved to be like this.

Brooke grabbed a chair alongside the wall and brought it to Sam's bedside. She took a seat and grabbed onto Sam's hand. She didn't know what to say. All the words had escaped her so instead she just sits and listens to the monitor that's tells her that Sam is alive.

-Complications of the Heart-

"Nathan, Haley, if you two want to go home I can stay here with the Brooke," Peyton offers totally forgetting about Aria who was currently on her phone talking to somebody.

Haley yawns and sits further up in her chair.

"Peyton, we're all family. We can't just leave Brooke like this."

"But knowing Brooke, she won't leave that room until Sam wakes up. Seriously, guys go home and get some sleep. I'll call you if anything changes."

Nathan looks at Haley.

"I could use a shower and you look like you could use some sleep."

"I don't need any sleep Nathan."

"Haley, yes, you do. Despite what's going on, you still have to go to work in a few hours."

Haley sighs and nods her head.

"I don't know how well of a teacher I'm going to be tomorrow. I'll be thinking about Sam all day."

Nathan stands up and offers his hand to his wife while he looks at Peyton.

"Call us if anything changes, please."

"I will," Peyton confirms from her spot in the chair.

"Let's get you to bed Hales," Nathan says as he begins walking down the hallway.

Aria gets off the phone and sighs. Peyton looks at her and Aria raises an eyebrow.

"What?" Aria questions.

"You should go home too."

Aria shakes her head.

"Nope, I promised Sam I would always be there for her and I'm not going to break my promise about that."

Peyton could tell the sincerity in Aria's voice and she was happy that her niece had somebody like that in her life…someone like Aria who would treat her right.

"Can I ask you something?" Aria questions Peyton softly.

Peyton nods her head.

"For someone who loves Brooke so much, why aren't you doing anything about it?"

"To be honest, I've tried, but I really hurt Brooke when we were younger. I still hurt her now. It was never intentional, but it just happens," Peyton pulls some of her blonde hair away from her face. "There are times when I wish that I could go back and change some of the decisions that I made. I wonder what would have happened if I didn't go to Lucas and I stayed with Brooke. Then my mind goes to my daughter whom I love very much, without Lucas I wouldn't have her. It's the same boat with Brooke, if I hadn't done what I did, would she have ever let Sam into her life? I love Brooke and I love Sam and I don't love my husband. I just don't know what to do about it."

Aria folds her hands into her lap before locking eyes with Peyton.

"Show Brooke you mean business. Be there for her and Sam when Sam gets out of here. They both need you Peyton."

"You know for someone who just met me you sure do know a whole lot."

Aria shrugs her shoulders.

"I can read people. It's just a gift."

-Complications of the Heart-

"We really appreciate you watching him Mia," Haley says as she and Nathan walk into the living room. "Sorry it's been awhile."

Mia closes her book and shrugs Haley's comment off.

"No, it's totally fine. How is Sam?"

"We left before she woke up," Nathan says as he looks down at his clothes. "I'm gonna shower and change. I don't think I can sleep anymore," Nathan says sadly as he walks away.

"Is he going to be okay?" Mia asks as she watches Nathan move away from them.

"He was the one Sam called. He saw all the blood and he helped stop some bleeding. He's going to have stuff to deal with, but he'll be fine. He's a tough guy. I mean you have to be with the way he grew up."

Mia nods her head.

"I'm going to go now since your home, but I'll be checking in on everything. I won't call Brooke because I'm sure she has a lot to deal with so I'll be coming to you for updates."

"It's not a problem…goodnight, or well good morning Mia."

"Bye Haley."

Haley takes a seat on the couch and places her head in her hands.

"Please let her be alright," Haley prays to the quiet room.

-Complications of the Heart-

While Peyton went to go see how Brooke was doing, Aria made her way to the small chapel inside the hospital. Aria O'Malley wasn't a very religious person, but she did believe in god and she did believe that things happen for a reason. But right now she wanted answers. She wanted to know what Sam had done to deserve all of this. It's a question that can never be answered because in truth, no one deserves what had happened.

In her life Aria has only prayed once in her life. Today it will make it two.

-Complications of the Heart-

Peyton walked into the room and spotted Brooke just sitting by Sam's bed. It appeared that Sam had not woken up yet.

"Brooke, are you awake?"

Brooke nods her head.

"Yeah, I'm awake," Brooke clears her scratchy throat. "I'm trying to pray, but I don't know how."

Peyton grabs an empty chair and places it by Brooke.

"I think you just close your eyes and talk. I'm sure he listens."

"What am I supposed to say?"

"I don't know Brooke. What you feel I guess? I'm not much of a prayer."

Brooke turns to Peyton with a serious expression.

"Will you pray with me?"

Peyton nods her head and grabs a hold of Brooke's free hand.

-Complications of the Heart-

"What's going on?" a frantic Sam asks as she sees her unconscious body lying on the hospital bed and Brooke and Peyton sitting by the side of it.

"You're stuck."

Sam turns around and faces a young black man wearing jeans and a shirt. Sam looks down and sees she isn't wearing a hospital gown, but jeans and a t-shirt as well.

"What do you mean I'm stuck and who the hell are you?"

"Quentin Fields was a basketball player. He was also a son. A brother. Somebody's teammate and somebody's friend. I never knew Quentin Fields. I guess now I never will…Did you ever wonder what it would be like if you weren't you anymore? If you were suddenly gone, how would your world react? Whatever you imagined is wrong. There's nothing romantic about death. Grief is like the ocean. Quiet. Persistent. Unfair. Diminished by time, and faith and love. I didn't know Quentin Fields, but I'm jealous of him because I see how his absence has affected the people that did know him so I know that he did matter to them. And I know he was loved."

Sam rolled her eyes and finished for Quentin.

"People say Quentin Fields was a great basketball player. Graceful. Fluid. Inspiring. They say on a good night it almost seemed as though he could fly. And now he can. Yeah, I get it okay. I wrote it, but that doesn't answer my question. Why the hell am I here?"

Quentin looks away from the scene and back towards Sam.

"Did you ever wonder what it would be like if you weren't you anymore? If you were suddenly gone, how would your world react?"

"Are you going to show me what my world is going to be like?"

Quentin nods his head.

"Something like that. Are you ready?"

Before Sam can answer the scene changes.

-Complications of the Heart-

Aria looks around the chapel and sighs.

"I'm not really good with the whole praying aspect, but I need a favor. I need for you to make sure Sam makes it. I need you to make sure she is okay. I need her. Everyone needs her. We just started dating and I don't know your whole take on same sex relationships, but that shouldn't matter right now. I want to be able to date Sam. I want to be able to make love to Sam. I want it all with Sam," Aria cries out. "Just please, please, save my girlfriend."

-Complications of the Heart-

"Is that Aria?" Sam questions as she takes in the scene in front of her. Sam and Quentin were in a room that was littered with empty beer cans and trash lying everywhere. It was a bedroom, but the bed wasn't made and clothes were piled everywhere. "This place is a mess."

"This is how Aria lives. When you died, she gave up...on everything."

Sam watches as the bedroom door swings open and Aria stumbles in with bloodshot eyes. Aria makes it to the bed and just lies down.

"She just doesn't give up like that."

"What if I said that you were her soul mate? What if I said that you would be the only one she could ever love?"

Sam remains silent, but just shakes her head.

"I don't want to be here. I can't see this," Sam says with tears in her eyes.

"Let's go."

-Complications of the Heart-

Nathan turns in bed and sighs. Haley rolls over and faces her husband.

"You can't sleep either."

Nathan shakes his head.

"I can't get the images out of my head. There was just so much blood. I don't know what to do Haley. I want Sam to be okay, but what if she isn't? What will change?"

-Complications of the Heart-

Sam and Quentin enter the Scott house. Nathan was sitting on the couch next to his son while Haley sat on the floor. There weren't any smiles. There was just silence.

"When I died I knew I was going to miss this bunch. Haley's the best teacher that I ever had and Nathan helped me with my game. Jamie was a really good friend. He was smart and funny too."

"What happened to them?" Sam questions.

"After you died, Haley quit teaching. Jamie quit talking and Nathan quit sleeping."

Sam shakes her head.

"I can't be that big of difference in their life. It doesn't make any sense."

"Sometimes things don't make sense."

"This is sad," Sam says quietly.

"It only gets sadder."

-Complications of the Heart-

"She's going to wake up. I know she will. Sam's a tough kid."

Brooke looks at Peyton unsure of what to say.

"She's like you Brooke. She's tough and you have to believe in that."

"I do. I want to believe."

-Complications of the Heart-

Sam and Quentin enter a small apartment. Sam spots Sawyer on the ground playing with her toys while Peyton is sitting on the couch looking at a photo album.

"Where's Lucas?" Sam asks as she turns to Quentin.

"Lucas and Peyton got divorced as soon as Peyton left the hospital. Lucas left and they haven't seen him since."

"Ass hat," Sam says with a huff. "Why isn't Brooke here?"

"When you died, Brooke lost herself Sam. She lost herself in a huge way."

"What do you mean?"

-Complications of the Heart-

"Sam, honey, if you can hear me, I need you to open your eyes or squeeze my hand or something. Sam I want you to be alright…please just do this for me," Brooke pleads.

"Yeah, Sam, your mom's right. She needs you. She'd be completely lost without you."

-Complications of the Heart-

"I really don't like the fact that we are in a woman's jail cell right now."

"Yeah, but you wanted to know where Brooke was."

From the corner of the cell she sees Brooke walk in and sit down on her bunk as the cell door closes. Brooke lies down on the bed and looks at the picture on the wall. It was a picture of Sam.

"Why is she here?"

"She lost herself Sam. You died and Rebecca managed to get free. Brooke found her and she killed her and then she wound up here. She won't speak to anyone and she won't let anyone visit. It's literally hell."

Sam wipes the tears away from her face.

"I'm not dead though."

"No, not yet, but you can change all that Sam."

Sam looks at Quentin with tear filled eyes.

"How?"

"Open your eyes."

"What?"

-Complications of the Heart-

"Open your eyes Samantha. Please open your eyes," Brooke pleads.

When there's no response Brooke sits back down, but keeps a hold of Sam's hand.

"It'll be okay Brooke. She'll open her eyes when she's ready."

Brooke looked down at her hand when she felt Sam's fingers twitch. Brooke looked up and gasped.

Sam opened her eyes.