Hi, I'm back, new laptop, new chapter. I hope you enjoy. Again, thank you for all the reviews and to everyone who is reading this story. And thanks for having so much patience with me. Enjoy. Bye.

A New Beginning

Brooke had been sitting in the waiting room, waiting for Haley's examination to be over and take her home. That Cop, Ryan Carter, had already been at the hospital when they arrived, he interviewed Haley first, Brooke stayed with her, for support. He had also asked Brooke some questions.

The last thing he said before he left was that he was going to arrest Haley's mother and father. Her mother never touched her, but she knew, she watched, so she was an accomplice. Haley had been shaking a lot during the questioning, but she had been very brave in Brooke's eyes.

Brooke had been waiting almost an hour when she saw Nathan, Lucas and Peyton enter the hospital. She was surprised they were here, she had thought they still had classes.

"What are you guys doing here ? What about classes ?" Brooke asked as she stood up, not that she would give a damn about classes if something would have happened to Peyton or anyone she cared about, Haley was now one of those persons.

"We blew them of, figured we were needed here." Nathan said, he was very distracted, much unlike him. He usually kept such a level head, but it just seemed as if he was troubled with something. Brooke knew what, he was worried about Haley, he liked her, a lot, she could tell.

"How is she ?" Lucas asked, Peyton was holding his hand to comfort him, his eyes were red and teary, it seemed he had been crying. Brooke felt sorry for him, she knew he cared for her more than anything in his life, not more than Peyton, but in a different way. She never realized that all the times he talked about her, but she did now. If the ball would've been in his hands, he would've stayed friends with Haley. He was probably crushed when she pulled away from him.

"She was very brave when she told that cop everything. They took her away after that for examination, I haven't seen her since." Brooke replied, Lucas sighed, she knew he wanted better news, at least more news.

Brooke sat back down and watched Peyton lead Lucas to a chair so they could sit too. Nathan however didn't sit, he began to pace around the room instead.

"Chill, Nate. I'm sure she'll be fine." Brooke said as she watched Nathan go back and forth, he didn't respond. Lucas and Peyton noticed him now too, they didn't understand why he was so nervous.

"What's your deal Nate ? Why are you so twitchy ? You don't even know her, do you ?" Lucas asked, curious to find out what was going through his brother's mind.

"No, I don't know her, much." Nathan said, the only conversation he ever had with Haley occurred a couple of hours ago. He didn't know why, but there was something about this girl that made his heart itch. If he could, he'd find her father himself and beat him up for what he did to her. No one deserved that, especially not an angel such as Haley.

"So, then, why are you so rattled ?" Lucas asked, he knew why he was so shaken up, he knew Haley, or at least, he used to know her. Nathan had talked to her once, maybe twice. He had no reason to be so agitated. Nathan didn't reply, he simply shrugged.

"He likes her." Brooke said instead, Nathan froze in his steps and watched Brooke in horror. Why would she say that ? He didn't like her, did he ? He hardly knew her. Yet, she warmed his heart. He was hurting, because she was hurting. It went beyond simply liking her. It went beyond the friendship he hoped he would have with her. He just didn't know what it was.

"You like her ? How did this happen ?" Peyton now spoke for the first time, Nathan used to be her boyfriend, well, sex-friend was a more accurate term for what they had, but they were long over. But Nathan didn't like girls, well, he did, for the sex, but not for who they were. Unless they were his friends, like her and Brooke. So how was it that he liked a girl he hardly knew ? Nathan gave Brooke a glare before he continued his pacing, he didn't respond to Peyton's question.

"God, this is a seriously weird day." Lucas said, he had been shocked ever since he found out about Haley, but now he had to absorb the news that his little brother liked his former best friend, that could not end well. Lucas loved Nathan, but with his reputation, he didn't exactly want him to get together with Haley or any of his friends. But it did seem different this time, he genuinely seemed to care for her.

Everyone was so consumed with their thought that they never saw Haley walking into the waiting room. She had several stitches on her face, he arm was in a cast and she was wearing a tight bandage on her leg.

"Now I know what I have to do to have some friends, get beaten into the hospital. Not an appealing notion, but apparently it works." Haley joked, startling the waiting teenagers. She knew this wasn't the time for jokes, but she had to do it, to lighten things up a little. She was tired of the darkness.

Brooke stood up and walked to Haley, she didn't hug her because she knew she was probably still very soar. She settled with rubbing her hand against Haley's good arm, gently.

Lucas and Peyton had stood up already, they followed Nathan in his lead and went to stand around Haley. Haley noticed that Lucas was very cautious around her. She felt partially to blame for that.

"I'm sorry Luke, I shouldn't have yelled at you like that." She said, a little ashamed to look at him, but he was relieved to hear she wasn't angry anymore and smiled.

"Don't be, you were scared, I get that. I'm just glad that you're safe now." Lucas said, Peyton smiled, she knew this would be the start of a new friendship for them. Nathan stayed in the background, he was afraid to say anything.

"Yeah, it's a new beginning for me now. Kinda scary, okay, a lot scary." Haley confessed, she knew this was good for her, but she was still scared of what was to come. It would be so different now, better, probably. This was her chance at a fresh start and she was going to grab it with open arms.

TO BE CONTINUED