'Haley what's going on?' Lucas demanded. She'd not spoken since she'd walked into the visiting room some five minutes ago. Her well practiced speech that she'd repeated over and over in the wing mirror of the car, which had left her nearly killing herself on several occasions on the way here, were now completely blank in her head. 'Has something happened?' He'd not been inspecting a visit. She usually came on Friday's after school while Jamie was in basket ball practice.

Haley nodded. Something had happened.

'You're free Lucas'

'What?' If that was meant to be a joke, it wasn't funny.

'It's going to take a couple of days, there's documents and legislations and stuff but you're free Lucas' She'd got a phone call from Nathan several hours ago confirming that Peyton had been admitted to a hospital and that they were on there way there. They'd not actually seen her yet, they didn't know for definite that it was her but Haley felt it. She'd not needed any more information to take action. She'd been on the phone in seconds, working on getting her best friend out of prison. It was just a matter a of time. She provided them with the facts.

He didn't speak. He couldn't speak.

'In a couple of days you're going to be free, you're going to be free and with Erin' She paused. '...and Peyton'

He looked up slowly. Confusion of his sudden release, obscured what she'd just said.

Peyton.

His eyes circled into two golf balls.

Haley nodded, smiling as recognition formed on his face. 'She's been found Lucas'

'What?' It came out in a hoarse mutter. He pinched the skin at his wrists, this wasn't funny. He needed to wake up. He hated these dreams where Peyton was suddenly found, where suddenly he was seated in his back garden with his whole family.

Haley stood from her chair, edging round the table and kneeling before him, her soft hand gently rested on his cheek and he'd never felt anything so real. 'She's alive Lucas'

'W-where? She, she's ok?'

'Louisiana, in a hospital about an hour an a half out of New Orleans'

'Hospital?'

'I don't know the details. Brooke and Nate should be arriving there around now. We've not been told much, just that she's stable'

He couldn't breathe.

'They need to let me go' He declared.

She was alive. She was alive. She was alive.

'Luke, there are laws, the police understand the situation but they-'

'I'm fucking innocent.'

'I've told them Luke, I've told them everything I know but they have to follow up an investigation. There are papers that need to be signed and-'

'I don't care about their fucking papers. I care about my wife that's laying in a hospital somewhere' He tried to stand up but his legs failed him and he collapsed to the ground. Haley gathered him in her arms, desperately trying to comfort him.

'It's going to be ok now Luke. It's all over'

She felt her shirt grow damp with his tears and his body shake and she swallowed thickly. Lucas Scott rarely cried and she hated it. She wanted it to stop because it was breaking her heart.

'We'll have her home in no time. We'll put this behind us'

Her reassurance did nothing to calm him. He didn't see it her way. Call him pessimistic but it was the truth. They'd never have the life they'd once had. They couldn't. 'It'll never be ok Hales, how can it be? It'll never be over'

'I want to stay with her, I want to stay with her until I know she's ok. You've got no right. She's my wife. She's mine, she's mine.' Ian struggled in his restraints as he was led, or more correctly, dragged out of the premises.

The two officers stopped to directly speak to him. 'We have every right sir'

Brooke and Nathan turned away from the front desk. Their world stopping as they took in the handcuffed man.

They recognised that voice, they new him.

Ian Banks.

'There's been a misunderstanding. I'd never hurt her. God, I love her, I'd never hurt her. She's my wife'

'If that's the case then this will all be resolved before you know it. You've just got to come down the station and clarify a few things for us'

'And then I can go?'

He got no response.

Blood pumped furiously through their bodies, their hearts beating loudly in their ears.

A blast of loathing horror had Brooke clinging on to her friend.

The malice hatred kept Nathan frozen, struck with disbelief and when he finally tried to propel himself toward them, Brooke's slight figure hindered his revenge. He wanted to end this man's life. He owed Peyton, he owed Lucas.

'No' Brooke cried. 'Nathan no' Her polished nails dug into him and she gripped him tighter. 'Do you want to go to prison too? You think that will help?'

'He-'

'I know, and we will have justice Nate but not now, right now Peyton is lying in this hospital somewhere and I just, I want to, I need to see her' Her voice caught in her throat and although he'd never know quite how he managed it, he accumulated enough will power to not break free and abandon her in favour of doing exactly what instinct was telling him.

He watched Ian being directed into a police car outside and immediately forced himself to turn away.

'Mr Scott, Miss Davis?'

'Yes' They both turned their attention back to the front desk.

'I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, I understand that this must be difficult for you. If you'd like to follow me we can talk somewhere more private'

Brooke opened her mouth to argue but the Doctor was already walking down the hall, forcing the pair to follow.

The small room he invited them into was like a little sanctuary away from the imminent terror that was eating away at their insides.

'Is she ok? Where is she?' Nathan crossed his arms and stood up straight, standing in an intimidating stance like he did when he was in the middle of an important meeting, when he wanted something to go his way. He wanted this to go his way. He wanted the man to tell him everything was fine. But an influencing posture would never be able to change the outcome of the Doctor's answer, they weren't talking basket ball, they were talking life and death.

'Peyton got out of surgery only minutes ago which is why I'm afraid you've been kept waiting'

'Surgery? We were told on the phone that she was stable?'

'She was, there was an incident however and Peyton went into cardiac arrest. She had a collapsed lung but it was worse than we'd initially thought. We'd inserted a chest tube but clogging occurred, which resulted in a recurrent pneumothorax and blood clotting, putting her life in serious jeopardy. We had to perform emergency surgery to seal her lung and prevent air leaking.'

'Is she alright?' Brooke didn't fully understand the medical terms and so on, her mind was reeling with one thing only. Was Peyton ok. Was she going to be ok.

'The surgery was a success, she's in intensive care but I have every belief that she'll make a full recovery.'

Immediate relief warmed them.

'Will we be able to transfer her to a different hospital?' Nathan asked, he wanted to get her home. He wanted her to be somewhere she felt safe. He wanted to bring her home like Lucas had pleaded him to so many months ago.

'Given her condition I don't think that's wise, not for the next few days at least. I'd like to warn you, judging by her physical wounds, it's clear that she's been subjected to an awful lot of abuse during the time she's been held captive. When she's fully awake I'd like to have a psychiatrist talk to her so we can get a full assessment of her condition.'

All they could do was nod. 'We just want to see her now'

'Of course. She'll still be asleep for the next several hours but you're welcome to sit with her'

'We'd like that'.

The intensive care unit was different to the rest of the hospital. It was quieter. Darker. Oppressive. Sinister.

They past visitors, people coming to see family members, people coming to say goodbye. Some people were broken, their faces filled with loss, but in contrast, others were filled with tremendous happiness and relief. They were the lucky ones, they were the ones that would be taking home their loved ones.

Peyton had her own room and both Nathan and Brooke had, had to scrub their hands and go through a disinfectant ritual before they were allowed in.

'I'm scared' Brooke announced, her feet slowing to a halt as they followed a nurse toward the correct room, stalling the impending meeting.

'It's ok' Nathan took her by the arm and they were soon standing in front of a large square window, neither daring to look through.

'Here we are' The nurse said softly. 'I'll leave you two to it. A doctor will be round to check on her in about an hour and you'll be asked to leave but as soon as he's done you can come back in' She offered them a smile that said so much about what was awaiting them on the other side. Her shoes squeaked against the floor as she disappeared into a room further down.

'Isn't it strange. I've waited and wished for this moment more times than I'll ever be able to count and now I don't want to go in' Brooke licked her lips and took a heavy breath and then they both looked up through the glass. The room inside was dim, one light a glow beside the bed.

The same thought entered their heads within seconds.

This wasn't Peyton. It couldn't be.

And with that thought, they both walked into the foreboding room to get a better look at the frail women.

It wasn't Peyton. It couldn't be.

But it was and it didn't matter how much she wanted Peyton found, Brooke instantly wished that this wasn't her best friend. That it was a mistake.

Brooke didn't find that solace that she craved that she'd so been expecting to upon seeing her.

Her hair was dark. She was skinnier than ever and Brooke wanted to fix it all, fix it all before she woke up.

Peyton Elizabeth Scott may have been right in front of her but she was still inaccessible, still lost.

'Oh my god' Brooke's feet fell from beneath her and Nathan caught her around the waist. 'Oh my god' Her cry echoed with the steady beeps coming from the monitor, composing a strange, mourning song.

Nathan gulped, allowing her to use him for support, allowing her to sob into his chest.

He didn't promise her that she had nothing to worry about, that their friend would be just fine because he didn't want to make a promise he new he couldn't keep. This was something they'd have to live with forever, this was something Peyton could never just forget, that any of them could ever just forget.

She cried into his stiff arms until she couldn't possibly produce anymore tears and he continued to hold her, only when her breathing had returned to normal did he dare to release her and guide her to the bed, into an awaiting chair.

'H-hey you' Brooke eventually sniffled. 'We're here Peyt. We're here and we're not going anywhere and Luke will be here soon. He, He'd be here right now if he could'

Nathan didn't speak. He couldn't. But it didn't matter. He took the vacant seat on the other side of the bed and watched Brooke fiddle with their friend's limp fingers, listened to her speak, listened to her ramble on and on.

It wasn't until he took a glance at his watch that he cleared his throat and interrupted her.

'Hey Brooke I'm going to go check in with Hales, let her know what's going on here and see how things are going her end. They might need Michael to help speed up Luke's release.' The jittery man had been left in the parking lot, Brooke had insisted he wouldn't do a runner, that despite all the wrongs he'd done, he was eager to repent for his sins. Nathan had been reluctant to leave him unattended but decided against dragging him along. They hadn't known the situation inside at the time and couldn't have risked Ian seeing him. Besides, Nathan had promised to make his life a living hell if he left the car.

'That's a good idea. You should have him go down the station so they can contact the prison directly. You want me to come?'

'No, no. You should stay here. I'll be as quick as I can. Do you want anything? A coffee?'

'Maybe just some water'

'Ok. Water.' He gave her a quick smile, hesitantly leaving the stifling room, glancing over his shoulder one last time.

He inhaled sharply on exiting, he felt like he could breathe again.

'Excuse me are you Mr Nathan Scott?'

His eyes sprang open. Apparently he couldn't have just five minutes to himself to gather his thoughts. 'Yes?'

'I wanted to talk to you about Sawyer'

'Okay?'

'Well, I know this is difficult given the circumstances, but we're a busy hospital and it would be really helpful if you could look after her'

Nathan's brow furrowed. 'You want to release her? The doctor said she was in no shape to transfer hospitals let alone go home'

'She's fine' The nurse looked puzzled. 'There's not a thing wrong with her, in fact I'd say she's very healthy'

'Healthy? She looks like she's been in a freaking war zone' Nathan snapped perhaps a little too angrily, he couldn't help it. Who was this woman kidding? He didn't appreciate her making a joke out of his sister-in-law's condition. 'Have you even looked at her?' He gestured wildly to the door he'd just walked out of and the nurse's eyes widened.

'Oh'

'Oh?'

'Oh I'm sorry. I think you misunderstood. I wasn't talking about her mother'

Not once had it dawned on him until now that it was strange for Peyton to be talked about by her maiden name. She'd been Peyton Scott for a long time now but all her friends still affectionately called her Sawyer from time to time, which was probably why it didn't seem anything out of the ordinary.

'Hang on. How do you know her maiden name?'

'Sir I'm sorry to have distressed you, there's been some confusion. I'm talking about Sawyer, Peyton's daughter- Sawyer'

'Her what now?' Nathan's mouth went dry and his eyes narrowed.

'Her daughter. Sawyer.'