"Brooke?" Lucas said tentatively as he entered her hospital room. The brunette was laying down watching some kind of entertainment news.

"Hey," she said softly. She averted her eyes from his and focused on the TV.

"I'm sorry I left last night," Lucas said. "I just couldn't handle being here."

Brooke furrowed her brow, but still did not look at him. "Peyton said your mom wanted you home."

Lucas shook his head. "I promised I'd be honest with you this time around. I was really angry, and Peyton and I had gotten in a fight-"

"About what?" Brooke cut in.

"The past."

"What do you and Peyton have to fight about with the past?" Brooke asked. She turned to look at him now, and Lucas could practically see her walls go up.

"It was nothing, Brooke, I promise."

She looked completely unconvinced but changed the subject. "Yeah, well, thanks for coming by."

"Pretty girl-"

"I'm not mad," Brooke said, and he was painfully reminded of the last time she had uttered those words to him. "I'm not mad."

"But you're hurt."

"Ding ding!" Brooke hissed sarcastically. "We have ourselves a winner!"

"Brooke, come on. Don't be like this."

"Be like what? Upset that you were fighting with your second girlfriend while I lay here in a hospital bed?"

"Don't call her that."

"I call 'em like I see 'em," Brooke said, rolling over away from him.

He sighed, trying to contain his anger. He approached her and sat on the end of the bed. "Peyton was trying to knock some sense into me. I was being irrational and stupid. I just-lately I've been thinking that this is like karma. That Peyton and I hurt you so badly that we're being punished."

Brooke rolled over now, looking at him with just an ounce of pity. "If anyone is being punished here, it's me."

"For what?"

"For standing in the way of something bigger than me," Brooke whispered.

"What are you talking about, Pretty Girl?" Lucas asked. He put his hand on her face. "I love you, Brooke. There is nothing going on between me and Peyton. There was in the past, but I was just caught up in a fourteen year old's fantasy and I was too stupid to see what I had."

Brooke smiled a little. "I love you, Lucas."

Lucas kissed her softly. "I love you too. So I'll be back in a little bit. I'm going to go get tested."

"For what?" Brooke asked in confusion. "I swear to God, Lucas Scott, if you're being tested for herpes or something, we are so done."

Lucas laughed. "No, crazy girl, I'm getting tested to see if I might be a match for a bone marrow transplant."

Brooke tilted her head to the side. "Really?"

"Really. We're all doing it. Me, my mom, Nathan, Haley, Peyton, Derek, Jake...even Jenny."

Brooke's eyes filled with tears. "You don't have to do that."

"We know. But we want to. We're all doing it together with Dr. Grant in a couple minutes, then we'll all be back to see you."

He kissed her goodbye and she was left alone with her thoughts. Hope had become a painful emotion, but it was filling Brooke's body. A small voice interuppted her thoughts.

"Brookie?"

"Hey baby girl!" Brooke said cheerily as Chance walked tentatively to her hospital bed. She crawled onto it shyly and clutched Brooke's hand with both of her small ones.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, sweetie, I'm okay," Brooke said, pulling her to herself in a hug. She could see Charlotte duck out into the hall. "I was just silly and wasn't eating or sleeping enough."

Chance furrowed her brow. "Promise?"

Brooke took a deep breath. "Promise."

Chance's lip quivered and she suddenly burst into tears.

"Oh, sweetie, don't cry!" Brooke exclaimed, hugging her tighter. "It's all going to be okay, I promise. Nothing's going to happen to me."

Chance sniffled and wiped at her face. "Oh-okay."

Brooke smiled and wiped away the remaining tears. "I see we're gonna have to go wig shopping soon, huh, cutie?"

Chance pouted. "Yeah. Charlotte said that we're just going to have to shave the rest off."

"Lucas needs a haircut anyway," Brooke giggled. "He can go with you."

Chance smiled at this. "I miss him."

"He misses you, too," Brooke assured. "He'll be back in a couple of minutes."

"I have to go to chemo," Chance said sadly.

"Well, I'll send him up then!"

Chance beamed. "Thanks, Brookie. I love you!"

Brooke kissed her cheek. "I love you too, Princess."

The little girl crawled off the bed and skipped into the hall. Brooke watched her go with a small smile. Ten minutes later, the little girl was replaced by Nathan, hobbling on crutches.

"Hey hotshot."

"Hey you."

"Nathan, I'm so sorry," Brooke said sadly. "I've ruined everything. You're not going to be able to play in State."

Nathan grabbed her chin and forced her to look up at him. "Listen, Davis. You're a lot more important to me than some stupid game."

"This is your dream."

"No, it's not," Nathan said seriously. "My dream is to have a family, a real one that loves each other. And you're a part of that family."

"You Scott brothers keep making me cry today," Brooke laughed as she wiped at her teary eyes.

"We have that effect on women," Nathan said wryly.

"I have a question."

"Go for it, cookie."

"Do you think if something happens to me, Lucas and Peyton would get together?"

Nathan paused for a moment and Brooke felt her stomach drop. He finally replied. "To be honest, maybe. Maybe she would be the only person to understand what he was going through."

"You and Haley would," Brooke argued softly. Nathan shook his head.

"They would be dealing with a whole different kind of grief. Haley and I know that we've never done anything seriously wrong to you. They'd have to live with that guilt for the rest of their lives."

"Getting together wouldn't help that," Brooke pouted.

"Of course not," Nathan replied. "And I don't think it'll happen. Because you're not going anywhere. We're going to find you a match, Davis."

"And if we don't?"

"Then we'll figure it out from there," Nathan shrugged. He placed a kiss on her forehead. "Promise me you'll always remember, you're braver than you believe-"

"And stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think," Brooke finished with a small grin. "I can't believe you remember."

Nathan rolled his eyes. "Of course I do. You ran around quoting Christopher Robin for like, six years, Brooke."

"He's smarter than you think," Brooke quipped, sticking out her tongue.

Haley and Peyton entered next, and then Derek and Jake, and then Karen, and then Lucas, who Brooke sent to go see Chance.

"Brooke, I forgot to tell you," Haley said tentatively. "Theresa has been trying to take your captain's spot."

Brooke's eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?"

"You've been missing a lot of practice and most games," Peyton said with a shrug. "You don't need to worry about cheerleading right now."

"Yes I do!" Brooke exclaimed. "I'm trying to live a normal life here."

Nathan raised his eyebrows. "Really now, Davis? You're in the hospital Again."

"Minor speedbump," Brooke waved off. "That bitch better watch out, because I will be a cheering machine by Friday."

Haley groaned. "Good lord, Brooke, please be careful."

"Careful is my middle name!" Brooke chirped. Peyton scoffed.

"When do I get busted out of here anyway?" Brooke asked.

"Tonight," Jake said. "That's what Dr. Grant told me when I was getting my test done."

"Thank you guys. For all doing that. But the chances are really slim that any of you will be a match-"

"We better be," Peyton said wryly. "Because I am not throwing your wake dance club style at Tric."

"It would be a blast!" Brooke protested.

"Yeah, because we'd all wanna dance after your funeral," Nathan said with an eye roll.

Brooke matched his expression. "You're all boring."

Haley laughed and ruffled Brooke's hair. "Now I get why Lucas calls you Crazy Girl."

A few hours later, Brooke was being discharged. Lucas was driving her home before going back to his own house.

"I don't know, Brooke, maybe I should stay with you tonight," Lucas said cautiously. "I have a really weird feeling."

"I'm fine, Broody!" Brooke argued. "Clean bill of health and all."

"I just don't want you to be alone."

"I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning."

"Brooke, you're not going to school."

"Oh yes I am. I'll be damned if I let Theresa have my captaincy."

Lucas knew better than to argue anymore. "Fine, pretty girl. I love you."

"I love you too, Boyfriend. Now go home to your mom. I know she's been lonely."

Lucas furrowed his brow in worry before Brooke kissed him. He grinned at her as she pulled away, leaning down to give her another quick kiss before leaving.

"Pick me up at seven!" Brooke called after him. He raised his hand in acknowledgement and she smiled as she shut the door. She went upstairs, starting a bath with the intention of relaxing before bed. She put on Peyton's latest mix tape and slipped out of her track suit. She brushed out her hair, cocking her head to the side as she viewed her body in the mirror. In just her bra and underwear, she could see just how thin she had become. The black material contrasted against her pale skin.

She turned away from the mirror to feel the bath water, turning off the valves. She suddenly felt arms around her waist and a kiss on her neck.

"Luke," she giggled. "I told you to go home."

Another kiss on her neck caused her to widen her eyes. That didn't feel like Lucas.

She spun around and screamed. "Derek, what the fuck?"

He grinned wolfishly at her. "Come on, Brooke, we don't have to tell."

"Get off of me!" she screamed, but he had a hold on her arms. She struggled against him, but her body was weak.

He pushed her, and she fell backward into the bath. She gasped as she came up for hair, coughing and spluttering. He climbed in, fully clothed, pinning her. Water began to fill her lungs. No matter how much she struggled, Derek was simply far stronger. She finally managed to surface, coughing up hot water. She somehow managed to slither out of his grasp, falling onto the tile floor and running, her feet slipping from under her with every step. She heard an animalistic growl coming from behind her.

Derek grabbed her arm, spinning her around and punching her in the face with his other hand. Brooke yelped, falling to the floor and desperately trying to crawl away from him. He grabbed her by the ankle, dragging her back.

"Please!" Brooke yelled. "Please, Derek, please stop!"

He straddled her on the ground, kissing her hard on the mouth. Brooke struggled against him before finally letting his tongue into her mouth, just so she could bite down hard on it. He yelled, recoiling back for a moment. Brooke realized her mistake as soon as she felt the next several blows, to her stomach, ribs, and face.

She couldn't help it. She was crying now, struggling against him as hard as she could. She could feel her vision narrowing in, but she refused to give in to the darkness. She thought of Lucas, and of Peyton and Jake and Jenny. Of Nathan and Haley and their unborn kid that she refused to miss out on. Of Chance and her bright little smile.

"GET OFF!" she screamed, throwing him off. She stood quickly, ignoring the aches, her adrenaline urging her on. She grabbed the lamp from the hallway and heaved it as hard as she could. She watched the hot lightbulb shatter into his face sparks coming out of the wall from the electricity.

"You little spoiled bitch."

Brooke ran toward the stairs, intending to run out of the house. He tackled her from the back and the two tumbled down the stairs. Blood was flowing freely from cuts on his face, and Brooke could taste her own blood in her mouth. She crawled pitifully toward the kitchen, reaching desperately for the phone. She attempted to dial 911 but instead hit the redial button.

Derek came crashing into the kitchen. Brooke grabbed the kitchen chair and heaved it will a grunt. It impeded him, but didn't seem to injure him. He threw the phone against the wall, shattering it.

He slammed Brooke's head against the island in the kitchen, causing her to see stars. She dizzily reached into the kitchen drawer and spun, driving a knife into Derek's arm. He howled and backed off.

"Get out of my house," she slurred, holding the bloody knife. She saw him retreat speedily before falling to the ground.