Thanks guys! Although I do feel I have lost quite a few readers or at least the ones that leave reviews but I will do you all a favor that will benefit me as well, if I can get at least TEN reviews, I'll post another chapter by Sunday evening...challenge for you dedicated fans!

This chapter is short, but I felt if I continued with what I have in mind for the next scene, this chapter would be ridiculously long.

Enjoy!

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It's like you're screaming and no one can hear

"LUCAS!"

"Br..."

The water was like this weight I couldn't shake. I was trying desperately to get to him.

"LUCAS!" My screams were drowning everything else around me. I was only focused on him and not the arms trying to help me out of the water.

I finally was able to get out and I ran towards him just in time for him to utter those three little words I've only dreamt of hearing him say.

"I, I, I love you." He went lifeless before me.

"NOOOOOOO! LUCAS!"

I don't think I've ever been this scared before. There was only one other time I even felt close to this and it was when Karen was in the hospital delivering baby Lily. That seemed so long ago that it wasn't even tangible to how I felt now. The doctor wouldn't give us any details and would only speak to Nathan because he was family. It irritated me to my core. What gives that man the right to excuse me from knowing what is happening to the man I love more than anything in this universe. He didn't know me and he especially didn't know a fucking thing about Lucas.

I called Karen immediately as well as Dr. Jensen. I didn't care if the doctors had contacted him as well. I wanted someone to talk to me not to Nathan to relay messages. Karen was on her way to St. John now and Dr. Jensen said there wasn't a heart available yet. I started to panic and yell at Dr. Jensen. This wasn't his fault but I felt the need to blame somebody. This wasn't supposed to happen. We were all at peace, calm, and enjoying life in the best way possible. The ass hole doctor finally came out and explained that Lucas was in a coma.

I caved and my knees hit the cold tile floor of the foreign hospital. I couldn't control my anger, despair, and love. He was in a coma and his heart was weakening by the moments that passed by. A strong pair of arms reached for me and pulled me from the ground. I didn't care anymore. The man that means everything to me was most likely going to die if he didn't get a heart and there were no hearts to be donated.

I started to cause a scene in the middle of the hospital as other families that were grieving and had loved ones they were waiting on watched me. I didn't care; I honestly didn't even know how I was able to breathe anymore. I was slowly and surely going to lose everything.

The doctor returned again and this time he was polite enough to let us all here what he had to say as Nathan approached him.

"Will he be able to make it out of the coma? We all know that he was on the donor list for a heart...will he be able to survive this?" Nathan asked the question we all wanted to know but couldn't bring ourselves to ask out loud.

"I spoke with Mr. Scott's doctor back in the states. He explained to me that Lucas had stopped taking his HCM medicine and that was an awful mistake on his part. That medicine worked to keep his heart going especially in this particular time with his heart steadily losing life." The arrogance of this man.

"We do not need the sarcasm or the lectures. We just want a yes or no answer." Haley bit her tongue as she tried to say it as sweetly as she could.

The doctor grunted and finally his eyes came into contact with mine and for the first time he softened.

"Mr. Scott got careless and now truly it is up to him if he wants to live or not. He has been moved towards the top of the list now sense he is in ICU. I..." His eyes were still on me as I glared at him.

"I am sorry but right now there is nothing we can do but just wait." He nodded and walked away.

I still hadn't spoken. I didn't know what to say. That son of a bitch just said that this is now a waiting game.

"Can we see him?" My voice was unrecognizable to my own ears.

The doctor stopped and nodded.

"Room 241, Miss." He walked off again.

I noticed that there was not a ring on his finger. Maybe this man has never experienced a loss in his life to come off so cold but when he finally looked at me something changed in him. Clay still had his arms around me holding me up for support.

"Maybe you should go first."

It was surprising that Nathan spoke up and suggested I go see Lucas first.

"But Nate...I..."

"Brooke, if there is going to be anybody to bring him back to us." The tears finally began to pour from his eyes.

I couldn't stand this. We were all distraught and afraid that we may lose him.

"Haley, I, I can't go by myself." My grip became almost painful to me but she didn't' seem to mind. Her hand closed over mine tightly as well.

"Of course, Tigger." She was doing her best to not lose her composure, but I knew Haley wanted to cry out.

Rachel squeezed Nate's arm and it was a sweet gesture on her part. Haley reached out and took Rachel's hand with her free one and smiled at her. Even in a time like this, we are came together, just as we should.

It was like walking the plank, death row. The feeling that all of your worst fears were coming to the surface at maximum speed. I felt as if I were suffocating. Haley's grip was tight on my arm just as my hand was around hers. We knew Lucas wasn't dead...yet...it was scary for us because we've never seen him like this. Yes, Lucas has had to go the hospital a few times but he was never unconscious or unresponsive. We finally saw the numbers tiled diagonally across the door, 241. I felt my skin break as small droplets of blood rose from underneath my skin on the back of my hand from Haley's amazing death grip. I couldn't blame her; if I were holding her neck she'd be dead by now. Haley reached for the door first as I felt frozen in place. No sound came as the door glided open and then the horrible beeps echoing from the monitor lying next to a bed with what almost looked like a corpse. It took everything in me to not fall to my knees once again. Haley and I were holding each other up. Haley and I were always each other's life lines and this was the biggest one of all.

Lucas was pale, almost a shade of blue. I didn't think a coma left you looking like a corpse necessarily, but suddenly the up and down movement of his chest became visible. I released the breath I had not realizing I had been holding. We stopped at the edge of the bed both of us terrified that we might break him if we were to touch him.

"Oh Luke." Haley breathed with a shy whisper.

I didn't know what to say, I didn't know what I should do. I lost my words as my mind became cloudy incapable of working properly.

I took a risk and reached out for Lucas's hand. It was warm surprisingly. Haley finally dared to touch him too and we both felt relieved of the warmth within him compared to his exterior shell.

"Lucas." I could only say his name at the moment.

There was so much I wanted to say. So much I need him to hear. He's my other half. He's the left side of my brain, the veins that runs under my skin, the only beat in my heart. I didn't want Haley to be present for that or anybody at all. Those are only meant to be words I share with him until our wedding day. Will we have a wedding day? It's not that I wish to doubt but only to prepare myself for the possibility I may never marry Lucas, have his children, or live my life with him.

"Brooke."

I looked over at Haley and I for this whole time was only thinking about myself and how this would make me feel. Her swollen red eyes. The tears caked on her face that still ran down her neck. This would be devastating for Haley as well. Lucas has always been her best friend, her family. They have been through everything together. Their friendship stands the tests of time as they have continued to overcome every challenge thrown at them together.

"Spend some time with him Hales." I kissed her forehead and walked out of the room before she could protest me.

I shout the door behind me and slid down the wall slowly as my feet fell out from under me. I balled into the fetal position and rocked myself back and forth. I wanted to be soothed, comforted, but the only way that would happen if Lucas had his arms around me but that can't happen right now.

Oh Haley...how will this change her as a person? She will still have the love of her life with her by her side but will a piece of her feel a fraction of how I will feel if he were to leave us? I know she would. Nathan...everything him and Lucas have been through. A father who kept them apart from each other for years, they were able to overcome that and be brothers.

Karen, Lily...

I wanted to scream. If Lucas dies...he'll be leaving behind so many people that will never be the same again.

I didn't realize how heavy my eyelids felt until a hand was on my shoulder jolting me out of my daze.

"Brooke, you okay?"

"Nate?"

I felt him slide down onto the ground next to me and pulled me into his embrace. I buried my face into his chest. His scent was the opposite and yet similar to Lucas. Lucas had more of a citrus scent to him while Nathan had a natural, earthy smell to him and yet they both smelled out sweetness. It smelled like Karen, Lily, and their home. So it was a smell designed just for them to signal that they are a family, as one.

"Why are you out here looking like you're about to fall asleep?" He had brushed the hair out of my face and was softly and genuinely rubbing my back for comfort.

"Everything I wanted to say to Lucas, I wanted to say in private, so I gave Haley the first moment to be with him." I coughed and began to feel sick.

"Brooke, are you okay?"

"I just feel dizzy."

Nate moved one of his arms from around me and I looked away from his chest to see Clay and Rachel coming over to us.

"Do you have any headache medicine in that suitcase you have?"

I smiled just a little as Nate sliced through the tension for a moment.

For once Rachel had no comeback to spit out. That's definitely a sign of bad news. I heard the familiar rattle of pills in a plastic bottle. Nate gave me two and his water. I felt this would only make me sicker, but I didn't want Nate to have to worry about my health too.

"Hey."

Nate turned with me in his arms and looked up at Haley who leaned against the shut door.

Nate helped us both up front the floor as I gently pulled myself from his arms and pushed him towards Haley.

"Are you going in?" Haley asked aloud.

"Yeah." I walked in quietly.

Nate pulled the door closed and I walked over to sit by Lucas's side. His warmth was still there as I placed my face into his palm.

"You weren't supposed to leave me." I couldn't help the words as they escaped from my lips.

"I'm I'm sorry. I just love you so much Luke." I removed my face from his hand and looked up to his face.

It was as if he were brooding in his coma. I shook my head. Could he possibly hear me? I know they say if you talk to a coma patient, most of the time they could hear you as if you were the lighthouse guiding them through the storm.

"You can't go anywhere Luke. After what seems like forever, we're finally happy...together. Luke?" I whispered his name.

The only response was the echoing beeps of the monitors.

Thoughts? Let's hear them!

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