Disclaimer: I don't own One Tree Hill.

Author's Note: Thanks so much for the reviews. Also, I know you all are upset that Lucas is still sleeping with Peyton, but she is his fiancée, for now. Don't worry, I will give you Brucas. I don't know when but it will happen.

And I know it's safer than love but I hope you all don't hate me for the long awaited update! (haha! see what I did there) And I didn't realize that I got over 100 reviews! Thank you so much! I've been smiling all day!

A/N: I'm not a social worker so I'm basically making up stuff about the Sebastian/Lucas guardian thing.

Chapter 12

Lucas hurriedly walked from the elevator, ignoring his friends' looks and stares.

"Where's Brooke? What happened to her?" He asked in a harsh tone.

"Let's talk over there." Nathan said as he gently pulled on his brother's arm, trying to guide him into a corner of the room.

Lucas pulled his arm away. "No! And how could you call Peyton?! Why didn't you call me!?" He looked as if he had been betrayed.

Sebastian watched attentively at the scene before him.

"He doesn't need to see you like this." Nathan whispered, as they both glanced over at the little boy. It hadn't dawned on Lucas that Sebastian would be here. "Now, let's go somewhere and talk about this."

Lucas let Nathan lead him away into the corridor, separating the waiting room to the main hallway.

"First, I did call you. Your phone kept ringing and then going to voicemail." Nathan explained.

Lucas remembered that he put his phone on silent, so his night with Peyton wouldn't be interrupted. He reached into his pocket and retrieved his phone. Five missed calls displayed on the main screen, and they were all from Nathan. He cleared the screen, put his phone on vibrate, and shoved it back into his pocket. "Sorry." Lucas mumbled.

"Second, Brooke was attacked."

Lucas frowned. "What the hell do you mean she was attacked?" He asked, his voice full of anger.

Nathan explained everything to Lucas, not leaving out a single detail. He watched as his brother's angry expression dissipated and was replaced with anguish. Lucas felt really bad that he couldn't be there to save her. He was never there to save her!

As he paced back and forth in the hallway, he couldn't help but feel ashamed of himself. When had he become this person? A person that put pride over responsibility. He failed to recall the exact moment his priorities got screwed up. If he could guess, he would say that it was in that 4-year period that he had lost his mind and his sense of integrity.

"She's going to be okay. She has to be!" Lucas tried convincing himself.

Nathan just looked at his brother pacing. He, himself was at a loss for words, so he couldn't offer his brother any encouragement. He wanted to believe that Brooke was going to be okay. I mean she's Brooke! She has always been resilient and he hoped that this time would be no different.

A nurse approached Nathan to let him know that they could see Brooke. Because it was after visiting hours, they would have to make it quick.

The group decided to go in pairs so they wouldn't crowd her. Nathan and Haley went first.

As Nathan pushed the door open, Haley grabbed his hand and squeezed it. Brooke was connected to a few too many machines for their liking. Haley saw the angry red marks and bruises all over her friend's face.

"Oh my god." Haley whispered as tears fell down her face. Nathan pulled her into a hug and she cried against his chest. He had seen what Brooke looked like when he rescued her. He still couldn't believe someone would do that to his friend.

Haley walked over to Brooke and gently held her hand. "She's going to be okay, Hales." She heard her husband say. "I know. This is just awful." Her voice cracked as more tears fell. Nathan put his hands over Haley's and Brooke's. They stayed like that for a while until Nathan realized that the others were waiting for their turn with Brooke.

Millie stood outside the door, trying to make herself go in. She didn't know what to expect and it scared her.

"I can go in with you if you want." Mouth told her softly.

"Thanks Marvin, I would like that."

They both went in and Millie burst into tears. Brooke was her boss but she was also her friend and role model. It really hurt her to see Brooke laying in a hospital bed.

Mouth sat a 'Get Well Soon' teddy bear on the table next to the bed. Ironically with him being a reporter, he couldn't find the right words to say; because nothing was right about this situation.

Skills and Lucas went last. Nothing could prepare Lucas for the sight before him. Brooke lay helpless in the hospital bed. She had two black eyes, bruised cheeks, a busted lip, and various bruises that covered her body. Lucas was finding himself in desperate need of his HCM medicine because his heart truly hurt.

"…I got your back B. Davis. I'm here for you." Skills finished talking to his friend. He looked up and noticed that Lucas was still standing near the door.

Lucas heart was beating in his ears so loud that he didn't hear Skills call his name until they were face to face.

"Luke!" Skills shouted for the fifth time. When he saw him snap out of it, Skills said he was going to give him some alone time with Brooke.

When he heard the door close, Lucas rushed to Brooke's bedside. It pained him to see her like this. Acting on instincts, he placed a gentle kiss over each of her eyelids. Next, he kissed her cheeks, and when he got to her busted lip he stopped and lingered over it. He didn't want to feel like he was taking advantage of her. When or if they ever kissed again, he wanted that to be her decision. Not that he didn't want to because oh god he wanted to! But Brooke would have to be conscious for that. So, instead he kissed the corners of her mouth.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you pretty girl." He whispered as he gently caressed her fingers. And he meant what he said. Despite the bruises, she would always be beautiful to him. She was his pretty girl.

"I'm going to be there for you whenever you need me. I promise." The tears were falling fast down his face and he made no move to stop them. He didn't care about feeling vulnerable. He could always be himself in front of her. And right now, he was scared. What if she never woke up?

…

"The trauma to her head has put her in a precarious state. We will continue to monitor her." The doctor explained to the group of friends, standing outside of Brooke's room.

"Will she wake up soon?" Millie asked.

"It's impossible to say, but Ms. Davis being unconscious is not necessarily a bad thing," The doctor began to explain.

"Tell that to her son." Haley mumbled.

"Ms. Davis has a child?"

"Yes?" Haley answered skeptically.

"I assume that he will be staying with his legal guardian?"

The adults all looked at each other, not knowing what to say.

"He will be staying with us." Nathan motioned to himself and Haley.

"Are you his legal guardians?" The doctor asked.

"No, but he's family."

"I'm sorry but it is hospital policy that the children of admitted patients are kept under their legal guardian's care."

The group didn't seem happy about the situation, and this wasn't the doctor's area of expertise so he went to get a social worker.

As he was walking away, he forgot to ask a question. He turned back around and headed back to the group. As he approached them, Haley was scowling at him so he turned to Millie, the less threatening one.

"I need to access Ms. Davis' records. Is there another hospital that she goes to?"

Millie gave him the name of the hospital in New York and Brooke's primary doctor.

"Thanks, you've been so helpful." He smiled nervously at the group, with Haley still glaring at him, and he quickly walked away. He needed to get them a social worker fast!

"Can you believe him?!" Haley asked incredulously. "He acts like we're incompetent of taking care of Sebastian!"

"He does have to follow protocol." Nathan tried to reason.

"Screw protocol! And whose side are you on?"

"I'm on your side honey, you know that."

…

Sebastian was awakened by the sudden urge of his bladder. He vaguely remembered falling asleep in Aunt Millie's lap after listening to those two goofy guys talk (Mouth ). Rubbing his eyes and looking around, he saw Jamie asleep in the chair next to him but all of the adults were gone.

He hopped out of his seat to go look for them. They couldn't have gone far.

Sebastian found the group of adults standing in the middle of the hallway. He walked over and tugged on Millie's jacket. "Aunt Mill, I have to pee." He said as he crossed his legs together.

"Okay, hold on a sec." She told him.

"I can't." He was beginning to bounce up and down.

"I'll take him. I'm sure Jamie has to go too." Nathan volunteered.

When they walked back to the waiting room, Jamie was just waking up.

"Dad, where are we?" He asked, rubbing his eyes at the fluorescent lights.

"We're in the hospital Jamie. Come on, bathroom break."

"No I-" Before he could finish his sentence he felt the urge. "Okay." He hopped down from the chair and followed his father and Sebastian to the men's room.

…

Everyone was still having a discussion outside of Brooke's room, when a young brunette woman walked towards them.

"Hello, I'm Sylvia, the hospital's social worker." She said as she shook their hands.

"Hi Sylvia, I'm Haley. I want to know why my nephew can't stay with us until his mom gets better."

"Wow, straight to the point." Sylvia saw the expression on Haley's face and figured that she better quickly explain herself. She pulled a paper out of the files that the doctor gave her.

"During situations like these, the child is immediately placed into the care of the parent or guardian." She began to read the paper. "On Sebastian's birth certificate, Lucas Eugene Scott is listed as the father. So, Sebastian will have to stay with him for the time being."

"What?!" Lucas asked as he came out of Brooke's room.

"And you are?" Sylvia asked him.

"I'm Lucas Scott."

"Great, Mr. Scott do you mind coming with me? We have a lot to discuss."

"I'm coming too." Haley said as she followed them.

"Wow." Mouth said as everyone turned around to look at him. He said what everyone was thinking.

Next Chapter Coming Soon.