2003 ― Tree Hill, North Carolina

Brianna was still lying in her bed next to Nathan and thinking about what he had just said. "This whole thing started to mess with Lucas." She didn't know what to think. She couldn't believe that Nathan started their relationship just to mess with Lucas, and now she was wondering, has their entire relationship been fake?

"I'm sorry, what did you just say?" Brianna asked as she sat up.

"About what?" Nathan asked.

"About the way we started," Brianna said. She could hear the landline at their house ringing, but she needed Nathan to answer the question.

"Nothing. Just when I first came to you for tutoring. I thought the easiest way to mess with Lucas was to hook up with you, but...-" Brianna didn't let him finish that sentence.

"...-So everything between us has been a lie?" Brianna asked. When Nathan saw the hurt come across her face and how soft her tone was, he immediately sat up and shook his head.

"No, Bree, that's not it," Nathan said. Brianna shook her head as her eyes started watering.

"I can't believe this... Lucas was right about you all along." Brianna said softly as she shook her head and then she sniffled. Nathan hated that he hurt her, and he was kicking himself for slipping up and saying that. Although he originally went to Brianna for tutoring to mess with Lucas, their relationship was real to him, and he was starting to fall in love with Brianna, and he hates that he hurt her.

"Brianna? Bree, are you home? If you are, pick up. There's been an accident. Lucas is hurt pretty badly. Bree?" Brianna immediately got off her bed and walked over to her desk and picked up the phone when she heard that Lucas was hurt.

"Keith, hey. I'm here. He's going to make it, right?" Brianna asked. She paused as Keith gave her the short run-down of what happened. "Okay, thanks." She said and hung up the phone. Nathan was standing up from her bed as she turned around.

"Come on, I'll take you to the hospital," Nathan said and Brianna shook her head.

"I can't talk to you right now, Nathan." She said.

"Brianna, look. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that." Nathan said. Brianna shook her head again as she wiped her eyes and gestured to her door.

"Just leave, please," Brianna said in a soft tone. Nathan could tell she was more hurt than angry and he nodded his head. He gave Brianna one last look before he walked out of the door. Then Brianna picked up the phone again and dialed Peyton's number.

"Hey, Bree. What's up?" Peyton asked.

"Keith just called and said Lucas was in a bad accident. Brooke's not home, but if she's with you, you guys should get to the hospital." Brianna said and then she hung up the phone and sat back down on her bed. She was thinking about how Lucas was right about Nathan, and she yelled at Lucas and told him not to talk to her again, and then he got in an accident.

What if he doesn't make it?

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The following morning, Brianna was still laying in her bed when she heard a knock on her bedroom door. "Hey," Peyton said. Brianna was relieved that it wasn't Nathan and she waved for Peyton to come inside. Peyton walked inside her room and sat down on the bed next to her best friend and Brianna sat up.

"Hey." She said.

"I thought you'd be at the hospital with Brooke and Haley," Peyton said, and Brianna sighed.

"Why aren't you there?" Brianna asked.

"I dropped Brooke off. It's just kind of weird... She's still with Lucas." Peyton said. Brianna sighed again because she was still very upset with Lucas and Peyton about that.

"Peyton, how could you do that to her? She's your best friend." Brianna said. Peyton sighed as she looked at Brianna. And she could tell that Peyton was upset about it, but it still doesn't excuse what she did.

"I know, Bree... I know... we were going to tell her tonight." Peyton said and Brianna shook her head. "Don't you want to see him?" She asked.

"Yeah, I do. But I can't." Brianna said as she shook her head.

"Why not?" Peyton asked.

"If you don't mind, Peyton, I don't want to talk about it... and I really want to be alone right now," Brianna said. Peyton nodded her head and stood up from the bed.

"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure his mom would like to see you." She said.

"Peyton, I'll go when I'm ready." Brianna snapped slightly. Peyton nodded her head and knew not to push her anymore on the topic.

"Sure."

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Later that day, Brianna and Haley were at work at the cafe. Haley told Brianna that Lucas's surgery was successful, and now the doctors are waiting for him to wake up. But Brianna kept thinking the worst. She kept thinking, what if Lucas didn't wake up? Or, what if he did wake up but he doesn't forgive her?

She hasn't forgiven herself.

"Bree, what are you doing?" Brianna heard. She was standing behind the counter doing inventory. She looked up and saw Peyton approaching the counter and she sighed. It's not that she didn't want to see her, but she was tired of Peyton trying to pressure her into going to the hospital.

"Inventory." She said.

"Lucas is lying in a hospital bed, why can't you just go see him?" Peyton asked and Brianna sighed. She was trying hard not to snap because she understood why Peyton was trying to get her to the hospital, but she doesn't like being pushed into things.

"Because he wouldn't want to see me," Brianna said.

"What are you talking about? Bree, that's crazy. Lucas is one of your best friends." Haley said as she came back to the counter after taking an order, but she heard the last part of what Brianna said.

"Not last night he wasn't. We got into a fight." Brianna said.

"About what?" Peyton asked.

"You, him, and Brooke. The last thing I said to him was, 'I don't like the person you're becoming. The next time you see me, don't talk to me.' So, he wouldn't want to see me." Brianna siad.

"You didn't mean that," Haley said.

"What if I can't take it back? What if he doesn't forgive me?" Brianna asked.

"He will, but you just need to come to see him. I'll tell you what. Whenever you decide you're ready, we'll go to the hospital with you. Strength in numbers." Peyton said and Haley nodded her head in agreement.

"Yeah... okay, thank you," Brianna said and Peyton nodded her head.

"I'll see you."

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Brianna was still at work, and she was behind the counter. "How's Lucas?" She heard. When she looked up, she scowled when she saw Nathan. Technically, he is still her boyfriend, she didn't break up with him, but she wasn't happy with him, and he was the last person she wanted to see right now. She was still really upset about the fact that he said the only reason he came to her for tutoring and started talking to her was to mess with Lucas.

"Like you care," Brianna snapped.

"Bree, come on, that's not fair. Look, we're not tight, I know that. But I don't want to see the guy in the hospital." Nathan said and she rolled her eyes.

"Why? Because if he's out of circulation, then you can't use me to piss him off?" She snapped again as she walked out from behind the counter.

"Hey, would you just stand still for a second so we can talk about this?" Nathan said. He followed Brianna to her table as she dropped off their food and now she was walking back toward the counter.

"Not a chance in hell. I am on the clock, but you wouldn't know anything about having a job, would you?" She asked as she stood behind the counter again and Nathan sighed.

"Alright, fine, don't talk to me, but at least let me take you to see Lucas today," Nathan said. Brianna immediately shook her head.

"You know what? Peyton is already going to take me after my shift, and even if she wasn't, I still wouldn't go with you." Brianna snapped before walking back into the kitchen as Deb was walking out of the kitchen. Brianna figured she probably heard the majority of that, but she didn't care.

Her son is an ass.

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Peyton, Haley, and Brianna walked into the hospital and Brianna remembered the familiar smell of when she and Brooke were there for Peyton when her mom died in that same hospital. She knew it was probably hard for Peyton to be here so she did appreciate her offering to come with her because she knows Peyton hasn't stepped foot in a hospital since her mother died.

They walked into Lucas's room and the first thing she saw was Karen asleep in the chair next to his bed, then she looked at Lucas and her heart sank. He was lying still, IVs hooked to him, and a breathing machine. She couldn't stand to see him like that. She shook her head and walked out into the hallway as she could feel herself about to cry.

"I can't." She said.

"Brianna, wait... it's alright." Haley said as she and Peyton followed their friend into the hallway. Brianna wiped her eyes before the tears could fall and she shook her head.

"No, it's not okay. He's lying in there and there's nothing I can do about it." She said.

"Well, you could be there for him. Just go and talk to him, you'll feel better." Peyton said and Brianna shook her head. She didn't think she deserved to feel better after her argument with Lucas.

"I don't deserve to feel better. I mean, giving him an apology is worth nothing if he's not away to hear it. You know, if I go in there, I'm just gonna start crying and that's the last thing Karen needs." Brianna said.

"Why don't you let her be the judge of that?" Haley asked and Brianna shook her head.

"I'm sorry guys. I can't."

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Brianna made her way back to the cafe and she went to the roof where she, Haley, and Lucas built their miniature golf course. She was sitting on the ledge, but not to the point where she was in danger of falling off. "Deb said I might find you up here." She turned around and saw Peyton approaching. But she did stop to look around the golf course and see the lights hanging up and she smiled.

"Hey," Brianna greeted her.

"This place is cool," Peyton said and Brianna nodded.

"Yeah, it is. Lucas, Haley, and I built this. Every time I couldn't hang out with you and Brooke... I was with them and we were up here. I'm sorry I ran out of the hospital like that. I know it took a lot of courage for you to walk back into that place." Brianna said and Peyton shook her head.

"No, don't sweat it, Bree." She said while shaking her head. Then Peyton wrapped an arm around her best friend. "I'm probably not the best person to be giving moral support. Maybe if you went with Nathan." She said. Brianna immediately shook her head.

"Nathan and I are taking a little break right now," Brianna said as she laid her head on Peyton's shoulder.

"What happened?" Peyton asked.

"He was just using me to get to Lucas," Brianna said. Peyton lifted her friend's head off her shoulder and shook her head.

"Okay, Brianna, I don't believe that. I know Nathan, and anyone can tell he is totally into you." Peyton said and Brianna shrugged.

"It doesn't matter. Anyways, why do you think you're no good for moral support P. Sawyer? You've been my best friend for years, you've always been there when I needed you. You're by far the best moral support." Brianna said.

"You said that you were disappointed in Lucas for betraying Brooke, and I just figured that you felt the same way about me." She said. Brianna sighed as she looked at her.

"Peyton, I love you to death, and although I am very upset that you hurt my sister the way you did... I'm not disappointed in you. I know what it feels like to need Lucas in your life." Brianna said. That was part of the reason why she couldn't bring herself to go to the hospital. Lucas is her best friend, and she loves him so much. If he died and the last words she said to him ended up being "the next time you see me, don't talk to me," she didn't know what she was going to do.

"I never let myself need anybody, ever. You know, since... Since my mom died, I've only let myself need you and Brooke. But with Lucas, he looks at me and he really sees me, you know? Just right down to my soul." Peyton said. Brianna agreed, Lucas was good at reading people.

Lucas always knows when Brianna is upset before she does.

"I totally understand. I just want to tell him that I love him and I'm sorry." Brianna said. Peyton sighed as she nodded her head.

"I just want to tell him that I'm in love with him," Peyton said. Brianna's eyes widened as she looked at her friend. She's never heard Peyton use those words before. She dated Nathan for two years and never said that she was in love with him, so Brianna knew this was a big deal.

"You are?" She asked. Peyton nodded her head. Brianna noticed her eyes were red and brimming with tears.

"I do." She said.

"Oh, come here," Brianna said. She wrapped her arms around Peyton and the two of them stood there and hugged for a while. They cried together, over Lucas, Brianna shed some tears for Nathan and she knows Peyton also shed some for Brooke. Brianna loves her sister, and she will always be on Brooke's side first, and she was very upset with Peyton for the role she played in Brooke's heartbreak, but she knew Peyton's heart was broken too, she screwed up her friendship and she has to live with that.

Brianna was just hoping one day, everything could go back to normal.

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Peyton took Brianna from the cafe to the river court, where everyone was drawing on the court with chalk. They were drawing well wishes for Lucas and writing things like they hope he gets better soon. Brianna raised an eyebrow as they got out of the car and approached the court. "What's all of this?" She asked.

"It started last night. People wanted to do something for Lucas." She said. Brianna looked around at all the people who were there and one person, in particular, surprised her.

"Is that Tim? He's always been such an ass to Lucas, mainly because of Nathan." Brianna said.

"Maybe this is his way of saying he's sorry," Peyton said. Brianna searched the court to see if Tim's bossman had come too and she wasn't surprised to see Nathan wasn't there.

"Wow. Why am I not surprised Nathan isn't here." Brianna said while shaking her head. She started to walk around the court and see what everyone was drawing and writing for Lucas. She smiled when she saw Haley and she picked up a stray piece of chalk she saw.

She started drawing a message for her friend.

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After leaving the river court, Peyton Sawyer made her way to her ex-boyfriend's house. She parked on the street and walked up the driveway to see Nathan outside shooting free throws on his basketball hoop. As she approached from behind him, he missed a shot and Peyton smiled.

"Your free throws look like crap." She said. Nathan turned around and laughed when he saw it was Peyton.

"Glad to see you're picking up the slack in my dad's absence." He said.

"He's not around?" Peyton asked.

"He moved out. My parents are getting a divorce." Nathan said and Peyton frowned.

"Oh, wow, um. I'm sorry, Nathan. I didn't know." Peyton said. Brianna figured that Nathan wouldn't want anyone else to know, and she knew it wasn't her business to tell, so that's why she didn't tell Nathan.

"It's alright. They suck together anyways. Speaking of, why are you here?" Nathan asked and Peyton laughed.

"Brianna, actually. Um, listen... I don't know what you did to her, but I do know that she's the best thing that's ever happened to you." Peyton said and Nathan nodded.

"Are you including yourself in that?" He asked.

"Yeah, I am." She said.

"Well, yeah... she is. She just doesn't believe me." He said.

"So, what happened?" Peyton asked. Nathan sighed and he knew his next words were going to make him sound like an asshole.

"I told her that I only went after her at first to screw with Lucas," He said. Peyton groaned as she rolled her eyes. When Brianna told her that, she didn't want to believe that Nathan said or did something like that. But she should've known that Brianna wouldn't lie about something like that.

"You're a real jackass, you know that?" She said.

"Yeah, I was. But it hasn't been about that with me and Bree for a long time." Nathan said. Peyton nodded. She knew Nathan was being sincere and she sees Nathan and Brianna together all the time. She knows that Nathan isn't faking the way he feels about her.

"Nathan... Brianna needs your help, she can't face Lucas," Peyton said.

"That's not really my place, is it? I mean Lucas isn't exactly my biggest fan." Nathan said.

"That doesn't mean you can't try... for Brianna," Peyton said.

"So, is this advice for me or for you? Well, this is kind of weird, huh? The two of us talking about each other's relationships. Especially since mine is with your best friend." Nathan said and Peyton laughed.

"It's all weird, but you make Brianna happy and that's what matters to me," Peyton said and Nathan nodded.

"Yeah."

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Nathan did take Peyton's advice. He went to the hospital to see his brother. When he walked into Lucas' room, he was there alone. Karen had stepped out to deal with insurance. Nathan sat down on the chair and took a deep breath. He didn't know if Lucas would be able to hear him, but he knew Peyton was right, he needed to try, not for himself.

For Brianna.

"Hey, man. I kind of need to talk to you. So, I'm here because everything's screwed up. I know you don't trust me with Brianna, but I like her a lot, you know? She's hurting right now too. She needs you to open your eyes, man. She feels like she can't be forgiven, and I'm sort of in the same place." Nathan said. He leaned in closer and laid his hands down on the hospital bed.

"This accident... it might not turn out so bad, you know? You get to take a break from the game. The pressure and people's expectations. I wish I had that chance. This might be hard to believe, but maybe you're the lucky one. You can get out." Nathan said. Then he noticed Lucas's fingers started moving. A small smile came to Nathan's face as he watched Lucas slowly open his eyes.

Lucas was a bit surprised that it was Nathan who was there. "Water." He said hoarsely. Nathan nodded his head and stood up from the chair. He went to the water dispenser in the room and got Lucas a cup. Lucas quickly finished the water and then he turned to Nathan.

"What are you doing here?" He asked and his voice was less raspy.

"Long story, let me go get your mom."

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Brianna was at work again and when she heard the bell ding, she looked up and rolled her eyes when she saw Nathan walking in and he was approaching the counter. "Nathan, I am not in the mood, okay?" She said. But then Nathan said something she wasn't expecting.

"Lucas is awake. I was there when he opened his eyes. I went to see him." Nathan said. Brianna froze as she looked up at her boyfriend. A wave of relief washed over her when he said that Lucas was awake, but she was shocked that Nathan had gone to see him.

"Why?" Brianna asked.

"Because I knew you couldn't. I wanted him to know that you were thinking about him. Look, I know it was wrong to go after you for the reasons that I did. I can't apologize for it because I'm glad I did. I'm not that person anymore, Bree, and that's because of you." Nathan said. Brianna slightly smiled because she could tell his apology was sincere, and she thought it was sweet that he set his dislike of Lucas aside and visited him because he knew she couldn't.

"Nathan..." She trailed off because she didn't know what to say.

"Let me take you to him," Nathan said. Brianna nodded her head and she let Deb know that Lucas was awake and Nathan was going to take her to the hospital. Deb told her that was okay and that she and Haley could handle things at the cafe.

Then they left.

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Brianna got into the car with Nathan and he could tell his girlfriend was nervous. He gently laid his hand down on her knee and Brianna took a deep breath. When Nathan parked, the pair went inside together and Nathan led her to Lucas' room. He stayed outside in the hallway while Brianna knocked on the doorframe.

Lucas and Brooke looked up and Brooke smiled at her sister. She stood up and walked out of the room and gently squeezed Brianna's shoulder as she passed her. Brianna slowly entered the room and kept her distance because she didn't know how Lucas would react since the last time they saw each other, they had a huge fight.

When Lucas smiled, Brianna took that as a green light to come closer. She walked over to his bed and sat down next to him, and she was facing him. "Hey, buddy. I missed you." Lucas whispered. Brianna didn't know why, but hearing Lucas say that broke something inside of her, and she broke down into tears as she wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulder.

Lucas wrapped one arm around Brianna, and with his other hand, he gently ran his fingers through her hair as he let her sob. He knew she was probably feeling guilty about their fight because he was too, but now the two of them were just happy to see each other, and Brianna was so glad that he was alive.

She didn't know what she would've done without him.

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and everything is right with the best friends again, but that doesn't mean she's not on brooke's side. brianna is a ride-or-die for her siblings first and foremost.

don't forget to vote/comment.

xoxo.