I APOLOGISE. you know what for. So yeah, no medical fic is complete without a hospital disaster right?

5am used to be Lucas's favourite time of day. He'd get up with the early birds, appreciate the pale pink sky and treasure the stillness before Dan was awake and banging on his door about whatever his latest problem was. He'd maybe go for a run, shoot some hoops on a broken down court no-one but he and some friends ever used; it was peaceful, his own time.

When he joined up the 5am tradition continued. He got half an hour if he was lucky, time to kill and to breathe, to think about the day ahead or to take in the beautiful skies of wherever they were crashing for the night. JB used to tease him about needing his space. They'd be shooting across the desert, rocking around in the back while Watson drove at breakneck speeds for no reason other than to watch them all wince in pain every time they flew over a sand dune and JB would clutch at his arm shouting, "if you'd spent more time with him he wouldn't be crazy you know. We're all in this marriage together and yet you just can't stand to be around us. Now you'll be sorry!"

At the time it had made him laugh, made him shove at his best friend and threaten to toss him over the side of the truck.

He's sickeningly relieved that the events that led to him fleeing halfway across the world to a hostile brother, a whirlwind life of clean surgery rooms and a green eyed storm, did not destroy what he'll readily admit is his version of magic hour.

You can't argue with his logic, the calm tranquility of being awake before the rest of the world, lying awake and watching someone you love sleep (in a non-creepy way obviously) or just readying yourself for the day.

If JB had died in his arms at five am then the whole in Lucas' chest would have been cut jagged, torn sideways. For months before Peyton, Nathan, Satan and the rest of the crazy group of misfits he feels lucky enough to now call family changed him, he would run with Tex until the day was bright and clear and the memories that had kept his sleep fitful and uncomfortable were blown away with the stars. If he had lost the one tradition he'd kept his whole life along with his best friend then there perhaps would have been no saving him.

Because Lucas is not delusional. He was a mess when he arrived and yeah, small parts of him that brim over on occasion still remain that way, but he dug himself out of the ashes himself.

And then again he knows his situation here has been a huge part in healing that burnt scar on his soul. He's not being poetic or anything, he's never believed in a "deeper meaning" in life to some serious degree but he believes that the people you love mold you on the inside. It's in their gentle touches or hilarious comments, their knowing gazes and sarcastic responses, all of it, wrapping you up and forming that invisible shit that makes you up into a person.

Now he was talking about it, re-living the situation as he sat with the man who led him and inspired him for the very last time- because Lucas knew this was the last time he would see Fray, they will not write, they will not make phone calls; the man in front of him taught him the best lessons of his life but he was a military man through and through. Lucas will not continue down that path. Even if he didn't have the scars on his legs and back where the shrapnel that took out half his convoy cut right through him like knife through butter, his desire to fight in countries unknown without his men, the ones he grew up with, is gone. And Fray knows this as well as Lucas does. He has come, officially, to formally discharge his boy. Unofficially he's here because Lucas might had the paper work months ago but Fray was still in Afghanistan on tour and he needed to see the gangly Scott kid one last time before he closed that chapter in his life.

James could tell Lucas would be in good hands. The fire in that pretty little lady's eyes had been enough to make him reconsider his casual, non- defensive stance, and he knew Lucas would be well looked after. The boy had spent half his life looking after others, caring for their wounds and ensuring there was never anything else he could do before letting go of something, or someone, and now he looked tired. He looked drained in a way Fray had never felt about his chosen path in life.

Lucas took a breath finally and on the exhale, sat back, rubbing his face briefly, "is that everything?"

Fray nodded, "you know you didn't have to talk about it again Scott."

"Yeah I know," Lucas' hand twitched towards his pocket and then he pursed his lips and stood up, "I figured if one person in the world really wanted to know what went out there that day, it should be you sir."

But it didn't feel like he'd been torn open. Whether it was because he felt like in the walls of the hospital he was safe or that across the road he knew the rest of his family were waiting he just… he still felt like he could breathe.

"You still doing your work outs at five sharp Scott?"

He chuckled and shook his head, "time kinda goes differently here sir."

The Colonel nodded and carefully patted him on the back, "it doesn't hurt to keep up old traditions you know."

Lucas swallowed, "yeah I do."

"Don't bury it Lucas," Fray said suddenly and Lucas looked up at him sharply, a question in his eyes, "I've lost- I've dealt with loss the way I know how and everyone is different but I do know that if you pretend this chapter in your life never happened-"

"I would never do that," Lucas cut in quickly.

"Son I know that, but don't pretend all that happened was the ending. You boys did a fine job out there, I was proud to watch over all of you- and I will remain proud, of all of you, no matter what you do."

It was like years of scabbed over scars, dusty unfulfilled sentences he'd wished to hear from someone else were suddenly being handed to him on a plate and he couldn't fucking breathe again. As if sensing that he was overwhelmed Fray stood and smiled faintly at him, "it was an honour serving with you Scott."

He scrambled up, eager to at least show something of how grateful he was, "Sir I don't even know where to start saying-"

"Don't then, just keep up the good work." Nodding at the package on the chair behind him Fray began to turn, "you'll be wanting to look through that at some point."

"I will, Colonel I- thank you," he said finally, "you- this saved my life you know?"

"It never needed saving Lucas, it just needed direction, and you went and found a new one all on your own, here. Don't underestimate yourself son- you'll be ok."

And then he was gone. Lucas sat on the crappy plastic chairs for a long time before he could sense feeling returning to his legs.

"Oh jesus christ I give up!" Lucas tossed the wretched material across the room and kicked at a nearby bin.

Nathan snorted from where he was ensconced on the sofa playing on a ridiculously old looking game boy but made no other move to imply he had even heard his brother's frustration.

Lucas picked up a cushion and aimed it at the loser's head. Nathan ducked easily, smirking but not even glancing in his direction.

"Dude come on, help me out here."

"Nope, you said you could do it, you said you were fine. In fact I believe your exact words were," Nathan paused his game, looked up and squinted his eyes until he could barely see before croaking out, "leave me alone you idiot I can do a tie myself you know."

"I do not talk like that!"

Nathan considered him for a second and then nodded, returning to his game, "you're right it's more like," he put on a high falsetto, "oh how I wish I were a real boy."

The mistake Nathan made here was assuming Lucas wasn't willing to tackle him to the ground in a suit.

"Luke! Luke dammit Rachel's gonna kill me! Oof stop it you jerk off-"

"You started it bitch!"

There was a disappointed sounding beep as their arms and legs flailed around, fighting for dominance on the floor.

"Luke my game! Nooo! I was on level twenty six!" Nathan's hands came up around his neck and Lucas batted at them, trying to save his face from an assault; he remembered Nathan's ability to scratch- girl that he was- "I. Could. Have. Won. The. Title," his brother spat out, banging Luke's head against the wood with each word.

"What the Pokemon player of the year title?" He choked out, squeezing his legs around Nathan's waist and flipping them easily, smirking, "you clearly need to spend more time in the gym and not on stupid dorky game boy- oh jesus god oh," he rolled off to the side, clutching his stomach after a decent punch from Nathan who then tried to take advantage of his moment of weakness by smothering him with a pillow.

"Say that again bitch? Who's the one who was the badass army boy? And you can't even take a civilian? Weak big brother, weak, weak, we-" Lucas shoved his hand up into his brother's face and silenced him while they wrestled for control of the last remaining cushion.

"You suck!"

"You suck worse!"

"That's your come back? Don't they teach you trash talk in the army?"

"You've lived with Gatina for ten years don't you have better insults by now?"

"What is going on in here?" They both froze, heads snapping to face the door where Rachel was standing looking extremely pissed off. "Are you two serious? Ten minutes before Brooke's rehearsal dinner and you're on the floor creasing your Armani? Do you want me to go into labour right here you half -witted imbeciles?"

"Sorry," they both mumbled, pulling apart with much elbowing and Lucas sneaking one last jab at Nathan's neck which Rachel spotted and gave him an icy glare. "Peyton's so lucky to have met someone as mature as you."

He scowled, "I really hope the horns sprout after the baby's born; it would be so painful for you otherwise."

Rachel narrowed her eyes at him, "are you suggesting my child is going to be born half demon?"

"Yeah maybe even whole if it's evil side eats the good side in utero."

There was a second's pause while Rachel stared at him, looking kind of like she was going to eat on him, then she flounced from the room shouting, "baby you have permission to beat the crap out of him!"

"Alright!" Nathan side tackled Lucas and sent them sprawling to the floor once again, taking advantage of his brother's surprise and squashing his face with one of the disregarded cushions.

Ten minutes later, a pristine looking Rachel with a murderous look on her face, a slightly disheveled looking Nathan and a much more worse for wear Lucas arrived on Peyton's door step. There was the deep thud of music strumming through the walls and Lucas nodded his head in time, he loved Zeppelin.

After a halfhearted attempt at ringing the bell Rachel used her key and let them in, wrinkling her nose up at the smell.

"What the hell?"

Peyton appeared looking slightly harassed and abso-fucking-lutely amazing in a cream and gold dress, waving absently, "hey guys." She seemed to do a double take when she saw Lucas and then smiled nervously, tucking a curl of hair behind her ears before it stubbornly fell down again, "hi."

He felt himself grinning back, speechless and in front of him Rachel scoffed and hit him on the back of the head, "ouch woman!"

"I was just checking you could still form words."

"Bitch."

"Jerk."

"Whore."

"Hey man- don't you call my wife that word."

"What? She started it!"

"Well, well, well," they were torn from the family bickering match to stare at an insanely dressed and clearly still very drunk best man. "The Scotts!" Chris beamed at them, eyes unseeing as he drifted past with one shoe on and an oversized novelty tie thrown over his shoulder. "My favourite family," he slurred, lifting a mug of what smelt like very strong coffee up at them before giggling into it.

Nathan turned to look at Peyton aghast, "did Keller sleep in your house?"

She snorted, "hell no- he decided it would be politer to turn up at half four this morning and ask if I had any eggs because he wanted to make, what was it again? Oh yeah," she deadpanned, "Jakey Bakey a cakey." She rolled her eyes and then gestured to the couch, "he passed out about five seconds before I could tell him I don't own anything that has a sell by date in the next year and he's been out ever since."

Lucas wrinkled up his nose at the state of the couch, Christ did he used to leave smells like that behind?

"Actually you were a whole brewery stronger than this most of the time," he turned to look at Rachel in surprise and she shrugged, "the horror of a man looking at his own past is a pretty obvious facial expression."

He scowled, "don't need to rub it in."

"You called my child a demon, I can be mean to you for months for that," Rachel snapped her fingers in front of Chris's face, "Keller!"

He jumped at least two feet backwards, dropping his mug and shrieking before making an attempt to hide behind Lucas, "get her away from me!"

"Oh yeah you better run you idiot- what were you thinking?"

"Bachelors!"

"Is this your way of coming out to us Chris?"

"Fuck off- I mean we were bachelors so there were strippers therefore, knowing how expedential- expent- expensive medical school is personally- I just had to help them on their way!"

"By drinking a bar dry?"

"Yes!"

Chris stood up looking sickly pale, beside him Lucas could feel Nathan shaking with silent laughter. Poor Keller. Brooke was going to skin him alive.

"Uh-" he cleared his throat, shooting the happy, if slightly concerned couple a wonky grin, "so- Jake! He's good, you know, he's tall," he lifted his hand above his head as if to emphasise his point and then promptly lost his balance and tripped forward and into the table, "woops!"

Lucas could see Brooke's face going from vaguely worried that Chris was having a stroke to flat out stony. It looked remarkably like the expression Rachel wore when she was clearly thinking about all the ways she'd like to kill Lucas.

To his right Chris lurched, pushing on through the fog valiantly, "and I mean he's not just awesome at hockey coshe's tall, he's- he'sa good playerrr you know?" He turned to Brooke and asked with a loud whisper, "you know what I mean?"

"I'm going to kill you," Brooke responded quietly.

Before Chris could respond about thirty pagers went off simultaneously and everyone wearing one shifted to look down.

"Jesus," Rachel muttered. Lucas felt the usual rush of adrenaline as he read the 911 alert from his own pager sent by the cover nurses. He glanced up in time to see Jack striding from the hall, pulling on his jacket whilst Bevin ran behind him, still wearing her maid of honour sash, talking urgently on the phone.

Chris was busy looking around curiously, wondering where the loud buzzing was coming from when Brooke stood up and snatched the mic away from him, "you know the drill guys, let the nurses out of the car park first so we can set up for you. See you at the hospital in ten- don't kill yourselves getting there- we know from experience they'll be a while getting bodies out." She bent to whisper something to Jake who nodded and kissed her quickly, before clambering from the high table with ease and heading out of the hall.

"Is there a fire?" Chris yelled suddenly, "hey! My speech isn't finished!"

Jake rolled his eyes, reaching to snag his friend's collar and tug him away from the mic, "if we hadn't grown up together this is the part where I would sling your ass out Keller."

"Ass? Who's ass? Who has the best ass? What is ass?"

Peyton stood up, opening her cell phone, "Bryony, I'll be there in ten, get as many of them triaged- they're what? On whose authority?" Her face darkened and she began to stride from the room leaving Lucas to catch up, "over-ride it," she snapped sharply. "I don't care- you won't get in any trouble; I'll speak to Jack."

Her eyes were thunderous as she turned to take the keys from Lucas, "I'll drive," she said shortly.

The drive was, at best, awkward and at worst the kind of silence you get when someone's mad and you know just one wrong word will lead to them tail spinning the car off a cliff and Lucas shifted uncomfortably. In the back Rachel was fussing with her dress, cursing her new curves that got in the way of a quick change- Nathan was watching with faint amusement and insisting he was totally in favour of the changes.

"Not now honey," she cursed as she bashed her elbow on the window pane and dropped her hands impatiently.

"You know all this rushing about isn't good for you babe."

"I'm not a child Nathan, I know my limits!" As if to prove her point she immediately went back to messing with her dress straps and he slapped her hands away, "stop it!"

"I'm trying to save you from yourself!"

"Well don't!"

Their easy bickering covered for the icy quiet in the front and Lucas turned to look at Peyton, her knuckles were white with the pressure she was applying to holding the wheel and he sighed, "Peyton-"

"Don't Luke- Julian is- I just need to get to the hospital."

Rachel sat forward, "what was that about Julian?"

Peyton scowled, "he's trying to triage my patients to his system and it's screwing with the nurses- driving them crazy. So now I've got cover nurses crying in my ear about how rude and obnoxious Doctor Baker is- like I don't already know-" she jerked into the staff car park and swerved to the right towards her spot, "and he's trying to make me obsolete Rach. He's trying to make it so that I have to sign off on his damn trial for Jason. And he's not just making my life hell to do it; he's fucking with the nurses!"

Peyton didn't swear much and as if to emphasize just how ruffled Julian's behavior had gotten her she slammed on the brakes as she pulled into her spot and stopped sharply. Lucas had instinctively reached to grab the dashboard and when he turned to give her a look she rolled her eyes and snapped off her seatbelt, "don't."

It was like the Peyton Sawyer he'd met when he first rolled into town was back in full force, every guard she had was back up and anger seemed to be vibrating off her skin as he hurried to keep up with her. He couldn't let her go into the hospital like this, he didn't want her to end up saying something that she'd regret later- and he knew better than anyone the consequences of opening your mouth when you were filled with somewhat righteous anger.

"Hey Peyton, Peyton," he caught hold of her wrist, pulling her back towards him.

She sighed, turning to face him, looking a mix of exasperated and resigned, "I know what you're going to say."

He smirked, "oh you do?"

"Yep, that I'm letting him get under my skin and I shouldn't- that I should tell him where to go like it's that simple when it's not Luke it's-"

He broke her off mid rant, kissing her far more chastely than he'd like to but right now it was all they had time for. When he pulled away she was looking at him, pretty eyes widened in surprise.

"What was that for?"

"You stole my whole argument," he said with a grin.

She rolled her eyes, "I knew that was what you were gonna say."

"You're always right, I've learnt that now." He swung her hands out to the side and then brought them back together to kiss her knuckles, "listen up Sawyer," she raised an eyebrow and he shrugged, "it's time to man up. If someone does something you don't like you know what you do?"

"Kick them in the balls?"

He snorted and shook his head, "that doesn't fly where I come from."

"Oh god are you gonna try and make me go military?"

"Yup. It's the best job in the world for a reason babe, and the thing is, Baker's a douche; everyone knows that. The nurses know you've got their backs so go in there and let them have yours. You wanna triage your way then fucking do that. Cabot asked you to take over for a reason- you're the best kid- prove you know why."

She looked at him dubiously and he leant forward and kissed her forehead, "you would make a kick ass head of paeds, if the offer's still there this would be the best way to shut Julian up for good and help the hospital."

"I said no like a month ago!"

He shrugged again, "so? Cabot still wants you to take it right?"

"If her million memos reminding me the job's still there are anything to go by yeah I guess."

"And when does she make the change?"

Peyton sighed, scrunching up her nose, "she's taking her new associate position in a month, I guess sometime before then."

"So think about it ok?"

She was silent before nodding and patting his chest "who'd have guessed you'd be the one giving me career advice."

He grinned, "things have got pretty weird right?"

"No, just, different," she said softly before giving him a small smile and turning to head down the corridor, "oh!" She spun back around, reaching into her pocket and pulling something out, something that made his heart squeeze up, "you dropped these."

She placed the battered up the carton in his hand and he stared at it wordlessly. When he looked up she was halfway down the corridor, pulling her hair up in that same way that had become so familiar to him, disappearing round the corner like a fucking vision.

His pager jerked him back to the present and he took off in the opposite direction, ditching his suit quickly and appearing in the ER ten minutes later. It was complete chaos. Benton was barking orders at his student who looked, quite frankly, like he wouldn't be able to place an IV without fainting but must have been made of sterner stuff if the likes of Benton was putting up with him. Brooke handed him a triage kit, her make up from the evening still on but any other traces of frivolity gone as she explained how they were going to triage the mass of patients still arriving at the doors.

"You know the drill, worst case scenarios should all be coming through with the EMTs and we've got most of them on their way up to surgery now. Some of the victims from the train will have to be sutured in the waiting room- Jake's in there now and he needs all the help he can get."

"What about the people on the bus? The one that hit the tracks?"

Brooke pulled a face, "most of them didn't make it here Luke."

He swallowed, some stupid fratboys had gone for a beer run and completely lost control of the car, caused a pile up that shoved a bus through the highway railings and onto the train line, it had been a disaster. He could only imagine the kind of devastation at the scene.

"Look-" Brooke inclined her to where two paramedics were appearing, "they've got one of the boys now."

"I'll take it," he said grimly, moving forward to follow them into the third trauma room. "What have we got?" He yelled over the groaning idiot.

"Trey Blazens, nineteen, fractured collarbone, broken femur, two broken wrists, severe spinal damage and a possible head injury- he's lost a lot of blood and his pulse has been weak and thready the whole way here."

"On my count," Lucas slid around the gurney and reached for the stretcher, everyone around him moving with urgent efficiency, "one, two, three," they lifted and the kid let out a shout as they placed him on the bed, "get him on oxygen." Lucas bent to examine the boy's eyes which were sluggish and disorientated, "you know where you are Trey?"

The kid tried to lift his hand to push away the oxygen mask and his eyes grew panicked when he couldn't lift his hands, "you can't move them," Lucas said quickly, "they're in splints right now and we're assessing for spinal injuries- there's a possibility you could be paralyzed- please try not to move."

"No! No I can't- you can't- I've got a game- a- a basketball-" the heart rate monitor slowed.

"He's going into arrest," Lucas said sharply and the nurse closest to him moved to get the crash cart, "somebody page Shepherd to get down here stat." Lucas swept around the table, "clear!"

Blazens jerked awake as Lucas pressed the panels onto the pads, "Christ! What the fuck man?"

"Just saved your life," Lucas snapped, "even if you idiots didn't deserve to live after the crap you pulled."

"Lucas-" he can feel Brooke pulling on his scrubs and he allowed her to tug him out of the room, "douchebags!" He yelled, kicking at a nearby bag of medical waste. "They cause utter havoc, hurt people- people died! And all he can talk about is his freaking ball game?"

"Then we save them so that they can go out and do better," she said quietly.

"It's not right," he snarled.

Brooke gave him a sad smile, "we don't decide that part Lucas, all we can do is patch up the good people and hope like hell the rest of them try and make a change once they step out those doors."

He stared at her for a second and then dropped his head, smiling ruefully, "you and Jake are too damn optimistic for your own good."

"Nonsense," she said, smirking as she backed into the next trauma room, "what would you all do if we weren't huh?"

"Too damn cheery!" He called after her, still smiling despite himself.

"Scott!" Shepherd appeared looking complete cool and in control despite the chaos around him and Lucas couldn't help but think that in that moment the guy would have made an excellent general- and that he was glad to have someone like him in charge here. "Where's the kid with the spinal injury?"

"Two," he called, "but I think-" before he could finish there was a bang that shook that hospital and Lucas instinctively grabbed the Head of Surgery and hit the floor. The walls shook and medical instruments went flying over them. An alarm started ringing as the entire corridor was filled with smoke and people went down along the walls. There was a crunching noise and another bang and the glass in the trauma rooms shattered right, showering them.

"What the hell just happened to my hospital?"

Lucas looked around, trying to see through the damage, "I have no idea," he panted breathlessly, "but there are people in those trauma rooms."

Shepherd nodded, face grim and covered in dirt, "go for three." He reached into his pocket, fumbling for his phone, "shit cell service in this place-" whatever he was about to say was covered by a loud rumbling and the floor vibrated beneath them.

"Dammit! Lucas get going-"

"We don't know how bad the damage is- you can't go off down that corridor- if it caves in-"

"Hey," Shepherd turned from crawling away in the opposite direction, "I'll go down with my kids if it does."

"Shepherd!"

Lucas had no choice but to let him disappear before turning and sliding along the floor as plaster fell down around him and through the doors Brooke had disappeared into. Dust and smoke clouded his vision and it was like he was back on the floor of a dug out with Shepherd shouting something from behind and another bang leading to sparks flying in front of him. He pulled himself along the tiles, covering his head as the cabinet above the sinks clattered to the floor, something heavy blurring his vision for a moment as it knocked his skull, "Brooke!"

There was a groan and he twisted around, spotting her purple scrubs in the corner. She was curled up and protecting something and he staggered to his feet, making his way over and dropping to his knees. She was bleeding from a cut across her forehead and he realized she was shielding the child that had obviously been on the now upturned, broken in half stretcher.

"Can you move?"

She nodded, her eyes half open and he peeled the little girl from her arms, "come on, we gotta move."

"What- what happened?"

"I've no idea," he said hoarsely, pushing her in front of him so as not to lose her. "Come on Davis, you can move faster than that."

"I can't!"

"Yes you can!" He swallowed down on the mountain of fears building up. Earthquake? Twister? Keller? An explosion in the surgery rooms- Rachel hurt, Nate, Peyton.

"Where's my mom?" The little girl seemed to have been dazed before but was now wide awake and clinging to Lucas' neck with suffocating strength.

He choked and looked down at her, trying to smile, "don't worry kid," he wheezed, "we got you."

"I want my mom!"

Brooke mumbled something in front of him and then her arms gave way, her head dropping to the floor. "Brooke! Dammit cut me a break here," he gasped out. "Hey, kid? What's your name?"

"Ari."

"Alright Ari, I'm Lucas," behind them the doors of the trauma room fell flat and he pulled the girl instinctively closer, "look I need you to be really brave here Ari. This nice nurse who's been looking after you is hurt pretty bad and we gotta help her ok?"

"Ok."

"So I need you to get on my back." She stared at him for a second, her big brown eyes doubtful, "look I promise I won't drop you and I need you to hold on really tight- does your dad ever give you a piggy back ride?"

She shook her head slowly and he sighed, "yeah mine neither so this'll be a first for both of us ok? Just- put your arms around my neck like this," he shifted her round and felt her tiny hands clinging to his shoulders, "that's- that's great!"

When she was settled he bent over Brooke, feeling for a pulse. Mercifully there was one and taking care not to knock her face he bent and scooped her up in his arms, heading for where the debris was less, hoping like hell there was a fucking exit somewhere.

I know he's rescuing Brooke but I promise it's like, not shippy at all, I hope it didn't read that way- it leads to other stuff I promise!