Light on My Shoulder

One-Shot

Nathan and Brooke

Set during the school shooting episode (With Tired Eyes, Tired Minds, Tired Souls, We Slept)

--

Brooke and Peyton walked into school and walked past a group of girls sitting on the floor doing their math homework. They smiled up at Brooke and Peyton and waved; Brooke and Peyton looked at each other weirdly, but waved back in politeness. When they got out of ear shot of the girls Brooke leaned towards Peyton, "Do I know those people?" She asked as she looked back at them quickly and then looked straight ahead.

Peyton shrugged, "I think they're sophomores or something?"

"How do they know us?" Brooke asked again as she sent a text message to Lucas on her cell phone.

"Probably because of that little show you put on in the time capsule," Peyton said as she poked Brooke's side.

Brooke glared at her and scoffed, "Okay! That was totally not supposed to be seen until the year 3000 or something!"

"What did Luke think of the whole thing?" Peyton asked and then bent over to get a drink from the water fountain.

Brooke leaned against a locker and twirled a brown lock of hair, "He said I looked beautiful," she giggled, "It completely turned him on…I swear he wanted to fuck me right in the middle of the hallway."

Peyton stood up and laughed, "He said that?"

"Well no," Brooke said as they continued to walk down the hall, "But I could totally tell he was thinking it."

Both the girls laughed, but their laughter stopped when they turned the corner and saw a kid pointing a gun towards three boys who were running in the direction of them. The gun shot and people went running everywhere. Peyton got pushed around and somebody grabbed her and started running towards the exit.

"Let me go!" Peyton screamed as her eyes filled with tears. She began beating the guy on the back, "Let me the fuck go!"

They all got outside and the guy finally put her down and then ran to his car. Peyton looked around with her hands on her head and let out a loud sob, "Brooke!" She screamed as she looked around the parking lot, "Brooke!"

She turned and saw Lucas running up to her; he grabbed her as she cried onto his shoulder and gripped his shirt, "Peyton…"

"I lost her, Luke," Peyton said as she cried harder, "I lost her!"

Lucas looked down at her and tried his best to wipe some of the tear stains from her cheeks, "Lost who Peyton? Who did you lose?"

Peyton looked around once more and then looked at the school. She put her head down and let out another deep sob, "Brooke…"

Lucas's whole body began to shake as he took Peyton's hand and ran around the parking lot, "Brooke!" He screamed, even louder than Peyton, "Brooke!"

"Lucas!" He heard somebody scream; he turned and saw Haley running towards him; her hair was a mess and her mascara was running.

"Haley," Lucas said as he hugged her tightly and kissed the top of her head, "Where's Nathan?"

Haley wiped her eyes, "He's inside…" She said sadly as she bit her thumb nail and hugged Peyton.

"Brooke's inside too," Peyton said as the two girls held onto each other.

The principal walked over to the three of them with a concerned look his face, "I know some students are still inside," he began, "But you're all going to have to get on the bus and head down to the gym."

"We can't," Lucas said as he swallowed the lump in his throat, "My girlfriend's in there!"

"My boyfriend's in there!" Haley cried.

The principle rubbed his temples and looked at the school and then looked back at them, "I'm sorry. This is for your safety. You guys have to get on the bus…"

--

Brooke sat in a classroom with a girl she had never seen before, and a boy who was on the soccer team. She looked out the window and felt a pain in her leg; she touched it and brought her fingers up to her eyes and saw blood. "Shit," she said to herself.

The door opened and Nathan was pushed through followed by a guy with a gun. Nathan and Brooke looked at each other and he ran over and hugged her. Brooke winced in pain as Nathan's arm grazed over her cut; he looked down at her leg, "What the hell…?" He said and then took off his hoodie and wrapped it around her leg.

"Is she hurt?" The gunman asked.

Brooke glared at him, "No you son of a bitch I just am bleeding profusely…"

Nathan looked at the kid, "You're Jimmy Edwards…"

"The guy from the time capsule?" Brooke asked Nathan; he nodded and they both looked at him.

"I'm surprised you remember my name big shot," Jimmy said bitterly, and then put a piece of tape down, "Anybody crosses this line and they're dead." The boy who was sitting in the desk with his feet up laughed, "Did I say something funny?"

The boy stood up and walked up the line, "You wouldn't shoot us fat ass," he said mockingly.

"Fat ass?" Jimmy said and then cocked the gun, "Is that the best you can come up with?"

Nathan walked up to the guy, "Come on Greg…Just sit down."

"Listen to Mr. Basketball here," Jimmy said and then opened the door, "Any of you leave…I'll kill you," he said and then left the room.

Brooke leaned up against the wall and Nathan sat beside her, "Does it hurt?"

"Yeah," she said softly and then closed her eyes.

Nathan grabbed her hand, "You've got to stay awake Brooke…"

"It hurts too much," Brooke said as she winced in pain.

Nathan squeezed her hand, "Tell me about a happy memory…Something about you and Luke, but uh keep it PG please," he laughed.

Brooke laughed and opened her eyes slowly, "That's what it's all about…"

"What's it all about?" Nathan questioned.

"Everything is just memories," Brooke said softly as she looked Nathan in the eyes, "He's in love with Peyton, Nate."

Nathan shook his head, "He loves you Brooke."

"No," Brooke said as she shook her head and let out a sad chuckle, "I see the way he looks at her when he thinks I'm not watching him. I see the way they flirt when they don't know I'm right around the corner listening…"

"You and Lucas have been through so much Brooke," Nathan began, "I know I'm not exactly the right one to be talking about this, but I've seen as much as I've needed to."

Brooke sighed, "Maybe it's time to give up you know? All good things must come to an end right?"

"Do you mean it Brooke?" Nathan asked, "I mean…Who says that at the end of the day when we get out of this hell that you won't be missing Lucas?"

Brooke shrugged and looked up at the ceiling, "I was glad when you walked through the door…I don't think I could've bared having Lucas save me again."

"He wants to save you," Nathan said in almost a whisper.

A single tear rolled down Brooke's cheek, "I want to be able to save myself. I want to be able to get out of a situation without having to call Lucas and have him help me through it. I want to feel worthy of something."

"Look at you now Brooke," he said, "Not everyone can survive a bullet wound…"

"Is it serious?"

Nathan looked at it, "There's a lot of blood…We're going to have to get you out of here…"

Greg stood up along with the girl, "You two aren't going anywhere," he said, "I'm not staying here to die while you play hero."

"She was shot man," Nathan said as he stood up and got in the boys face.

Jimmy walked in, "You guys aren't going anywhere…" He said and then pointed his gun at Nathan and Greg, "You two…Follow me," he said as the two guys followed him out into the hall. Jimmy walked towards the teachers lounge; he turned and saw Greg running off, "Son of a bitch!" He screamed and shot at him, but missed. He turned to Nathan, "You try to run and I won't miss," he said.

Nathan walked into the teacher's lounge, "Is this worth it Edwards?"

"Shut up and don't leave here," Jimmy said and slammed the door shut.

Brooke cried softly in her hands as her leg throbbed in pain; she heard somebody walk towards her and watched as the girl sat beside her, "Are you okay?"

"It just hurts," Brooke said and then wiped her tears, "I'm Brooke Davis…"

The girl smiled, "I know," she said which Brooke was taken aback by, "I'm Jenna Lowe…I waved to you earlier today in the hallway."

"Oh," Brooke said with a hint of hurt in her voice. How could she forget? "What grade are you in?"

Jenna crossed her legs, "I'm a senior…We're in American Lit together."

"Oh yeah," Brooke said even though truthfully she didn't remember.

"It's okay if you don't know who I am," Jenna said, "I mean…I don't really hang out with your group of people and I don't go to the basketball games…"

Brooke looked at her and smiled, "I'm really sorry I don't know you Jenna…"

"It's okay," Jenna said with a shrug, "I know you."

Jenna turned away and Brooke's smile fell; she felt like such a complete bitch. Somebody who she didn't know loved her just because of her popularity status. Brooke looked up at the clock, "I need to see Nathan," she said in almost a whisper.

"You can go," Jenna said, "Jimmy's probably not even around here…"

Brooke looked at her, "Are you sure?" Jenna smiled and helped Brooke towards the door, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Jenna said and then closed the door.

Brooke limped away and towards the teachers lounge which had a chair propped up against the door; Brooke pushed over the chair and opened the door; she saw Nathan sitting there; he looked up at her and ran over and hugged her, "What the hell are you doing Davis?"

"I…I…I needed to see you," she said as her eyes got moist.

Nathan kissed the top of her head, "You shouldn't be walking on this leg!"

Brooke looked up at Nathan as she wrapped her arms around his neck, "I love you…"

"Brooke," Nathan said as they looked into each other's eyes.

Brooke smiled as she started to cry, "And don't hold that against me because I've lost a lot of blood," she said sadly, "I love you Nathan Scott."

She kissed him passionately on the lips as they sat down on the couch; he ran his fingers through her auburn hair. The kiss ended and they both looked breathlessly at each other, "Come on," Nathan said as he picked her up and walked out of the room.

He walked down the hall way carrying Brooke and towards the exit; he stopped in his tracks when he saw Jimmy laying there in his own pool of blood. Brooke shrieked and closed her eyes tightly; Nathan stopped himself from vomiting. The scene was heartbreaking.

He walked outside and a flock of Emergency people and a SWAT team swarmed them; Nathan set Brooke down and watched as the paramedics got her into the ambulance and drove off.

--

Brooke opened her eyes and saw Nathan sitting down beside her; she looked down and saw that he was holding onto her hand. He looked up and saw Brooke staring at him.

"You saved my life," Brooke said softly.

Nathan wiped his eyes quickly and stood up, "It was nothing," he said with a smirk.

"Thank you," Brooke said with a smile.

Nathan leaned down and kissed her on the cheek; as he was standing back up Brooke grabbed his face gently, "You never said it back," she whispered.

"What?" Nathan questioned.

"You never told me that you loved me back," Brooke said sadly.

Nathan went to say something, but heard the door open and saw Lucas walk through carrying a dozen red roses and a card, "Hey baby," Lucas said as he rushed over and kissed his girlfriend.

"Hi," Brooke said as she held onto her boyfriend's hand.

Nathan put his hands in his pockets and walked towards the door. He turned and looked at Brooke; she looked at him, "I love you Brooke," he said softly enough for her to hear.

The End.