Story of the Invisibles

by The Wondering Writer

Three Scotts. Three different lives. Three different people. But they need each other a lot more than they think.

Story of the Invisibles

By The Wondering Writer

This is not a game now, nobody can save you

Spent up all your change and now your turn is done

We won't be afraid cause we're the ones who made you

Knock you out the frame, we won't stop until you're gone

Game on, game on

Game On by Waka Flocka Flame

"If you want something go after it. You don't owe anyone else a damn thing in return."

- Lux

Chapter 1:The Beginning

Ring!

Ring!

Ring!

"UUGH!"

A raven haired girl lying in her bed very violently threw her alarm clock across the room. The girl sighed and fell back on her bed in a messy heap of hair and blankets. Slowly, she started to fall back into the blissful sleep that she was in before she was so rudely interrupted. Just as she got comfortable and the silence was luring her into a lull...

"You have work!"

"You have work!"

"You have work!"

The techno alarm on her phone goes off in her own voice. Finally remembering that it was 5:00 am and she does have work, she got up and switched off the phone in a frenzy. Her piercing wide blue eyes stared at the door of her small room. Slowly creeping across the room the girl laid her ear against the door and listened to the pig like snorting from the outside. With a sigh of relief, she made her way around her small bedroom getting ready to take a shower and head to her morning job. Just like a habit without making too much noise she crept to the other side of the hall into the tiny bathroom.

This girl is, Lux Leigh Scott, the daughter of Dan Scott. Well, the word "daughter" is a stretch, especially since Lux mostly refers to Dan as the "sperm donor to half her genetic DNA". Like her brothers Lux currently lives in Tree Hill, but like Lucas, is pretty much ignored by her father. The term 'family' doesn't hold much context for Lux. Her relationship with her brothers is pretty much non-existent, even with Lucas seeing as they both hang out in very different circles. Actually, Lux is not like her brothers at all she has a job and working her ass off to leave the hell hole that is her step father's house.

Forty minutes later, Lux is creeping out of her bathroom in long black pants and a white shirt. Her hair in a messed up do, light makeup and her duffel bag at her side; that is filled with books and pairs of clothes along with her high heels in her left hand. She looked down the hall at the open door of her step father's room where she got a glimpse of a women's bare feet; listening to the snoring, she knew Rafael, her step-father, would be out until at least noon.

Inwardly, Lux cheered and fled down the hallway like a quiet bunny rabbit and went through the kitchen, grabbing the apple that she bought the other day and was out of there. Running down the walkway outside of her house she got onto her motorcycle and fled.

Lux glanced at her digital watch and thought 'Great so much for that extra hour of work I was hoping to use to get some extra cash.' Clenching on the handles of her motorcycle, she felt herself move faster as everything but the road ahead of her blurred out. Lightly smiling as she felt the wind move past her and that familiar feeling of freedom hit her as she was on her bike.

Lux sighed thinking, 'If only I could spend the rest of the day on this motorcycle. Instead I have to go to school after this.'

The idea of school making her feel worse, she stopped at the traffic light outside of Karen's Cafe. Not being able to help herself Lux looked into the cafe. She could see Karen starting to open, putting down chairs and cleaning tables, almost feeling someone looking at her, Karen looked up right at her. Lux quickly looked away, 'God, I hope she didn't recognize me. She probably didn't, I mean my helmet is pretty much tinted.' Focusing on the traffic light, Lux almost urged it to turn green and when it did she was out of there before she could even dwell on anything but work.

In the background of Le Nuit Paradis Inn there was light chatter and the strong smell of breakfast roaming in the air. Lux was going around the cafe cleaning tables and taking orders. As she started to clean another table she looked up at the clock. 'Eight - thirty two. Okay, ten more minutes and then I'll leave.' Or I could just stay here and not have to go to school.

All of a sudden she felt a nudge at her shoulder. Then a boy whispered from beside her,"you're not thinking of not going to school, are you?" Lux sighed, leaning on the table she was cleaning, she glared at her best friend, Julian Baker. In an accusing tone, "Why are you always here? You don't even need this job."

Shrugging, Julian pulled out a chair from the table she was working at, "Because I'm a geek and you're my best friend. And since you're my best friend, who has the whole: 'badass motorcycle' - thing going. I figure you're my best shot at school."

Lux just squinted at him, "So you are only my best friend out of necessity?"

Pretending to think about it, Julian put his finger under his chin, "Well, and you're hot, so other girls are probably going to want to get with," pointing up and down at himself," 'this', too."

Scoffing at him, Lux just laughed and pushed his head away. "You don't need me to get girls, you dork."

"Well that's tr-"

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO STILL DOING HERE!"

Both Lux and Julian cringed at the voice. They turned around to find a very angry elderly lady. This elderly lady's name is Kelly Norris. Kelly Norris is Julian's grandmother. She is also the person who mostly looks after Julian. To Lux, Kelly is her boss. Her very scary and overprotective boss. A very successful business woman who owns several huge hotels across the country, starting to expand in other countries as well. Le Nuit Paradis Inn was just a small part of her business. But was a very big part of Tree Hill and it's economy.

Kelly glared at the two kids, "You have school in twenty minutes. You are not going to try and skip again." Kelly walked towards Julian, against his protests, and shoved him towards the door. When Kelly whipped her head towards Lux. Lux could feel the panic rise and she dropped her cloth on the table and ran to the back to change.

Kelly sighed with her hands on her hips. She then straightened out her black pant- suit and ignored the bustling waiters around her to head back to the front desk. Kelly smoothed out her gray hair, she started to open books and use the computer to look at the occupancy in the inn. Seeing that she was almost fully booked for the next few months, she started to make plans and running numbers through her head. The harp was playing in the background of her lobby. While the couriers and the doormen were hustling around helping people. Kelly took comfort in the familiarity of her hometown, then the multi-million dollar business she built up. This business was everything she worked for in her life. She put the business before everything including her family. Now her son was following in the same path as her. And there is nothing she regrets more.

Kelly sighed again as she wrote the numbers down, 'I'm too old for this. What could I possibly do that would make a diff-"

"LUX! WE NEED TO GO!"

Kelly looked up and instantly glared at the scene in front of her. Julian noticing the glare put his hands up in a surrender position with a sheepish look on his face. Not a second later Lux was hopping down the lobby tying her knee high combat boots with her straight raven hair jumping everywhere. Paired with a crimson t-shirt that went ended just a little bit above her hips saying, "QUESTION? AUTHORITY". Lux was muttering, "I'm comin',I'm comin'."

Dropping her duffel bag beside Julian in front of the inn's door, blocking a couple trying to register might she add, Lux shoved her high heels towards Julian's arms, which he grudgingly took. From the distance that Kelly stood, she could hear Julian mutter something about 'girls' and 'stupid' and a faint 'why are we even friends?' Lux just continued to tie her long waist length hair in a semi high ponytail, ignoring him. Quickly putting on her black leather jacket, Lux looked up at Kelly and smiled at her, "See you tonight Mrs. Norris."

Kelly just continued glaring at the situation. Lux brushed it off as usual grabbed her bag, left through the door running across the street to her bike leaving Julian in the dust and agitated. "JULIAN! Hurry up! We are going to be late!" Lux yelled halfway across the street.

Julian huffed in frazzled disbelief, ran after her saying, "You were the one who was late!"

As the roundabout doors closed and the couple that was there at the door were laughing at Lux and Julian made their way across the lobby to Kelly. The young women asked Kelly, "Are those kids your grandchildren?"

Kelly just smiled whimsically as she watched them take off on Lux's bike she said, "They are."

When the lunch bell rang the screeching, shuffling and the chattering burst out over the teachers yelling, Lux fled through the doors of the classroom. Her stomach was starting to ache from the lack of breakfast, obviously the apple didn't do the trick. Shaking her head, she told herself that she had gone longer without food. This shouldn't be anything new to her. 'But of course just like Julian and Marco say, I eat like a horse. That would make me more hungry. Probably should cut back down.' Lux inwardly whined, 'I don't want to cut down. Plus I have the metabolism of an Olympic runner. Damn Rafael keeps on buying beer. And if he doesn't get his beer he'll have another one of his fits. Those are never fun. heh . Maybe he'll finally just die of liquor poisoning. Then Marco would be under my care, not in the syst-' BAM

Before Lux knew it she was blinking up at the ceiling and her ass and back were starting to sting. Having a brief moment of amnesia all she could think was 'What the he-'

"What the hell! Watch where you're going!" A boy's voice said from above her.

Lifting herself up from her elbows she looked at the source of the voice.

'Great.'

Clayton Evans.

'This was the last thing she needed.'

Lux just rolled her eyes and got herself on her knees to pick up her books. While she was doing that a pair of Nike sneakers pushed themselves in front of her. Knowing that the stupid jock was standing over her like some sort of God, she looked up. His light brown hair gelled up on his head like a mountain and his blue eyes narrowed at her and a frown on his face. 'Ass hat always did have a superiority complex.'

Lux just glared back at him, "May I help you?"

He scoffed, "Yeah, you could apologize."

Lux just scoffed back at him and stood up to look him in the eye, "I would apologize, if I had actually crashed into a half decent human being."

Clay just gave a sarcastic laugh, "Look freak just say you're sorry and you can go back to being invisible as always."

Lux started to raise her voice, "No. You look, you knocked me flat on my ass not the other way around." Waving her hand up and down his body she said, "Are you hurt? No. So if anyone should be apologizing it's you for standing in the middle of the god damn hallway like you own the place."

Leaning towards her, in a mocking tone, "My Dad does give a lot of money to this school. So I do basically own this hallway."

Throwing her head back in a sarcastic laugh, Lux said in a mocking tone, "Using your daddy to help your argument doesn't actually mean you own the hallway, Evans. And if your next argument is that because you can put a ball through a hoop then you're more pathetic than I thought you were. So congratulations, then."

Clay took as step forward, "You little bit-"

"What's going on Clay?" A voice said from behind Lux.

Lux turned around to glance at the person and scoffed at her luck. 'Of course where Evans goes so does Nathan Scott.' Lux just leaned her weight on one leg and turned head to the side to face Nathan. Behind Nathan was that other really stupid basketball player Tim Smith and a curly blonde that Lux recognized from the cheerleading squad.

Only as similar piercing blue eyes clashed against each other did Lux notice the crowd that had been watching the argument. 'Seriously don't these people have anything better to do.' Lux just ignored it and continued to glare at Nathan. On reflex he did the same thing back.

Then he asked again, "What's going on Clay?"

Clay just replied, "Little Scott here just refused to apologize to me after bumping into me."

Lux rolled her eyes, "God, nothing happened to you! So just get out of my way, so I can go get lunch."

Nathan stepped forward, "Nobody here cares about you and your little freak friends along with you. So why don't you just get out of here."

Not one to just leave when someone was insulting her friends Lux took a step towards Nathan and squared her soldiers, "Really Nathan, if i'm sucha freak then what the hell are you still doing here bothering your time and energy on me. Don't you have some balls to throw through a hoop or are they both gone."

The cheerleader behind him chuckled and Nathan just gave her a glare. The blonde just shrugged in a careless 'I don't really care kind of way'. Nathan just turned back to Lux who had a smirk in her face. "You and I both know that you are nobody so why don't you just stop picking fights."

Lux just put on a bitter smile and said mockingly, "Well, Nate, even if that were true why don't you take off the lettermen jacket and we'll see what happens to you then."

Seeing the anger flare up in his eyes Lux thought 'bullseye'. Of course just as things were about to get interesting there was another interruption. "THAT'S IT! BREAK IT UP AND GET TO LUNCH!" An elderly man's voice yelled from across the crowd. Lux and Nathan just continued to glare at each other as the crowd started to break up.

Coach Whitey stood in front of them and said, "All this fighting between the two of you can happen outside of these school walls as much as you want but it will not happen here."

Backing off a little bit on her glare at Nathan, Lux assured them both while looking at Nathan, "Don't worry Whitey, we don't care enough to force a fight outside of these walls."

Nathan just scoffed and stared right back, "You can't care about something that shouldn't exist." For a second nobody moved and everyone was watching Lux for her reaction.

Lux just took a breath moved her eyes away while nodding, agreeing with him. Then she stared at him with a touch of understanding and said softly, "I can say that to you, too."

Nathan just stared at her with a hint of softness then hardened his eyes and walked past her knocking her shoulder. Tim followed, but Peyton stared at her for a while before walking away as well. Lux looked at Whitey and he just nodded his head patted her shoulder and walked away. She looked at the direction Nathan went to and noticed Clay standing there staring at her. She blankly stared at him back.

After a few seconds they continue looking at each other and in that moment there was a glint of understanding in Clay's eyes that Lux was trying to figure out. He then just smiled at her almost to himself ironically and left. Leaving Lux completely confused.

Sighing Lux just turned to leave the hallway in the direction she was going and her eyes clashed with another pair of blue eyes. A pair of piercing blue eyes that looked exactly like the ones she was just glaring at earlier. Except this time they were staring at her in confusion and wonder. This time they belonged to a blonde boy. Someone she could probably relate to and not all at the same time. And instead of anger and contempt these eyes were filled with confusion, wonder and understanding.

Lucas Scott

This time they stared at each other for a while both searching. But both knew they would never make the effort because at the end of the day they were strangers. All three of them. They were not family just three people who shared half of the same DNA, blue eyes and a 'father'.

So Lux just walked away.

Later that night Lux was parking her motorcycle outside the fence of her stepfather's house again. At that point it was 11:33 at night. Lux looked at the house and prayed that her stepfather was asleep. Unlocking the front door Lux tried to make as little noise as possible opening and closing the door. Lux creeped across the living room to the hallway of the small one floor house.

"You're really late." A man's tired drunken' voice came from the kitchen.

Lux squeezed her eyes shut and cursed at herself under her breath. Lux turned to the kitchen and there was her stepfather, Rafael Dodge. Unsurprisingly sitting at the kitchen with a beer in his hand and the small blinking light of the kitchen. Lux made her way over to the kitchen dropping her duffel bag on the couch.

Starting to pick up the dozen of beer bottles around the place. Carrying them to the kitchen and pulling a garbage bag to stuff them in Lux answered, "It was packed tonight."

"Hm."

Lux quietly started to clean up around the joint room. While Rafael just kept on drinking his beer, under the flickering light of the kitchen. Lux just quietly picked up around the house thinking 'No work again today. The store is probably failing.' Rafael owned a tiny convenience store in Tree Hill. Lets just say it's completely deserted half the time.

Once Lux was finished she just sat across from him with a glass of water. There were three beer bottles still on the kitchen counter. Listening to him slurp down his drink, Lux just started talking, "So, Marco is doing okay at the foster home."

"Hm."

Trying again, "At least that's what he says. I'm pretty sure his foster parents don't really pay attention to him."

"Hm," he started to roll the empty bottle on the counter.

Lux just lightly scoffed under her breath, "Well their not touching him, you know."

Rafael just said nothing.

"If you could just sign the pap-"CRASH!

The beer bottle flew right across the room. Lux didn't flinch at the crash, almost expecting it. She was just about to run to her room when he blocked her way and took hold of her arms pushing her against the wall of the hallway. He put his face right in front of hers and stared at her with unquenchable anger, "He's my kid. I'm not signing my rights away do you understand that bitch."

Rafael's beer bottle breath sent disgusted shivers up her spine and it took everything in Lux not to grimace. Even with the hold on her arms becoming painfully uncomfortable and most likely was going to bruise, Lux looked up at him defiantly, "You didn't even raise him. What the hell could you want with him."

Laughing at her, "You're right. I just screwed his mother. But I'm at least related to him by blood. You? You two don't even share the same blood."

Lux stared at him evenly, "Now who the hell do you think raised him?"

"Heh," he leaned towards her ear, "But you two are my meal tickets and you and I both know you're not going anywhere as long as you know that Marco is going to always come back here."

"Bastard," Lux spat at him and tried to push him away.

"Oohh," Rafael said, "you used to love me when you were younger. Used to call me 'daddy'."

"That was before Mom and it was before you became a sick, drunk, man whore," Lux then made a move to knee him.

Rafael saw what she was doing and pressed his knees against her legs and pushing his fat beer belly, plus his whole weight pushing her against the wall again making Lux cringe at the impact. "Yeah well it's not like anyone wants you. You're real daddy never wanted you. So you're stuck with me, kid."

Pushing her against the wall once again, he left her all together. Walking towards his room while Lux tried to catch a breath on the wall. Before he closed the door he turned back, "Marco is coming back in three weeks. His foster parents were being abusive so they are placing him with me again. How are you gonna protect him now, mommy?"

Lux just stared at him in disbelief, "I shouldn't need to protect him from his father."

Rafael just looked at her blankly, "I didn't want to be widowed either. But look what happened?"

The bedroom door just closed softly with a 'click'. Lux slid down the wall in more than just a physical pain and laid her head back. And she just kept on chanting in her head over and over again.

Breathe, Lux, just breathe.

Nad in her head she imagined someone else telling her that. The faded voice of a woman who was long gone. And in that moment she could almost feel her mother's arms around her, whispering to her like she had a nightmare, 'breathe, Lux, just breathe.'

Except when Lux opens her eyes her mom isn't their.

She's still living her nightmare.

The weekend passed by with Lux working and Julian fooling around as usual. By Sunday word finally caught up around town. The Tree Hill Ravens won their game Friday Night. With of course Nathan Scott as the game's MVP. But on that same night half of the team had been suspended and kicked off the team for stealing a school bus.

A fellow waitress, Isabella Bardales, also known as Bella, was telling her the story with amusement. Bella was new working at the inn. Bella is nineteen years old and saving up for NYU. Which is probably why she was always here and ready to learn. A lot like Lux.

"So I also heard that, they need a new player or they were going to have to forfeit the whole season."

She is also a gossip.

Lux just laughed, "I'm sure Nathan was behind the whole thing."

Bella just kept on talking enthusiastically, "Oh yea, but of course everyone knows that you're Dad totally bailed him out."

"He's not my Dad." Lux replied while laying out a white cloth on the breakfast table.

"Oh. Yeah, of course," Bella replied awkwardly. Quick to change the subject back to basketball, "They need another player on the court to not have to forfeit the season."

Lux just laughed, "You mean front liner."

"Yeah that."

Lux shook her head and opened the dining room for opening. The dining area is a huge place that is open during breakfast, lunch and dinner. During breakfast most customers like to sit outside on the patio where it is open and bright. The restaurant is surrounded by glass walls which gives a view of the wrap around porch and the backyard. The backyard is massive so that it can hold events and weddings. There is a special door for hotel customers to eat and another one for outsiders as well. The restaurant at the inn is four stars and was shown in multiple magazines.

Lux looked up smiling when she saw a familiar old man in his usual spot under the shade of the flowery tarp. She went to the coffee cart and picked up a pitcher of black coffee before walking out to serve her customer.

"I don't know why you wear whistle when there's no practice."

Coach Whitey looked up and chuckled bitterly, "Doesn't mean I'm not a coach."

"Yeah well, I'm sorry that you have a pin heads on your team."

Whitey laughed, "They are a bunch pin heads aren't they."

Lux smiled while pouring coffee in his cup, "What are you going to do?"

"Well, I'll just have to hold tryouts for the final spots and promote some of the other crappier players," Whitey sighed, "you know I'm gonna need a really amazing player to win the championships this year. I'm positive we're going to lose."

Lux leaned her weight on her back leg saying, "You shouldn't be positive about something that is so negative. It'll make you more cynical than usual."

"Maybe. You want to know what Danny said to me today? That I crush the dreams of young men," Whitey said tiredly.

Lux gave a sardonic smile, lifting her eyebrow, "Him? Or Nathan?"

"Both probably."

Lux took a deep breath and said, "Well, you can always just give Dan another shot. Maybe then him and Nathan can just kill each other."

Whitey laughed out loud, "That would just cause me more problems. Nathan's, unfortunately, one of the best player on the court."

"Hm," Lux grunted. Lux turned away from the coach to look at the vast backyard of the inn. "Nathan's a good player. But some days it feels like he lost his passion in the game. I'm pretty sure that it wasn't you who did that."

Whitey just studied the Scott in front of him. "What makes you say that?"

Lux looked at Whitey, "Stealing the school bus reeks of a Nathan Scott idea. I wish I could say that he's a dumb jock. But the idiot's got common sense. He had to have known what was going to happen in the end."

Whitey frowned more and studied Lux's face, "For a girl who doesn't do anything but argue with her big brother and wasn't even raised with him;you sure understand him."

Lux thought about it but shrugged it off, "It's just a theory."

Whitey took a sip of his coffee, "And Lucas? What's your theory about him."

Lux just breathed in a beat looked around the restaurant for customers to see if she could end the conversation, seeing no such luck. "Lucas," Lux paused to think about it staring at the coffee pitcher in her hand.

Lux looked down at Whitey, "I think he just needs the right push, you know? To stop hiding."

"What do you mean?" Whitey asked.

"Well," Lux emphasized the word, "he plays you know."

"Basketball?" Whitey said surprised.

Lux nodded, "I've seen him in the park. And I'm no expert but he seems really good."

"I thought you hated basketball," Whitey pointed out.

Lux shook her head, "I do. Sometimes. Can you really blame me?"

Whitey smiled sadly, "No. Not really, I guess."

Lux shook her head to keep focused on her job, "Anyways, the usual?"

Whitey readjust himself in his seat, leaning out of the serious conversation, "As always."

Lux wrote down the order on her pad. She smiled teasingly at him, "Do you want me to serve it? Or Kelly?"

"Just get outta here, you brat!" Whitey said angrily embarrassed. Lux just ran away laughing.

Whitey was sitting in his office leaning back into his arm chair looking out the window that looked onto the gymnasium. To most it would seem like he was defeated or forlorn. In reality he was actually looking out at the court, contemplating his next move. A lot of people would assume that Coach Whitey Durham was just an old man who had nothing better to do with his life. But Coach Whitey is a fighter; whether he knew it or not.

At that moment Whitey was thinking about a certain Scott. Actually all three Scott's. Lucas, Nathan and Lux Scott. God knows that the Scotts have enough drama and pain as it is. 'Why put that poor kid through that?' Whitey thought. "What good would come of it? Even if he was as good as Lux believes.'

This would just disrupt the kids life and force Dan to be apart of it. And that's not exactly a positive thought. Then again 'Those kids have a lot more in common than they think.' He thought about Nathan and Lux who are constantly butting heads. But from years of experience of dealing with Scott's. He looks back at the arguments they've had. Every time Nathan pushes Lux it always ends the same; with Lux forcing him to give good, hard look at what he wants with his life.

Whitey just chuckled to himself. 'Or they really like fighting with each other.'

Knock. Knock.

Whitey turned around and saw Keith Scott at his door, he waved Keith in.

"Well, Well, Keith Scott. What do you know?"

Smiling Keith stepped in asking, "How you doing Whitey?"

Gesturing down at the chair on the other side of his desk, "Take a load off."

After Keith sat down Whitey looked at him and said, "Did ya' hear?"

Keith laughed sarcastically, pulling out a liquor canister saying, "Oh yeah, yeah, I heard."

Whitey's eyes lit up at the sight of the canister and quickly closed the blinds behind him. He pulled out a mug from his desk and held it out to Keith, "just a little." Keith poured some liquor into the mug and pulled back when whitey shook his cup a little, "a little more," Whitey asked apathetically. Keith chuckled and poured more in the mug. They both lifted their drinks in the air before chugging their drinks down.

"So I saw your little brother today. He called me despicable. Said that I crush the dreams of young men."

Keith just scoffed sarcastically with a smile on his face, " Who do you suppose he's talking about. Himself? Or Nathan?"

Whitey just shrugged, "Both, probably." In his head he vaguely felt the deja vu between this conversation and the one from this morning. Looking at Keith he asked curiously, "Hey, what did you average when you played for me?"

Keith just shrugged smiling, "Oh, about 5,006 beers a night."

Whitey gave out a deep laugh, "At least you were consistent." He took another sip out of his mug.

"Yeah you gotta give me that." Keith leaned forward on resting his arms on his knees, "You know, Lucas plays."

Whitey nodded recognizing where this was going, "Danny's other son."

Keith tilted his head disagreeing, "Actually, Karen's son. Dan's name is on the birth certificate but they never got married."

Whitey just sighed, "You know this is the second time I've heard about this kid being able to play."

Keith furrowed his brow frowning, "Wait, who else came to you about Lucas."

"Well, she didn't approach me about it but Lux told me that he could play," Whitey said looking at Keith's reaction.

Keith looked at Whitey shocked and confused, "You talk to Lux?"

Whitey shrugged in a 'no big deal kinda way,' smiling slightly, "I go to the inn she works at for breakfast every morning. Kid works really hard."

Keith leaned back in his chair turning this new information in his head. "She works at an inn?"

Whitey nodded "At Le Nuit Paradis inn."

Keith asked further, "And she talked about Lucas? I didn't know they were friends."

Whitey shook his head, "they're not. But she's seen him play at the playground when passing through."

Keith just nodded. Keith hadn't heard about Lux for a very long time. Actually the subject is always ignored. Keith always assumed that her stepfather took care of her. But why does she need to work so much?

Keith shook off his thoughts and continued about Lucas. "He is good, anybody can see it."

"If he was any good he'd play here. With the real players." Whitey exclaimed.

"You mean with Nathan?" Whitey looked at Keith with understanding before nodding his head. "Okay. I'd like to see what all the fuss is about with this kid."

Keith looked happy but a little surprised, "I'm surprised you're thinking about it this quickly. Thought you would need more convincing."

Whitey shrugged, "truthfully, your niece already had me thinking about it."

Keith just looked at Whitey studying him and said, "huh."

Then next day during english class the teacher had given them study period. To read their term book for the semester. The class got up to leave; they were all either heading to the library or skipping class for that day. Anyway's this happened to be one of the classes that Lux, Nathan and Lucas were all in together.

Julian and Lux just sat down at a table in the library and started to read. Well, Lux was reading, Julian had his headphones on working on his laptop. Julian was editing one of his articles for the school paper.

"Scott," an elderly man's voice called.

All three looked up from their books. Lux turned around and saw Coach Whitey was calling Nathan. Lux just turned her attention back to her book. She was starting to get to the part where Jane Eyre was telling off Mrs. Reed.

"Not you," Whitey said from behind her. Lux stepped out of Jane Eyre's world and turned around to see Whitey pointing at Lucas. "You," to Nathan he said, "You read a book or somethin'."

As Lux watched Lucas follow Whitey in confusion, she noticed Whitey give Lux a quick glance. In that moment, Lux knew what he wanted to do with Lucas. Lux just thought, 'Oh my god.'

Julian leaned towards Lux and whispered, "What was that about?"

Lux turned to look at him, "I think that Lucas is going to play on the Tree Hill Ravens."

"No," Lux turned around to see nathan still looking at the door Whitey and Lucas left through. He continued, "he's not."

Lux just looked at him, worried. She also got a strange feeling that nothing was going to be the same again.

Lucas ran back home after talking to the guys. He had no idea what to do. He was offered a position on the basketball team. But it wouldn't just be the basketball team he'd be joining. It would mean joining a world Dan was very much involved in. Also dealing with Nathan on a daily basis.

Once he reached home he found a package addressed to his name. As he went through the door he opened it. It was a Ravens jersey with his name on it.

In his room he took off his sweatshirt and put on the jersey. Lucas looked in the mirror. 'It definitely feels right. I could shoot hoops in this jersey. Win games; real games; that actually count for something.'

Then in the mirror he saw his mom appear. Turning around quickly, "it was by the door."

Karen looked at him; but for a second she didn't see her son she saw a man who broke her heart and disappointed her in every way afterwards. Without thinking she said, "take it off," walking away.

Shaking his head, Lucas turned to look at the mirror one last time; before he took off the jersey and put on his sweatshirt, following his mother. Following his mom outside she saw him sitting on the steps of the house looking through a photo album.

Lucas looked at her worried. 'It's too much for us. She shouldn't have to deal with the pain of all this.'

"Mom, you okay?" He asked sitting down beside her.

Karen turned the page of the photo album, "yeah, you know who left it."

Lucas looked away from her shrugging, "Coach Durham, probably. He asked me to play."

"Maybe you should," Karen said with confidence.

Lucas just chuckled under his breath looking at his mother, "you sound like Skills. He started to complain, "those guys refused to play today. They said they didn't want to be my excuse."

Karen leaned forward and asked, "how'd you feel about that?"

"Honesty?" Karen nodded. "I was pissed! Those guys are supposed to be my friends," Lucas said looking defiantly and hurt.

Karen reassured him, "They are your friends." She turned a page of the album and laughed; showing him the page she said, "Do you remember that?"

Lucas laughed at the picture of him with his leather basketball almost ten years ago. "My first leather basketball. That was the year that Skills' father told us there was no Santa Claus."

"Yeah, and I tried to talk you out of it," Karen said shaking her head smiling. "Then you said something I'll never forget. You said you felt bad for the kids who never figured it out, because when they grew up and had kids of their own, there wouldn't be any gifts on Christmas morning." Karen chuckled on her breath. She looked at him worried, "You're a good kid, Luke. But sometimes I feel like you're sitting out your life on account of me, and I don't want that for you. My past is not your future, okay?"

Lucas just stared at his mom, understanding. She was giving him her blessing. But the question was did he want to change his whole world? Irreversibly?

At Dan Scott's house, Nathan is training lifting weights. He is thinking about Whitey and Lucas playing on the same team as him. The last thing he needed was some second rate son coming out of the shadows stealing his life. Nathan's known about him for years. All of a sudden out of nowhere he's creeping his way into his life.

Nathan started to pant at the idea. Lifting the weights above his head harder when his Dad came in.

Getting to business Dan asked, "What are you slinging?"

Nathan's answered slightly strained, "about 160."

"Give me that," he placed the weights back on the rod and got more weights to put on him. "Your mom called. She won't be back until next week."

"Hey, what do you know about Whitey inviting-"

"Your son to play?" Nathan said, sarcastically.

"Don't call him that," Dan said defensively.

"He's got our last name, dad," Nathan said as he started to lift the weights.

"The fact that he shares your last name is only wishful thinking on his mother's part. We were young; summer after high school," Dan said with regret, "we made a mistake." Nathan lifted the weights twice before Dan rested the weights back on the rod to go put more on.

"You made a few mistakes, all right," Nathan tried to get up to look his Dad in the eye. "Let's not forget about Lux. At least, she has made herself perfectly clear about how she feels about you. I mean, this guy's practically a zombie."

Dan shoved Nathan on his back again indicating he put the weights on, "Okay."

"Look, it's kind of screwed up, all right?" Nathan shrugged, "people talk about it." He started to lift up the weights, the struggle on his face to do so was real. Dan scoffed a little at the struggle before he helped him put the weights back down. He motioned for Nathan to help spot him, switching places.

"I want you to go to this kid, encourage him not to play." Dan started to lift the weights effortlessly. Al; Nathan could think was 'show off'. Still feeling bad, and wanting to prove himself he said defensively, "I'm not afraid of him, dad."

"Well, you should be. We've worked too hard to have anyone coming in now, disrupting the offense, taking away shots. Anyway, this has more to do with Whitey and me than you."

"Why do you say that?" Nathan asked confused.

Getting up Dan said, "It's a long story. If you want, I'll tell you someday." Dan stood in front of his son staring him down, "but for now, I want you to go to this kid and talk to him and trust me when I tell you, Nathan." He wrapped a towel around Nathan's neck, "there's a bigger picture here your picture and this kid's not in it."

Nathan stared at his dad seriously for a few seconds and nodded his head. As Dan walked away from him all he could think was, 'Is it really my picture?'

It was late at night and ucas was shooting hoops by himself. He was trying to forget the rest of the day. Lucas just needed a minute where he wasn't thinking about the messed up reality of his life. He just needed it to be him and the basketball.

Of course nothing lasts forever. As he made his last shot, Nathan caught his ball. The two boys locked eyes knowing that this was the first time Nathan and him ever had to talk to each other.

"Nice shot," Nathan said with fake enthusiasm.

Then with the ball in his hand he started to circle Lucas. "Think you can hit that against a double team, down by 2, packed house telling you you suck?" Nathan just got in his face and said, "How about just two people telling you you suck?"

Lucas just marked him down with a steady stare, "What do you want?"

He chuckled sarcastically for a second then he frowned, "What do I want? What do you want, man?"

"I mean, other than my girlfriend and my spot in the lineup, huh? None of us want you on the team, man. I don't want you. The guys don't want you. My girlfriend sure as hell doesn't want you," he said.

Lucas just kept staring at him in a way that said 'Are you getting to a point now?' Ignoring the fact that although true, he didn't want to seem hurt in front of him. They stared each other down for a second.

Then Nathan just continued, "But here's the deal - You and me, one on one. You can name the time and place. If you win, I'll quit the team. If I win, you crawl back in your little hole and you remember your place in all this."

He started to play around with Lucas's ball and shoved it in front of him. Seeing that he didn't flinch Nathan just put on a challenging smirk and real condescendingly said, "Time and place, baby. Time and place."

Nathan dropped the ball and left with Tim in tow. Lucas just stared as he got in his car and left, trying to make light of the whole situation.

"Lux!"

Lux turned around and saw Julian running down the street to catch up to her. She waited and laughed at how out of breath he was. When he reached her and bent down on his knees to catch a breath she greeted him sarcastically, "hey, dork. You need a hospital?"

Julian pushed the hair that was falling on his face to glare at her, "shut up." Pushing himself up, he started to walk with her, "What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were working."

Lux adjusted the duffel bag on her shoulders turned to him while walking and said, "Kelly pretty much kicked me out saying, 'Young lady! You look like you got run over by a bus. You're off for the weekend; go do something about your face. Or just go do something that's not scaring people.'" Lux said in her best impression of Kelly.

Julian didn't say anything and just looked at her from the corner of his eye before commenting, "You know you do look pretty beat."

Lux just gave Julian a look and sighed, "It's not that bad."

"Look Lux-" Julian started but Lux just cut him off before he could continue. "Julian, this isn't the first time and it's definitely not going to be the last." Julian looked at her like 'This is how you're trying to reassure me?' She just continued, "But it is only temporary; until I can get Marco out of there."

Julian just sighed knowing how stubborn Lux could be. "Besides that did you hear?"

Lux tilted her head saying, "Um, Julian you work on the paper. And you know I don't listen to gossip. You are the only reason that I know anything," Lux finished dramatically.

Julian rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah you're pretty lame. But this is pretty much gonna make big news in the paper." Lux just waited for him to continue. "Nathan challenged Lucas to a dual."

Lux gave Julian a look like 'what are you talking about?' "A duel?"

Julian nodded, "yup." Then he took a quick look around and stage whispered, "the rumour is that if Lucas wins that Nathan will quit the team." Lux just looked at him surprised and furrowed her eyebrows together.

Julian looked at her and asked, "What?"

"Hmm?" Lux grumbled breaking out of her thoughts, "Nope. Nothing."

That day Keith got a call at the shop that someone's car needed towing. He gave Lucas the name and address of the client.

Lucas did a double take at the name on the paper. "Wait!" Lucas called out to Keith. Keith turned around to look at him, "I think we should bring it in."

Keith looked at him with confusion, "It's probably just a radiator problem. You can look at it on site."

"Uh, well," Lucas struggled with an excuse, "We don't know of that's the problem. Smoke could be caused by anything.

Keith started to smile at him and just shrugged it off a little bit, "Okay. Whatever you think best."

About half an hour later Lucas was towing Peyton Sawyer's car by a lake. Peyton was watching the car be lifted up onto the tow truck.

Lucas was working out the remotes of the tow truck and in his head he thought, 'she looks good. Too good'. BUt he couldn't just keep on standing here saying nothing. And he definitely couldn't say that 'she looked good.' He was trying to figure out what to say. 'You need to say something.' Lucas studied her for another minute and said, "That's me inside your head."

"What?" Peyton looked at him like he had three heads.

'Now I feel like an idiot.' Lucas pointed at her sketchbook, "NOFX. 'That's me inside your head,' " Lucas laughed a little nervously. Then he straightened his face and tried to explain, "it's the lyrics from-."

Peyton looked at him and said in an obvious tone, "I know the song." Then she pulled out her phone and dialed Nathan's number.

"Nathan, it's me," Peyton greeted a little unenthusiastically. "All right, well, listen, my car broke down. You're gonna have to come pick me up," Peyton answered him back a little exasperated, "so leave the gym." She tried to reason with him, "Listen, it'll take you, like, 10 minutes. I'm on River Road around the curve." Hearing the complaint she answered sarcastically, "Well, sucks to be you," hanging up the phone.

Lucas got out the forms and a pen for the tow. Lucas asked trying to be polite, "listen, are you sure you got a ride? I mean, I can wait if you want."

Signing the papers she said grudgingly, "yeah, that's what I want." Lucas chuckled under his breath about his attitude, "listen, have your dad call me with an estimate."

Lucas corrected her, "my uncle?"

Peyton smirked at him and shrugged, "if that's your story."

This time Lucas laughed walking away and can even hear her chuckling under her breath a little bit. Before he turned around quickly and asked, "Can I ask you a question?"

Peyton looked at him a little curiously, "It's a free country".

Lucas pointed at her with the clipboard in his hand and asked, "why are you a cheerleader?" Peyton lifted an eyebrow at that. Lucas shook his head a little bit, laughing, "because, no offense or anything, but you're about the least cheery person I now."

He turned around and got into the tow truck. Peyton just looked at his head with a whimsical little smile before biting her lip and looking away in disbelief.

Elsewhere, Lux was driving her motorcycle in an empty road. As she drove on the highway she sped past a sign that read "You Are Now Leaving Tree Hill." And all at once Lux felt like a weight was lifted from her gut. Earlier that day Lux got a call from her caseworker, Lucy. She still couldn't find a couple who wanted to adopt Marco.

That was when Lux got on her motorcycle and drove. Lux just drove and did her best to leave. To not feel that ache in her chest knowing the life her little brother was going to leave. To leave the life that she was living after her mom died. As she thought about it she got more angry. With a flick of her wrist she was moving a little faster.

All of a sudden around her all the forest life that's usually on the highway faded away. She looked to the side of her as she watched fields of white flowers, probably weeds, flash before her. But as she looked back at the road she saw a sports car heading right for her. Lux panicked and sped her car right into the little green area on the side and into the field.

Lux groaned as she and her bike had fallen to the side. In her head she could feel and hear a buzzing sound. Lux groaned, 'my shoulders, damn it'. Blinking she tried to make out her vision. As her vision she looked around to see white flowers all around her. Ignoring the ache in her shoulders, that were already bruised, she started to detangle her legs from her bike. She tried getting up all of a sudden a voice came out from behinds, "Damn, are you okay?"

Then two strong hands gripped her under arms making Lux grimace at the bruises that were already fresh. Once she was able to stand on her own without assistance. She realized how long these flowers were. They made it almost to her knees. Her head started to feel heavy with her helmet, so she bent her back with her upside down and took it off.

Lux's thick long wavy bacy hair fell out in the wind and around her head for a second. Lux started to brush out the mess of hair. She flipped her hair back and straightened her back. In front of her was her bike and she could see the tire blown out and oil dripping out, meaning her engine was partly broken. 'You have got to be kidding me.'

"Unbelievable!" Lux half groaned and yelled. "You wrecked my bike!"

Not hearing a word from behind her, she whipped her head to rip the guy a new one when she saw who it was.

Clay Evans

For a second Lux was too angry to speak. The wind blew all her hair to the other side of her head. For whatever reason Clay was just standing there staring at her. Lux took a deep breath of the fresh air and the smell of the flowers around her knees. Flower petals started to dance around them in the wind. She calmed her anger and started to speak through her teeth, "Are you high, Evans?"

Cay snapped out of the trance that he was in, "What?"

Lux through her hands up exasperated, "Drunk? High? On pills?"

"What? No!" Clay said defensively.

"Then what possible reason could you have to be on the wrong side of the lane!" She said as she pointed her helmet in the direction of the road. "Payback perhaps, are you that petty?"

Clay started to glare at her, "Look, freak, I was trying to answer a phone call."

Lux scoffed in disbelief, "You're not supposed to use your phone while you're driving, jerk."

"Look, Scott, nobody wants to listen to your lectures," Clay snapped at her. He then laughed mockingly, "Oh, wait, I don't know if you count as a Scott. You would actually have to have a father for the last name to mean anything."

Lux just laughed in frustration, "What is wrong with you?" She pointed at her bike, "You, were on the wrong side of the lane!"

Clay countered, "You were driving too fast; you could have hit somebody!"

Lux took a step closer to his face to continue yelling at him, "It's a back road! Nobody drives like a turtle through back roads! This is not my fault!"

"Just like when you crashed into me in the hallway!" Clay snapped back.

Lux groaned in frustration, "UGH! You were in the middle of the hallway. And I crashed into you. Nothing happened to you." Lux pointed at him in between their bodies, "Even now! There is nothing wrong with your car. Or you. Except the fact that this time you almost crashed into me!" Lux yelled in his face.

"God!" Clay threw his head back, looking back at her. Through clenched teeth he asked, "what do you want?"

"Just. Call. A. Mechanic." Lux choked out.

"Fine."

"Fine." Realizing how close they were to each other at this point. They both separated from each other. Clay took out his phone and Lux went to pick up her motorcycle.

Back with Peyton and Lucas; Lucas was sitting in the tow truck waiting for someone to come and pick up Peyton. In his rear view mirror he watched as she was sitting on the side of the road with her head in one head. The wind was blowing her hair as she watched the lake behind her. She looked deep in thought.

For a moment Lucas wanted to know what her problem was. 'Why did she date a guy who was a complete ass to her?' Smiling a little bit he wondered, 'What was with the attitude?' Luke looked at the time on headboard of the truck. He knew he couldn't just keep on waiting to see if someone would pick her up. He had to get back to the shop.

Lucas hopped out of the truck, shoving his hands in his pockets he went up to her and said, "Come on. Let me give you a ride."

Peyton just gave him a look that showed how bad her day was going. In a last ditch effort Lucas said, "I'll let you insult me."

Peyton gave him another look, she stood up and said, "First of all, you don't know me." Trying to think of something else Peyton shook her head and said, "Second of all, you don't know me."

Lucas just laughed, shaking his head at the sky and leaned back against his car. Facing the wind, Peyton put her sketchbooks above her head and yelled at the lake, "God, why are guys such jerks?!"

"Guys? Or Nathan?"

Peyton agreed, "Him." she said nodding to the lake then looked at Lucas and said, "You."

Lucas shrugged it off. Knowing that she wasn't specifically talking about him, "I don't know. We share the same father."

Peyton turned to him with the wind hitting her face, "Yeah, I heard that." Looking at his face she tried to console him, "He's kind of an ass." When she saw him smile she said, "So that must suck, having to see him around."

Lucas shook his head and then kind of nodded, "For my mom.' shaking his head again he said, "I never knew him."

Curiously Peyton asked, "But she told you he was your dad?"

Breathing in, he nodded, "Yeah, eventually. We used to play in junior leagues together." Noticing the confusion on her face he said, "me and Nathan."

It didn't take Peyton long to guess, "Basketball?"

"Yeah," Lucas said, "and I loved it, and I was good at it. You ever have something that you knew that you were better at than almost anybody else?"

Peyton shrugged, "Sex." Lucas gave her a look, smiling. She smiled at the look, liking that he didn't look that upset anymore she explained, "Joke."

Still smiling Lucas said, "Anyways." Lucas took a breath remembering that day, "The guys kept teasing me about it, about how Nathan's dad was my dad, too." Peyton just stared at him as she was telling the story having a feeling of where this was going. "So I asked my mom, and she said he wasn't," Lucas recalled starting to shake his head. "But I get home, and I hear her crying in her room." Peyton looked away from Lucas. She was understanding the pain that he went through. "I knew it was true. So I never went back. I told my mom it was because I didn't want to have to see his face," Lucas spat out. But looking back at Peyton he said "But, it was mostly because," he thought about it, "I didn't want her to have to."

Peyton looked at him as the wind went through his hair and the sun made his piercing blue eyes sparkle. That day Peyton felt like she could understand Lucas Scott. She knew how it felt to sacrifice a piece of something she wanted for someone else. Until today she never thought anyone could understand that.

Lucas sighed and moved to open the truck door for her. She walked towards him and when she got to the door and her train of thought was over she asked him. "So, why'd you just tell me all that?" Peyton laughed a little under her breath, "I mean, we don't even know each other," she said as she stared in his eyes looking for the answer

Lucas just stared back at her, "Maybe that's the point."

Lux leaned on her motorcycle and stared at the open field of white flowers. In the middle of the field was a tree and to the side was a broken down barn, probably abandoned. The tree was large, something that you could climb or build a treehouse in. Sighing, Lux closed her eyes, starting to enjoy the silence. The ability of not needing to think just took over. Lux breathes in and started to enjoy the moment

"You look like you're going to drop dead." And the moment was over. Lux opened her eyes in annoyance. Turning her head to the side she gave Clay an annoyed look.

He just shrugged, "you do. You look like you've been working way too hard."

Lux sighed tiredly turning her head to watch the scenery again, "unlike you who doesn't need to work at all."

Clay ignored her statement, "Actually you don't look tired. You look like a time bomb."

Lux chuckled under her breath, "A time bomb?"

He started to walk towards her, "The kind that has way too much anger." He settled beside her, his varsity jacket almost brushing her leather jacket. "And you are going to explode." Clay shrugged mockingly, "Personally, I can't wait for you to go…" Clay made an exploding sound with his voice and gesture with his hand right in front of Lux's face.

Lux just rolled her eyes. "You don't know me."

"Heh. I don't need to," Clay nodded to her, "You. Are going to. Break," he pronounced every word.

Lux just rolled her eyes to the sky, she came back down and flipped some of her hair away to look at Clay, "so?"

Clay looked at her in confusion, "What do you mean? 'So'?"

Lux studied his blue eyes, "Why are you so interested in whether I break or not? Everybody does." Lux looked at the scenery in front of her. "I'm already broken,"Lux shrugged. "It's sure as hell isn't news to me. It's like how it's not news to you that you are a jock. In every sense of the word. Rich. Cocky. Playboy. You never let anyone else forget it. And that's who you are," Lux looked back at Clay, "Right?"

Clay studied the girl beside him, "It's a cover."

There was a honk from a pickup truck coming from the direction of Tree Hill. They both looked and actually saw Lucas step out from the truck. He looked at both of them curiously. Lux just sighed and stood up as did Clay. Taking the stand off her bike, she lifted up the front because the tire was blown, to roll it over to Lucas. Before she did she looked back at Clay and said, "It always is."

Clay just watched Lux walk away to Lucas and then walked to his car after. He got in the car turned on the ignition and in front of him he saw the Scott siblings make tense conversation about her bike. With the window down he could make out a, "Jackass tried to run me over."

Smirking a little Clay drove his car off, did a U-turn. He took one last look at the scenery beside him. He enjoyed the silence of just his car engine and the field around him. Feeling like he was able to breathe again. No stress of his life. Clay then looked at his rear-view mirror at a girl who glanced up at his car, while signing papers.

And just like that Clay smiled; the first true smile he had in awhile. He thought, 'The typical smartass. Beautiful. Rebellion."

Lux and Lucas were in the truck on the way back to Tree Hill. Both were sitting in an awkward silence and they still had twenty minutes before they were at the shop. Ucas snuck a glance at Lucas, contemplating in her mind whether or not she should approach him about the game. 'Okay Lux, just ask. He's not gonna bite.'

Lux started to speak, "So…"

Lucas glanced at her curiously, "So…?"

"I hear that you and Nathan are gonna have a dual," Lux stated, bored like.

Lucas laughed, "A duel."

Lux shrugged, "Well, that's the rumour."

Sighing Lucas just said, "I don't know if I should, there's a lot to risk."

Lux just closed her eyes feeling a little guilty, turning in her seat she faced him saying, "Look Whitey was just telling me about the basketball team and all the trouble he was having and I may have mentioned that," Lux started to play with her fingers nervously, "I saw you play on the playground occasionally."

Lucas just looked at her weirdly, "You talk to Whitey?"

"Uhm, yeah, he eats at the inn a lot."

"Oh, well, um, thanks? I guess?" Lucas said unsure of how to respond.

Lux just waved him off, "You shouldn't thank me. It doesn't sound like you're going to do it."

"Well, I mean I would like to show them sometimes," Lucas looked at Lux again before turning back to the road. "Wouldn't you?" Lucas inquired.

Lux thought about it for a moment, "Sometimes, but if you're going to do it to prove something for someone else then you probably shouldn't."

Lucas squinted at her, "What do you mean?"

Lux started to correct herself, "No, I mean, I am all for showing, Dan what an ass he is." Lux put a hand on her chest, "believe me. And it's great that they are a driving force. But you should do it for you. You don't owe Dan a thing. If you want something go after it. You don't owe anyone a damn thing."

Lucas just stared at the road ahead of him. THen he wondered, "would you?"

Lux furrowed her eyebrows frowning, "Would I…?"

Lucas explained, "Duel him or whatever."

"Oh," Lux said, "Well, basketballs not my thing. But if basketball made me happy. I'd want to take it to the next level. Not for anyone else, but just because I love it."

Lucas glanced at her. Maybe he would play Nathan, just for the game.

They turned the truck into Keith's body shop. As they got out Lucas asked quickly, "You know you're probably going to need a ride after this so maybe I can drop you off, somewhere?"

Lux just stared at him for a second and smiled, "Sure, why not?"

Lucas smiled back, they both started to walk towards the garage's door when Lux heard a voice. Lux put her hand on Lucas's arm. Lucas gave her a look asking 'What?' Lux just put a finger on her mouth telling him to be quiet. And a finger to her ear telling him to listen closely. Lucas just nodded confused and listened. They could start to make out voices.

Lucas heard Keith say, "A real future, huh? Let me ask you something. Do you ever think about his future? What about Lux? Hm, what about them?"

Then Lux heard a voice she hadn't heard in a very long time, Dan's. "Look I can't change the fact that these kids exist. Especially Lux. I didn't even think she was mine until her mother threw the paternity test in my face. If I could, I would. The truth is, I told Karen I'd take care of it. But she-"

Lux had enough and walked in with Lucas right behind her. Dan noticing Keith's stare looked behind him. Lucas squints at Dan in disgust and throws the keys to Keith, who catches them. He then runs off.

Dan continues to stare at Lux. Lux started to feel a little self-conscious about what she was wearing. Dan was wearing a suit that must of meant that he came back from the dealership. Whereas Lux was wearing ripped up dark green pants. With her black "Iron Maiden" tee shirt that ended a little above her waist as well as her black leather jacket.

Realizing they were both staring at each other. Or well, Lux was glaring and Dan was staring. Behind the counter Keith was watching the interaction. Lux just came up to the counter and gave Keith her number, while Dan gave her a little space "Call me with a statement on my motorcycle."

Keith just answered, "Sure thing."

Dan then commented as she walked to Lucas's car, "motorcycles are dangerous, you know."

Lux just turned back to him, "so are people," looking him up and down one last time, she walked away.

Lux was in the car with Lucas as he came back from challenging Nathan after the whole garage fiasco. They were driving to her house. Neither of them said anything on the ride here. When she looked around at the windows she realized she was a little way from her house. "Stop here."

Lucas looked at her confused, "But you're house is around the corner?"

Lux smiled curiously, "And you know where I live?"

Lucas opened his mouth to explain but Lux brushed it off. "It's fine. Just pull over here. It'll be easier for you to turn around here."

Lucas pulled over reluctantly. When Lux hopped out, just as she was about to close the door he blurted out, "You should come tomorrow."

Lux bent a little to see his face, "To watch you and Nathan dual?"

Lucas just laughed at her using the word, 'dual,' and nodded. Lux said, "I wasn't going to miss it."

Lucas nodded, "okay, see you then."

Lux nodded back at him, "see you then."

Karen and Keith were both sorting through books in the back shelf. Karen commented, "So, I would have preferred a warning shot on this one," Keith looked at her confused. Karen explained, "something to let me know what was coming with Lucas."

Keith nodded, "Yeah, that's fair enough." In an after thought he tried to explain, "But you should see him play, Karen. I mean, it's like," Keith tried to find a way to explain it. Karen looked at him curiously, "it's like poetry, you know?" Karen smiled at that. Keith reassured her, " And he's gonna be fine."

Karen smiled, "Yeah, I know."

Keith added, "And if it isn't you can blame Lux."

Karen looked at him, "Lux?"

Keith explained, "You know, Dan's other kid - Lux."

"Yeah I know who she is. But what does she have to do with this?"

"Well," Keith started, "according to Whitey Lux mentioned the idea in the first place. He seemed pretty sold when I got to him."

Karen looked surprised, "Lux?" Keith nodded and laughed at her face, "I'm pretty sure that's the same face I had on when i heard."

Karen shook her head in disbelief. Starting to put books away again,"it would be nice for Lucas to get to know her." Keith nodded in agreement, "It feels like just yesterday, her mother had died and Dan was telling me about her."

Karen chuckled under her breath, "Do you ever wonder about it, Keith? How we got to this?"

Keith inquired, "Hanging out in the old cafe, lamenting the past," raising his voice, "Haley listening in from behind?"

Haley walked out from the kitchen to deny it scoffing, "I am not listening," in an after thought she said, "Okay, I was. I am."

Keith laughed, "Right, sometimes, I just wondered how we got here so fast."

Karen shrugged looking at a book, "I don't know. When I see Lucas in high school, it all seems like a blink of an eye. But otherwise, it seems like it's been forever."

On the roof Haley walked up to the roof and switched on the remaining lights that made the place twinkle. Lucas who was previously leaning on a golf stick looked around the place in wonder, "Wow."

Hayley stuck her hands in her pocket and said, "Yeah.

Lucas looked around the place, "This place looks great."

Haley grabbed a golf stick and said, "Thanks. I just finished putting up the lights. Miniature golf is never going to be the same. Your mom is worried. She's downstairs with Keith picking through her past."

Haley grabbed a golf ball and hit it through a tire. "By the way when were you going to tell me that it was Lux who told Whitey about your game?"

Lucas chuckled in disbelief a little, "I didn't know until yesterday when I talked to her."

Haley looked at him shocked, "You guys talked?"

Lucas laughed, "I know it's crazy. We usually just pass each other in the hallway like strangers. But yesterday when her motorcycle was totally bent up." Lucas took a breath and shook his head, "It was like I knew her for longer. She actually told me to play for me and not anybody else."

Lucas looked down at Haley, "Do you think I'm being selfish playing Nathan?"

"Do you?"

Lucas nodded lightly, "A little bit. I mean, if I walked away, then my mom wouldn't be downstairs worried about it now."

Haley just did her best to reassure him, "You know, I don't say things like this very often 'cause it sounds weird, but... You're a really good guy, and I'm glad we're friends. But you and your mom worry too damn much."

Lucas chuckled under his breath, "You know Lux is going to be there tonight. I have a feeling you two are really going to hit it off."

Haley just smiled sarcastically, "Look at you. FIghting with your brother. Bonding with your sister."

Lucas breathed in looking at the lights around him, "Yeah who knew."

At the park Lucas was shooting hoops, practicing for the game that was gonna happen in an hour.

Elsewhere Nathan was getting out of the shower when Dan called him. Turning around he faced his dad. "What's up Dad?"

Dan looks down at his son's chest to see a nipple ring. Frowning, he said, "You know if I wanted a daughter I would adopt one."

Nathan chuckled and said sarcastically, "Well, you already abandoned one."

Dan gave him a stern look. Nathan just said, "It was a joke dad."

Dan agreed, "Yeah. And this bet tonight," Dan continued, "is that a joke, too? Or would you really quit the team?" He started to try and convince him, "Because you have everything to lose here and nothing to gain."

Nathan just looked at him evenly, "Sometimes what you call 'everything,"' I call 'nothing.'"

Dan lifted his hand to Nathan's shoulder trying to reassure him, "I just think it's best if you don't do this, Nathan. We'll find another way."

Nathan shook his head. He still couldn't believe his Dad couldn't understand, "No. Dad, I do a lot of stuff for you," Nathan pointed at him. "almost everything. But I'm gonna do this for me." With that Nathan shrugged his Dad's hand off and walked away.

Then Peyton came out with a towel and followed Nathan saying, "Hey, Mr. Scott."

At the park people were starting to come and Mouth was getting ready to announce with Jimmy by his side. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to an historic night of basketball. I'm Mouth McFadden, along with my gamey partner, Jimmy Edwards, and, Jimmy, we're in for a treat tonight."

Jimmy put his mouth to the mic next, "and who doesn't love a treat, Mouth? I know I do - s'mores, ice cream, cake."

The crowd started to get bigger as the hour went by. It started to get noisier. And by the time Lux and Julian got there the place was almost packed. Julian nudged Lux over to stand by the benches. They were right in front of two guys who were acting like the sports announcers.

Julian was practically jumping on his toes. Lux on the other hand felt strangely nervous. She had no idea why. Looking for Lucas she saw him on the side talking to some girl. Lucas looked up and saw her. He smiled slightly, dragging the girl with him, whispering in her ear. The girl put out a big smile.

Coming over, Lucas stood in front of her, "I'm glad you came."

Lux just smiled, "Well, I didn't want to miss the possible fight that could break out here."

Lucas just smirked, "who do you think would win?"

"Seems like a pretty even beating in my head, but who knows?" Lux shrugged. "Anyways, shouldn't you be warming up or something."

"Yeah, yeah, um, this is my friend, Haley."

Haley stuck her hand out correcting him, "More like best friend." Then Haley whispered to her, "But you know I wouldn't mention that to anyone I have a reputation to uphold."

Lux laughed lightly while Lucas rolled his eyes, leaving. Lux took her hand, "Lux. This is Julian."

Julian waved at Haley distractedly on his camera. Haley just looked at him oddly with a smile on her face. "Is this going to be on a movie somewhere?"

Lux just rolled her eyes, "No. He carries that thing around all the time. He's trying different positions to see what gives him a cooler shot in a sports atmosphere."

Julian then piped in, "She says sarcastically."

Haley put her hands up standing beside them, "I feel like I should have put makeup on tonight or something."

Julian then denied that immediately, "Too much makeup makes people look -"

"Fake and take from the supposed to be real life experience of a movie," Lux finished him off doing her best impression of him. Haley was just laughing from beside her. Julian scoffed and rolled his eyes muttering under his breath, "whatever."

Behind her Mouth announced, "Just moments before the stroke of 12:00, and still no Nathan Scott."

Jimmy commented, "The natives are getting restless, Mouth, judging by the crowd that envelops our booth." Lux looked at them oddly. But when the other guy in front of them shut them down Lux smiled laughing under her breath, "You don't have a booth."

Mouth gave him a look and pretended he didn't say anything, he just continued on the mic, "Junk Moretti joins us now. Junk, you care to make a prediction?"

Junk snapped back, "I predict you guys will be the two biggest morons out here." After he said that a sports car rode right up to the court and four people came out. Tim Smith, Clay Evans, Peyton sawyer and Nathan Scott, in all his cocky aura.

When they got out the crowd started to cheer louder and Mouth announced, "And it looks like Nathan Scott has arrived, driven by car right onto the court."

Nathan took a looked at the crowd, yelling his name, smirking. Tim yelled at him smiling, "By the way, I hope you don't mind, but I told a few people." Nathan just continued with the cocky grin until he saw Lux. For a second they both stared at each other. Between them they shared a silent conversation that neither of them voiced. Lux just hardened her stare defiantly and he did the same. Lucas who saw the eye contact just stared at Nathan evenly when he turned his stare at him. Nathan not that cocky anymore but angry bounced the ball at him, "You ready for this?"

Behind the conversation mouth was announcing, "okay, folks, here we go - 15 by ones. Make it, take it, win by one, and you can feel the intensity in the air."

Lucas asked, "Why not?"

Nathan just tilted his head, and bent his knees, getting ready to play, "It's your life."

Lucas answered back, "Yeah. It is," then he shot a basket from the middle of the court, where he was standing. From beside Lux, Haley jumped cheering and so did everyone around her, Lux smiled a little bit. Julian was video taping the whole thing but he was cheering like a weirdo. Behind her Mouth cheered, "Oh-ho! A 25-footer rips the silk like Jimmy Edwards in a size 3 dress."

Nathan passes the ball to Lucas a little too hard out of frustration, "Go ahead, man. I'll give you that all night." Lucas shoots and scores again from the same spot, the crowd cheered and applauded. When Nathan came back with the ball Lucas asked, "What happened to all night?"

Lucas faked left and moved right but Nathan saw the move coming and stole the ball. While dribbling the ball he started to goad Lucas, "Is that all you got, man? Because if that's all you got, this is over."

He went around Lucas and dunked the ball in the net. Making a show of holding onto the hoop and jumping off it. The crowd cheered, whereas Lux remained neutral. Haley looked at her, "who are you voting for?"

Lux just looked at the crowds, then at Nathan and Lucas. Peyton yelled, "Yeah! All right!" On her other side Clay yelled, "Ok Nathan, you got this!" To Haley she said, "I think I'm Switzerland right now."

From behind her Jimmy yelled, "It's gonna be a battle, Mouth."

The rest of the game went on with both of the boy's making great shots. The park for the first time felt like a thunder dome. With all the cheering. The boys, Mouth and Jimmy were announcing so fast and were really good. Julian was cheering and getting great shots on his camcorder. Haley was squealing every time Lucas scored a shot. Lux on the other hand just stood there with a small grin on her face watching the two boys play. Occasionally she would frown when Nathan made a sly comment or had that stupid smirk on his face that reminded her so much of Dan. Except they were both tying. Constantly. It was like they were both shooting for first but were just climbing over each other. Neither one of them letting the other get ahead.

Then Nathan had taken the ball from Lucas trying to get past him, all of a sudden Nathan elbowed Lucas in the face. While Lucas was down he got the shot. Everyone stopped cheering all at once. And the muttering started. Haley gasped at the move, Lux took a sharp intake. As she looked around she saw a few people get up on their feet expecting a fight. On the other side of the court, she saw Nathan's girlfriend stop cheering and look shocked. Even Clay frowned at the spectacle. Tim was the only still clapping saying, "Yeah! Yeah!"

Nathan turned to look at Lux as Lucas recovered. Noticing the look Lux just hardened her lips and eyes shaking her head slowly at him. But Lucas recovered and said in a rough voice, " No foul. Basket counts." Nathan just shrugged, smirking, like it was his lost. But Lux knew the reason he would go that far to win the game. She knew what was at stake; Lucas told her what the real bets were on the game.

Lucas got ready to play again giving the ball to Nathan, "Beside, you won't score again."

Behind her she heard Mouth, "Oh, the basket counts, and it's 14-12, game point for Nathan. He could win it all right here." Lux watched as Nathan went around Lucas to score just when Nathan was about to shoot his winning shot Mouth said, "Nathan for the win." When Lucas blocked it on the backboard. Mouth yelled, "Holy crap!"

Lux shook her head smiling, everyone around her cheered. Haley was cheering beside her saying, "Yes! Yes! Yes!" Even Julian with his camera who was recording the block yelled "Whoo!" Peyton started to smile and Clay just frowned at the block.

In the background Mouth kept going, "Did you see that?! Someday men will write stories about that block. Children will be named after it. Argentinean women will weep for it." Lucas made a shot from the middle of the court. Mouth said, "Luke gets a basket, and he's down one."

Nathan bounced the ball back at him, "You're down by one, man. Don't choke now." Lucas said nothing but made another shot. Mouth started to cheer behind him, "Another dagger, and it's all tied up! I think I'm gonna puke. This is it, folks - no going back now. The next basket wins it." Tim started to yell, "Come on, Nate. Shut him down."

Nathan brought the ball back from the court but hesitated in shoving it to Lucas. Instead he made a split second decision and threw the ball in Lux's direction. Lux having quick reflexes caught it. She stared down at shock at the ball. Nathan called over, "Whose team are you on."

From behind her Mouth started to announce excitedly, "Oh, Whoa. This is turning into a full out sibling rivalry with the youngest as the deal breaker. Who is Lux Scott going to pass it to?" So not helping.

Lux on the other hand was in a state of shock. But instead she walked out onto the court the whole crowd watching her and stood in between them both. She put the ball in the middle, looking at them saying, "You guys ready?" Nathan just shook his head and Lucas nodded once. The last thing Nathan said was, "He's never mentioned you two. - Not once in all these years." Lux said nothing. Lucas just glared at him and said, "This is for my Mom."

With that Lux threw the ball in the air and moved out of the way. She watched as Lucas got the ball made his way to the net with Nathan blocking. But Lucas faked right then went left shooting the basket, Mouth yelled, "Luke for the win!" Lux held her breath as the basket went in.

All at once people on Lucas side started to cheer. People started to jump up at Lucas, hugging him, clapping him on the back. Julian was literally screaming in the middle of it all like a goof. They were all screaming, "Lucas! Lucas! Lucas!" Lux just stayed at the side and watched it all like a smile. Lucas caught her eye and she just nodded at him. He smiled and nodded back at her, then he looked away at Peyton.

Behind Lux a voice asked, "So, what was that about?" Lux turned around to see Clay looking at her with a hint of a smile. Lux just shrugged with a tiny smile, "I guess I have more power over them than I thought."

Clay laughed a little, "You definitely have something." Lux just stared at him trying to understand. He just smirked at her cockily and waved as he turned towards Nathan's car.

Lucas looked over at Peyton and she asked, "So what'd you bet?"

Lucas answered with his hands in his pocket, "I win, Nathan has to stay on the team."

Peyton curiously asked, "Why?"

Lucas shrugged one shoulder and shook his head, "Because it's the last thing he wants." Peyton turned that over in her head. Lucas continued, "Plus, it wasn't for him."

Peyton and lUcas just stared at each other for a second, then from behind her Nathan yelled, "Peyton!" Peyton turned around to look at Nathan and back to Lucas, like she wanted to say something. Lucas saved her from having to, "I'll be seeing ya." Peyton nodded with a tiny hint of a smile walking away while looking at him until she turned around and got in the car with Nathan.

Lucas stared after her.

"There is a tide in the affairs of men... Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune

Lucas went home and hugged his mother who was waiting at the front porch. THey both walked back into their house.

...Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries

Nathan entered his home and Dan was sitting living the living room, waiting for him. Nathan blinked at him for a second before he said, "Don't worry, Dad. You're dreams are safe."

...On such a full sea are we now afloat

Lux went opened the door to her house. She dropped her duffel bag on the ground listening to the squeals coming from her step father's room. She leaned back and looked at the small house that was a pig stye. She sighed.

...And we must take the current when it serves

The next morning Lucas entered the gymnasium for basketball practice. Everything stopped and everyone looked at him.

...Or lose our ventures."