A/N: This is my self-indulgence of a 'could've' been story, or a back to the beginning story. Starts with the same basic premise of the show, the Nathan/Haley relationship in particular, but will be told in a more detailed way. IE, the games that Nathan begin playing with Haley stay games for awhile. Other details twisted to suit. I of course own nothing.
'The Limit'
PROLOGUE
Nathan Scott liked going to school. He didn't care much for, or about, his classes or learning, but he is a popular guy, and where better to flaunt that popularity than school, where he is practically a god? At the very least, a demigod. And people worshipped at his altar, too. Boys wanted to be him, and the girls wanted to be with him. He knew it. He loved it.
The only people who didn't fall at his feet were a few faculty members who didn't know any better and The Bastard's gang of ragtag losers. The faculty? Whatever. They weren't important to him at all. And enough of them did defer to him that the others didn't matter. But the fact that The Bastard had his own group, own friends, that dared to prefer The Bastard to himself, well, that was too much. Intolerable.
He hated The Bastard. He'd been taught that by their shared father. It was a learned behavior, although his father insisted it was something he was born with. Any ounce of happiness that The Bastard had these days was like a present that Nathan wanted to take from him and crush, destroy. Just like he wanted to crush and destroy his bastard of a half brother.
For so long, when it became clear that Nathan would bump paths with The Bastard occasionally, his father had gone out of his way to make sure Nathan understood that the other boy was the enemy. And he did understand it. Maybe not the motivation behind it, especially when he was younger, but he understood the concept very well. And more than that, he understands most of all that sticking it to The Bastard is one quick and easy way to gain his father's approval.
And so when they were at school, Nathan would study him, biding his time. He knew who The Bastard's friends were, he knew where they hung out, what ridiculous things they seemed to like, and even who the friends associated with. He knew their schedules. He knew it all.
There was only one wildcard in the mix, and that was that The Bastard had dared to join his team. This added pressured, not only from himself, but from his father and even the guys on the team, the ones who knew enough of the situation to know it was weird.
He was on his team, taking his position, and Nathan wasn't going to stand for it. How dare The Bastard think that he could waltz into Nathan's life and pick around, taking what he wanted. Act like it wasn't a big deal when everyone knew otherwise – it was a huge deal.
The school was abuzz with gossip over it, which Nathan started himself. He threw out reminders of where The Bastard came from, and how he was just a freak that wasn't good enough for the Scott family. Reminded their classmates that The Bastard and his mother were so unworthy that the kid shouldn't even be allowed to have their last name.
He knew the rumors were heard and that the stares were felt by his unworthy half-brother, too. He watched, more closely than ever, just to see the results of his carefully spread truths, half-truths, and conjecture.
It was good. He got what he wanted out of it. The Bastard was uncomfortable, and it showed. He had him against the ropes already, with just a few rumors and the hell he made sure The Bastard was put through at practice. Now Nathan knew he was close, so close to getting the knockout punch in, he just had to figure what to use. Or maybe, who.
There was a girl. Haley James. Before he set out to ruin the life of his half-sibling, that was really all he knew about her. Her name. Now he knew more, just as he did with all his friends. He made it his business to know more, mostly because of how The Bastard looked at her, how he obviously protected her.
She was the way. The way to finally destroy his half-brother, put him in his place, get him out of Nathan's world. He didn't belong there, and through Haley, Nathan would make sure Lucas realized that.