Hi guys i haven't updated in a while but i promise i will update more, anyway i'd like to thank everyone who reviewed and i hope you like this chapter
Disclaimer: No, no, no, no, no. I do not own OTH, I wish I did though.
The ringing from the alarm on his bedside interrupts his slumber and he hits the snooze button to get in a few more minutes of sleep. He rolls over and his eyes catch sight of his graduation photo. He remembers it so vividly and every time he looks at it he misses Tree Hill a little bit more. He'd go back if he could but he can't. Dan lives in Tree Hill and the last time they crossed paths Dan threatened to kill Lucas and harm anyone else that he cared about if he told that he killed Keith. If it wasn't for the fear of Dan harming his mother, Peyton or even Nathan or Haley he would have already told the police and gotten Dan arrested. Everyday Dan would be around checking up on Lucas making sure that he didn't tell anyone about him killing Keith. After a while of watching Dan enjoy freedom he shouldn't have for killing his brother Lucas left Tree Hill. He said his goodbyes and skipped town the next day but not before speaking to Whitey. He told Whitey that he wasn't safe in Tree Hill and everyone he loved around him weren't safe either unless he left. He never told Whitey why he wasn't safe and even though Whitey had tried to get it out of him, in the end Whitey had accepted that Lucas was leaving and he'd never get a reason why he was leaving. A few months of living on his own Lucas felt guilty for not keeping contact so he started to write secretive letters to Whitey so that Whitey could be assured Lucas was okay and that Whitey could let everyone else know he was okay. Whitey was never able to write back because Lucas wouldn't leave a return address. He trusted Whitey but he wasn't sure that if this letter got into the wrong hands if he'd be safe anymore. He would call Whitey from different payphones that were no where in the vicinity of his house so that he couldn't be traced. He hadn't used his cell phone because he thought that it might have been tapped.
Whitey hadn't had any contact with Lucas so when he got a letter from Whitey's lawyer concerning the man's death Lucas was shocked that Whitey knew where he was and hurt that he had died at the same time. Lucas wondered if he should go back but he's wasn't sure if it was safe. It had been about seventeen years but this was Whitey, his high school basketball coach, his mentor, and man that was like a father to him. It would be wrong not to go back and honor him so Lucas decided that he'd go back just this once. For all times sake.
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As the quiet filled the interior of the black envoy, Andrew, who had been quiet and glancing out the window since they left Tree Hill, ran different scenarios through his head at how he would act and respond to his father. He'd only seen him in pictures and heard about him through his relatives but in a matter of hours they'd meet face to face again and Andrew wasn't sure how to approach that. James sensed that Andrew had been brooding too long. He decided to put an end to his cousin's quiet daydreaming and pulled the car over to the side of the road. Andrew who was bewildered with the sudden halt, turned to face his nephew who was smiling brightly.
"Your turn"
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Nathan had slipped into the quiet house of his sister and nephew. Last night when Andrew had left Nathan had offered that he and Haley spend the night with Peyton. She refused and assured them that she'd be okay alone, even though she was trying to assure herself more than anyone else and Nathan knew that. He had left his house earlier than usual for work just to make sure she had gotten through the night okay. He ascended the staircase and took a left and headed for her bedroom. The door was closed and he cursed her for closing it. Her bedroom door was the only one that seemed to squeak in the whole house, when she had bought the house he had offered to fix it for her but she refused. After his constant begging she had adamantly stated that the squeaking was a defense mechanism. When he furrowed his brows in confusion she continued by telling him that if anyone tried to sneak into her room while she was sleeping she'd know immediately. He placed his hand on the knob and pushed the door slightly ajar to check inside. When he didn't see her in her bed he panicked and began to search the other rooms of the house. They had all been empty and he had finally made it to the last door of the house, Andrew's room. He pushed the door open and was relieved to find her on his bed looking over a photo album. She looked as if she had been slightly crying and he wasn't sure if it was because of something good or bad. He quickly glanced at his watch; he'd have to leave to get to work soon so he cleared his throat to make his presence known. She looked up at the doorway and smiled faintly before wiping the remaining tears from her face.
"Hey" she whispered softly
He walked over towards the bed and sat next to her pulling her into a sideways hug in the process.
"You told me you'd be okay Sawyer, and this" he motioned gesturing to the tear stains on her cheek" is not okay"
She chuckled softly and held on to him a bit tighter
"I'm okay; it's just was looking at a few pictures of Andrew when he was younger, and thinking about what Brooke said the other night"
"He's growing up and you can't protect him from all the bad things out there." She nodded her head as he continued
"You knew that this was going to happen sooner or later so there was no way to stop the inevitable, but he's a smart kid with a good heart and whatever decision he makes will be in yours and his best interest"
"Who knew Nathan Scott could be so smart with words" he shrugged indifferently
"What can I say, I married my tutor"
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Ever since Andrew had taken a hold of the wheel James had noticed that his cousin had been tense so he loosened the atmosphere by initiating a conversation about a few of their childhood memories.
"I can't believe you took your diaper off" James laughed while Andrew was turning red in the driver's seat
"I don't know what happened it was like one minute I was fine and then I just had this impulse to go commando"
"It would have been okay if a. you hadn't done it in the backyard during the party and b. you hadn't done it with that ridiculous hat you had on"
"I was told that the hat made my little escapade more adorable"
The cousins laughed until their laughter died out as the sign that announced their arrival in Wilmington made their trip a lot more unsettling.
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Lucas stood at the shelves organizing the books that had just come in. A new author had published a new book and it had just got out and was selling fast. This was the second shipment today so he had to pack the shelves full of these books of which he was sure would be gone by the end of the day. He stopped stacking and ended up daydreaming. He should have been the one with the published book going on book tours, not the man stacking them on the shelves. A hand on his shoulder brought him back to reality.
"You okay man, Melissa said you looked depressed" a man named Chris asked
"Yeah, just thinking. I'll be fine"
"Alright" Chris said heading back up to the front desk
Chris was a worker at the book store along with Lucas who was the same age as him. Melissa was the niece of the man that ran the book store. Melissa was a regular worker and got paid what everyone else did; she refused to be treated differently just because she had family ties to the business. Chris had worked here before Lucas and was very good friends with Melissa, they had even at one point dated but decided that they should just keep the friendship they have. Chris was like Lucas because their dad's had both left their moms and they had to grow up with surrogate father figures. Chris had picked up the job at the bookstore after college because he didn't want to burden his mom so he got a job and worked to get an apartment. Even though he didn't make a whole lot of money he still kept the job because he had good friends there. When Lucas started working here about seven years ago he wasn't really sure what he was doing until Chris had helped him out and showed him exactly what he was supposed to do. Pretty soon he had learned the ropes and had befriended both Melissa and Chris. Chris was like a brother to Lucas, even though Nathan was Lucas' biological brother Chris had filled the void for Lucas the past seven years but he could never really replace Nathan. Melissa couldn't really be classified as a sister to Lucas; they had dated once for a month so that would be incest. They weren't in love with each other but it was easier than being alone since Chris had gone back to Chicago to take care of his sick mother that month. She was a really good friend who cared for all of her friends and Lucas was lucky to have Chris and Melissa as friends.
"Lucas come here" Melissa called from the front desk
Lucas placed the book in his hand on the shelf and walked up front to where Melissa and Chris were chatting.
"What's up" he asked leaning on the counter
"Chris and I are concerned about you so we decided that tonight we'd go out and do something fun"
"Like what" Lucas asked skeptically
He appreciated that Chris and Melissa cared about him, but when wanted to cheer him up they'd go to great lengths to make him happy.
"Were not going to go test drive cars and drive them into another state Luke, this isn't last time" Chris explained from the countertop where he sat
"There's a bar at the end of Chestnut road that has a kick ass karaoke machine and great food and drinks, we wanted you to go with us"
Lucas thought about it. Usually when alcohol was involved Melissa and Chris would drink irresponsibly and Lucas would end up as the designated driver. He would do it but, this wouldn't make him feel any better and he couldn't' really drive anyway. He had lost his wallet that had his license in it and was still waiting on his temporary one that still had yet to come.
"No, you guys go have fun. I'll be okay at my house tonight" Melissa pouted but nonetheless agreed
"Okay if that's what you want to do its okay with us"
Lucas smiled at her understanding
"I guess that means more booze for me" she stated turning around and heading towards the back storage room
Lucas laughed at her antics and Chris laughed too; no comment from Melissa ever came without witty remark
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The black envoy that held the two cousins pulled up front to an apartment building.
"14 Westfield Drive" Andrew stated looking at the wallet in his hands and back at the apartment building they were parked in front of
"This is it" James said looking at the apartment building and then at his cousin
Andrew shut the car off and placed his head on the steering wheel while gripping it both his hands. James was confused at his cousin's actions.
"Andrew are you okay?"
"Yeah" he said lifting is head from the wheel,"just getting out some last minute doubts"
After about five minutes of staring at the apartment building Andrew finally built up some courage to unlock the car door and step out. James soon followed his cousin's lead and walked along with him as the entered the halls of the apartment building. Andrew stopped at a door and read the number on the door before checking in the wallet to make sure he had the right door.
"Is this the door?" James asked
"Yeah but…" Andrew wasn't allowed a chance to finish as James had already begun to pound the door
Andrew shot his cousin a glare
"What?" His cousin asked innocently" You can't tell me that I didn't just help you out by making the first move"
Andrew sighed he knew James was right so he just waited for the door to open so he could see the man that was supposed to be his father.
The front door of the apartment building opens and Lucas walks in unaware to the attention he's getting from both James and Andrew. He's unaware he has visitors until he looks up from the keys in his hand to unlock his door.
"Can I help you guys?"
"Yeah you may not remember me we met over doughnuts at a rest stop a few days back" Andrew says hoping Lucas will remember
"Yeah I remember you"
"I found your wallet on the counter after you left and I've been trying to find you to give it to you" Andrew held out the wallet to Lucas
"Thank you so much I've been looking for this everywhere"
"You're welcome, by the way I'm Andrew" Andrew said holding out his hand and shaking Lucas', "and this is… my brother… James"
James looked at Andrew confused but James decided to play along. Andrew must have a good reason for lying.
"HI James" Lucas said shaking James' hand also
"So where are you guys from" Lucas asked
"We're from…"
"California" Andrew said cutting James off
"California?" Lucas asked confused
"Yeah, me and my brother decided to take a trip around the world for a year before we go to college" Andrew said pulling a disgruntled James into a sideways hug
"Well since you guys went through a lot of trouble bringing me this, the least I could do is give you a place to crash for a few days. I have to leave in a few days to go to a funeral of a friend of mine in Tree Hill"
"If it wouldn't be any trouble" Andrew asked
"Not at all" Lucas said opening his door to let the two teenagers in
James was about to follow Lucas inside until he saw Andrew waiting behind
"You coming"
"Yeah I just got to make a phone call"
Andrew pulled out his cell phone and dialed his mom's cell phone and waited till she answered.
"Hi mom, I think we might be coming back sooner than we thought"
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