Title: Moonlight

Author: Cleo Clipper

Genres: Drama, Angst, Romance

Warnings: Slash, violence, abuse, hints at sexual abuse, language, adult themes. If you don't like to read about Lucas and Nathan being romantically involved (as brothers or not) or if abuse/sexual abuse is a touchy subject for you, then don't read this story. You have been warned!

A/N: Sorry for the wait! Life has been getting in the way lately. Hopefully this chapter makes up for it :) Also, I believe someone asked about what happened to Lucas' dad, since I mentioned he died in an earlier chapter. Well that is apart of the story that will be explained in a few chapters so I can't tell you yet! But that subject will come up soon.

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Lucas knew something was wrong the moment Nathan went back to his seat after his mom left the café. He casually walked over to Nathan and Brooke and squeezed Nathan's shoulder, needing to touch him in some way. Nathan turned his head and glanced at the blonde; the look in his eyes speaking volumes of conflicting emotions.

"Everything okay?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah…me and my mom, we're…we're going to Uncle Keith's for a while. I was just telling Brooke that I won't be able to play Friday after all…"

"Uncle Keith in Charleston?" Lucas asked, his stomach doing weird summersaults at the conflicting emotions rising in him.

"Yeah…she wants to go where Dan might not find us…" Nathan trailed off slowly, looking back at his half eaten plate of food.

Brooke met Lucas' gaze with a sad expression; Nathan was probably one of the best friends she had managed to keep despite their history. He had become something of a brother to her and she didn't want to lose him. Lucas was sure his own sadness was apparent in his expression, but for entirely different reasons.

"When are you going?" he asked lowly, bending slightly. He could sense Haley's concerned gaze on him as she picked up plates from a nearby table.

"Tonight," Nathan signed, resigned to this fact. He felt a slight prickling in his eyes as this sunk in. He was leaving his home, his friends, the love of his life, everything he had ever known, and he wasn't even getting a full day to really say goodbye. He knew he shouldn't complain; he was in a horrible domestic situation where he and his mother were in grave danger. Getting out was probably the best thing for him because at this point, who knew how much longer until Dan went too far?

Nathan felt Lucas' hand on his shoulder drop and he immediately missed the contact. If he only had a couple more hours in Tree Hill, then he wanted to spend them with his lover.

Brooke seemed to think the same thing as she suddenly got up and grabbed at Lucas' apron, "Take this off," she said steadily, her voice wavering slightly, sounding like she was holding back tears, "I'm taking over your shift. You two lovebirds need to get outta here and enjoy Nathan's…just give me your apron Lucas," she yanked on it and Lucas hastily complied, slipping it over his head and placing it over Brooke, tying it around her back. She turned to Nathan and, giving him a big squeeze, kissed him on the cheek. Then she turned to Lucas and threw her arms around him, which he eagerly returned, her hug bringing him a little solace. She kissed his cheek and let go, wiping away the tears that began to form and left without another word. He knew she would fill Haley in on the situation. Lucas, taking Brooke's advice, motioned for Nathan to follow him and the two ascended the stairs to the roof.

The afternoon sun was brightly shining over the roof of Karen's café. Nathan could see the large figure of the moon making its way to be noticed; it appeared to be full tonight. He brought his gaze from the full orb to his blonde boyfriend, and followed him to the edge of the roof where the mini golf course from their childhood days still stood. Lucas stopped and observed the course; he, Nathan, Haley and eventually Brooke would play up here all the time while Lucas' mom was working. It was a perfect place for two boys and two girls to have multiple water-balloon fights, mini-golf tournaments, and slumber parties. Now it served as a hideaway from the rest of the world when life became too hard to handle. For Nathan, it was a place he came to escape from his father and his seemingly hopeless feelings for Lucas.

Nathan came behind Lucas and snaked his arms around his waist, pressing his cheek to his temple. Lucas immediately wrapped his hands around Nathan's and the two just stood there, swaying in the gentle breeze of the mid-March weather, each lost in their own thoughts of what this move meant for them. After a while, Lucas turned around, and lost himself in the dark blue irises, forehead pressed to Nathan's own bringing a hand up to cup his face gently. Nathan leaned into the touch, cursing Dan with his whole heart at tearing him away from his love—he knew that he would never find anyone like Lucas anywhere else. He didn't want to. He knew that Lucas was all he would ever want, and the thought of being without him made him feel sick.

Lucas leaned in and kissed Nathan deeply, desperately, and Nathan returned it with the same vigor, feeling the emotion behind the kiss; it comforted him knowing he wasn't the only one that was feeling this lost.

Lucas pulled back and breathed in deeply through his nose. "It's for the best Nate. You deserve a fresh start, somewhere far, far away from that asshole and Keith will be good to you and your mom. And I'll come visit you, so will the girls, so it's not goodbye forever."

"It just sucks." Nathan whispered the back of his throat beginning to burn. "I feel like I just got you all to myself, and now…now I have to give you up. I don't want to leave you Lucas, I love you…so much," he said emotionally, cursing himself for letting his eyes begin to burn, for not being stronger about this. Lucas was right, this wasn't goodbye forever.

"You'll never have to give me up Nate, ever. I'm yours, I always have been, even when I was too blind and too stubborn it," Lucas laughed, a tear leaving his bright blue eyes and rolling down his face. "I'll never find anyone else, baby…you're it. You're stuck with me Nathan Scott, and there's nothing you can do about that."

Nathan smiled and pressed his lips to the blonde's again, the desperation and the passion in the kiss increasing tenfold every passing minute. His hold on Lucas tightened as their tongue's met, Lucas' hands tightly gripping Nathan's black hoodie. Lucas moaned low in his throat, drawing Nathan even closer to him, needing to be as close to him as possible, and suddenly, it wasn't enough. He needed more, he needed—

"Lucas," Nathan breathed, breaking the connection, breathing heavily, "we can't, not here."

"Then let's go home, Nate, please, I can't…I need…" Lucas' mind was spinning, not able to convey his thoughts. All he knew was that Nathan was leaving him in a couple of hours and he was desperate to hang on to him just a little bit longer.

Nathan kissed his forehead tenderly, "Okay baby, let's go before they miss us.

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Brooke finished taking down yet another customer's order when she approached the counter, handing the order to Karen. She frowned when she saw her wearing Lucas' apron. "Where's Luke?" she asked.

Brooke faltered; she didn't think to make up a good excuse as to why she was covering Lucas' shift. She opened her mouth after a moment, but Haley, who was working the cash register at the moment, overheard, "They had an emergency practice; Coach Whitey wants them to be really ready for Friday's game."

Karen stared at Haley before nodding; she knew that wasn't the reason, but she would let the girls keep her son's secret. She would find out soon enough, she was sure.

When she went back into the kitchen, Haley turned to Brooke, "Tell me everything."

As soon as they passed through the front door before Lucas was pushed against the wall; lips fused together, his arms wrapped around Nathan's back while Nathan had one arm around Lucas and the other braced against the wall. Lucas unzipped Nathan's hoodie and slid it off his shoulders, hands immediately going underneath the blue cotton T-shirt and feeling the hard muscles, their lips never separating. Nathan moved from Lucas' lips to his neck, gently kissing and nipping the soft skin, causing a moan to sound from the blonde, and Nathan's desire for him to reach new heights. He pushed off the wall and door and walked backwards, leading them through the house he spent more time at than his own to the bedroom that felt more like his than his own ever did. Nathan's back eventually hit Lucas' bedroom door, Lucas wasting no time shoving him against it, tongue still moving against Nathan's while fumbling with the doorknob he kept missing. Nathan laughed into Lucas' mouth before flipping Lucas against the door and finding the doorknob at the same time, twisting it and pushing it open. Once he got them in the room he closed the door, maneuvering them to the bed, avoiding the books, clothes and other various items, stopping when the backs of Lucas' knees hit the bed. He broke their kiss, laying Lucas down gently and slowly crawled on top of him, their lips meeting again in renewed passion.

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Lucas never knew how he lived before knowing what Nathan felt like inside of him; the first time they had ever made love, he wondered how the hell he couldn't have realized that this was what he needed to feel completely whole, that Nathan made him feel this fulfilled. Sex with Peyton couldn't even be compared to the bliss he was feeling now, arching his back and moaning out when Nathan slid out and slid back in, all the way to the hilt, pausing so Lucas could adjust to the intrusion. He kissed Lucas' forehead gently and dropped his head into the crook of Lucas' neck, peppering little kisses along the side. He was always so gentle with him that it made him want to cry.

Lucas could tell it was taking everything in his lover to not move; his jaw was clenched tightly, arms trembling, chest heaving, breaths coming out in short huffs.

He cupped Nathan's neck tenderly with one hand, and guided their kiss swollen lips together, sweat rolling down his temple, moving his hips up to signal to Nathan he was ready.

Nathan was quick to move, hips spurring into action, placing one large hand on Lucas' hip and hoisting his leg up to wrap around his waist, the other hand pressed down into the mattress beside his lover's head. He could feel Lucas' hands in his hair, scratching his back, and it encouraged him to go faster, harder, whatever his lover needed, his thick, dripping erection bouncing between them.

Nathan changed his angle suddenly, hitting Lucas' prostate and making the blonde cry out in surprise and pleasure, one hand gripping his soaking brunette hair, the other hand firmly gripping his shoulder, nails leaving half-moon marks, his own blonde hair damp and plastered to his forehead. Nathan smirked into Lucas' sweaty neck, aiming for the spot again and again, wanting to hear the cries that sounded like music to his ears. He firmly grabbed the blonde's sensitive manhood, pumping steadily as he continued to thrust into him.

"Nate…god Nate!—right there…so goo—fuck!" Nathan loved the words that came out of his mouth when they made love. They sent shivers up his spine, heightened his senses and made him more in tune to his lover's needs. He moved his hips faster, his breathing harsh as he felt the familiar heat pool in his stomach; he could tell Lucas was close too because of the way his breath hitched, his eyes fluttering as he tried to keep them open to gaze at Nathan's face, but unable to keep them open from the pleasure that rocked his body. His voice becoming breathy as he cried out Nathan's name over and over. He could feel himself being brought closer and closer to that euphoric oblivion, the thought that it was Nathan bringing him there making his heart beat faster, like it did every time.

"Nate—oh fuck right there—Nate I'm so…so close," he whimpered, his nails digging into Nathan's back and shoulders, throwing his head back as Nathan hit his prostate once, twice, three times more, hips moving frantically against Nathan's.

"I know…baby…me…too," Nathan grunted out, thrusting even faster now, his blue eyes closing, dark with lust as he thrust in twice more and twisted the hand on Lucas' manhood before his body arched so far back he looked almost bent in half, moaning out loudly as he tightly gripped on to Nathan, thick white fluid shooting onto his stomach and chest and Nathan's toned abs. Nathan, seeing Lucas in the throes of passion, thrust twice more before he released into his lover, smashing their lips together to stifle his cry, Lucas' hands still gripping him tightly.

He collapsed on Lucas, his head resting on the blonde's chest, body trembling as Lucas kissed the top of his head before leaning his head back against his moist pillow, his hands smoothing down Nathan's back and through his hair. Nathan turned his head and kissed Lucas' sweaty chest before laying back on it, panting heavily. The two lovers basked in the afterglow of their love-making, never letting go of each other.

All good things must come to an end, as they quickly found out. After a warm shower together where many loving kisses and caresses were exchanged and Lucas pleased Nathan with his mouth, they dressed and before Nathan knew it he was standing by Lucas' side door, preparing to head home and, ultimately, to his uncle Keith's house.

Nathan had his arms wrapped around Lucas tightly, his nose buried in his neck, trying to memorize the feel of this boy—his boy—trying to remember his smell before he had to leave him for however long. Lucas had his forehead pressed into Nathan's neck gently, breathing in slowly, his arms wrapped around Nathan's waist occasionally moving his head to press kisses to Nathan's face and neck.

This was one of the hardest things he ever had to do.

"This isn't goodbye forever, remember?" said Nathan after a few minutes of solemn silence. "Just for a little while, until its safe."

"God…this isn't fair! Why can't Dan just drop dead?" Lucas growled. If he had the chance, he didn't think he would hesitate to do away with the current mayor of Tree Hill. He'd caused enough heartache and pain in the lives of those around him.

Nathan brought his hands to cup his boyfriends face gently before leaning down slightly to kiss him tenderly. He pulled back and kissed both cheeks, then his nose, and then pressed his lips to his forehead. He lingered here for a while before pulling back, speaking in a low voice, "I know it's not...I hate him too, Luke. I hate that he's my father, that I have to uproot my life because of him, that I have to leave you, that I can't even hold your hand in public because I'm terrified that he will come after you if he finds out. But I hope now that we're getting out, my mom will press charges and he'll be locked up. Then I'll come back and I'll show everyone what an amazing boyfriend I've been hiding." Lucas chuckled at Nathan, but he secretly couldn't wait either; he wanted to tell everyone that he was absolutely enamored with the Nathan Scott and not give a damn about what anyone said. "I'll call you when I get there," said Nathan, his voice snapping Lucas out of his musings, and he nodded numbly. He knew he was probably being overdramatic; Charleston wasn't that far from Tree Hill, he could go see Nathan whenever he wanted when it was safe for him to do so. But the thought of not having the brunette by his side at all, after being with him as best friends since grade school, and becoming something more, he felt like a part of him was leaving.

Nathan was halfway to his car when Lucas snapped out of his numb state and threw the door open, calling Nathan's name. He rushed forward and crashed his lips to Nathan's in one last, passionate kiss, the force of Lucas' body barreling into him causing him to drop his bags in favor of holding the blonde. The weather had changed outside, rain pouring from the sky and onto the two boys who were not sheltered from the storm, the water flattening their hair and soaking their clothes, but neither boy paid any mind. Lucas whimpered, the kiss making his knees weak and Nathan tightened his grip on him, pulling him even closer, Lucas running his hands though his sopping brown hair. Nothing mattered at that moment, not the rain, not the fact that they were about to be separated; the only thing that mattered was each other.

When Nathan felt like he would pass out from lack of oxygen, he broke the kiss, but still left their foreheads touching. Lucas sucked in a shuddering breath and opened his eyes, gazing into the stormy eyes, "I love you, Nathan Scott. Always and forever."

"I love you too Luke, always and forever," Nathan breathed before quickly kissing him again before grabbing his bags and hopping in his beat-up car. He gave Lucas one last longing look before driving away, leaving Lucas staring after him in the rain.

When he pulled up to his house, Nathan knew that something bad was going to happen. The dark grey clouds floated overhead, almost as a warning he knew he should heed, but instead, he quickly got out of the car and grabbed his bags. He entered through the garage and found where his mom had hidden the bags. He quickly grabbed them and threw them in the trunk. The only thing he had to get now was Dan's other set of car keys. His mom wanted to delay Dan as much as possible, so she wanted to take his keys to his car so as to give them more time to get away.

Quietly, Nathan entered the house, the eerie silence deafening to him as his heart sharply pounded in his ears. He knew his mom told him they needed to wait until Dan was asleep in order for this to work, but he wasn't sure how long they could afford to wait should Dan decide to attack him tonight.

He was quietly climbing his stairs when he heard it, the distinct yells of both his parents, high-pitched and furious. The door to the master bedroom was thrown open as Deb quickly walked out, Dan hot on her heels, his face red with furry as he screamed, "Don't walk away from me bitch! You aren't going anywhere with our son!"

Deb whirled around, the anger evident on her face. "Like hell I'm not Dan! I'm taking our son and getting the hell away from you, you sadistic son of a bitch! I've sat by and watch you hurt him but not anymore and as soon as Nathan's safe, I'm going to the police to tell them all about your activities at home." She turned again and paused when she saw Nathan on the stairs, his eyes wide with trepidation as he watched the scene in front of him. How the hell had Dan found out?

Dan followed his wife's gaze down to his son, "Where the fuck have you been! So you were just going to up and leave your father? You didn't think that I wouldn't find you, you little shit? How did you think you were going to pay for anything when I'm the one who gives you money?"

Nathan stepped down one stair; this was not good. He wanted to avoid the probable outcome of this argument as long as possible. He took a breath and was prepared to speak when his mother beat him to it, "Don't talk to him Nathan, just get in the car. We're leaving. Now."

It all happened so fast that it made Nathan's head spin; Deb had just stepped down one stair when Dan ran and pushed her as hard as he could. Nathan only had time to look at his mother's surprised face before she went flying into him, causing him to lose his footing and go tumbling down the rest of the stairs. He landed hard on his left shoulder, his mother landing next to him face down with a dull thud against the tile. His ankle felt like it was on fire; he probably twisted it when he fell. He glanced at his mother and began panicking when a pool of blood slowly began to form around her head.

"Mom!"

I know...I'm an evil bitch! Regardless of that, please review! I'd love to hear what you think :)