"That was tough," Brooke admitted as they drove through South Carolina on their way to North Carolina. She had been silent for the first hour, still in shock, her mind reeling.
"She's been struggling," Nathan told her, "it was obvious that her life has stalled. It's sad."
"If Peyton was hard for me," she looked at him, "Dan is going to be a nightmare for you."
"I know," Nathan nodded. There was a silence before he continued, "it's just that he knows what I'm thinking and what I'm going to do before I do it. I feel like everything I've ever done has been in his plan from the beginning. I'm his puppet."
"You know, I think Dan only had what was best for you in his heart. The trouble was that he's a complete bastard. When Deb finally started to break away from him I was so happy. Throughout college I lived in fear that one day we'd get a call saying she'd overdosed."
"You really love my mom," Nathan glanced at her.
Brooke smiled, "Deb is my mom too. Sam and Victoria Davis paid my credit card bills, Deb went to every cheerleading competition, curled my hair for prom, went on constant shopping expeditions when I was pregnant and cried more than you when I walked down the aisle at our wedding."
"I wasn't crying," Nathan huffed.
"Yeah, what was your excuse," Brooke grinned despite herself, "a falling leaf had poked your eye as you were standing waiting for me at the altar. You always sucked at lying."
"Fine, I was crying a little, it was your fault."
"How was it my fault?"
His fingers intertwined with hers, "you looked so gorgeous, you were glowing. It didn't hurt that your boobs were huge because of the pregnancy."
Brooke slapped his chest but laughed and for the rest of the journey through South Carolina they laughed, and for a moment they felt they the way they had once upon a time.
0000
The next morning Nathan and Brooke checked out of their motel and got a small breakfast at a diner at the border of South and North Carolina. They didn't say much, they both knew that the coming reunion was going to take most of their strength. They arrived in Charlotte, NC at eleven in the morning.
The house that Dan occupied as the governor of Charlotte was gorgeous. A true gem in the heart of an old neighborhood. A year after the divorce between him and Deb he had married a twenty-something with breast implants and an intense need to be rich. Together they had worked their way up in the political system until Dan had become governor.
"It's a pretty brooding place," Brooke murmured.
Nathan looked at the vast estate and wondered how just knowing that his father lived there actually made the beauty dissipate, "let's get this over with."
Brooke didn't comment on the fact that Nathan was squeezing her hand tightly or that she could feel his trembling. There was no need to because they both knew that this was going to be a huge challenge. They had to face the enemy together or they wouldn't have a chance.
0000
A rather angry looking housekeeper allowed them entrance into the beautiful grand hall where Nathan and Brooke stood in awe. It seemed as if Dan's wealth had only increased since his divorce from Deb despite having to pay a high alimony.
"This reminds me of my old house," Brooke murmured.
Nathan smiled down at her, the beautiful girl behind the red door, but before he could respond he felt a chill go down his spine. Dan Scott was walking toward them from the back of the house, "Nathan!"
"Dad," Nathan replied.
"What do to I owe this pleasant surprise," Dan asked stopping a few feet from them.
"You remember my wife, Brooke," Nathan felt his blood pressure rising just being in his father's presence.
"Ex-wife," Dan corrected.
Brooke laced her fingers with Nathan, "that's up for discussion. How are you Dan?"
"Well," Dan motioned with his hand at his glorious surroundings, "being the governor of a Southern state has its perks."
"So we see," Brooke replied with an arch of one of her eyebrows.
After a long moment where Dan Scott stood, looking the exact same as years before, staring at Nathan he finally spoke, "why don't we go to the sitting room and you can tell me why you're really here."
"Good idea," Nathan agreed.
After they had sat and served coffee Dan grinned, "do you have a picture of my grandchildren?"
"You were never interested in them before, no need to start now," Brooke replied.
"On the contrary, I'm very interested in them. I'm also looking forward to my first grandson. Haley is due soon," Dan told them.
Brooke pointed her finger at him and her lips thinned, "you will go nowhere near Haley!"
"Davis," Nathan grabbed her hand and looked at Dan, who was chuckling.
"Still a hellcat, Brooke? I would have thought you'd outgrown that phase," Dan commented.
"Look, Dad, we're here to ask you a few simple questions and if you could answer them we'll be on our way."
Dan looked at Nathan, "why should I answer any of your questions?"
"Because I think you owe me that much," Nathan replied.
"Why do I owe you anything? I was just doing what any father would do for his talented, naïve, son. You have a gift Nathan and because I pushed you now you're one of the best professional basketball players in the United States."
"I also have an amazing woman and two beautiful daughters. Two things you tried your hardest to ruin for me," Nathan pointed out.
Dan looked at Nathan, "ask me the questions."
"Why did you have Peyton kiss me that night," Nathan asked.
"Because your 'amazing woman' was screwing around with a skinny twerp behind your back and I wanted her to feel the pain that I knew you would be feeling when you finally opened your eyes and realized that she was the two bit whore I always told you she was."
"You realize that the last time you saw Molly was the day before that, the last time you saw Ally was a few weeks after. You haven't seen your grandchildren in years because you were messing around in business that wasn't yours," Nathan felt his temper rising with every second that passed.
Dan sat forward, "your future has always been my business. Whether you like it or not you will always be my son, I did my duty as your father."
"You were always so worried after my parents disowned me because I got married and pregnant that I would try and take Nathan's money," Brooke smiled as she spoke, "but you never realized that I'm ambitious. I've become independently wealthy. I made more than Nathan this year."
"Only two grand more," Nathan scowled at her but also tickled her palm with his fingers.
"And we're together, and we're raising the girls, and they love Deb. Haley and Luke will never speak with you. Dan you messed up," Brooke continued.
"You always had a big mouth, Brooke Davis," Dan seethed.
"Davis-Scott," Brooke corrected, "I never legally changed it."
"I let you control my life for a long time, Dad, even when I moved away and thought you weren't influencing me. I won't let you be my excuse anymore, Dan. I'm going to be a good husband again and an even better father and uncle. But you won't be a part of that," Nathan stood and held his hand out to Brooke, "let's go."
Dan rose as they were walking toward the door, "I only wanted what was best for you, Nathan."
Nathan looked back and then down at Brooke, "she's right next to me, Dan, she always has been."
0000
Haley yawned hugely and rubbed her ever growing stomach. The girls were dueling in front of her with paper towel rolls and she could tell that something was probably going to break. Lucas still hadn't called her since the week before. Their conversation had been short and to the point. She had told him that she couldn't be with him if he didn't or couldn't love their baby. He had told her that he was in love with her. Haley had believed him. She knew, had always known, that Lucas loved her but she wasn't on her own anymore. She had a baby to protect and raise, it was a shame that she couldn't count on Lucas to want to participate. He had agreed to send any money she needed and his contract would still cover her medical insurance. They had bundled up their relationship in twenty minutes and she still didn't have a clue why he didn't want the baby.
"Aunt Haley, look its Uncle Lucas! You can be happy again," Ally squealed.
Haley looked up at the entrance of the living room and sucked in a breath. Lucas was standing in his glory, looking every inch the gorgeous boy she had met decades before. She rose awkwardly and tried to force words out of her mouth.
"I love you, Haley James, you can't leave me," Luke told her at the exact moment Brooke and Nathan walked through from the kitchen door.
Brooke stopped abruptly, Nathan bumped into her, Ally and Molly ran to them and Brooke let loose a chuckle that shook her body, "well, there is something to be said about great timing."
