Dangerous Times and Second Chances

Lucas, Haley and Cassie arrived at the party a short while later. Most of the guests were already there, so it was difficult to find a decent parking spot. They got out of the car and and stared in complete awe of the beach house. It was a large white house, no more like a mansion, with large windows, a big front entrance and a large balcony overlooking the ocean. Most people were dancing on the balcony, some were attempting to jump off as it wasn't a large drop, but were not very successful.

"This is the beach house." Haley exclaimed. "I wonder what the house is like."

"It's big." Lucas said. He and Cassie had seen the outside of it once or twice with their Uncle. "About twice as big as this one."

"God Lucas, you could fit five of our houses into this place, maybe more." Cassie said a little sounding jealous.

Lucas just ignored her comment. He knew Dan had taken a lot from them over the years, not paying financial support to their mom, but the fact that Nathan got a life of luxury to this extent made his blood boil. Life really wasn't fair.

"Look let's just try and make it through tonight ok." Lucas said. "Cas, you stick with me." Lucas said suddenly showing his overprotective brother side.

Cassie rolled her eyes. "Lucas I'm not a baby." She said.

"Fine, but if you have any problems, anybody harrasses you, you come find me. Understood?" Lucas asked.

Cassie nodded. "I'll catch you guys later, I'm going to explore some."

Cassie walked through the large crowd of people and found her way to the bar.

"What can I get you baby?" Some guy asked. Cassie recognized him from school, he was obviously drunk as he was slurring his words and stumbling,

"Nothing, I'm fine. I just want a club soda." Cassie said as she grabbed her drink and walked the other way.

She walked into the living room area and found a girl surrounded by a bunch of guys obviously looking for only one thing. Suddenly she found a hand reach up her shirt.

Cassie screamed and turned quickly to find Tim Smith staring back at her.

"So you do have a wild side." Tim said as he came closer to her.

"What do you want, creep?" Cassie asked.

"You know what I want." Tim said thinking she was teasing him. "You."

"Leave me alone, freak." She screamed as he kept coming towards her and backed her up against a wall putting his hands on either side of her so she wouldn't escape.

"There's nobody here to help you. These people, they are all too drunk." Tim smiled at her. "And your daddy or Uncle or whatever that guy is ain't going to help."

Cassie didn't know what to do, suddenly she saw Brooke and Peyton in the corner of the room both staring at her wide eyed.

"Nobody's going to help you, so you may as well give up." Tim continued.

"They will." Cassie said as she kneed him in the groin and watched as Brooke hit him over the head with a glass, knocking him out. Peyton ran over and made sure Cassie was ok.

"You alright?" Peyton asked.

Cassie nodded. "Thanks, I thought he was going to do..s.something to me." She cried as tears formed in her big blue eyes.

"Don't worry he won't hurt you now." Peyton said as she hugged Cassie.

Brooke walked back over. "Come with us. We'll clean you up."

Cassie nodded as she followed them.

Meanwhile in another part of the house Haley had lost track of where Lucas was. Last she had seen him he was playing some game with a bunch of people in the kitchen. Haley sighed as she wondered around aimlessly until she smacked right into someone.

"Oww." She said as she grabbed her hat that had fallen to the ground.

"Sorry." The person she had run into said as he bent down to pick up the hat. "Hi again."

Haley smiled slightly. He sure was cute. "Hi." She said shyly.

"So you did show." Nathan said as they stood up.

Haley nodded. "I said I would didn't I."

Nathan smiled. "You sure did. Look you want something to eat? I know this probably a crazy party, but I'm sure there is still food around somewhere."

Haley laughed. "Sounds good." She was seeing a side of Nathan Scott she had never seen before.

He handed her a small bag of chips. "I rescued these from the kitchen."

"Thanks, but ugh sour cream and onion isn't exactly my favorite." Haley said as she made a face.

"Oh sorry, here take these." Nathan handed her his all dressed chips.

"Much better, so why did you really invite Lucas?" Haley asked. "It's not like you guys have ever really talked."

Nathan shrugged. "I guess maybe its time for things to change. Maybe this party could help that process. But there is kind of a specific reason I invited you."

"Really and what reason was that?"

"Well I kind of need tutoring for english and math and science. Actually pretty much everything except gym, and well I heard you were the best." Nathan said.

"So basically your just trying to butter me up?" Haley asked pretending to be offended.

"Well not exactly..." Before Nathan could finish his sentence Peyton came running into the room.

"Nathan." She said. "I've been looking for you everywhere."

"Peyton can't you see I'm in the middle of something?" He told his girlfriend.

"I don't care ok. Your friend Tim almost raped your sister." Peyton screamed tired of her boyfriend's disrespect towards her.

"What?" Nathan and Haley both screamed at the same time.

"Is Cassie ok?" Haley asked and Peyton nodded.

"Brooke and I found her before it was too late. But she's really shook up." Peyton said.

"I'm going to get Lucas and were going to get out of here. This party was a bad idea." Haley said grabbing her hat before heading off to look for Lucas.

Nathan got up and followed Peyton to where Cassie was sitting in the upstairs bedroom. She had tears streaming from her eyes and her face was red and her eyes puffy.

"Are you ok?" Nathan asked seeming genuinely concerned.

"What do you care?" Cassie spat.

"Look, we may not know each other but I would never wish this kind of thing on anyone." Nathan said.

Cassie could see he meant it and let down her guard just slightly. "Well in that case I'm fine. You can go now."

Nathan sat down beside Cassie. "I'm not going to leave you until I know your safe."

"Why do you suddenly care?" Cassie asked.

"Because...because I really do want to get to know you. I kind of always have, just never admitted it. And I want to be able to help you. I know what my dad did was horrible and I hate that you and Lucas had to grow up like that. But I want to help." Nathan said.

Cassie looked at him as if he were crazy. "You honestly think five minutes of talking with me are going to erase 17 years of ignorance?" Cassie asked. "It doesn't work that way."

"I know but its at least a start. What do you say? Maybe you and I could hang out sometime, you know shoot some hoops or whatever?" Nathan asked seeming genuine enough.

Cassie didn't know where this was coming from but he did seem sincere. "Well I guess that would be ok."

"Cool, name the time and place." Nathan said as Lucas entered the room, looking extremely concerned for his sister.

"You ok?" He asked as he raced to her side.

Cassie nodded. Lucas looked at Nathan before grabbing him by the collar. "Where is your friend Tim?"

Nathan shrugged Lucas off of him. "He's already been taken care of by Brooke and Peyton, so relax"

"When I get my hands on him, I swear I will kill him." Lucas bellowed.

"Luke please, just take me home." Cassie said. Lucas nodded.

"Come on lets go." He said as he took her arm and followed Haley out the door. Just before she left Cassie turned and mouthed the words "Thank you" to Nathan.