Hey guys! I can't believe I'm already at Chapter 10…time flies when you're having fun. Thanks to everyone who reviewed last time! I definitely had some interest in the one shot about Keith and the girls, but not quite enough to justify writing if. If anyone else wants to read it, please let me know! I will still write it if there is enough interest! Enjoy!

Joe Johnson had been the principal of Tree Hill Elementary for ten years, and while he was certainly used to having children sent to him for discipline, he never enjoyed it. He was feeling particularly reluctant to dole out punishment on this warm September afternoon, but he knew that he had no choice. He gave a sympathetic glance to the little boy seated in front of his desk, and silently pushed a box of Kleenex toward him.

"Come in," Principal Johnson said, relieved when he finally heard a knock at the door.

The door opened and Karen Scott walked in, looking frazzled and worried. "I'm sorry I took so long," she apologized breathlessly. "My husband was in a meeting, and I was understaffed for the lunch rush."

"It's quite alright, Mrs. Scott," Principal Johnson said reassuringly. "Please, have a seat."

Karen sat down in the unoccupied chair next to the crying little boy, and turned to him with a sad look on her face.

"Nathan? Do you want to tell me what happened?"

Nathan glanced at her, but quickly lowered his gaze and shook his head. Karen sighed and turned to look at the principal.

"We're not really sure what happened, Mrs. Scott," Principal Johnson explained. "Another student alerted one of the teachers when they started fighting. It took two adults to separate them from each other. The other boy, Tim, insisted that Nathan started it, and Nathan hasn't told me otherwise."

"Is that true, Nathan?" Karen asked. When Nathan didn't respond, her voice became a little sharper. "Answer me, young man."

Nathan shot her another quick glance, and he silently nodded his head. Karen sighed again and looked back at the principal. "Was anyone hurt?"

"Both of them are going to have a few bumps and bruises, but nothing major," the principal said. "Mrs. Scott, I'm sorry to have to do this, but the school code requires me to suspend both boys for a full day. Nathan can come back to class on Thursday, but he'll have to remain at home tomorrow."

"I understand," Karen said. "I can assure you this will not happen again. Nathan knows our opinion on fighting, and my husband and I will be dealing with him later."

The principal noticed Nathan bite his lip nervously, and he felt compelled to intervene on behalf of the boy. "Mrs. Scott, if I could have a word with you in private for a moment? Nathan, why don't you go wait outside by the secretary's desk?"

Nathan didn't have to be told twice; he scurried out of the room as fast as his legs could carry him. As soon as the door was closed, Principal Johnson stood and walked around his desk, leaning against the front of it.

"Mrs. Scott, I know it's not my place to spread gossip or to make assumptions," he began. "But I have had several problems with Tim Smith in the past, and I would bet my pension that he did something to provoke Nathan."

"Tim Smith…is that Shari Smith's son?" Karen asked, a hint of dislike creeping into her voice. She and Shari Smith had hated each other since junior high.

"I see you're familiar with the family," Principal Johnson said drily. "Now, I haven't gotten a chance to know Nathan very well, but from what his teachers have told me, he is a very polite, well-behaved young man. I tried to get him to tell me the full story of what happened today, but he refused to talk. If you could try to get him to open up to you, that would be very helpful. I have a sneaking suspicion that Tim deserved to be shoved to the ground, and if he is going around provoking other students, I want to be able to put a stop to it."

"Thank you, Principal Johnson," Karen said, rising to her feet. "This is very unlike Nathan, and we'll do our best to find out what happened. I appreciate you giving him the benefit of the doubt."

"My pleasure," he replied. "One more thing…I know I'm probably overstepping my bounds, but go easy on the little guy. I know from past dealings with you that you and Mr. Scott are wonderful parents, but Nathan's been looking traumatized ever since he was brought in to see me."

Karen felt a wave of sympathy for her youngest. "I hope we can. As long as he gives us a valid reason for what happened, I don't think we'll need to punish him too severely," she said. "Would it be alright if I took Lucas home as well? It won't be easy for me to drive back in an hour."

"Of course," the principal said, shaking her hand and opening the door for her. "Thank you for being so understanding, Mrs. Scott."

Twenty minutes later, Karen opened the front door of their house and held it open for the boys. She watched them suspiciously as they trudged past her. The whole ride home, Lucas had been elbowing Nathan and whispering to him furiously. Nathan had repeatedly shaken his head vehemently and whispered back, but Karen couldn't make out what they were saying.

"Luke," she said, closing the door behind her and folding her arms as she looked down at the boys. "You go on into the kitchen and get started on your homework. I'll be in to fix you a snack in a little bit."

"But Mom…" Lucas began, shooting Nathan a frustrated look.

"Now, Lucas," Karen ordered, her voice leaving no room for argument. Lucas stomped off to the kitchen in a huff, and Karen turned her attention on Nathan. She held out her hand silently for him to take, and led him into the living room.

"Nathan," she said softly, sitting down on the couch and holding his hands in her own. "I need you to tell me what happened today. Why did you push Tim?"

Nathan shrugged, his face turning slightly pink as he looked down at the carpet.

"Did he say something mean to you?" Karen pressed. "Did he threaten you in any way?"

Nathan gave her a strange look after that question, but he slowly shook his head no.

Karen released Nathan's hands and rubbed her eyes in frustration. "Nathan," she said finally. "If you don't tell us what happened, your father and I have to assume the worst: that you attacked another student for no reason. And if that is truly what happened, you are going to be in serious trouble. Do you understand me?"

Nathan's eyes filled with tears, but he nodded that he understood, and Karen sighed. "Do you still have nothing to say?" she asked, almost pleadingly.

Nathan shook his head one last time, and Karen nodded. "Go to your room," she said resignedly. "Your dad will come talk to you when he gets home."

Nathan fled the room before she could see that the tears were starting to fall. Karen watched him go sadly, wishing that Nathan would just talk to her. He was almost more difficult to punish than Lucas. He was more sensitive, somehow; probably from being raised by a single mother all those years. Karen hurriedly wiped away the single tear that had spilled from her own eye, and she took out her cell phone to call Dan.

Five minutes later, Dan was just as frustrated as his wife as she finished explaining the situation to him. "Listen, Kar, I have a few things I need to finish up, but then I'll head home early, okay?" he said, already dreading having to go home. "I'll talk to him and we'll see where we go from there. I love you, too. Bye."

Dan hung up the phone and slumped back in his chair, suddenly feeling extremely tired. He didn't understand Nathan's behavior at all. Aside from his fight with Lucas the first day, Nathan had never shown any type of aggression towards anybody. And ever since his stay at the hospital, he had been incredibly open with his parents and his brother. Dan hoped to heaven that he could get an explanation out of Nathan. If Nathan had just attacked this kid for no reason…Dan didn't even want to think about how severely he would have to punish his son for something like that.

He didn't have long to think about it, as it turned out, because less than a minute after hanging up with Karen, the intercom on his desk buzzed.

"Mr. Scott?" his receptionist, Nancy, said. "Your brother is here to see you."

"Send him on back, Nancy," he replied, feeling a small sense of relief. Maybe Keith would have some advice for how to deal with the situation. Dan looked up as the door opened, ready to talk to his older brother, but he was surprised when a small figure came barreling through the door and threw herself at him.

"Uncle Dan!" Haley wailed, clinging to him and soaking his suit with her tears. "It's all my fault! Please don't punish Nathan! Punish me instead!"

Dan looked down at the girl in shock, and then looked back up at the doorway. Keith had entered the office behind Haley, looking just as bewildered as Dan felt. "I have no idea, Danny," Keith said, holding his hands up in confusion. "She insisted on being brought over here to see you."

Dan started to answer him, but the increased volume of Haley's sobs brought his attention back to his niece. "Haley, calm down," he soothed, picking the little girl up and sitting her on his lap. "I can't understand you if you're crying. Now calm down and talk to me. What do you mean it's all your fault?"

"The…fight…" Haley hiccupped, gulping back her sobs as fast as she could. "Nathan…hit…him…cause of…me."

Concerned as he was over Haley's admission, Dan couldn't help but feel a huge wave of relief wash over him. The mere fact that Nathan had a reason for fighting automatically meant Dan wouldn't have to completely lay into him. "Was this kid Tim bothering you, Haley?" Dan asked gently.

Haley sniffled and buried her face in Dan's shirt. "He's been calling me names ever since the party at the playground," she confessed. "He was making fun of me for getting hurt and crying. He told me that I was a crybaby and that he was gonna make me break my leg so I'd cry even more."

"What?" Keith boomed, his face turning red with unbridled fury. "Haley, why on earth didn't you tell me about this?"

"He said if I told, he'd break both my legs," Haley whimpered. "I didn't know what to do. But today, I got really scared and I told Nathan and Lucas everything. I told them what would happen if they told, but Nathan went over to talk to Tim anyway. Tim told him that he would mess me up however he wanted, and he started coming after me. That's when Nathan pushed him. Lucas was going to fight him, too, but Brooke came over and pulled him back."

"Haley, honey, if someone is threatening you in any way, you have to tell an adult," Keith said forcefully, kneeling down by Dan's desk and placing his hand on Haley's knee. "We could have gotten you help before Nathan got in a fight with this kid."

"I know," Haley said, her face crumpling with fresh tears. "That's why you have to punish me, Uncle Dan. It's my fault because I never told."

"Oh, Haley," Dan said, giving his niece a kiss on the forehead. "I'm not going to punish you. You didn't force Nathan to get into a fight. I'm proud of you for coming to tell me."

"And tomorrow, we are all going in to the school and telling the principal," Keith said firmly. "I promise Haley, this kid won't ever bother you again. He obviously needs some help. Now, what do you say we go get some ice cream to have with dinner tonight?"

"No," Haley said, her tears suddenly stopping as she sat up on her uncle's lap.

"No?"

"I'm not leaving until Uncle Dan promises not to punish Nathan," she said stubbornly, folding her arms and jutting out her chin in determination.

"That is not your business, Haley Joy," Keith reprimanded gently. "Now let's…"

"Promise me," Haley demanded, glaring at Dan. "Nathan was just protecting me. And if you punish him, then…then…then I'll figure out a way to punish you! And then you'll be really sorry! Sir," she added quickly, shooting a nervous glance over at her father.

Dan choked on a laugh, and even Keith had to quirk an eyebrow in amusement at Haley's sudden ferocity.

"Haley," Dan said, trying not to smile. "I promise you, if Nathan thinks I've been too hard on him, you are more than welcome to punish me. Deal?"

Haley scowled, seemingly sizing her uncle up. "Deal," she said finally, shaking the hand he offered her.

Keith rolled his eyes. "I guess while I've been inspiring Lucas to become a mechanic, you've been working behind my back and influencing her to become a business woman," he said sarcastically. "Haley, if you're done negotiating on Nathan's behalf, I think it's time for us to leave. We can get ice cream, but we also need to talk some more about what's been happening at school."

"Okay," said Haley reluctantly. Dan lifted her off of his lap and placed her on the floor.

"Thank you for coming to me, Haley," he said sincerely. "I'll see you tomorrow at school." As soon as Haley and Keith had left, Dan grabbed his briefcase and headed out towards his car. Now that he knew the truth, he was anxious to get the situation with Nathan resolved.

Fifteen minutes later, Dan was pulling into his own driveway. He headed into the house, intending on talking to Karen briefly to assure her that everything was alright. But as soon as he shut the door, he found himself face to face with Lucas, who was sporting a look not unlike the one Haley had been sporting less than half an hour ago.

"Dad, you cannot go up there and spank Nathan," Lucas said forcefully, his feet planted apart and his hands on his hips like he was some miniature body guard. "I won't let you."

Dan raised an eyebrow at his eldest. "Lucas, I don't believe you have any say in how I punish Nathan. But…"

"I do so have a say!" Lucas shouted, stomping his foot for good measure. "Nathan's my brother, and I have to protect him. And since he's not saying anything about what happened, you can't prove that he's guilty. And we learned in history class last week that in America, you're innocent until proven guilty. Are you trying to question the laws of our country, Dad?" he demanded.

Dan fought back a laugh for the second time that day, wondering when the Scott children had all gotten so self-righteous. "Lucas, I know about everything that happened today, and I'm not going to spank Nathan," he said patiently. "Although I may spank you if you yell at me again," he added warningly.

"You know what happened?" Karen said, coming into the foyer after hearing Lucas's shouts. "How?"

"Keith brought Haley by the office after school," Dan explained. "She told me about everything. I want to go ahead and talk to Nathan before I fill you in on all the details, but let's just say that we need to go have a talk with the principal tomorrow about this Tim kid."

"So it wasn't Nathan's fault?" Karen asked, feeling incredibly relieved.

"I think this time we can afford to let the punishment slide, particularly since he has his suspension tomorrow. But I do need to go have a talk with him." Dan looked down at Lucas and said drily, "Do you trust me to go up there, or do you think Nathan needs a lawyer present?"

"I trust you," Lucas said sheepishly. "Sorry."

Dan ruffled his hair, gave Karen a quick kiss on the cheek, and headed up to Nathan's room. He knocked on the door, entering after he heard a timid "Come in."

Dan's heart went out to his son when he saw him sitting on the bed, his knees drawn to his chest and his eyes slightly red. "Nathan, we need to talk," he said gently, sitting down on the bed.

Nathan didn't even look at his father before throwing himself over the older man's lap. "Just do it," he said resignedly.

To say Dan was taken aback would have been an understatement. "Nathan, I…"

"Please, Dad!" Nathan begged, clutching the leg of his father's suit in one hand and the comforter in the other. "I know you have to spank me, so just do it already!"

"Son…"

"Please!"

Dan sighed wearily, thinking he would need to have a chat with Keith and Karen about how to deal with the sudden level of boldness their children were displaying. He finally gave Nathan a light swat on the jeans, barely loud enough to make a sound, before helping him to his feet.

"There, I spanked you," Dan said exasperatedly. "Now can we please talk?"

Nathan looked confused, then upset. "I can't tell you what happened," he mumbled.

"I see," Dan said. "And what if I told you that I talked to Haley this afternoon?"

Nathan's eyes widened in surprise, and Dan took pity on the boy and lifted him to sit in his lap. "Nathan," he said seriously, "You should have told someone right away what really happened."

"I wanted to, Dad!" Nathan protested. "But Haley was so scared, and while we were waiting for the principal, that Tim kid told me if I said anything, he's fix it so I never played basketball again!"

"I know that bullies can be intimidating, son," Dan said, patting Nathan on the back. "But do you honestly think that your teachers, your principal, or your mother and I would let anything like that happen to you, or to Haley?"

Nathan's face turned pink as he realized that his father was right. "I guess I was pretty stupid, huh?" he said softly.

"No, you were not stupid," Dan said firmly. "Despite my rules about fighting, I'm proud of you for defending Haley. But I need to know that if you or anyone you know is ever threatened like this again, you will tell me or another adult you trust immediately. Can you promise me that?"

Nathan nodded, and leaned into the hug Dan offered him. "Um…was that really my spanking for fighting?" he asked cautiously.

"Well, you weren't going to get one at all, but you seemed so determined that I decided to accommodate you," Dan said, giving his son a smile. "I think being suspended for a day is plenty of punishment for what you did. But tomorrow, after we go see the principal, you will have to go into work with your mother, and I expect you to be helpful and to do what she tells you. Fair?"

"Fair," Nathan agreed, the weight that had been in his chest since the fight finally lifting. "Thanks, Dad," he said shyly.

"You're welcome," Dan said, giving his boy another hug. "You ready to go downstairs? We need to tell your mother about what happened, and you need to assure Lucas that I didn't punish you too harshly."

"Why?" Nathan asked, squinting in confusion as his dad lifted him to his feet and guided him toward the door.

Dan laughed. "Haley and Lucas both have been pleading your case to me all afternoon," he said with a smile. "Haley threatened to punish me if I punished you, and Lucas was accusing me of denying you your civil liberties."

Nathan looked up at his dad, feeling utterly baffled. "That's…really weird."

"Maybe," Dan said, putting an arm around the boy as they headed downstairs. "But I think they were just returning the favor. You did, after all, put yourself on the line for both of them. They're both very lucky to have you," he added softly.

Nathan smiled; glad to know that his brother and cousin cared about him just as much as he cared about them. "I'm lucky, too," he whispered.

Well, that was certainly more light-hearted than some of the chapters I've been writing lately! Coming up next: not sure. It tends to come to me in my sleep. Hope you guys liked this chapter! Read and review, and don't forget to let me know if you want to see the one shot with Keith and the girls!