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"The flight to Tree Hill Airport is delayed due to unexpected weather here, passengers will be allowed to board when the storm passes."
Lucas silently cursed under his breath. He wanted to see Brooke, talk to her, apologise, and tell her that he loved her before he lost his nerve.
He had been gone a month and luckily only missed a week of school as a large period of the time he had been gone were the school holidays so he wasn't too far behind in his studies. His thoughts went to his school friends: Skills, Haley, Nathan. He decided he should probably call his brother and let him know he was returning. A smile passed his face before a worried frown took over his face, would they still be on brotherly terms considering Lucas just left and hadn't talked to anyone from Tree Hill in four weeks?
----------------------Lucas--------------------
I should call him.
I walked swiftly over to a phone booth and inserted a quarter in the middle of the deserted airport. It was 2am on a Friday night, Nathan would either still be out partying or he would have just got home. It was worth a try, just to let him know I was coming back. I really wanted to see how we were, test the waters and see if we were okay.
I hadn't memorised Nathan's mobile number yet so I typed the number of the house phone. I just hoped it isn't Dan who picked up.
It was.
"Hello." He said in a smart tone. Dan had probably been up watching tapes of his old basketball days. He was that sad, he couldn't let go. He was living his life through Nate and now he was going to try to do it through me.
"Is Nathan there?" I said sharply. I didn't want to talk to Dan; he has been nothing but a first class ass to me, why should I be polite.
"No, he is with Haley, Lucas." I could almost hear him smirking on the other end of the phone line. The man clearly thought I was infatuated with her or something, probably considering what happened the first night I arrived in Tree Hill, the whole naked outside the house scenario.
"Ah, that's good. Nathan needs a positive influence in his life from somewhere."
He verbally grimaced.
"When are you coming home? My constituency is asking questions."
"I'm getting a plane today; I'll be in Tree Hill this evening."
"So I can expect you back in time for the publicity evening I am doing tonight at our house."
"Our house. Finally accepting me, Daddy?" I would have choked on the word had I not been laughing when I said it.
"You won't mess this up for me orphan." He spat. As much as I tried to keep it out of my voice, we both knew the word affected me.
"I don't take orders from anyone, especially not my half ass sperm donor."
He sighed.
"Lucas, why are you like this?"
"What?"
"I want to try and be a better dad to you than I have been for the past 17 years."
"Right, so any improvement from nonexistent care is great."
"During the duration of my campaign and any other time you will polite to me in public, you will address me as Dad or Father and you will be the perfect son."
"Will I really?" I would have laughed in his face had he been with me.
"Yes. Do you want to know why?"
"Why?"
"Because I know people, I have friends in high places and I can make things very difficult for you and Haley."
He was dangling one of the people I loved in front of me. I could take the threats; I had a preset up future. The club was doing well, my future was there but Haley, she had no money, she needed a scholarship for college and her parents had no power compared to that of Dan Scott.
"My influence over Nathan and Haley's relationship will also impress you Lucas." He chuckled.
I was weighing up the options in my head.
"If I do as you say, you stay away from Haley, Nathan and everyone I care about or you will be impressed by the damage I can do to your campaign Daddy."
Threat vs Threat. Scott vs Scott.
"I'll see you tonight son, the speeches start at 8. Don't be late."
I hung up the phone and slumped back into my seat. A few nice comments, behaving myself, being publicly respectful of Dan for a few months was a small price to pay for the security of Haley and Nathan's future.
I can pretend to be Dan's perfect son; I was for Keith for 16 years.
"The flight to Tree Hill Airport is delayed due to unexpected weather here, passengers will be allowed to board when the storm passes."
I sighed again, more frustrated than ever. I'm sure normal 17 year olds don't have to deal with the crap I do.
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Dan hadn't told Nathan Lucas was coming home that night as waiters and waitresses rushed around filling the glasses of all the suited guests.
Nathan sighed into Haley's hair as he hugged her.
"He'll be home soon." She promised him.
----------------------Nathan--------------------
Brooke and Chase walked in the door, his arm loosely hanging over her bare shoulders, glancing around the room. Lucas would hold her tight, protect her, looking at her, admire her; this boy who she had been seeing for a fortnight barely seemed bothered by her presence.
----------------------Brooke--------------------
I looked around the room, trying to find Lucas, no not Lucas. Nathan. I was trying to find Nathan. He waved at me and I made my way over to him with Chase. We involved ourselves in casual conversation before my Dad tapped me on the shoulder and told me to have fun.
I hadn't seen him in over 4 months when he arrived home this morning for Dan Scott's party.
"Brooke!" He yelled from downstairs.
I didn't move, I was angry, he just didn't know it yet.
He stomped up the stairs demanding to know why his daughter hadn't been at the airport to meet him this morning.
"Because I didn't want to see you."
"What have I done Brookie. Did I forget to pay you credit card off or something."
"Lucas."
One word made his face drain of colour.
"He wasn't good enough."
"That isn't for you to decide."
"How did you find out?"
"Secrets always come out in the end Dad." I spat.
"I won't apologize for doing the right thing Brooke."
"I loved him Dad."
"You just think you did."
I scoffed.
"Brooke. I'm not sorry for what I did, but I'm sorry if this had hurt you."
Dad had done the right thing. Lucas ended up hurting me just like Daddy said he would.
I just nodded and left to go to my date with Chase.
I wasn't going to be alone just because Lucas had hurt me; I was going to be Brooke Davis, the girl who has a different guy on her arm each week. I wasn't going to let a summer fling change who I had been for more than a decade.
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Peyton entered the party and saw the small gathering of teenagers in the area set up for dancing. Peyton admired all the ball gowns and suits which followed the strict dress code as Brooke ran towards her and hugged her.
"P. Sawyer!"
"Brooke!"
"How was Savannah Art College?"
"Amazing. It's where I want to go."
"Just a year and a half to go. It's scary." Brooke sighed.
"Let's not dwell on the fear inducing college problems. Let's just dance, laugh and covertly drink."
"Deal." The growing group of teenagers agreed.
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It was 7.55pm and Lucas had yet to arrive. Dan had to make his speech in five minutes and everyone was asking where his son was. Dan had already prepared Lucas' speech but he wouldn't have time to practise it.
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Dan was forced onto the makeshift stage where the DJ was placed which faced the front door and the Tree Hill community gathered around.
Dan was speaking about the importance of family and how it is important to rely on one another when the front door opened and a bolt of lightening and thunder shone through the house.
The crowd turned frightened to the door. A wet and oil covered Lucas was standing there with his backpack.
"I knew I should have used the outer stairs." Lucas sighed quietly.
Lucas' eyes met Dan's fiery ones and Nathan and Haley's happy faces before settling on Brooke and the slimy boy who had his arm wrapped around her. Lucas almost felt like banging his head against the doorframe and walking back through it but was stopped as a fake smiling Dan made his way towards him and shut the door.
Dan made his way back towards the microphone and apologized profusely for the state of his son. He quickly looked around the audience to see if his guest of honour had arrived yet. He hadn't. Dan sighed.
----------------------Lucas--------------------
I suddenly felt out of my depth as I looked around the glaring audience. A few wanted to laugh but the disapproving looks from the majority of the party including Brooke stopped them.
Dan motioned me to come to the stage and I slowly made my way up. I stood next to him as Nathan and Haley at me, Peyton waved crazily and Brooke stood there, I swear she looked scared as she glanced across the room. I instantly realised why she looked scared, Mr Davis was there. Looking at me in confusion, waiting for Dan to explain who I was and what I was doing in Tree Hill.
I watched as Dan opened his mouth and I was waiting for the dozens of practiced lies to fall out. No lies, no half cut truths. Just silence. So I did things Lucas style. I took the microphone and sat on the edge of the table placed behind me.
"Hi. I'm Lucas Scott and I'm Dan Scott son." I gestured towards the confused man standing worriedly.
"You are probably thinking, Dan's son is called Nathan and he's not half as good looking as me." People chuckled.
"And you are right, he isn't. Anyway Dad only discovered that I existed a few months ago." I lied. "After I lost my mother and stepfather. So I'm sorry that I haven't met you all sooner, and I am really sorry about my entrance, I've been visiting some family and the plane got delayed, which explains the lateness, there is a thunderstorm ergo I was soaking and I stopped to help a man whose car had broken down and the engine went mad and I got covered with oil."
I wanted to laugh; this was the only part of my speech that was true.
"So I'm sorry that I interrupted the evening but I will not apologize for my lateness because I stopped to help another, because that is the type of thing that I have learnt from my Dad, Dan Scott since I met him."
I paused to wipe my dripping forehead with the sleeve of my white vest and to come up with more lies.
"He is a incredibly giving, welcoming and humble man and I believe he would be too modest to tell you this but he has really helped me and many other people in this town to become better people and I think he would only exceed people's expectations if he was made Mayor of this wonderful town in which he grew up."
I handed the microphone back to him and excused myself.
"Now, if you don't mind, I am going to dry off."
The audience chuckled as I walked down to my room, brushing past the girl I loved who was standing extremely close to Chase. She grabbed my arm, ignoring her dad's evils, I could barely hear her over the band and dancing but her words had a clear meaning.
"Never again."
She refused to look me in the eye. She couldn't stand to look at me.
"I won't let you into my heart. Never again."
She swiftly turned, grabbing a clueless Chase's hand and began to dance with him leaving me idly standing in the centre of the dance floor.
----------------------Brooke--------------------
We're done for good. Lucas and I are finished. I think.
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Mr Davis stealthily followed Lucas into his room and slammed the door behind them.
Lucas jumped.
"What in god's name are you doing here?" The older man bellowed.
"Did you miss the speech?" Lucas snapped.
"I told you to stay away from Brooke. You can't be with her!"
"And I'm not." Lucas bit.
Mr Davis stared at the teenager and noted the honesty, the sad lilt to his voice.
"Good. Let's keep it that way."
"You can leave now."
"I mean it Lucas. I will do anything to stop you from being with my daughter, you aren't good enough for her."
Lucas turned around and looked him in the eye.
"I know."
Mr Davis had nothing left to say and thrust through the door, violently knocking against the slightly taller Nathan.
"Sorry Mr Davis."
"It's okay Nathan. Excuse me."
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Nathan and Haley raced downstairs with Peyton leaving Brooke and Chase upstairs with Tim and a few of the other partygoers.
Haley brushed past Nathan who was standing on the stairs and ran at Lucas, embracing him. She pulled back and hit him.
"Where the hell have you been, you, you, you jerk! Why did you call?"
Lucas grabbed his arm in mock pain. Then he smirked.
"Cali, with Rachel. I just needed a time out. Sorry Hales."
"Who's Rachel?" Peyton asked jealously.
"My best friend from when we were little."
Lucas looked at a still silent Nathan.
"Are we okay Nate?"
"You missed three games. You'll be lucky if Whitey even lets you act as waterboy." Nathan grunted before breaking into a smile.
Lucas and Nathan "man" hugged as Peyton asked, "Why was Mr Davis down here?"
Peyton didn't know about Lucas and Brooke. Lucas came up with the first lie he could think of.
"He was thanking me for fixing his car."
"Oh. Cool."
"Let me get changed and I'll meet you all upstairs." Lucas smiled.
They all left and Lucas waited until the stairs had stopped rumbling before kicking a wall in frustration. He had come back to be with Brooke not to argue with her dad and have her tell him they were done for good.
That was the long time coming tenth chapter.
I hope you liked it …
Anyway, PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!! Like you guys always do so amazingly!
Next Chapter :
The mystery guest revealed.
A suprise hook up
A flash of an unwanted past
Amy
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