Hey guys! So Christmas is one week away! Can't wait. I always revert to my 4 year old self at Christmas time and you can probably tell that I get hyper lol. Sorry I haven't updated sooner (this is starting to become a pattern) but it's a very busy time of year for all but I am pleased to say that I have finished all my Christmas shopping, which I am happy about. Although I don't think my bank account would agree lol. Anyway, thank you to all of those who have stuck with my story from the begining and have been following with much enthusiasm. I'm glad that so many of you are enjoying the story! As an early Christmas present, I give you chapter 21!

"You have got to be kidding me!" Nathan yelled as a sense of déjà vu washed over him.

He and Skills had sprung to their feet the minute Dan had stepped into the room, effectively blocking his path to Lucas.

"I only want to speak to Lucas" Dan stated calmly, unfazed by the reaction of the two younger men.

"You've said more than enough to him for one lifetime" Nathan growled. Skills nodded his head. He hadn't been here when Dan first visited, but he had heard all about it from the others. And from what he had witnessed in the past, he wasn't going to let this monster near his friend.

"This has nothing to do with you Nathan" Dan responded.

"It sure as hell does when you want to mess with my brother!" Nathan felt Haley place a calming hand on his forearm and Nathan took a deep breath. However, he still maintained the murderous glare he was shooting at Dan.

"Mr Scott, I think its best that you leave" Haley said softly but forcefully.

"I only wish to speak to my son" Dan repeated.

"Don't you dare call me that" Lucas said in a low, dangerous voice, speaking his first words since Dan had arrived.

His words drew the attention of all the rooms' occupants as Dan turned towards his eldest son.

"Lucas, I understand I have no right to ask for it, but please, just give me chance to explain" Dan pleaded.

"Give me one good reason why I should" Lucas demanded, his anger rapidly increasing. Just looking at Dan made his blood boil. The hate he felt for this man was overwhelming.

"Because I'm your father" Dan reasoned. These four words awoke a beast inside Lucas' chest.

"You are not my father!" Lucas all but roared, as he sat up straighter in his bed, ignoring the protests of the girls that he would upset his injuries.

"How can you even call yourself that? Do you know what a father is actually supposed to do? They protect their kids, support them, look after them, love them, and teach them! They don't abandon their kids, or manipulate them, or try and strangle them. Nor do they murder the people that their kids love the most! You are the furthest possible thing from a father Dan" Lucas spat "Why the sudden need to play daddy after spending the last 22 years denying that you are my father? I don't want you, nor do I need you in my life!"

The room was deadly silent at Lucas' outburst. The only sound to be heard was the racing beeping of his heart machine, which didn't go unnoticed by the others.

"Lucas, please calm down" Peyton said gently as she grasped his hand. When he made no response to her, she tried again "Lucas, baby, look at me" she said, placing her hands on either side of his face. Lucas' eyes slowly met her own as she brushed her thumb over his cheek.

"You have every right to be angry, but now isn't the right time. It may bring on another heart attack and I don't want that to happen again you understand? Please calm down Lucas, for me. Please" Lucas let her words sink in as he closed his eyes and took several calming breaths. His friends were very relieved to see the heart monitor slow down.

Peyton smiled at him when he opened his eyes and he slowly returned it. He then settled his gaze upon Dan.

"What are you still doing here?" he said coldly.

"I heard about your surgery and wanted to make sure that you were ok" Dan replied.

"We, as you can see, I'm fine. My family are here with me."

Dan knew that Lucas wasn't including him in this statement. He knew it would be hard to try and get Lucas to talk to him, but he was hell bent on trying.

"Lucas, please. I just want to talk to you. If, after I have said my piece, you still want me to go, I will." Dan reasoned.

Lucas sighed deeply. He knew how persistent Dan was and that he would keep coming back until he got what he wanted. The last thing that Lucas needed right now was for Dan to keep popping up.

"Fine. You have 5 minutes" Lucas snapped.

Dan looked at the others expectantly, silently asking them to leave.

"Oh hell no. We're not leaving you alone with him" Nathan growled.

The others all nodded in agreement and Lucas visibly relaxed at the knowledge that he wasn't going to be left alone with Dan.

"Ok" Dan said, knowing this was the best chance he was going to get. He moved to the foot of Lucas' bed, but wasn't able to get any closer as the others had all seated themselves around the edge.

"I wasn't joking when I said you only had 5 minutes and it looks like you have just wasted one" Lucas muttered when Dan hadn't spoken.

Dan looked up at his son, noticing how unwell he still looked, his eyes travelled to his leg as he cleared his throat. It looked painful.

"I know you probably won't believe me Lucas, but I am sorry for what I did. I know it was wrong to lie to you, especially when you had just had a bad accident, but I saw it as my only real chance to speak to you. There was no history to get in the way, just me and you and for the first time, we were able to have a proper conversation"

"Because you lied to me about how you were. You know as well as I do that if I hadn't lost my memory, I wouldn't have let you near me." Lucas snapped.

Dan nodded "I know that Lucas, but I was desperate to talk to you. You don't know how hard it is to be cut off from your family." He pleaded.

"Well you should have thought about that before you murdered Keith!" Lucas spat "and as far as I am concerned, you are not my family"

Dan hid the hurt from his face as he heard those words. "Lucas, I don't know what else to say other than I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you....."

Dan was cut off as Lucas gave a little laugh of disbelief "never meant to hurt me?" He said incredulously "Dan, that's all you have ever done to me. Never once, have you been sincere or nice to me without there being some sort of manipulation behind it. Never once have you been there the way a father should be, you have never given anything to me without there being strings attached. Except of course, my heart condition. That's the only real thing that you have given to me."

Dan didn't know what to say to that. He knew the words his son spoke were true, and he knew it would take more than just a few words to fix this mess.

"Lucas, I would take it all back if I could. The only reason I was like that towards you was because I was jealous of Keith."

Lucas, as well as the others looked confused by this.

"He was so close to you. You loved spending time with him and whenever you talked about him it was about how great he was. He got to see you grow up. He got to hold you after you were born, he saw your first steps. He took you to your first day of school. He did everything with you, and your mom. That should have been me"

Lucas was outraged by what he was hearing. "It should have been you? Whose fault was that? You choose not to be there Dan and I am glad that you weren't. Keith was 10 times the father you couldn't even hope to be. I'm glad he was the one to raise me, not you. He actually cared. Nothing he did for me came with a condition and he was always happy to help me in any way. So don't you dare complain about all that you missed because it was your choice."

The whole room was silent. Dan knew that he was fighting a losing battle, but still believed there was something else he could do. Before he could speak, he was cut off by his youngest son.

"I believe your 5 minutes are up" Nathan stated as he stood from his chair. Skills quickly joined him.

"I guess you better make good on your promise to leave Dan" Lucas muttered.

Dan looked down sadly before turning towards the door. As he pulled it open he spoke one last time.

"I hope one day you will be able to forgive me" and with that, he was gone.

Lucas visibly relaxed and leaned back on his bed.

"You ok Luke?" his brother asked

"Yeah Nate, I'm fine. You ok?"

Nathan laughed "Sure."

The atmospere in the room resumed to its earlier state of calm relaxation as the group of friends once again began chatting merrily away.

About an hour after Dan's departure, Karen and Andy arrived.

"How's my boy today?" Karen asked as she hugged Lucas.

"Ready to go home" Lucas joked.

As if on cue, Dr Morgan came in. Judging by the smile on his face, he was bringing good news.

"Well Lucas, I am happy to inform you that you can go home in 3 days"

Lucas looked like Christmas had come early and the others laughed at the expression of pure joy on his face.

"There are a few conditions though" Dr Morgan warned.

Lucas nodded his head in acceptance. He had expected that.

"So, what are they" Karen asked.

"First, he needs to be visited by a nurse everyday that will come and tighten his pin."

Lucas looked a little put off by this condition but he knew that it had to be done.

"Secondly, for the first couple of days, he is on strict bed rest. No moving around ok?" at Lucas' nod Dr Morgan continued, "He needs someone with him at all times, he is not to be left alone"

Lucas looked disgruntled at this "I need a permanent babysitter?"

"What I mean is, someone must be nearby. They must always be in the house with you. Obviously you can be left alone in your room, but they need to be close by in case you need them."

Again, Lucas nodded. He understood that. "What else?" he asked.

"Just take it easy, and make sure to take all your medication. When the pin is removed from your leg we can start a course of physiotherapy to help strengthen your leg.

"Ok. I can do all that" Lucas said, a little unhappy that he had to depend on everyone else.

As Haley absorbed the doctor's words, she came up with a brilliant idea. She caught her husband's eye and from the look on his face, he had thought the same thing. He smiled at her and nodded. Haley beamed back at him before she turned to the others.

"Lucas, you are going to come and stay with me and Nathan until you get better" she stated firmly.

Lucas looked perplexed, as did the others. "Why?" he asked.

"Think about it. Your house is, no offence, too small, especially now that your mom, Andy and Lily are all going to be staying there too. We have a spare bedroom on the ground floor so you won't have to worry about stairs, and you can easily access all the downstairs rooms from there. Plus, it's our house, so someone will always be around" she laughed.

Lucas took a moment to let her words sink in. She turned to his mother, making sure it was ok with her. After all, it was her son she was talking about. She was relieved when she was met with Karen's smiling face.

"That sounds wonderful Haley, it's very kind of you and Nathan."

Haley nodded. "You can come round whenever you want, all of you can" she said.

Brooke scoffed "as if you could keep us all away"

They turned to Lucas, who still looked hesitant. "I don't want to burden you or get in the way. I will be fine at home."

"Lucas, there is no way you could be a burden. I wouldn't have offered otherwise. We would love to have you with us, especially Jamie. He has been dying to see his Uncle Lucas."

Lucas smiled at Haley's words. He turned to look at Peyton to see what she thought. He was met with her smiling face as she answered his unspoken question.

"It's a great idea Lucas" she smiled.

Lucas turned back to his best friend. "Ok Hales, I would love to"

Haley squealed excitedly and pulled him into a hug.

"You do realise that your house won't be empty from now on?" Skills questioned.

Nathan laughed "When is it not?" the others laughed in agreement.

"Well looks like all that is settled then, I shall go and start on the necessary paperwork" Said Dr Morgan as he left the family alone.

Haley took this opportunity it go into full detail about how great it was going to be having Lucas there. He couldn't help smiling himself. In just a few short days he would be able to go home, and he couldn't wait.

Don't worry guys, the story will get much better when Lucas gets home, what with people fussing about him and him and Peyton having those all important talks. I will try to update as best as I can, but being so close to Christmas, I'm very busy lol. Please review, let me know what you thought!