New York.

Peyton waited in front of the coffee machine for the cup, then she took it and walked to a office. She knocked at the door.
"Come in." A male voice yelled. Peyton opened the door.
"Your coffee."
"Oh thanks!" He didn't even look at her, he just made a sign to show her to put it on the desk. Peyton felt a wave of angst increase inside him. She put it and watched him working for some minutes. One week she was in New York, and she hadn't drawn anything, she hadn't worked. She just.. served him a coffee every two hours, brought him his mails. The situation couldn't carry on.
"Why did you ask me to work with you?"
He stopped what he was doing and looked at her surprised. Peyton felt imediately this weakness she had felt the first she saw him.
"Because you're talented."
"Oh yeah, for serving you a coffee." She said sarcastically.
He smiled. "I don't think you're ready..." He muttered turning his back.
"Ready for what?"
He sighed. "Okay!" He sat on his chair and looked at her intensively.
"There is a meeting with a publisher, I propose you to work with me on the project."
"Really?"
"Obviously you want to work... So... you might begin."
Peyton bit her lower lip.
"So? I'm waiting for an answer, Swayer." Peyton remained dumb. His way to look at her was so... disconserting.
"You prefer serving me coffee?"
She shook her head. Disconcerting and sometimes bothering. She didn't know if he was serious or if he laughed at her. He could be nice like he could be mean or sarcastic.
"Okay, it's okay." He smiled.
"Fine. I'm picking you up at 7."
"7? Why?"
"We're going to hang out, eat something, we'll discuss about the project."
Peyton nodded. "At 7..." She repeated in her mind. She left the room. Anderson smiled and carried on to work.

Tree Hill.
Haley went down the stairs, she wore a white summer halter neck dress with white strappy high heels. She knocked at the door of Nathan's bedroom.
"Nathan? Can I come in?"
"Yeah." She heard. She opened the door. Nathan was sitting on the bed, wearing anything but shorts.
"Need help?"
"Oh yeah... I went to call you.." She smiled. She searched pants and a blue polo tee in the closet and then she came in front of him.
"Nate?"
"Yes?"
He looked at her with his gaze, the gaze she wanted to see for so long... a gaze full of love. She bent over and kissed him quickly.
"Come on! Put on your shirt." He took it and put it on.
"Why? Because you're going to... be tempted..."
"I'm already tempted." She smirked. She knelt in front of him and helped him to put on his pants.
"You're really pretty in this dress..."
"Thank you."
"You've a date?"
She looked at him surprised. "No why?"
"Because I remembered the last time you wore this dress... We went to a restaurant and we... yeah I remember very well..."
"Hum.. the back seat..." They laughed.
"I've to go. I'm going to be late..."
"Yeah... Can you just help me to sit on my wheelchair?" She nodded.
"Yeah." She was relieved and happy he asked for her help. She helped him to stand up, his arms around her shoulders. They smiled to each other when James arrived out of breathe.
"Mom! We've to go!!" He had his schoolbag on his shoulder, ready to leave. Haley nodded and went out.

Lucas came in in the glummy room where he went to meet him again. He sat on the chair this time. The door in front of him opened and Dan came in. He sat on the chair facing Lucas, but he didn't look at him. "Someone told me you wanted to write a book about me..." He whispered.
"Yeah, a book about all the Truth. Who really is Dan Scott?"
"A man among men..."
"A murderer." Dan looked up at him, like these words hurt him.
"If it's important to you and if you think it can help you... I'll tell everything..."
Lucas took his notebook, opened it.
"I'm listening to you."
"I don't know how to begin..."
"Your childhood."
"I was born in Tree Hill in 1970. We lived in this little town with my father Royal and my mother May... I had a brother Keith." Lucas shivered when he pronounced his name, shared between angst and pain.
"My brother used to protect me, against the others children at school who bullied me." Lucas wrote each words he said.
"My mother loved us, but my father always prefered me... I don't know exactly why... Keith had suffered of this, but I was happy to be the favorite, I knew in this way I could be better than my brother. It made my strenght." He stopped. Lucas finished to write, then looked at him.
"What was the trigger?"
"The trigger of what?"
"Who, what made you became machiavelic, insensitive?"
"It came later... at High School, when I met HER." Lucas stopped writing he knew Dan was talking about Karen.
"Why?"
"Keith."
This simply word made the things worst they already were. Lucas took a deep breathe and listened to him.
"Carry on on your memories of your childhood." Dan nodded and told.

Nathan turned off the tv when he heard the frontdoor opened.
"Nate?"
"I'm in the living-room, Luke."
Lucas came in the room. Nathan nodded. "How are you doing?"
"It could be better..." He dropped into the couch.
"What's wrong?"
"I went to meet him again. I began to note..."
Nathan lowered his head. "What did he tell you?"
"He told his childhood, some memories..."
"I thought about it, and maybe it's a good idea, I just don't want he to..."
"I know Nathan." He cut him off. "He won't. I promise. He's in jail."
Nathan nodded.
"Can you drive me at the Rivercourt?"
"Why?"
"I need some shoots."
Luca smiled. "I'll drive you anywhere you want to, if it's to play basketball."

Haley grabbed her bag and went out of the classroom, locking it. She jumped when she saw him next to her.
"Hey Tom!"
"Hey! You're okay?"
"Yes and you?"
"Fine... You scared me yesterday."
"Don't worry, I'm fine."
"Have you finished?"
"Yeah! You?"
He nodded. "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Can you help me to visit the town?"
Haley grinned. "Yes! Of course! I've two hours free before going to pick up James at school. Here we go!" They left together, talking and laughing.

Nathan caught the ball Lucas threw to him. Nathan was looking up at the basket. The ball in his hands. He took a deep breathe. is hands began to shake.
Lucas squatted next to him.
"Nate... if you can't don't do it."
"I've to... Basketball it's a part of my life. I need it." Nathan was ready to shoot. He shot but missed. Lucas went to grab the ball and threw it to him again.
"Once again."
Nathan remembered when Lucas coached him in the team of the college. He smiled and concentrated again. Suddenly Lucas's cell phone rang.
"I'm going into the car." He said to Nathan. Nathan nodded. He looked at Lucas getting into the car. Then he looked up at the basket again.

Haley and Thomas walked in direction of Rivercourt.
"The court there was our meeting place."
"It should be nice in the night with all the buildings illuminated and the river..."
"Yeah It is." Suddenly Haley stumbled. Tom grabbed her by her waist. Haley supported herself holding his shoulders. Tm plunged his gaze in hers. Haley blushed and parted.
"Thanks..."
"Welcome." He had still his hand touching her arm. Haley smiled ready to carry on the walk.

Nathan waited for Lucas' come back. He looked around remembering their High School years. Then he stopped. He recognized her immediately with a pretty white dress. Why this man was holding her in his arms? Nathan felt jealousy, angst and worry increased inside him. He rolled to the car and knocked at the cardoor. He didn't want to meet this man, because whoever he was, he couldn't bear he touched his wife.
Lucas went out.
"What happens?"
"I wanna go home..." Lucas sighed, disappointed his brother wanted to give up. He helped Nathan to get into the car then they left.