Author's note: Remember how I said that Lucas was going to become angrier? Yeah, this is where it starts. Here's four more chapters for you, and thanks for reading. I know with finals and everything going on, some of you haven't had time to read or review but if you get the chance, let me know what you're thinking about the story. Let me know what to add, or what to do next. Thanks for reading, and I would LOVE it if you would tell me your ideas in the reviews because I'm kind of at a block...it would really help if you told me what you think! Thank you.

"Come on." He got out of the car and walked up to the front door of the building.

I got out of the car too. "Are you planning on killing me?"

He laughed and waited till I walked over to him.

"No, but I'm hoping to help you kill something." He said.

I raised an eyebrow. "Wha-"

He held up a hand. "It'll all make sense in a second."

"All right." I replied.

He knocked on the door three times, then it opened.

Skills was standing there. He grinned and gave me a high-five.

"My homeboy." He slapped my shoulder. "Come on in guys."

We walked around and I took a look around the building.

Against one wall, were a line of punching bags all on a zip line.

On the second, a rock wall.

The third was a row of weights, neatly aligned.

The fourth wall was aligned with shoes and boxer's gloves.

"So, you've brought me here to…fight? In case, you've forgotten little brother, I managed to kick your ass on more than one occasion." I laughed.

"You never kicked my ass, but I will yours if you keep on spreading that lie." He grinned.

I nodded, still smiling. "All right, fair enough. So why did you bring me?"

"Luke, you need to wrap your head around the fact that we're trying to help you ok?" Skills asked.

I hesitated then nodded. "I know this."

"Ok." Skills replied and nodded at Nathan.

"You know how it feels to be angry right, Lucas?" He asked.

I nodded. "Yes…I'm pretty sure everyone has at some point in their life."

"Well, we wanted to let you know that it's ok if you're angry. I know that some of us freak out or snap back when you're getting frustrated. We're only responding to how we would if you were talking to us normally." He said.

"What are you saying? That I'm not normal?" I asked, that thought having crossed my mind before.

Nathan laughed. "No, believe me big brother, you were never normal."

I laughed.

"You see, without you even realizing it, bubbling just below the surface, there's an anger inside of you. It's bubbling and it's raging and just the slightest thing can set it off." He swallowed. "So I'm here with you today. To help you fight it."

"Yo, what this fool here's trying to say, is that you ain't gotta have to bottle those feelings up. It'll make you sick." Skills said. "What we've done here is try and give you some things you can do to blow off some steam when you're feeling fed up."

I scratched my head. "Do I have to come here? I mean, can't I just deal with it in my own way?"

"By snapping at everyone and then sulking to your room? No." Nathan responded.

I sighed. "Guys, I appreciate this but-"

"No, but nothing, Luke. We've been working hard on this to try and help, but if you're not going to even try and use it, maybe you're not normal." He said.

I clenched my fists, feeling some of that anger he was talking about earlier. "Nathan, if I were you, I might back up."

Nathan took a step toward me. "If I were you, I wouldn't be making threats that you can't carry out."

I swung my fist, connecting with the side of his face.

Nathan whirled back and punched me in the mouth.

I staggered backward, but managed to land a kick to his left shin, right before I fell down.

"God! What is your problem? I try to help you, and you push me away. What else can we do for you Lucas? Because I'm about this close to giving up on you." He said, holding his fingers about an inch apart.

I spat out blood along with my words. "Then do it. Just leave Nathan, just give up on me already. All of you."

He ran a hand through his hair. "If things weren't so messed up, I might've kept fighting you."

I continued to sit there on the floor until he walked away.

He didn't leave the make-shift fight gym, but he walked at least twenty feet away.

"Luke, man you wrong." Skills said.

"Thanks for telling me again, Skills." I said.

"All I'm saying is, we're trying to help you. But like he said, we can't help you if you ain't willing to be helped."

"Well maybe I'm not willing to be helped. Ever think of that?" I demanded. "Ever think that I might not want to be helped at all? Maybe I just want you guys to leave me alone."

Skills' eyebrows drew down. "Now, that is not the Lucas Scott I used to know. Where'd you put him, dawg? We all miss him."

I sighed, but didn't respond.

He nudged the toe of my sneaker with the toe of his. "Lucas, one of these days, you're going to have to start fighting back. You have to realize that you're not alone in this and that this event does not define who you were, or who you are."

He paused before continuing.

"If you let this define you, then you are letting him win. Do you really want to do that? After everything you've been, after everything he's done…you really gonna let him take this too?" He asked.

I shook my head and stood up, feeling that anger again.

"No." I gritted my teeth and wiped my mouth. "No, he will not take this from me."

"All right, that's the Lucas I remember." He grinned.

I walked over to the wall with the gloves and I snatched a pair off of the wall, not bothering to read the size.

I put them on and I headed to the zip line.

Grabbing a hold of the first punching bag I reached, I reared my fist back and punched.

Pain exploded in my wrist, but the feeling in my heart was soothed.

Anger was motivation, at least that's what everyone else said.

I used my other hand a few times, until the pain in my wrist started to subside.

Then I began to wail on the bag with both of my hands, stopping only a few times to catch my breath.

I continued to beat on the bag until Skills finally tapped me on the shoulder to tell me that I should go home and shower, or I was going to miss Peyton's concert.

Breathing heavily, I stripped the gloves off and let them fall to the floor.

"Hang on a second," I said, still trying to catch my breath.

I walked over to Nathan, surprised that he'd stuck around all this time.

"Hey man." I said.

"Feeling a little better?" He asked.

I nodded. "Listen..."

"Don't worry about it." He replied.

I shrugged. "I am worried about it though. I never should have punched you. That was way out of line. I probably deserved more than you gave me."

He laughed. "Well you definitely don't deserve all the hell you've been put through, but...hey, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger right?"

I nodded. "So I've been told."

Nathan grinned. "You did all right for a first time, Lucas."

I shook my head, my breathing almost returned to normal. "Wasn't my first time working over a punching bag."

"No?" He asked, eyebrow raised.

"Nope. Uncle Keith, he uhh...he took me to a fight club once, in Charleston. He let me play around with the punching bags and the weights and all that stuff." I grinned. "Of course, I wasn't nearly as ticked off then as I was just a few minutes ago."

Nathan checked his watch. "Dude, you've been working on that thing for nearly three hours."

I checked my phone.

Two un-read text messages.

"Damn. Thanks." I replied, then started walking away, only to turn around a second later.

"You need a ride home, come on." Nathan grinned, swinging his car keys around his index finger.