'Ok here's what we do...' Lucas whispered to the huddled group, '...we stick together, we ring our parents and we wait for them to come get us ok?'

His question was met with a frightened silence, he shone the torchlight around the circle, Peyton was pulling at a ringlet nervously, Haley was dabbing Nathan's forhead with a tissue, and Brooke and Tim were staring at him, eyes wide.

Nathan spoke up, 'ok.' He told his brother, 'sounds like a plan.'

Lucas sent a grateful smile Nathan's way, thankful for the support.

'Right, so who's got a phone?'

'I do!' Brooke said quietly, her usual bubbliness replaced by fear.

'And I do.' Luke put in.

'Mine's in the tent.' Nathan spoke up, Lucas nodded, of course it was, Nathan's phone was five times smaller than his, state of the art, and probably ten times more expensive.

Luke frowned to himself as he realised where his thoughts were headed, this was not the time to get bitter towards his father. So Nathan had a lot great stuff, it sure as hell didn't make him happy. Lucas mentally berated himself for being so shallow, this was a dangerous situation and all he could think was why Dan hadn't brought him a really modern phone.

He cleared his mind and turned to Nathan and Brooke, 'ok go get them,' he told them, then realising that Nathan wasn't really in a fit state to walk around, he turned to Haley.

'Hales? Can you go get Nate's phone for him please? Tim go with her.'

Haley stood and made her way towards the tents across the clearing when Nathan spoke up.

'Hey, I can get it.'

Lucas sighed, 'Nate, you've only just regained consciousness man.'

'Yeah, but I'm ok.'

Luke frowned at his brother, 'Look would you just sit still for a minute please, just to make me feel better?'

Nathan threw up his hands irritated, 'Luke would you stop babying me please? I got a knock on the head big deal, I've had worse than this believe me.'

Peyton, Brooke and Tim watched this exchange between the Scott boys in amusement. No-one noticed Haley make her way across to the tents.

'Well that may be but I'm your older brother and that gives me divine right to...'

That was all Haley heard before she went into the tent. She smiled slightly to herself as she lifted up the sleeping bags looking for Nathan's phone, for two guys who'd only just become close, Nathan and Lucas sure fought like brothers.



Also fighting like brothers were two older Scotts.

'You know I can't help the fact that the guy got out of jail Keith!' Dan spat out as his brother shook his head in the back seat of their SUV.

'Yeah well maybe if you weren't such an ass to everyone you met, you wouldn't have mortal enemies who are out for revenge and could put our kids in danger, now would you?' Keith replied furiously.

Karen placed a calming hand on his shoulder.

Dan raised an eyebrow, 'our kids Keith? I'll think you'll find that none of those kids are yours.'

Deb reached across from the driving seat and smacked Dan on the head, 'DAN!'

Dan smiled further.

Keith's eyes glinted dangerously, 'I know this is an alien concept to you little brother, but I know how to be a father, I've been their every step of the way for Luke and in every way that counts he's my son.'

Dan looked annoyed.

'And just for the record, I've spent some time with Nathan over the past few months and I'll tell you something for free, you're damned lucky he takes after Deb!'

Dan spun in his seat and swung out a fist at Keith as Karen screamed.

Deb calmly and steadily brought the car to a screeching halt.

'Get out!' She said no emotion in her voice at all.

Keith and Dan turned to stare at her, 'What?' Dan asked in disbelief.

'I said, get out.' Deb repeated, when neither moved she continued, 'The whole reason we're on this journey is to get to our children, who may or may not be in serious danger out there...' She gestured into the darkness, 'now if you two want to act like five year olds then go ahead, but you can do it on the highway, because there's no way that Karen and I are going to waste time that we could be spending looking for our boys, listening to the two of you arguing.'

Deb broke off her face crumbling, 'I mean, anything could have happened to them...' she stammered, tears beginning to form in her eyes, '...anything.'

Karen immediately reached over and hugged the blonde woman, 'Hey come on Deb, they're sensible kids, they'll be ok.' She reassured her, but at the same time, Karen's heart pounded and she was filled with fear for Lucas. She didn't like the idea of them out there alone when this psycho was lose any more than Deb did, but she had to control herself else she feared she'd really lose it.

Keith and Dan let go of each other slowly and settled back into their seats, the actions of the women stopping them from fighting any more.

As usual Keith apologised, 'Sorry Deb..' He said softly, 'Karen. I'm just worried.'

Dan, as usual to everyone's annoyance said nothing.

Deb nodded slightly as Karen sat back into her seat, 'thankyou Keith, I know how you feel, we just need to make sure they're ok.'

Starting up the engine again, she looked over at her husband who stared ahead of him, a belligerent expression on his face, and she wondered, for the hundredth time, why she stayed with him.

'Try Nate's phone again Karen.' Keith told her.

There was a silence in the car as Karen waited to see if she could get through, but then she cursed and it was obvious she'd had no luck.

'Nope, the person you have called is not available..' She muttered.

Deb pulled the SUV away from the roadside, her heart constricting in worry for her boy, she looked at Karen in the rear-view mirror, 'try Luke's'.

Karen keyed in her son's number and listened as the phone began to ring out. She was about to hang up when she heard a voice answer, 'LUCAS?' she shouted.

'Mom?' Came the reply.



Moments before Lucas had been still arguing with his brother, he had hardly noticed when he heard a familiar tone. His eyes widened and he began fumbling for his jacket.

Everyone stared at him wide-eyed, except for Nathan who began to smirk, 'Batman Luke? Man that's real mature.'

Lucas shot him a glare, 'shut up, I like that tone.' Finding his phone he snatched it up, and couldn't believe it when he saw Keith's name on the screen.

Hurriedly he answered it.

'LUCAS?'

Luke winced, 'Mom?'

'Oh my God honey are you ok..' Karen began babbling, '...we've been so worried.'

'We?'

Luke noticed Nathan looking around seriously and he wondered what was going on.

'Me, Keith, um..Deb and Dan...' Karen blurted out.

'What are you doing with him?' Luke spat out.

'We were all worried when we didn't hear from you and Nathan, sweetie you have to listen to me, I want you to....'

Lucas was barely concentrating on what he was saying because Nathan was frantically mumbling something to the others and Luke was wondering what was going on.

He listened to his mother, but mouthed to Nathan when his brother's eyes met his.

'What's wrong?'

Nathan looked uneasy, 'Lucas where's......'

A loud scream interrupted him before he'd finished his sentence,

Lucas and Nathan met each other's eyes, Lucas dropped the phone,

'..Haley!'They said in unison and all hell broke loose!



next chapter

Haley has a frightening encounter!

Dan pisses everyone off (surprise, surprise eh?)

And one of the group goes missing!