Disclaimer:  The characters still don't belong to me, but to the WB11's One Tree Hill.

Brooke dropped Lucas off at the Café, but Deb sent him home.  "Keith called.  He said, you should go right there."  She had a worried expression, but didn't say anything.  On his way out of the Café Nathan caught him by the arm. 

"You okay," he asked.

Lucas shrugged.  "If you don't see me tomorrow," he joked, "you might want to alert the police.

When he got home, Lucas didn't go inside right away.  He sat on the porch, with his head in his hands, trying to process everything that had happened.  Whitey had called Brooke's parents first, but no one picked up.  The coach left a message.  Whitey didn't mess around.  "Mr. and Mrs. Davis," he said, "This is Coach Durham from Tree Hill High.  This evening, after practice Brooke and her friend Lucas Scott decided to break into my office for a quick make-out session."  He left his phone number where he could be reached and hung up.

Whitey caught Keith on the phone.  The message was just as clear, but a little less formal, since Whitey and Keith were on a friendly basis.  "Scott, I don't envy you," the coach said after hanging up the phone.  It sounds like Keith is ready to kick your ass."

"Throttle me is more like it.  I wish you hadn't called him."

"I wish I hadn't walked in on your porn session.  I don't know what the two of you were thinking.  Ever heard of a motel room?"  Whitey shook his head.  "Go," he commanded.  "Scott, I'll see you tomorrow at 7 a.m.  You're going to run laps from me to work off all that sexual energy you have pent up."

"I'll be there coach."

"And you Ms. Davis –" Whitey shook his head again.   "Oh just go home."

Lucas rubbed his head, recalling what Keith had said the night before.  Had he already called Karen?  Was his mom on the way home?  He didn't know if he could face her.  He didn't know who it would be easier to face, his Mom or Keith.

Lucas heard the front door creak open. "You've been sitting there long enough," Keith said.  "Get inside."

Lucas got up and followed Keith into the house.

"Sit," said Keith pointing to the couch. 

Lucas sat.  To his surprise, Keith didn't start yelling right away.  Instead his uncle paced.  Back and forth, back and forth. Every so often, he looked at Lucas and shook his head, but resumed the pacing.  Lucas noticed that there were bags under Keith's eyes and that his uncle looked tired and worn out.  He wondered if he had done that to the man. 

Lucas was tempted to say something and start defending himself, but every time he opened his mouth, he thought better of it.  Instead, he toyed with the frayed edge of his sweatshirt.  As he waited for his uncle to say something, he pulled off the gray sweatshirt, which advertised Keith's garage.  He placed the sweatshirt on his lap and played with the zipper.

"I don't know where to begin."

"Did you call Mom?" asked Lucas.

"Not yet."  Lucas looked physically relieved.  "But I will, as soon as I figure out what to tell her.  She's going to ask me if she needs to come home and I don't know what to say. 

"You're damn lucky that Whitey didn't call the police. He could have and then you'd be in a mess of legal trouble."

"We broke in to kiss, not to steal anything!  It was a lark.  A stupid stunt by a couple of horny teenagers."

"That's you're excuse?"

"I don't have an excuse."  Lucas's voice rose to an octave.  "It's a fact.  I did what I did.  I can't explain it and I can't justify it."

Keith sat down on the coffee table, knee to knee with Lucas.  "I want to know what's bothering you?"  His voice was gentle.  "Does this have to do with your mom being gone?  I know you wanted this for her, but maybe missing her was more than you realized."

"Nothing is bothering me."

"Is it being around Dan and Nathan and Deb?  Is it getting to you?  Maybe you want to talk to someone, like a shrink."

"I don't need a shrink, Keith."

"So why have you been acting out like this?"

Lucas leaned back on the couch.  He had expected yelling a lot of yelling and shouting, but he had not expected this.  He just wanted to have fun.  What was wrong with that?  Until he had joined the basketball team, he had done everything he was told to do.  He listened to instructions, followed orders, and behaved in school.  He never partied hard, didn't drink, and didn't use drugs.  But he never let his guard down, never let loose and that was what he was doing now.

"I'm just having fun."

"Fun is breaking the rules."

"Isn't that how you had fun as a kid."

Keith shook his head.  "Sometimes.  But it wasn't like this.  It wasn't a downward spiral."

"Well this isn't some sort of break down.  I'm just catching up with my teammates."

Keith closed his eyes.  He rued the day when he went to Whitey and suggested he put Lucas on the team.  He knew this was his fault.  He was tempted to ask Whitey to throw Lucas off, or to make Lucas quit the team, but at this point, it would make matters worse.  Lucas needed the team as much as the team needed him.

"So am I grounded now?"

"That works so well.  I put you on restriction and you practically had a party here every night.  Don't give me that look, Lucas.  I'm not stupid.  I saw the empty bottle of wine.  I assume you weren't drinking alone.  It wreaked of Brooke to me, which was confirmed last night."

Keith rubbed his eyes.  "Lucas, I want you to stop seeing her."

"What?"

"You heard me.  This all started with her.  You went out with her and you got drunk and a tattoo.  You snuck her into the house every night.  Cut class so you can dump another girl to be with her.  You were with her tonight when this all happened.  It was because of her you had Nathan lie to Deb and me.  I wouldn't be surprise if breaking into Whitey's office was her idea."

"I'm not going to stop seeing Brooke.  I really like Brooke."

"It's your choice man.  If you insist on seeing her, I call your mom."

"That's not fair!"

"It's an ultimatum," shouted Keith.  "As of now, Brooke Davis is off limits.  Don't test me on this.  I won't be pushed anymore."

Lucas jumped up from the couch.  "You can't tell me what to do."

Keith didn't say anything.

"You can't tell me who to be friends with." Throwing his sweatshirt down, Lucas headed for the front door, but Keith blocked his way.

"You're not going anywhere," said Keith. 

"You're not my mother.  You're not my father.  You can't tell me what to do."

"Lucas, don't do this.  Just go to your room and cool off." Luke tried to move around Keith, but Keith was to quick for him.  "Go to your room, Lucas.  You're not leaving this house." 

Lucas spun on his heals and stalked off to his room, slamming the door shut so hard the house shook.