Usual Disclaimers apply

            Lucas was leaning against the silver Chevy Lumina, while Keith was peering into the engine with a flashlight, looking for the screw he dropped inside.  "Luke," he commanded.  "Hand me the magnet.  I'll never find it otherwise."  Lucas handed his uncle the heavy-duty magnet they used just for this purpose. 

            "What's the car in for?" asked Lucas.

            "Got it!" exclaimed Keith.  He picked up his head and smiled triumphantly at Lucas.  "It just needed an oil change and some new breaks."  He wiped his greasy hands on an equally greasy rag and walked over to the next car.  "How was school today?" 

            "Fine.  Where do you want me to start today?"

            "You're quite descriptive.  Remind your English teacher not to give you that as an essay topic."

            "It's school, man.  What do you want me to say?  Someone barfed in the cafeteria.  Susan Andrews is pregnant.  Ms. Lewis, the librarian, has the hots for a senior – I think he's on the debate team.  And Whitey busted my hump at practice today."

            Keith chuckled.  "All that happened today?"

            "Most of it."

            "What about learning?  Is there any learning going on in that school of yours?"

            "Somewhere between all the gossip," Lucas assured Keith.

            Keith slapped Lucas on the shoulder and steered him to the back of the garage.  "I need you on the register today.  Leon is out sick."

            "Whatever you need," said Lucas.  He stepped behind the counter and opened up his history textbook.  There was another exam coming up, this one counted for thirty percent of his grade, almost as much as the final.  Considering his less that stellar performance on the last test, Lucas really needed to do well on this test.

            Throughout the afternoon, Lucas found parts for Keith and the other mechanic, tallied up bills, and took money for their services, while reviewing for the history test.  He hardly noticed the sun setting or that the traffic in the garage was slowing down until Keith came up to him and asked "had enough?"

            Lucas looked up and rubbed his eyes.  "If I have to read about one more war, I think I'll go start one myself."

            Keith slammed the textbook shut.  "Then I guess you better stop studying.   What do you want for dinner?  I was going to order in and catch up on some billing."

            "What?" asked Lucas.  "You're not going to cook for us?"

            "And burn the house down again?  Your mom would like to return to some sort of house.  If not a kitchen.  So what will it be pizza or something from the café?"

            "I could go for a steak sandwich."

            A half hour later Nathan tentatively stepped into the garage holding a large brown bag, folded over on the top and grease stains on the bottom.  "Delivery," he said, peeking into the garage.  "Anyone going to claim it?"

            "Food!" shouted Keith, falling to his knees before Nathan.  "He brings food!  Hurry.  Come in.  Enter.  Please."

            "If that's all I needed for you undying devotion, I would have brought you food years ago."

            "Well the timing had to be right."  Keith stood up, dusted off his knees, and took the bag from Nathan.  "Care to join us?" he asked.

            "Um…" Nathan stole a glance at Lucas.  "Sure.  But can you please call my mom and tell her I'm staying.  She'll take it better from you."

            Keith's brows creased.  "What do you mean?"

            "It means," said Nathan, shoving his fists deep into his varsity jacket, "That I've been on thin ice for the past few weeks, and she'll accept it better coming from you, my dependable uncle." 

            "Okay.  Okay.  I'll go make the call." 

            Keith walked to his office and Nathan sauntered up to Lucas at his counter.   "I hope it's okay that I stay."

            "Sure it's okay.  Want to help me study for my history exam?"

            "Not really.  You don't want my help in history, believe me."     

            "Your mom said okay," Keith said, stepping out of his office.  "And in what way are you covering for my young charge?"

            "Oh, you know, with Whitey."  Nathan let the lie roll off his tongue.  "He's always slinking in late, needs extra time to change in his gear.  That type of stuff."

            "So you're covering for each other now?" Keith asked with a raised brow.

            "When we need to," said Lucas.  He took out a sandwich, unwrapped it and handed it to Keith. "This is yours."

            Keith inhaled deeply.  "Heaven.  What did you order, Lucas?"

            "Philly cheese steak. Nathan there's enough here for you.  I ordered two."

            "Thanks."  Nathan took the extra sandwich from Lucas and settled on a stool across from his brother.  He took his second bite, before Keith excused himself and went into his office.

            "Are we on for tomorrow night?" whispered Nathan.

            Lucas nodded.  He swallowed a bite and said, "Are you okay with it?"

            "Of course.  I offered, didn't I?"

            "You can change your mind."

            "Don't need to," insisted Nathan.  "It's the least I could do to make up for being such a jerk when you first joined the team."

            "That wasn't you," Lucas said quietly.  He toyed with some of the steak that fell out of his sandwich.  "That was Dan."

            Nathan plucked some cheese off the wax paper and popped it into his mouth.  "Don't you ever get pissed at the whole… well, you know?"

            Lucas shrugged.  "I don't know how I feel anymore.  But pissed definitely describes it a lot of the time."

            "You know, when we were in junior leagues together, before I knew we were brothers, I thought you were a pretty okay guy. I don't know what happened in between.  I don't know what made me decide to hate you."

            "Him."

            "I guess."

"Look, Nathan we can be friends, brothers, whatever we decide.  But it's going to be in spite of him.  He and I are not ever going to be anything to each other."

"And that doesn't bother you?"

"Not after seeing the way he treats you.  I'm glad he didn't have a chance to raise me.  Didn't you warn me about that?  The time Whitey threw us off the bus.  You told me I should remember how he treated you before I felt bad that I didn't have him as a dad."

"I know what I said.  But he's not always that bad."

"Bad enough for you to take drugs."

Nathan cast down his eyes and studied his fingernails intently.  "Do you think," asked Nathan suddenly, bringing back his gaze to meet Lucas's eyes, "that I could break his record?"

"Which one?  The forty-three points against Cove City?"  Nathan nodded.  "Sure," said Lucas.  "You're good enough."

"On my own.  Without drugs?"

"Is that why you took the speed?  To break his record?"

"He kept saying I couldn't."

"He was wrong.  I bet we could do it."

"Not we.  Can I do it?"

"You're not an island, Nathan.  You're part of a team.  And as a team, next time we play Cove City, I bet you could break his record."

"We're playing them again next month."

"Then you'll break his record then.  We'll make sure of it."

The next day, Lucas was walking down the hall, with his head down, trying to cram in some last minute facts for his history test.  He didn't notice Brooke walk up to him until she hooked his elbow with hers.

"Lucas, you've got to lighten up.  You look so serious."

"Big test this period," he explained.

"Oh," she said knowingly.  "Then we'll just have to loosen you up tonight.  Are we still game?"

Lucas nodded.  "It's all set.  Nathan and Haley are going to Prime Time.  You know, the pool place.  If anyone asks, I was there too."

"Good.  So I can have you all to myself tonight."

"Can't wait."

"Neither can I."  Brooke's eyes darted from side to side, checking for faculty before planting a quick peck on Lucas's lips.  "There'll be more of that tonight," she teased and walked off, shaking her taught rear end.

After Lucas hosed down the grease stains outside of Keith's garage, the last thing he usually did before closing up shop, he went to shower and change for his big night out.  He was at Brooke's door at eight on the dot.  But he didn't have to ring the bell, because she was at the door ready to haul him inside. Her parents were out of town for the night and they had the place to themselves.

"I don't know why we're doing this.  We're supposed to abstain," Lucas said as Brooke plastered him with kisses.

She hungrily tugged his coat off, threw it over the banister and dragged him up the steps.  "Don't worry.  I have more than just kissing planned for tonight."

Brooke led Lucas to a large master bedroom right off the top of the steps.  The lights were dimmed, and soft music was playing.  At the edge of the bed lay a tray of strawberries and whip cream.

"Brooke," Lucas said breathlessly.   "W-wow."  He put his hands up to his heart, said, "Be still my heart," and took a step back.  He didn't see the weights sticking out from under the bed, and tripped.  He fell backwards, toppling over until he broke his fall with the night table and hit his head on the corner.

"Oh my God!" exclaimed Brooke.  She put her hands over her mouth and stifled a laugh.   "Are you okay?"  She knelt down beside a dazed Lucas and rubbed his head.  With her hands occupied, she had difficulty hiding her laughter.  Brooke bit her lip.  "How'd you manage that?"

Lucas slowly sat up.

"How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Twelve?"

She lightly slapped his arm.  "Seriously.  You hit your head you can have a concussion.  Answer me."  She held up three fingers.

"Three," he assured her.  "My head is fine.  I can get up," he said with a sheepish smile.  He jumped up, but wobbled as he landed on his feet.  Brooke grabbed Lucas's arm to steady him.

"Come on Lucas, sit down on the bed. I'm going to grab some ice from the kitchen.  Maybe we should go to the emergency room."  She chewed her lip, and fixed a worried gaze on Lucas. 

"No emergency room.  First of all, I don't need it.  Second, they'll call Keith."

"Okay.  No emergency room, but –"

"Brooke," he said, put a reassuring hand on hers, "let's just do whatever you planned."

"I don't know.  I mean, I don't know if you should.  Not if you're a head injury patient."

"We have the entire house to ourselves…" His voice trailed off.

Brooke was finally convinced.  Lucas pushed Brooke down, so that she fell on the bed.  He kissed her lightly on the neck, down her side, on her belly.  She inched back on the bed, pushing herself in the center.  Luke followed her, kissing her and peeling off the layers of her clothes.

A half hour later, they were lying under the covers, naked, except for their underwear.  Lucas propped himself up on his elbow, brushing Brooke's hair with his fingers. 

"You are so beautiful," he told he".

"Tell me more."

"I want you so badly."

"I want you too."  She turned on her side, letting the blanket fall away, exposing her milky white breast.  She leaned forward, letting her breast brush up against Lucas's chest.  "So what are we waiting for?"

"Brooke…." Lucas said, letting his voice trail off.

"We both want it.  I don't believe you're infected.  The chances are slim."

"I had blood poisoning!"

"Fine!" she said falling back on the pillow.  "We'll wait.  How many more weeks?"

"It's more like four months."

"You sure are a trying –" Brooke stopped in mid sentence.  She was about to say boyfriend, but was not sure that Lucas was ready to hear those words.  "You sure are trying," she amended. 

Lucas rolled over and started kissing Brooke full on the lips when the phone rang.

"Ignore it," he demanded.

"Okay," she agreed.  But after four rings the answering machine clicked on. 

"Brooke?  Lucas?  Are you guys there?"  It was Nathan.

Brooke grabbed the phone on the side of the bed and said, "Nathan.  We're here."

"Sorry to interrupt," he said.

"Yeah.  Right."

At the other end, Nathan smirked.  "Listen, I need to talk to Lucas."  Brooke hit speakerphone and put the receiver back in its cradle.  "Lucas, you there?"

 "Yeah.  It's me.  This isn't the best time, man." Lucas noticed the sound of beeping horns.  "Where are you?"

"Sorry.  I'm in the car on the way home.  My Dad showed up at Prime Time.  It wasn't pretty and he mentioned he might go see my mom.  He was pretty mad.  I need to make sure she's all right."

"Okay."

"I wanted you to know.  In case she talks to Keith later on."

Lucas sighed.  "Yeah.  Thanks.  Hope everything is okay."

"Catch you later."

Lucas pressed the receiver, disconnecting the call.  He fell back on the pillow.  "If I stay, Keith is bound to find out I wasn't with Nathan."

"You can say you hung around Prime Time after Nathan left."

"He won't buy that."  Reluctantly, Lucas sat up and fished around for his clothes.  "I'm sorry Brooke."

"You're home early," Keith said.

Luke dropped into one of the kitchen chairs, grabbed the open can of soda out of Keith's hands and took a sip.  "Dan crashed our night out.  Nathan went to check on is mom when Dan said he was headed there."  Lucas played with the tab on the can of soda.

"You okay?"

Lucas nodded.

"You sure?"

Lucas nodded again.

"You want to check on your brother.  Don't you?"

"Yes."

"So what are you waiting for?"