Usual disclaimers apply.

            Lucas sat in the Scott driveway tapping his steering wheel.  Nathan and Deb's cars were in the driveway, but there was a third car too.  It was a sleek little Porsche, which Lucas assumed was Dan's.  When Keith had suggested he come over to check on Nathan and Deb, Lucas had thought Dan would be long gone.  The memory of the confrontation at the café was still vivid in his mind.  He still trembled at the recollection.

            Lucas waited about five minutes, but when Dan didn't emerge, Lucas started to head for the house anyway.  It was strange being at the Scott house without a crowd of people or Keith and his mom at his side.  Even if Deb had thrown Dan out, this was still his house.  It was the house of the man who had discarded him without a thought.  Thinking about it, made Lucas cold all over.

            Slowly, Lucas walked up the front steps and rang the doorbell.  He had to ring it twice before Deb answered the door.  "Lucas."  Her face was pale.  "I don't think this is such a good time."

            "I came to see that you and Nathan were all right."

            "That was very sweet," she said, "But really, you should go."

            Lucas shook his head.  "If it's okay with you, I think I'll come in.  I want to see Nathan for myself."

            Reluctantly, Deb held the door open, letting Lucas in.  Just seeing the lavish foyer, made the old resentments build up in Lucas's chest.  The Scotts had all the money while he and his mom lived hand to mouth.  He let his mother's words replay in his head, how she preferred struggling financially if it meant Dan stayed out of their lives, but he could still feel the bile rise in his throat.

            He could hear the sound of Dan's voice from the other room.  Lucas followed the rise and fall of his voice and Nathan's pathetic stammering until he found the pair in the kitchen.  Nathan was sitting on one of the high stools, his elbows on the counter and his chin propped up in his hands.  He had a defeated look in his eyes.

            "Is this girl really worth it, Nathan?" Dan was asking.  "Who is she?  Karen's kid's leftovers?  Some waitress who isn't going anywhere?  Nathan –"

            It felt like steam was being released from the top of Lucas's head.  "Don't you ever talk about Haley like that," Lucas said in a slow measured tone.  "You don't know the first thing about her."

            Dan whipped around.  "What are you doing here?" asked Dan icily.

            "Checking up on my brother."

            Dan laughed.  "Is that what you're calling each other now-a-days?"  He shook his head and turned back to Nathan, dismissing Lucas.  "As I was saying, son.  You could do a whole lot better. I don't want you seeing that girl anymore.  You've got to concentrate on basketball.  You should count your lucky stars that Whitey didn't throw you off the team.  He had every right to after that little stunt with the amphetamines."

            "You don't know a thing about Haley!" Shouted Nathan.  "I will not stop seeing her.  I've been paying my dues for taking those damn drugs.  I've been going to a therapist.  I've been taking random drug tests from mom.  And I've been working at the café."

            Dan slammed his hand down hard on the counter.  It made both Lucas and Nathan jump.  "I am your father, dammit.  You will do as I say."

            "Who the hell needs you as a father."  Nathan waved his hands at Lucas.  "Lucas is the lucky Scott.  You abandoned him before he was born.  He didn't grow up with the constant needling and belittling.  No wonder he's the one with his head on straight."

            "Nathan, enough," came Deb firm voice, surprising them all. "You're not helping things.  Take Lucas up to your room."

            Nathan hesitated.

             "Now," she commanded.

            Nathan stood and left the kitchen, motioning for Lucas to follow him.  They got as far as the living room, when Nathan stopped and put his finger to his lips.  "I don't want to go too far.  He can get pretty nasty."

            "Tell me about it," said Lucas.  He remembered the time he came in on Dan and Keith talking.  He heard Dan say that he had offered Karen money to take care of the problem.  It hadn't been difficult to figure out that he had meant an abortion.  Since that day, he had wondered if his mother had considered the option and what her life would be like if he had not been born.

            They leaned against the wall, but they didn't need a glass to hear Dan and Deb arguing.  "You're alienating your son.  Telling him he can't see his girlfriend is the stupidest thing you can do."

            "Someone has got to look out for him."

            "What do you think I'm doing?" Deb shouted.

            "You would be away for two weeks out of the month.  Suddenly, you decided you didn't like how things are, so you quit your job, take over Karen's Café and then kick me out of the house.  Well, you can kick me out of your life, but you can't kick me out of Nathan's life.  He's my son too and I have a right to look out for him.  That girl will just bring him down.  Like Karen tried to bring me down."

            Deb laughed, but it came out more like a cackle.  "Karen is not the one who brought you down.  Your own ego brought you down."  She stood in front of Dan her face inches from his.  "I will not let you ruin Nathan's life.  Nathan was right.  Lucas was better off.  I wish I had the smarts to leave you years ago.  I want you out of this house.  And do not dare try and see my son unless I'm in the room with him."

            "He's my son too Deb."

            "I will not let you ruin his life.  Leave Dan before you regret it."

            The next thing the boys heard was the front door slamming and the revving of an engine before the tires squealed as Dan raced out of the driveway.   Nathan's eyes closed and he leaned his head against the wall.

            "You okay?" asked Lucas, putting a hand on Nathan's shoulder.

            Nathan nodded.  "Sorry you had to hear all that."

            "Nothing I didn't know already."  Yet he couldn't get used to Dan just dismissing him like he was a piece of lint on his brand new suit. 

            "Boys?" Deb came out of the kitchen.  "I didn't think you made it up to your room.  So much for listening to dear old mom."

            "I just wanted to be close, in case he got out of hand."

            "I can handle your father, Nathan."  She looked guiltily at Lucas.

            Lucas held up his hand.  "Don't worry, he's not my father."

            "Mom, he's not going to go away."

            "I don't suppose he will.  But Nathan your job now is to concentrate on staying away from drugs, keeping your grades up and enjoying yourself.  Like playing basketball and spending time with Haley.  Now," said Deb walking up to the two teenagers and taking them by the shoulders, "the two of you can continue your night out."

            Nathan shook his head.  "I need to call Haley and make sure she's all right.  He was real crappy to her."

            "And I need to get home.  Keith will worry."

            Deb smiled and patted Lucas's shoulder.  "You have a good dad in Keith."

            Lucas smiled, but the words cut like a knife.  He remembered yelling at Keith and telling his uncle that he was not his father.  Even if the words were true in actuality, deep down Lucas knew that Keith was his father in every sense of the word.  Between him and Nathan, Lucas knew he was the luckier of the two.

            Nathan led Lucas to the front door.  The boys clasped hands and shook.  "Thanks, man," Nathan said.

            "Any time."

            "I hope not.  See you tomorrow at practice?"

            Lucas nodded as he left.

            At home, Keith was waiting for Lucas.  For the first time in weeks, he didn't feel like Keith was waiting to yell at him, ground him or tell him what to do.  It felt like the old Keith was waiting for him to talk and catch up.

            "You okay?" asked Keith.

            Lucas shrugged his shoulders.  "I guess."  He went to the fridge and took out the bread and peanut butter and started to make himself a sandwich. 

            "What happened with Nathan and Deb?"

            "Dan was ripping into Nathan about Haley.  He forbade him to see her."

            Keith cringed.

            "Two peas in a pod," said Lucas.

            "That's not fair, Lucas.  Dan was saying it because he's a bigot.  Let me guess, he doesn't think Haley is good enough for Nathan.  I was concerned for you.  Brooke was bringing about behaviors that were out of character—"

            "Is this conversation going to make you change your mind about Brooke?"  Lucas asked as he finished making his sandwich.

            Keith shook his head.

            "Then there's no point in continuing it," Lucas said, sitting down at the kitchen table and taking a bite out of his sandwich.

            "What about Nathan?  How'd he take it from Dan?"

            "He didn't.  And Deb didn't back Dan up.  She told Nathan she wanted him seeing Haley."

            "And how did Dan react when you showed up."

            "React?  He…. He ignored me.  Pretended I wasn't there.  Like my life before joining the basketball team."

            "Lucas—"

            "Keith.  Don't.  Dan Scott's treats me like I was a piece of dog shit he stepped in.  But you know what I don't get?" asked Lucas.

            "What?" asked Keith, sitting down across from his nephew.

            "Dan got Mom pregnant right after high school.  I can sort of see why he dumped her.  He was young and he had a whole life ahead of him.  The thought of being tied down with a wife and child was probably pretty scary.  He wasn't much older than me."

            Keith gazed at his nephew wide-eyed.  He was surprised at how mature Lucas was.  How matter of fact his nephew could speak of the man who had abandoned him. 

            "What I don't get," said Lucas, "is why only three months later he was able to make the commitment with Deb.  Why is it that he chose Nathan over me?"

            Keith stood and came around the kitchen table.  He held Lucas in his strong arms and for the first time ever, Lucas cried for the father who never wanted him.