Title: Making Good

Author: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com

Rating: PG-13

A/N: Jake has told everyone about his daughter by this point. I haven't decided how yet. But of course in the cannon of the show nothing has occurred past Arms Out Stretched in history. Especially no 'boyfriend' comment by Brooke.

14.

            Lucas sat in the waiting room while Detective Williams interviewed Haley alone. The whole situation sucked. The only upside was Haley didn't remember her relationship with Nathan nor his relationships with Brooke and Peyton. He squeezed his eyes shut. He knew Peyton had figured out what was up between him and Haley but it hadn't been said out loud. Then again he also knew something was afoot with her and Jake, though that had not been said aloud either. Talking to Peyton was easier than talking to Nathan but Nathan was the one dying inside a little more every minute that he thought that Haley was still under. Lucas picked up his cell and dialed.

                    "Hello...Luke?" Keith said quickly.

                    "Yeah...um...are you still at Deb's?"

                    "Yeah...what's up?"

            Lucas sighed. It was time to get this over with, "Let me talk to Nathan, please."

                    "Okay..."

            Keith walked into the living room where Deb was on the phone with Karen discussing the whole situation including help with the diner. Nathan had agreed that part of his penance would be helping out at the diner since Haley couldn't for the time being. In the last several hours Nathan had decided several things about his life and one of them was leaving Dan's world behind. The best way to do that was to entrench himself in Lucas's world. That was one place Dan would refuse to follow.

            Nathan looked up to see Keith standing by him passing him the cell phone, "Lucas." Deb turned to the two guys and waited, as did Karen on the phone.

            The teen took a deep breath and spoke, "Hello."

            "She's awake."

            Nathan was flooded with relief and got teary eyed. The small smile he gave was what caused both Deb and Keith to breathe easy. Nathan swallowed hard, "Can...Can I come see her? Will she allow me to visit?"

            There was silence for a long time. Then finally Lucas said, "You can come...it might help jog her memory."

                    Nathan's brain stalled, "What do you mean 'jog her memory'?" All movement in the room stopped. Deb quit telling Karen that Haley was okay, Keith quit his little giddy smirk and Nathan quit smiling.

Another long pause and Lucas said, "She woke up thinking it was September, Nathan...She doesn't remember your relationship with her...or mine for that matter. She gets flashes of memories but so far they have all been about me. That's why it would be good if you came. You've been a big part of her life the last couple months."

Nathan began to shake a little. "She won't remember me at all. She won't even understand why I'm there..." This was the worst nightmare he could imagine. "The only person I have ever let myself need and it gets this jacked...and worst of all- it's my own damn fault!" he said angrily.

Deb handed her phone off to Keith to keep Karen update so she could hug her son. She pulled his head to her shoulder and he began to cry loosely holding the cell in his hand. "Karen, I'll call you back okay?" Keith said into the house phone and took his cell from his nephew's limp hand.

"Luke...what's going on?" he said firmly.

"Where did Nathan go?" the teen questioned.

"The reality of the situation is hitting him hard," Keith explained patting the nephew before him on the shoulder. "Now what is Haley's status?"

"She's awake but she didn't remember what happened, dating me, dating Nathan...nothing since the beginning of school. She's scared and confused. Haley seems open to the fact there was an 'us'...we've even kissed." Lucas paused, "Don't tell Nathan that. It will only make him feel worse... She's in with the detective now and since she was the only one to see Nathan throw the rock but she doesn't remember it, it doesn't seem he will get into any trouble."

Keith sighed, "Why don't you put the detective on the phone before he leaves and I'll arrange a time for Nathan to make a statement, okay?"

"Sure," Lucas said in confusion.

Keith wondered away into another room to speak to Lucas privately. "He's not taking this well Luke."

"I know the feeling."

"No you don't," his uncle stated. "In the end you will have your family, basketball, and Haley. In the end he will have to defend his decision to come forward to his father, his parents will probably be getting a divorce, he won't be allowed to finish the season, and he won't have Haley...Luke, you are going to have to let him into your world as much as possible. It's the only place he feels like Dan won't get his paws on Nathan."

"What are you saying? Nathan is becoming my best buddy?" Luke asked.

"No. But your mom and Deb have worked it out that Nathan's going to be covering for Haley at the diner. I've called Whitey and Nathan is pretty much on probation from the team. Nathan may or may not be allowed to come back based on how Whitey thinks he's doing…Nathan doesn't want Dan involved with as much of this as possible. I'm hoping that the DA will allow Nathan a Probation officer that can help him with the legal stuff of staying with his mom."

Lucas knocked his head against the wall. "This just sucks all the way around." He rubbed his forehead. "If you had told me three days ago I would feel this sorry for Nathan Scott I would have laughed in your face."

The sound of Haley's door being lurched open brought Lucas round to see Detective Williams exited her room and coming to him. "She's asking for you," the detective said quietly. "I'm afraid she's a bit overwhelmed at the moment."

"Ah…" Lucas motioned to the phone, "Its my uncle Keith. He would like to speak to you if possible."

"Okay." The detective took the phone from Lucas's hand before he walked to Haley's room.

"Hey…" Lucas said gently. Haley looked up with tears running down her cheeks. "You want some company?" she nodded. Lucas sat on the bed next to her rubbing her arm absently. "Ya want a hug?" Haley nodded again and wrapped her arms around him so tight before he rocked her back and forth. Detective Williams found them that way and set the cell phone down silently making his way to the station to meet the other Scott boy.

"I feel so stupid for crying like a little kid," Haley murmured against Lucas's shoulder.

"You're allowed. Major traumatic event normally leads to feels of fear…common reflex," Luke said analytically taking her face in his hand while he wiped her tears away with his thumb.

"When did you go all Cosmo on me?" Haley asked with a giggled hiccup.

"Peyton…Sawyer," Lucas said before he stopped to think about the can of worms he just opened. Haley's let an eyebrow rise at him. "We're friends…actually you too. You're pretty good friends with her actually. It's kind of weird… She has issues," he shrugged. "We have both gotten good with the teen version of psychobabble."
            "Really?" Haley said still shocked.

"Really," Luke responded.

"You care to explain how this miracle occurred…Oh wait…I forgot…You can't tell me, doctor's orders," she said in a huff.

"Come on Hales," he pouted, "It's not like this is fun for me. I feel like I'm lying to you…We've never not told each other stuff before… Well accept… Never mind."

Haley pouted at him, "I don't like this."

Lucas sighed, "Neither do I… Look I'll do my best to get people to come visit in order to aid this process." She nodded. "Okay then." He smirked and gave her a quick kiss.

"You like kissing me, don't you?" Haley laughed.

"Who wouldn't?"

Tbc…

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