Title: For Haley's sake

Author: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com

Rating: PG-13

A/N: I felt the need for another Lucas / Nathan chapter before letting Haley at Nathan. It felt too forced that Nathan just came by the hospital and there was too much potential angst in the conversation between the Scott brothers to get Nathan there…so here is the chapter in between.

17.

Lucas was once again banished to the waiting room as Peyton and Brooke cavorted with Haley. Part of him was very concerned that their presence could mean disaster for his budding relationship, but he worried more about Haley's frustration level. She had only been awake a few hours and yet she acted like it was the end of the world that memories were not lining up in her mind.

Keith was at the garage. Karen was running the shop while Deb and Nathan were at the police station. Haley's parents had left Lucas to look after their daughter while they went to pick up Haley's brother, Rick, from the airport. Rick was always very protective of Haley and it was the perfect excuse to blow off the work for a few days.

Lucas's cell phone rang from an unlisted number, "Hello?"

"Hey," Nathan said quietly. "Guess where I am."

"Police station?" Lucas replied.

"Guess what just happened," the dark haired boy said.

"You are calling me with your one phone call because you decked a cop?" the blond offered back.

"Close," Nathan said with a pause. "Dan just got arrested for attacking the ADA."

Lucas pushed his head off the wall, "Are you kidding?"

"Ah…No. I would not kid about that. By that one action dear daddy is going to have a hell of a time fighting mom's protective order."

"Wow…way to go Deb," the older Scott said shaking his head. "Should also help with custody."

Nathan nodded to himself, "Yeah…tomorrow we meet with a judge for the protective order and a lawyer for custody / separation. So I really doubt I'm going to see school in the near future."

Lucas stood up and began to pace. He took a deep breath and grit his teeth. He hated what he was about to say. "So…you up for seeing Haley tonight?"

Nathan was taken aback, "Ah…well…ah…I hadn't thought about it." He shifted and remembered he was tethered to desk. "Let me get my mom's cell and call you back."

"You have the number?"

"I just called you dumb-ass."

Lucas sort of chuckled at the lack of venom in the words. "Fine just hurry up. I don't know how much time I trust Peyton and Brooke to be with my girl…I mean…Sorry. I'll shut up now."

Nathan sighed, "Lucas, Haley was always your girl. I just was leant her for a short while… Talk to you soon."

Lucas hit his head against the wall for a minute then actually considered Nathan's words. Haley had always been his. Lucas smiled at the thought. Haley's sweet voice wafted through his brain, "My Lucas…I not share."

Lucas was startled when his phone rang again. "Hey there."

"Hey…so you want me to come by tonight? What's the rush?" Nathan stated a little worried.

The blond moaned, "Haley's freaking out that she is having flashbacks and she's anxious to find out the big secret we've been keeping from her."

"You mean you didn't tell her this was my fault?"

"No man. Doc is all about having her memories come back naturally. If she could she would line up every person she has spoken to in the last three months round the clock in order to move this process along," Lucas shook his head. "Doc made Brooke and Peyton swear on a stack of Bibles that they would not discuss the accident…They are allowed to answer direct questions but must 'use their judgment' on stuff. I personally think this guy is too paranoid but that's just me."

Nathan saw Dan talking with his lawyer as he was being processed out. It was too fast Dan needed to be away longer so he and his mother had time to see the judge. "Aren't you worried about Haley finding out about the whole weird triangle thing you had with Peyton and Brooke?" Nathan asked pacing around the station as his mother looked on in concern.

"No…not really. Things never got serious with either of them. I mean they could have but I just felt like my life became a soap opera and I wanted off the set."

"So you busted Peyton and me up for kicks?" Nathan suddenly snapped, his emotional state beginning to bend.

"Wow man…no…"

"Well that sure as hell how it sounds."

Lucas shook his head to clear it, "No…I wanted a relationship with Peyton and she wanted sex so she bailed." The blond was insulted by the insinuation, "And for the record I didn't break you up…you broke you up. Just like Haley, so don't you even think of coming down on me about this. You crashed her car, you humiliated me, you used Haley… You did this."

"I never used Haley," Nathan spat.

"Right. You were interested in getting a tutor and Haley was just a random thing? That is a lie and you know it," Lucas snarled. "You used her. You kept using her and she bailed. That is what happened Nathan. Just face it."

Nathan's headache returned and he rubbed his temple. He realized he was touching the spot the rock had hit Haley on her brow. It made him give up the fight. That and the fact that Dan left with no comment to either Deb or himself. Suddenly Lucas's voice was in his ear again, "Look lets try and keep the peace for Haley please."

"Sure," Nathan murmured mechanically. "It's not like I have a choice."

"Come on man…"

"I know. I'm sorry. Dan just got out and it's making me jumpy."

Lucas felt a twang of sympathy for him, "Dan makes everyone jumpy." Nathan chuckled.

"Look, just come by tonight if you're up for it."

"Might as well get it over with. She'll either remember me or she won't," Nathan stated simply.

"She'll remember you."

Nathan rubbed his head then pinched the brim of his nose where the pressure in his head seemed to be building, "It's amazing to think how much different my life could have been if mom would have bailed sooner or I had told Dad to shove it." He laughed to himself, "You should have seen the look on his face when I yelled back at him. It was even more priceless to see him when I said I didn't hate you but I did hate him…What do you know I can occasionally be angry at the person I should be angry with…novel concept."

Lucas was still dumb struck from Nathan saying that he didn't hate him. "Must have been a hell of a fight."

"Yeah…thus being why Dan throttled the ADA. No impulsive control…like father like son."

"Don't Nate. Just don't," Luke coaxed. "You were right and you are right: You aren't him. What you did today proves that… You are a bigger man at age sixteen than Dan can ever dream of. Don't lose sight of that."

Nathan took a deep breath and swallowed shallowly. "You should have been Keith's kid," he said with his voice full of emotion.

"Why?"

"Cause you act just like him," Nathan held back tears. He didn't even know why Lucas's opinion mattered so much, but it did.

There was silence for a minute and then Lucas said, "You're going to be alright Nathan…You will."

Nate looked across at his mom's worried expression and spoke, not really thinking about what he was saying. "I'll come by to see Haley later tonight…Thanks for being proud of me big brother," and he flipped the phone shut before walking to his mother.

Lucas stood stock still trying to figure out what had just happened when Peyton and Brooke poured out of the room. "Bye-bye Tutor Girl," Brooke smirked before exiting the door. She encountered Peyton who was staring at Lucas's odd expression. "What the hell is wrong with him?"

"I don't know," Peyton responded. "Lucas…you okay?"

He nodded slowly and swallowed, "Sure."

"Then why do you look shell shocked?"

"Because hell is freezing as we speak either that or it's the first sign of the apocalypse," Luke said staring into space.

"What? You've seen blood coming out of faucets rather than water," Brooke quipped.

"No…" Lucas focused on the girls. "Nathan Scott just called me 'big brother'."

Both girls' faces faltered and Haley, who had just come to the door, promptly fainted.

Tbc…

A/N: So I promise next time we'll have the N/H/L confrontation. I also promise not to turn the story into a H/N. I just don't do that.

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