Thanks for the replies. Sometimes I find it hard to believe that there are people who actually enjoy reading the crazy stuff that comes from my brain. Scary thought!

You are all very kind ...I know, I know, enough said.

Chapter.17

"You see them?"

Keith Scott, squinting through the droplets of spray that lashed against their boulder.

"He'll be fine." Nathan aimlessly fidgeted with Lucas' discarded stick.

"I'm worried, that water's pretty tough looking."

"We made it out here."

Keith shifted his attention. "Nathan, you have something you want to say? Because I'm not the world's greatest at beating around the bush."

"Must run in the family."

"I said beating around, not beating the bush."

Nathan caught the laughter in Keith's eyes and frowned. "You know, I don't have time for this."

"Forgive me if I seem blunt, but you're a mess."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Lucas is, too. Both of you. You're walking mental cases."

"Just because you happen to be my uncle doesn't mean I'm going to sit here-"

"What's so upsetting ? The fact that you know you are?"

Keith shook his head, that famous sideways, half-rueful grin..

"We're all messed up, in one way or another."

"What is this, a free session?"

"It's just life, Nathan. Just life."

"You're full of it, you know that?"

Keith shrugged, only half paying attention. "A person is formed from childhood. Shaped by everything around them. And, since most of are especially susceptible to the things which hurt us, that plays a big part in who we are today."

Nathan focused on the pattern he was scratching.

"What of it?"

"The more someone hurts us, the more vulnerable we become. The more we hate that person, the more we take on their traits. We become them." Keith chuckled. "Crazy, isn't it?"

"It's typical psychologist whatever."

"Is it?"

Keith let the question hang a moment before he slowly stood, rubbing a sore muscle in his back.

"And walls. Those things we build to make us invincible. They're actually trapping us inside."[]

Lucas fought to the surface, grabbed a lungful of air. Momentarily relaxed.

The waves were actually working in Dan's favor. The way this kid was acting, gun shy. A peculiar twist of cool independence and uncertainty. Every time Dan started to make head way, Lucas pulled free and fell behind. Dan was tired of playing catch up. So each time Lucas got too far, the water seemed to slam them into each other and Dan wondered how long the kid would keep this battle going.

"Stay with me!" He almost lost his patience. And there was precious little to lose.

Lucas broke again, shook the water from his eyes. Dan sent a none too gentle kick in the kid's direction. "Over here!"

Lucas was determined not to accept any help from Dan Scott. It's just that he was tiring rapidly and the whole cave excursion had left him winded.

"Kid!"

As long as Dan persisted in calling him by any term other than his name...generalizing his addresses to 'boy', 'kid', 'you', 'hey', he was determined to ignore him.

Then he felt Dan's shove. Fought the waves, turned.

"Shut up! Shut up!"

The elder Scott fell back in surprise. Lucas' transition was lightening swift. Just as rapidly, he quieted and lowered his head, passing Dan with a surge of adrenaline.

Rushing water. It pulled at you, fought, swept on, endlessly. Never merciful. There was no conquering the ocean.

Lucas liked the way it made him feel, a tiny speck, because he knew it was having the same effect on Dan. He understood loneliness. In a way, it was his friend...because loneliness and solitude were closely linked.

"That little -" Dan's thoughts were as turbulent as the twisting clouds above.

Lucas had unknowingly released a side of Dan best kept hidden. Nathan had unwittingly awakened it during the father-son basket ball game.

Dan ducked low into the waves, reaching out with wide, sweeping strokes.

Lucas hesitated for an instant, sucking in welcome air. Saw movement to his left.

Dan Scott. Cutting through the water like a knife. Lucas' eyes narrowed in disgust as his father passed him, throwing spray into his face.

He breathed deeply, struck out one more. For the never-nearing shore.[]

Dan staggered onto the beach, laughing, shaking the water off.

"Who-oh!" He ran a hand through his wet hair.

"What a rush!"

A few raindrops hit him. Nathan and Keith had better be starting back by now...

He'd shown that kid. Showed him what the old man was made of!

Ran down the beach till he found the binocs and swung the strap around his neck. Breathing hard, he steadied them and focused on the rocks. Swore softly. Big brother hadn't started the trek back. And the water was growing nastier by the second.

Found a juice box (Keith's addition to the supply list), emptied it and let it scitter noiselessly away on the wind.

Started to wonder about Lucas. The kid should've made it back by now. He searched the area quickly, sure that no one was about. Raised the glasses to his eyes and swept the ocean.[]

Lucas was making steady progress. At a snail's pace. The rain spattered above, offering no relief from the all-encasing wetness.

He concentrated on the warm brown of the beach, kept time in his head, counting every stroke. He reached one hundred again, started over.

It was cold. The numbers started getting all mixed up.

Thought about the girls. Peyton and Hailey. Hailey and Peyton. Heyton and Pailey. It was a peculiar sing song that seemed to make sense.[]

"Dang!" Dan slammed the binoculars on the ground. There was no sign of the kid. He could picture Keith's face, imagine him saying, "Couldn't handle it, little brother? I should have went back with him!"

Whether or not Keith would say it like that, his pride spurred him to action. He was the man. Sighed, that feeling the conceited have of always being the ones trodden upon because everybody else just couldn't handle it.

Headed out for the second time that day.

There was a nagging pain in his side, but he attributed it to the cold. After all, he was a natural born athlete.[]