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Chapter 20

In and out. Over and over. Swishing water, cold breeze catching his hair, turning the moisture in his eyes to ice.

Things never changed. Never.

Lucas slammed himself down onto the beach. Oblivious to the wind. Bent his head, bracing himself. Not making a sound.

He should scream. He should cry. Something.

"Oh, God."

Life was so crazy. Crazy!

The unwanted son. Alone on a chilly beach, covered in sand, washed with rain. Tumultuous storm clouds sweeping past in short diagonal swathes.

"He's so crazy."

Lucas ran his fingers through his hair, beginning to understand why it was Haley's favorite past time.

"Haley."

Feeling like a messed up kid off some corny 'say no to drugs' commercial.

He wondered where he'd be without Karen and Keith's influence. Their loving support.

Maybe that was why he, of all people, connected with Peyton Sawyer.

In her, he saw himself-with no supervision, no one who really cared, least of all understood. It was so simple to write people off as being crackpots. Sure, every kid has knocks. It's just that some people are cast from a gentler mold, emotions more finely chiseled.

"Well, I guess nothing can surprise me now."

Lucas offered up a half choked laugh.

He felt dangerously near to tears, but manfully suppressed them. There was no way in hades Dan or Nathan Scott were going to catch him bawling on the beach.

So he laughed again, instead. Laughed until the tears ran down his cheeks.[]

Dan Scott was waiting for Nathan farther up shore. He'd found a semi comfortable niche among the rocks and, appreciating mightily the fact they were dry, settled down with his binoculars.

A trifle embarrassed. And smug.

Lucas obviously needed him, still desired him as a father figure, regardless of Keith's paternal tendencies.

He'd read the anger and confusion, but also a warmth in the mere softening of Lucas' rigid body as he hugged him.

Frankly, Lucas was an emotionally high-wired mess. Thanks to Karen's undue stifling in Lucas' upbringing. She had the kid tied to her apron strings. He wouldn't say boo to anyone without permission.

Now Nathan, there was a man. No thanks to Deb.

He tossed aside the last ener-g bar wrapper, snorted. Keith must be slowing his son up.[]

Lucas idly wandered over the shell strewn ground. Peered into the gathering mists.

He should be worried about Keith.

Instead, the bottomless feeling inside ate at his concentration.

Picked up a stone. Threw it.

Looked for a way out.[]

Dan tuned the tall, slender form in on his glasses. Adjusted the light colored blur.

It was better than counting the tiny red bugs that scurried about his toes.

"----!" And bit him.[]

Lucas idly wound a strand of grass around his wrist. Tried braiding another piece in. It crumpled into a juicy pulp. He tossed the soggy green ball away. Better not grow his hair out. He sure as heck couldn't braid it.

Little did he know his aimless steps had carried him to within a few hundred feet of Dan's hide away.

Everything was shaded from the storm. Almost like night vision. The eerie green glow was present...[]

Dan shifted in irritation as Lucas pattered into the water right in his line of vision. Cupped his hand, bringing it up to his face and letting it drip off. He moistened his lips, innocently unaware of prying eyes. Sank down, crossing his knees, waiting...and trying to stay conscious.

The strenuous adventure was all too quickly catching up with him. He nodded off, jerked awake, blinked sleepily across the horizon.[]

In his dream, the sand was a wet pillow. It was cold, like fetching the newspaper wearing only pajamas and feeling the invigorating nip of snow laced air.

Steaming cocoa. With marshmallows. And Haley James, all curled up together on the window seat. Laughing.

He was back north, in the old farmhouse, visiting Karen's relatives.

Touching snow, loving the taste, which Haley insisted was definitely akin to vanilla ice cream.

"Snow doesn't have a taste, " his aunt would point out.

"Maybe you have to be a kid," Lucas had replied. And unknowingly touched upon the heart of the matter.

Cold, brightly striped peppermints gleaming in their glass dishes.

Unfamiliar faces. Snow, more snow. Eternal white. So bright it burned your eyes.

Keith's arms around him.

Haley, tearing open her gift and wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug, planting a sticky kiss on Lucas' cheek.

"You'll always be my bestest friend ever!"

Ever.........ever...[]

"Hey, Luke!"

Haley was hugging him. Again.

"Luke! Lucas!"

He tore himself away from the cozy living room with an effort.

Wind lashed waves. Wet, everywhere water and stinging drops of rain.

"Are you okay?"

"Hales?"

He must have been asleep for a long time, he was so cold and stiff it took an effort to sit up.

Haley was begrimed, hair whipping about her face. Dirt smudged every feature, there were tears on both sleeves and her jeans.

"You okay?"

Lucas frowned. "Haley, what happened? Are you alright?"

"Whoah." She pushed him down. "Not so fast. I'm okay. And now that the edge is taken off your concern, mind explaining the purple skin?"

"I fell." Luke reached out, touched her cheek.

"You look pretty banged up yourself."

"Ya, thanks."

"In a very feminine sort of way."

She laughed and hugged him. Tightly.

Lucas blinked in the strong breeze, tried to focus.

"Peyton. Where's Peyton?"

"Back there." Haley gestured the way Dan had gone. "She twisted her ankle. Nothing serious."

"How did you get out?"

"Always need to know all the answers." She mock sighed. "We let ourselves get trapped in this little tunnel. The wrong tunnel, I might add. We thought it was the way out."

"But how-"

"The emergency team found us. Bunch of experts we turned out to be. It took them about ten minutes to clear through the blockage."

She brushed a piece of hair back self consciously. "But what about you? Where's Nathan?"

Lucas closed his eyes. "Long story, but Keith's with him. Dan and I swam in together."

"Wait a second. Dan and Lucas? And what's this about swimming?"

She discerned his uncomfortable silence and shook her head. "Shutting up now. I just went into overdrive when I got back and found out you guys weren't there, and-"

Lucas pressed a finger against her lips. "We're alright, Haley. Everyone is alright."

She twined her arm through his, helped him onto his feet.

"You know the way back?"

"Team is just behind. We scattered to look for you. The others-right over there."

Luke caught sight of a couple dressed in dark uniforms. Talking to none other than Dan.

Haley caught his glance.

"You know, he was keeping watch over you."

Lucas stopped in midstride.

"What?"

"Yeah." She averted her eyes. "I mean, that's sure what it looked like, Luke."

"He wasn't anywhere near me! He-"

It was Haley's turn to shush him. "I ran ahead. I saw Dan. Sitting right beside you. He backed up at about 400 mph when he spotted me coming."

Luke stared intently at Dan's back, that funny little frown crossing his features. "I don't get him."

Lucas found himself suddenly caught up by the rescuers as they hauled him away from Haley.Pressed him down, began a quick examination. At least they'd let Haley awaken him.

He met Dan's eyes as a woman bent to catch his pulse. The elder Scott nodded casually and turned away. The merest of an impartial greeting.

"I'm alright, " he protested, for perhaps the third time. "I'm just cold."

Someone finally wrapped a blanket about his shoulders. All he really wanted was a hot mug of chocolate-vividly recalled in the dream-and his own room, his own bed. Time to puzzle this all out.

Haley slipped an arm around his waist as one of the workers led the way back, acting like he was made of glass. Dimly Lucas heard the other team member calling for backup. He guessed they were waiting for Nathan and Keith. Good. Worried about them...

Cast one last, slow look behind him...felt Dan's stare lock with his.

He broke it off. Too vulnerable at this moment for mind games and contests of strength.

Haley, cheery as ever, trying to soothe him. He smiled. Like she hadn't been through trauma.

Didn't see her catch Dan's eye and *something* pass between them.

One step at a time. Back to reality.[]