A Rocky Start in a Sandy Land

The next two weeks were a nightmare. The therapist Mrs. Lopez recommended was fully as useless as Dan had expected, and despite daily sessions, it was a rare day when Nathan said more than 10 sentences to him. They were able, with the help of Deb's friends, to get the house mostly packed up. Her will had stipulated that anything Nathan didn't want was to be sold, go to charity, or otherwise disposed of. Any money made from the sale of the house would be held in trust for Nathan's college, along with her small savings and a few stocks and bonds. The lawyer suggested they leave some of the larger furniture, since the house would sell faster if it looked like someone lived there. All of Deb's clothing was donated, as was most of the kitchen stuff. A few of her friends took some of the furniture and Nathan kept her jewelry and some knick-knacks, in addition to a few of her books and the pictures and other personal objects. And one more thing. Per the terms of her will, Deb's remains were cremated and given to Nathan, so that he might bury or scatter the ashes near his new home and not have to trek back to Nevada to visit her. The urn sat on the mantle, somehow managing to be invisible and ever-present simultaneously.

Dan arranged for all Nathan's furniture and belongings to be shipped back to Tree Hill, although he had nowhere to put it right now in his two bedroom apartment. He'd spoken to Susan Harris, who owned the dealership group, and she had let him use his secretary to start apartment hunting for him, but it was a challenge finding an acceptable three bedroom so soon after the divorce. And the thought of Lucas and Nathan sharing a room seemed a little too much too soon.

Lucas, who was making the whole thing that much harder. Dan and Karen fought every night over the phone, first about her sending the lawyer, and then about what to tell Lucas. Finally about a week in, he'd finally snapped. "Fine! Put him on the phone!" and the conversation had gone about as well as any that started under such conditions could. Lucas was furious with him for, as he put it, "cheating" on his mother, even though they had not actually been going out at the time. Karen had, at least, supported him in that, reassuring Lucas that she didn't feel cheated on, but Lucas was apparently going to stick to his guns and stay angry. The one time Dan had asked him if he wanted to talk to Nathan, he'd refused. Which was good, since Nathan had been in the room, heard the suggestion, and immediately bolted.

So the situation could not have been more awkward when two days before the final Nevada hearing, Karen and Lucas had turned up on the doorstep. All Dan could do was gawp. Karen was her usual brittle yet collected self, while Lucas seemed to be at full seethe.

"What... what..."

"What are we doing here? My lawyer suggested I come for the final hearing. She said it would look good at the permanent custody hearing in North Carolina. Don't worry, I got a hotel room. Plus, I thought it would be good for Nathan and Lucas to meet on Nathan's home turf. He's going to be on Lucas' soon enough, so the first advantage should go to Nathan." And Dan had to admit to himself, that made a lot of sense. "You need to talk to him. I hate to say it, but you were right. That wasn't a conversation that should have happened over the phone."

Dan reeled. "Did you just..."

"Hey, don't get over inflated darling. You've been known to have your moments." She gave that quick grin, that little bit of mischievous fun he remembered so well. For a moment he could forget, but just a moment.

"Okay, but give me a minute. I need to explain this to Nathan. He's... He's not good. This is really hard on him."

"I'm sure. We'll wait here."

He found Nathan in the backyard, laying in a chair. "Nathan, I need to speak to you." The boy looked up, but didn't speak, as was normal. "Karen and Lucas are here. They'd like to meet you."

"Why?"

"Because, they are. They came for the hearing and Karen wants you and Lucas to have a chance to get to know each other before we go back to Tree Hill. You need to start to know the people who will be a part of your life." At least until he could get a judge to see reason and get Karen out of the equation, he added mentally.

Nathan resumed to staring at the horizon. "Whatever." Which from Nathan was over the top approval.

Dan looked back toward the house. He could see Karen lecturing Lucas, and knew she was probably telling him to be on his best behavior. Fat chance. It had been two years since that had happened. He waved them out, and after introductions, Lucas immediately proved Dan right.

"So. Sorry your Mom got shot in the head."

Stereo barks of "Lucas!" did nothing to stop him. "What? It's true. I'm just expressing my condolences to my new brother." Karen and Dan both heard the slight sarcasm he'd given to that last word. Dan grabbed his arm and dragged him back to the house, leaving Karen with Nathan.

"Now you listen here young man. I will not tolerate that attitude from you. Nathan is your brother and deserves your respect, not the same shitty behavior your mother and I have been getting from you for the last two years. Now you shape up and be civil. Got it?"

Lucas gave his trademark smirk and nodded. "Sure Dad. Whatever you say Dad. I'll make little brother out there feel welcome in our happy family." But Dan, looking across the lawn to where Karen was trying to coax a few words out of Nathan, had a feeling that was the last thing on his older son's mind.