The Man Who Was His Father

Disclaimer: I own none of these characters

Epilogue

Not many people had turned out for the funeral of Dan Scott. There had been too many people left damaged in his disastrous wake, too many people he'd stepped on to get where and what he wanted in life, too many people who had found no reason to attend his funeral for any reason other than cursing him to the darkest corner of hell. Some can forgive and forget, others just tend to forget.

But it was a much different man being buried that cold, autumn morning. A handful of people, his family of sorts, had come to say goodbye. Nathan and Haley, Lucas and Peyton, and Keith, Karen and Deb were the only people to have shown up. He'd caused so much pain to the people now standing around his gravesite, yet they'd all found a small place in their hearts to forgive him, even in death.

The small assembly of mourners gathered around his simple wooden casket and bowed their heads in silent prayer as the priest gave his final blessing. When the time had come for his casket to be lowered the rest of the group pulled back allowing the two Scott brothers time for a final goodbye with their father. They stood together in silence watching the coffin slide slowly into the cold and unforgiving earth that is every man's final resting place.

Nathan was the first brother to break the silence. "It's weird isn't it? All those times when I was younger imagining how I'd feel when my father died. I never thought that I'd feel this… sad. And the strangest part of this whole thing is that I'm standing over my father's grave not mourning the dad I knew for my 25 years, I'm mourning the man I knew for that brief time in some cramped hospital room. I really miss that man." Nathan looked to his older brother for some sort of encouragement; Lucas could only pull his brother in a brief but understanding embrace. "I couldn't do this without you Luke."

"Same here." He said as his brother pulled away.

"Listen I've gotta get out of here, I'll see you later at your mom's café. I think we're all still all meeting there afterwards for coffee or something." Nathan stopped to take one final look down at his fathers casket before turning and walking away slowly and trying to find where Haley had gone.

Lucas took a few minutes by himself to say goodbye. He peered down into the dark space beneath him. Kneeling down quickly he scooped a small fistful of dirt into palm before standing up tall. He felt the wind pick up around him, blowing his unbuttoned suit jacket open. The crisp black coat rustled softly in the breeze as Lucas slowly opened his hand, allowing the small pieces of earth to fall through his fingers down onto his father's wooden casket.

"Bye Dad."

It was a simple goodbye and that's all that Lucas had needed. He turned and walked away, grabbing Peyton's hand and kissing her softly on the forehead. She asked him if he was ok and he assured her she was. Grabbing her hand in his, they walked away together, silently. There was no looking back anymore for Lucas, he wouldn't let himself stay stuck in the past. There was too much in his life to look forward to now.

Authors Note: Thank you to all my incredible readers, especially all of you who have been there from the very beginning. Your reviews meant so much to me. I hope you guys enjoy the sequel.