Nathan maneuvered the Infiniti through the horrendous Los Angeles traffic and finally onto the subdued Brentwood street he called home. Practice had gone well but he was exhausted. The coaches had been working the team to the grind ever since their loss to the Knicks. He sighed and walked into his home.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Scott. Your dinner is waiting when you're ready, sir."

"Thanks, Sally", Nathan nodded at the housekeeper.

"Oh. Your brother is waiting in the Game Room."

"My brother?"

Nathan walked a few feet to his favorite room in the house that was basically a retro Arcade room complete with a Pool table and other games and toys. Sure enough there was a man sitting on the couch.

"Luke?"

The man looked like his brother…sort of.

"Hey man."

"What are you doing here?"

"I had nowhere else to go", he whispered softly.

Nathan's heart went out to his older brother. He felt sorry for him and he knew he was probably the only one in the world who did so. Of course he was disappointed in him. And ever since Haley had breathlessly bounded in their suite that fateful morning and told Nathan of the sexy blonde sneaking out of Luke's room, Nathan had known that only trouble and heartache would ensue from the matter. He was surprised and frankly a little pissed that his brother could be so dumb but any ill feelings he harbored quickly went out the window when he saw the shape Lucas was in. What a difference only a week or two made. The last time he had seen him was when Luke had been in town for the eagerly anticipated Lakers/Knicks match up. The New York team had proven to be the best on that given night even though they had only one by four measly points in a double over time. After the game, the brothers had embraced, a photo that ended up making the cover of Sports Illustrated. Lucas had looked good…happy, bright eyed, healthy and grinning from ear to ear. Now the same brother sat before him, pale, gaunt, sickly and confused.

"You holding up okay, man?"

"No", Lucas shook his head truthfully. "I just wanted to see you, Nate. I know you think I'm the scum of the earth and Hales probably hates my guts too but I needed to talk to you. Everybody hates me."

"Everybody doesn't hate you…"

"Yeah they do. My wife won't talk to me. The public thinks I'm a piece of garbage. Our staff back at the house can't even look me in the eye. Even my dog is acting different."

"Don't worry about it", Nathan sighed. "Yeah you fucked up pretty bad but you're still my brother, dude. Haley and I can be mad or disappointed but you're still family and we'd never turn our back on you. You know you can always come here, dude."

"Thanks", Lucas whispered as the two knocked fists. "You sure Haley isn't gonna want to throw me out?"

"She might if she was here. She's gone. She took off last night with the kids for a few days to New York. She um, wanted to check on Brooke."

"How…how is she? Brooke, I mean."

"Hurt. Pissed off. Humiliated. Look, I don't want to get into it but you really did a number on her, Lucas."

"I know, man. Believe me, I know."

"I don't know what to say. Maybe, hopefully, in time she'll get over. Maybe you guys can work things out."

"I don't think so", Lucas said, shaking his head as he reached into his bag and handed Nathan a large envelope.

"What's this?"

"Divorce papers. I got served yesterday. This establishes the legal separation, which a judge already granted her and the rest of it basically her grounds for a divorce. Looks like she'll get it too seeing as I don't have a leg to stand on."

"How long will it take?"

"She filed in New York so we have to be separated a year according to the law. But you know Brooke. She could end up flying to the Dominican Republic and get it done in a day or so."

Nathan just shook his head. He had been there from the beginning and for everything. He was there when Lucas and Brooke had first hooked up, he was there for the dating in high school and college, then the brief separation which was followed by a loving reconciliation. Most importantly he had been there for the wedding. He was the Best Man as he watched his older brother and Brooke take vows. They looked so happy and in love that day. It was as if they were going to be together forever? What had happened? In four years where had it all gone wrong? It hurt Nathan to see his brother hurt. It hurt Nathan to be a witness to something so beautiful and special only to watch its tragic demise.

"What are you gonna do, Luke?"

"I don't know. I don't know what to do with myself. I'm all alone in the big house and everything there reminds me of her. She won't take my calls, she won't return my messages, man…"

"That sucks."

"I miss her. I miss her and I love her so much. I mean, I always knew I loved her a lot but I had no idea just how much until all this happened. Now she's gone. I screwed up, I hurt her and that's the end of it. Nate, I'd do or give anything for her to forgive me and come back home but I know she won't. And who could blame her, right. So I just around look at our pictures and drown my pain in Jack Daniels."

"Lucas, that's stupid", Nathan snapped. "Man, that isn't the answer. Isn't drinking what got your ass into this mess in the first place?"

The words hit like a fist but Lucas knew that Nathan was right. Still it hurt nonetheless.

"You're right, little brother. Gee, thanks for the love."

"Dude, I'm not trying to hurt your feelings or make you feel worse. I know you feel bad. I know you're sorry and I know you love Brooke. If anybody is rooting for you to get your life back then it's me but at the same time I don't want to see you make things worse than they already are now."

"I know. Thanks man."

"I just got one question."

"Yeah?"

"Why? Why'd you do it, man?"

"I don't know", Lucas breathed. "Dude, I honestly don't know. At first I didn't think things would get that far and when they did, well I knew it was wrong and I wanted to stop but I couldn't. And the minute it was over, I felt like the shit bag that I am. Man, I felt so guilty I can't even describe it. That first night after when I flew back to Connecticut, I got in pretty late and Brooke was already sleeping. She looked so beautiful and so peaceful. Man, I think I sat up and stared at her all night. We were still having our problems and all but I loved her so much at that moment, I thought I might die. And I just wanted to wake her and confess and beg her forgiveness…"

"But you didn't."

"I didn't. I couldn't, Nathan. The damage was already done. No matter what, I knew it would hurt her and she would hate me. But it was killing me inside. The only thing saving me was the fact that we were growing apart over her not getting pregnant. Brooke was upset and basically blaming me for it. Like a coward, I used that as my scapegoat. In the back of my mind I tried to let that justify what I had done. Pretty lame, huh? Anyway, when I came back from my next away trip she was waiting for me. The house was all lit up with candles and she had my favorite meal ready for me. We sat up and talked, I mean really talked for the first time in a long time. She apologized and told me how much she loved me and we ended up making love all night. It was so perfect again and man my conscious was literally eating me alive. I sat up and opened my mouth and I swear I was about to tell her everything right then and there."

"What happened?"

"I looked at her. I looked into those eyes and I saw the past ten years of my life. I saw how much she loved me, how much she looked up to me…I chickened out. I just cried and held her and told her I loved her and that I always would, no matter what."

"You still love her?"

"Of course."

"And you're sorry."

"More than you can imagine, dude?"

"And that was the first and only girl? I mean, there are no others that can come out of the woodwork and say they slept with Lucas Scott."

"No. I swear to God, Nate."

"And you'd never do it again?"

"Hell no! Man, I'd cut my shit off before I'd let that happen."

"Then you've got to convince Brooke of that."

"She won't even talk to me…"

"Then you've got to maker her listen. You've got to get your wife back."

Lucas nodded. And he was grateful that his brother was even there. It helped to have a little support even if it was only one person. Nathan was a lifesaver. Hiding out in Brentwood for a few days just to clear his head was exactly what Lucas needed.

Lucas cursed under his breath as his cell phone rang. It had taken him hours to actually fall asleep and now that had been callously interrupted. Sighing, he fumbled around on the bed to find it not even bothering to check the Caller ID.

"Yeah?" he answered.

"Well, well, well. The celebrity actually answers his own phone…"

"Who the hell is this?"

"Relax, it's not another reporter clamoring to get your side as to why you dicked around on your gorgeous, loving wife. It's just me, son. Dear old Dad."

"Great", Lucas mumbled. "Worse than a reporter. What do you want, man?"

"I wanted to talk to you. Give you some advice."

"I don't need your advice Dan and I don't want it."

"This is for your own good, Lucas. I've been reading about your sordid tale of lust and temptation in every trashy tabloid from here to Antarctica. I don't have to tell you, you're turning into my area of expertise. Well, I never strayed from my marriage, per se, and if I did I was certainly never dumb enough to get caught but Deb did try the whole divorce thing once. Let me tell you something son, you put a ring on their finger and give them the world and eventually they find enough shit to complain about and they turn their back on you. The sad thing is, the judicial system is on their side most of the time…"

"Dan, what the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm just saying…it's cheaper to keep her. Trust me. Just thank God you didn't marry her in the state of California. She'd be entitled to half your fortune then and trust me, she'd milk it for every penny it was worth. Do you have a decent prenup?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but no. Brooke and I didn't sign a prenuptial agreement. Our marriage is based on love not money?"

"Yeah?" Dan laughed. "Apparently not fidelity either but tell that one to the judge."

"Look man, you haven't bothered to be a father to me for nearly 26 years so why start now? The last thing I need is your help or your advice with anything."

"You've got a lot of life yet to live, Lucas. You have a hell of a career still ahead of you. Don't be a fool. Don't let this one girl ruin everything for you."

"You know, I never quite understood how you could be so selfish. Everyday of my life I wondered. Until now."

"How does it feel to fall from grace, Golden Boy? Now you see the other side."

"Yeah I guess I do."

"Don't be so quick to judge me, Lucas. It's easy to have all the answers from a distance. But everybody makes decisions they regret. But we learn to live with it. It's part of life."

"Not my life. Not yet. I'm not giving up so easy. I'm gonna get my life back…and my wife."

"Yeah. Yeah, I felt that once. Then I grew up."

"I guess that's the difference between you and me. Good bye, Dad."

Lucas slammed the phone down. He hated how Dan always managed to get the best of him. How dare he insinuate that they were a lot alike? They were nothing alike. Dan was a cold hearted, selfish, master manipulator. Because of one mistake the world now viewed Lucas the same way. But he wasn't and he was bound and determined to prove it to everyone…especially to his wife.