"I still think your dad should have called in a missing person."
Nathan paused, the candy bar half peeled.
"That way, Lucas would be back at the campsite-"Jake flicked a red bodied spider off his shoulder-"we wouldn't be doing this awful Return of the Jedi impersonation-"
"It's occurred to me." The dark haired Scott gingerly picked a crumb of dirt from his sticky chocolate. "The similarities between Darth Vader and Dan Scott."
Jake shrugged, that sweet, nonchalant grin. "I admit, I was thinking more on the jungly green planet venue, but I can see Luke as Luke."
"Not funny."
"The question is-" Jake resettled himself on the log 'bench'-
"Where do you fit into the Skywalker Family Saga?"
Nathan glowered darkly.
Jake waited, easy smile stretching to meet his ears.
"Nate?"
"What?" He refused to be baited.
Jake made circular motions on each side of his head with an index finger.
"You two, shut up back there."
Dan. He'd come upon them so quietly, both boys jumped.
"Alright. Been busy retracing my steps while you two were fidgeting about little spiders."
Nathan rolled his eyes. "Dad, I was just worried, is all. I don't give a crap what you want, I want to find my brother. You took him away, I just found him, and you aren't going to do it again!"
"I was doing what was best for you, son."
"Ya? Keep telling yourself that."
"I said, be quiet." Dan stared his son down, Jake squinting thoughtfully.
"Mr. Scott, what'd you find?"
"I'm not sure, exactly-" he tested which way the wind was blowing. "Enough.We're heading out."
Jake's complacent expression died by inches.
"Mr. Scott-"
"On your feet. Not a sound. Nate!" Dan grabbed the confused looking athlete by the shoulder. "You move loud, you breath wrong, we might be dead. I doubt I will, but the three of you sure'd go fast."
"Three?" Nathan wrested away from the too-tight grasp and flexed his arm. "Where's Luke?"
"Follow me." Dan swooped low, hardly touching the clinging underbrush. Jake started after him, too close. A thorny branch snapped him across the face.
"Ah."
Dan barely hesitated, snorting in disgust.
"I am getting so freakin' -"
"Nate, you open your pretty mouth one more time..."
Jake, rubbing reflexively at his cheek, grinned wryly. Interesting? Things were just getting started.
Lucas froze, trying to wish away the sound.
Quietly...quietly...his heart was beating so hard, the ribs must be bruised. Wetting dry lips, soundless whisper. "Come on..."
Moonlight splashed over the slender form, accenting the deep hollows and haunted shadows. Lucas had always been a boy of shadows, mentally. Now, their physical scarring was beginning to show. His face was pale, sharp contrast to the ragged shirt about his arms.
He hoped Nathan would be alright. Even if he made it back, there was still Dan to deal with. And life...
Hours passed. Cool mist played over his skin like balm, fog creeping up the basin of the hills. With complete surety, Lucas knew Nathan would be okay. His Dad would find him. There'd be arms to come home to. Strong arms.
Hobb had insisted on tying his hands together-to Lucas' surprise, Robbie had appeared mildly disturbed by the idea.
"I think he's goin' to stay the night-"
"You bet he is."
None too gently, the big man had pulled Luke's hands behind his back and wrapped a thick, weathered rope about them. He'd proceeded to remove the few articles his boss had left behind-jackknife, the penny Haley had given Lucas for good luck, stick of gum.
"What the heck is the kid gonna do with that stuff? Attack us?"
Hobb cast a dark look at the very nonthreatening form, muttering under his breath. He'd tugged the knots tighter, just to vent his irritation. If this was some kind of gang-Luke doubted it'd hold together long. There'd be a death or a mutiny. For sure.
"Anything you need, kid?"
Robbie stooped beside him, hard eyes softening.
'What do I look like?' Lucas thought.
'Maybe it's best I don't know.'
He was smart enough to realize it was all how he played the cards. Bravado wasn't going to get him anywhere-unless these men decided to accept him into their group.
"If he so much as-"
Nope. No chance of that.
He'd lent his head back, against the tree, aware that he was about to spend a very uncomfortable night.
"Are you sure, kid? Maybe I could get you a blanket..."
What the heck? The sorrier he looked, the nicer they'd treat him. Even Hobb shrugged and walked away.
Note to self:
Hobb: thrives on confrontations.
Robbie threw a blanket around him, back stepping hastily when Lucas opened his eyes with a tired, "Thanks."
Now, the fire had died to blackened coals, darker blots in the inky blackness surrounding him. Luke rubbed his corded wrists over the rough bark of the tree, over and over again. So far, one strand had torn. At least, as far as he could tell.
"You moving around an awful lot for a sick kid."
The voice spoke directly behind him, almost in Lucas' ear.
"I-I'm hot." Seized the first excuse, tried to adopt a groggy tone.
"I suppose, you got your 'vantages."
Lucas caught his tongue between his teeth.
"I mean, for a scrawny kid."
"I'd like some water."
Hobb bent in even closer, so that Luke could feel breath on his face with every word.
"Keep quiet. I know what you're about."
"Could I have some water?"
This time, it worked. Some of the men stirred, Robbie among them. He swiped a hand across his eyes, and jumped to his feet with an agility rivaling a tomcat.
"Said he's thirsty, Hobb."
"I heard him. Whole camp heard him." The guard assumed a nonchalant position.
"I think you'd better get an' check on things."
"My turn's up."
"You'll stand watch when an' how I say."
"Kids been workin' free. Told you 'bout him."
Robbie's gaze, surprised and tinged with displeasure.
Luke let his eyelids slip shut, wondering what was going to happen. To him.
He didn't want to die. Why did all this have to rest on Dan, the one man who'd always let him down? Some people, they just surprised you. Not Dan. He was regular as clockwork.
Dan slid around a mossy tree, careful not to disturb the litter of forest debris. Silent as a scorpion, his eyes flicked over the scene spread before him.
Four or five men; most likely jail-breakers. They had that look about them.
Big guy; particularly nasty. His bulldog face scanned the trees with the consistency of a pit-bull. Straining to catch voices-
Dog was Hobb.
Slender; dark, baggy jacket. Unshaven face; leader. Dan couldn't help but admire the arrogant stance, that icy calm.
Lucas he spotted moments later. Crouched against a trunk, no fight or strength etched in the smudged features. About what was expected of him. At least, by his "Daddy." Dan almost chuckled. He imagined Lucas' expression when Dan swept in to rescue him. Show Tree Hill he just kept giving to the kid.
Lucas shifted, as much as he could. A new man had appeared out of the woods mere seconds before. He wasn't like the rest; an air of command, the sense of complete control.
"Who the heck is this? Robbie?"
"Kid I picked up, out in the wood. Looked to be 'bout dead."
"Are you not hearing real well? What were my orders?"
"I couldn't just leave him there t' die, Pac."
Pac slowly appraised Luke, down to the torn jeans, back to a steady blue gaze.
He nudged Lucas in the knee with a booted foot.
"You got a name?"
"Lucas."
He had to force the words out. Even so, they sounded rusty, unused.
"Even a bastard's got two names."
Luke's mouth tightened into a straight line.
"I hit a nerve, boy? Or you just touchy?" The foot tapped him again, but harder.
"Scott. It's right here, in this wallet."
Robbie flipped it neatly thought the air. His glance traveled between Pac and their captive, worried and edgy.
"He's got to go."
"Pac, we could use-"
"He's half dead. Look at him!"
"I have. Don't you think-"
"I think-no, know, that this little Lucas Scott is a picture perfect Gared, Robbie."
"He's-"
"He's not your kid brother. Gared's dead, Rob. Dead. I left his body myself. You know that."
"I-yes, he's dead, but there's somethin' about this kid. Look at him. He's got Gared's eyes. Y'know-something about him-please, Pac, this kid-"
"Ya, it's called honesty, and he can't hide it, same as Hobb can't erase that shifty expression from his ugly face. He's got to go."
"No one's killin' this kid."
"We don't have to. We're just going to walk off and when we go, he stays. Just as he is."
Robbie didn't quite meet Lucas' eyes, but stumbled off, into the brush, batting branches aside wildly.
Lucas heard a rustle from behind-Hobb had moved, unnoticed, behind his tree.
"Do it now." Pac flicked a hand in Luke's general direction, tossing a crumpled handkerchief toward the burly man. "Don't care how, just see it's quiet."
Lucas struggled away, but Hobb stuffed the gag between his lips easily. Closing his ears to the rough taunting, Lucas focused, instead, on the lush, vibrant green of the forest, so recently a haven.
He hoped His mom would be okay. Keith would take care of her.
Unbidden, a tear sparkled along the corners of his vision.
"Guess you didn't come after all, Dad."
Blinking a few times, Luke thrust out his chin and stared into the trees.
Into Dan Scott's eyes.
Locked thus, time seemed to spiral toward forever...why wasn't Dan moving? As pressure tightened about his neck, Lucas wrenched to the side, thoughts rushing to his brain. He must be imagining things. Maybe that was what it would be like, afterward. Anything he ever wanted, would just...be.
Dan couldn't move. The scene was unreal, like a movie playing out before him. In a way, this was the answer to everything.
It would serve Karen Roe right. Her precious Lucas, went off and killed himself.
Luke's face tilted, subtly, but enough so that the steady turquoise of his eyes rested on Dan's face.
Dan couldn't break the contact, as tenuous and dreamy as it was. He watched, fascinated, as a smile slid over the kid's features, gaze unbroken.
"No!"
Unbidden, Nathan crashed through the groping berry brush, ignoring Dan's order to stay behind. He fell into the little clearing, tumbling headfirst from the force of his attack.
"What the-"
Hobb swung something that glittered in the fading afternoon light, the trained response of a con.
Lucas struggled to his feet, trying to get between the gun and his brother.
"Nate-go back-"
Dan's voice rose in startlement-"Nathan! Get down!"
Neither brother dropped, but somehow, fell into each other and hit the ground, a tangle of arms and legs.
"Nathan!" Lucas' voice, raw with fear.
"Luke!" Nate grabbed the other by a wrist. "We gotta-we-"
Dan lunged forward, frozen on Hobb's gun.
"Nate? Nate!" Jake spoke in a harsh whisper, shaking his head in frustration. "Where are you?"
A single shot echoed through the trees, reverberating in his head over and over.
Panic tinged the calm basketball player's voice.
Jake ran.