Author's Note: As always, thank you, thank you, thank you all for the reviews. Keep them coming...you guys inspire me! And even though I appreciate and welcome ALL readers, please be warned that this story contains a lot of adult content (language, sexual references, etc.) I just hope that everyone understands that and reads with discretion. I just don't want to offend, "corrupt" or disturb anyone.

Thanks again!

"Nathan, can I get an autograph, man?"

Nathan looked at the teenaged boy in front of him nervously holding a marker and the edition of Sports Illustrated that Nathan had graced the cover of the previous year. It was Tree Hill's annual Burning Boat Festival, a long standing tradition where the whole town came together to enjoy exhibits, arts, crafts, food, games, rides, live entertainment and finally the large ark where people had a chance to throw away items to eventually be burned, hence the name.

It was a comfortable late October night in North Carolina. Nathan had a week of home games and a couple days break in between so he and Megan had decided to come down. They had been getting along fabulously in the last week or so and even the tension between Nathan and his parents had eased. All in all it had been a good night and Nathan didn't mind signing a magazine for a fan.

"There you go, dude", he said, after scribbling his signature.

The kid thanked him and Nathan shoved his hands in the pockets of his thin warm up jacket.

"Come one, come all, to the Tree Hill annual Burning Boat festival. Burn your bad karma, bad luck, or bad choices and start anew."

Nathan looked up to the familiar voice of the announcer. It was the same man it was every year, Brian "Whitey" Durham, a teacher at Tree Hill High School and the man who had coached Dan, Lucas and Nathan Scott. He smiled. He and Whitey had somewhat of a tumultuous relationship over the years but Nathan would always have a tremendous sense of love and respect for the wiser, older man.

His eyes scanned the crowd and he found his wife. She was standing over in a corner eating cotton candy while watching Jenny playing a game. She looked so happy at that moment. She and the child were giggling uncontrollably. Megan was so good and so comfortable when it came to children. There was no doubt in Nathan's mind that she would be an excellent mother.

He caught her attention and winked and she gave him that smile. She let Jake know that she was leaving so he could keep an eye on his daughter and she made her eay over to her husband.

"Hey you", he grinned.

"Hey yourself."

"Are you having a good time at Tree Hill's most entertaining and festive event?" he rolled his eyes playfully.

"It's not so bad", she shrugged. "And as long as they keep the cotton candy, funnel cakes and candied apples rolling in, I think I'll be okay."

He put his arm around her as they began walking.

"You know, it's funny. I don't think I've ever missed one of these. My whole family has been coming ever since I can remember. And nothing ever changes. Same old crowd. Same old stuff. Same old Whitey", he chuckled.

"It's a part of you, Nate. It's tradition for you like maybe it will be for our baby."

Nathan smiled. He liked the sound of that.

"Yeah? Well, this is his first one then", he touched her bump.

"His?" she raised an eyebrow. "What if he turns out to be a she?"

"That's cool. I'd be okay with us having a girl. She would be an incredibly good looking and smart kid and I wouldn't let her date until she was 30 but I could handle it."

Megan laughed.

"Well regardless, this time next year, the three of us will be back here. Sound good?"

"Sounds great."

She nestled her head in the crook of his arm.

"So if you've been coming to this thing for almost 20 years, tell me, have you ever thrown anything in the Burning Boat?"

Nathan thought for a minute.

"No", he finally said. "I never have."

"Nothing? Not one thing?"

"No."

"Wow."

"Not to say I didn't want to. This one time like sophomore year, Dad really pissed me off. We got into it about practice or something. Anyway, he made me so mad that I vowed I would quit the game and never play again so I brought my basketball with me and just as I snuck over to put it in the Burning Boat, he caught me."

"Who, Dan?"

"Hell yeah."

"Scary thought. He must have been pissed."

"Pissed isn't the word. Meg, I don't think there is a word but he was fired up, boy. Grabbed me by my collar and pulled me into a corner and threatened to beat the shit out of me."

He winced at the memory. He'd never forget the look on his father's face.

"I'm sorry, honey."

"It's okay", he shrugged. "It's over now."

"Well, is there anything you'd like to throw in there now."

"Nah", he shook his head. "What for? I think I got rid of all the bad stuff. That's my past. I just want to live in the present now and live for the future. And I want to do all that with you."

She smiled as he kissed her.

"I love you, Nate."

"Love you, too."

"Well, well. If isn't the lovebirds."

Nathan grinned.

"How's it going, Coach? You remember my wife, Megan?"

"How could I ever forget such beauty?" Whitey kissed her hand.

"Nice to see you again, Coach Durham", she smiled politely.

He put his hands on his hips as he turned his attention back to his former star player.

"I see you're still as pigheaded as ever", he grumbled. "Fouling out in Denver in the third quarter. Taking all those risky threes against the Timberwolves?"

"Paid off, didn't it? Who won that game, Coach? Whose three pointer sealed the deal when it was tied with 2.1 seconds left?"

"Maybe I should call that coach of yours and tell him a thing or two about sticking his foot up the asses of pompous, over confident rookies."

"I'll let you two gentlemen talk basketball. Excuse me while I go to the ladies' room, please", Megan smiled.

They watched her as she walked away.

"She's a fine young lady, Nathan. You're a lucky man."

"I know, Coach."

"Everything going okay between you two?"

Nathan shrugged.

"Yeah. I've got the career I've always wanted, the home I've always wanted, the wife I've always wanted…now, we're just waiting on our baby."

"I heard about that. Congratulations."

"Thanks, Coach."

"Glad to see things have been going so well for you. You're a good kid, Nathan. I was hard on you because I saw all the potential. Good to see your dreams were realized."

"They were."

"And uh…I take it everything is resolved with Haley?"

Nathan cringed at the name.

"Yeah", he sighed. "All that's behind me now."

Whitey just stared at him for a minute. He could sense the sad expression and far away look in the young man's eyes. Whitey Durham had been around for a while and he had seen a thing or two in his day. He called it the old "live and learn" process. With age and experience came a wisdom money couldn't buy. He took one look at Nathan and saw through the tough exterior. How he had transformed from that cocky, spoiled teenager from long ago.

"You're a good man, son", he slapped his shoulder.

He gave Nathan a look and neither said a word but there was a quiet understanding between the two. Nathan nodded before walking away. He smiled as he saw a yawning Megan walking towards him.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Sorry. I'm just tired."

"You want to head back?"

"You wouldn't mind?" she asked.

He stroked her cheek.

"Nah. I wouldn't mind."

"Let me just tell your parents we're going to take off, okay?"

Nathan nodded and kissed her before turning his attention to the Burning Boat. It was the one chance out of the year to rid yourself of the old and the bad and make room for the new and good. Looking around, he fished in his pocket one more time. Finally his fingers found what they were looking for. He pulled it out and stared at it. It was the gold wedding band Haley had given to him seven years ago. Although he hadn't worn it in years, he had always kept it close to his body…and even closer to his heart.

Sighing, he peered over to where his wife was happily chatting away with his mother and father. Taking one more huge, deep breath, he tossed the ring into the fire.