Tree Hill, North Carolina

Jagielski Townhouse

Jake stretched his long legs out onto the coffee table. Everything was in place. Pretzels? Check. Nachos and cheese? Check. Hoagie? Check. Bud Light? Check.

"Hell yeah", he said to himself, overly satisfied.

The game was just about to start and he had parked himself on the comfortable sofa of his family room. He would have a bird's eye view of all the live NBA action of the Charlotte Bobcats taking on the San Antonio Spurs. Just as he was relax and two seconds away from shoving the massive sandwich into his waiting mouth, his eight year old daughter marched, spread out her favorite blanket on the floor, took a seat and reached up to grab the remote. Before the father could protest, he was watching an episode of Hey Arnold!

"You have got to be kidding me right now", he muttered. "Jen, what are you doing?"

"Watching TV", she said.

"But Daddy was here first watching TV."

"I know."

"You know? And you turned it anyway?"

"But you have a TV in your room?"

"So do you."

"But I always watch Hey Arnold! on Tuesday nights on this TV."

Jake sighed.

"Listen up. Tonight is a very important game. Uncle Nate is playing in it. Don't you want to watch him?"

Jenny thought about it for a minute.

"No. Not really. We see Uncle Nathan all the time."

"Jen…"

"What's all the ruckus about?" Peyton entered the room in her pajamas.

"Mom, Dad won't share. I watch my favorite show every Tuesday night down here because I like the big TV. Now he's making me watch the stupid game."

"Jenny, the game is not stupid and it's a special event and it's very important to your dad. Just this once it wouldn't kill you to watch your TV."

"No", she whined.

"Yes."

"That's no fair. Grown ups are so mean. I'm just a little kid."

Peyton rolled her eyes.

"Jen, you can either sit here and be quiet or watch your own TV and Dad and me will reward you later. Or you can pout and backtalk and whine and talk yourself into a spanking. Now what's it gonna be?"

She was silent but her lips turned into a permanent pout as she reluctantly handed the remote over. Jake just shook his head, only imagining what the teenage years would bring…

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Scott/Davis Loft

"This is gonna be a good game. I bet you 20 bucks it goes into overtime."

"Like I care", Brooke murmured not looking up from her romance novel.

"Babe! Come on. Of course you care. Nathan is playing. It's an important game. Now the Bobcats have the advantage because of youth, speed and offense while the Spurs have more experience, they're stronger and have good defense. That means…"

"Broody, please. You already have the TV up loud enough. I have to listen to those irritating commentators, as if that isn't bad enough. I don't need the play by play from you too."

"Okay, that's just harsh, Miss Davis. Really. You're a cold, cold woman."

"I'm cold, huh?"

"Like ice."

"I'll show you cold", she giggled as she jumped on top of him, letting her hands roam freely in his nether regions.

"No fair", he groaned. "The game is about to come on."

"Well, if you want to 'come on', you can forget about the game, Broody. We'll have fun and I'll even leave you alone long enough to catch the highlights on Sports Center."

"You're killing me, you know that? You drive a hard bargain."

"That's not the only thing that's hard", she teased, slipping her shirt off.

Lucas licked his lips. That body. The body of a goddess. And it was all his.

"To hell with the game", he laughed as she pulled him towards her…

New York City, New York

James Loft

"Corey, can I get you another beer?" Taylor grinned.

"I'm good, thanks. And thank you too, Haley. I appreciate the invite and dinner was delicious."

"You're welcome and I'm glad you enjoyed it", Haley smiled.

She couldn't believe it. It was almost too good to be true. Taylor had actually brought home a clean cut, good looking, well mannered, highly intelligent and all around decent young man. She wouldn't have believed it had she not seen it with her own eyes. Irregardless, she was happy for her older sister and praying to God that the wild child wouldn't do anything to screw it all up.

"Do you guys mind if I change the channel on the TV?"

"Go right ahead", Haley said as she washed dishes. "Make yourself at home, Corey."

"Thanks."

He leaned back and got comfortable as Taylor nestled into the crook of his arm.

"What do you want to watch?" she asked.

"I don't know…oh here we go. The game is on. You don't mind, do you, Taylor?"

"Basketball is cool with me."

"Great. I didn't want to miss this one. It's San Antonio and Charlotte."

Haley's blood ran cold and a glass dropped from her hand as she looked at the screen in time to see her ex husband warming up…

Raleigh, North Carolina

Powell Home

"Have a seat, sweetie. How is your stomach feeling?" Laurie asked.

Megan smiled.

"Put your hand here, Mom. Feel? The baby has been kicking up a storm."

"How about that?" Laurie grinned. "You've got an active little one in there."

Megan rubbed her belly.

"He or she always gets like that whenever it's Daddy plays."

Laurie put her arms around her daughter.

"Well, you're just in time. The first quarter just started…"

Tree Hill, North Carolina

Scott Estate

"He looks tense…and so tired."

"He's fine, Deb", Dan scoffed. "He's an athlete."

"I know that but he's still my son. I just worry about him so much."

Dan took another drink. He was worried too. He had always had the upper hand, always been the slickster. No one ever got over on Dan Scott. He was always in control. But he couldn't shake that weird feeling inside. It was like nothing he had ever experienced before…and he didn't like it.

First the café. Shy, quiet, sweet, demure Karen. He had gone there to intimidate her, frazzle her nerves. But out of nowhere she had turned the tables on him. He had never seen her like that before. She stood up to him like no one else had. And those words. "The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree" or some nonsense she had spoken. But maybe it wasn't nonsense. Maybe it meant something after all.

Then there was the incident at Charlotte. He and Mark had concocted a plan to play a game of reverse psychology on Nathan. It was a control element designed to manipulating the situation to their liking but again the tables had been turned. It was like Nathan was on to them. And he didn't back down. The kid was tough as nails when he wanted to be. And the things he had said and the way he said him. It unnerved Dan. And Dan Scott didn't like being unnerved…

San Antonio, Texas

SBC Center

Nathan bounced the ball. Okay. Mid court. All he had to do was dribble down the line. He would make a low pass to his left. His teammate would fake a right then throw it back to Nathan who could get in for the easy layup as well as draw the foul. It was a plan and a play that had practiced a thousand times before.

Damn! He couldn't see shit! Why was everything so goddamned blurry? Where was the basket? He saw three of them…and they were all moving. Shit! The room was spinning. It was hotter than 30 hells. Nathan needed to sit down. No, he needed to pee. Or maybe throw up. Oh God! Somebody call a time out…what the hell? Where did Tim Duncan come from and how was he able to steal the ball from Nathan that quick? What was happening?

Tree Hill, North Carolina

Jagielski Home

"Oh my God", Jake whispered. "What the hell is he doing?"

Peyton just shook her head.

"Mom, Daddy? What's wrong with Uncle Nate? He keeps falling down and his eyes look really weird."

Jake took a deep breath. What could he say when he didn't have the answer for himself? How did you explain such a complicated adult issue to a little kid?

"Uncle Nathan is sick, Jen."

It was the closest thing to the truth he had.

Peyton chewed at her fingernails, a bad habit she hadn't indulged in since middle school, as she watched Nathan clumsily make a mockery of himself and the game all over national television. It was almost too much to bear.

"Now what?" she asked. "You and Brooke still think we should stay out of it?"

Raleigh, North Carolina

Powell Residence

"Dear God! What is Nathan doing? I don't even watch basketball and even I know he keeps messing up. And why does he keep falling down?"

Megan couldn't believe it. He had really gone and done it now. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Why couldn't he just see? He was ruining everything! For their marriage, for her, for their families, their child…himself and what was left of his career. So much for trying to maintain the perfect family image anymore. Now everyone would know. Nathan had put it out there for the world to see and there was no going back.

"He has some nerve", she whispered out loud.

"What is he doing?" Laurie asked again.

Megan shook her head as she took another sip of water.

"What he does best…"

Tree Hill, North Carolina

Scott Estate

Deb put her hand over her eyes. She couldn't watch. It was breaking her apart inside. She couldn't take anymore. Why, God, why?

"Fucking numbskull!" Dan slammed his fist onto the table. "That's his fourth turnover of the night. He has no assists, only 7 points, which I think the other team let him score on purpose because they feel sorry for his ass, and he can't get a rebound to save his life."

"Is that all you care about, Dan? A dumb game?" Deb cried out loud.

"Aw. Look at Mommie Dearest. Are those real tears, Deb?"

"How can you joke at a time like this? Are you seeing what I'm seeing? And I'm not talking about fouls and free throws. That's our son out there, Dan. He's falling apart."

"Fine! What do you want me to do, Deb? Huh? Put him over my knee? I'm sorry I don't have all the answers."

"You should", she spat. "Because this is all your fault. Every bit of the misery and pain, it's because of you. You did this to me and you did this to Nate…and we both hate you for it!" she stormed off.

New York City, New York

James Apartment

"Wow", Corey said. "That game was brutal. The Bobcats took a real beating. Nathan Scott must have been sick or something. He sucked out there tonight."

"Yeah", Taylor sighed. "What can you say? Looks like he did have his mind on…well, other things."

She looked across the way at her sister. Haley's eyes had never left that TV screen. She couldn't have peeled herself a way even if she tried.

"Well, it's been a lovely evening, ladies. Taylor, thank you for inviting me and I had a great time. Maybe we could do it again sometime?"

"Sure", she smiled as she walked him out. "Why not?"

The sound of the door shutting finally snapped Haley back into reality. She wiped away the tears that had already begun forming in her eyes.

"Um, he was a nice guy, Corey."

Taylor shrugged.

"I guess."

"I liked him."

"Then you go out with him because I sure as hell don't want to see him again. He's stiff, in all the wrong places, if you catch my drift and he's too…too…too…"

"Nice?"

"Yeah. God, I'm bored already. I think I'm gonna go wallow my sorrows at the bar tonight."

"But Tay, you're off."

"I know but a Coyote's work is never done", she grinned.

"Yeah…well, be careful."

"You okay, baby sis?" Taylor asked as she put her arms around Haley.

"I'm fine. Just had something in my eye."

"I'm sorry. You know about tonight and Corey watching the game and all. It was kind of a dick move, huh?"

"It's okay. I can't spend the rest of my life avoiding Nathan Scott, I guess."

"I know but I didn't mean to hurt you…and you look really hurt right now."

"It's just…"

"Just what? Talk to me, Hay."

"Something's wrong. He's in a very bad place. He gets like that sometime. He gets distant and violent and no one can reach him. Then he turns to that damned bottle and it's all downhill from there."

"So I saw tonight."

"I can't believe it. I can't believe he came to a game drunk", she shook her head.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Scott/Davis Loft

"Okay, I can't move my legs right now", Brooke giggled.

"Was it good for you, baby? Yeah!" he did his best Austin Powers impression.

"It was okay."

"Okay?" Lucas hit her on the head with a pillow.

"Just kidding, Broody. You're the best, babe."

"Now that's more like it. Where's my remote, woman?"

"Luke…"

"You promised Sports Center after the game. A promise is a promise and it must be kept…"

"Fine. Here, you big baby."

"Thank you, much", he grinned, blowing a raspberry on her tummy much to her delight.

Lucas flipped on the TV and held Brooke close to his body. The highlights were just starting.

"…From the home of the Alamo tonight, the underdog Spurs defeated the heavily favored Charlotte Bobcats. In a game that was supposed to be a lock, the young North Carolina team fell short almost from the beginning. Second year star, Nathan Scott, was held without a basket until the 43.2 seconds before half time and he finished the night with a career disappointment of just 9 points, with no rebounds, assists or steals and he turned the ball over a record 9 times! There was also speculation as to the state of Scott's health as you can see on the screen behind me. He stumbled several times, appeared disoriented, and according to locker room insiders, his speech was barely coherent. Much attention has been cast on the star who some had hailed as the next Michael Jordan, however his turbulent personal life has seemed to overshadow what was once considered a promising career. We'll have more on that story as it unfolds. In other news, the Indiana Pacers…"

Lucas and Brooke sat stunned.

"I have to call him."

"Lucas…"

"Brooke! He's fucking falling apart. I can't stay away any longer. Somebody has to step in. We have to help him. I mean, what's next?"

"Luke…" she tried to pull his arm.

But it didn't matter. She was grasping at air. He was already gone.