Nathan was pissed when he hopped in his Escalade. He couldn't remember a time being angrier. They all had some nerve. How dare they try to stage an intervention! It was the stupidest thing he'd ever heard of. And he knew who was all behind it. Megan. That damned meddling wife of his. His fists slammed against the wheel. God, he hated them all at that moment! Even Lucas.

He put the car in drive before popping a bottle open and taking a large gulp of the first beer. Damn, it tasted good trickling down his throat. Right there in the driveway he downed the whole thing before opening another one. He fished around for a classic Tupac CD. Man, he loved Tupac. The man was more than a rapper, he was a poet. Nathan cranked up the volume and added extra base so the windows of the house would rattle as he pulled off. He didn't give a damn if they shattered into a million pieces. He just wanted out. He needed to get away.

Just as his foot went to mash the gas, the passenger door opened. She struggled to climb inside the truck. Nathan rolled his eyes.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Nathan, I'm sorry. Please. Please don't leave."

"You honestly think I'm gonna stay in that house after what you assholes tried to pull?"

"It was for your own good. We love you, Nathan. We were trying to help you, protect you."

"Well, looks like you just wasted your time."

"Come inside. Let's talk."

"No!"

"What are you going to do? Where are you gonna go?"

"I don't know…"

"Please. Just calm down. I'll get rid of everyone. I'll even leave myself but just go back inside."

"Whatever."

"You're a drunk, Nathan!"

"And you're a bitch, so are we even now?"

Tears filled her eyes.

"Nate…"

"Get out!"

"No", she said meekly.

"I'm not fucking around! Get out of the car!"

"No!"

Nathan smirked as he shook his head, then took another drink.

"Fine. You want to be the hero? Be my guest!"

He stomped the gas so hard that the SUV left skid marks. They took off at record pace down the winding, paved driveway.

"Nathan! Oh my God! Slow down! What are you doing?" she cried.

He was incensed! All he wanted was to break away. It was her choice to follow him. She was the one who couldn't leave well enough alone. All that time she must have known deep inside how he really felt about her. He just wanted to get away. And she had run after him and jumped in the vehicle. Now she had the nerve to cry?

"Quit fucking crying!" he yelled at the top of his lungs.

"You're scaring me. Please just stop shouting."

Nathan laughed a sinister laugh.

"What's the matter? You scared? Is it too much? Is the music too loud? Am I too loud for you?"

"Nathan, watch the road!"

"Hey, I'm driving! You're the one who insisted on tagging along. Now you need to sit back and enjoy the ride. I have this under control."

"Nathan!"

"How could you do that to me back there? Huh? How could you let them do that? An intervention? Are you out of your mind?"

"I…we were just trying to help you."

"Do I fucking look like I need help?"

"Yes!" she screamed. "Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Nathan, take a look at yourself! Look what you're doing to your life and the people that love you. You're tearing us apart!"

"Tearing you apart? Are you joking? Tearing you apart? Fuck that! What about me? You think I don't know I'm losing it? I know! I know because I'm the one that looks in that mirror everyday and sees someone staring back that I don't even recognize anymore."

"Oh Nathan…"

"No! Don't give me that pity! Stop crying! Look at me! See what I am and not what you want to see! Fucking look at me!"

"Nate, just pull over and we'll talk this out. It will be okay. But I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong."

"Are you blind? Look at me! I'm tired!"

"Tired of what?"

"Tired of all this shit! I can't do this anymore! I can't be Nathan Scott the great basketball player! I can't be Megan's perfect husband! I can't be Dan and Deb's son! I can't be Lucas Scott's little brother! I need to be someone else! This is killing me!"

"Okay but what is this accomplishing? Why are you doing this?"

"Shut the hell up!"

"You're drunk, Nathan! Please!"

"No, I'm not", he took another swig. "Okay, maybe now I am."

"Nathan, stop! You're going to kill yourself!"

He smirked.

"You think I give a rat's ass?"

"Nate!"

"You know", he said as he opened another beer. "Know what my problem is? And Dad's and Grandpa's and Luke's and Jake's and Andy's and hell, even now, Chris Keller's? I'll tell you…women! You're all no good! Nothing but fucking trouble! God put you on this earth as a cruel joke just to fuck us men over."

"It's not like that. You know how much I love you!" she turned the increased volume down.

"What are you doing? Don't touch my radio! You know I hate that! I've always hated when you do that! You know better!"

"I'm sorry", she tearfully whispered.

"You think I'm crazy, huh? You must think I'm really fucked up."

"No…"

"Yeah you do. Don't lie to me. And you think when the baby's born, I'm gonna screw that up too."

"No. No, you won't. Because you are a wonderful, kind, caring person with a big heart. You will make a great dad. I've always known that."

He shook his head as sweat began to drip from his body.

"Don't patronize me."

"I'm not. I…"

"Shut up!"

She screamed as they took a curve too close.

"Nathan, slow down!"

"Stop screaming in my ear!"

"I'm sorry but you're scaring me."

"You're scared, huh? That's funny. Remember how excited I was when I was drafted to the NBA? Remember the press conference?"

"Nate…"

"Answer me!" he boomed.

"Yes. Yes, I remember."

"Everything was perfect then. For that one night it was so good."

"It could be good again. Just calm down…"

"No!"

"Pull over and let me drive us somewhere safe."

"Hell no!"

"Nathan, you're gonna get us killed!"

"What? You don't like my driving?"

"You're driving like a maniac!"

"How do maniacs drive?" he swerved the wheel sharply. "Like this?"

"Nathan!"

"It's cool. I am an athlete, remember? I've got reflexes like you wouldn't believe."

"Stop it!"

"Whoops", he laughed as he jerked it a second time.

"This isn't a joke!"

"It's not? Because I think it's pretty damned funny!"

He swerved sharply for a third time, his eyes dead on her almost enjoying her fear. Her eyes widened and she clutched at her seatbelt.

"Nathan! No! Nathan, look out!"

He turned but it was too late. He saw the person on the bicycle but he was too close to turn or even brake. In a split second, the bike was bumped and the rider went airborne, literally bouncing off the Cadillac's windshield before hitting the pavement with a sickening thud.

The truck lapsed out of control and careened left, then forward and then to the right where it landed in a shallow bank. Nathan hit the airbag hard. His whole face ached. God, it hurt! His hands touched his bruised cheekbone and felt the blood rushing from his nose. Except for the excruciating pain, he was okay. But then he saw her. She was hunched over, her body almost crumpled in an inhuman like position. She was motionless, blonde hair covering her face.

"No!" he tried to rouse her. "Are you okay?Talk to me! Please say something! Mom!"

But Deb didn't move a muscle.

Nathan sat there in stunned and devastated silence, tears mixing with the blood on his handsome face.

"Dear God", he whispered. "What have I done?"