"Coffee?"

Nathan looked up to see what his brother was offering. He gratefully accepted the large cup and took a sip, wincing as it burned his lips and tongue.

"Damn", he cursed.

"Careful", Lucas smiled tiredly.

"Sorry. I forgot that coffee was actually supposed to be hot. This half cold hospital crap has me spoiled", he joked. "And who sprang for Starbucks?"

"Brooke."

"She's a lifesaver."

"In more ways than one, I hear but that's why I love her. You want to tell me what happened?"

Nathan stared at the floor.

"What did she tell you?"

"Oh nothing much", Lucas shrugged. "Just that she walked in Dad's room looking for me but instead found him pinned to the wall and a knife to his throat. You know anything about that?"

"Brooke wouldn't let me kill him."

"That's a good thing", Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Look, Nate, I know you're under pressure right now. I'm right here with you, bro. And Dad? Well, he's just Dad. You can't let him get to you, or at least not like that. The guy can be an asshole and who in Tree Hill hasn't wanted to cut his head off at one time or another? But that doesn't give you the right to do it."

"Then what gives him the right to play with Lillian's life?"

"He was being a major prick and he pissed me off too but you know there's no way he would let that little baby die."

Nathan shook his head in disgust.

"There you go again, man. St. Lucas to the rescue. Why do you always have to defend him?"

"I'm not…"

"Yes, you are."

"Nate, he isn't all bad."

"Really? Because I'm having a hell of a time finding the good anymore. I'm done with him, man. I mean it this time. He's out of my life for good."

"He is going through surgery as we speak giving bone marrow to save your daughter's life."

"Yes he is but damn, Luke, what did we have to go through to get him there?"

"Nate…"

"Did you know he blackmailed Haley?"

Lucas narrowed his eyes.

"What? What do you mean?"

"He told her he would only do the transplant if she signed over parental rights."

"Nathan…"

"I saw the papers with my own eyes, man. Besides, Haley admitted it."

Lucas looked away. He felt like he had been punched in the gut. Dan had pulled some stunts over the years and hurt a lot of people but this time the man had gone too far.

"So that's why you did what you did?"

"I just snapped."

Lucas shook his head.

"I guess I can't blame you. Damn, I can't believe he would do something like that! That's pretty low, even for him."

"He's an evil man."

"He is. That hurts to say but it's the truth. I mean, we've both seen him be good. There have been times over the years wjen he wasn't running his mouth, or plotting to take over the world or being an all around dick and it was just…nice. For those short, few times, we were a real family. He was a real father."

"He is who he is."

"I'll tell you exactly what he is. He's a text book sociopath. He is a narcissist with no concerns for the rights of anybody else. He has a brilliant mind and no conscious to guide it. He'll take whatever he wants, when and how he wants no matter who gets hurts or what stands in his way. And he's not able to have or understand love."

"I don't even care anymore, Luke. You can psychoanalyze it all you want but the bottom line is, the guy is a piece of shit. All I care about now is that he is helping Lillian…or Jamarah or Jamma or whatever her name is. I still haven't figured out what to call her."

Lucas smiled.

"I kind of like Jamarah. It's different. Notice how Hales is the only one who calls her Lillian?"

"I haven't seen her around much today. It's not like we're talking a whole lot. I kind of went off on her about the whole custody thing."

"You were pissed."

"I was beyond pissed."

"I know but imagine how she was feeling. That has to be a hell of a spot to be in but I respect her for it."

"Luke…"

"She did whatever she had to do to protect her child."

Nathan laughed bitterly.

"There you go making her into some martyr."

"Remember the story of King Solomon?"

Nathan rolled his eyes.

"Yeah."

"What was it? What happened?"

"I don't know, man. I learned that in church ages ago. Something about two women who came to his court and they both claimed that they were the mother of the same baby. So Solomon threatened to split the baby in half. One woman was gonna go with it, but…"

"But the other begged the king to give the live baby to the other woman. That's how Solomon knew the second woman was the mother."

"And your point?"

"You know my point. Haley loves her baby, your baby together. And she was willing to do whatever to save her life."

Nathan sighed.

"I don't know. I don't know what you want me to say, man. This doesn't erase the past year. As far as I'm concerned, it's just one more crazy chapter in this drama filled book that is our life. I'm still mad about a lot of stuff."

"Like?"

"Like Yoanna dying for instance. And then Haley not even telling me she was having my kid."

"You didn't know?"

"Did you?"

"I had my suspicions, Nate. The dates kind of added up and I did believe her when she said she never slept with Chris. Deep down, I think I knew. That's why I came here to find out for sure last year."

"You what?"

"I didn't see Haley and Taylor lied to me."

"Figures", Nathan mumbled.

"Just don't put this all off on her. Isn't eight years of hate and blame and miscommunication enough? Like it or not, you're parents together. You two are going to have to learn to just deal with it somehow."

"That's the problem…I don't know how to deal with it."

"You have a lot to figure out. What's gonna happen when Jamarah is out of the hospital?"

"I don't know. We haven't talked about it."

"Don't you think you should?"

Nathan sighed. He knew Lucas was right.

"What do I say, man? I mean, there's still so much hurt and anger between us. How do we all go on from here?"

"I don't know how, I just know we do, Nate."

Nathan rubbed his eyes.

"This is hard, bro."

"I know. Look, everybody's gonna be coming back here soon. Why don't you go see your baby?"

Nathan nodded as he stood to leave.

"Thanks, Lucas."

"For what?"

"For the advice and the support…and the love. You're a great friend…and a great brother."

Luke smiled as Nathan hugged him. Then he went to put on the surgical scrubs so he could visit his daughter. Walking into the Isolation room, she was resting comfortably in the crib. He smiled as he leaned over and kissed her tiny cheek. She was so fragile he had been afraid to touch her at first but he had learned a valuable lesson with Yoanna.

The baby opened her eyes and stared at him. One brown eye and one blue one, both the carbon inherited copy from each of her parents. She was truly a beauty. When he looked at her he saw shades of himself and his mother and Haley…and especially Yoanna. It was enough to bring tears to his eyes.

The baby began to gurgle and smile. Even in all her pain and sickness, this beautiful little girl could still look at him with a smile on her face. Gosh, she looked so much like her mother at that moment. Nathan could have stared at her forever but as soon as she went back to sleep, he quietly slipped out of the room. The waiting area was still empty except for one person. Curled up in a little ball on the uncomfortable sofa was Haley. Her feet were tucked in and she appeared to be sitting on her hands. Even in sleep she was probably just trying to protect herself from the cold. It was a hot summer in New York but the hospital was going crazy with air conditioning. Nathan had since learned to bring a jacket but Haley had apparently forgotten.

At that moment she looked as tiny and fragile as their daughter did. Something inside his heart went out to her. Sighing, he spread out his thin jacket and carefully draped it over her. She stirred but did not wake up. Nathan couldn't peel his eyes away. It brought back memories of long ago when he used to spend hours just watching her sleep. He had to physically restrain himself from stroking her face but he couldn't help it when he saw the stray strand of hair that had fallen near her closed eyes. It begged to be moved and he gently complied, tenderly placing it behind her ear. Her eyes fluttered and opened slowly and they found themselves face to face.

It was an intimate, quiet and special moment that required no words. It was just for them, something to share. But it wasn't all private. No one had noticed the beautiful blonde who had made her way to the ICU waiting area. She hadn't wanted to cause problems or a scene. She wanted to be there for Nathan and her curiosity wanted a first hand peek at the sister of her dead daughter. But it wouldn't get that far. As her hand touched the doorknob, all she saw was her husband brushing the hair out of his ex wife's eyes. All she saw was that shared look. And all she felt was their energy. Catching her breath, she watched them for a bit before backing away. Her life with Nathan flashed before her eyes. She remembered all they had shard both good and bad. She memorized every word of every conversation. Even Dan's words kept repeating in her head like a broken record.

Meg bit her lip to keep from crying as she saw the man she loved with the woman he loved. It had been too much. It was the realest of wake up calls. And Megan Scott knew what she had to do about it.