:Two:
Dan tossed his empty candy wrapper out the window, restless and impatient with the long drive. Beside him, Lucas was sound asleep, head resting against the seat back. He'd not said one word since they'd started the journey, over a hundred miles back. Hundred and twenty. Dan flicked his finger against the odometer. Waste of gasoline, all for a brother who meant nothing to him. More than nothing. Even the hatred had burnt down, through the years.
Thief.
There was nothing good on the radio. He cast a cursory glance over Luke's sleeping form, the drawn expression not quite erased by slumber.
Tough kid.
Maybe he wasn't all Keith.
It would be easier to treat Lucas the way he deserved to be treated-son of the relative who took everything away from him-if there weren't any traces of Karen to remind him...of her.
So far, the stubborn silence hadn't convinced him otherwise.
Such a fool. Keith had betrayed him, then disappeared for sixteen years. Now he expected to hand over his most precious possession, and let Dan bring Luke up like a son.
Second son. Dan already had a child-and Nate was his, pure his and Deb's. They were a family now. Despite Keith's best intentions, Dan was happy.
The kid's clothes were rough-same as big brother's. Worn and threadbare, Salvation Army stock. At least he was clean. Keith hadn't been quite shiny pink. The memory made Dan chuckle, a low, unpleasant sound. Yes, fate had a way of sneaking up, sooner or later. He wondered how the kids in Tree Hill were going to deal with his nephew-but he really already knew the answer. The town was small, there was no skimming the truth. It'd be hours before every single resident knew who Lucas was. Remembered the story, so many years ago, that had tongue's wagging for months.
X
"What-" Lucas reacted to the hard shake, blinking confusedly at the rest area.
"Stopping for some food. Do you want a hamburger?"
It must be taking a moment to place his surroundings; the blond straightened in his seat, not quite making eye contact.
"No, thanks."
"Don't you know what a hamburger is? I mean, they do have those in trash cans."
Lucas appeared confused. He didn't know if Dan's bate was malicious or in plain fun.
"They have them in restaurants, too."
"Very good. Come on."
Uncomfortable as the situation was, Luke understood there was no point in antagonizing an uncle that seemed even more unhappy with the arrangement.
He uncurled his legs, stiff in the narrow confines, running fingers through the hair across his forehead. He needed a haircut.
Dan strode toward the gaudily lit diner, his nephew a close second. He'd grab some food, and they could use the rest rooms.
Three hamburgers later, Dan studied the French fries the blond was idly dragging across his plate.
"You going to eat, or do we have to stay all night?"
"Sorry."
"Finish up."
"I'm not really hungry."
"That's hard to see. Go wait by the car, I'm going to pay for this."
Lucas got up soundlessly, chin ducked low. The quiet obedience gave Dan a quick moment's pleasure. If he'd spoken to Nate like that, it would be fifteen minutes before they even got back on the road.
Well, looks like Lucas was proving to be Keith's son, after all. Big brother never had been one to stand his ground. Except when it was for the wrong reason.
X
Luke shifted for perhaps the third time, still staring soundlessly into the night. Stars glittered like broken glass, no matter which direction they turned. If it was cold and silent outside the car, there was no difference within.
No mistaking Dan's obvious contempt for this branch of Scott's. He didn't even bother asking Lucas a single question. The thought kept spinning through his mind, why? Why would Keith ship him off to relatives who disliked him. Dan didn't even bother masking the fact.
"So." Dan's voice. "What version of the story have you heard?"
Luke caught the darker meaning in his uncle's not-so-subtle tone.
"I don't understand what you're talking about."
"Playing dumb never earned anyone points with me."
"I don't." Luke's mouth thinned.
"You're trying to make me believe that Keith never told you a thing about your family?"
Lucas was embarrassed to admit that this total stranger knew more about his past than he did.
"I take it he didn't. That's unbelievable."
"If he thought I'd needed to know, he would have told me."
"Oh, you're just as interested as I am. You've probably been asking him for years."
Lucas shrugged, uncomfortable at how touchy this subject was becoming. How close to the truth, he daren't admit.
"Well, well."
And that was all. As soon as he realized hashing over events surrounding Lucas' birth wouldn't be upsetting, he just left it. Dan knew Lucas would worry over it, the answers practically at his fingertips.
Staring at the straight line of his uncle's profile, the second question took Lucas by surprise.
"Did you inherit Karen's condition?"
Luke's eyes showed their bewilderment. He hadn't even known Karen WAS his mom-at least, not for sure.
"You really don't know what I'm talking about."
Lucas didn't bother responding. He was tiring of this man's games.
"Your mother was mentally unstable."
X
Lucas couldn't hide his reaction to the coldly uttered words. "Your mom was crazy." He drew a deep breath, unwilling to let it go.
X
"Not that she was some raving lunatic. Her condition was more delicate; just a subtle shading, a darkness. It meant that she was suicidal. All of her life; her aunt was, too. The meds did a lot, but there were still down days. Times that grew pretty bad."
It was so quiet, Luke could hear plainly the wet hush of damp asphalt spinning beneath him.
"I wondered if you had the disorder."
The words seemed to push past the webs cloaking his mind.
"No. At least, I never even knew about it."
"You taking anything?"
Lucas stared dumbly back.
"I'm not on any pills-"
"Prescriptions. Do you have any prescriptions?"
"No."
X
"Hey, Luke. Doc sent more of these over. Don't forget to take them"
"I feel just fine. I don't get sick to my stomach any more"
"Well, that's because you're on these. You know there's a problem, got it from your old man."
X
Lucas seemed frozen, the recollection surfacing through years of unimportant memories. His fist clutched the shake container, crushing it dumbly.
"Whoa!" Dan grabbed the wheel one handed, reaching across Luke's lap to rescue the drink. "Watch the car!"
"You can't just do that! You can't just-" Lucas ineffectively pressed on the door handle, fumbling for an escape.
"Settle down. Hey! Easy. You don't even know if-"
"Yes, I do."
"There's still no reason to go skydiving. Sit back and shut up."
The blond sank back, stiff and unyielding.
"I'm sorry I told you like that."
"No, you're not. You wanted to make me feel-"
"Like what?"
"That's none of your business."
"Well, I guess it's true."
"That's why my dad never told me. About her." Lucas' voice was barely audible, strangely gentle. Long missing pieces of the puzzle were starting to fit together. At last.
"I'd be upset."
Luke's manner had shifted, now strangely mature.
"I'm upset with you, not with my dad."
X