:Eight:
It was still raining when the car turned sharply into the drive. Indistinct gray skies swooped low, almost pierced by the swaying tree tops. A soft breath of wind ruffled the hair across Dan's forehead. He sat, the door ajar, one hand on the wheel. Another tapping a nervous rhythm across his knees.
There was no sign of anyone. The two remaining Scott's had probably made plans, since Dan was going to be absent overnight.
"Welcome home."
Typical occurrence. The times Dan walked in on a deserted house were becoming more and more frequent. The strain of married life had extended toward family, catching Nate in the tension.
There was nothing different about this evening. Lonely, same as usual. Frustrated in the silence, driven with boredom.
A small sound made Dan turn his head, almost startled by Lucas' presence. He'd been so mired in his thoughts...
Take that back. Things were extremely different. This time, he wasn't alone. His other son was mere inches away. By his side.
Dan cautiously retrieved his coat, the one he'd thrown across the sleeping figure. Quiet as the motion was, Lucas still mumbled something, turning his head to face Dan.
"Hey, Dad."
Sleepy azure eyes, blinking into the light.
Luke didn't realize where he was. Dan's jaw tightened, all traces of parental concern effectively squashed.
"Lucas. Get out of the car."
Keys jangled, the low ding of the door ajar cut short.
"Oh."
The blond scrubbed fingers across his forehead. "Oh."
"Glad you slept so well." Dan swung his son's battered suitcase onto the wet sidewalk.
"Must have been out." Luke stiffly stepped into the outdoors, suppressing a shiver when the damp breeze hit him.
"I'll say. Grab your things." Dan studied him a moment.
"Never mind."
He wouldn't allow Luke to carry the bags in, so the blond followed a pace behind, uncomfortable with the grudging attention.
"I can-"
"You aren't doing anything until you swallow those pills."
"I-"
"Inside."
Following Luke up the stairs, noting the way his son's fingers curled around the banister.
"Young fool."
But he kept the sentence to himself.
Deb had already closed the guest room up. It smelled afresh with some fake spring-like scent; Dan thrust the window open, tossing the thin suitcase across the bed.
"Women never appreciate the smell of fresh air."
Lucas sniffed, silently agreeing.
He sneezed.
"Change your clothes. Lie down , I'm going to find those pills."
Luke just stood, irritation obviously warring with confusion. Dan saw the emotions clearly; confusion won out. The blond was probably too wore out to protest seriously about anything.
X
Dan's heavy tread faded downstairs, leaving the younger Scott behind.
The bed did look good. Smooth, wide, and inviting. Room to stretch out. Lucas slipped his tee off, digging through his belongings. A faded basketball shirt...something comfortable to sleep in.
He lost himself for a moment. Staring into the patch of tree outside smooth glass. The leaves squeaked across it, raindrops in their wake.
"Hey."
Dan. He held a cup under Lucas' nose. Two pale pills rested on his palm.
Lucas studied them, finally succumbing to his father's glare and swallowing; one pill at a time.
"Finish the water."
He emptied the container, shoving it back into Dan's hand.
But the man just stood there. Staring blandly.
Or, as bland as he could. Lucas gave up, kicking his shoes off. He left his jeans in a damp heap, flinging himself across the bed.
Any other time, and Dan Scott would be snipping at him. Barbs, comments.
Perhaps he was worried about his bartering chip.
Whatever mysterious hold Dan had on Keith, it was enough to see that Luke took care of himself. After he had passed out on a strange bathroom floor.
X
The clock ticked down to midnight, each hour marking the passage of time.
Time spent alone.
Dan sighed, massaging the ache between his eyes. He shuffled through a few of the papers on his desk. The study was so quiet, he found himself drifting off. Considered calling Deb, but tossed the phone down. Let her have her fun. She hardly spent an evening at home anymore. It had been a steady progression of meetings and trips. All job associated. Or so he thought.
Nathan. Probably at a party-maybe the beach house... some girl's place. That Peyton Sawyer. Not bad looking. At least the kid had good taste. He hadn't brought anything trashy home with him. Yet.
Forgot to remind Deb about that kitchen help. Dan hoped his wife had had sense enough to choose someone that wouldn't cause a problem with the young men in the house. He remembered to use the plural.
Soft knock.
Lucas.
The kid stood there, silhouetted in the open doorway. The yellow hall light fell about him, outlining the tense lines of his forehead.
"What is it?"
"Am I bothering you? I didn't know you were still up."
"Casing the place?"
The blond hesitated.
"Never mind."
Dan almost let him walk away. "Wait-"
He replaced a pen.
"How are you feeling?"
"I don't think I'll die on you."
Dan matched tone for tone.
"Good. I wasn't there for the birth, don't try to drag me to the funeral."
"My dad'll be there." Lucas fidgeted with the frayed threads on his shirt. "I already have a dad."
"And I a son." Dan smiled, sensing the effort it was taking Luke to make a comeback.
"Why don't you go back to sleep."
Instead of departing in a huff, the kid took a few steps forward.
"Why aren't you? I mean, asleep."
The man behind the desk cleared his throat. Confused.
"Papers to go through." He pushed a sheaf toward Lucas.
"You can't start school until we get all this sorted."
The blond twisted his shirt. He must want something from Dan. His father could see it, in the battle between pride and curiosity.
"Is there a reason you came in here?"
"I wanted to know-" Lucas sank, uninvited, into the adjacent chair.
"About my mom."
"So, you came to me. Why don't you call your daddy?"
"You know why."
"Maybe I'll tell you, sometime. You should be in bed."
"I'm fine." The fingers clasped around Lucas' leg tightened.
Dan studied his eldest son. The shadows across his face; eyes too bright. So much for resting. Dan could already pick out the rapidity of his son's heartbeat; color soaking into his cheeks.
He didn't feel much like having story time right now. And it all led up to one thing: Lucas. The end of the tale was simply that this boy was his son. Not just a child, but his first.
Luke didn't need to hear that from Dan's lips.
"I'm not leaving until I know the truth." Simply put, but iron hard determination in the firm set of his mouth.
X
Dan didn't know if this was a good idea. He was sure the entire medical profession would label him a brainless idiot with little or no perception. The kid was probably closer to passing out than he was in the restaurant.
Where was Deb? He wouldn't be caught in this if she was ever home.
Luke stared at him, studying Dan with strained, wide eyes.
"Lucas-"
The blond shifted impatiently, his serious expression contrasting with tousled hair and rumpled tee.