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:Eleven:
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"So. You a fan of omelet's?"
Luke shrugged, resting his elbows on the shiny counter top.
"Nate and I cook breakfast a lot. Deb's gone so much of the time..."
Crack, crack. Dan whisked the eggs while breaking them into the bowl one-handed.
"Try?"
"No, thanks."
"It's not everybody's forte." The elder Scott reached for the wastebasket. While his back was turned, Lucas snatched four eggs from the cardboard container.
"Little pepper, pinch of salt. But do you know where the secret lies?"
Lucas spread his fingers. "Using water instead of milk?"
"How did you know that?"
"Something I picked up. Oh, I'm starving." Luke bent over, peering into the bowl. "Better add a few more." He tapped the eggs on the counter edge, two to a hand. They broke cleanly, each yolk round and perfect.
"Did I get any shell in there?" Mock concern. The blond studied the contents of Dan's omelet.
"Funny." Dan tossed an apron across the room. "You forgot to put this on."
Luke caught the pink fabric, studying the embroidery on the pocket.
"D for Dan. I couldn't wear yours."
"Whatever. Pass the salt."
Lucas grabbed the shaker, then hesitated.
They were actually having a civil conversation. Making breakfast together. Almost-like father and son. But there were more pressing concerns then this amicable play-acting. This could just be his dad's way of avoiding the questions. He cleared his throat.
"You promised me some answers."
"Why spoil a perfectly good meal? We'll have plenty of time to talk afterward."
"How about before?"
"Ruins my appetite." Dan opened a can of mushrooms. "Onions?"
"I don't know what you're doing here."
"Sauteing."
"I won't play games."
"Then don't. Here, you can chop this celery. Don't slice it in half, just keep the pieces thin."
Luke began hacking the vegetable.
"Watch your fingers."
"I want to know where my mom is. I want to know why I'm your son. Why do you hate Keith so much? Not to mention why you brought me here in the first place. What do you have on him? Or-what does Keith have on you?" The knife slipped.
"Ow."
"Told you."
Dan rinsed his hands in the sink, staring thoughtfully into Lucas' face.
"Even if you did know all the answers, they may not be what you want to hear."
"I can handle it."
"Like how your beloved Keith ran away with Karen just to spite me?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, Lucas, that there was a girl. Deb. She had this crush on me-always had, ever since she transfered to Tree Hill in junior high."
The blond abruptly ceased chopping, the knife clattering to the counter.
"Well, Keith was in love. He loved her almost from first sight. He was strange that way-laid eyes on a girl and just made up his mind. No logic, no sense at all."
Dan tasted omelet filling, nodding appreciatively.
Lucas knew better than to prod his father; the man lived off other people's discomfort. So he wrapped his fingers around the kitchen stool instead.
"But Deb was only interested in me. She knew a good man when she saw one. Regardless of big brother's efforts to win her affection. He'd go to the dumbest lengths; it was Keith who took her to prom. Keith. Even though Deb was wearing her heart on her sleeve, he brought her anyways. Then one day Keith proposed, and of course Deb said no."
Luke twisted the knee of his jeans. Keith and Deb, after all these years..
"Everyone in Tree Hill, not just high school-they knew Karen and I were going to end up married. We never dated anyone else those last few years. And then-"
The silence lengthened, stretching out to entangle Lucas in it's spell. Breath caught in the blond's throat, he couldn't have spoken a word even if he'd chosen.
"This is almost done. Why don't you get a couple plates?"
Dan prodded the yellow substance with a fork. "Have to brown it just right."
Luke's eyes narrowed in frustration.
"Why don't you finish the tale, Dan."
X
Red-eyed and wrinkle-clothed.
"What the are you doing here?"
Keith just stood there, resting against the door frame. His hands were jammed deep into jacket pockets. It appeared as if he had slept in whatever he was wearing.
"Paying you a visit." Keith took in the scene spread before him; Lucas. Wearing that expression he'd stolen from his mother's face. It was a shock to see, for once clearly, what lie therein.
Sorrow. Pity. And something else. Keith could have spotted it a mile off. Betrayal. Lucas knew the truth about his parentage, at last. Keith had planned for it to happen, but when it did-still felt like someone ripping into his heart.
"Luke."
The blond's wide mouth opened, then hesitated over the word.
Dad.
"I had to come."
" you did."
"Dan, I don't want to cause trouble. I've been mulling over things for the better half of the night. Something brought me to my senses." Keith's gaze rested on Luke. "I think I realized what someone has been trying to tell me for years."
Lucas slid off the stool, almost blindly walking into Keith's arms.
"I've been worried about you."
"I know." Keith patted the blond's back. "Me, too. That's why I sent you away."
Lucas swallowed.
"Get away from him, son. He isn't worth the effort."
"Still hating, big brother?"
"You have the nerve to look at me after what you've done? I used to think you just stole my wife."
"She was never your wife, Dan."
"We were going to be married."
"Karen had no intention of making it to that altar."
"What are you saying?"
"Karen asked me to help her run away. She came to me that night. Yes, I knew she was pregnant. She was scared half to death, but it wasn't because of Lucas. Karen was going to break up with you. Then she found out she was expecting, and she didn't know what to do. Till I came along. And I offered to take her with me."
"You-"
Dan took a step forward. "You're trying to tell me that Karen was in love with you?"
"No." Keith glanced downward. "She didn't love me. I knew that. But she wanted to get away, and she knew I wouldn't hurt her. I promised to raise your child like my own."
"I'm supposed to believe that this girl preferred to live with you instead of the man she loved?"
"She didn't love you, Dan." Keith's voice hardened. "Not anymore. You scared her, with all that anger, the lust for money. The greed."
"I ought to knock you on the ground-"
"You could. You always could, Danny. That's the problem."
"Lucas, get out of the way."
"Dan, I admit I always envied you Karen. I envied Deb's affection for you even more. But it just worked out that way. I knew it would hurt you. But I did it, and I think I'd do it again. Only for different reasons, this time."
Luke broke away, a hand to his forehead.
"Where is Karen?"
Neither of the Scott Brothers responded, looking past the blond's head into each other's eyes.
" What happened to her?"
Only the insistent tick of the timer answered. Luke stared at the painted minutes, counting down. To what, he did not know.
"You aren't supposed to get upset," Dan remembered, belatedly.
"He's right, Luke. This is just between your dad and I."
Bitter words to say.
"I don't have a dad." Lucas swept the plates onto the floor. They shattered into a thousand fragments, sprinkling the floor with dust.
Keith's words rose above the crash.
"Get your things. I'm taking you home."
"Lucas is staying here."
"Come on, Dan. The deals through. Your little secret's safe with me. "
"He's my son."
"You never gave a crap about that kid one day in his life."
"And you did? What kind of an existence was that, big brother?"
'I didn't always used to be-"
"A drunk."
"But things are going to change."
The shorter Scott shifted, pinning Lucas with a tentative smile.
"Last night. Maybe you didn't think you got through to me, but you did."
"I wanted to call sooner-" his dad cut him off.
"Taking a walk, Lucas? Or sneaking around behind my back and lying to my face?"
"What I want to know is, what were you trying to tell me, Luke?"
Dan folded his arms.
"Yes, Lucas. What was it?"
How the focus had shifted onto him, Luke didn't know. He stepped through the debris, leaving them behind. Angry with them both.
"Get back here."
"I don't want to talk to you. Either of you."
"This is all your fault, Keith."
"Please, Dan. No trouble comes to you uninvited."
X
Away. He had to get away.
Past the winding stairs, soft carpet underfoot. Sunlight slanted through the windows, shafts of golden warmth. Stepping through them, Lucas still felt chilled. He hadn't meant for things to happen this way. The burning question in his mind remained unanswered.
Both brothers, calling for him.
Lucas didn't want to choose. He didn't want to fight. So tired...the cold railing bit into his fingers, and he gripped it hard enough to hurt.
Both fathers, shouting match below.
Luke sank onto a stair, knowing he couldn't just walk away. The sounds from the kitchen grew more insistent , arresting his attention.
Thud of fist connecting with flesh.
The blond burst onto the scene just as Dan shoved Keith up against the stove.
"I warned you."
"Aren't you forgetting something? I could ruin you!"
"Not if you're dead." Dan bit the retort out, blood flooding his brain.
"Lost all your women, Danny." Keith kicked out, the shot catching his brother unawares.
The younger Scott lunged forward, both men grappling like teenagers on a sandlot.
Luke held up, almost shocked by the empty rage in his father's eyes. Keith's own expression was twisted and accusing. The two men slammed into the cupboard, sending the breakfast remains flying. Almost on cue, the timer went off. It's shrill warning only added to the confusion.
"Stop it!"
Luke knew the man he had always thought of as his dad was in no shape to take on Dan. What little exercise Keith had gotten was from the beer shelf in the fridge to the couch. And back again.
An empty, copper bottomed pot hung on a hook above the drainer. Luke seized it, banging it against the sink.
Might as well sneeze, the attention that garnered.
Well, they were acting like neighborhood dogs-he twisted the faucet on, full blast, pointing the sprayer at the brothers. Lucas aimed for Dan's eyes, grimly intent on breaking the scuffle.
Dan back stepped, the hold on Keith's shirt forgotten. He swiped at his face, angrily shielding himself against the water.
Not missing an opportunity, Keith threw his whole body into a right hook that landed Dan across the table. Crystal pepper and salt shakers bounced off the floor, one catching under Keith's foot. He slipped, trying to regain his balance, and snatched at the hot stove.
Dan leapt up, rubbing his back, reaching for big brother-
But Lucas had positioned himself in front of the drunk. Standing with his palms held out, watching Dan with a an expression of wary calm.
"Leave it."
"Get out of the way!"
"This has to stop. Now."
"I'm warning you-"
Luke raised his voice.
"Before someone gets hurt."
"That wouldn't be me!"
"I'm not going to let you do this."
"So, we finally picked sides." Dan swiped a hand across his nose, chest heaving.
"You can go back to your little life with that drunk. I could have given you the world, Lucas."
"All I wanted was answers. And I didn't even get those." The blond's voice was soft, belying the steely cast to his features. Behind Lucas, Keith moved forward, clutching his wrist with a grimace.
Dan sidestepped his son, catching big brother on the chin, knock out blow. The tiny spark of triumph died before it even reached his eyes...