2010

Chicago, Illinois

Brooke Scott, looking always like a walking "fashion do", took her designated seat in the VIP section of the sold out United Center. Beside her was her sister in law, Haley.

"You're late", Haley pretended to scold.

Brooke rolled her eyes.

"It's the story of my life. Besides, you're supposed to arrive to these things fashionably tardy anyway."

Haley raised an eyebrow.

"And what exactly do you define as fashionably late?"

"An hour…or two."

"Brooke! Two hours and you practically miss the whole game."

The brunette shrugged.

"I know. I found that out the hard way at a game in Phoenix. Lucas had a fit. But I have since learned my lesson and trust me, I wouldn't miss this for the world."

Haley smiled.

"Scott brother against Scott brother in their first head to head NBA game. This has been in the making since they were 16."

"Yeah, I just never pictured it this way."

"What do you mean?" Haley asked.

"Seattle and Chicago? I mean, really. I always thought Luke would be a Knick and we'd have a fabulous Park Avenue penthouse in New York City and I thought Nathan would be a Laker and you'd guys would have this kick ass multi million dollar Beverly Hills mansion."

"You don't like Chicago?"

Brooke rolled her eyes.

"Not really. And honestly I thought we were going to end up in D.C. or Boston because they had the first two picks in the draft but considering Lucas wasn't even drafted until the second round…"

"Yikes. That was surprising."

"You're telling me. He was stunned…and humiliated. Still a sore subject in our household but anyway, Chicago it is. I mean, it isn't a bad place but it's just so cold and…windy."

Haley giggled.

"They don't call it the Windy City for nothing."

"I know but it's ridiculous. It's totally killing my skin, too."

"So let something positive come out of it. Why don't you develop a new moisturizing skin care line for Clothes Over Bro's?"

Brooke's eyes widened.

"Oh my God! Haley! Haley Scott, you are a freaking genius! That is exactly what I'm gonna do. I'll call Bevin as soon as the game is over and we'll get right to work."

"Good for you. See? Chicago isn't that bad. And your house is absolutely gorgeous!"

"Only because I'm the decorator. Yeah, Lincoln Park is one of the nicest areas to live in around here but our place is totally not worth the 3.5 million we plucked down for it."

Haley hugged her.

"You'll get used to it. It's just an adjustment, that's all. Pretty soon, you'll come to love it."

"Like you love Seattle?"

Haley shrugged.

"I do. I love my little house on the lake and my garden and my swing on my front porch and the hammock in the backyard. It's cozy and perfect. I could stay there forever but uh…it looks like forever could be ending this season."

"What do you mean?"

"This stays between us and nothing is official just yet but Nathan wants out of Seattle bad. He wants more money and a chance to play on a team that can actually contend for a championship."

"Who's looking at him?"

"San Antonio, Boston and Denver mainly."

"You really think he's gonna go for the trade?"

Haley nodded.

"Today if he could."

"Well, this is his third season in the NBA. It's not like he's gonna want to stay on the same team forever. God, I wish Broody would get traded but this is his first year so I guess we see where it goes."

Haley sighed.

"The first year is always the toughest."

"Amen to that."

"Have you, um, have you talked to Peyton lately?"

Brooke nodded.

"We spent some time together when I was in Tree Hill."

"How is she? How is Jake? Nathan and I call and we write but they don't respond. We haven't seen them since the funeral."

"It's been a hard year. They're just now getting their lives and their marriage back on track but I think they're gonna make it or at least I hope so. Like you said, that first year is always the hardest."

The girls watched then cheered as the players took to the floor for warm ups. After the singing of the National Anthem, the starting line ups were introduced and after much applause and anticipation, the brothers who were best friends hugged and bumped fists before taking the court.

The game remained close during the first half. There were eight other men on the floor but most of the time and to the fans' delight, it was more like a one on one match up. Both brothers played hard and Nathan had been doing a good job of manning the defense as well as getting to the line. On his fifth free throw attempt, he sank the ball to put the Supersonics up 51 to the Bulls' 47. After a lane violation, Chicago won the jump ball and Lucas put an exclamation point on it by sinking a three pointer from mid court where he had been triple teamed by Seattle. It was a tough, close game and a valiant effort put forth by both teams. At half time, the reporters clamored to get statements from both Scott men. An out of breath Lucas jogged over to WGN while Nathan chatted it up with ABC.

"Luke, this is the second month of the first season in your pro career and your first long awaited match up with your little brother in the NBA. The Bulls are only down by one and you have home court advantage. Your brother is third in the league in scoring and now it appears today he has brought his defensive game as well. Tell me, what can you guys do to keep this team at bay in the third and fourth quarters?"

"We've just got to stay with them, bring our defense as well but at the same time not let the offense go by the wayside. Making unforced turnovers is killing us as well. At this point, neither team can afford to make careless mistakes."

"Growing up in Tree Hill, North Carolina playing with your brother as a Raven and then as Rival Hurricanes and Cavaliers, how does this day measure up and what are your thoughts on Nathan?"

"My brother is a phenomenal player and I'm damned proud of him. He always brings it and it's a pleasure to get out here and mix it up whether it's in the Whitey Durham Field House, in college, in the NBA or on the River Court back home. He's tough and it's gonna be a hell of a game but we're both thrilled and excited and just incredibly blessed to be here and have this opportunity."

"Thanks, Lucas and good luck in the second half."

"Thanks, man."

Lucas walked towards the locker room but his breath was coming in radical spurts. His pace had slowed to that of a turtle's as he leaned down and gasped for air, his face red and contorted.

"What's wrong with Luke?" Haley asked concerned.

Brooke stood up.

"I don't know. He's been short of breath the past few weeks. It keeps getting worse. I made an appointment for him to see this respiratory therapist but he totally blew it off."

His wife and sister in law weren't the only ones to see he was in distress.

"Luke?" Nathan ran over to him.

"I…I'm fine, man."

"You sure? Dude, you look like ass…"

Before Lucas could respond, his eyes rolled back in his head and he hit the floor with a thud. Pandemonium erupted as coaches, players and cameramen bombarded the floor. With a weak pulse and shallow breathing, he was rushed immediately to the nearest hospital. Inside, police protection shielding the family from the intrusive media and the fans, Nathan and Haley sat anxiously in the private waiting area after Brooke had been summoned in the back by the attending physician. Haley held her husband's hand as he was silent but his eyes told a whole other story of fear and worry. Finally, Brooke emerged as Nathan and Haley stood. Their stomachs did flip flops as they saw a glimpse of her tear stained face.

"It…it's not good", she whispered.

"Brooke?" Nathan asked.

"He…he, um, Luke has…"

She couldn't even get the words out.

"HCM", Haley finished for her in a whisper.

Both Nathan and Brooke turned to her surprised.

"HCM?" Nathan repeated. "That's what Dad had."

"You knew?" Brooke asked.

"No", Nathan shook his head. "We took tests. Both of ours came back negative, so did Keith's."

Haley sighed.

"Lucas tested positive but he didn't want anyone to know and he didn't want to give up basketball or a normal life, for that matter. So he used Keith's negative results letter and just changed the name."

"You knew this?" Nathan asked in disbelief.

"Yes", Haley nodded.

"How long?" Brooke demanded.

"Ever since the beginning of our senior year in high school. I caught him stealing from the register of the café to pay for his meds. Then they started hindering his physical performance, which is a side effect of the medication so he stopped taking it altogether."

"Oh my God", Brooke threw her hands up. "Why didn't you say anything? All these years…"

"Brooke, I'm sorry. It wasn't my place. I begged Lucas to tell you all and I begged him to take his medicine. He refused. He didn't want to give up the life he had."

Brooke scoffed.

"Well, thanks to you and your silence, he almost didn't have a life. My husband, my 22 year old husband just suffered a heart attack, Haley."

"Brooke…" she reached out to her.

"Don't touch me!" the angry brunette pulled away. "In fact, don't even talk to me!"

With that, she stormed off.

"Oh my God", Haley began to cry. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen…"

"I can't believe you knew", Nathan shook his head. "All this time."

"I'm sorry. Look…"

"You weren't protecting him, Hales, you were just helping him slowly kill himself."

"Nathan…"

"I thought we agreed no more secrets between us in this marriage but you had the biggest one of all. Makes me wonder what else you're hiding."

He shook his head and walked away, leaving his tearful wife alone. Down the hall, Brooke made her way to the room where her husband was being treated. He was hooked up to tubes and machines and IVs, but he was alive and conscious. A tear fell from his eye as he stared absently at the wall.

"It's all over, Brooke", he whispered.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked through tears.

He tried to shrug.

"Because. I don't know. Of all the things to inherit from Dan, that's what I got? His degenerative heart disease? Do you know how that made me feel? All my life, he and Nathan had everything and I had nothing…nothing but basketball and a dream. I couldn't let that go. I couldn't let him take that from me as well. Don't you see? I wanted a life, Brooke, my dreams…"

"Your dreams and this ridiculous pride almost cost you your life. Lucas! Damn you. How could you be so reckless? And what about me?"

"What about you?"

"I love our life but the money and the fame and the clothes…none of it means anything without you. I almost became a widow today. Luke, I'm 22 years old for God's sake. We should be planning for the holidays and vacations, not funerals. Do you have any idea how that makes me feel? Do you know how terrified I was watching you collapse on the floor?"

"Brooke…"

"You had a heart attack! You could have died. And for what? Because you want to put a ball through a stupid hoop?"

"It's not like that. Dammitt, Brooke it's more. So much more."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I knew you wouldn't have understood. I knew you'd freak out just like you're freaking out now."

"I am freaking out because I came within an inch of losing the love of my life today forever. Not only did you keep this horrible secret from me, you risked everything."

"I'm not sorry", he whispered.

"What?"

"I said I'm not sorry."

"Lucas!"

"I've known about the heart condition ever since I was 17. Dan knew, too. He paid for my medication at first because it was so expensive. And he kept my secret. But after I found the ledger and he knew Andy and I were gonna take him down, he left me on my own. Brooke, it was like two hundred and fifty bucks a month and I couldn't let Mom know because she would have been worried and freaked out and that would have been the end of basketball. I thought I could play but the pills were messing me up. So I made a decision one day and tossed out the prescription."

"So in other words, you decided to wing it basically?"

"Yes."

Brooke laughed in spite of the dire situation.

"We're talking about your life here."

"I know what we're talking about, Brooke. And it's been a great life. I wouldn't trade or change anything. I had you and I had the college experience and I even had the NBA. It was only a few months but I was an NBA player."

"Luke…"

"I'm sorry but if I could do it all over again, I would, the exact same way. My only regret is that it's over now."

"It is over. The doctor is going to put you back on the HCM pills and medication or no medication, you'll never get medically cleared to play sports ever again."

"I know. Basically my life is over."

She reached out for his hand with her own.

"It's not over. Far from it. Your career, it was a brilliant one, but basketball shouldn't define your life."

Lucas looked at her.

"What if something happened to you? What if your business was taken away? What if you couldn't design anymore? All that you love and that you've worked for…how would you feel if it were snatched away from you tomorrow?"

Brooke shrugged.

"It would suck. I'd be angry and hurt and disappointed…but I'd get over it. Because I'd feel damned lucky just to be alive and more importantly, I'd have you. That can get me though anything. Like I said before, none of the material things mean anything, life doesn't mean anything if I don't have you here alive by my side to share it with."

Lucas bit his lip.

"What am I gonna do? I don't want to be an invalid. Your career is soaring. I'm so proud of you because babe, pretty soon, you're gonna be the most well known designer in the world."

"If that happens, I share that with you."

"I don't want to be a mooching house husband."

"It's not like that. It won't be like that. You have a college degree in Architectural Engineering from the University of Miami. You can get a regular job. The sky is the limit, babe. And if you don't want a regular job, then there are plenty of jobs you can do with sports. You could be a trainer or a manager, an agent, a broadcaster…Lucas, it might feel like it but nothing is over. It's just a new beginning. You're closing one chapter and opening another but whatever happens, however you feel, good or bad, I'm here. That's what a marriage is all about. You're my husband, I'm your wife and I love you. We'll get through this together."

Lucas looked away, tears of heartbreak, shame and regret spilling from his blue eyes.

"I feel like it's all slipping away somehow. I feel like less of a man."

"Nothing is slipping away, not unless you let it. It's going to be okay. I promise you that, Lucas."

"I love you", he whispered to her.

She wiped his tears as well as her own as she leaned forward, resting her head on his chest as he held her and they cried together.

"For better or worse, in sickness and in health. I love you, too, Lucas Scott."