Lucas rolled both his shoulders and tried to massage the tension out of his neck. He was a little out of practice but the familiarity of the ball under his fingertips felt good, it felt like home. Whenever he had a crappy day or didn't feel like facing the world, the Rivercourt was his hideaway. It wasn't really a secret that on most days, Lucas Scott could be found here playing basketball with his friends or alone, depending on his mood. This is where Lucas liked to mull over all the dumb decisions he'd made and he had made quite a few this year. He sat down on the picnic bench beside the river and took in a deep breath as he stretched out his quads and calves. At least he had Brooke back now - losing her was probably the biggest mistake he'd made so far so he had a lot of making up to do.
Lucas's thoughts turned to Dan and his sudden departure from Tree Hill. He knew that Nathan blamed him for Dan leaving, although he probably would never say so which hurt Lucas even more because Nathan usually told him exactly what he thought of him. He had been wondering lately if things might have turned out differently if Lucas hadn't decided to bring his father down. Had he been able to let go of his anger towards the man who had so cruelly rejected him his whole life, would he have formed a relationship with him? Would Dan still be with Deb and would Nathan have stayed with them? Lucas couldn't help but feel that it was his fault that Deb would have to raise a baby by herself and Nathan had lost his father. Would everything have worked out if he hadn't betrayed Dan? Lucas had been torturing himself with that question ever since Dan had discovered his deceit.
However, despite all the guilt, Lucas was actually relieved that Dan was out of his life. He wouldn't have to see the man every day and wonder if Dan still wished that he had been nothing more than a 'stain on the bed sheet', as Nathan had once put it. Now all he had to do was find a way to put the pieces back together with his brother. Lucas didn't know if he could forgive Nathan for not telling him about Keith. He had spent the whole summer wanting Nathan to forgive him but now that the shoe was on the other foot, Lucas wasn't sure if them being friends was even a good idea. It was funny - a year ago had a stranger asked if he had any siblings, Lucas would have said he was an only child without a second thought and Nathan would have done the same. It was funny how quickly he had come to consider Nathan his brother after so many years hating and resenting him and that he would now automatically answer that same question with 'yes, I have a brother.' When they had become friends, Lucas discovered just how alike they were despite the fact that they were complete opposites.
Lucas decided there and then that he wouldn't do this anymore. He had tried his best to get along with Nathan, but it just wasn't working. When he left here, he would go to his mother and Deb and explain to them that he had tried but he just couldn't live in that apartment anymore. He was sick and tired of living in a war zone and they would have to accept that he had tried.
Lucas bent down and re-tied his shoelaces and then stood up and stretched out his muscles again. He began to jog around the court but didn't seem too concerned when after only three laps, he struggled to catch his breath. Pushing on, Lucas's chest started to feel a little tight so he stopped at the bench and took a few sips from his water bottle.
Suddenly, Lucas lurched forward as a sharp pain seared through his chest. He grabbed the bench for support but the pain was too great and caused his legs to turn to jelly and he dropped to his knees. Frantically searching his pockets, Lucas cursed himself for leaving his cell phone in his bedroom. He tried to keep calm and breathe but the fire in his chest continued and he couldn't pull himself up. Finally, Lucas couldn't bear the pain anymore and allowed himself to collapse to the ground, letting out a small cry before blacking out.
Nathan increased the volume on his MP3 player as he jogged down by the river a little bit later than he usually did. His hangover had made him sleep late, awakened only for Haley pounding on the front door. He was still pretty pissed about the fight they had especially since he no longer had to answer to her. She wasn't his wife anymore - he didn't owe her anything and it was so frustrating that she would defend Lucas before even hearing his side of the story. Nathan was sick of all the fights lately, especially the ones with Lucas, they were making him crazy. The only person he didn't seem to be fighting with was Peyton, in fact, they were getting along better than they ever had but even that had to end at some point. If he and Lucas couldn't be around each other, soon their friends would have to choose between them and Nathan was pretty sure that they would take Lucas's side. Now that Lucas and Brooke were back together, Peyton would surely go where Brooke went and Haley, well, it was obvious where her loyalties lay.
Since moving into the apartment, Haley had been around a lot so he had been forced to spend more and more time with her and it had been great. It was like they were starting over and Nathan had started to believe that they might be able to be friends. It seemed a good starting point, he knew better than to jump in too fast, but he had actually begun to hope.
Continuing on his run, Nathan found himself heading in the direction of the Rivercourt, a place that he personally had no great affection for as he preferred to play indoors, under the glare of the lights, the screaming of the fans and the watchful eyes of scouts. However, he had some good times down at this court with the guys just goofing around. Dan hated it when Nathan played down here, he too preferred the gymnasium along with the fame and glory. Nathan wondered if Dan had ever come down here with his friends just to blow off some steam and have a little fun. Probably not. Dan Scott didn't class basketball as fun, it was a way of life, a one way ticket to success and happiness. Although it had never worked out that way for either of them. It didn't bring Dan happiness at all, it made him bitter and obsessive - it made him push and push until Nathan had finally cracked under the pressure and overdosed on amphetamines and it still wasn't good enough for Dan Scott.
Relief filled Nathan when he had finally read his father's letter. He read the apologies and explanations and knew that they were bullshit. However, he understood what Dan wanted him to do and he would do it. It would be difficult and he would have to swallow his pride but when he was ready, he would do it. The relief was overwhelming when Dan had left and Nathan had realised that he was finally free. Okay, he was emancipated from his parents anyway, but now he was truly free from the constant shadow at his back that was Dan Scott. It was exhilarating, a guilty pleasure that he would admit only to himself. He did however feel sad for his mother and he truly hoped that she didn't feel alone in all of this, especially with the baby on the way. Nathan made sure she knew that he wasn't going anywhere and that she and the baby could rely on him now. He still saw the sadness in Deb's eyes when she thought he wasn't looking and Nathan was determined to make that sadness go away.
As he approached the Rivercourt, Nathan swore under his breath for not bringing his basketball. Practice would be starting up again when they got back to school and he knew how behind he was. Getting closer, he saw that there was already a ball lying in the middle of the court. Some of the guys must have been here earlier and left it behind. Nathan thought as he bent down to pick it up.
Nathan froze as he glanced toward the picnic table a few feet behind him and saw Lucas lying on the ground. Nathan's feet were glued to the ground as his first thought was 'What the hell is he doing?" but his body soon caught up with his brain and he rushed toward his brother.
"Lucas!" he shouted as he tried to shake him awake. When Lucas didn't respond, Nathan pulled his phone from his pocket and dialled 911. He quickly explained the situation to the operator and as he waited for the ambulance, Nathan struggled to remember what he didn't bother listening to during the First Aid course they took in school last semester. He felt for Lucas's pulse and sighed with relief when he found it. It was really faint but it was there. He attempted compressions on his chest but he punched the ground and shouted in frustration when he realised that he had no idea what he was doing. After what seemed like a lifetime, the paramedics finally arrived and questioned Nathan as they tried help his brother.
"Do you know if he's taken anything?" one of them asked. Nathan stared blankly at Lucas before registering that he was being spoken to.
"No. I just got here and found him like this but he definitely hasn't taken anything. He doesn't do drugs. He 's not that kind of guy. He doesn't even drink. Is he ok? What's wrong with him?" The paramedics ignored him as they lifted the stretcher into the ambulance.
"Are you his friend?" the other paramedic asked a panic-stricken Nathan.
Nathan shook his head "No, I'm his brother." he said as he climbed into the ambulance next to Lucas.