Alone in the dark room, with only the monotonous beeping of the heart monitor as company, Lucas opened his eyes and allowed them to adjust to the darkness. He noticed a shadow in the corner beside the door and he jolted as the shadow began to move toward him. Suddenly, his father's face appeared beside him, his movements cat-like and silent. Lucas didn't feel comfortable, something about this scene wasn't right. Hadn't Dan left Tree Hill? he thought. The menacing look in Dan's eyes scared Lucas which was unusual because Lucas had never been afraid of Dan. He tried to speak but was surprised to find that no sound came out.
Dan reached out and placed his palm against Lucas's cheek. A chill ran down Lucas's spine and he flinched at the coldness of his father's hand. Dan moved his free hand towards Lucas's neck and he placed his thumb lightly against his throat. Lucas tried to move his arms and sit up but his body was glued to the bed, his voice failing him again. Dan's thumb pressed a little harder against Lucas's windpipe and a friendly smile crossed his face. Lucas looked up into his father's eyes, pleading with him to stop. He heart began to race and he struggled to catch his breath as Dan increased the pressure around his neck. Lucas's panic rose as Dan's form began to grow distant, the room becoming more dark. Finally Lucas found his voice, though he still couldn't scream. "Dan, no! Dan please stop!". The world was getting darker and Lucas finally gave in, blackness engulfing him.
His eyes fluttered open, the light in the room blinding him for a moment. Lucas was surprised to find it wasn't Dan hovering over him anymore, but his mother, shaking him and calling his name. "Lucas, Lucas wake up. Wake up honey."
"Mom?" Lucas croaked
"It's ok, I'm here. You were just having a nightmare."
Lucas was fully alert now, although confused by his surroundings. He was silent for a few moments until he remembered what had happened.
"You were talking in your sleep, you haven't done that since you were little."
"What was I saying?"
"It sounded like, 'Dad please stop' but I could have misheard."
Lucas turned away from his mother, he didn't want her to see how much the dream had shaken him. "I don't even remember it." he shrugged, hoping Karen wouldn't see through his lie.
A moment of awkward silence passed before Lucas finally spoke. "So, I guess you know about the HCM?"
"Yes I know. I know everything - I figured that it was the reason you moved in with Dan. It all makes so much sense now. He was paying for your medication because you knew I couldn't afford it.. But what I can't figure out is why you didn't tell me." Karen fought against the urge to raise her voice, but her anger and disappointment was written all over her face.
"What can I say? Nothing I say is going to change anything. What's done is done. I'm still going to have HCM and I'm still going to live my life the way I want to." Lucas said stubbornly.
"How can you say that Lucas? You almost died! Hell, you did die! For a whole minute, Lucas, you were dead! That means that some things have to change, because I couldn't go on if you weren't here. What am I supposed to do without you?" Karen was sobbing now, the exhaustion and frustration of the last 48 hours now catching up with her. Lucas couldn't say anything, he hated it when his mother was upset, hated it even more when he was the one who made her upset. "Lucas, there are so many people who love you and can't bear the thought of losing you. Brooke, Haley, Nathan. . ." Lucas snorted at the mention of his brother. "Yes, even Nathan. He's the one who found you Lucas, he saved your life. What about Deb and the baby? You're going to have a sister, don't you want to see her grow up? And what if you have children of your own? Would you deprive them of a father because you're too selfish to make a few sacrifices in your life? I think you and Brooke have a future together and I find it hard to believe that you would jeopardise that." Karen sat back and sighed, exasperated.
"Mom, I'm sorry. I just want a normal life. I don't want to have to worry that if I do something that it might kill me. I don't want to live that way."
"Your life doesn't have to stop because of this, Lucas. There's plenty you can still do. Your life will be normal. You just can't play sports competitively anymore, but Dr Harte doesn't see any reason why you can't do all the things a normal 17 year old boy does."
"But don't you understand mom? Playing competitively is my life! It's what I've spent all these years working toward. It's what's going to get me through college. Basketball is who I am." Lucas looked pleadingly at his mother, begging to be understood.
"Basketball is not who you are Lucas, where is this coming from? You've never said this before now, there were always more important things in your life other than the game. Why is it suddenly so important now? And as for college, Lucas it's your intelligence that's going to get you through college. When did you start to doubt that? Who you are is the quiet kid who could always be found in the corner of the library reading Joyce or Poe, or building a miniature golf course with his best friend. You're the kid who encouraged his mother to go to Florence and New Zealand and go after what she wanted. Basketball just happened along the way. Basketball is what you do, not who you are." Karen's eyes were glistening, her tears subsiding. She smiled brightly at her boy. "And there's so much more you can do."
Lucas sighed, and attempted a smile. He knew she was right, but it was still so difficult to accept. He couldn't help feeling that his life was never going to be the same again, that it wasn't going to turn out the way he wanted to.
There was a knock on the door and Karen wiped her eyes and stood back from the bed, looking toward the door as Nathan entered. He smiled awkwardly at Karen and nodded at Lucas. "I'm sorry, am I interrupting?"
"No not at all, Nate. I'm just going to get something to eat. I haven't eaten in 2 days, I'm starved. I'll leave you boys to it." Karen grinned at both boys and made a speedy exit.
"So how are you feeling?" Nathan approached the chair that Karen had vacated and sat down.
"Like I just had a heart attack. Mom told me that you were the one who found me. For someone who didn't pay attention during the CPR class, I heard you did pretty good. Thanks."
Nathan smiled a little easier this time. "I didn't know what the hell I was doing so I just started pounding on your chest."
"An easy way to get in some free punches, huh?"
"Yeah…" Nathan leaned back in the chair and looked around the room, noticing the cards and flowers that had quickly engulfed the entire area surrounding his brother. The scene was all too familiar. "I think nature is trying to tell us something. You and me between us have four hospitalisations in less than a year. You think the world wants rid of the Scotts?"
Lucas smiled and pondered his brother's question. "Maybe. But I think the Scott's are too damn stubborn to let the world win."
"And competitive, and hot-headed." Nathan added.
"Speak for yourself - I'm the level headed one." Lucas defended himself.
"So says the guy who jumped me in the middle of class and punched out his ex's new boyfriend at the opening of his mother's club."
"Both of you deserved it." Lucas argued, enjoying the playful banter that they used to have.
"I won't argue with that." Nathan paused and shifted uncomfortably in the hard plastic seat. "The last few days, I've been thinking." Lucas made a face which Nathan chose to ignore. "You and I never really got the best start - even before we knew we were brothers we didn't get along. At the risk of sounding really cheesy, what do you think about starting over? Pretend the last 17 years haven't happened?"
Lucas laughed and let out a long, exasperated sigh. "Never gonna happen." Nathan looked up, frowning, his eyes darkening when he realised Lucas wasn't joking. "Nate, our past is our past - it can't be erased. We just have to move on, leave it behind us. We learn from our mistakes and try not to make them again. We have a weird relationship but it can be worked on."
"Dude, you are so gay. Our 'relationship'?" Nathan laughed. "Man, I bet you're gonna be a shrink or something."
Lucas feigned offence and shot back. "Very funny, jerk-off. Better than selling cars at Daddy's dealership."
"Yeah well when I'm running Scott Motors and playing for the Bobcats, you'll be wiping the windscreens of my Merc and Escolade. And FYI, that's Mommy's dealership now."
"Nah, I'll be listening to your kids whine about how their daddy doesn't listen to them and charging you $500 an hour for the trouble."
Both boys erupted in laughter and gradually fell into an easy silence. Nathan finally stood to leave and playfully punched Lucas's shoulder. "I better get going, but I'll be by tomorrow. If you, like, need a kidney or something, you got it."
"How about a spare heart?" Lucas kidded.
"Nope, someone already took the only one I've got and she ain't giving it back." Nathan winked and slipped out of the door leaving Lucas wondering.
A/N Sorry about the short chapter, the next one's will be longer I swear.
Coming up: Lucas's surgery, Deb's troubled birth, Nathan's secret.