Disclaimer : I don't own the rights to anything Except the storylines.
This is part one of two different chapters.
"Madison"? Haley asked, confused by the teenager's presences as she stood in the doorway. "Come on".
Madison stepped over the threshold, to find Nathan sitting on the couch watch television and Jamie sitting at the table—doing what looked to be his homework. The Scott men shared a glance, Nathan presumably seeing if Jamie knew she was going to stop by but found his son just as shocked as he was.
"I know it's so late," Madison said, as Haley shut the door behind them. "But, I was wondering if someone could give me a ride home".
"Is something wrong with your car"? Jamie asked, sterling into the living room—having got up from the kitchen table.
"No, I let Lily borrow it and she never came back," Madison told him. "Your house is much closer than mine, and I prayed one of you was still awake as I closed the café".
"I thought she worked the same shift as you—where did Lily go"? Haley asked Madison.
"The hospital—we were working and there were some construction workers over at the graveyard digging her dad up but I guess it wasn't her dad—".
"Oh" Nathan said, his eyes wide. "She found out about Keith"?
"I thought Uncle Luke was going to tell her"? Jamie asked his father.
"He was, but I guess he didn't get around to it—".
"Hold on," Madison said interrupting the two men. "You knew"? She asked her boyfriend, who nodded slowly. "And you didn't tell her"?
"Luke asked me not to".
"Okay, so what about me"? Madison asked, folding her arms. "You didn't think to tell me—Lily is my best friend, her dad is alive and you didn't tell me"?
"Oh, don't do that," Jamie said, holding his hand up shaking his head. "It's almost midnight, I'm not up for where this heading—I had basketball practice and then I had to change the oil in my car and I still have to finish my history report don't make this an argument, I was asked to make certain that Lily didn't find out until Uncle Luke told her and I just thought—".
"So, you thought you couldn't trust me"?
"I never said that," Jamie said holding his hands up in defense. "Baby, I never said that—I trust you".
"So, why didn't you tell me? That's a pretty large piece of information that you kept from me—".
"Oh, my god—Maddie. Please, stop. This was not my information to share".
"It concerns your family, which for years you have told me I was apart of—unless that was a lie"?
"What's happening here"? Jamie asked, running his hand down his face. "Is it your time of the month or something"?
"Oh, God," Nathan said, as he sunk down into his recliner gulping down his beer.
"Excuse me"? Madison asked, walking near Jamie—her face red and her eyes narrowing at her boyfriend. "I'm a woman—and I'm upset so it must be that? Is that it"?
Jamie, lost—confused, and to be honest complete frightened looked around the room, his eyes looking at his father first.
"Oh, hell no," Nathan said, as he opened another beer. "I can't help you" he whispered. "That was straight out of dumbass 101".
"I didn't say that—I just meant that—you are clearly upset—".
"I clearly am but just because I'm upset doesn't mean I'm on my period" Madison yelled at him. "Just because you have one doesn't mean you need to be a dick".
Jamie paused, and once more put his foot in his mouth when he said: "isn't that really the same thing I just asked you—but in reverse"?
Nathan moaned—as if he was watching a movie he just didn't want to watch because he knew how it ended, and he tapped his head against the neck of his beer bottle.
"You know," Haley said, shaking her head—as she intervened before there was a blood bath in her living room, knowing how late it was and she just didn't want to clean up the mess. "I'll drive you home, Maddie".
"Thank you, Haley," Madison said.
The two women waltzed out the door, but not before Madison shot Jamie a dirty look as she did so.
Jamie plopped down in the middle of the couch and ran his hands up and down his legs, still confused as he watched the headlights of his moms car disappear through the window.
"I'm just curious—do you hear yourself when you talk or is it just like radio static"? Nathan asked as he muted the television. "Son, I love you and I think you're a very smart young man—but that was the dumbest thing you could have ever done".
"Hey, this is Lily—leave it at the beep" Lucas heard through the speaker once again.
"Hey, where are you? I'm starting to get worried" Lucas said, leaving his sixth message of the night on his sister's voicemail. "It's ten till one, and you got off work at eleven, if you could just let me know that you're—".
Lucas heard the door open and turned his head around the corner to see his baby sister shutting the door behind her. He quickly ended the call he was on and rushed to the living room.
"Are you okay"? Lucas asked as he approached Lily, who looked physically fine—emotionally a mess.
"Yeah," she said, sniffling looking up at her brother, with bloodshot eyes from the number of tears she had shed in the past six hours of her life.
"You don't look fine—what's going on"?
"Nothing" she snapped at her brother.
"You come home over an hour past curfew and you look—".
"How long have you known my dad is alive"?
Lucas froze, and he swallowed hard as he looked down at Lily, her appearance suddenly making perfect sense. "Did Jamie tell you"?
Lily looked as though she had been stabbed in the heart at her brother's question. "Jamie—he knew"?
Lucas ran his fingers through his hair, nervously "I was just trying to protect you. I wanted to get more answers before I told you, I'm—I'm sorry".
"No," Lily said, through her teeth. "You don't get to do that! He was—is not your dad, he is mine! How dare you, how dare you keep this from me. This was not your right! I hate you"!
"Lily".
"No" she screamed, looking at her brother. "I hate you! Do you hear me? I hate you. At least now I know what he felt like—when he was shot. I know how he felt to be betrayed by his own flesh and blood—mom was wrong. She always told me that we both took after him but she was wrong. I'm like my dad—and you like yours. You are just like Dan Scott".
Lily turned on her heel to storm away, to her room or the end of the universe she wasn't sure, but Lucas grabbed her wrist—not allowing her to move.
"Lily, I can explain—".
"I don't care what your excuse is—you should have told me" Lily yelled jerking her wrist out of her brothers grasp and hitting him in the chest with the palms of her hands—and again. And again. "I hate you, Lucas—I hate you".
Lucas wrapped his arms around his sister in an attempt to contain his sister's abuse, but he failed.
At first.
Lily pushed away from Lucas with all the strength a sixteen-year-old girl could, and turned facing away from him, but he never let go of her.
"I hate you," Lily said, breaking down in tears giving in to fighting her brother off leaning her back against him. "I never want to see you again—I hate you, so much".
"I didn't do this to protect you," Lucas told her, as Lily heard him sniffle—but refused to admit that her brother was capable of crying."I needed to get answers first and he still has surgery—I didn't want to tell you if he didn't make it out of it".
"And that's exactly why you should have told me," Lily said, finally releasing herself from Lucas grasp, turning back around to face him. "You knew your dad—despite the type of person he was. I deserved to know about mine, Keith is my dad. You're not. I'm going to the hospital and I'm not leaving until he does. I will stay there with Deb, I only came here because I borrowed Madison's car and she is asleep. I'm picking her up in the morning and then I'm going back—and I'm not leaving".
"You have school, Lily".
"I don't care—I'm not losing another minute with my father".
One and a half day later. Saturday. Mid-day.
"Here is her bag," Lucas told Deb as he handed her a small duffel as they stood in the hall of the hospital. "How is she doing"?
"She hasn't left his side," Deb told him. "Only when she has to go to the bathroom, we both showered in the resident's locker room".
"Okay, and she is eating"?
Deb nodded, "We both have a love for Japanese food," she told him.
Lucas nodded—listening to her talk as he shoved his hands in his pockets.
"It's going to be okay," Deb said, rubbing Lucas' arm. "She is upset—but she will get over it. I promise".
"She compared me to Dan—I have never been compared to Dan except for my heart condition".
"You act like you wasn't once a teenager that would say the most hurtful thing to your mom when she pissed you off," Deb told him. "Lily is sixteen and she is hurt. She just found out her dad, who she thought was dead for sixteen years is alive and—".
"I should have been the one to tell her. She shouldn't have found out—not like that".
Deb looked up at Lucas who stood taller than her knowing there were a million different things she could say but until Lily forgave him if she forgave him, would he ever be able to forgive himself. Therefore none of the things inside Deb's head were going to help him, not right now.
"Go home, Lucas" Deb said rubbing his arm once more for comfort. "Try to get some rest, and try to not be so hard on yourself".
She said it like it was possible, but knowing that it wasn't.
Deb lightly hugged Lucas before walking away and making her way back to Keith's hospital room. Lily laid on the visitor's couch in the corner, flipping through channels on the television.
"Your brother—he brought this" Deb said walking in sitting the duffel bag down on the small table in the corner.
"Did you tell him what I asked"? Lily asked as she turned the muted the volume tossing the remote to the side.
"No," Deb said sliding her hands into her back pocket. "I opted not to tell him to crawl up his own ass and die".
"Shame".
Deb walked around the bed that unconscious Keith laid in, pulling the chair that sat next to the bed, placing it in front of the couch, and sitting down in it—looking at Lily. She took her hand with her left and rubbed the top with her right.
"I know you're upset with Lucas—but—".
"There is no but, there is no excuse for what he did," Lily said, fighting the tears in her eyes. "None. Zero. Zilch. Naught—".
"I got it," Deb said letting go of her hand as she sat back in her chair. "So, what's your logic in being angry with Lucas and still speaking to me? What I did is much worse"!
"Not the way I see it," Lily said, folding her arms. "Whose to say if you haven't done what you did then Dan could have proceeded in killing him. He could have bribed a doctor or hired a hitman or something".
"Oh, to be inside a teenagers mind," Deb said. "When you picture Dan is surrounded by a large Mafia or the cast of The Godfather"?
Lily rolled her eyes.
"Lucas meant well—he was just trying to protect you".
"He should have told me. Period".
Deb day back, knowing it was like arguing with a wall.
"You know, you're a lot like Keith".
"I am"? Lily asked, her face lightening up. "How"?
"Stubborn and sarcastic".
"Are you ready—yet"? Haley asked Peyton as she continued sitting in the living room of the house her two best friends shared, flipping through a magazine Brooke had lying on the table. "I've seen your wardrobe—it's ninety percent black, either way, you're going to look like you're going to a funeral".
"Got to love the support of close friends and family" Peyton called sarcastically from the other room.
Haley tossed the magazine to the side and stood up walking around the couch. "It's ten past two, and we have reservations at four".
"Why are we leaving so early again"?
"We are eating at the restaurant before we go to the play" Haley explained. "And the play starts at seven, we have to get there on time—but when you include ordering food, waiting on food, eating, leaving, driving from the restaurant to the theater which takes forty-five minutes, parking— factoring in an extra thirty minutes in case of some unforeseen circumstance we will arrive precisely at six fourth seven".
"If you are this organized in every aspect of your life, I really feel bad for Nathan," Peyton said, as she walked out of her bedroom. "Missionary at twenty hundred hours, done by twenty-ten," she said pumping her fist across her chest. "Solid work—same thing tomorrow night".
Peyton who was smiling, because she thought her joke was simply hilarious, looked across from her at Haley—who was not smiling.
Instead, Haley stood with her arms crossed and eyes narrowed at Peyton—"do you think you're cute"? She asked, raising an eyebrow at her blonde friend.
"I'm adorable".
"You look like you're in mourning, but let's go".
"Alright," Nathan said walking into his bedroom followed by Jamie, who looked completely displeased by the afternoon he had ahead of him. "Emergency numbers are—".
"Nine one, one"? Jamie asked leaning against his parent's wall folding his arms.
"On the refrigerator," Nathan said as he slapped his watch on his wrist. "I left money for—".
"Drugs"?
"Food. The twins aren't big on pizza and Jude is lactose intolerant—don't forget that. He will be sick all night" Nathan told him. "And make sure to put Lydia's pull-ups on her before she goes to bed—she will argue with you and try to fight you on it, especially with Sawyer here but she is not to go to bed without it".
"Would you like a pen and paper, dear father"?
"Stop being a smart ass," Nathan said, snapping and pointing a finger at his father.
"It's not fair," Jamie said. "You all have sex and I have to give up my Saturday to watch your offsprings".
"Exactly, what did you have planned"? Nathan asked as he stepped into his closet in search of a jacket. "You're grounded".
"I planned not to spend twelve hours with three kids"! Jamie said. "You didn't even ask me"!
"Do you see my face"? Nathan asked leaning out of his closet pointing at his face. "This is me not caring".
Jamie rolled his eyes as his father stepped back into the closet.
"Dad it's not fair—I'm sixteen I shouldn't have to spend an entire night watching Disney and being stuck in the middle of an argument who is better Superman or Batman," Jamie said as Nathan walked back out of the closet sipping a jacket he had settled in for the night. "Which of course there is no question about".
Nathan nodded.
"Batman," the father and son both said, in union—the only thing the two seemed to agree upon.
"Can't you find someone else"? Jamie nearly begged. "Please? I'll wash your car for—a month? I'll do the dishes and—".
"You're doing all that for a month anyway," Nathan said smiling. "Face it, you have no bargaining chip. And" he said pointing a finger directly in his sons face "that car better not leave the driveway. I mean it unless there is an emergency. You order your food. You are not to have any company—or be on the phone".
"Dad".
"I mean it, James, I find out otherwise and you'll get an extra two wee—make that a month," Nathan told him crossing his arms. "And remember we have nanny cams, I can check anytime your mom has an app on her phone".
"God," Jamie said. "You just love ruining my life, don't you? I swear I hate it here".
"So, do I—who do we talk to about that"? Nathan asked, smiling as he rested a hand on each side of his son's shoulders.
Jamie tore away from his father and stormed out of his parent's bedroom swinging his foot up tapping their door frame lightly, leaving his dad alone.
"I swear—That boy is going to be the death of me," Nathan said as he grabbed his wallet and left.
"But, you'll go in with me"? Lucy asked as Brooke drove.
It felt as though Brooke had been driving forever, to Lucy, when in reality Mouth lived less than fifteen minutes away. She watched the trees as they passed, each one looking more like a blur than the last.
"Of course I will," Brooke told her.
"What do I call him? Mouth or Marvin"?
"That's up to you," Brooke told her.
"What if we have nothing to talk about? What do I say? What is he like"? Lucy asked frantically. "What if he doesn't like me? What if I do or say something to make him angry? What if—"?
"Calm down," Brooke told her. "First of all your dad is the calmest person in the world, I don't think I have seen him angry that often. Except, over when your mom released the time capsule—".
"What if I remind him too much of her"? She asked. "Are we certain that he is my dad"?
"To answer both of those questions— you look too much like Mouth and we got the DNA results back. He is, I showed you the papers and we are out of time for questions. Here we are".
Lucy looked away Brooke, who she had her eyes glued on for quite some time, to find they were parked. She swallowed as she looked around at the large brick house, in the middle of the suburbs, noticing the toys in the front yard and the name on the mailbox.
Brooke took her shaky hand "you have nothing to worry about. I promise. You traveled three thousand miles—for this. I'm right here, I promise".
Lucy nodded.
Though still nervous she opened her car door and slowly made her way towards the house, holding Brooke's hand tightly. When Brooke presses the doorbell, Lucy felt her breath catch inside her lungs—unable to let it out, and unable to look up at the door.
"Hey" she heard—Millie answered. "You two come in".
Lucy didn't look up, instead, she watched her feet as she walked. When she looked up the first thing she saw was Millie's arm as she wrapped her up in a hug, it was when she leaned away that she felt her heart nearly leave her body.
Next to Millie was a man, not really tall and looked a little dorky, but he was her dad. In his arms was a baby who was playing with a button on his father's shirt—their father's shirt.
"You told me pot roast used to be your favorite " Millie told Lucy.
Lucy nodded, slowly.
"I made that for dinner".
"Really"? Lucy asked, her voice low—considerably to be categorized as a whisper.
"Yes," Millie said, placing her hands on both of Lucy's shoulders. "I also spoke to the principal, they were finally able to get your previous school's records and unfortunately where you haven't been in school for so long you are quite behind".
"Don't worry" Brooke said. "You're not being made to go back to go back to the sixth grade".
"Fourth" Lucy whispered. "I ran away when I was twelve but I never went to school since fourth".
"That's what Principal Johnson told me but we have a solution," Millie told her. "Over the next few weeks, you are going to continue going to school but instead you will go to the tutor room and study. I will also help you, here or wherever. What they are going to do is test you every week until you are caught up, I hope you like reading".
Lucy nodded. "Ulysses".
"Ulysses"? Brooke asked.
"That's my favorite book".
"I don't think I have ever heard of it," Brooke said.
"It's a book from the twenties," Mouth told them. "It's one of my favorites, too".
Lucy looked up at the man who spoke, and she smiled.
"You only have a fourth-grade education and you read that"? Millie asked.
Lucy nodded. "I love to read".
"What are some of your other favorites"? Mouth asked her. "Top five"?
"Ulysses, To Kill a Mockingbird, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and The Harry Potter series," she said, her cheeks turning red as she told them the last one.
"Marvin here has the whole Harry Potter collection, hard copy, and paperback in the library," Millie said, elbowing her husband.
"You have your own library"? Lucy asked, her voice becoming higher for the first time since she had arrived.
"Yes," Mouth told her. "I can show you after dinner—if you'd like," he said, awkwardly.
Lucy nodded.
Brooke smiled as she looked over at Mouth and said: "looks like that McFadden blood trumped the Gatina blood".
Davis laughed, or cackled, as Jamie carried him through the house by his ankle. He thought the teenager was playing a game—he was not. He tossed "twin A" as he had been labeled on to the couch.
"Stay out of my room" Jamie pleaded, as the child giggled. "I meant it—it goes for all—where did they all go"?
"In your room" Davis giggles uncontrollably.
"Oh, my freaking god" Jamie said heading towards the staircase but stopped, briefly pointing at Davis "don't move an inch until I get back," he told him.
Jamie then turned and headed up the stairs—followed by Davis.
Just as he approached his bedroom Sawyer and Lydia ran out of it and down the hall, but just to be safe he peered in his bedroom to find Jude. At first, the teenager was livid but found the young boy sitting on his bed, his legs crossed looking down at a picture frame.
Jamie slowly approached to see it was the picture that he took with Julian.
"Hey," Jamie said, sitting on the bed next to him. "You okay"?
"Is this you"? Jude asked. "The little boy on my daddy's shoulders"?
Jamie nodded. "Yeah, that was in Utah I think your dad movie premiere or something," he told him. "I don't really remember I was young—around your age. I just remember the snow and having the best time—with Julian".
Jamie looked down at Jude who had his head dropped, and heard a small sniffle come from the small child.
"Hey," Jamie said placing his hand on the back of Jude's head to get his attention and when he looked up saw that he was in fact crying.
"The longer he is gone—the less I remember him," Jude said brushing tears off his face. "What if I get to be big—like you and I can't remember him anymore"? He asked hugging the picture frame.
"I swear I won't let that happen," Jamie told him. "Hey," he said looking down so Jude looked up at him. "I promise, okay"?
"How—how did he die"? Jude asked.
"Hasn't your mom talked to you about that"? Jamie asked knowing Brooke had to have told her children about their father.
"She said he fell asleep and didn't wake up," Jude said. "But, I don't understand".
Jamie ran his fingers through his hair, unsure if he should, in fact, tell the boy but he took the picture frame looking down at it. He ran his fingers over the outline of Julian—the man he always considered to be more than just Brooke's husband, he was family. He was his big brother.
"Your dad—he had—his heart quit" Jamie explained to him, silently praying Brooke didn't skin him alive for this. "He was young, and normally it's not something that would be a health concern for many, many years—the doctors told your mom that sometimes it just happens. You know? Unexplainable things happen, your dad was very healthy. But, one day his heart stopped, there is really no reason for it and I wish I could tell you why Judey—but I can't because even the doctors don't know".
Jude swallowed, hard but nodded. Jamie wasn't sure if he understood or not, in fact he wasn't sure if Jude really registered anything he had said.
"Come here," Jamie said standing up reaching for Jude's hand.
The child slipped his hand into Jamie's and followed him to the large walk-in closet in the bedroom, as Jamie flicked the light on.
"I have something that might help you remember your dad—a little better".
Jamie let go of the child's hand and looked through the shelf at the top of his closet for several minutes. "Ah," he said. "Here it is".
Jude watched with wonder as Jamie pulled a large box down and carried it out on to the bed. Jude followed him jumping on the bed next to the box, looking at it with wide eyes.
"I do this weird thing" Jamie explained to him. "Anytime I have lost someone important to me, I put everything I don't ever want to lose that I have of them in a fireproof box—this is your dads".
"My dad was important to you"?
"He was like a big brother to me," Jamie said, nodding. "I'm going to let you pick something out of here, okay? You can take it home and keep it but here's the catch—you have to take really good care of it and anytime you start to feel like this again you come to me and you can trade it for something else".
Jude watched as Jamie opened the large box, and he jumped on his knees to look inside. He wasn't smiling but Jamie could see how happy he was as he searched through the box.
"A baseball"?
"Yeah," Jamie said. "Your dad taught me to play baseball with that very ball—".
The two jumped at the sound of glass shattering on hardwood.
"Just so you know—you're my favorite," Jamie told Jude rubbing the top of his head. "Go through it, pick out anything and you can take it home with you I have to go see which of the satan spawns I'm going to glue to the wall".
Lucas walked through the graveyard, painfully noticing the freshly dug grave and the removal of Keith's headstone. He kept one hand in his pocket and he continued to walk, keeping his head down—much how he felt about his entire life at that moment.
"Never in a million years did I think I would be here—standing here, wish you were alive so that I could talk to you," Lucas said as he approached the headstone, of the man he had come to visit. "Dan".
"I thought you said they were meeting us here"? Peyton asked Haley as they waited outside of Karen's café.
"Jake said he would be here, and Nathan is bringing the car," Haley said, looking at the time on her phone.
Peyton looked from one end of the street to the other watching for Jake to arrive, but quickly realized she didn't know what type of vehicle he drove. The nerves she felt traveled all the way to her shaky hands, that she stuck inside the pockets of her leather jacket and down to her buckling knees—neither of which she noticed as she continued to eye every driver that passed.
But, Haley did. She noticed.
"What"? Peyton asked, turning her head from the road to her friend—who was giggling. "What's funny"?
"Nothing," Haley said, looking at the road smiling.
"You're laughing, what's funny"?
"It's just you—you're nervous. I don't think I have ever seen Peyton Sawyer nervous before, it's cute".
"Nervous"? Peyton asked tilting her head as if she didn't know. "I'm not nervous, why would I be nervous for"?
"I know that if something happened for Nathan and me to get a divorce, I would be nervous before my first date, too".
"Okay, first of all—don't ever say that," Peyton told her pointing. "If something ever happened to you two there would be no hope for love, for anyone. That's worse than the ending of titanic—and before you say anything smart yes I have watched it and yes I have a soul" she said. "Second it's not a date".
"It's a date".
"I'm casually going out with three friends, one of which just happens to be someone who I used to date but is not someone who I am presently dating".
"It's a date".
"No, we are all going out as friends—".
"And when Nathan and I get home tonight we are probably going to have hot steamy sex, so therefore it's a date for us," Haley said, turning to face Peyton. "Therefore—that makes this a double date".
"It's not a date".
"Peyton, I know I'm rusty," Haley said shrugging. "The last time I went on a first date was over seventeen years ago, but when you change your outfit six different times it's a date".
Peyton has a response ready like she always did for anything, but she was not admitting that this particular outing was a date. For many different reasons. However, she didn't get the chance to speak.
"Jake, you made it," Haley said.
Peyton whipped around facing the same direction that Haley was, to find Jake walking away from a car that he had parked on the corner.
"Hey, where is Nathan"? He asked as he joined the two girls.
"On his way," Haley told him. "Peyton here thought you were standing her up".
Peyton could feel her face turn flush.
"I did not," Peyton said, alarmingly quick. "Look, there is Nathan".
Nathan pulled up and three all hopped into the SUV, Haley sitting in the front with her husband—leaving Peyton and Jake in the back. Awkwardly.
"Sorry, it took so long," Nathan said, as he drove away.
"It's fine," Peyton said.
"Yeah" Jake agreed. "I just got here myself".
"Couldn't decide what to wear"? Haley asked, though teasing Peyton in doing so.
"I haven't even begun to unpack yet" Jake admitted. "I ended up going to the mall to pick an outfit up, didn't want to go to a nice place in wrinkled clothes".
"Is it the restaurant or the girl you're trying to impress"? Haley asked, smiling as she buckled herself in—knowing that she didn't need to turn around see her blonde friend attempting to hide behind her hands.
"Maybe a little bit both," Jake said, honestly.
Peyton slowly lowered her hands from her face and into her lap—for the first time actually grateful for Haley's charms.
"How was Sawyer when you left"? Peyton asked Nathan, in an attempt to change the conversation before it could escalate any more—by Haley she was certain.
"I put high school musical on before I left, all the kids were fine when I left," Nathan told her as he continued to drive. "Well, all but one".
"Who"?
"Our oldest" Nathan said, glancing over at Haley.
"Jamie—What was wrong"? Haley asked him.
"Oh, I am ruining his life and he hates it here".
Jake snickered. "Teen"?
"Sixteen—pain my ass," Nathan said.
"I don't miss those years, not in the least. Ever since Jenny has moved out we have got so much closer, where we don't see each other every day I think" Jake told him. "She calls at least six times a day and tells me everything that's going on in her life".
"I wish Jamie was like that" Nathan told him honestly. "We used to be so close when he was younger, now I'm half certain he hates me".
"I think they all get like that".
"He can't stand me, we were finally starting to get along again and then he got in trouble over this tattoo he got—I grounded him," Nathan told Jake. "He can't stand me".
"I wouldn't be so sure," Peyton said as she twiddled with her fingers in her seat.
"Peyton, you haven't seen him with me".
"You're right," Peyton told him. "He came to the label yesterday, and do you know what he and I talked about the whole time"?
"What's that"?
"You, Nathan," she said smiling. "He talked about you the whole time".
"Oh, you mean what a horrible father I am and how much he hates me? That doesn't really make me feel better".
"Not even close," she said leaning up halfway. "He looks up to you more than you will ever know, Nate. He has a tattoo for you, for God's sake".
"What"?
"I saw it yesterday, it's new. Maybe a couple of days"? Peyton said shrugging.
"I just grounded him over a tattoo and he got another one"? Nathan said angrily.
"He said he got it last weekend, you should have seen it when he showed you the one on his arm," Peyton said. "I have a picture of him on my phone, hold on".
After a minute Peyton handed Haley the phone "he was helping me move some things around my office and it got hot. The air is broken and I never got it fixed since it's almost winter" she explained.
Haley looked down at the picture, and on Jamies's chest right below his collar bone was yet another tattoo—a large crown, fit for a king, and underneath it read one word: Dad.
Haley zoomed in as close as she could without forcing the picture to blur to see Nathan's initials NRS inside the crown, and she smiled.
"My eyes went straight to the half sleeve," Haley said. "I didn't even notice that one, and I don't think he was going to point it out".
"Nathan said. "He stood upstairs in front of me without a shirt on for forty-five minutes, how did I not notice it"?
"Probably because you were to busy blowing the roof off the house, baby," Haley said, smirking earning an eye roll from her husband.
"He probably got it thinking it would lessen the blow when we found out about the others," Nathan said shrugging. "A kiss ass technique".
"Oh, my god" Peyton said rolling her eyes. "You are so hard to please, but here". Peyton leaned up taking her phone from Haley. "You never heard this, okay? I ran into Jamie the other day at school and he had these poems I talked him into coming to the label to help this artist with writing songs. But, when he got there and he started singing—".
"Jamie writes poems"? Haley asked, slightly heartbroken that she didn't even know that about her son.
"We turned them into songs, which Cole—you know how picky he has been over the album his band is making," Peyton said, which Haley nodded. "They have already picked two songs from Jamie but there was this song they wanted but I just couldn't let Jamie sell it to them once I heard him sing it".
"He—he can sing"? Nathan asked.
"I have never heard a teenaged boy with his vocal range," Peyton told them. "It was like pulling teeth getting him into the studio but I'm going to put the song up because I just know one day Jamie is going to make an album and this song will be on it—it's about Nathan".
Peyton watched as Nathan looked at her through the rearview mirror.
"Country isn't my tune," Peyton told them. "And it has a country feel to it, but Jamie has this amazing voice you don't even know it. Here".
A light tune played from the speaker in Peyton's phone, catching both the mother and father's attention.
"Lately I've been noticing I say the same things he used to say".
"That—That's Jamie"? Haley asked turning around to face Peyton.
"I told you he is amazing isn't he"? Peyton asked.
"When I look in the mirror. He's right there in my eyes".
"Oh, my god" Haley said, as she continued to listen—to her son. "I didn't know—I didn't know he could sing or that he wrote poems or songs or any of that—Nathan did you"?
Nathan wanted to listen to his wife, but he wasn't. He couldn't hear anything, except the song that was playing—he couldn't hear anything but his son singing.
"There were times I thought he was bein'. Just a little bit hard on me. But now I understand he was makin' me. Become the man he knew that I could be".
"Nathan"? Haley asked. "You okay"?
"In everything he ever did. He always did with love. And I'm proud today to say I'm his son".
Peyton smiled, as she turned the song off. "We are still tweaking it but I think you get the gist," she said wrapping her hand around Nathan's shoulder. "My whole point is—Jamie doesn't hate you or want to be as far away from you as possible. He loves you Nathan, more than you will ever know. I hope Sawyer looks up to me one day the way he looks up to you—but if you ever tell him I showed you this I will castrate you".
"Oh" Nathan said, jumping in his seat at the threat. "Your secret is safe with me. Swear to all the Gods—I don't know what you believe in but I swear".
Haley and Jake both laughed at Nathan, Peyton, however, took two fingers towards her eyes before aiming them at Nathan—telling him she was watching him.
And he believed her.
"I am going to work on getting him to make his own music, but if he finds out I told you two—he probably won't," Peyton said.
"Scouts honor," Haley said, rubbing Nathan's leg.
Lucas planted himself on the ground, positioning himself perfectly to face Dan's headstone, and sat the bag he brought down. He pulled out two small glasses, sitting one in front of the headstone, and one in front of him.
"Nate told me this was your favorite" Lucas said as he pulled a liquor bottle out.
He popped the top open and poured them each a drink, knowing only one glass would be drunk.
"My wife is out on a date, my daughter is at a sleepover, my sister hates me, the love of my life doesn't know that I'm in love with her, and I'm spending my Saturday night—".
"With me"? Lucas heard.
When looked up to see Dan, his father leaning against a tree. He looked around, at first but he could pretty well guess it was one of a few things. An illusion or the alcohol—or a mixture of both. But, there he was—standing there.
Dan walked over and reached his hand out to help Lucas up, which Lucas took and jumped to his feet.
"I never could get you to talk to me when I was alive," Dan told him. "I guess this will have to do, it's not like I get a choice in the matter".
"What the hell is in that whiskey"? Lucas asked. "Are you—you're here"?
"What do you think"?
"I think I'm going to stick to my own whiskey from now on".
Dan smiled at him "would you like to take a walk, son"?
"Where? To the land of Oz"? Lucas asked. "What are you? A figment of my imagination? Ghosts of dead beat dad's past"?
Dan smiled. "A little bit both".
"Doesn't that just make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside" Lucas said, sarcastically waving his hands around in the air.
"You're the one here to see me," Dan said shrugging. "Why"?
"I don't know".
"Okay, while you ponder on that I'm going to step over here," Dan said pointing back towards his headstone.
Lucas placed his hands on his hips and shut his eyes tightly in hopes that when he opened his eyes Dan would be gone. If it was his imagination then he could make him disappear, right?
Wrong!
When Lucas opened his eyes he saw Dan sitting on his own headstone, which was creepy enough in itself, drinking straight out of the liquor bottle.
"God, I miss this stuff," he said. "You know this is my favorite"?
"Yeah," Lucas said as he grabbed the bottle out of Dan's hand, and regrettably took another drink. "You look like a jackass sitting there on your headstone you know"?
"Yeah, but I'm not the one in a graveyard drinking and talking to myself".
Lucas froze, mid drink—before lowering the bottle and looking over his shoulder where he saw a group of teenagers passing—starring at him awkwardly, whispering to one another. He waved—awkwardly as they passed, whipping his mouth of the liquor that had run down his chin.
"Okay," Lucas said, as the teenagers vanished behind a corner, turning to face Dan. "What do I have to do to get you to go away"?
"You tell me".
Lucas covered his face with his hands and let out a frustrated groan. When he lowered his hands he found that Dan—was still there.
"I have finally cracked," Lucas said shaking his head. "Your side of the family finally caught up with me after all these years".
"Well, I did see Keith in jail once—If that helps".
"No, that doesn't help" Lucas nearly yelled. "That makes it worse".
"And why is that Lucas"? Dan asked. "Because that means you might be more like me than you want to admit".
"I'm nothing like you".
"And yet here you are—talking to a dead man," Dan said as he stood up before whispering "or should I say air"?
Lucas looked—and again saw people staring. But, this time it was an elderly couple—who Lucas politely waved to.
"You're enjoying this" Lucas said, through his teeth as he continued to smile at the couple, who no doubt was talking about how loony he was.
Dan stuffed his hands into his pockets and shrugged, although he was smiling.
"Did you know"? Lucas asked his smile to the couple dropping as they walked out of his sight, but he never turned around to look at Dan. "About Keith? Did you know he was alive"?
"If I did do you think I would have decided to turn myself in knowing I would be facing twenty-five years to life"?
"You only served four and a half years".
"I didn't know that going in" Dan defended himself. "No, Lucas I didn't know. I wish I had".
"And exactly what would you have done? Found him—finished him off? Try to patch things up? What exactly would you have done"?
Lucas turned around to face Dan his hands on his hips, his eyes full of anger.
"What I did was unforgivable, son".
"Don't call me that?" Lucas said pouting at Dan with the hand that held the liquor bottle.
"But, you are—rather you want to admit it or not. My blood runs through your veins as long as your heart beats—the heart you got from me".
Lucas looked at Dan, speechless—not by his words but by the nature of his entire visit. He was talking to his dead father, how could he not feel a little taken back by the entire situation.
"How is my beautiful granddaughter"?
"Don't bring her into your sick and twisted world, Dan".
"My world ended, six years ago. We are in yours now. My story is over, I hate to break it to you Lucas but this is your sick and twisted world".
Brooke glanced at Lucy who sat next to her at the table, it was clear that she loved the food Millie had cooked—but she ate, slowly and cautiously. As though she were going to get in trouble if she ate too much, Brooke hated to think that at some point in time she probably had.
"Oh, sorry," Brooke said, jumping from the sound of her telephone ringing—breaking the awkward silence in the house. "That's Madison—I need to take this, will you be alright for a minute"?
Lucy nodded, slowly—not entirely sure and watched as Brooke walked out of the dining room pressing her phone to her ear. When she looked back she saw him—still unsure what to call the man she looked so much alike, he was awkwardly stirring the food in her plate, just like she was.
"So," Millie said—in an attempt to break the awkward silence. "Where would you like to college one day"?
"I'm not sure," Lucy said, her voice just above a whisper. "I have never really thought about, college never seemed like an option for me".
"Oh" Millie said, unfortunately understanding why she said what she said. "Have you thought what you wanted to do"?
Lucy nodded. "I have known that since I was five years old".
"What is it"?
"I'd love to be a marine biologist".
"That sounds really interesting," Millie said.
"What made you want to pursue something like that"? Mouth asked, speaking up for the first time.
"I went to Hawaii with my mom, my—my adopted mom and I swam with the dolphins. They have them in this little tanks and—I don't know. Ever since I have just had this unexplainable love for sea animals I guess" she said shrugging. "But, without college, I can't—and unfortunately you can't dream up a college fund".
"Don't worry about that" Mouth told his daughter looking at her in the eyes for the first time. "If you want to go to college, I promise you—you will".
"I—I don't understand"?
"Your dad's loaded," Brooke said as she stepped back into the dining room.
"I'm not loaded".
"Fine you're financially blessed, whatever you want to call it," Brooke said, shrugging. "He owns the local news station," she told Lucy.
"Ignore Brooke" Mouth told Lucy sipping on his beer. "But, if you want to go to college—I will make certain that happens. Okay"?
"Really"? Lucy asked, blinking her eyes in disbelief—as if all this wasn't really happening.
"Yes," Millie said.
"That was Madison, the manager at the Café" Brooke told Lucy. "It's packed and she has been by herself for six hours" she explained before turning to look at Mouth and Millie "and with Tric still shut down you can only imagine how bad it is. Lily was scheduled to work but she is at the hospital with Keith—I hate to leave but— will you be fine"? Brooke asked looking at Lucy.
"Yes," she said nodding, slowly.
"The café closes at midnight on weekends so I will swing by about a half-hour past," Brooke told her. "It could be closer to one depending on how bad the clean up is".
"Or if she wants—she can stay here," Millie said.
"Would you be okay with that"? Brooke asked looking down at Lucy as she picked her purse up.
"I guess," Lucy said shrugging.
"Okay, well I have to get out of here—or Madison is going to end up being jumped by every resident in Tree Hill".
Lucy watched as Brooke hugged Mouth and Millie before ducking around the corner, and hearing the front door open and shut just moments later.
"How—erm, how did you two meet"? Lucy asked, after suddenly realizing that she hadn't asked any questions.
"Brooke," Millie said, smiling. "I'm originally from New York—but I worked for Brooke and came down here with her for work".
"And she never went back," Mouth said, grinning.
"How long have you been married"?
"Three and a half years" Mouth told her. "But, we have been together eleven".
Millie smiles, briefly before she got hit in the face with gob of mash potatoes, Lucy looked over at her little brother who was sitting in his high chair laughing and clapping.
Mouth and Lucy neither one could help but smile—and laugh a little, as Millie turned to face her son.
"Was that necessary"? Millie asked looking at Jimmie.
"Yes".
Millie found a napkin and cleaned her face off. "I believe it's time for his bath—if you will excuse me".
Millie picked her son up and walked out of the dining room leaving Mouth and Lucy alone—for the first time.
"Stab"! Sawyer yelled as she plunged the end of her pen into the small square packaging.
"I'm stabbing," Lydia said, obeying her cousin's order. "It's not working, are you sure this is how Aunt Peyton does it"?
"Yes" Sawyer said, as she continued to stab one small packaging after another. "When she can't find a knife or scissors she uses a pen to open something—Looky Lydy I got mine open".
Sawyer pulled the odd feeling material out from inside the packaging, and Lydia smiled "look it's a balloon"! She exclaimed.
"What kind of a balloon is called a condom"? Sawyer asked as she looked at the box she had pulled out of the bottom bathroom drawer.
Lydia shrugged as she began blowing air into one end, watching the mysterious condom balloon get bigger and bigger.
Sawyer continued to poke holes in one packaging after another, in an attempt to open another. As she reached the very last one, she was finally able to open it and just like her cousin began blowing it up—just like her cousin.
"What in the hell are you two doing"? Jamie asked walking in finding his cousin and sister with condoms blown up like gallons around their mouth.
"We found balloons," Lydia said grinning.
"Those are not—those aren't balloons—for you to play with," Jamie said covering his face with his hands. "Those are balloons—for grown-ups"!
"Do mommy and daddy play with them"? Lydia asks looking up at her brother.
"If they did I don't think we would be having this conversation," Jamie said rolling his eyes. "Go back downstairs, and I'll order a pizza".
"Yes," Sawyer said fist-pumping in the air.
The two girls darted out of the bathroom they had been sitting and Jamie began—once again picking up the mess. He took the two open condoms and their wrappers—tossing them in the trash before gathering the large number of unused condoms, putting them back inside the large box, and placing them back in the bottom drawer.
Unaware of the holes in each of them.
A/N A couple will get pregnant, but I won't tell you who. At least not yet. And I think you'll be very surprised at how many different people use Nathan's condoms.
The song used, well the lyrics are from a Keith urban song. I went back-and-forth with using an actual song or not, but if you listen to the song it was perfect for this. It is called Song for Dad, and I don't claim rights to it just use of a storyline.
I had to break this up into two chapters because of the amount that was going on within a chapter.
I will address everything in the Second part of the chapter, I will say that with the argument between Jamie and Madison in the beginning I went back-and-forth with because of the nature of the argument, but I ended up choosing to keep it because teenage boys can be really dumb. Even Jamie.
Thanks for reading! review!