3 weeks later...
Nathan sprinted to the river court until he finally stopped. He checked his watch, he had been running for 30 minutes. He walked around breathing heavy, proud that he was keeping in shape. Basketball was going good, they had finally started it up about two weeks ago with everything that had happened they wanted to wait a little while before immediately continuing with the season. Nathan found himself playing really well. However he could not say the same thing about his brother. Lucas came up behind him about two minutes later, breathing really heavy. It seemed to be like this a lot. Lucas would be dragging along and get tired a lot easier.
"Dude, how out of shape are you." Nathan laughed.
Lucas just smiled and bent over to continue breathing.
"Okay, no more of this, everyday I'm getting your ass up and were running."
"Aye, Aye, Captain." Lucas laughed.
"Shut up. How about some one on one, or are you a little to tired?" Nathan gave his brother a shove.
"Game on."
They boys started to play around and have a good time, joking, laughing, and dunking. They were completely oblivious to the small red car parked down the street watching them play.
"My boys." Dan smiled to himself, taking a swig of the bottle of Whiskey he had with him.
- - - - - - -
Karen was in the Den, it was particularly a slow day so she was doing a crossword puzzle when the door opened.
"Hi can I help-" Karen looked up to see her partner in business, Deb.
"Hi." Deb smiled, "I thought maybe we could talk? I wanted to let you calm down after my last visit."
"Oh, look who decided to come back into town? Try to light anyone on fire lately?" Karen snapped.
"Karen, its good to see you too."
"What the hell are you doing in my house Deb?"
Deb was about to speak up when Keith spoke before her.
"She came to check on me Karen, why didn't you tell me she was back in town?"
"Keith you were hurt, you had just gotten out of the hospital." Karen started. "And why the hell should I let her visit you, this is all her fault to begin with!"
"Excuse me?" Deb couldn't believe her ears, first Nathan blaming her for this, and now Karen.
"You started the fire right Deb? You tried to kill Dan right Deb? Dan thinks it was Keith right Deb!"
"Karen if you could just let me explain."
"NO!" She screamed. "I don't want to hear your excuses. Don't you realize that Keith could of died, do you realize what could of happened, because you are so selfish?"
Keith just stood there stunned, as did Deb.
"Do you really thinks this helps? Blaming me?"
"Well you are the one to blame. You know I always felt sorry for you. For being married to Dan, he was such a monster and you, you were such a nice charming lady, with kindness. Nothing like Dan. But how wrong I was, you are just like him Deb, you are just like Dan!"
This was insane Deb thought. It felt like she was having the same argument she had with Nathan.
"Don't you dare compare me to that bastard. It was completely different and you know it. I can't believe you are actually saying these things to me Karen."
"Well you deserve to hear it, and since no one else would say it, it might as well be me."
"Karen this is a lot harder for me then you think. Keith was shot by MY husband. My son wont talk to me, he also blames me for this, I have to live with what I did everyday, and now my best friend hates me too."
"Good."
Deb felt like she got punched in the gut. The way Karen said that, with no emotion. She was trying to hurt Deb. And it was working.
"Karen I knew you would be angry but-"
"Get out of my house."
Deb didn't move.
"Please." Karen's bottom lip started to quiver. "Get out, now."
A defeated Deb hid her tears as she turned around and walked out.
"I'm sorry Karen." Keith grabbed her hand. "I didn't realize how much this was affecting you."
"What did you think Keith, I love you. And to find out that Dan shot you, because of her. It just.. It killed me." Karen sobbed as Keith held her tightly with tears falling from his eyes as well.
"Well I knew I'd be seeing you soon, considering the fact you are my business partner."
"Karen I want to be more, I want us to go back to being friends again. I want this all in the past." Deb pleaded.
"Do you hear yourself Deb?" Karen asked. " It's all what you want. I don't think you really realize how different the circumstances could of been. Keith could of died because of your husband and what you did!"
"No Karen, I do understand. I truly do. Every day I live to regret what I did. I know you must hate me and think of how low I am, and I'm sorry I truly am. It seems no matter what I do I just keep screwing up things more and more."
Karen didn't say anything.
"I know that what I did resulted in Dan shooting Keith. I know that things could of been a lot worse and I'm sorry for that, I don't know how many times I have to say it. It seems like I..I have been putting your family in a lot of danger. I know Lucas pulled Dan out of the fire as well, and that is just as scary as any of this, just knowing that your boy ran into a burning building because of my mistake is hard too get over but-"
"What did you say?" Karen interrupted her.
"What?" Deb got caught off guard.
"Lucas pulled Dan out of the fire?"
Deb took a heavy sigh. "You didn't know?"
Karen just sat there, with a shocked look on her face.
"I..I am so sorry Karen, I though that, Keith, or Lucas told you..I..I am sorry."
"Keith knows too!" Karen shouted.
"Karen I am-"
"Don't you dare say sorry." Karen started to walk to the door.
"Where are you going."
"Deb, I just found out that my son ran into a burning building because of you, and he and my fiancee were both hiding it from me. Why the hell do you think you deserve for me to tell you where I am going?"
With that Karen slammed the door opened and walked to the car.
Deb wiped away the tears from her eyes and started to clean up.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Peyton was stretching out her leg on the end of her bed. Her therapist told her to do this twice a week and she would be fine in no time. Peyton stopped and looked at the bullet scar on her leg. A chill ran up and down her spine every time she did. Memories of that day just flood through her brain.
"You know its pretty hard to deal with the fact that your best friend is a liar." Brooke said from behind.
"Oh shit," Peyton thought. "Lucas told her. She knows."
Peyton tried to play it off by acting like she didn't know what she was talking about.
"What are you talking about?" Peyton said with a smile.
"Peyton don't play dumb you know what I mean."
Peyton was about to break down and cry and tell her she was sorry when Brooke spoke up again.
"Brooke I'll meet you at Haleys at one o'clock I promise." Brooke said in her voice trying to imitate Peyton.
Peyton let out a sigh of relief. "Oh gosh Brooke I totally forgot."
"My ass you forgot." Brooke laughed. "You know how Haley is when she wants to clean. I told you we should of told her no, but you said we should be good friends and help her."
Peyton couldn't help but burst out with laughter.
"P-sawyer its not funny, and you would know that if you smell me. We were cleaning for hours. I've never seen Haley so bossy. She had to have everything in a certain order. Oh and if that wasn't enough I helped her start cooking Nathan this big sweet dinner. Romantic but still, a lot of work, and you know how I hate work." Brooke laughed taking a seat next to Peyton.
"Sorry Brooke it totally slipped my mind."
"Its okay, you just owe me big time. Like say how about taking me out tonight, just me and you?"
"Really?" Peyton smiled.
"Yeah, we need some best friend time, I mean I know we live together and all, but we should go out and do something. I know its hard with your leg and all and you've been stuck inside a lot so I decided its going to be a B-davis and P-sawyer night?"
"Sounds awesome Brooke, thank you."
"No problem. Its what im good for." Brooke smiled. "Um okay Peyton you know how I totally don't pry..."
"Okay stop right there." Peyton interrupted her. " You are the queen of prying."
"Okay fine, but I kinda accidentally totally didn't mean to look at your e-mail yesterday.."
"Oh, that." Peyton said embarrassed.
"Why didn't you tell me Mr. Mom and you were talking agian?"
"I don't know, its just hard to talk about. I mean when I talk to Jake I want him to be next to me, not through some computer."
"Well why don't you ask him to come back? At least just for a visit?"
"I can't ask him that, its to much. Didn't you see when he wrote about him and Nikki, and there new situation?"
"Yeah, it kinda bites." Brooke answered sadly.
"I mean, he only gets to see her two days out of the week. That must be so hard for him. I can't ask him to come make me feel better when things are hard enough for him."
"Sorry Peyton."
"Yeah." Peyton took a deep breathe. "Enough of this sad stuff, lets start getting ready."
"Sounds good to me, and where are we going tonight, may I ask?"
"Well first off we aren't going anywhere until you get a shower, you were totally right, you do smell."
"Peyton!" Brooke yelled embarrassed.
Peyton just started to laugh while Brooke went to go and get in the shower. Peyton got up and went to the computer and clicked on send email. And she started another letter to Jake.