Disclaimer: I do not own OTH or any of it characters places or such. I am simply borrowing them
AN/ I am so sorry for the lack of updates lately. It has been crazy! I hope this was worth the wait!
As always suggestions are welcome!
"Oh god…" Peyton said as she, Jake and Nathan reached the mangled truck. Nathan stood behind Peyton silent. The truck looked like it had been run over by a monster truck. Where the windshield should have been was an open space with shards of glass sticking out from the frame. The other three windows looked the same, glass gone. The driver side door and door frame were almost to the middle of the older full size Silverado. The roof was smashed in so low that Meredith would have a hard time sitting straight up. The seat had been broken and had turned as far sideways as the broken frame would allow.
"Nathan?" Peyton asked as she looked at the white face of her friend.
Nathan didn't move to look at Peyton, his eyes where glued to the truck where his father had spent his last moments alive. Memories of times in that truck were racing back and Nathan couldn't stop them.
FLASHBACK
"Dad, do you seriously think that this old truck is worth $500. It doesn't even run" Nathan asked Keith as they inspected the dark blue Silverado with the for sale sign.
"It may not run, but I think it has potential."
"If you say so. I know one thing though, mom is going to kill you if she finds out that you spent that much money on something like this."
"Not if the shop pays for it. Plus I need a new vehicle, I gave the pathfinder to you and your brother so you could get around town now that you are high school seniors"
"If you think it is worth the money and the time" Nathan said before turning back towards the tow truck sitting at the curb.
Keith followed, "I think it is. It will be a good father/son project for us"
"I knew you were going to say that" Nathan said as he opened the passenger side door of the tow truck and got in.
End of flashback
They had spent a month working on the truck weekends and after school. It had needed a lot more work then Keith had originally thought. However, the time that three Scott men spent together trying to get it running was something that Nathan would not have traded. Nathan walked towards the driver side of the truck and stared. He looked towards the dashboard and spotted what looked to be a picture sitting where the gages where. He carefully reached in through the broken window, maneuvered his hand and reached for it. When he had a hold on the picture, he pulled his hand back out. In his hand wasn't just one picture, but three. The one on top was of Keith, Lucas and Nathan standing in front of the running truck. They all stood in overalls that bore their names with smiles on the faces.
Flashback
"Are you three about ready to come home for dinner?" Karen asked as she stepped into the open bay of the body shop.
"Almost. We have just about got it to start" Keith answered his wife with his head under the hood and his back towards her.
"He has been saying that for the last three hours, Mom" Lucas said as he stuck his head out of the driver window.
"Yea, well this time I mean it. Nathan, get that 5 gallon gas container and put some in this thing." Keith said as he stood up straight wiping his hands with the shop towel from his back pocket.
Nathan put the 3 gallons that were in the gas container into the gas tank of the truck and closed the door.
"Alright, Luke, give her a try" Keith said as he watched the engine
Luke turned the key and the truck started with a rumble.
"Yes"
"Good job guys" Karen said as Lucas jumped out to join his brother and dad at the front of the truck.
"Good work, boys" Keith said as he smiled at the roaring engine and then at his sons standing on either side of him.
"Guys turn around" Karen said as she stood behind them with a camera.
"Mom, why do you have to take a picture of everything?" Nathan asked
"Because it is my job, now smile"
The Scott men smiled and the camera flashed
End of flashback
Nathan smiled at the picture. That had been one of the last times that the three Scott men had worked on something together. Nathan passed the picture silently to Peyton who stood to his left. The next picture in the stack was of Keith, Karen and Meredith, the day that she was born. The new parents both wore bright smiles as the newborn slept silently. From day one, Meredith had Keith wrapped around her little finger. He would do anything for his little girl. Meredith would never get a chance to know what kind of a gentle and kind man her father really was. She would only be able to hear about it from her family. The thought brought fresh tears to Nathan's eyes. He quickly passed the picture to Peyton as he pushed back the tears. The final picture in the stack was of Lucas and Nathan, the most recent of the pictures. It had been taken the first time the Bobcats and Magics had played against each other.
FLASHBACK
"Mom!" Nathan yelled as he found his mom in the crowd during halftime. His parents had come to see him and Lucas play against each other professionally. Only this time, Nathan was a Magic.
"Nate!" Karen yelled as she walked down towards the court where her son was standing. "Oh, you looked so good out there" Karen hugged her son as she reached him.
"Thanks Mom. Where's dad?"
"He is looking for your brother"
"Whoa!" Nathan yelped, as he felt something run into his leg. When he looked down he found his young sister looking up at him smiling, "MUNCHKIN!"
The young girl laughed as she was lifted into the air and pulled into a hug, "Nathan"
"Oh I missed you. Are you being good for mom and dad?"
"Yes"
"She is the perfect angel," Keith said as he walked up to them. Lucas walking behind him.
"Lucas!" Meredith yelled as she spotted her other brother.
"Shrimp" Lucas said as the young girl flew into his waiting arms. "Are you growing again?"
"No"
"Are you sure? Nate, is she getting heavy or is it just me?"
"I think you just have weak arms," Nathan said joking his brother
"Look at the two of you. You actually made it to the NBA" Karen said as she stood back and looked at her sons.
"Mom, we have been in the NBA for a couple of years now" Lucas reminded his mom.
"I know, but still. I need a picture of this."
"Mom" Nathan groaned.
"Mom, you can always clip out a picture from a magazine if you miss us that bad," Lucas added
"I want one of both my boys in their uniforms. Meredith, go to your dad for a minute"
Meredith obeyed her mother and entered her father's arms as Lucas looked at his brother. "I feel like it is out first game as Ravens again. Remember when she made us stand for all those pictures."
"I wouldn't have had to take so many pictures if the two of you had cooperated"
"Okay. We will be good this time." Nathan replied as he put his arms around Lucas's shoulders and smiled.
The camera flashed as Karen smiled
END OF FLASHBACK
Nathan passed the picture to Peyton as he stood looking into the truck. So many memories surrounded that truck. Nathan didn't want to stand there anymore, but he couldn't pull himself away. Jake and Peyton walked back towards the police station giving Nathan the time that he needed.
"Brooke?" Lucas asked softly.
"Hmm" came the sleepy answer
"Let's head home. It is getting late"
"Okay" Brooke said as she pulled her head from Lucas's shoulder and rubbed her eyes.
"Did you drive or walk?"
"I drove"
"I will drive you home and then walk back to my house"
"Okay" Brooke said as the two stood and started walking towards her car, their hands twisted together.
"He isn't talking to me either" Jake said as he joined Peyton at the front of the lot.
"He has been standing there for almost an hour"
"I know"
"He won't talk to me and he won't talk to you, but I think I know someone that he will talk to" Peyton said as she pulled out her cell phone and pushed the programmed number.
Her ringing phone pulled Haley from her sleep. She looked at her clock that read a little bit after 1pm. She pulled her phone from her side table and looked at the caller id.
"Peyton?" Haley said as she flipped the phone open
"I am sorry to wake you up, Hales."
"Is something wrong?"
"It's Nathan"
Haley sighed, of course
"He wanted to see the truck. Jake and I brought him to the station and he has been staring at the truck for the last hour not moving. He won't talk to either one of us."
"He probably won't talk to me either"
"I think he will. He tried calling you when we were on our way here."
"I know, I didn't answer"
"Hales, I think you may be the only one to reach him," Peyton said. She knew what she was asking her friend to do.
Haley sighed.
"Okay, I will be there in a few minutes"
"Okay"
Haley hung up the phone and looked towards her shoes by the door. She had to go, even if she didn't want too.
Lucas pulled into the driveway at Brooke's house and stopped the car. Brooke sat next to him fighting to stay awake.
"Are you going to be okay?" Brooke asked as she turned her head towards him
"Yea, I think so"
"Okay" Brooke said as she opened the door and stepped out of the car. Lucas followed suit.
They met at the hood of the car, where Lucas pulled Brooke into a hug.
"I missed you Brooke"
"I missed you too, Lucas. Be careful going home"
" I promise I will" Lucas said as he released the hug and started walking down the driveway.
He looked back to see Brooke entered the front door. He looked up at the night sky filled with stars and smiled. He turned walked down the sidewalk towards his house as a slight breeze blew.
Haley drove across town towards the police station. The car was silent except for her phone, which beeped every three minutes reminding her that she had a new voicemail. Haley finally picked up her phone and called her voicemail. Nathan's voice filled her ear, 'Hey Hales. I was just calling to make sure that you were okay. You were gone when we got up this morning and I hadn't heard from you all day. I want to talk to you so give me a call back. I am heading to the station with Jake and Peyt. We are going to go look at dad's truck. I wish you were here with me. Talk to ya soon.'
Haley pushed the number to save the message as she reached the police station. She parked beside Jake's truck and stepped out. Jake opened the side door to meet her.
"He is in the back"
Haley didn't say a word as she followed Jake down the long hallway and out the back door. She found herself in a lot full of impounded cars, cars that had been in accidents and others that looked like they had been there for years. Peyton came from the right to meet them.
"He is standing by the truck staring into the driver side. He found these in the dashboard" Peyton said as she handed Haley the pictures.
Haley took them, but didn't look at them. She took a deep breath and walked towards the back of the lot as directed by Jake and Peyton. She saw Nathan before she saw the truck. He looked like a statue. He was so still that Haley couldn't tell he was breathing or even blinking. She approached him softly
"Go Away Peyton" Nathan said sternly
"It's me," Haley said softly speaking for the first time since she had gotten the call to come.
Nathan's eyes left the truck to look at Haley. He didn't say anything, but quickly returned his eyes to the truck.
"Peyton call you?"
"Yea, she though I might be able to help you"
"I don't need help"
"Nathan, how long have you been standing here?"
"A couple of minutes" Nathan sternly replied
"An hour and a half" Haley softly replied back
Nathan didn't reply back. Haley took the time to look at the truck. She had seen the newscast, but it didn't compare to how bad the truck looked up close. She looked through where the front windshield would sit and could see Keith sitting there laughing. She smiled as she remembered how much fun they had had in that truck even as high school seniors.
"He had those pictures in the truck" Nathan said pulling Haley from her thoughts. Haley stared blankly at him, "The ones in your hand"
"I haven't looked at them yet"
"I found two more. I can't get them, but I have been staring at them."
"What are they of?" Haley asked softly
"Come here and I will show you"
Haley moved from her spot to stand to the left of Nathan. She looked into the truck, but she didn't see the other pictures. She only saw the mangled bench seat. Nathan placed his hands on her shoulders and moved her so that she was standing in front of him, sending a shock wave through her body. He pointed towards the chain hanging from the rearview mirror. The chain swung around in the night breeze to reveal a picture of Lucas and Brooke taken the night of graduation. Lucas stood behind Brooke with his arms around her and both of them were smiling. The breeze moved the chain again a few minutes later so that the picture on the other side was visible; it was of Nathan and Haley. They stood side by side with their arms around each other smiling at the camera. Haley felt tears come to her eyes. Keith had known all along.