Ok so I am not all that thrilled with this chapter but I couldn't make you guys wait any longer. I think it is the longest one I have written for this story so far. I hope that you all enjoy it and thanks to everyone who reviewed.
Disclaimer: I only own the characters that I make up.
Chapter 11
LeeAnn walked back into her house and felt extremely lonely. She had planned out the whole weekend for her and Nathan and now she had nothing to do.
"I suppose I could always clean the house." LeeAnn said to herself.
With that LeeAnn got out the cleaning supplies and went to work.
Meanwhile back at the Scott house Nathan was having any thing but fun.
"You call that a sprint. You better pick up the pace now Nathan." Dan yelled.
"But daddy I'm so tired." Nathan barely got out.
"Being tired is being weak and no son of mine is going to be weak."
"But Lucas doesn't have to do this."
"If my brother wants to raise his son to be a pansy then fine but I won't allow that to happen to you."
"But you don't even love me." Nathan said stopping and looking his father right in the eye.
"Your right I don't but I'm not about to let you ruin my good name either way." Dan said glaring at his son.
Nathan knew that Dan didn't love him but he hadn't expected him to just come out and admit it like that.
"Oh and Nathan that will be 15 more laps for mouthing off." Dan said to the exhausted little boy.
"Ok." Nathan said in defeat.
"And you better do good tonight Nathan or else you won't be going back. I won't have you making me look bad."
"I will daddy. You'll see." Nathan said determined to at least make his dad happy.
It was later that night and it was time for Nathan to go to the school for his youth basketball.
"Now Nathan remember that I expect you to make at least 20 points or you're done."
"But daddy that's a lot and I am really tired."
"What did I tell you about making excuses?"
"Excuses are just for people who are too weak to step up." Nathan repeated what his dad had said to him all day.
"That's right and I expect to see you out there looking anything but weak you got that." Dan said sternly.
"Yes daddy I got it." Nathan said already dreading the game.
When they got to the gym Dan was shocked to see Keith there and talking to LeeAnn none the less.
"So I see that my big brother is hitting on my help." Dan sneered.
"Actually Dan I was just asking LeeAnn if she would be able to take Lucas next week so that I can take Karen on vacation for our anniversary." Keith said smugly back. He knew that Dan had always had a thing for Karen even in high school.
"No way there is no way that my son is going to be staying with that bastard of a kid you call your son." Dan shot back.
"Don't you dare talk about Lucas that way you snide son of a bitch. He is a wonderful little boy and he is welcome in my home anytime." LeeAnn said looking him square in the eyes.
"Well then Nathan won't be there. He will be coming home with me." Dan said matter of factly.
"Oh no he will not. You only get him on weekends and for two weeks during the summer. Oh yeah and Thanksgiving."
"We'll see about that little miss. I think I just decided I want my son back for good." Dan said smirking evilly at her.
Nathan and Lucas had heard the whole thing and Lucas was crushed he never knew that his uncle hated him. And Nathan well he was just terrified, he didn't want to have to live with his dad all the time.
Both boys were broken out of their thoughts when Coach Tim blew his whistle.
"Ok I need everyone to go to their side of the gym and meet with your coach. Today we are going to do some basic drills and then for the last half hour we will play a game just like last time. The 1st and 2nd graders will play each other while the 3rd and 4th graders play each other. Does anyone have a question?" Tim asked.
With that all of the kids broke off into their groups and started doing drills. Nathan was actually starting to have fun until he missed his lay-up.
"Nathan what the hell was that. You shouldn't be missing an easy shot like that." Dan shouted from the side lines.
"Its ok monster man it was a nice try." LeeAnn whispered to him as he walked by.
The practice went on like this for awhile with Dan shooting him down and LeeAnn whispering encouraging words to him. It was now time for the game and Nathan was dreading it.
"All right kids we are going to mix the teams a little bit tonight. So we are going to have Nathan, Felix, and Vegas on one team with Andrew, John, and Kyle. Then on the other teams we will have Lucas, Jake, and Chris on a team with Damien, Patrick, and Anthony." Tim said as he read off the teams.
"Remember Nathan at least 20 points." Dan shouted from the side and the little boy just nodded his head.
"So Keith looks like my boy is playing against yours. I wonder which team will win?" Dan smirked.
"Probably the team that scores the most baskets Danny." Keith said calmly back.
"And that will be Nathan's team of course. Because we both know that Lucas is a worthless piece of shit who will never measure up to the Scott name just like his father doesn't."
"Danny I suggest that you shut the hell up before we get kicked out of here for fighting."
"Oh you mean before you get kicked out. We both know that no one has the power to tell me what to do."
Tim had been listening and couldn't help but feel the need to stand up for the boys.
"Actually sir I can ask you to leave at any point in time if I feel that you are a distraction to the boys."
"And who are you." Dan asked rudely.
"Tim Smith I'm the basketball coach."
"Smith huh well if your Matt's boy you might want to speak a little nicer to me since I could easily take away your fathers job."
Tim just stood there not knowing what to say.
"Don't worry about it Tim just go out and have some fun with the boys." LeeAnn said breaking the silence.
"Oh how sweet LeeAnn has finally found someone who can put up with her. We both know why you and Chris really broke up. Its because you're a selfish little bitch. You didn't care about the poor mans needs."
"How am I selfish I gave up my entire future to raise your son? And don't think for a second that I regret it. I love Nathan more then you could ever imagine. And I wasn't about to let Chris think that he could get away with hurting him. So if that makes me a bitch so be it." LeeAnn said right back.
"All right you two why don't we just watch the game and chill with the language." Keith said putting a hand on LeeAnn's shoulder.
"Your right." LeeAnn said focusing on the game.
It was only a couple of minutes into it when Nathan went for a lay-up and knocked Lucas down.
"I'm sorry Luke are you ok?" Nathan asked putting out his hand for Lucas to take it.
"Nathan what the hell do you think you're doing you never stop during the game to help the enemy."
"Yeah Nate I'm fine." Lucas taking his hand for support.
"Mr. Scott this is a warning you can't talk to the kids like that. They are all friends there are no enemies." Skillz said.
"Oh shut up you stupid black." Dan replied.
Skillz almost choked on his whistle but then decided to be the bigger man and just walk away.
"Well at least he knows his place." Dan said to some of the other parents around. Each one looking equally disgusted with him.
The game went on like that for awhile with Dan constantly putting down both Nathan and Lucas. LeeAnn actually couldn't wait for the game to be over with so that she could leave. She didn't know how much longer she could be near Dan Scott without killing him.
There were 2 minutes left and Nathan had scored 18 points. He knew that he had to get 20 if he didn't want to disappoint his dad. He went up for the shot and then it happened Damien stuffed him. The ball came right back down and into his face.
"What was that? Come on Nathan get up." Dan called angrily from the side
Meanwhile LeeAnn ran out to the court and pulled his hands away from his face.
"Let me see it Nathan." She said soothingly.
"NO. Get away from me I'm fine. Stop treating me like a baby." Nathan yelled at her.
LeeAnn stepped back alarmed by his sudden outburst.
"Nathan are you sure that your ok." Tim asked coming over.
"I'm fine. I'm not weak." Nathan said looking right at his dad.
"You hear that he's fine now lets finish this game. You still have two points to score Nathan or you're in for it." Dan said.
In for it, what the hell did that mean LeeAnn wondered?
The game started back up and Lucas had the ball. Nathan ran into him as hard as he could and stole the ball away. Lucas hit the floor with a loud thud followed by a snapping noise. The little boy cried out in pain but Nathan didn't seem to notice. He just ran down the court and scored the basket.
"That a boy Nathan way to not let anything get in your way." Dan hollered.
"Lucas are you ok." Keith asked sitting next to his son.
"Daddy my leg." Lucas got out in a scream.
"Oh suck it up." Dan said walking by Lucas.
"You shut the hell up Dan this is all your fault." Keith said.
"No its Nathan's fault." Lucas cried glaring at his cousin.
"I didn't mean to hurt you Luke. I just had to show daddy that I'm not weak." Nathan said trying to defend himself.
"Just get away from me Nathan. We're not friends anymore." Lucas said trying to hold back his tears as Keith picked him up of the court.
"He needs to get to the hospital and I didn't drive here." Keith said to LeeAnn.
"I drove come on lets get him checked out." LeeAnn said hurrying towards her car.
"Wait LeeAnn aren't you going to tell me I did good." Nathan smiled.
"I have never been more disappointed in my life." LeeAnn said blankly back.
Nathan was so confused why wasn't LeeAnn happy that he had scored so much. He wasn't weak isn't that a good thing.
"Good job son. But we still have a lot of work to do."
"But I scored 20."
"And you also got stuffed that means that we have more work to do."
Nathan just hung his head and followed his dad.
Meanwhile at the hospital they found out that Lucas had in fact broken his ankle. He would be in a cast with crutches for a couple of weeks and then they would move him into a walking cast.
"Thank you so much for bringing us out there LeeAnn." Keith said.
"It's not a problem I wanted to make sure that he was ok too. I just don't know why Nathan would have done that."
"Don't blame Nathan. Dan can be really manipulative and he is too young to understand."
"But I thought that I had raised him better."
"It's amazing how little bad influence it takes to ruin all of the good influences."
"I suppose your right. I just feel so bad for Lucas."
"Don't feel bad for me LeeAnn I got a free sucker." Lucas said from the back.
"So Lucas you didn't really mean what you said to Nathan did you." Keith asked his son.
"Oh yes daddy I meant it. Nathan was mean to Haley and now to me. I don't want to be friends with mean people."
"Lucas I think that you need to forgive Nathan he needs his friends." Keith said.
"What do you think LeeAnn?"
"I think that Nathan is going to be punished enough by the time I ground him."
"I will be friends with him again once he tells Haley sorry for yelling at her."
"You're a good kid Lucas don't ever change." LeeAnn said as Keith began to bring him into the house.
"Night LeeAnn."
"Night Lucas I love you." She said watching the little boy vanish into the house.
It was now Sunday and LeeAnn was getting ready to pick up Nathan. She still wasn't exactly sure what she was going to say to him or what his punishment should be.
When she pulled up to the house she saw that Dan was outside with a whistle making Nathan do pushups.
"Dan what is going on its 8 in the morning?"
"It's never too early to whip him into shape. Come on Nathan 20 more or you're going to have to do sprints." Dan said putting pressure on his sons back.
"Dan this is insane. He is 6 years old. Why can't you just let him be a kid?"
"Why can't you teach him to be a man?"
"Oh and I suppose he was a man last night when he broke Lucas's ankle right."
"He broke his ankle." Nathan said looking up at LeeAnn.
"Yes and when we leave you are going over to apologize."
"No he is not. Just because Lucas couldn't stand on his own two feet. Nathan stop staring and do your pushups."
"No Dan its past 8 your time is up and I am taking Nathan now." LeeAnn said taking Nathan's hand and leading him to the car.
"But LeeAnn what about my stuff."
"I will come by and get it later." She said roughly.
The ride was silent all the way to the café. LeeAnn didn't know what to say and Nathan wasn't sure how mad she was.
"Nathan when we get in there you are going to apologize to both Lucas and Haley for the way that you have been acting lately. You know better then to be mean to your friends."
"Why do I have to apologize to Haley I didn't hurt her." Nathan defended.
"You yelled at her in school right."
"Well yeah."
"I went to see Haley last night and she said that she wasn't going to talk to you until you apologized."
"Well then she will have to wait a long time." Nathan said crossing his arms remembering what his dad had said about not apologizing to girls.
"We're here. Lets go Nathan." LeeAnn said opening his door and going into the café.
"LeeAnn how are you." Karen asked coming around the counter.
"Good I brought Nathan so that he can apologize to Lucas. I am so sorry Karen."
"Don't be it was an accident I'm sure."
"No Karen it wasn't I saw the whole thing. Nathan ran into him on purpose and I just don't understand it."
"Nathan. Is this true did you try to hurt Lucas." Karen asked getting eye level with him.
"I didn't want to hurt him I just had to get the ball. Daddy said that if I didn't make 20 then I was weak and would have to practice more." Nathan said looking down.
"Well Lucas is upstairs I think you owe him an apology."
"Yes Aunt Karen." Nathan said as he went up the stairs onto the roof.
"Oh Karen what am I going to do. It seems like Dan is always finding some way to get to him to ruin what I have worked so hard at."
"Keith talked to some of the other parents last night and no one was too impressed with the way that Dan behaved."
"So you think that I should try to get full custody of Nathan."
"Maybe not right away just wait and see how much more we can all find out. All I know is that Nathan can't be influenced by that monster for much longer."
Up on the roof Nathan saw Haley and Lucas playing golf. Well Lucas was trying to at least.
"So Nathan really broked your leg." Haley asked as she shot the ball.
"Yeah, it happened at basketball." Lucas said taking his shot.
"But why did he do it. Nathan isn't normally mean."
"I don't know I think because his daddy doesn't like me."
"Why doesn't he like you?" Haley asked looking right at Lucas.
"I don't know. Maybe because him and daddy don't get along."
"I don't think Nathan's daddy gets along with anyone. Do you think Nathan is going to be like his daddy?" Haley asked.
"No, LeeAnn is too nice for Nathan to end up mean all the time." Lucas said like it was the most logical thing there was.
"Hey guys." Nathan said coming out from behind the door.
"Nathan." Haley said with her hands on her hips.
"Umm Lucas can I talk to you by yourself."
"No Haley can stay. She's nice to me."
"I just wanted to say that I am sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you Lucas I just had to have the ball." Nathan said looking down.
"You are so stupid." Haley burst out.
"What." Nathan looked up shocked.
"Don't you remember what LeeAnn had said? You only steal the ball if it's a real game. Not when it's for fun." Haley reminded him.
"Well yeah but daddy said that I had to score 20 points and what do you know your just a girl." Nathan defended.
"Whatever Nathan your just a big meany." Haley said pushing past him to go downstairs.
"I really am sorry Lucas."
"Whatever. See you in school."
"Luke can't we be friends again." Nathan asked hopeful
"After how mean you just were to Haley no way." Lucas said going back to his game.
Nathan went back down the stairs and heard LeeAnn talking to Haley so he decided to go to the back room and leave them alone.
"I don't know why he hates me." Haley cried into her sisters' shoulder.
"Oh bub he doesn't hate you."
"Then why didn't he apologize to me. I was only trying to help him."
"I know sweetie. I'll talk to him and then maybe you two can hang out later."
"No. I don't want anything to do with Nathan Scott from now on."
"Bub you don't mean that."
"Yes I do LeeAnn. I don't want to be best friends with someone who is mean to people." Haley said walking away and back up the stairs to the roof.
"Great now what am I going to do Haley is supposed to be staying with me for a month." LeeAnn said putting her head in her hands.
"LeeAnn you might have to pick." Karen said carefully.
"What do you mean I might have to pick."
"I mean you might need to pick a side and let the other one know that they are wrong."
"I can't do that because then one of them will think that I love them less."
"I'm sure that you'll figure it all out."
"I don't know Karen I really don't know how much strength I have left. I mean between Dan, the Kellers, and now Nathan I just don't know if I have it in me."
"Do you ever regret taking Nathan in?"
"What no. I love him I mean yes I'm sure that my life would be easier if I wasn't trying to raise a little boy. But god Karen when he smiles at me or gives me a hug it makes my day. There isn't anything that I wouldn't do for him. I just wish that he would understand that I don't care how many baskets he makes or how good he can dribble that's all stuff that Dan cares about. I just want him to grow up and be happy and be a nice person. I just don't care for the person that he is becoming right now." LeeAnn said starting to cry.
LeeAnn." Nathan said coming from out back.
LeeAnn quickly wiped her eyes. "Yeah monster man."
"Can we go home now?" He asked sadly.
"Did you apologize to Lucas?" LeeAnn asked sternly.
"Yes." Nathan said looking down.
"Ok then lets go." LeeAnn said taking his hand and leading him out the door.
"It will get better." Karen called out after her.
"I sure hope so." LeeAnn said over her shoulder.
The whole ride there was silent. LeeAnn had no idea what she was going to do about all this. She knew that she wasn't going to spank him because she had already promised that she wouldn't. However he needed more then a time out. For once LeeAnn really had no idea what she was going to do with Nathan.
"When we get inside you go straight to your room." LeeAnn said not even looking at him.
"Yes LeeAnn." Nathan said so quietly that it almost broke her heart but she had to stand strong he needed to understand that what he had done was wrong and that he wasn't going to get away with it.
"I will call you out when dinner is ready."
"But that's a long time from now. I thought that we were going to the park. You promised." Nathan said looking up.
"I know I promised Nathan but unfortunately you did a very bad thing and now you are in a lot of trouble. That means there will be no park, TV. or computer got it."
"I hate you so much right now." Nathan said angrily up to her.
"Nathanial Cooper Scott don't you dare ever talk to me like that again. We never say that we hate someone. You may dislike me right now and that's fine but you will not ever tell anyone that you hate them."
"Well it's true."
"If you hate me so much then you can go live with your dad." LeeAnn said getting his coat and bag.
"No, LeeAnn please no. I didn't mean it." Nathan said panicking.
"Then I suggest you get to your room." LeeAnn said with an anger in her eyes that Nathan had only ever seen in his fathers.
Maybe the kids had been right maybe he was so bad that he made everyone turn mean.
He walked into his room and lay down on his bed so exhausted from the day that he fell asleep.
LeeAnn knocked on his door waking him up. "Dinner is ready Nathan get out here."
Nathan walked out to the table and saw that there was only one spot.
"Why aren't we both eating?" Nathan asked.
"I already ate."
"But we always eat together." Nathan said upset.
"Well not tonight. I am going to go take a shower. When you're done you can put your plate in the sink and then go to bed." LeeAnn said walking away.
Nathan sat at the table and pushed his food around on his plate. He was trying really hard not to cry but he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold back. But he couldn't cry to cry would be to show weakness. And daddy had made it very clear that he couldn't be weak. But daddy had also gotten him into trouble with LeeAnn. What was he supposed to do?
He finished his dinner and then went right to bed.
LeeAnn was done with her shower and just sitting in her room when she heard it start to rain. Just great she knew that if it started to storm Nathan would be in there in seconds. But if he wanted to act unweak as he had kept putting it then she was going to back him see what that entailed. She didn't want to have to be mean to him but if it would make a difference then she was willing to try it. Maybe she had just been too nice with him all along.
Both of them were asleep when the first streak of lightening shot across the sky. Nathan immediately shot out of bed and ran to LeeAnn's room.
"LeeAnn." He whispered.
"Go back to sleep Nathan." She said turning over so that he couldn't see her face.
"Can I please sleep with you?" He asked scared.
"Nope." LeeAnn said getting out of bed and directing him out the door. "I wouldn't want your daddy to think you were weak." She said closing the door.
LeeAnn thought that was probably the hardest thing she would ever have to do. Sometimes she forgot just how young Nathan was but the look on his face as she shut the door was full of such innocence and fear that it almost shocked her.
LeeAnn listened to see what Nathan would do. She could hear him starting to whimper as the lightening kept cutting across the sky and the thunder shook the apartment. Then she saw the light under the door disappear. She snuck around the other way through the bathroom and looked out to see Nathan lying down next to her door huddled up in his blanket with the bear that she had given him.
This was enough LeeAnn decided at this point she wasn't even getting a lesson across she was just treating him poorly.
LeeAnn snuck up behind him and picked him right up off the ground. The little boy immediately grabbed tight to her putting his face in the crook of her neck trying to stop from crying.
She walked over to the rocking chair and began to rock. "I'm so sorry baby I never should have done that."
Nathan didn't say anything he just held on tighter afraid that LeeAnn would decide that she didn't love him either and leave him to sleep on the floor.
"It's ok to cry baby. Don't you let your daddy tell you any different. You are not weak you got it. I love you so much Nathan and nothing that you ever do will make me love you any less." She said rubbing soothing circles on his back.
"Then why didn't you want to eat with me, and why did you leave me in the living room." He said starting to cry harder. "Why did you treat me like daddy does?" He finally got out through sobs.
LeeAnn's whole body broke at those words. Is that really what she had done. Had she really treated Nathan the way that his father always treated him? Of course she did instead of punishing him in a loving way she had turned her back on him and shown nothing but anger. The thought made her sick to her stomach.
"I'm so sorry Nathan I never wanted to make you feel unloved. I just wanted you to know that what you did was wrong and that I was upset with you."
Nathan looked up at her glossy eyes and tear stained cheeks. "But I already knew that when you didn't tell me I played good."
"Nathan hunny how could you have known by that?"
"Because even when I don't score at all you always tell me how good I did. And this time when daddy said I did good you were angry."
"Oh honey I am still very proud of you I just think it was very wrong of you to run into Lucas like that."
"I really didn't mean to hurt him LeeAnn if I had known that would happen I would have just run instead." Nathan said yawning.
"You getting tired baby." LeeAnn asked kissing the top of his head.
"Yeah."
"You ready to go back to bed."
Nathans eyes shot open. "You're going to make me go back to my own room." He said with fresh tears in his eyes as he started shaking when he heard the thunder.
"What baby of course not. I am so sorry for making you think that I would really do that too you. I never meant to make you cry." She said wiping his tears away with her finger.
"Do you think that we could rock a little longer?" Nathan asked
"Of course we can." LeeAnn said wrapping her arms tight around the little boy as he snuggled up into her neck again.
"I'm sorry I said that I hated you LeeAnn. I don't I love you I promise." He said drifting off to sleep.
"I love you too my boy and I am never going to make you doubt that again." LeeAnn rubbin his back and placing kisses on the top of his head.
Remember to review and let me know of any ideas that you guys have for the story. I am writing it for you so just let me know.