Thank you so much for the reviews and feedback for my story. I'm loving writing this and getting good responses back is so rewarding.

Well here's the next chapter, let me know what you think. I hope you like it.

Nobody's Fault But Mine

Chapter 4 – Headlights on Dark Roads

Lucas Scott had kept his promise to Nathan; he left the station on time for probably the only occasion since he joined the force. He had gone back to his apartment to change quickly and wrap Jamie's present. Then he took a cab to his brother's house just out of the city.

"Hey man." Nathan smiled as he opened the door. "Come on in."

Lucas whistled as he took in the sight of his little brother's house. It was the first time he'd visited Nathan and Haley's home since they'd moved. They had felt it was safer to bring Jamie up out of the city itself and had relocated to the suburbs.

The house was beautifully decorated, with high ceilings, antique furniture, and pictures on the wall, fresh flowers and a warm welcoming feeling. A real family home. "Nate this place is amazing."

"Yeah Haley really worked hard to get it like this. At one point we thought the decorators were never going to be finished though. I'm so glad you came."

"Well Haley clearly outdid herself."

Nathan hugged his big brother. "Its good to see you bro. Well come on in. Haley's in the kitchen."

Haley was busy icing Jamie's birthday cake. She looked a little flustered. Her long hair was pulled back haphazardly from her face, traces of flour and orange icing streaked across her cheeks. When she saw Lucas however she beamed. "Hey Luke. Welcome. I'd hug you but I don't want to get you all messy"

"Hey no worries," Lucas grinned, "wow it looks like a riot broke out in here." The counter tops were littered with bowls and utensils. Haley was a lot of things; an amazing wife and mother, a great teacher at a local high school but she was not so much of a culinary whiz.

"Yeah there was a problem with the caters," she explained, "so I've spent pretty much the whole day making Jamie a basketball shaped cake. And it's pretty much a disaster." She motioned down at her work.

Nathan and Lucas both looked at the lump on the plate that was supposed to resemble a ball. They tried to stifle their giggles but failed miserably. "Hales, that's terrible," Nathan said honestly.

Her petite wife pouted, "I know. I just wanted it to be perfect."

'I know," Nathan said planted a kiss on Haley's head. "Why don't you go clean up and I'll try and see what I can do." Haley nodded admitting defeat leaving the room.

"So where's the birthday boy?" Lucas asked as Nathan began trying to rectify Haley's attempt.

"Brooke took him out for a walk. Jamie got a little high on sugar so she thought hopefully some fresh air would help calm him down."

"Anything I can do to help?" Lucas offered as Nathan iced the cake.

"Yeah grab us both a beer."

Lucas popped open two bottles and handed on to Nathan. He took a swig of his own. They talked idly about Jamie, Haley, Nathan's basketball generally catching up on all that they had been missing from each other's busy lives.

'So um Dad's birthday's coming up," Nathan said out of the blue. Dan Scott was not a name that was not often spoken about between the brothers. Lucas knew Nathan would always avoid bringing up their father in Lucas's presence. So whenever Nathan did mention Dan it was clearly something important to him.

"I haven't forgotten," Lucas said simply.

"Well I'm sending him a card," Nathan told him. He did so every year. And every year he tried to get Lucas to sign it. 'I thought maybe you'd…."

"Nate, I'm sorry but I won't sign it. "

"Luke," Nathan tried, "he's still our dad. And he' s getting old."

"Nathan can we not do this?"

"Are you ever going to let go of the past and move on?"

"After what he did to our family? No Nate. I can't forgive him."

"Luke, I know it's hard. But life is short."

"As far as I'm concerned he's dead. He's out of my life and I want to keep it that way.'

"Lucas," Nathan protested.

"Nate, just drop it." Lucas took final swig of beer signalling that he had no intention of continuing the conversation. Nathan sighed loudly and went back to the cake. Lucas began to tidy the kitchen to occupy his mind.

'Ok I'm all ready for dinner," Haley breezed as she entered the kitchen. "How's my cake coming along? Is it fixable?"

"Nope, it's a stubborn ass," Nathan said poignantly.

Haley looked at Nathan to Lucas and back again. She sensed the tension and muttered something about setting the table.

The happy excited chatter from the hallway marked Jamie's return. Haley met Brooke and Jamie and told her son to go into the kitchen for a surprise. Lucas turned to see his little nephew enter the room.

"Uncle Luke," Jamie squealed as he raced towards Lucas. Lucas bent to his knees to catch the five years old's embrace.

Jamie was the cutest kid on the planet with his short spiky blonde hair, big blue eyes and cheeky little smile. "Hey Jimmy Jam," Lucas said and Jamie laughed at his nickname. 'Wow you're getting so big. Are you having a nice birthday?"

"Yeah. I got to see all my friends this afternoon for my party. And I gots lots of presents and ate lots of candy too."

"Oh that sounds like the perfect birthday ever."

The loud crisp sound of clacking heels sounds on the dark wooden floor. Lucas turned his head to see that Brooke entered the room. Brooke as always was super stylist in her black cashmere top and tailored trousers. "Hi Luke," she said.

"Hi Brooke." Both looked at each other not saying anything. The last time they'd been in the same room together they had been arguing over whose fault the destruction of their marriage was down to. It shouldn't be that awkward they had loved each other once but both accepted it wouldn't work but both were too stubborn to let go. Lucas said simply "you look good." Brooke had always loved a compliment.

Brooke smiled, "thank you. So Haley tells me your still working hard."

Lucas bit his response back, his job had always been a bone of contention. But he was going to be on his best behaviour for Haley and Jamie so let it go.

"Well I think we should eat," Haley said. She wanted a nice family dinner to mark Jamie's fifth birthday. And right now with the tension between her husband and brother in law and now Lucas and his soon to be ex wife she wasn't sure she was going to get it.

They all gathered around the dining table. They passed pots and plates back and forth. Lucas couldn't help but grin as Jamie loaded his plate with everything other than vegetables and Haley promptly served him some broccoli, which he groaned at.

"So Nate," Brooke said cheerily. "I'm going to book myself a flight and come see your first game of the season."

"Excellent," Haley said. "Luke why don't you do the same and we can make it a family event."

"Yeah ok." Lucas felt that familiar tell telling buzzing from his pager. He took it from his jacket.

"Luke," Nathan sighed.

"I'm really sorry." Lucas stood. "But I have to go."

-- --

Lucas arrived to find the street ablaze with police activity. The entrance to the apartment complex was cordoned of by uniforms police officers who checked people in and out of the building, waving away on lookers. Lucas flashed his badge and was granted entrance.

Lucas found his partner, and mentor, Detective Mitch Cassidy talking to two uniformed men. " I want all entrances and exits manned. No one gets in or out without us knowing about it. And I want a list of everyone who lives in the complex. And lets keep the press away for as long as we possibly can."

Mitch glanced at Lucas as they then made their way up to the third floor, apartment number 6A.

The doors were open; Lucas saw that Pete Reynolds the Crime Scene Unit crew chief and techs were already there and working the room.

"We got to stop meeting like this," Mitch joked to Pete.

"He's in the bathroom," Pete told Mitch.

Lucas and Mitch made their way in the bathroom. Lucas took a baited breath and he took in the scene.

The man lay in the tub. His face directed at the doorway. His mouth was open, frozen in surprise. The killer had caught this man unaware. The bath water was crimson. He had been shot once in the chest and once in the left eye. His blood was splattered across the tiles.

Mitch ran a hand through his grey speckled brown hair.

"Who found him like this?" Mitch asked.

"The girlfriend," Pete said. "A Miss Callie Sharpe. She's pretty shook up. But she's in the other room with a liaison."

Lucas bent down, to his knees taking in the sight of the man. "Who is he?"

"She says his name is Michael Evans. Goes by the name of Mickie."

"Lucas, you go interview the witness, I'll take a look around here," Mitch said.

Lucas had seen his fair share of crime scenes, they were never easy. Each made him feel sick to the stomach. Each seemed a lot like a failure of his doing and that of the police force. But even harder than that was facing their loved ones, the ones that were left behind.

Callie Sharpe sat on the couch in the lounge, her face tear stained.

"Miss Sharpe, my name's Detective Lucas Scott and I'm with the NYPD. I need to ask you some questions if you're up to it."

She looked up. He'd meet her before at Club Meth the day that he had gone to return Peyton's bracelet.

"Hi again," she said.

"You ok to answer my questions?" he asked again.

"Yeah sure."

"How long have you know Michael Evans?"

"A couple of years. We've been dating for a few weeks. But we have the same circle of friends."

"When was the last time you saw him?"

"This morning. We……..we," she stuttered. "I was going to move in with him."

"I'm sorry. We can stop if you want. Pick this up later."

Callie shook her head. "No I just want to get it over with so I can get home."

"Ok, what did Michael do for a living?"

"He's a bouncer at a down town club. Mirage."

"Do you know of anyone who might of wanted to hurt Michael? Did he have any enemies?"

Callie shook her head, her hands wringing together. She rocked back and forth. "You know what," she hiccoughed. "I think maybe I need a break. Some fresh air maybe."

"Ok," Lucas said getting to his feet. "Why don't you get a drink of water and we'll pick this up in a little while."

"Yeah."

Lucas rejoined Mitch in the bedroom. Mitch was looking through drawers. "Well our boy certainly wasn't a saint. We just found two revolvers, without licenses I might add. "

"Maybe this wasn't such a surprise after all," Lucas suggested.

"What you'd find out from the girl? She shed any light on this?"

"Not really. Though I still have a few more questions. She was still pretty choked up."

"Mitch you might want to see this," Pete called from the bathroom. Mitch and Lucas returned to the bathroom.

Pete held up one of the victim's hands up to the light. "See these marks."

Lucas nodded, "his hands were tied."

"Yeah, and they're fresh too. And from the bruises on his torso I'd say he was beaten up aswell."

"So our guy's bond and beaten. Then comes home. Takes a bath. And is then shot," Lucas ventured trying to place the evidence into a logical solution.

"I'd say so." Pete stated, "question is is it the same person. Or had our Mr Mickie Evens pissed off more than one person?"

-- --

It was after 2am before Lucas left for home. His mind whirled trying to piece together the evidence so far. His stomach growled loudly, as he'd cut out early on dinner he realised he hadn't had a proper meal all day.

He stepped out of the elevator and walked down the corridor.

He saw her before she saw him.

Peyton sat on the floor in front of his apartment. Her back against his door, her head tilted back.