Lucas knocks on Nathan's dorm room door while holding Keith. Nathan answers, "hey guys," he say's with a grin from ear to ear. He adores his son he just wishes he could see him more often.
"Da, da," Keith shrieks with joy as Nathan reaches for him.
"Come on in have a seat," Nate say's to Luke. "How's my little guy" he says to his son. Keith just smiles and wraps his arms around his father's neck. "For a guy with few words in his 20 month old vocabulary he sure can express his feelings," Nate says to Luke.
"Yeah, he's a lover and a hugger, gets that from his mom," Lucas says with a laugh.
"How is she Luke," Nathan asks sounding concerned.
"She's good man, she's good. Her and little guy bought Brooke's parent's old house they're settling in."
"Wow, Brookes old house huh? Must bring back memories for you?"
"Naw, there's just a new girl behind the red door and this girl has my nephew to raise. It's nice for them they like it there."
"So the CD must be selling well if she bought a house? I always knew she'd be great," Nathan pauses, "So she owns a house in Tree Hill, does that mean she's staying for a while," Nathan asked.
"I dunno, I sure hope so, but if she thought you were coming back she'd probably run," Lucas said.
"Damn," Nathan kind of gasped as he looked at his son playing with a basketball by the window. "Well I guess it's a good thing I'm going back over to Europe then. She won't have to worry about running into me."
"I'm sorry Nate, I wish she would see you man. See how much you've grown, how much you've matured since the accident. I mean I know you'd never do something that stupid and naïve again. Look what it cost you," Lucas said.
Nathan sighed and walked toward his son, "I know, but at least she lets me see him," he said as he picked Keith up and hugged him. "I love you little man you know that right?"
"Da, da," Keith said with a smile and touched Nathan's face.
"I wish she could see you with him. She would melt, man," Lucas said as Nathan put Keith back down by the basketball.
"Doubt it would be that easy. She still blames me and why shouldn't she. I just wish I could take it all back, wish I could do it over. I never would have taken that money from Daunte if I thought that he would do something like that."
"I know Nate, I know and I've tried to explain that to her and I've tried to convince her to see you, but every time I mention you period she flips on me," Lucas said. "I think its still a fresh wound for her, something that for some reason she just can't get past. I wish there was something I could do to change that for her, for you, and for Keith."
"Yeah well maybe this is what she needs, to never see me again. I don't want to remind her of what she almost lost every time she sees me. That's why I didn't fight her when she finally contacted me after she left, when she asked for a separation. That's why I didn't fight her a few months later when she asked for a divorce, or why I never called her when she didn't call me, or why I don't go looking for her when I know she's in Tree Hill, or why I settle for seeing my son when I can," Nathan started to tear up. "I can't hurt her like that, can't see her hurting like that, so I stay away."
"Nate," Lucas said with sympathy in his voice.
"Luke, don't," Nathan said. "I have my first dream, I have basketball. I'm going places, just going alone that's all. Maybe one day I'll move on."
"I just worry about you Nate. I worry you'll turn up like Dan focusing only on basketball and being miserable dwelling on things," Lucas said.
"I'm not dwelling Luke, I just haven't moved on yet, I can't. And I will never be like Dan, you know why" he asked then pointed at his son, "because I owe it to him to be better than the miserable murdering bastard that was our father."
"Sorry, didn't mean to bring up such a dirty subject," Lucas said. "You're a good man Nate, a good father. I just worry you and Hales will never move on, whether together or apart."
"I try man, I try every day but I can't move past her so I just live my first dream and try to forget the rest," he picks up is son who was now sitting on the floor by the ball and puts him down on his bed, he was getting tired. "Go to sleep little man, Daddy will be here when you wake up promise." He kisses his son's forehead and takes a seat next to Lucas.
"Europe for the whole summer," Lucas could tell Nathan wanted to move past the Haley stuff. "That's a long time Nate."
"Yeah well it'll look good to the NBA teams increase my chances of getting drafted sooner. I'm just gonna miss him," nods to Keith. "Promise when I get back at the end of August you'll bring him up again?"
"Of course man." The guys spend the rest of Keith's nap talking basketball and a little about Dan rotting away for their uncles murder. He'd only been in jail a year but neither boy had seen him since the truth came out. When Keith awoke they took him for food and just hung out and played until it was time for Lucas and Keith to return to Tree Hill.
"Alright man, it's time," Lucas said to Nathan.
"Already, ahh, alright," Nathan said. "Come here little man," he picked up his son hugged him, "I love you, ok, Daddy loves you," he says and kisses him on the cheek.
"Wuv, you da,da," Keith says back, Nathan smiles and hands him to Luke.
"Take care of my family Luke," Nathan says to his brother.
"I will Nate," Lucas says back and hugs his brother, "take care bro, be safe in Europe, we'll see you when you get back," Lucas and Keith leave.