Shattered

--

Nathan remained silent as he entered the house. Although nobody else could tell because of his calm demeanor, he was furious. Why hadn't Dan told him that he was his father? Why hadn't he put in a claim for custody? Why had he let him suffer so much with Keith?

What gave Dan the right now, after all these years, to be his father? To put in his claim for custody? After all these years?

"Are you alright?" Lucas asked as they entered the door.

Nathan just gave Lucas a look as Lucas set his backpack next to the door. He decided he hated Lucas and Dan. How could Lucas know how he felt? Dan had been his father all his life. What would he think if he suddenly found out, for example, Karen wasn't his mother?

"I want custody of my son back!" Deb yelled angrily. Nathan winced as he heard his mother's voice. Wasn't she in jail?

It didn't matter—Nathan would have loved to be under his mother's custody again. Especially if she ditched Keith. "Mom?" he silently asked himself, not believing his eyes.

"Nathan!" Deb turned to him, relieved. "Come on, let's go. We're leaving, right now."

"Deb, I think it's best you and I continue this conversation in private," Dan replied as he placed his arm on her.

She shrugged it off angrily. "I'm walking off with Nathan." She lowered her voice. "If you try and stop me, Dan, so help me God about what I'll do to Lucas."

"Deb," Dan said, lowering his voice so it showed his anger, "Either you talk with me or privately or you get out of my house right now!"

"Fine," she replied angrily. "I'll get out of your house. Let's go, Nathan."

"Mom," Nathan said, glancing at Dan, unsure of what to do.

"I said let's go, Nathan!"

---

Nathan sat in the passenger seat of Deb's car. He wanted his mother—he really did—but he could tell that she was on the verge of being drunk. Dan had tried to stop him, and Lucas had called the police, but Deb had dragged him out of there. "Mom?" he asked quietly.

"Shut up, Nathan," she ordered, turning right in front of a police car.

"Mom, are you drunk again?" Nathan asked, grabbing at the wheel of the car.

"Shut up," she ordered angrily. "Dan doesn't want me to have custody of you, Nathan. If you really don't want to be here, I've got no problem turning around and taking you back. Do you know what Dan's like? Have I told you what Dan's like?"

He hasn't gotten drunk yet, Nathan silently thought. But he stopped his protests, and went silent.

---

"What was he wearing?" the police officer asked as he scribbled something down on his notepad.

"Red zip hoodie, jeans, and sneakers," Dan replied. "White sneakers… Nikey, I think," he said quietly. He sank down to the couch. "God, I should have stopped her. I don't know what I was thinking—" he let out a breath, exhausted. "I tried, and she shrugged me off, and it all happened so fast—"

"Do you believe Debra is emotionally stable?" the police officer asked.

"I think she was drunk," Dan replied with a sigh. "I was pretty sure I could smell whiskey under her breath."

Lucas just sat on the couch. "I think it's partly my fault he went with her," he admitted tiredly, rubbing his eyes.

"Why do you say that?" the police officer asked, turning towards him.

"Because Peyton told him that Dan was his father, and—"

"I never got a chance," Dan finished, cursing softly to himself. "Oh, God. He must hate me!"

---

Nathan leaned against the motel bed. "Mom, your name isn't Martha Lewiston," he replied softly.

"Shut up, Nathan," she responded as she stretched on the bed. "I don't feel well and I'm going to bed."

"Mom," he replied softly, but sighed when she saw that she was already asleep.

She must be right, he thought softly. If Dan had cared about him at all, he wouldn't have let Deb taken off. Oh, he'd tried, but he should have tried harder.

Slowly, he laid down on his 'bed', which was really the floor.

He remembered why he was suddenly happy not staying with his mother.