I got up early before work just to give you guys another installment in this story J I am again so grateful that you guys have taken an interest and it's so encouraging! Texasunniest – There will be more of a reveal into Brooke's character and events at her last school which was referenced in the previous chapter (in the familiarity of waking up in a strange bed) but I will say that she is currently surpassing her season 1 self and is a more matured version of herself, similar to late season 2 and season 3 Brooke. I love your devotion to Brucas and their relationship J I especially appreciate your commentary! Also thank you to the rest of you for your comments and excitement towards my story such as littlewave500, Litalove, inScense09 (I appreciate your individual chapter reviews!), nena BpDs89, lilohb, and sunshine!

Anyways, here is the next chapter! Please leave feedback! I love it and it's been great motivation!

Chapter 5 – King and Lionheart

Dan was many things to Tree Hill. A businessman, a basketball legend, a father. In the recent year he became a tragedy as the town watched the once charismatic man wither away at the loss of his high school sweetheart. When he was still in Tree Hill and not holed up in a dingy motel room in the next town over that was his alleged business trips, he made his appearance in community events.

Most were fooled by his beaming smile, perceiving it as strength encompassing him. That he had overcome the unthinkable over the short span of time. But as he slammed the glass table against the dining room that was once shared for warm family memories, the only strength he displayed was that fueled by rage.

"Want to explain to me why I get home my little girl is nowhere to be found?" He slurred angrily at Lucas as he stood in the doorway of the kitchen wordlessly.

"She stayed the night at a friend's house last night." Luke stated quietly, realizing that there was no good direction this conversation could take. The half empty bottle of scotch still resting on the kitchen counter confirmed this assumption.

"Oh did she, Lucas?" Dan tapped his finger against his glass that was still clutched in his grip as the last bit of alcohol slightly stirred by the movement. "How many fucking times have I told you to keep her at home when I'm gone?" Dan stood as Lucas watched his every moment warily. "I leave town and work hard to support the two of you. All that I ask is that you keep her here."

He shot his head back, consuming the last drip of alcohol and clashing the cup for a second time down onto the wooden table. His eyes were darkened with the anger and disgust at the sight of his sorry excuse for a son.

"I'm sorry." Lucas said softly, hoping that if he was calm enough he could somehow balance out the blind fury that was forming in the belligerent man in front of him.

"You're sorry, Lucas?" Dan scoffed, letting out a cynical laugh. "Sorry? That's all I ever fucking hear from you. She's all that I have left and yet you insist on stealing her from me too. Do you even care how much danger you put her in by taking her out with you?"

Lucas nodded his head in compliance. Lucas was terribly conscious of his tainted touch on the people he loved. He had the cursed touch of destruction on those he cared for the most. "Where is she now?"

"She's in the front yard." Lucas knew where this question led and he considered heading up to his room to receive his punishment before Dan could direct him to do so.

"Good." A blinding white pain slammed into the side of Lucas' face as he fell back, concentrating heavily on remaining conscious after the surprise blow to his temple. This had genuinely set him back, normally Dan took him out of sight of Lily before he started in on the beating.

Lucas averted his eyes to the floor, anticipating another hit that came hard into his abdomen. He doubled over, as Dan pulled back his fist looking smug for the first time since arriving back home. This wasn't a lone incident but rather a routine between the two of them.

Dan had never been an ideal father to Luke, even in his youth. The only time he ever took interest in him was to drill his basketball training into him to hold the good Scott name. But after his mom died, Lucas experienced the darker side of his father.

It wasn't that Lucas couldn't fight back, because at his size and stature he was well built to pull his own weight. But this was deeper than the contact of Dan's fist. Part of him was acutely aware that this was his penance for robbing Lily of her mother. So as Dan pulled back to slam his knee into Lucas' keeled over body, he crumpled to the floor in acceptance.

X

Brooke dipped her head into the artsy room of the blonde, seeing Peyton Sawyer sitting with her legs crossed on her oversized bed sketching a shielded picture with her back turned to the door.

"Hey, !" Peyton turned her head at the sound of the bubbly brunette's voice as she made her way into her room and sat down next to her taking a look at the black penned sketches on the paper. "I see now why you and Lucas are such good friends." Brooke gestured towards the dark art sitting in front of them, "misery loves company." Peyton laughed setting aside her work to look at her new friend.

"I don't know what you're talking about, ." Peyton countered looking over at the girl as she now fiddled with a Polaroid camera.

"Any plans today?" Brooke asked, turning her attention back to her friend. "I mean, other than drawing your "nobody understands me" pictures?"

"You talk a lot of smack for being new around here." Peyton laughed as Brooke rolled herself of her bed and stood in front of her, clearly itching to do something. "No plans, though. Jake is with Jenny and his parents at the zoo and Haley is working at the café today."

"Yes, I heard you were playing house with Jagelski. Very cute." Brooke kinked an eyebrow at Peyton before putting her hands on her hips. "Well if you have nothing planned can we please go do something?"

"In case you didn't realize, Brooke there isn't much to do in this town." Peyton shrugged, not prone to leaving the confines of her room on a Saturday afternoon unless heavily provoked.

Brooke paused, furrowing her brows together in thought before lighting back up again as she pretended to come up with a clearly pre-conceived idea. "I got it, let's go shopping!" Peyton groaned, dropping her head back down onto her bed defiantly.

"Do we have to?" She mumbled into her blanket as Brooke pointedly ignored her dramatic reaction to the thought of going to the mall.

"Yes, we do. Now get up!" Peyton begrudgingly tore herself off the bed, wondering to herself exactly why it was Brooke and her were friends.

X

Lucas stared at the ceiling of his room as he lay, icing his newly bruised body. It was still tender to touch as he shifted the ice to another painful area. He could hear the echo of Lily's giggle from the downstairs as her and Dan watched a movie together. Lucas tried to avert his thoughts from his evident isolation in the family and was grateful to hear her laughter.

His phone buzzed beside him and Luke turned his attention to the hunk of plastic that was his only object connected to the outside world. Flipping open the dated cellular a new message from Mouth appeared on the front page.

"Game at the rivercourt?" Lucas clicked the phone shut, returning his sights back to the grooves of plaster on his ceiling. Admittedly he could use a game at the river court, but his body wouldn't allow it. Plus he needed to ice heavily before Monday if he was going to keep the façade up and he couldn't really be bothered to attempt a social setting after his day.

As his mind drifted into a null the phone beside him vibrated again. Luke picked it up, reading the second message from Mouth. "Brooke is here." Again, he shut the phone tossing it further away from him this time. Luke shut his eyes, imagining a time when he could lead a normal life. Where he could will himself to follow his feelings at the sound of her name instead of forcing himself to bury it. A life where he could run to Brooke and sweep her off her feet.

But Lucas didn't live a life that could allow that. So instead of going to the girl that possessed the power to have a strong hold on his heart, Lucas pushed the picture of her hazel orbs and the sound of her voice when she was on the verge of laughing out of his head.