Chapter 26

Brooke Davis chuckled as she walked up the Scott driveway, there at the top was Nathan; washing the family car. Kinking an eyebrow she wondered why he just didn't take it to a car wash.

"Bit cold to be washing the car isn't it Nate?" she asked Nathan looked up and smiled, she had a point it was the middle of winter after all. But he had always found it relaxing, yes it was odd that a man with the amount of money he had earned over his times as a basket ball player found washing a car relaxing, but he did.

"Well Jamie had a fascination with the car wash, always has. And have you ever tried to wash a car with a five year old?" Nathan asked Brooke had to give him that she hadn't tried to wash a car with a child of any age let alone a five year old boy.

"Where are Hales and Jamie anyway?" she asked as Nathan dropped the sponge he was using into the pale of soapy water beside him.

"At the beach...Well Quinn, Hales and Jamie are. Don't give me that look Davis. Quinn wanted to use Jamie for a new series she wanted to do. Called- actually I don't remember what she called it. All I know is that she wanted Jamie. Hales decided to take one of our lawn chairs down and write. So I decided to wash the car." Brooke nodded she found it amusing really, that Nathan didn't want Jamie to wash the car with him. But he was ok with Quinn taking him down to the beach, then again. For as long as Brooke could remember Quinn hadn't liked going in the ocean, something about amnesty.

"Dan gets out today; doesn't that worry you in the slightest? He's had months to plan his revenge. Months of just lying there planning, it scares me. And Julian's been on edge all night" Nathan lent against a dry patch on the car; he finally found out the real reason Brooke Davis came over she wanted to know what he and Haley were going to do about Dan. They were old hands at dealing with this Dan, they knew every trick in his very out dated book, and Nathan guessed that Brooke would only be the first to ask. His parents, brother and in laws were bound to ask at some point. Brooke just happened to be first.

"I highly doubt he will do anything to any of us. None of us had anything to do with him getting run over, he knows that. We were all at home, he knows this because he has this fascination of walking around outside while there is a storm. He likes to use it to spy on people because no one would expect him to be out in it and I'm willing to put money on the fact that, he had done that, that night and checked on us all. I wouldn't worry Brooke whoever did it doesn't live in Tree Hill; and they've had a good couple of month's head start. So long as my pathetic uncle isn't going after my family and friends I really don't care what he does. He's becoming reckless, and if he does anything outside of Tree Hill the law will catch up to him... Eventually." sighing Brooke nodded if Nathan was this calm about Dan being out of hospital, then maybe he was right. Anything that was going to happen wouldn't happen to them. Now she just had to convince Julian of that fact, easier said than done.

Julian Baker looked up as his fiancé walked in; he waited till she sat down and went to ask. Brooke help up her hand and waited she smiled as Peyton walked in without bothering to knock; she had noticed the door ajar slightly and figured that Brooke had seen her car turn the corner as she was getting out of her own. Knowing that Peyton would want to know if she had been over to see Nathan and Haley Brooke waited so she didn't have to repeat herself.

"Hey Brooke did you know Dan gets out today? Should we go tell Hales?" Brooke smiled her friend was too predictable.

"Beat you too it Blondie, was just waiting for you, Nathan and Haley seem fine, they aren't worried at all. Nathan was actually washing their car. He seems to think and it makes sense, that it was someone else the rest of us were at home. Dan knows that, Nathan said so long as he doesn't come after his friends or family he doesn't care what Dan does-

"but what about-

"Julian honey Nathan and Haley have been dealing with Dan for years, they know when to be worried and not. Nathan was washing their car; he said Haley was on the beach writing and Quinn had taken Jamie for something. If they are going on with their lives as normal I say we should too." she said leaning over and caressing his cheek with her thumb before getting up and kissing his forehead. Peyton smiled if Nathan was calm about this then she had no reason to worry. Brooke and Julian, as well as herself and Lucas had no one else to worry about. Nathan and Haley had to think about Jamie as well. So life as normal for them, well that's was a good enough sign for Peyton.

"So Hales was writing this could only mean good things; I know she was a little iffy about recording again, and if I ever see that Remkiss woman I'll give her a piece of my mind. Stupid witch, I'm pretty sure the only reason Nathan graduated Stamford was because of Hales. Let's face it, he wasn't ever going to be really book smart."

"True, yeah Nathan said she had taken one of their lawn chairs down, but seeing how close they live that doesn't surprise me. I can't wait to hear her live again; ah, I missed my tutor girl singing." Said Brooke, she hadn't seen her best friend perform in years. It was one of the things she had missed most about her talented best friend, nights with nothing to do, and Haley humming away to some tune she had just come up with. So if her friend was writing again, and not freaking out about her husband's psycho uncle well that was good enough for her and it would just have to be good enough for the rest of them too. But she was sure other people would freak out more than what they let on. Karen she was sure would be one of them.

Karen Scott looked out the window of her cafe, Keith had gotten a call this morning that Dan was being released today from hospital. They hadn't even known he was, until Haley had shown her the newspaper that, quinn had shown her. The first thing Karen wanted to do was, lock her family and friends away so that Dan couldn't get to anyone, she didn't quite remember how he had gotten in hospital but she was sure he would blame one of them, for it and as such she had been on edge all morning, when the bell over the door rang out every time it opened she jumped out of her skin expecting it to be Dan. This time was no different, when she turned around she saw both her daughters in law, and grandson.

"Little jumpy there Karen?" Peyton asked as the three of them walked over to the counter, Karen gave Peyton a look that told her not to try her not today.

"Dan won't come after us, just remember this there are more people in this state and, in this country that he has pissed off than just here in Tree Hill. The night it happened in question was the night of the storm, and we were all at home like we should have been. Whoever did do it. Well they've had one hell of a head start; and as sick and twisted as he is, I will bet you that he knows exactly who did it and it wasn't someone in Tree Hill, he wouldn't have stayed in hospital this long if it had been someone so close, he had to rest, get back to normal before he took this person on" said Haley Karen nodded, it seemed the only person worried about this was her.

"Trust me, Nathan would never let him do anything to you or, Keith or Lilly. So you're perfectly safe."