"Mom, when are you going to come home?" Lucas asked later that night.

"By the end of the summer, honey. I promise." Karen assured him.

"Okay, I just miss you, and Keith isn't here, and Nathan…" Lucas was getting upset.

"I know. I'm so sorry. It was selfish of me-"

"No, mom. You need to do things for yourself. I just miss you."

"I miss you too sweetie. I'll call you soon."

"Okay. Love you."

"Love you too baby." Karen said and hung up.

Lucas hung up the phone and put his head down on the table.

"You look great."

"Haley…"

"In the flesh."

"Where have you been? I know you've been around for awhile," Lucas said.

"I've been trying to call you for days. Where have you been?"

"Oh. At Nathan's."

"Oh…"

"Look, Haley, I know you came back to reconcile with him."

"You don't know that," Haley said, defensive.

"I absolutely do. You wouldn't come back for me, so you had to come back for him!"

"I know. I'm sorry."

"You've changed, Haley. You really have."

"Lucas, I thought we've been through this!"

"I know, I know. We talked about it. You will always be my best friend, you know that. But, he's my brother and one of my friends too, and he has been missing you! He hasn't been the same since you just LEFT him!"

"Lucas!"

"What? What, Haley? He's been a wreck, and you know it. I sat in a hospital praying for him to be okay! He crashed his car because of you and I was there, holding onto him for dear life not knowing that he would be okay."

"Lucas…"

"I just found him Haley, I can't keep coming close to losing people in my life. It's too hard. I can't, I can't."

Haley sat down next to him and wrapped her arms around her best friend.

"I'm not leaving again. I want to make things work."

"Then why would you sign those papers?"

"I didn't sign them. I don't want it to be over."

Lucas didn't say anything. Why the hell did he say he would do this?

"Does he want it to be over?"

"I don't know, Haley."

"Yes you do."

"It's not my place."

"Fine." Haley huffed, standing up.

"Why are you mad at me, Haley?"

"Because I came to see you, to talk, and you won't talk to me. Well, you did yell though."

"I didn't mean to. I just can't deal with this all." Lucas said, flopping down on his bed.

"With what?"

"I don't really feeling like talking about it."

"Okay."

"I'm sorry Haley. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"What, is that Nathan's job?"

"Why did you leave?" Lucas said, ignoring her question.

"I just wanted to do something for me. To break away from Tutor Girl, or Mrs. Scott, and it worked. People liked me, they enjoyed my music. And it felt really good."

"Wait, felt? As in past tense?"

"I think I might quit."

"Wow."

"Do you think I should?"

"It's your life."

"Yeah it is…"

"Look Haley, Nathan isn't coming back for awhile, you guys can talk about it then. But can you do me a favor?"

"Sure."

"Can you check on Peyton? I feel like I've been neglecting her."

"Neglecting her? She's not your child, Luke."

"I know, but she was upset about that lady Ellie, and I haven't talked to her in awhile."

"Why?"

"Nathan and I kind of have been holed up in the house, or visiting Dan."

"Dan? Really?"

"Yeah, I want to suck all the poison out my life, so to speak. I think it would help me."

"Good for you, Luke."

"Thanks, you should try it."

"Definitely…"

"So are we cool?"

"Yeah. I guess I might be hearing some yelling in the future."

"Sucks."

"Yeah, but I'll just have to deal with it."

Lucas nodded.

"Night, loser." Haley said, leaning down and hugging him.

"Night, buddy."

"Oh, Lucas you would love this restaurant that we went to last night it was…"

Lucas tuned her out as he got ready to go visit Dan. It wasn't like he was learning anything new.

"…and we had such a nice dinner. I think…he might be the one, Lucas."

"That's so great mom." Lucas said, finally taking interest.

"You know, Andy's house is wonderful. You should fly out and see it."

"I don't know, mom."

"Well, we'll see. I've got to go, love you."

"Me too." Lucas said, then hung up. He sighed.

"So your mom thinks New Zealand is an ideal place to live?" Dan asked. He and Lucas were trying to bond. Dan was sitting straight up, asking about Lucas' life. He was definitely feeling better.

"I guess. She keeps going on about how it's so beautiful and there are so many things to do here."

"Would you go live with her?"

"I don't want to leave." Lucas crossed his arms on top the side of Dan's bed and buried his head in them.

"You don't have to."

"What do you mean?"

"You could always live with me."

"That might be cool, actually." Lucas said, surprising himself and Dan.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Well I mean, I stayed over for awhile already this summer and it…didn't suck."

"How poetic." Dan laughed.

Lucas smiled a little. It wasn't so bad, was it?

"It's indie rock and roll for me…" Lucas sang offkey as he pulled up to the airport to pick up Nathan. Deb was at the café still, so he had to pick up Nathan himself.

He didn't see Nathan waiting outside, so he walked inside to the gate that he said that he was getting off at.

Somebody tackled him from behind, laughing.

Who else?

"Jeez, Nathan I have a weak heart." Lucas joked.

"Haha, how's that going anyway?"

"Fine."

"Where's my mom?"

"Work."

"So they just sent you?" Nathan said, feigning sadness.

"Yep." Lucas laughed.

"Nice."

"So how was camp?" Lucas asked, as they drove home.

"Boot camp. I've never played that hard."

"Good, now you won't suck."

"I can kick your ass anytime."

"We'll see little brother."

"You know, I never thought you'd be the one I would miss the most," Nathan said, suddenly getting serious.

"Aww, Nate, you softie." Lucas said, pulling into the driveway.

"Shut up."

"Are you sure you won't move back in?" Nathan asked as he and Lucas took his stuff upstairs.

"No, actually."

"Really?"

"Well my mom will be in New Zealand until the end up the summer, maybe longer because she can't stop talking about it. So Dan…suggested that maybe…I come and live here for awhile."

"Yeah, we'll see. Oh, it's getting late, my mom might be calling soon to rave about New Zealand and Andy."

"Okay man, see you tomorrow."

"Night, Nathan."

"Hey Lucas." Nathan said, grabbing his shoulder from behind.

"Yes?"

"I love you, big brother." Nathan said quietly.

Lucas chuckled.

"Good to know."

The boys smiled and highfived before departing that night.

Just like clockwork, Karen called just when Lucas got home.

"Hey mom."

"How did you know it was me?" Karen laughed.

"You've called me every day around this time for the last three weeks."

"Oh."

"Yeah." Lucas chuckled.

"Well I have some news for you," Karen said.

Thank you so much for reviewing! I love to hear your thoughts and I'm glad people like my story!