A few days later, Nathan was absently playing with a basketball in his hands on his bed. Over the past few days, he and Lucas made some small talk, but Lucas still seemed hesitant to talk about anything. Now his grandparents were on their way and he didn't know what to do.

Soft knocking on the door interrupted his thoughts.

"Hey…they're here."

"Okay."

"Yeah." Lucas said, turning to leave.

"Wait. We really need to talk."

"But they're…"

"Dad and my mom can hold their attention for a little bit."

"Fine."

"I need to know we're okay. I can't stand us not talking, I know what I did was completely horrible, and I am so sorry. I need to know you can forgive me." Nathan pleaded.

"I just needed some space, that's all. But it's not that easy as you apologizing, I felt like we had a good relationship beginning, a trust."

"I understand…"

"Boys! Come down and see your grandparents!" Dan called.

Lucas glanced at Nathan one more time and headed downstairs. He was excited to meet his grandparents, but nervous because Royal sounded kind of scary.

"Lucas!" May exclaimed when they came downstairs. She hugged a surprised Lucas, who returned the embrace, and then she hugged Nathan.

"It's nice to meet you." Lucas said awkwardly.

"How do you do, Lucas." Royal said, shaking his hand.

"Fine thanks. Nice to meet you too."

"Indeed it is." Royal said.

Lucas stood there, glancing at Dan, unsure of what to say. Dan rubbed his shoulder.

"You're tall, but awfully skinny for a basketball player." Royal commented.

Nathan chuckled a little just out of habit.

"That's what the coach tells me." Lucas responded.

"Whitey's a good man. You should listen to him." Royal said. He turned to Nathan.

"Good to see you're not in your underwear this time." Royal commented.

"What?" Lucas laughed.

"Last time we came here a few months ago your brother answered the door in his boxers and a t-shirt." May said, smiling.

"Yeah well, it's 5:00 in the afternoon now, so I figured it was time to get dressed." Nathan said sarcastically.

Lucas chuckled and looked at Dan who was smiling.

"So Lucas how is basketball?" Royal asked at dinner later that night.

"Good. Nathan and I getting ready for the new season."

"Is that right…" Royal said thoughtfully, pleased to hear Nathan was playing again.

Just then the phone rang.

"Nathan would you answer that?" Deb asked.

Nathan got up and picked up the phone.

"Hey Nathan it's Peyton."

"Hey, I thought you were with your Dad in some exotic place." Nathan said jokingly.

"Yeah, actually we're down in Georgia loser, but I wanted to kind of warn Lucas that Brooke called me and said she was going to be home soon."

"Jeez. Okay…thanks."

"No problem."

"So we'll talk later?"

"Yeah." Peyton said.

Nathan hung up and returned to the table.

"Peyton called, Brooke is coming home soon." Nathan said to Lucas.

"Oh how nice." Deb said obliviously.

"Yeah…" Lucas trailed off.

"Hey mom, can Lucas and I be excused?" Nathan asked.

Lucas looked at Nathan questioningly.

"I guess so. Don't leave the house though." Deb said pointedly.

"We're just going upstairs to pack for the beach house."

"Okay."

Once upstairs, Lucas sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

"I thought I'd help you get away from the parents and grandparents so you could appropriately freak out about this.

"Crap. I haven't given Brooke any thought in the longest time."

"That's kind of good though, right?"

"Yeah. But now I don't know how to deal with this."

"Look, trust me I know, giving her some space is the best thing."

"Two months isn't enough space?"

"Good point…"

"I guess I should just apologize for forcing all that on her and say we can be friends if that's what she wants." Lucas said, facing Nathan.

"Good plan."

"It's just not what I want."

"I know."

Lucas sighed and put his head on Nathan's shoulder. Nathan patted his brother's back, glad that they were getting back to where they once were.

"I don't want to be mad at you anymore." Lucas said quietly.

The next day, Lucas and Nathan brought down their suitcases full of stuff for the beach house to find May and Deb making breakfast.

"It smells good in here." Lucas commented.

"I should hope so." May said, smiling.

"Good morning boys. Are you are all packed?" Deb asked.

"Yeah…hopefully we have enough stuff." Nathan said.

The Scott family enjoyed a nice pleasant breakfast together, where nobody brought up any past conflicts; they just enjoyed a nice summer day.

May gave each of her grandsons a hug, and Royal shook their hands, genuinely happy with how they both were turning out.

"Okay boys, put your bags in the car and we'll head over to the house." Dan said. May and Royal decided they should leave that night instead of that morning.

When they got there, Nathan and Lucas threw their stuff in their rooms without unpacking and headed out to the beach. It was pretty deserted because it was getting dark outside and therefore kind of chilly.

Dan was making steak on the grill while he and Deb watched Nathan and Lucas wander along the beach. Deb walked closer to them with her digital camera. She wanted Karen to be able to see how her son was doing.

"It must be freezing." Lucas commented.

"Probably is." Nathan said with an evil smile, and he grabbed Lucas from behind and carried him into the water, with Lucas laughing and trying to break free.

Nathan tripped a couple of feet in the water, and they both went under.

"DAMN! That is freezing!" Lucas said, standing up and shaking water out of his hair.

Nathan did the same thing and laughed.

"You think you'll go all commando on us again and keep your head shaved?" He asked.

"Nah." Lucas said, shaking his head so water sprayed Nathan and bolted out of the water.

"What possessed you two to go into the water?" Deb asked, setting the table.

"I didn't plan on it." Lucas said.

"Doesn't look like it." Deb said, showing him a picture she took with her digital camera. Lucas had a hilarious shocked expression, and Nathan was grinning.

"I didn't know it was going to be that cold." Nathan laughed.

"Yeah whatever." Lucas said, laughing.

Deb smiled, glad that they were beginning to get along again.

"In the past I've basically used your bed as a dresser." Nathan said, unzipping his bag.

"Great." Lucas said, putting away the last of his clothes and pulling out a book.

"We should go running tomorrow." Nathan said, stuffing his clothes in the dresser.

Lucas looked up from his book and laughed at the messy drawers.

"Okay, what time?"

"Probably early. Don't want to run into too many people."

"Ugh."

"Yeah, well, we should've started this like a week ago. Basketball is coming up and I have to get up to where I was by then."

"What do you mean?"

"The injury from the car accident. I mean, High Flyers thoroughly kicked my ass and got me into gear, but I've been lazy with keeping up with it."

"Right, right. I'll help you."

"Thanks. You also need to bulk up some." Nathan pointed up.

"I hate doing weights." Lucas laughed.

"Yeah me too, but you could also eat more."

"I eat fine. I just have to do the weights more."

"I can't believe Whitey didn't get on your ass more about it."

"He mentioned something after the second game…" Lucas trailed off.

"What's wrong?"

"After that game, Brooke was in my car, getting changed, and it seems like every since them, my life's been crazy." Lucas said.

Nathan laughed.

"Good old Brooke." He said.

"Yeah…"

"She'll come around, Luke."

"I'm so nervous about her coming home. How do I act after that? She must think I'm crazy."

"Maybe all the time helped her realize that she's totally into you. Which she is."

"How do you know?"

"I could just tell. Like when I told you to go tell her how you felt before."

"Right…"

Nathan tried to shut the dresser but his haphazard clothing wouldn't let him.

Lucas cracked up and ducked from the pile of clothes Nathan threw at him.

Aww, see with the cuteness?

Please leave me a review. They are oh so lovely. Thanks to all those who did last chapter, you guys rock!