I suck I suck I suck. So sorry for the lack of updates!

Thanks for reading and reviewing the last chapter, hope y'all like this one.

Nathan was lying on the ground. It was raining, and he was lying in a puddle.

He groaned and rubbed at his face, which was smeared with dirt and was bruised.

He yelled when he felt another blow across his face.

"And that's for all those times you called me a bastard, and for when you showed that video of Dad and my mom at the dance, and when you blamed Haley leaving town on me…" Lucas yelled, continuing to pummel him.

"Lucas, Lucas, stop." Nathan pleaded, finally sitting up and grabbing Lucas' fists.

He looked at his brother. Rain was pouring down his face, mixing in with the tears and dirt on his cheeks.

"Luke…" Nathan said, grabbing his shoulders.

"I hate you." Lucas said quietly, pulling back sharply.

"No you don't. Please…don't say that."

"I hate you!" Lucas said again.

"Stop. Please." Nathan pleaded.

Nathan looked up and saw people approaching; all yelling about the ways he had hurt them. His mom, his dad, Haley, Peyton, Whitey, Tim, his friends, and a bunch of people he barely remembered all were marching towards him.

He looked at Lucas, who was now just staring dully at the ground.

"Luke…please…come on…I'm sorry. I'm sorry…everyone." Nathan said, backing away.

He moved faster as the shouts grew louder and thunder roared above him.

Nathan woke up gasping for air and fell out of his bed.

He looked up to see if he had woken up Kyle, who was silent. He untangled himself from his bedspread and went to get some water.

"Okay, have a good day at school, meet us at the café after." Deb said to Lucas as she dropped him off at school.

"Okay…"

"Then you can go pick up your car."

Lucas sighed.

"It'll be fine."

"Everyone's going to be talking about Nate…"

"That's the beauty of small towns…it'll be fine."

"Okay. See you." Lucas said, getting out of the car.

"Hey man." Jake said.

"Hey…"

"How's everything?"

"Uh…better. Trying to get by."

"If you need anything…"

"Thanks man." Lucas nodded.

"Alright, I have to go to the library. See you at lunch?"

"Definitely."

"I better not have to pull you out of any fights again."

"Not planning on it." Lucas laughed.

He headed towards his locker, but turned abruptly when he saw Whitey at the other end of the hall.

Lucas flipped open his notebook, waiting for class to start. Groups of people in the back were whispering loudly.

"He's a total wreck, he was completely hooked on all these drugs, he's going to be in rehab for a long time. I bet he won't make it back for graduation. Did you see the fight with him and Lucas?"

"Yeah, Lucas is completely messed up too."

"He's just lucky that his parents didn't bust him too. That's why he and Nathan were fighting each other."

"So Nathan took the fall for him?"

"Apparently."

"That family is so messed up. Especially now that Lucas and Nathan are closer than ever."

"Did you see Lucas at Tim's party?"

"Yeah, he was completely wasted."

Lucas sighed and watched the clock intently, willing it to be time for class to begin.

"Scott!" Whitey called at the end of the day.

Lucas froze and slowly turned around.

"Yes Coach?"

"Can I have a word?"

"Can it wait? I have to go see my mom."

"Fine. But not for too long."

"I'll see you tomorrow." Lucas said quickly, turning to leave.

"Lucas."

Lucas turned around and sighed.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." He muttered, leaving quickly.

Nathan sat outside, staring into space.

"So, any more nightmares?" Kyle said, walking up and sitting down next to him.

"Huh?"

"Last night, you seemed freaked."

"How the hell…"

"Just because I didn't say anything doesn't mean I'm not deaf. You fell out of your bed, didn't you?"

"Yeah."

"Kind of hard to miss, kid."

"Everyone was screaming at me, everything I've done in the past..."

"Sounds like your regrets are coming back to you."

"Definitely. I don't know what to do."

"Well here in rehab...we make ammends."

Nathan sighed and stared at nothing again.

"Hey Lucas." Andy said cautiously as Lucas entered the café and sat at the counter.

"Hey…"

"So…how was…school?"

"Sucky." Lucas said dully.

"I'm sorry." Andy said.

Lucas sighed.

"Look, really Lucas, I'm really sorry about everything. It was completely ridiculous of me to try and get custody of you using Nathan."

"Or trying to get sole custody of me at all."

"You're right. I kind of fell into this really complicated situation, I'm new at this. I've never been a father before, especially not to a teenager. And to make it even more complex, I have to learn to deal with another set of parents and their own parenting style."

"So you thought if you and mom were the only ones in control…"

"It would be easier. But that's stupid of me. I'm sorry, Lucas. Your mom was fighting me every step of the way. Don't be mad at her. Blame me."

"Look, Andy. I get what you're saying. I really do."

"You do?"

"Look, this whole thing with Nathan has been insane. But do you promise me that you dropped the lawsuit?"

"Yes. I give you my word."

"Thank you." Lucas said, as Deb and Karen approached, Dan following behind them.

Karen glanced at Lucas uncertainly. Lucas half smiled and gave her a hug.

"I'm so sorry baby, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. We're good." Lucas said.

"Really?"

"Well…soon." Lucas said.

After a few more days of waking up from the same nightmare, Nathan decided to call Lucas.

"Hey there." Lucas answered.

"Hey, now that it's the weekend, haul your scrawny ass up here. Please."

"But of course."

"Seriously?" Nathan said anxiously.

"Yeah." Lucas said, laughing.

"When are you coming?"

"I'll see you in a few hours, little brother."

"Great." Nathan said, sighing in relief.

Lucas hung up and went downstairs to find Karen. They were talking, and it was nice, but Lucas couldn't help but still feel angry towards her and Andy.

"Mom…I'm going to see Nathan." Lucas said quickly, grabbing his wallet.

"With Dan and Deb?"

"No…they're going up sometime tomorrow. I might tag along…"

"I bet he misses you."

"I miss him too. Well, I'll be seeing him soon enough."

"Okay, well have fun. Send him our love."

"I will." Lucas said.

Lucas walked around uncertainly, looking for Nathan.

He jumped a little when Nathan ran up and grabbed him.

"There you are."

"Finally." Nathan said, burying his head into Lucas' shoulder.

"Missed me?"

"You have no idea." Nathan said pulling away.

"I missed you too. It's been crazy."

"I bet…so you're not mad?"

"About what?"

"Everything…"

"I can't say that I'm not…but it doesn't matter right now."

"Really? Because it's been driving me crazy."

"You just focus on getting better, then we can work it all out."

"Okay." Nathan said, smiling.

"Hey buddy, I have something for you." Lucas said, pulling something out of his pocket.

Nathan inspected the cassette tape.

"Are you mocking me about my car?"

"No I just got so frustrated with your piece of crap that I beat the thing out."

"You didn't." Nathan said in disbelief.

"Ask Dad." Lucas grinned.

"That's awesome, man."

"By the way, your crappy car? Not so crappy anymore."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you."

"No problem."

"So, how are things in Tree Hill?"

"Among the vicious rumors, I have a whole list of people sending their best wishes."

"Like who?"

"My mom, Andy, Brooke, Jake, Peyton, Theresa." Lucas said, counting on his fingers.

"She's so hot." Nathan interrupted.

"What?" Lucas asked.

"Theresa."

"Oh. I guess."

"We've been hanging out. Homecoming, the basketball party."

"You interested in her?"

"Maybe…I kind of blew it though."

"How?"

"Um, Lucas, think of where we are right now."

"Oh come on, you're getting better."

"Yeah but still. It doesn't exactly help me out."

"Well if she likes you then it won't matter about some mistake you made."

"Hi this is my boyfriend Nathan. He just out of rehab." Nathan said in a high pitched voice.

Lucas cracked up.

"So Luke, what's going on for Thanksgiving?"

"Um…well I'll be at my mom's, and I'm heading to Dad's later."

"Good. I don't want them to be alone…you know…"

"They won't be."

"They're coming up tomorrow, are you coming along?"

"Maybe." Lucas said.

"Only maybe?"

"Brooke wants to add to my wardrobe."

"Haha."

"Oh shut up."

"She owns you, man."

"Nuh uh."

"Yeah huh."

"Nuh uh."

"Okay let's be grown ups here." Nathan said.

Lucas smiled.

"If not tomorrow, come back soon."

"Every weekend until you're home."

"Promise?"

"Promise." Lucas said, holding out his fist.

Nathan pounded Lucas' fist.

Lucas stood up and stretched.

"I hate to go…but I kind of have to."

Nathan sighed.

"Are you sure nothings bothering you Nate?" Lucas asked.

"Um…nah…it's okay. Just you know…it sucks…being here."

"Right." Lucas said, nodding.

"See you soon?"

"Of course." Lucas said, slapping hands with him.

Watching Lucas leaving, Nathan sat back on the bench and sighed. He wished he had told Lucas about his nightmares, because he had a feeling they weren't going to stop anytime soon.

Okay, this is a bit of a transition chapter. Next chapter, people are going to stop glossing over issues and deal with their problems. Sounds fun, yes?

Please review:)