Oh my laptop. How I've missed thee.

Thanks for your patience, hope you enjoy!

This is an interesting experiment, called "Bubblz finished writing/editing this at ten minutes to midnight so this chapter might not be entirely coherent."

"When did Lucas say he and Jake were getting here?" Peyton asked, taking a sip of her drink.

"They're two minutes away." Brooke said.

"Okay, then its time to dance. Let's go find Mouth." Peyton grinned.

"You got it, P Sawyer." Brooke jumped up from her seat and grabbed Peyton's hand.

"You coming Nathan?" Peyton asked.

"Nah. I'm gonna head outside for a minute to get some air. If Theresa comes in tell her I'll be right back."

"Sure."

Nathan got a drink from the water fountain on his way back inside and as he stood up and turned around, he came face to face with Mark.

And three of his friends.

"The hell do you want? Brooke still doesn't want to go out with you. And I don't blame her." Nathan sighed.

"Where's your brother?"

"Not here yet. Now answer my question."

"We just wanted to talk things out."

"Yeah, right." Nathan scoffed.

"You're right. We just wanted to show you a thing or two about playing fair." Mark said.

"We're late. Brooke's gonna be pissed." Jake grinned.

"What about Peyton?"

"She's more easy going."

"We'll see. Hold on, Nate's calling me." Lucas said, pulling out his phone.

"Oh right. Were we supposed to pick him up?" Jake wondered as Lucas answered the phone.

"Hey, we're just pulling in." Lucas said, parking the car.

"Good." Nathan said shakily.

"You okay buddy?" Lucas asked, sensing something was wrong.

"No…I need you to come out back."

"Back where?"

"The back area…where the exit is."

"What are you doing there?"

"Please just…hurry." Nathan said, hanging up.

"What's going on?" Jake asked.

"Something's wrong with Nate…he's out back." Lucas said, getting out of the car.

"He didn't say?" Jake called as he followed Lucas.

"Nate?" Lucas called, pulling open the back door.

Nathan was slumped on the ground, clutching his side. His lip was cut and swollen, and half of his face was bruised, with a black eye already showing.

"Jesus, what the hell happened to you?" Lucas gasped, rushing over to his brother and inspecting the injuries.

"Mark and his friends came up to me and dragged me back here. They asked where you were and when they found out you weren't here yet they decided it would be fun to kick my ass."

"How many of them?" Jake asked.

"Three or four. Wasn't sure."

"Great odds. Jackasses." Lucas said angrily.

"It's no big deal." Nathan said quietly.

"You're kidding, right? I'm going to kill Mark. And his idiot friends."

"Lucas, don't do anything. This whole thing is so stupid."

"Nate, he attacked you when he knew you couldn't win."

"I know…"

"Where's Theresa?" Lucas asked quietly.

"She's with the girls probably. Brooke's been bugging me about how late you are by the way."

Jake chuckled to himself.

"Peyton too." Nathan grinned.

"Okay…well I'm getting you home." Lucas said, helping Nathan to stand up.

"What about…"

"Forget it." Lucas said.

"I'll go fill in the girls. Don't worry about rides, Peyton can take me home."

"Brooke should come." Nathan said suddenly.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I just want to sleep. There's no reason why you two can't spend time together."

"Okay…"

"I'll tell her." Jake said.

"Thanks." Lucas said quietly.

"My face hurts." Nathan said, trying to make light of the situation.

"I bet. I'm so sorry Nate."

"It's not your fault."

"They came after you to get to me."

"I don't feel like going back and forth, so um…shut up." Nathan grinned.

"Fine, fine."

"Nathan are you okay?" Brooke said, running over to the brothers.

"I've been better." Nathan mumbled, putting his head on Lucas' shoulder.

"I was gonna take him home and-"

"Get me a frigging icepack." Nathan interrupted.

"Yeah."

"Okay, we can hang out there."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Tric can wait."

"Okay."

"Ouch!" Nathan said, pulling away from Lucas.

"Sorry." Lucas sighed, holding him still so he could clean up all the cuts and scratches on Nathan's face.

"Here is some aspirin." Theresa said, handing him two little pills and a glass of water.

"Thanks." Nathan said dully, taking the medication.

"And here is one icepack, and you are good to go." Lucas said, putting the icepack to his brother's face.

"Thanks Luke." Nathan said, pressing the icepack against his face and standing up.

"I guess I'll go then. Feel better." Theresa said, giving Nathan a quick kiss on the forehead and then leaving.

"Could really…feel the love…right there." Lucas laughed as soon as she left.

"I just wanted to go to sleep." Nathan mumbled.

"Now you can. You need anything else?"

"No I'm good for now."

"Brooke and I will be downstairs if you need anything. Just shout down." Lucas said.

"Okay." Nathan said, heading to his room.

He plopped down on his bed, sighing with relief. He was so happy to just lie down and not have to think about anything.

Except the images of being grabbed and dragged into the back of the club kept running through his mind, no matter what he did.

He turned on the television, but eventually he got bored and turned it off.

He tried to go to sleep, but he couldn't get the night's events out of his mind.

Crack.

Nathan jumped, dropping the icepack. Then he laughed nervously. It had to be something outside.

"Are you going to tell your mom?" Brooke asked, snuggling up to Lucas on the couch.

"I guess. I swear…that Mark guy. He just needs to get over it."

"I don't know what his problem is. Seriously, this is all a little extreme."

"I'm sorry our date got ruined. And I know it was because of-"

"Don't worry about it. Your little brother getting beat up by a group of idiots is a pretty good excuse."

"Lets hope I never have to use it again."

"So tomorrow how are you going to make it up to me?" Brooke asked, looking at Lucas and cocking an eyebrow.

"I will take you to the restaurant of your choosing."

"And after?"

"I will probably live to regret this, but whatever you want."

"Now why would you regret a thing like that?" Brooke teased.

"I don't know." Lucas smiled.

"I'll see you tomorrow night." Brooke said later that night.

"Say about 7:00?"

"You got it."

"See you then. Thanks for hanging out."

"Anytime."

"Night. I love you." Lucas said, leaning over and kissing Brooke.

"Love you too gorgeous." Brooke whispered, pulling away after awhile.

Lucas smiled and gave her one last quick kiss.

"Bye baby." Brooke said, heading out the door.

After she left, Lucas decided to go check on Nathan. He seemed really shaky after everything that had happened.

"Hey Nate?" Lucas said quietly, opening Nathan's door.

"Yeah?" Nathan said, sitting up immediately.

"I thought you'd be asleep by now."

"I can't sleep."

"What's wrong?"

"Look I didn't want to sound so needy when Brooke and Theresa were here, but that whole thing tonight…it really freaked me out."

"I figured. I don't blame you."

"I've been up here jumping at every small noise."

"You could've come down and hung out with us."

"No. No, I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I just really wish Theresa hadn't come back with us." Nathan admitted.

"Why? She was worried about you."

"I wanted to tell you all this before, but I felt like I couldn't tell you how much it shook me up with her there. I was so freaking embarrassed. She must think I can't defend myself or something."

"You were outnumbered."

"Yeah. I just didn't feel like I could talk about it with her there."

"Brooke was there." Lucas pointed out.

"I didn't mind that. You probably would've told her anyway." Nathan grinned.

Lucas laughed too, but his smile quickly faded.

"What?" Nathan asked.

"Doesn't it bother you that you just told me you trust my girlfriend more than your own?"

"At least for now."

"So…you're still with Theresa for now."

"Yup."

"And the Haley thing…"

"I'm still thinking about it."

"Just make sure that's all you do for now."

"I'm not going to break her and the golden boy up."

"You're so jealous."

"I am not. She could just do better."

"Like you, you mean."

"Debatable."

"I don't think so."

"Well at least you think I'm worthy. I'm pretty sure she hates me by now."

"Why?"

"Because I left her hanging for so long, then suddenly moved on and left her behind."

"I'm sure she understands what you were going through."

"You know it was almost a year ago that she and I went on our first date?"

"Wow…I guess it has."

"It seems like forever ago."

"Then you got married…damn. That was only last year."

"Weren't even seniors yet."

"Wow…"

"It's crazy."

"Yeah."

"I like my situation now though. Living here, my parents aren't insane, you're here with me, and Theresa is a lot of fun…"

"True."

"Man, my entire face hurts."

"Looks like it."

"Do you promise not to go off on those guys when you see them in school?"

"Nope."

"Lucas."

"I can't promise that when I see them, I won't be tempted to punch them."

"You can't get into another fight in school. Neither of us can afford it, it's our senior year."

"You're right…"

"And no fighting outside school." Nathan said knowingly.

"How'd you know I was thinking that?" Lucas laughed.

"Because you're like me in that respect."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Seriously though, it's not worth it."

"They did this to you to get to me."

"It's not your fault Brooke actually has taste and would rather be with you than some idiot."

Lucas laughed.

"I don't know what his problem is." He agreed.

"Oh well. He's a jackass." Nathan said firmly.

"True. It's getting kind of late…"

"Oh…yeah."

"Of course, I could stay." Lucas offered, seeing the flash of sadness in Nathan's eyes.

"You could."

"Are you okay, you still seem a little freaked."

"I was half expecting you and Jake to come and help me out."

"I wish I had been there. I wish it had been me instead. You didn't deserve this, Nate."

"Yeah, well, things happen for a reason." Nathan said, shifting the ice pack on his face and closing his eyes.

"I guess."

"Uh huh…" Nathan said quietly.

"Tired?"

"Yeah…" Nathan mumbled.

"You want me to go?"

"No…"

Lucas waited until Nathan was asleep, and then gently took the ice pack from his brother's hands.

He put the icepack down in the kitchen and sat back down in a chair in Nathan's room, eventually drifting off to sleep.

The next morning, both brothers were woken up by Nathan's cell phone ringing.

"What?" Nathan mumbled into his phone.

"Nathan?" Haley asked.

"Oh! Um, hey." Nathan said, sitting up. Lucas looked up with interest.

"Hi…I heard what happened last night. Are you okay?"

"Oh. Yeah, just some bruises. Hell of a black eye. I think. Lucas?"

"Pretty ugly." Lucas confirmed.

"Yup. Lucas thinks so too."

Haley laughed.

"Well I just wanted to make sure you were okay. And I just wanted you to know that I think that we should be friends. We can handle that, don't you think?"

"Yeah. Sure…that sounds like a good idea."

"I'm glad you think so. Listen, I've got to go, but I'll see you Monday. Tell Lucas I'll call him later."

"Okay. Bye."

"Who was that?" Lucas asked, rolling his head around.

"Haley. The hell are you doing?" Nathan asked, looking at his brother.

"I slept in a chair, Nate. My neck hurts."

"You didn't have to do that."

"It's no problem. So what did Haley want?"

"She wanted to make sure I was okay."

"That's nice of her."

"Yeah."

"Anything else?"

"Um, yeah. She said she thought we could be friends."

"And can you?"

"I guess we'll see." Nathan said.

Next chapter picks up pretty much where this left off, so any loose ends should be tied up and the stuff I mentioned in the author's note should be happening or starting to happen.

Its a littlerandom with Mark, but...I have a plan! I can probably get the next chapter up in the next couple of days, so keep an eye out.

Please leave me a review!