Thanks for reading and reviewing!
Quick reminder to those who asked: Mark is the guy who was giving Brooke a hard time in either Ch 46 or 47 and Lucas and Nate kind of ganged up on him.
Special thanks to lucasscottlover1 for the Lucas' storyline this chapter. I think I might have tweaked it a bit, but I really liked the idea.
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"That is one hell of a black eye." Lucas said, inspecting Nathan's injuries.
"The constant prodding is really helpful." Nathan grumbled.
"Sorry."
"So describe this Mark kid." Dan said, pouring himself some coffee.
"Why?" Lucas asked, taking Dan's mug from him.
"For the police."
"What?" Nathan asked.
"Nathan, this guy assaulted you."
"It wasn't a big deal." Nathan mumbled.
"Are you kidding me?"
"Dad, it wasn't even my problem. Luke's the one they were really after."
"We'll discuss this later." Dan sighed, leaving for work.
"Ridiculous." Nathan sighed.
"He's just being protective."
"Well it's weird. And pointless."
"Are you sure you don't want to report him?"
"Yeah. I'm pretty sure this was a one time thing. He's not going to come after you."
"What if he goes after Brooke again?"
"He won't." Nathan said firmly.
"He better not."
"Working to restrain that anger of yours I see."
"I will do my best not to punch him in the face when I see him in school."
"You better."
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"Ahh the smell of old books." Jake grinned.
"Nice." Lucas laughed.
"So how's Nate doing?"
"You should see him, Mark and his lackeys sure did a number on him."
"Is he okay though?"
"Yeah. He is a little freaked though." Lucas said, rubbing his neck.
"You okay?"
"I slept in a chair."
"Enough said."
"So what are you up to tonight?"
"Jenny and I have a crazy night planned."
"Oh I'm sure."
"Peyton is coming over. We'll probably just watch a movie or something once Jenny gets to sleep. Low key. What about you and Brooke?"
"She's probably planning our evening now."
"And you're not even a little worried about giving her total control?"
"Don't freak me out or I'm leaving."
"Fine, fine. So how's the rest of your family? Heard from your mom?"
"Yeah, bunch of postcards."
"Where are they now?"
"They're actually with Andy's mom in New Zealand."
"Oh that's cool."
"Yeah, I really wish it wasn't the middle of the school year so I could go too. I wanna meet my step grandmother."
"I'm sure you will this summer. Man, imagine what Andy's got planned."
"Yeah." Lucas laughed.
"We're not going to be able to carry all this stuff home." Jake said, trying to get a good grip on the books in his arms.
"It's okay. I have my car."
"You are so lazy, you know that? You live so close."
"Okay you know that when we came that we would buy a bunch of stuff."
"That is true. Let's go to the café, I am so hungry."
"Sounds good." Lucas said, picking up his books and going to pay.
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As Nathan made his way to Tim's house, Haley almost collided with him on her way to work.
"Whoa there." Nathan laughed.
"Wow…I am so sorry, I'm running late."
"On your way to meet Eric?"
"No I've got to work at the café."
"Right."
"Where are you off to?"
"Tim's. Major catching up to do."
"Oh, sure. So how are you feeling?"
"You mean this?" Nathan asked, pointing to his face.
"Yeah…I can't believe it. Lucas told me about it this morning."
"It's no big deal."
"Are you sure?"
"Okay well I have been jumpy as hell since it happened." Nathan admitted.
"Oh Nathan…"
"Yeah, it's kind of ridiculously sad actually. I couldn't sleep at all, and Brooke and Luke were downstairs, so I waited until she left and Luke came up to check on me and I practically forced him to stay in my room with me. That's so sad though, I need my older brother to be there after I get my ass kicked?"
Haley just stared for a few seconds after his rant.
"Yeah, um, I ramble a lot when I'm nervous." Nathan said sheepishly.
"What are you nervous about?"
"You know…talking to you…"
"Listen, do you want to get coffee or something? Ease the tension?"
"That sounds good."
"I hope you feel better."
"Oh, thanks. No, I'll be fine."
"Okay well I really got to go-"
"Damn. I'm sorry."
"No, it's fine. Just give me a call, okay?"
"Okay. Have fun at work."
"I'm sure I will." Haley smiled.
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"I think that we definitely have a good chance of winning the tournament." Nathan told Theresa that night at dinner.
"I bet Whitey would be thrilled."
"Hell yeah. Any day now I'm betting he's going to-" Nathan was cut off by his cell phone ringing.
"Who is it?"
"Brooke…the hell does she want…hello?"
"Nathan?"
"Yes Brooke?"
"Do you happen to know where Lucas is?"
"I'm guessing not with you?"
"That would be a no. I've been waiting here for half an hour." Brooke snapped.
"I'm sorry, I don't know where he is. Try his cell."
"I did, he's not answering."
"I don't know what to tell you. The last time I heard he was with Jake at the bookstore. Give him a call and see if he knows where he went afterwards."
"Fine. Did I interrupt something?"
"Yes."
"Sorry."
"No problem." Nathan hung up.
"What's going on?"
"Luke is late for their date and she can't track him down."
"That's terrible."
"Yeah. Watch, he came home to get ready and he fell asleep or something."
"You think?"
"Wouldn't be surprised. So anyway are you excited for the away game next week?"
"You bet. Especially if it's anything like last years." Theresa said, rolling her eyes.
"Oh that's right…"
"Yup, I got the chickenpox and had to leave. But that was okay because Brooke was in full Cheer Nazi mode."
"Well depending on how badly Luke has screwed up tonight, we'll see how cheery she'll be."
"Let's hope Lucas has a good reason for standing her up."
"He wouldn't do this without a good reason."
"You're probably right."
"Yeah." Nathan said as Brooke's name appeared on his cell phone again.
"Jake hasn't seen him since this afternoon. Where could he be?" Brooke practically shouted.
Nathan shifted in his chair, starting to get a little worried.
"Uh listen, I'll call home and see if my parents know where he is. I'll call you back."
"You think something's wrong?" Theresa asked.
"I don't know…hey Dad it's Nate…is Luke there?"
"No he left for dinner with Brooke 45 minutes ago, why?"
"He's not there?"
"No, he left. What's going on?"
"He's not with Brooke."
"What?"
"She's been waiting there forever and he hasn't shown up."
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Keith walked by the café, but the only familiar face he saw was Haley's, and he really just wanted to find Lucas or Karen right now.
He sighed and started on his way back to his apartment when a black SUV pulled up beside him.
"Keith!" Deb called as she rolled down the window.
"Deb…hi." Keith said, coming over to the side of the car.
"Have you seen Lucas?" Dan asked.
"No…I haven't…why?"
"He's missing." Deb said.
"Since when?"
"He left to go meet Brooke over an hour ago and nobody has seen him since. Nathan's called all their friends and nobody's seen him."
"Oh my God…and he's not answering his phone?"
"No."
"Okay, well I'll look and I'll call you if I find him." Keith said.
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"Luke!" Dan called.
"Lucas?" Deb shouted.
"Did you hear that?" Deb asked, putting her hand on Dan's arm.
"Lucas?" Dan called out.
"Dad?" A voice faintly replied.
"Luke…" Dan ran over to Lucas who was leaning forward, clutching his chest and having trouble breathing.
"Walking…to dinner…Mark…grabbed me…ran when…he thought someone was coming…because he's a tool…"
Deb and Dan laughed despite the situation.
"Okay I think we need to see a doctor…what are you feeling right now? Chest pains?"
Lucas didn't answer, he just swallowed hard and shut his eyes.
Dan cupped Lucas' chin in his hands and tried to get his son to focus.
"Luke…look at me…what happened?"
"Hurts…can't breathe…" Lucas said, still clutching his chest.
"Can you stand up?"
"Don't know…"
Dan slowly helped his son stand up. Lucas was still a little lightheaded and Dan kept him steady as they walked to the car.
"Will you call Keith?" Dan said quietly to Deb so Lucas wouldn't hear.
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"Lucas? It's Brooke. I've been here for over an hour, waiting for you. Well it looks like you lied. Again. And stood me up. But I'm not putitng up with this anymore. You told me I was going to be a priority, and you have yet to show me that. I hope you're having a great time with whatever skank you're with."
Twenty minutes later...
"It's Brooke again. I just talked to Nathan. He said your parents don't know where you are? Baby, please pick up. I am so sorry about what I said in my last message. I didn't mean it. I should've known you wouldn't do that. Where are you? I'm getting really worried. Please, please call me as soon as you get this message.
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"Hey…hey…how is he?" Nathan said, running up to Dan.
"He's okay…it was more his heart that was the problem…he didn't get too beat up I think…" Dan said, running his thumb over the bruises on Nathan's face.
"But he's okay?"
"Yeah. He actually protested coming here every step of the way."
"He's definitely normal then." Nathan grinned.
"Yeah."
"Can I see him?"
"Yeah…hey, I called you almost an hour ago. Where have you been?"
"I took Theresa home but it took awhile to get out of the restaurant and everything."
"I understand. He's in that exam room over there. I'll be right there."
"Okay."
"Hey." Nathan said quietly.
"Took you long enough." Lucas said.
"Sorry."
"Its okay." Lucas said, stopping to catch his breath.
"We don't have to talk…its okay."
"I'm fine."
"You staying overnight?"
"No. Hell no. I'm fine."
"That's good."
Nathan looked over Dan's shoulder at the forms he was filling out.
"Eugene." Nathan snorted.
Lucas, with his eyes shut, stuck up his middle finger.
Nathan dropped his jaw and then laughed.
"What?" Dan asked, looking up.
"Nothing."
Lucas turned over, smiling.
"Okay, I'll be right back, wake up Luke and we can get out of here."
Nathan leaned over Lucas.
"Rise and shine asshole." He whispered in his brother's ear.
Lucas sat up and smiled sweetly.
"We're heading home. By the way I wouldn't check any voicemails from Brooke until you've had a good night's sleep."
Lucas' eyes widened.
"Damn. Dammit. She must be pissed. I can't believe it."
"She kept calling me when I was out with Theresa."
"Sorry. Dammit."
"No problem, she'll understand. Man, I was worried though."
"It just took me awhile to get up after Mark ran off."
"He ran off?"
"Yeah he thought he heard someone coming and literally dropped me as he was shoving me against the wall and ran off."
"Seriously?"
"Seriously."
"Without his idiot gang he's a total coward then?"
"He is a total coward anyway, getting three friends to gang up on you."
"That's true."
"Okay, time to go home." Dan said, poking his head in the door.
"Be right there." Lucas mumbled.
Nathan stuck out his hand and pulled Lucas up. Then he pulled his brother into a quick hug.
"I'm glad you're okay."
"I'm fine, Nate. I got off a lot better than you. I'll be fine."
"I keep forgetting that you're sick. It still doesn't seem real sometimes."
"I'm not sick, Nathan." Lucas said defensively, moving away.
"You know what I meant."
"Whatever." Lucas sighed.
"Are you going to be like this all night?"
"No…sorry…just tired."
"I know. Hey, think of it this way, only our friends have to know. I have physical proof of ass kicking."
"There is that."
"You still seem tweaked."
"Well some asshole assaulted me on the street."
"Yeah…"
"This whole thing is ridiculous."
"We can deal with it tomorrow."
"I can deal with it."
"He came after me too, you know."
"I know."
"What time is it?"
"Like 10:00. Why?"
"Look, we can go home and just chill. Watch a movie or something. Forget about it until tomorrow."
"I guess."
"Yeah." Nathan said, steering Lucas down the hall to the waiting room towards Dan.
And Keith.
Lucas stopped short, Nathan bumping into him.
"Hi…" Keith said nervously.
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