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Nathan sighed, feeling a sense of dread building up inside him. Lucas glanced at him quickly before turning back to Deb and Dan.

"What's wrong?" Lucas asked nervously.

"Boys, just know we love you both very much before we tell you this." Dan said solemnly.

Lucas and Nathan looked at each other, unsure of where this was going.

"We love you too." Lucas said, looking back and forth between Deb and Dan.

Deb was trying not to cry. She and Dan were standing as far apart from each other as possible without being in different rooms.

"What's going on? You're scaring me." Nathan said.

"Well, you know we went on our trip, and we got back late last night."

"Yeah…" Nathan said slowly.

"I told your father something last night. Something I need to tell you both now." Deb said.

"What happened?"

"Oh boys, I'm so sorry."

"Mom, please just say it." Nathan said, getting anxious.

"Nate." Lucas scolded gently.

"Sorry." Nathan mumbled.

"This is really hard for me to say. But the night of the fire, it was me who drugged your father."

Nobody said anything for a moment. Nathan scooted away from his mother and closer to Lucas, who put his hand on Nathan's shoulder.

"You tried to kill Dad?" Nathan asked, his voice barely audible.

"No. I swear that's not it at all. I wasn't there to kill him. I was just trying to find something to use against him. I knew he had a liquor supply in his office, so I figured if he was out of it, I would have plenty of time to search. Boys, I promise you that I did not set that fire." Deb said.

"You were the one who told us what happened. I knew you seemed weird about it." Nathan said angrily.

"I'm so sorry Nathan. That night was a really low point for me." Deb said quickly, grabbing her son's hands.

"What happens now?" Nathan asked, pulling away from Deb and looking at Dan.

Dan opened his mouth to speak, but Deb cut him off.

"I'm going to move out for a little while."

Lucas sighed and stared at the floor. As upset as he was, he knew Nathan's heart was breaking right then and there.

"I don't want you to go." Nathan said quietly.

"It's what's best for now." Deb said, reaching out to Nathan again.

Once again, he pulled away. Nathan looked at his father, who was staring intently at the floor.

"What's best for us is to be a family. I thought that's what we were doing. Isn't that what you promised me and Luke? We're supposed to be moving forward." Nathan said, trying to keep calm.

Lucas looked at his brother, and then his eyes went to his father. How could he fix this?

"Dad she didn't set the fire." Lucas said firmly.

"I know, Luke. We've been talking about this for hours." Dan replied, not meeting his son's gaze.

"Nathan, honey, I'll be here for the championship game. I promise. I'll still be there for you when you need me." Deb said quickly.

"How long will you be gone?" Nathan said, ignoring her last statement.

"I don't know."

"Please don't get a divorce." Nathan pleaded.

"Oh honey. I'm so sorry." Deb said, starting to cry.

"Please stay." Nathan begged.

"I have to go. I'm sorry. I already packed a bag. I'll call you." Deb said, hugging Nathan, who remained stiff in her arms.

Deb looked at Lucas and hugged him too.

"I'm sorry." Deb whispered, hurrying out of the room.

"Can't you do something?" Nathan asked Dan.

"I'm not sure I want to." Dan said, still staring at the floor.

"Dad, please." Lucas said, standing up.

"I've got to go do some work. We'll talk more later. I promise. I'm sorry." Dan said, walking past his sons out of the room.

Nathan buried his head in his arms and started sobbing.

"Nate…" Lucas said quietly, not keeping his composure too well either.

"I knew it was all too good to be true." Nathan said.

"Oh Nate, who knows how long this will last? Dad's probably still in shock."

"So he just gives up? They both just give up? They're getting a divorce. That's it. This family is broken, again." Nathan said, lifting his head.

"We don't know that." Lucas said quietly, sitting back down and putting his hand on Nathan's arm.

"That's exactly what's going to happen."

"Nate, I really hope not. But no matter what happens, I'm still here for you. Okay?"

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

"We have to trust them, Nate."

Nathan didn't respond, he just started sobbing again. Lucas finally broke down and let the tears fall too.

"I'm sorry Nate. I'm so sorry." Lucas whispered.

"Why can't we catch a break, Luke?" Nathan asked, lifting his head.

"I don't know, Nate."

"I really thought things had changed."

"They did, Nate. Your mom made a mistake. But she didn't try to kill Dad. She just wanted revenge. How can we blame her for that? We were thinking the same thing."

"But we didn't do anything. All this time she was acting like things were going to change but she was keeping this huge secret. How can I forgive her for that? How can Dad?"

Lucas sighed, feeling anxiety build up into his chest. He took a deep breath and tried to stay strong.

"It will get better. It has to." Lucas said, trying to sound like he believed it.

"Oh what do you know?" Nathan snapped.

"What?" Lucas swallowed hard, taken aback.

"You get to leave. At the end of the week you get to go back to your mansion with two parents and none of this insanity. You get to leave and I'm here alone. I have to live this hell every single day."

"Nate, I'm not going to leave you alone."

"Forget it. I wouldn't blame you if you left as soon as possible." Nathan said, getting up.

"Nate. I won't leave you." Lucas said, getting up and grabbing Nathan's wrist.

"I'm going upstairs." Nathan said, pulling away from Lucas.

Lucas walked up to Haley's apartment and knocked.

"Luke. What's up?" Haley said, opening the door.

"I need to talk to you."

"What's wrong? You look like hell."

"Deb drugged Dan the night of the fire."

"How do you know?"

"She told him while they were away, and they told me and Nate this morning."

"She tried to kill him?"

"No. She swears that she didn't set the fire. She was there earlier trying to find some incriminating evidence against him and she drugged his drink so she could look around."

"Do you believe her?"

"I do." Lucas said quickly.

"What makes you so sure?"

"I could just tell."

"Luke, why do I feel like you're not telling me something?" Haley asked, studying her best friend's face.

"Hales, if I tell you something do you promise to keep it a secret?"

"Of course."

"You are the absolute only person I've told. Not Nathan, not Brooke, not anyone."

"Oh my God, Luke…did you do it?"

"Set the fire? No. I swear. Haley, I'm the one who pulled my dad out of the fire." Lucas said.

"What?" Haley gasped.

"I had the same idea as Deb that night. I wanted so bad to find something to use against him. When I got there the dealership was in flames, and I just ran to drag him out of the fire."

"Why did you save him? I mean I know you guys are great now, but back then…"

"Honestly, I wondered that too. But clearly I was meant to save him. I've been keeping it a secret for so long just because I didn't want to ruin anything. Too late now I guess."

"You could've been killed, Luke."

"I'm okay."

"Did you get hurt?"

Lucas lifted up his shirt and pointed to a mark on his side.

"With all of the hospital visits, I've had this year I figured this mark would go unnoticed." Lucas said.

"Oh my God, Lucas. Did you get this treated?"

"No, it wasn't bad. I was insanely lucky. It seems like my luck ran out after that."

"I disagree, you're lucky to be here."

"You're right, Hales."

"So what are you going to do? How's Nathan?"

"He's pretty inconsolable right now. I tried to tell him I wouldn't leave him alone in that house but he didn't believe me."

"What happens when you go back to your mom and Andy?"

"I'll ask her if I can stay. Or maybe I bring Nathan with me."

"But then your dad is alone."

"I know. I don't know what to do. Deb just left and Nathan begged her not to go."

"How awful."

"He's really hurting. I don't know what to do for him. Why did this have to happen now? He's been really happy with basketball, and we just got over the sex tape thing."

"Yeah. Speaking of bad timing, he tried to kiss me last night."

"Wait, what?"

"Yeah. He told me he loved me."

"You said he tried to kiss you?"

"I slapped him."

"Damn, Haley."

"I'm not going to cheat on Eric, Lucas."

"Yeah."

"He understood."

"Well that's nice of him." Lucas laughed.

"I think to be fair, I have to end things with Eric though."

"Do you still love Nate?"

"Of course. I always have. Not that I didn't like Eric, but if I could be with anyone in the world it would be Nathan every time."

"I know he feels the same way."

"I was worried about Theresa though."

"Don't be. He really liked her, and she was a really great girlfriend, but I think that somewhere in the back of his mind he always knew it was you. He said they had a good talk last night."

"I'm glad. I hate hurting people."

"I know, Haley."

"But I guess I'll have to do that. I should probably go talk to Eric."

"Hey Hales, even if you end it with Eric, maybe give Nathan some time to process everything."

"That's a good idea."

"Thanks for being my best friend."

"Always, Luke. And don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

Nathan sat, leaning his head against Dan's liquor cabinet. He heard his father leave not long after their talk, and Lucas left pretty soon after.

"So much for not leaving me alone." Nathan said out loud to no one.

Lucas opened the front door and dropped his keys on the counter. He spotted Nathan and came over to sit with him.

"Nate, what are you doing?"

"Contemplating getting so drunk that I can't remember any of this." Nathan said dully.

"Nate." Lucas sighed.

"You can join me if you want."

"Nathan, I know you're hurting."

"Why can't we ever be happy, Luke? Is this what's it's going to be like forever? Something good happens and then the next day it all comes crashing down?"

"No, I promise."

"I can't wait to get out of here. I can't wait for college. Just you and me. Maybe you're all the family I need."

"I'll always be there for you, but you need your parents too."

"They aren't even trying to stay together for me. For us."

"Nate, it's only been a day. Give them time."

"Why did she leave? Why won't she fight for our family?"

"I guess if I were her, I would be feeling guilty, and I would be afraid of everyone's reaction."

"Drugging your husband is a pretty big hurdle for a marriage I suppose."

"You want to know what I think?"

"Sure."

"If we can survive the first eighteen years of our lives, this one especially, we can make it through anything. That includes our parents."

"You really believe that?"

"Where would we be if we didn't believe in forgiveness and moving on?"

"You're right, Luke. Do you think Dad will come around?"

"I hope so, Nate."

"It would be pretty hypocritical if he didn't." Nathan pointed out.

"We just need to give them time. Our relationship didn't change overnight."

"True. I just wish we could go back to yesterday when everything was okay."

"We have so much to look forward to."

"I don't know if I can feel that way anymore."

"Hey Nate." Jake said, walking up to Nathan at practice the next day.

"Hey." Nathan said, staring at his shoes.

"Are you and Luke okay?" Jake asked.

Nathan followed Jake's gaze over to Lucas who was staring off into space. Whitey walked over and snapped his fingers in Lucas's face to get his attention.

"No." Nathan said after a moment.

"Did you have a fight? You guys have barely said anything all day."

"No. Well sort of but that's not what's wrong."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning I don't really want to talk about it. Don't bother asking Luke either." Nathan said, walking away.

Jake glanced at Peyton across the gym and shook his head.

"What's wrong with Lucas? Did he tell you?" Peyton asked Brooke.

"No not really. All he told me was that Deb and Dan are going through something. Deb is staying somewhere else for awhile. He was really not in the mood to talk about it though."

"I wonder what happened."

"Me too." Brooke said quietly.

Whitey had the team in a circle, talking strategy for the upcoming game. Nathan had his hand on Lucas's back while Whitey was talking. Once Whitey was done, Lucas clapped his brother on the shoulder and went to start the team on a new play. He blew his whistle and glanced across the gym.

Brooke caught Lucas's eye and smiled weakly.

"I love you." Lucas mouthed.

"I love you." Brooke mouthed back before going to join the rest of the squad.

Nathan was heading to his car when Haley walked up to him.

"Hey." Haley said quietly.

"What's up?" Nathan mumbled. He opened his trunk and started to put his stuff inside.

"I just wanted to let you know that Eric and I broke up."

"Oh."

"It just wasn't right."

"I guess not. Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Good."

"How are you doing?"

"Did Luke tell you what's going on?"

"Yeah. I'm so sorry Nathan."

"Thanks Haley. If you don't mind, I'd rather not talk about it though."

"That's okay. Just know that I'm here for you."

"Thanks. That means a lot to me. You were always there when my parents were being insane." Nathan smiled.

"Yeah." Haley laughed.

"I guess I should get going."

"Nathan wait." Haley said quickly.

"What?"

"I'm not supposed to do this. Forget it." Haley said, remembering what Lucas said.

"Haley, you're confusing me."

"I love you."

Nathan stared at her for a moment.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry." Nathan said, leaning in to kiss her. He felt a little bit of hope rise inside of him.

They kissed for a few seconds, but Nathan ended up pulling away quickly.

"Sorry." Nathan mumbled.

"For kissing me?"

"No. I'm glad I did that. Especially since you didn't slap me this time." Nathan said, laughing weakly.

Haley faked a smile but didn't fool Nathan.

"I was kidding, Haley. I understand why you slapped me."

"It felt weird didn't it?" Haley admitted.

"Yeah." Nathan sighed.

"I've imagined this before—"

"Sorry, but I've got to go." Nathan interrupted, slamming his trunk shut.

"Nathan, please wait."

"Sorry. I just can't talk about this now." Nathan said quickly, seeing Lucas approaching.

Haley glanced at Lucas, who looked at her questioningly.

"I understand. I'll see you later." Haley said, picking up her bag.

"Hey Haley." Lucas said, opening the passenger door and putting his stuff in the car.

"Hey Lucas. I'll call you later?"

"Sure." Lucas nodded.

"Great. Bye." Haley said, rushing off.

"What was that?" Lucas said, getting into the car.

"I don't know." Nathan mumbled, starting the ignition.

Thanks for reading! Next chapter coming soon.