Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or any of its characters.

A/N: Thank you again to everybody who is still reading this and special thanks to all of you who take time to leave a review. Your feedback is greatly appreciated, good or bad. Love you guys.

Debra Scott entered the court room just in time to hear the judge reveal that bail was set at $10,000 and that, once paid, Nathan was to be released into the custody of his parents pending trial, in six weeks time.

"I suggest you stay away from Lucas Scott or any other trouble from now till then, young man," the judge continued. "Because if I see you back in my court room before that, I won't be so lenient and you'll await your time for trial in a juvenile facility. Is that understood?"

Nathan was about to answer until his lawyer beat him to it. "My client both understands and accepts those conditions, judge Schwahn."

"I should hope so," the judge said before hitting his gavel on his desk. "Court is adjourned."

Karen Roe's eyes caught Deb's as she slipped out quietly. One mother's face held sheer relief, whereas the other was hostile. Karen wasn't surprised by the outcome. She'd already been warned that Nathan would likely be granted bail. Still, just because she'd expected it, it didn't mean she liked it.

Dan gave his son a triumphant slap on the back and shook Mr. Kowalski's hand. One battle down.

Nathan was smiling too; glad he wouldn't have to spend the weeks before his trial in a cell. Whatever happened then was still in the air but at least he had his freedom for now.

Father and son turned and stood shocked as they found Deb standing before them.

"Were either of you going to tell me about this or were you waiting for me to catch it on the six o'clock news?"

––––––––––

Bail paid, the small family stepped out of the courthouse, bail sheet – stating the date and location of the juvenile court where the trial would be held – in Dan's hands, and made their way to their vehicles.

Deb requested that Nathan ride with her as she wanted to talk to him about all this, but Dan insisted the boy ride with him. And Nathan, making his preference known, went directly to his father's car and sat in the passenger's side, letting her know that she still wasn't forgiven for all the time she spent away. She sighed and went to her own car. They would discuss this at home, not out in public.

"What do you say you and I go grab lunch?" Dan suggested when he got in the driver's side.

"What about Mom?" Nathan asked.

"You ready to face her?"

"Not really."

"Me neither. I think we could handle it better on a full stomach. What do you say?"

"Sounds good to me," Nathan said.

"Where to?"

"I don't know," Nathan replied with a shrug. "Karen's Café serves good food," he added with a smirk, having noticed her in the courtroom.

"Don't even think about it," Dan warned sternly. "You stay away from there."

"It's just a joke, Dad."

"Not funny."

"Anyway, dear Uncle Keith," Nathan began, using the title scornfully, "already beat you to that warning. He kicked us out last time we were in there because Lucas picked a fight with Damien."

"Lucas did?" Dan asked with surprised amusement.

"Well, Damien was shooting off his mouth but yeah, Lucas went after him first."

"Well well, so the kid's not so innocent, is he?"

"Nope," Nathan agreed. "They do have good food though."

Dan reached over and gave him a playful tap in the head and then they decided to go for pizza.

Nathan stole a sideways glance at his father and thought about what could have been had he told the social worker the truth. "I'm sorry for all the crap I've been pulling lately, Dad."

Dan chuckled. "Just lately?"

"Well, always. Thanks for taking care of everything and bailing me out of jail."

"Nathan, you're my son," Dan replied by way of explanation. "There's nothing I wouldn't do for you."

"I love you, Dad."

Dan glanced over, beaming at his son's words. "What did they feed you in there?" he asked, used to his son being rebellious and hostile. "Because I just may want to order a lifetime supply."

Nathan smiled and looked away. He wasn't sure whether it was more the accusation of abuse or the sudden appearance of his mother that prompted this bit of confession, but he couldn't remember a time when his dad hadn't been there when he'd needed him. So occasionally the man lost his temper? Big deal. It's not like Nathan ever made things easy on him. "I don't know what that shit they tried to pass off as food was, but I didn't touch it," he said truthfully.

"So, you didn't eat the whole time you were in there?"

"No."

"Well then, we'll have to make that pizza an extra large."

Nathan chuckled. "How 'bout party size?"

"Don't push it. You've already cost me a small fortune," Dan joked before bringing up the one question they both wondered about. "So, how do you think your mother found out?"

–––––––––––––––

"Whitey called me," Deb spat furiously once they'd returned. "How sad is it when the basketball coach has to track me down because my husband didn't see fit to let me know our son was arrested?"

"How sad is it that you had to be tracked down at all?" Dan shot back.

"Oh, don't start that, Dan. I wasn't in hiding. You knew where I was and how to get in touch with me, but you chose to keep me in the dark."

"Well, I figured you were busy," he came back with in a patronizing tone. "And, quite frankly, Deb, I wasn't all that sure you'd care."

As his parents exchanged insults, Nathan shook his head and made his way up the stairs.

"Oh, Nathan, sweetie," Deb called out, her tone instantly softening when addressing her son. "Why don't you come sit? I'll make you some lunch and we can talk about this."

"I already ate," he responded carelessly and continued on his way to his room.

The shouting match between his parents resumed. The last thing he heard before shutting his bedroom door was his dad yelling that if she were home more her son might not be so distant toward her, and his mother countering that by saying just because a woman chose a career over being housewife and homemaker, it didn't mean she didn't care about her family. Same old argument.

And then it was just mumbled voices. He sat on his bed and sighed before reaching for his phone and calling Peyton, who'd be on her lunch hour right now. He cursed when he got her voicemail.

"Hey, it's me. I was just calling to tell you that I'm at home and I thought maybe we could hang out and talk. I mean, not now obviously, but after school? Give me a call if you're cool with it, ok. So, my mom's back, if you can believe that. Just showed up at the bail hearing. Her and my dad are already at each other's throats. I wonder how long she'll stick around this time. I give her a week tops. Anyway, call me alright. I can maybe pick up a couple subs or whatever. I hope I'll see you later."

He ended the call and set his phone down right beside him as he lay down on the bed. He didn't want to miss her call if he fell asleep. If she called.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––

"So?" Haley asked anxiously from behind the counter at the café. "How was your coaching debut?"

Lucas chuckled at her wording as he took a seat at his usual stool. "Not half bad."

"The team was ok with it?"

"Some of them made a few comments, behind Whitey's back, of course, but I expected a lot worse. And Whitey thinks I did a decent job."

"Good. I'm happy for you, Luke. You deserve this, at least until you can play again."

"I just wonder what kind of hell's gonna break loose when it gets back to Nathan."

"He'll just have to get over it," Haley said.

Lucas laughed bitterly. "Can't see that happening," he commented. "You hear he's out of jail? Got out on bail this morning."

"Yeah, your mom was telling me."

"She also tell you they questioned him about Dan?"

"No. How did that go?"

"He denied what happened in the locker room. Said I just made it up."

"I'm sorry," Haley said regretfully. "But did you really expect him to admit it?"

"Not really, but I expected them to actually look into it, not just ask Nathan. Of course he'll lie about it."

"Are you so sure he's lying?" she risked asking.

"I know what I saw."

"Ok, but you also tend to read too much into things sometimes," she reasoned. "Remember, not so long ago, you thought Nathan might be hitting Peyton."

"Key word being might," he responded with annoyance. "Hales, Dan slammed him into the locker. It sucks that you think I could misread that."

"No, Luke, I don't, ok. I promise," Haley assured him. "But, for whatever reason, Nathan doesn't want help with that so, I don't know, maybe you should just let it go."

"Maybe he doesn't want help because he's never known anything else and doesn't realize he needs it."

"Maybe you're not giving him enough credit," she shot back. "Come on, Luke. He's not a small child. I'm sure he recognizes bad behavior, even from his dad."

"But if he's grown up with it his whole life…"

"Alright, we can play the maybes and what ifs all night, but it won't change anything," Haley said. "Not everyone's looking to be saved, Luke."

He made no response, just simply stared ahead. Haley was his best friend and he loved her, but she didn't get it.

"Apologize to Peyton yet?" Haley asked after a few minutes of silence.

He frowned. "Why should I apologize to her when she's the one who went ballistic?"

"You submitted her sketches without her permission," Haley exclaimed. "She has every right to be pissed at you. I'm sorry, but it's true."

"Hales, you've seen her art. Tell me that's not crazy-talent."

"It is, but…"

"She never would have done it herself."

"You don't know that, but whether she did or not was her choice," Haley argued, knowing that if anyone ever did that to her – put her music out there without her knowledge – that she would react much the same as Peyton had with her art. And she knew just how to make Lucas see that too. "How would you like it if she took your manuscript and sent it off to a publisher?"

"Right now? Well, it's not ready…"

She could swear she actually saw the light bulb go off in his head.

"You're right," he said with a deep sigh.

"Of course I am," she gloated. "Why do you even doubt me, mister?" she teased before grabbing menus and heading toward the table of new customers.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––

Tuesday morning, much to Deb's dismay, Nathan skipped out on breakfast and headed to school early, claiming an early morning basketball practice, but she knew better. Did he think Whitey hadn't told her about the suspension? He was avoiding her, as was his habit every time she came home now.

Nathan was surprised to meet up with Damien when he arrived. "Hey, man," he greeted.

"Hey, they let you out, huh?" Damien exclaimed with believable happiness while inside his stomach twisted in an angry knot.

"Bail," Nathan replied simply, to which Damien nodded in acknowledgement. "What are you doing here so early?"

"I was just gonna ask you the same question," Damien replied. "You're usually the one showing up two minutes before last bell, and that's on a good day."

Nathan shrugged casually. "Just had to get out of the house," he said simply.

"Problems at home?" Damien asked, feigning concern.

Nathan nodded his head but quickly changed the subject. His family was not a topic he freely discussed with anyone but those closest to him. "Oh I see why you're here," he joked as he noticed Haley James coming out of the school and sitting at a far table in the quad. Most likely she'd had an early session with one of her pupils. "Still having those never-gonna-happen fantasies of nailing the tutor?" he asked with a smirk.

Anger instantly burning within him, Damien replied, "Oh, you mean like your inane fantasies of getting Peyton back?" he couldn't resist asking, glad to see the cocky smirk wiped off the arrogant son of a bitch's face. Like seriously, did he think he was the only guy who could snag a hot girl? 'Get the hell over yourself, dickhead', Damien thought. "Sorry, cheap shot," he said aloud. "We all know she'll take your sorry ass back eventually," he added.

"You think?"

'Not if I can help it.' "Oh yeah," he spoke. "Now, as for the lovely Miss James, like I said before, that's no fantasy, but reality, my friend."

"Dude, she ditched your tutoring sessions."

"After I stopped banging her," Damien said convincingly. "Don't let the 'little miss innocent' act fool you, man, cuz she's far from it."

Nathan grinned and went ahead and gave Damien what he figured he was looking for – a slap on the back and enthusiastic praise for being 'the man.' Hell, maybe Damien was even telling the truth. Who knew? He didn't really care, but may as well give his friend props if it made him feel good. He kind of owed him that for all the support he'd shown him over the weekend. Nathan hadn't really thought much of it before, but he truly had some great friends, as proven by the frequent visits as he sat in the closed in quarters of a prison cell.

And as Nathan's optimistic shouts of approval continued, Damien thought, not for the first time, that sometimes, every once in a while, the guy wasn't so bad. But then he remembered all he'd taken from him and those thoughts again went out the window. "So, I went to practice yesterday," Damien said, anxious for Nathan's reaction. "And you'll never believe who Whitey brought in as assistant coach."

Nathan arched an eyebrow, surprised that Whitey would even consider an assistant. "Who?" he asked curiously.

"Lucas."

"You're fucking shitting me!"

"I kid you not, dude. They went over all the plays together and Whitey even let Lucas hold one practice round on his own while he sat back and watched."

Went over the plays together? That used to be his role. Often times he and Whitey would pour over the playbook just before practice or a game. Lucas was taking that over too? Damn it! What next?

As much as Damien hated the idea of Lucas co-coaching, it was worth it to see the look of sheer devastation on Nathan's face. He might even have to give Lucas props for doing to Nathan what Nathan had done to him.

"Man, you shouldn't have told me that," Nathan groaned, sitting down and burying his face in his hands. "I'm supposed to be staying out of trouble," he grumbled. How the hell was he supposed to do that when his animosity toward his half brother grew with each passing day?

–––––

"Hey Jagielski," Nathan said after a few more of the guys had arrived. "I need a favor."

"Ok. What?" Jake asked curiously.

"I need you to keep me away from Lucas."

Jake chuckled at what he assumed was a joke.

"I'm serious, man," Nathan informed him. "The judge said if I don't leave him alone, I'm back in jail."

"So then leave him alone," Jake replied easily.

"It's not that easy, especially with all the shit he's been pulling," Nathan said. "He's even trying to tear my dad down now. And he's coaching?"

"Oh yeah, he did alright with that," Jake said.

Nathan sneered at the compliment directed toward his half brother.

"Look, Nate," Jake began. "Whatever problem you two have with each other doesn't involve me."

"I know," Nathan agreed. "But remember at the beach when you told me to quit pushing my friends away and just ask when I need help?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I'm asking. I need to back off him and I'm not sure I can do it if he keeps trying to mess with me."

"Ok, and what do you expect me to do?"

"Just stop me if I start going after him. I don't care if you have to tackle me to the ground, beat the hell out of me, knock me out, whatever. So long as they don't lock me up again."

"Right, they'll lock me up instead."

"Come on, man. Maybe I won't even need you to do anything. It's just in case. What do you say?"

"I say I thought I left my kid at home. Didn't know I had to baby-sit another."

"Well, if that's how you treat Jenny, then you should be locked up," Nathan joked.

"Haha," Jake responded. "Alright, you know what? Fine. It actually sounds like fun anyway," he said with a devilish smirk. "I've been tempted to kick your ass a few times."

"I'll bet," Nathan remarked as he laughed at his friend. "Thanks," he added, raising his fist to bump with Jake's.

"Don't mention it," Jake replied, returning the gesture. "What are friends for if not to give you a good beat down when you need it?"

They both chuckled and then looked over to Tim, who had his fist raised as well.

"What?" Tim replied as they eyed him with amusement. "I want in on this too."

"Tim, I could take you blind folded," Nathan kidded. But he went and ahead and complied when Tim refused to put his hand down.

They made their way into the school where Nathan instantly spotted Peyton at her locker. He went to make his way over to her but stopped dead when Lucas beat him to it.

"And my job begins," Jake said, grabbing Nathan in a tight headlock and rubbing his knuckles hard over his scalp.

"Ahh," Nathan complained painfully as he rubbed his head after Jake released him. "Damn Jagielski! What's with the nuggie? I didn't go near him."

Jake laughed. "Just in case you were thinking about it. You sure you don't want to ask Vegas instead?"

"Maybe I should," Nathan said as he continued to rub the tender area.

"Come on," Jake said as he urged Nathan the other way. "Let's go around."

–––––––––––––––––––––––––

"So, how much do apologies go for these days?" Lucas asked sheepishly.

"Depends who's sellin'em and how many faulty ones I've bought from him in the past," Peyton replied smoothly.

Lucas chuckled at the sarcasm, but quickly turned somber. "You were right. I had no business submitting your sketches without your permission. I stand by my word that they're amazing, but I shouldn't have taken it upon myself to put them out there."

She glanced at him and smiled, glad he finally saw her point. "Thanks, Luke," she said. "That's really big of you and it means a lot."

"So, apology accepted?"

"Yeah," she responded, nodding her head. "I suppose I could let it go this once."

"Why, thank you. That's mighty gracious of you."

"Isn't it?" she teased. "And actually, I've thought a lot about it and you might be happy to know that I've decided to do the comic strip."

His eyes widened and a smile spread across his face. "You have?"

"Yeah. Why not, right?"

"Peyton, that's great! What made you change your mind?"

"I don't know. I can't really pinpoint one thing – it's everything. And I thought, well, it's time to take a chance."

"That's really great, Peyton," he repeated. "You're gonna touch a lot of hearts. I mean that."

She graced him with a genuine smile. "I met with the editor yesterday and he loved my stuff," she said. "Mind you, there was a bit of a debate on the mood of the strip – apparently my portrayal of high school is tragic and the magazine wants wish fulfillment," she said, dramatically repeating what Jeff Nelson had told her. "You know, pretty and popular cheerleaders because, everyone knows they're always happy," she added sarcastically.

"Believe it or not, until I met you, I always thought that to be true."

"I do believe that, actually," Peyton said. "Naïve boys are the easiest to dupe," she joked and he shook his head and laughed at the playful insult. "I hear you though," Peyton continued. "It seems like everybody's got a label and no one really sees beyond it. But, as I was saying, I won out on the debate so my very first comic strip comes out on Friday."

"And I will be the first in line for a copy," Lucas told her.

"You know I'm gonna hold you to that, don't you?"

"Good, because I mean it."

"So, I guess this is about the time I should be thanking you, huh? For being such a jerk and stealing my art."

He chuckled at the remark. "You're very welcome," he joked.

"It was still an assy move though," she stressed.

"Yeah well, turns out it was worth it," he said.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––

Nathan had just pulled out the binder he needed for first period when a pair of arms snaked around his waist and gently caressed his abs.

"You know," he heard a sultry voice say. "I could make you forget about Peyton."

Slowly he turned around and came face to face with Ashley Johnson from the cheer squad. Smirking arrogantly, he asked, "Is that right?"

"Uh huh," she replied smoothly as her fingers traced circles on his chest.

He couldn't deny the sexual jolt her touch ignited within him. She was hot after all and he hadn't been laid since he and Peyton broke up nearly a month ago. But forget Peyton? Like that was gonna happen. "You must be pretty damn special then."

"How about I show you how special?" she said provocatively. "What do you say, hot shot?"

"I say one slut's the same as the next and none of you can make me forget Peyton," he answered coolly before shutting his locker and walking away.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––

"So, crazy past few days, huh?" Damien said in Science class.

Peyton glanced over from her seat beside him. "Yeah," she replied simply.

"Got to feel for 'ole Nate and the messes he gets himself into," he went on to test her reaction.

"Yeah."

"Think he'll get away with it?"

"Who knows?"

"Makes you wonder who sent all those tapes," he continued.

Peyton sighed softly. Apparently one and two word answers weren't hint enough that she wasn't in a talking mood. "Well, it's one of two," she said a little irritably. "Someone who feels bad for Lucas and wanted justice or some world class loser who's jealous of Nathan and has nothing better to do with his time than stir up trouble for him."

'Bitch,' Damien thought sourly. "So I guess you two will be back together soon."

"Why do you say that?"

Damien shrugged. "History. It tends to repeat itself. Not to mention Nate was just saying this morning how everyone knows it's gonna happen soon."

"Oh he was, was he?" she asked snidely. "Well, we'll see about that."

Damien held back a satisfied smirk. That was easy. And he thought Peyton was the cynical one. Oh, but she was – when it came to Nathan. He could definitely use that to his advantage.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––

"Hey," Nathan said, finally catching Peyton alone during lunch hour.

"Hey," she returned without looking up from her sketch.

"Did you get my message?"

"Yeah, I got it."

So she just hadn't wanted to see him, or even talk to him, he thought dejectedly. "You didn't want to hang out."

"I was busy."

"Oh. Ok, well, what about tonight?"

"I have stuff to do."

Her dismissive tone was like a sharp knife to the chest. He was silent for a few seconds, just watching her draw. "My mom came home yesterday," he said after a while.

"So you said."

"And your dad gets back tomorrow, right?"

"Yep."

"You all keyed up to see him?"

"Always am."

He sighed, wishing to draw her into an actual conversation in place of these quick, curt replies. She only ever did that when she was disinterested, preoccupied, or angry. "Still gonna ask him about your mom?"

"That's the plan."

"So we're back to this, huh?" he asked gloomily, unable to resist commenting on it.

"Back to what?"

"This," he stressed. "You ignoring me, not speaking to me, not looking at me."

Finally she dropped her pencil and met his gaze. "Whose fault is that?"

"Mine," he admitted. "I shouldn't have lied to you and I know that. And I am sorry, but you don't want to hear it so I don't know how else to make you believe me."

"You're not sorry, Nathan," she spat. "That's the problem. You can apologize all you want, but if Brooke hadn't made you, you wouldn't have told me the truth on your own. Go ahead and deny it but I know better."

He broke eye contact to look down at the table. "I just didn't want you to watch the tape."

"Well, guess what? I didn't and I don't plan to," she informed him. "I don't need to watch it to know that it was bad nor to remember that it happened. Trust me, I don't want to see it any more than you want me to."

He met her eyes once again. "So then…you get it?"

"Oh yeah, I get it," she replied. "I get that you're still the same guy who'll bullshit his way out of anything when it suits him."

He shook his head, frustration setting in. There was nothing he could say or do. It's not like he could take that lie back. "Why'd you come to me at the jail then if that's how you feel?"

"Ugh!" she groaned in irritation. "I knew you would take that to mean we were all of a sudden fine. But we're not, Nathan. We're far from it."

"Then why did you come?" he repeated.

"Because you needed me," she told him.

"Because you love me," he pointed out.

"I've never denied that," she returned.

"And I love you, Peyton," he said. "And I still need you."

She swallowed the lump in her throat, fighting hard for control over her emotions.

"I want us to be together, Peyt. I'll do whatever it takes, whatever you want. Ok?" he asked, desperation evident in his tone. "But this being apart, I just…I can't handle it anymore. It's too hard. I want us back."

Sighing softly, she responded. "Yeah, being apart is hard," she freely admitted. "But being together was harder," she added in a barely audible whisper. "At least for me."

"But it'll be different this time, Peyton. I swear."

Nate was just saying this morning how everyone knows it's gonna happen soon. She shook her head. "So despite what everyone thinks they know," she proceeded snarkily as though he hadn't spoken. "It's not happening. Got it?"

With that she gathered her sketchbook and pencils and sauntered off and his fist smashed into the table in front of him before he, too, stood and marched in the opposite direction. Shit, he wished Peyton's moods wouldn't fluctuate so damn much.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––

Nathan was just reaching for the door to the boys' room when he was literally thrown off course when someone suddenly jumped on his back. The unexpected impact caused him to stumble to the ground, taking the culprit down with and atop him. Irritably he turned his head to see the object of his fall.

"Tim!" he shouted irately. "What the fuck, man?"

"Lucas could be in there," Tim spoke in a hushed tone.

"Could be?" Nathan growled through gritted teeth.

"Well, you never know."

"Get the hell off me, dude! I gotta piss," he snarled as he shrugged him off and stood to his feet.

Tim did the same. "Hey, you said…"

"To keep me away from Lucas, not look for any excuse to tackle me."

"Sorry, just trying to keep you out of jail, Nate," Tim replied with a hurtful expression.

Nathan just shook his head. He really couldn't be mad at Tim no matter how annoyed he got with him sometimes. The guy's intentions were good and really, he was just doing what Nathan had asked. Sort of. He nodded his head agreeably and had to smile at the large grin the simple gesture evoked from his friend. But Tim's next remark had him reeling all over again.

"Cuz if you go to jail, that'll put a serious damper on your daily-Peyton-groveling ritual," he jested, laughing heartily at his own joke and playfully slapping Nathan in the arm. "Dude, I was kidding," he said, his smile faltering as he took in Nathan's sour expression.

"Real fucking funny," Nathan mumbled before shoving Tim aside and bursting through the boys' room door.