It was 5AM when Nathan awoke. He had been having troubles sleeping all throughout the night. He wasn't sure why though. He had played amazingly at the game the night before, and had enjoyed a lively evening afterwards at the Cafe with his girlfriend.

And Lucas.

That was the problem. It's that Lucas had said to him after the game. That's why he couldn't sleep.

"Well, Peyton saw her wrist earlier, without the brace, and said it looked like a handprint wrapped around it. Like someone had grabbed it.."

No.

No, it couldn't be that. She had twisted her wrist in the kitchen. Or whatever she had said. But he had to know. He stared at his ceiling, listening to the sounds of the world. Not that he would often admit it, his sister was one of his favourite people in the world. She had such a bubbly attitude about most things, and always tried to look on the brightside of everything. Not to mention how witty she could be. Sure, they fought, but that is what siblings are supposed to do. But, was she okay? She didn't talk about her feelings that often. Nor did he ask.

He sighed. He could just call her. Sure, it was 5 in the morning, but she'd answer her cell anyway.

Nothing, three rings and nothing.

Nathan spent the next hour contemplating what to do. He had given up on sleeping. But he needed to call his sister. For the life of him he couldn't remember the number to the beach house, and he really didn't want to wake up his mother for that. He stayed in his bed until about 6:30 then decided he should just get up. After a quick shower, he made his way downstairs and crashed on the couch. He wondered why he was up at 7 in the morning on a Saturday. It was beyond. But he just couldn't sleep.

He just knew something wasn't right.

He flipped on some sports network, and set his eyes on basketball clips. After ten minutes of this, he heard someone at the door. He sat up from his perch on the couch, and glanced over at the door. The one and only Dan Scott.

Before Nathan could even get a word in, his father was talking, "Where is your mother?"

"In bed, I assume." Nathan mumbled out, as his father stormed off to the bedroom. Nathan tried to listen to what was going on, realizing how angry his father was.

He made out the words of filthy whore as his dad spoke, and realized something had happened last night. Nathan sat up on the couch, and walked into the kitchen, leaning against the counter and called his sister again.

At least she picked up this time.

"Hello?" She sounded tired. And restless. And almost scared.

"Nolan? Where are you?"

"Still at the beach house." She laughed dryly.

"Want me to come get you?"

There was a pause. Then a sniff, as if she'd been crying.

"I don't care."

Nolan hung up the phone. She wasn't in the mood for talking. All she wanted to do was sleep, and she couldn't. She had been trying to fall asleep all night, but she was too scared to close her eyes. She didn't know what she did wrong that time. It must have been something, why else would he have been so angry? Why else would her father feel the need to physically harm her?

It had honestly been the worst time. She hadn't even seen it coming. But he hit, and slapped, and shoved. She had quite a few bruises lining her arms, not to mention a red almost swelling face, and a massive welt lining her side. She undoubtfully regretted having changed the night before, that tank top had left her arms unprotected. She had heard him yelling randomly throughout the night, so she was scared to fall asleep. For the most part, she had sat behind her door, trying to stop crying.

She had a hunch Nathan knew something was wrong. It was as if he had some sort of brother radar. She had ignored his first call, and had done the same with a few of Lucas' calls too. She didn't know if Lucas even knew where she was, and she wasn't sure if that was a good thing. She wondered who he may have told about the Dan thing, or if anyone even believed him.

--

Nathan had waited until 9 to leave the house. He had heard enough of his mother crying. That probably seems really insensitive, but from the sounds of the yelling that occurred between his two loving parents, his mom had slept with his uncle. What kind of crazy twist was that in his life?

What he wanted to do was talk to Lucas. That probably seemed unusual, but it's what he had to do. He didn't have his cellphone number, and he couldn't call Haley for it, because she was at the tutor center that morning. But he knew where Lucas lived. And after talking to Haley, Nathan knew Lucas had his own door to his room. So he way as well just go to his door.

As weird and as awkward as that could be.

And will be.

Nathan pulled up his car just outside the house belonging to Lucas and his mom, and waited a moment. How was this going to work? Just say it, flat out.

He hopped up the stairs, and knocked lightly on the door. The door opened, and there stood Lucas, looking a bit wide eyed yet tired.

"Nathan.." he said slowly, leaning his arm on the door, looking out towards his brother, "Can I help you?"

"Actually." Nathan paused. "It's about Nolan."

Lucas' demeanor changed dramatically, and he let Nathan into his room, just so it would be a bit less informal.

"What about her?"

Nathan's eyes darted around the room, and it was clear Lucas had just been woken up by his knocking. His face was full of concern.

"So what you said last night, about a handmark on her wrist.." he wasn't sure how to go on. How could he just blame his father for this? How could his father hurt his sister?

"Nathan." Lucas sighed, "It's Dan. Or, well, it must have been Dan. Nolan told me he had promised her he was done with whatever he was doing. That he was going to stop it all. But that handmark.."

"Did she tell you about it? About him?"

"I sort of figured it out. But that night at the party, she pretty much broke down about it.."

"Fuck." Nathan was angry. And so disappointed in himself. How had he not noticed? He was there at his sister's side her whole life, and he never realized how much trauma their father caused her? How much pain? He was a terrible brother.

"It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself.. it's him. She's just the victim." Lucas paused, and watched as Nathan took a seat on the bed beside him, "Is she okay?"

"I don't even know, Lucas! What kind of brother am I? Fuck." He paused. "Apparently last night, something happened with my mom that must have set him off, and when Nolan got home, he took her to the beach house with him. And he came home pretty mad this morning, still. And I called her and.. she doesn't seem okay." Lucas was even more worried now. Last time, as Nolan had explained, he had gotten angry over one small little hug with him. And this time she didn't even do anything. Who knows what may have happened?

There was a silence.

"We have to go find her. We have to go to the beach house."

--

Nolan knew her dad was gone. She had heard his screeching tires earlier in the morning. That didn't stop her from being scared. What if he came home? What if something else happened, and he went off again? She raised herself off her bed, and moved the chair away from infront of her room.

'It's great when you have to put up safety percausions because of your dad.' she thought to herself, as she slowly opened the door. She stepped into the hallway, and it was silent. She took a few steps, feeling cautious, and not safe. She didn't know what to do.

She let herself into the bathroom, and looked at herself in the mirror. She was a mess. Her hair was all over, and her face was red from crying. And red from pain. She grabbed a hairbrush from one of the drawer's, and attempted to make her hair look better. She sighed and gave up, pulling it into a loose bun. She considered taking a shower, but she was just too tired. She need a drink, anything. She headed down the hallway, and waited on the top of the staircase.

Then she heard it. There was a car outside again. She rushed back down the hallway, and ran into the bathroom, shutting the door and sitting behind it. She hugged her knees close to her chest. If it was her dad, she would just tell him she was showering and stay inside until he left.

Little did she know, it wasn't her father. It was the two other guys in her life, whom cared so deeply about her. The ones who were going to save her, no matter what.

"This would explain the lack of picking up her phone." Lucas said slowly as they walked into the house, picking up his sister's cell phone from the ground. 12 missed calls.

Nathan sighed softly, then started his way up the stairs. Lucas followed behind him. They headed directly to the end of the hall, and Nathan flew open the door to his sister's room. But she wasn't in there.

"Nolan!?" he called out down the hallway, hoping that wherever she was, she would hear him.

"Bathroom?" Lucas questioned, motioning to the closed door on the otherside of the hall. Nathan headed to that door, and knocked on it.

"Nole?"

There wasn't a reply. Nolan didn't want to reply. If she replied, both her brothers were bound to rush in and see her in such a state. They were bound to look her in the eye, see her pain, and even cause her tears to start again. She truly didn't want that to happen.

"Nolan.. c'mon, open the door." That was Lucas talking.

But nothing.

"Nolan, I know you're in there. If you don't reply, I'm busting down this door. Don't you remember what happened last time I did that?"

She loved her brothers attempt at bringing in the humor for the situation. Last time he broke down the door was about four summers ago, after she had locked herself in during a game of hide and seek. And had failed to open the door.

She stood up, and contemplated what to do. She had to reply. But she didn't want to let them in.

She sighed.

"What do you want?" were the only words that would form in her mouth.

"Nolan, are you okay?" was Nathan's first response. Idiot. Clearly she wasn't.

She laughed loudly, and dryly.

"I'm fucking dandy, Nath. Thanks."

She heard them turning the doorknob wildly, but not coming in. She had locked the door already. She started breathing heavily, and walked back towards the door.

"Dad's not here, is he?"

She could feel the hot tears in her eyes starting to form already. She figured he wasn't.

Nathan knew his sister was only inches away from him, only a door standing in their way. But she sounded so scared.

"He's not here." Lucas paused. "We promise."

Nolan took a deep breath and bit her lip. She slowly unlocked the door, and took a step away, crossing her arms over her chest. She felt so bare, and ruined.

The moment Nathan heard the click of the lock, his hand turned over th door knob, opening to door into the small bathroom where his sister was hiding. Where she was hiding out of fear of their father. This wasn't right. He looked directly at her, and felt his heart sink.

There stood his little sister, her face stricken with tears, and her body stricken with pain.

And at the sight of her brothers, Nolan couldn't take it anymore. She started sobbing uncontrollably, falling into the arms of Nathan as he stepped into the bathroom. He wrapped his strength around her body, tightly. He didn't want to let her go.

"Don't worry. It's gonna be okay.."

--

I apologize this took so long to.. well, update. It took me a long time to word it all properly, in a way that actually left me pleased. But I like this one, it's a bit intense but meaningful, you know? I want these boys as my brothers, haha. Next chapter should be exciting: primarily the actions and anger of the scott brothers, deb finding out about her husband's terrible habits, and more nolan insight. thanks for reading! a review would delight me to no end. :)