NEW AUTHORS NOTE 10/2/07!

I just wanted to assure all of my readers that this story has not been forgotten! THe last two months have been far more busy than I anticipated and I haven't had any time for writing. I MAY get a bit done this weekend but ti's no promise.

There are only two short chapters left my friends, I have it all planned out. Well, I am planning on two chapters, it may turn into more as I write, but Lathan's fate is decided . In regards to a sequel--Still a maybe. What I might do is write random one-shot stories about Lucas and Nathan's life post-Veracity. We shall see.

One final note...only two reviews for the latest chapter? Where did my regulars go? I wouldn't mind except that I REALLY liked this chapter and want you feedback! It's okay though, I see your hitcount! I know you're all there! Thanks for sticking with me!

Disclaimer: One Tree Hill is owned by CW and Tollins and I make no money from this.

A/N: Naley never existed…

Senior year at high school had been a roller coaster for Lucas. Before the holidays, an old friend of Karen's came through town. She introduced him to Lucas as Eric Divoli, or else some Italian sounding name, Lucas couldn't remember. Eric and Karen spent hours reliving their blissful youth, revealing how much their relationship mirrored Lucas and Haley's. All was well until the night before Eric's departure, when he revealed the true reason he returned to Tree Hill: he had a major confession to make.

Karen and Dan's relationship was much like Nathan and Peyton's had been: "A series of one-night stands strung together," as Brooke so blatantly described it. They were constantly fighting, breaking up, and getting back together. Eric nervously reminded Karen of one occasion on which she showed up at his doorstep at about two in the morning, completely intoxicated, having just engaged in yet another epic battle with Dan. He let her in and grabbed himself a few beers, catching up with her state of inebriation. When Karen woke the following morning, Eric was gone, out shopping. After he returned, they ate breakfast and Karen left to make amends, yet again, with her on-again off-again boyfriend.

"Yes…I remember that night," Karen said with a glazed look in her eye as she remembered her exuberant and even wild past. "I woke up your neighbors when I knocked over the trash cans," the mother mused, before throwing a glance at Lucas, "But if I ever catch you drinking…" She finished with a stare. "Oh, but you were saying Eric…what about that night?" Eric avoided eye contact with either Karen or Lucas. He took a deep breath and fiddled with the zipper on his jacket before taking one final breath and rushing out a nearly unintelligible sentence.

"I' ws bou' nin' mo' afore 'cas orn." Karen and Lucas stared at him puzzled.

"…It was about nine months before Lucas was born." He stated, finally looking into the eyes of the woman in front of him. Karen and Lucas sat agape as the significance of this statement, and its implications set in.

Although it wasn't clear why Eric hadn't revealed the true events of that night to Karen at some point during the last seventeen years, rather expensive DNA tests eventually proved that Lucas "Scott" was indeed the son of one Eric Di…something: Lucas still didn't know his father's last name. While Lucas was understandably angry that Eric had waited seventeen years for this, he felt as though a massive weight was lifted from his shoulders: he was no longer tied to Dan Scott.

Lucas's life changed for the better, and he was notably happier. But the most significant change was in his relationship with her former "brother," Nathan. They had managed to move from mutual enmity to rocky friendship, but with their link to Dan gone, it was as if the two were finally free to be friends. They began to hang out more, whether it be playing casual hoops at the river court or playing NBA Live at Nathan's apartment. For Lucas, everything was finally falling into place…

Lucas sat on his bed, typing furiously away on his laptop. Being an aspiring writer, the blonde had begun to write short stories, and he was in the middle of a moment of sheer creative genius. That state of mind was instantly ended when a knock sounded on his door. Nathan let himself in without waiting for a response.

"Hey Luke, me and Skillz were heading down to the River Court…" The brunette began.

"Skillz and I," Lucas corrected. Nathan shook his head and bounced his basketball off the top of Lucas's own cranium.

"Whatever," The younger man stated. "Are you coming with us?"

"Sure," The older replied. "Just a second, let me finish something," Lucas stated, tying off a loose thought on his computer.

"What're you working on?" Nathan asked, moving around Lucas's bed to have a look. The blonde slammed the computer shut; mortified that anyone should see his writing (A fear he always had, one that he would probably need to get over if he was going to be an author…).

"Nothing," Lucas began, "It's nothing. Some paper for school," He lied unconvincingly. "Ok, I'm good. Let's go." The two boys left through Lucas's door, after he had informed his mother as to his plans.

Lucas wasn't sure what it was, but ever since he found out that he and Nathan were not actually linked, it was as if they were so much closer. They even bickered like an old married couple as Peyton informed Lucas. With every good, the universe must throw in an challenge, however. His successful friendship with the only Scott son forced Lucas to reflect on why they had been enemies. Dan of course was the primary cause, and Nathan's asshole personality of the time, but it was more than that: Lucas had always felt strongly towards Nathan, an emotion that he had convinced himself was hate. But now that they were on the fast track to best friendship, he tried to tell himself that it was just his passion for friends. Lucas just kept pushing it to the back of his mind, but this emotion grew stronger with each passing day, and it became more difficult to repress. On some level, Lucas knew what was going on, but he was not ready to accept it. So he would just try to push while he could, and wear a dazzling smile that threw everybody off. He knew that eventually, this would have to be confronted, but it could wait just one more day…