Same Day - 5:31 PM

As she'd been doing at least once every forty minutes since Deb's arrest, Haley peaked inside the darkened theatre room, but her husband was still there. Worse, he hadn't moved from the middle-center loveseat he'd retreated into hours ago and he wasn't asleep. He was just sitting upright, barely blinking, his gaze fixed dead ahead.

Haley started to withdraw, then stopped.

She'd given him his space when he'd asked for it right after Deb's arrest, but he'd been alone with his thoughts for three hours now. That was long enough, wasn't it? Haley told herself it was and padded softly inside straight to him. She eased onto the comfy couch then gently took his closest hand in both of hers.

"Babe?"

Nothing.

"Can you talk to me? Are you okay?"

Nathan continued to say and do nothing for almost a full minute more before he sighed. His headaches and dizziness were gone now, they'd finally faded away a short while ago, but though he was grateful for that and for the safety of his family, that was pretty much all he was grateful for at the moment. He glanced Haley's way then went back to staring at the empty projection screen.

"Compared to what, Hales? Within five years, my so-called mom has gone from neglect to drug abuse to abandonment to aggravated assault and armed robbery. She knocked you down when you were pregnant. She shot my brother. She broke into this house and could've killed our entire family. Hell, she even went so far as to try and blame my dad for my uncle's death. Seriously, can you believe it? I mean, Jesus, how much lower can she sink?" Nathan's jaw pulsed as he shook his head. "I swear to God, Hales, today was the last straw for me. I really and truly hate her, and nothing she says – or does – from this day forward will ever make up for all the shit she's put me through. She is dead to me and she is never, ever going to know our son."

Haley didn't dare argue. If anything, she felt the same way. She ran a hand down Nathan's face, letting her know she was there for him, always and forever, then pulled him into her.

"What can I do, Nathan? Tell me."

As Haley refused to accept his rigid posture, Nathan gave up trying to be strong and cope with this mess on his own. He let go and hugged Haley back as tightly as he could without hurting her. "Just love me, I guess, and … don't hold against me some of the genes our son carries thanks to my screwed-up mother."

"Why would I ever do that?" Haley asked with utmost sincerity. "Our son is going to be great, you wait and see. With me as his mom, you as his dad, Luke as his uncle, and Karen as his closest grandmother, there's no way he'll ever be steered in the wrong direction. Our son's going to be a winner. In fact, he already is." Haley cocked her head toward the door and began to beam, recognizing the approaching footsteps of a certain handsome toddler. Seconds later, she was rewarded as James Lucas Scott charged into the room directly over to his parents. "See?"

Nathan sat up with a smile and opened his arms wide.

"Yeah. C'mere, boy." Jamie was more than happy to. The moment the little boy lay his head trustingly on his father's shoulder, Nathan felt his heart heal a little more. "Daddy loves you more than the whole entire world, you know that, Jimmy-Jam?

Jamie's head popped right up. The world was a big, big thing. He knew that from the globe in Grandpa Dan's office that he and Lily liked to spin. "Mama too?" he asked, excited. "Daddy love Mama?"

"Yes," Nathan grinned, "I love your mama too."

Haley reached out and pulled Nathan's face to her so she could kiss his sexy lips. "Now that's the smile I've been longing to see."

"You and Jamie always know how to bring it out, Hales."

"Well, not always. Let's say, ninety percent of the time." She kissed him again while Jamie watched and giggled, then she leaned back abruptly, plucked their son from him and slapped his thigh. "Okay, enough of this, loverboy. Go see Karen. She's on the back deck."

Nathan laughed at Haley's abrupt change in tone. "Why?"

"Because she's still majorly worried about her kids especially the younger of her two sons, whom she hasn't seen in hours."

"But I'm fi—"

"Go!"

Nathan gave up and went.

Out of curiosity, he passed by the front hallway first to see if the ruined front door was still there, but it wasn't. While he'd been lost in his head, wishing he'd been born to another woman entirely, the shattered glass had all been swept up and thick plywood had been put up temporarily to keep out the elements.

Nathan guessed it paid to be Mayor.

He made his way toward the large balcony outside the kitchen as ordered by Haley and found that Karen was indeed out there, pacing. She wasn't alone, though. Lucas was stretched out asleep on one of the wicker sofas, and Lily was in Karen's arms with her small head resting on her mother's shoulder. The two-year-old perked up the very instant she spotted her cousin on approach, but unfortunately, that was all she was able to do since Karen immediately pushed her head back down, shushed her then kept right on walking back and forth. An expression of complete and utter resignation fell across the toddler's face then, and Nathan snorted at the sight. If one thing could be said about Karen Roe Scott, it was this: she was one protective mama bear. He could easily picture her gathering Lily right up again after he himself had gone downstairs to brood, determined to cuddle her baby girl for the rest of time in order to keep her safe from the likes of her husband's lunatic ex-wife.

Nathan opened the sliding door to join them both on the deck and maybe rescue Lily too, but he didn't get a chance. Karen turned, saw him and promptly set Lily on her feet. The two-year-old dashed inside the beach house to escape and Nathan found himself taking her place with Karen. He rocked back in surprise at the fierceness of Karen's hug, stiffened for a moment then relaxed, returning her embrace tightly.

"You wanted to see me, Mom?"

Karen squeezed him one last time then reluctantly let go. "Yes, I did." She led him to one of the wicker love seats then sat down beside him and ran a loving hand down the side of his face. "How are your headaches?"

"Gone."

"And the dizziness?"

"Gone too, at least for now."

"And what about the rest of you? Honey, are you all right?"

Nathan hesitated … then shrugged. He wanted to say 'yes' since he hadn't felt quite so downcast with Haley and Jamie a minute ago, but that lift had obviously been temporary. Already, he could feel the darkness trying to settle over him again, so he looked at Karen and decided to just be honest.

"I don't know, Mom. I think I'll get better eventually, but … it's probably going to take some time."

Karen could certainly believe that. She winced and lay a warm hand on his knee. "Do you want to talk about this?"

Nathan already had a little with Haley, but hearing the offer extended again, this time from his stepmother, he realized there was a lot more that he could say, so much more pain still weighing on him. The question was, did he want to share any of it?

Nathan wasn't so sure.

He stared at the ocean waves foaming against the shore and set his jaw, thinking the salt water frothing so angrily represented pretty closely the turmoil he was still feeling. Finally, he turned to Karen.

"No," he said. "No more talking. Not yet anyway. Maybe not ever."

"Okay," Karen said gently. "I won't push, but if the pressure gets to be too much, Nathan, I expect you to come to me, or your dad, or even both of us, so we can deal with it together." She shot him a crooked smile and squeezed his leg. "I'm always up for a good scream when warranted, believe it or not. You'd be amazed how therapeutic a nice walk up the beach can be along with a good yell or three into the surf."

Nathan tried to return her smile, but his mouth wouldn't cooperate now that his thoughts were re-focused on the woman who'd birthed him, tried to kill his father, nearly killed his brother and then topped things off by pointing a loaded handgun on him and the rest of their family too. Karen saw his mood souring even more than it had been a few seconds ago and she chucked him under the chin to bring him back to her.

"Did I ever tell that you when I'm tense, more often than not, I bake for the café?"

Nathan sighed. "No, you never told me that."

"Well, I do," Karen told him, "and right now I could really use some help and some distracting conversation. What are you in the mood to help me with today? I want to talk about all your new classes at the University of Maryland and what's been going on lately with your new teammates, so whatever you suggest we bake had better take at least an hour."

Nathan stared unseeingly at the waves again. "Anything with chocolate," he said quietly. "And something hard that I can sink my teeth into."

"Spoken like your brother when he's upset," Karen said brightly, "which means today I'm going to teach you how to make several batches of chocolate caramel popcorn crunch as soon as I order some pizza for dinner. Your dad should be back from the police station by then."

"The phone lines are fixed too?" Nathan asked though he wasn't really surprised.

Karen nodded. "When Mayor Scott insists, things get done, honey. Now come with me." She stood up, took his hand and forced him to follow her inside the house. Before Nathan could sit on one of the island stools and mope, Karen patted his back then pointed to the cupboards. "Rectangular baking pans, please. And we'll need a large saucepan, a small one also, a whisk and an extra-large bowl. I'll be back in a minute."

Nathan pulled them out while Karen went to check on Lily and found her sorting shapes in the play room with Jamie. Since Haley was glad to keep supervising both toddlers, Karen called for take-out then returned to Nathan. She helped him to find the right spatulas, measuring cups, knives and spoons that they would need then got him started on microwaving the first bag of gourmet popcorn. With every task he finished, she gave him another and she continually asked questions about college while they worked to keep him focused on the parts of his life that were pleasant, exciting and had nothing whatsoever to do with Deb Lee.

It worked.

By the time the initial cluster of popcorn had been caramelized, the ganache poured on top and the whole of it refrigerated so it could harden, Nathan's mood had mostly lifted again. He licked some chocolate off his fingers absently while he watched Karen slip another bag of popcorn into the microwave for batch number two, and he knew what he had to do to really start putting this shameful – and extremely hurtful – incident behind him.

"Hey, Mom?"

"Yes, hon?"

Nathan took a deep breath. "You think we could go for a walk on the beach later? I-I think I do want to talk to you about what happened. Maybe scream too."

Karen gave him a warm smile and nodded. "We'll go tonight right after dinner. I promise."

- oOo -

11:42 PM

Dan's brows drew together as he focused his binoculars on the lone figure of his firstborn son almost two miles up the beach sitting on a low dune only ten or so feet from the shore. The easterly winds off the coast had been picking up strength on and off all day and now they were both strong and constant, which meant Lucas was getting misted every few seconds – him in bare feet, a thin T-shirt and well-worn sweatshorts. Was he chilled to the bone yet? Obviously not since he wasn't really moving, but he should be – and he probably would be once he stopped brooding long enough to note the time, take in his surroundings and feel the cold.

Grumbling to himself, Dan stepped inside the house briefly to set down the binoculars and zip upstairs to Luke's room for a change of clothes, a towel and a thick blanket. So armed, he left again and started speed-walking up the beach, praying to God that his wife didn't wake up and peek out the window on her way to the bathroom…

- oOo -

Forced out of his own head at hearing his name being shouted somewhere off to the right, Lucas was startled to look over and discover his dad coming straight for him. He wondered why but then realized the reason was obvious. It was late, the air all around was chilly and he was shivering. Hard. His face, hair, arms, legs and clothes were all damp too, and if his mom caught him in this state so soon after being released from the hospital – twice – he was dead.

Shit.

Lucas stood up unsteadily and hugged himself to try and generate some warmth. On stiff legs, he stumbled as he tried to meet his dad halfway, but he didn't quite succeed. For every unsteady step he managed, his dad took five and in less that two minutes father and son were face-to-face.

Dad took one look at the completely unnecessary state of his child – a child who was over twenty years old and should definitely know better – and fury took over. He spun Lucas to the side then slapped him as hard as he could right in the center of his backside.

"OW! Dad, that hurt!"

"Lucas Eugene Scott, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Dan demanded, drawing him higher up the dune where the ocean spray couldn't reach them. He shouldn't have lost it like that again, damn it, not least because he'd just forced his son to pull on his wound a little when his hips had shot forward, but he was too angry and guilt-stricken to apologize. Instead, he vented even as he pressed a hand to Luke's forehead and the sides of his neck, checking impatiently for fever. "You're recovering from a bullet wound, son! You were pistol-whipped! You're under doctor's orders to keep to your bed and you know your mother doesn't want you outside when you're supposed to be sleeping!"

"I do kn-know," Lucas said. His teeth chattered while he sulked and tried in vain to run the sting out of his behind. "Why do you think I'm w-way over here, f-far out of her s-sight line?"

Dan wanted to smack him again but kept his temper in check this time as he dropped the blanket and extra clothes. He toweled Lucas's wet hair vigorously then began to tug his son's wet t-shirt relentlessly over his head. "You know, did it ever occur to you that I don't want you out here either, young man?"

"Why not?" Lucas grumbled, peeved at both the lecture and the childish treatment he was getting. "Because a s-sand grain might s-suddenly blow up, f-fly into my s-stitches and l-lead to an infection? Gimme a b-break."

"Watch it, son. Keep it up and you'll be sleeping on your stomach tonight. Now lift your arms."

Lucas glared but decided he'd pushed his luck just about as far he could. God knows, he didn't want another smack on the ass like the last one. Damn it, that spank really burned!

He allowed his dad to pull a clean, dry shirt over his head for him, however he protested mightily when the man suddenly yanked the wet shorts and boxer briefs he was wearing right off his lean hips straight to the sandy ground.

Dan didn't want to hear it, especially since no one was even around, and all the neighboring beach houses were dark. He re-dressed his furiously blushing son with dry clothing despite the boy's clumsy attempts at interference and truly didn't give a hoot that Lucas was in college not kindergarten. The moment he was done, he wrapped Lucas tight in the thick blanket he'd brought from home then hugged him close and rubbed his back briskly, trying to stop the clacking of his son's teeth. Lucas, of course, was sick of being babied.

"I'm not s-six years old," he complained, trying to extricate himself. "We're in p-public, Dad. I can't b-believe you just s-stripped me like that!"

"Tough," Dan said, holding him tighter. "And I hardly consider this a public space when the only people in the vicinity are you and me. Besides, if you weren't so damn determined to drive your parents into an early grave, this wouldn't have been necessary." He hugged Lucas a moment longer then finally released him and snatched up his wet clothes. "All right, let's get you home."

Lucas clung to the blanket around his shoulders and took three steps toward the beach house then stopped, annoyed beyond belief that his overprotective father was now matching him stride for stride. "You s-suck, you know that? You and Mom w-worry too much."

"We're your parents, Lucas. It's what we do. Keep walking, I said."

Lucas did, albeit unwillingly. He told himself he was never, ever going to forget his dad's humiliating treatment of him this night – and he probably wasn't going to forgive it for a long, long time either – but by the time they finally reached the Scott family beach house fifty minutes later and both had stepped inside, Lucas was far too whipped to even think about holding grudges.

He was also never more grateful that the new beach house came with an elevator.

As soon they were rising to the bedrooms on the third floor, he leaned against the cabin wall in relief and didn't even think to mind when Dan pressed a hand to his forehead, checking for fever again. Moments later in his room, he lay still as his pants were lowered once again by a parent and then his dressing changed, and he had zero objections to being tucked into bed afterwards or fed one of his prescription painkillers.

Dan didn't leave right away when he was done. He dimmed the lights most of the way then sat beside his oldest son and lay a hand on his chest, determined to stay put until he was certain that his injured firstborn was fully passed out this time. Since Dan had noticed the last few days that Lucas tended to fall asleep easier if he was in the middle of a quiet conversation, he thought a moment then kept his tone low and did something he usually tried to avoid. He apologized.

"Son, I'm sorry I hit you again. It's just … I saw you out there risking your health for what must be the twelfth time since we brought you home and I—"

"I know," Lucas said, resting the urge to squirm. "You saw me, and you lost it."

"Yes, I think I did."

Lucas tried to muster up the same indignation he'd felt when his ass cheeks were burning outside a half hour ago, but he couldn't be bothered anymore. He was over it. He studied Dan's discomfited face a moment longer in the semi-darkness then shrugged.

"You had no choice, really. I shouldn't've left the house and freaked you out when I definitely know better, which means I probably deserved that slap even though I'm way too old for it. I'm way too old for all the slaps you give me, but I'm your kid and you obviously care about me now, so …" Lucas pulled one hand out from under the covers and offered his fist for a bump. "… forgive?"

A grateful Dan bumped back without hesitation. "Forgive. By the way, have you called Peyton yet and filled her in on everything?"

Lucas yawned. "Not yet. I'll call her in a few days."

"Why not tomorrow? Nathan told me you've been holding off all week. Don't you think your girlfriend has the right to know you're hurt?"

Lucas didn't answer. Instead, his brow creased as his gaze shifted to the mound of blankets covering him.

"What're you thinking, son? And what were you doing outside tonight anyway?"

"I just … when I had my heart attack … after that bookie, Daunte, almost killed Haley with his car … I had an extremely vivid dream about Keith in the afterlife."

Dan stiffened as he always did at the mention of his dead brother. "I don't think you ever told me that."

"It was so real, Daddy. It was like … it was like I was with him, really with him, and he was showing me things that might have been. He kept grilling me about the moment he died and why Jimmy Edwards, of all people, would kill him." Lucas shifted his gaze up to his father, his expression pained. "It was like he was telling me his murder was still unsolved and he was pushing me to keep digging. He kept repeating what Deb said."

Dan's heart began to pound, the skin around his jaw feeling unnaturally tight. "That I killed him?!"

"No, that I needed to … to open my eyes about how he died."

As Lucas fell silent and seemed to withdraw into his memories again, Dan forced himself to respond normally.

"Son, you don't honestly think I did it, do you? Like Deb claimed?"

Lucas squinted up at him, perplexed for a second, then he smirked. "Um, no. You used to be many things, Daddy, but a man who commits fratricide? No way. Not even you, the way you were then, would have sunk so low. Deb's just high, plus she totally despises you. She'd say anything to try and turn us against you."

Dan swallowed a sigh of relief. "Deb," he said with a disdainful shake of the head. "The worst mistake of my life was sticking with that weakling instead of cutting my losses early on and going back to your mom. I should've never—Hey, what do you think you're doing?"

Lucas leaned out of bed on the other side of his father and retrieved his final high school yearbook from the night-table drawer. He sat up carefully and began flipping the pages to the portraits section.

"There was a girl I was trying to find my senior year," Lucas said then pressed a few fingers to his right temple just below his stitches, looking frustrated even as he stifled a yawn. "I can't remember her name right now, but if I can just see again what she looks like maybe I can track her down this time. She saw the shooting and then she left town before graduation, but maybe she's back now or she's on MySpace …"

A cloud of foreboding began to roll over Dan. Smoothly, he stole the yearbook from his obviously tired son with the excuse that the hour was late, and rest was needed. When Lucas half-heartedly tried to argue, Dan tucked him back in, kissed him on cheek and told him to relax.

"But—"

"Go to sleep," Dan ordered a bit too sharply. "If you can't even recollect this girl's name, Lucas, she probably doesn't exist. You suffered a head wound, son. Deb scrambled your brain when she hit you with that gun butt, so you need your rest, not a trip down memory lane searching for a girl you only think you remember. C'mon now, obey me. Close your eyes and forget all this."

Lucas frowned at Dan's tone with him but didn't have it in him just now to wonder about it. As for his confiscated yearbook, he was sure he would get it back tomorrow. He stared at his father drowsily, feeling his consciousness begin to drift as the painkiller he'd swallowed finally kicked in and did its work.

Dan braced himself in case Lucas said something else he didn't want to hear, but his boy was quiet. His eyes were drifting shut and the crease in his forehead was smoothing out as he finally – completely – passed out.

Good.

Dan waited awhile longer to be certain Lucas wasn't going to wake again and then he carried the yearbook tightly in one hand toward the door. He would burn it before sunrise. He would set it ablaze in the sand far down the beach and then he would do the same with Haley's and Nathan's. Both of theirs were stored in the garage along with a pile of their high school mementoes, and their boxes hadn't been sifted through in ages. They wouldn't miss what they'd already forgotten, and God willing, Lucas wouldn't even remember this conversation at all come breakfast. Then again, if he did, but still couldn't remember Abby's name or locate a single yearbook in the house, maybe he'd give up and let the matter drop once and for all – or least long enough to give his father time. No more than two or three days should be required to track the Browns in Florida and get rid of them for good. Dan only needed to think of a plausible excuse for leaving home on 'business' at a time like this.

That was all right though. He would think of something good long before morning.

Dan stepped into the hallway and took a deep, satisfying breath, feeling in control again now that he had a plan. All at once, he froze.

"Brown," Lucas murmured sleepily from the bed. "Daddy, her name is Abby Brown…"

- The End -