Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or any of its characters.
Feedback: Of course.
AN: I had to discontinue "All It Takes" for creative reasons... translation: I lost the plot line I had for it because I'm an idiot.
AN2: Takes place about six years after the gang graduates from High School. That makes everyone around 24 or 25.
Distribution: Ask me first.
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"Mr. Scott, how does it feel to have scored the finals winning basket for your team?" Nathan managed to pick out over the frantic voices of reporters and fans outside the stadium.
"No comment," Nathan smiled bitterly before pushing his way through the crowd.
"Mr. Scott, surely you must have something to say," the reporter persisted.
"Yeah, I do," Nathan swiveled around stressing each word. "No. Comment."
"You'll have to excuse him," Lucas Scott interceded. "He's had a rough week."
"Care to elaborate?" the reporter asked, pushing her microphone into Lucas's face.
"Not really," Lucas smiled graciously as he stepped into the team's bus after Nathan. "Thank you."
Lucas shut the door while the reporters began to interview the other players and the coaches and walked to the back of the bus where Nathan was slouched down in his seat, as if hiding from the reporters and Lucas, maybe even the world.
"Man, what the hell was that?" Lucas asked, sliding in next to Nathan who just slouched down lower in the seat. "Talk to me, man. I mean, I know we're still not-."
"Brother like?" Nathan scoffed.
"Yeah, but we're still friends. Friends talk," Lucas insisted. "So, just talk. You're usually better at the on camera stuff than I am. Today was- what was that?"
"What's the date Lucas?" Nathan hinted.
"May 31, Tuesday," Lucas answered immediately.
"Spark any memories?" Nathan sighed.
Lucas sighed and slouched down to Nathan's level. "Yes, tired to forget it all day."
"Did it work?" Nathan asked.
"A little," Lucas nodded.
"Wish I had that luxury," Nathan laughed so bitterly it made Lucas cringe.
"She-" Lucas started. "Haley really did love you."
"Then why'd she leave?" Nathan asked. "Why'd she leave without a goodbye or I'll call you or I'll miss you. Huh? I know you know, Lucas. You've always known. That's what's kept us from being brothers. That's the only thing."
"Nate," Lucas sighed.
"Don't Nate me," Nathan shouted, jumping up and stepping over Lucas to the walkway. "God, Luke, just tell me!"
"I can't!" Luke shouted, standing up, the two brothers face to face. "It's her business!"
"Cut the crap Luke!" Nathan shouted. "It's been her business for almost six years! I need to know where the hell she is and what I did that was so- so horrible that she couldn't-."
"She had to leave! Nate, you wouldn't understand," Lucas tried calm him down.
"Try me," Nathan challenged, a deadly glare in his eyes.
"I CAN'T" Lucas shouted.
Nathan scoffed and kicked the emergency door, causing a loud, sharp sound to pierce the night. Outside the bus, all noise ceased, which was immediately noticed by both Nathan and Lucas. Nathan shook his head and laughed bitterly again before replying:
"Just forget it."
Nathan opened the back door, jumped out and started running down the road. Reporters gathered around the back exit asking about the newest event, blocking Nathan's figure from Lucas's view.
******
Nathan angrily wiped away his tears as soon as he realized he was even crying. He hadn't stopped running for an hour and now he didn't even know where he was. The buildings were old and run down but music was echoing down the street from a near by club. Nathan figured he could call a cab from there.
An orange ball rolled out in front of him, stopping at his feet. He crouched down and picked it up, turning it over in his hands. A small boy ran out onto the sidewalk and called out to him:
"Can I have my ball?"
Nathan looked up and saw the little boy, no more than six, if he was even that old. Nathan smiled and walked off the street and onto the sidewalk, crouching down again and handed the boy the basketball. The boy took it in his hands; the ball made his kid hands seem much smaller than they really were.
"Hey," Nathan smiled. "You know, this ball's a little big for you to play with."
"I can't play with it," the boy said guiltily. "It's Daddy's."
"Well, you better put it back before he sees you with it," Nathan suggested. "You don't want to get in trouble."
"I didn't mean to," the boy insisted. "I just wanted to see it better. Mommy's always talking about Daddy. I don't know my Daddy."
"Why not?" Nathan asked.
"Mommy said she'd tell me sometime," he said. "But she hasn't yet."
"I'm sorry," Nathan answered. "My brother didn't know his Daddy until he was older."
"Did he like his Daddy?"
Nathan contemplated the boy's question. He was so small and Nathan didn't want to break his heart by telling him about the real situation between Lucas and Dan, who had never spoken to each other since Lucas's senior year.
"How old are you?" Nathan asked, changing the subject.
"Almost five!" the boy said excitedly, holding up five fingers.
"Almost five," Nathan repeated. "That's cool. You're really talkative for a five year old."
"My Mommy says it's her fault," the boy laughed. "She talks a lot too."
"You Mom sounds really cool," Nathan smiled. "You better get home or she'll miss you."
"She's not home," the boy said. "But my aunt will be mad if she can't find me."
"Then go home," Nathan smiled, standing up. "And take care of that ball. It's a good one."
"Bye mister," the boy waved, running on short legs up to a house and disappearing through the door.
"Bye kid," Nathan smiled sadly.
******
"Nate!" Brooke yelled as the little boy ran through the door, carrying a basketball. "Where were you? You scared me."
"I'm sorry Aunt Brooke," Nate hugged his mother's best friend. "I lost Mommy's ball. A man gave it back to me."
"Did you talk to him?" Brooke asked, alarmed.
"Yeah, he was really nice!" Nate replied.
"What did Mommy tell you about talking to strangers?" Brooke reprimanded.
"Don't talk to them?" Nate hung his head. "I'm sorry."
"Well, you're okay," Brooke hugged the small boy. "That's a good thing. Now, go get ready for bed."
******
"Hey, can I use your phone?" Nathan leaned over the bar, asking the blonde bartender.
"Not without a drink first, honey," the blonde replied. "What'll it be?"
"Nothing, just the phone," Nathan sighed.
"Someone as gorgeous as you needs something besides the phone," the blonde said seductively.
"Just give me the goddamned phone," Nathan insisted, annoyed.
"Not without a drink," the blonde insisted, pouring a shot of bourbon and setting it in front of Nathan.
"Screw this. I'll catch the bus," Nathan knocked the shot over the counter and spun around into a waitress. All the plates and cups the waitress had been carrying crashed to floor, scattering and breaking.
"Oh man," Nathan groaned as he bent down to help the waitress clean up. "I'm so sorry."
"It's not your fault," the girl's voice was oddly familiar.
"Yes it is," Nathan insisted, picking up a large piece of glass. "I wasn't watching where I was going."
"You don't have to help sir," she insisted, throwing glass into a bucket.
"I do," Nathan insisted.
"Look, I don't need help," the girl looked up at Nathan for the first time. "So just piss off and leave me...Oh my God..."
"Haley?" Nathan asked, not believing his eyes.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
I write, you read, you review, I write more.
Feedback: Of course.
AN: I had to discontinue "All It Takes" for creative reasons... translation: I lost the plot line I had for it because I'm an idiot.
AN2: Takes place about six years after the gang graduates from High School. That makes everyone around 24 or 25.
Distribution: Ask me first.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
"Mr. Scott, how does it feel to have scored the finals winning basket for your team?" Nathan managed to pick out over the frantic voices of reporters and fans outside the stadium.
"No comment," Nathan smiled bitterly before pushing his way through the crowd.
"Mr. Scott, surely you must have something to say," the reporter persisted.
"Yeah, I do," Nathan swiveled around stressing each word. "No. Comment."
"You'll have to excuse him," Lucas Scott interceded. "He's had a rough week."
"Care to elaborate?" the reporter asked, pushing her microphone into Lucas's face.
"Not really," Lucas smiled graciously as he stepped into the team's bus after Nathan. "Thank you."
Lucas shut the door while the reporters began to interview the other players and the coaches and walked to the back of the bus where Nathan was slouched down in his seat, as if hiding from the reporters and Lucas, maybe even the world.
"Man, what the hell was that?" Lucas asked, sliding in next to Nathan who just slouched down lower in the seat. "Talk to me, man. I mean, I know we're still not-."
"Brother like?" Nathan scoffed.
"Yeah, but we're still friends. Friends talk," Lucas insisted. "So, just talk. You're usually better at the on camera stuff than I am. Today was- what was that?"
"What's the date Lucas?" Nathan hinted.
"May 31, Tuesday," Lucas answered immediately.
"Spark any memories?" Nathan sighed.
Lucas sighed and slouched down to Nathan's level. "Yes, tired to forget it all day."
"Did it work?" Nathan asked.
"A little," Lucas nodded.
"Wish I had that luxury," Nathan laughed so bitterly it made Lucas cringe.
"She-" Lucas started. "Haley really did love you."
"Then why'd she leave?" Nathan asked. "Why'd she leave without a goodbye or I'll call you or I'll miss you. Huh? I know you know, Lucas. You've always known. That's what's kept us from being brothers. That's the only thing."
"Nate," Lucas sighed.
"Don't Nate me," Nathan shouted, jumping up and stepping over Lucas to the walkway. "God, Luke, just tell me!"
"I can't!" Luke shouted, standing up, the two brothers face to face. "It's her business!"
"Cut the crap Luke!" Nathan shouted. "It's been her business for almost six years! I need to know where the hell she is and what I did that was so- so horrible that she couldn't-."
"She had to leave! Nate, you wouldn't understand," Lucas tried calm him down.
"Try me," Nathan challenged, a deadly glare in his eyes.
"I CAN'T" Lucas shouted.
Nathan scoffed and kicked the emergency door, causing a loud, sharp sound to pierce the night. Outside the bus, all noise ceased, which was immediately noticed by both Nathan and Lucas. Nathan shook his head and laughed bitterly again before replying:
"Just forget it."
Nathan opened the back door, jumped out and started running down the road. Reporters gathered around the back exit asking about the newest event, blocking Nathan's figure from Lucas's view.
******
Nathan angrily wiped away his tears as soon as he realized he was even crying. He hadn't stopped running for an hour and now he didn't even know where he was. The buildings were old and run down but music was echoing down the street from a near by club. Nathan figured he could call a cab from there.
An orange ball rolled out in front of him, stopping at his feet. He crouched down and picked it up, turning it over in his hands. A small boy ran out onto the sidewalk and called out to him:
"Can I have my ball?"
Nathan looked up and saw the little boy, no more than six, if he was even that old. Nathan smiled and walked off the street and onto the sidewalk, crouching down again and handed the boy the basketball. The boy took it in his hands; the ball made his kid hands seem much smaller than they really were.
"Hey," Nathan smiled. "You know, this ball's a little big for you to play with."
"I can't play with it," the boy said guiltily. "It's Daddy's."
"Well, you better put it back before he sees you with it," Nathan suggested. "You don't want to get in trouble."
"I didn't mean to," the boy insisted. "I just wanted to see it better. Mommy's always talking about Daddy. I don't know my Daddy."
"Why not?" Nathan asked.
"Mommy said she'd tell me sometime," he said. "But she hasn't yet."
"I'm sorry," Nathan answered. "My brother didn't know his Daddy until he was older."
"Did he like his Daddy?"
Nathan contemplated the boy's question. He was so small and Nathan didn't want to break his heart by telling him about the real situation between Lucas and Dan, who had never spoken to each other since Lucas's senior year.
"How old are you?" Nathan asked, changing the subject.
"Almost five!" the boy said excitedly, holding up five fingers.
"Almost five," Nathan repeated. "That's cool. You're really talkative for a five year old."
"My Mommy says it's her fault," the boy laughed. "She talks a lot too."
"You Mom sounds really cool," Nathan smiled. "You better get home or she'll miss you."
"She's not home," the boy said. "But my aunt will be mad if she can't find me."
"Then go home," Nathan smiled, standing up. "And take care of that ball. It's a good one."
"Bye mister," the boy waved, running on short legs up to a house and disappearing through the door.
"Bye kid," Nathan smiled sadly.
******
"Nate!" Brooke yelled as the little boy ran through the door, carrying a basketball. "Where were you? You scared me."
"I'm sorry Aunt Brooke," Nate hugged his mother's best friend. "I lost Mommy's ball. A man gave it back to me."
"Did you talk to him?" Brooke asked, alarmed.
"Yeah, he was really nice!" Nate replied.
"What did Mommy tell you about talking to strangers?" Brooke reprimanded.
"Don't talk to them?" Nate hung his head. "I'm sorry."
"Well, you're okay," Brooke hugged the small boy. "That's a good thing. Now, go get ready for bed."
******
"Hey, can I use your phone?" Nathan leaned over the bar, asking the blonde bartender.
"Not without a drink first, honey," the blonde replied. "What'll it be?"
"Nothing, just the phone," Nathan sighed.
"Someone as gorgeous as you needs something besides the phone," the blonde said seductively.
"Just give me the goddamned phone," Nathan insisted, annoyed.
"Not without a drink," the blonde insisted, pouring a shot of bourbon and setting it in front of Nathan.
"Screw this. I'll catch the bus," Nathan knocked the shot over the counter and spun around into a waitress. All the plates and cups the waitress had been carrying crashed to floor, scattering and breaking.
"Oh man," Nathan groaned as he bent down to help the waitress clean up. "I'm so sorry."
"It's not your fault," the girl's voice was oddly familiar.
"Yes it is," Nathan insisted, picking up a large piece of glass. "I wasn't watching where I was going."
"You don't have to help sir," she insisted, throwing glass into a bucket.
"I do," Nathan insisted.
"Look, I don't need help," the girl looked up at Nathan for the first time. "So just piss off and leave me...Oh my God..."
"Haley?" Nathan asked, not believing his eyes.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
I write, you read, you review, I write more.