Lucas Scott was absentmindedly pulling at the threads on his pillowcase when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Lucas, it's me. Can you…can you come over to Dan's house?"

"Nathan?"

"Look, I know we didn't end on the best terms. That's why I want you to come over."

"I'm really sorry-"

"I know. I just, want to talk. About everything"

"Everything?"

"Yes…hurry up."

"Alright, alright." Lucas chuckled and hung up the phone. Somehow, he knew Nathan and him were taking the first steps to being okay. Really okay.

Ten minutes later the doorbell rang. Nathan answered right away.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Um…" Nathan was at a loss for words.

"Don't know what to say either?" Lucas said tentatively.

"It's..."

"Hard?" Lucas finished for him. Nathan nodded wordlessly.

"Yeah."

"It's all hard." Lucas said with a pained expression.

Nathan had no idea what to say. He never was one for heart to hearts.

"We should go inside" He suggested after a moment.

The boys went up to Nathan's room and sat next to each other on his bed, unsure of what to say next.

Deb came into Nathan's room.

"Nathan, I'm going to… Lucas, I didn't know you were here." Deb said.

"Yeah, Nathan and I were just having a brotherly chat," Lucas said lightly, but pointedly. He had noticed that Nathan wanted to say something to him, but hadn't yet.

"Oh! Well, how nice! Well, I am going out for a little while. I'll see you boys later." Deb said quickly, and left.

Lucas stared at the empty doorway and sighed.

"I guess we should talk" Nathan said finally.

"Nathan, look I am so sorry about lying to you. I shouldn't have lied to you about Haley."

"Then why did you?"

"I…I just wanted to hold on to a time when it was mostly good. You and Haley were so good together, you and me were finally getting along. Nathan, you're one of my best friends now. I didn't want to change that."

"You shouldn't have lied to me!"

"Nathan. You'll never know how sorry I am. I was so wrong to lie to you. I just got so consumed with bringing Dan down, and I thought things could be normal where he wasn't ruining my life and we could be friends."

"Why do you want to be friends so badly?" Nathan asked suddenly.

Lucas was shocked and more than a little hurt. Most of all, he was surprised at how strong his reaction was.

"W-what?" He said, looking down so Nathan couldn't see the hurt on his face and the tears forming in his eyes.

"Why did you want so desperately to get along with me? I was a complete jackass to you for most of this year, and plenty of times after we got along. Why do you keep trying to make things right between us?" Nathan asked, not realizing that he was hurting Lucas with such a question.

Lucas looked up finally and Nathan saw the hurt expression on his face.

"Lucas, I didn't mean that I don't want to…"

"Because you're my brother," Lucas whispered.

"What?"

"Because you're my brother, Nathan."

Nathan wasn't sure what to say.

"I know that sounds all sappy and emotional, but there it is. You're my brother, I wanted to know you ever since I found out who you were. No matter what I've told you in the past, that's the honest truth. Something's been missing in my life and I think it's having a relationship with my brother, no matter how awful our father might be."

Nathan said nothing, but instead hugged his brother. Lucas was unsure at first, but finally hugged his brother tight. For once in a long time, it felt like everything was going to be okay.

"I never wanted to hate you." Nathan said, his voice breaking a little.

"It's okay. Me either."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"Luke, I'm so sorry."

"I know, Nate."

Lucas gently pulled away from Nathan.

"So much for not getting all emotional."

"Yeah…" Nathan sniffed and chuckled a little.

"Are we okay now?"

"We are, I think. But what about Dan?"

"We both want to bring him down don't we? Stop him from controlling our lives…" Lucas said

"Yeah, but—"

"But I shouldn't have lied to you." Lucas said, finishing Nathan's sentence again.

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry. Forgive me?" Lucas said holding his arms out and sticking out his lower lip. Nathan couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah, yeah. Next time include me in on your evil plans." Nathan said. Lucas lowered his arms and cracked up.

"Jackass." Nathan smiled.

Lucas laughed.

"So you came to live with Dan just figure out how to bring him down?" Nathan asked.

Lucas was about to respond when he realized that he hadn't told Nathan about the other reason he stayed with Dan.

"Actually he was paying for my medication."

"For…" Nathan began, already knowing the answer.

"HCM. I know it's redundant, but I'm sorry." Lucas said.

"Why didn't you tell me? And why would you mom let you live with Dan?" Nathan asked.

"She doesn't know."

"Are you kidding me?"

"I didn't want to tell anyone!" Lucas protested.

"Why?"

"I'd have to give up basketball!"

"Oh…" Nathan said.

"Yeah…"

"Oh my God. Lucas…"

"I don't want to lose it." Lucas said quietly.

"But, it could hurt you! You could die!"

"Dan played all those years and it didn't hurt him!"

"He only had a heart attack in his thirties!"

"I know. I know it's crazy. There's just so much else wrong in my life, and basketball sometimes is the only thing that makes sense, you know? I'm not giving it up!"

"Lucas, it's okay, calm down." Nathan said, gripping his brother's shoulders.

"I'm sorry…this just…I…life…sucks." Lucas mumbled.

"Wow, articulate." Nathan joked, trying to cheer him up.

"Yeah"

"Hey, we can deal with this later. Together."

"Thanks, Nate."

"I've got your back, Luke."

They both sat back on Nathan's bed and stared at the ceiling.

"So, Haley came to see me tonight." Nathan said after some time.

"Really? What did you say?"

"Nothing. There was nothing I could say."

Lucas propped himself up to look at Nathan.

"You didn't say anything?"

"No…"

"But…what did she do?"

"She said she shouldn't have come and left."

"And you didn't go after her?"

"I did."

"And…"

"Then I told her that it was going to take me awhile to deal with all this."

"I bet." Lucas lay back down on the bed.

"Do you think I was wrong to ignore it for now?"

"I guess not."

"I hope not."

"It's just…" Lucas trailed off.

"Just…?"

"Well, I think she's sorry." Lucas said pathetically.

"That's pathetic man." Nathan laughed.

"I know."

"You're rather supportive of her. Let me guess. You already worked everything out when you saw her."

"Well."

"Yes?"

"Yes."

"Of course." Nathan sighed.

"It takes time, Nate."

"I know."

Lucas yawned.

"I'm sorry if I'm boring you." Nathan said sarcastically.

"Sorry. Just between fighting with Dan, being dumped by Brooke, comforting Peyton, fighting with you, making up with you, I'm beat."

"Damn."

"Exactly."

"You know you can stay here if you want to, you can help me and my mom take down Dan. We just have to stay around here a little longer, we can finally be free of him. I mean, I know he probably doesn't want you hanging around, but if he sees that both his sons hate him, maybe he'll finally get an attitude adjustment. It's only about 17 years overdue. My mom promised me that we would remove ourselves from him…Lucas…Lucas are you listening to me?" Nathan peered at his brother.

Who was fast asleep.

"Huh." Nathan said amused, then turned off the light and stared at the dark ceiling for awhile.

It felt like just a moment, but it was actually a long time, because sunlight became creeping through the windows, casting soft light into the room.

"Nathan?"

"Hey. You totally fell asleep on me last night, jackass." Nathan joked.

"Sorry. Like I said…"

"Hell of a night."

"Yeah."

"So Luke, are we cool?"

"Yeah. Nate…"

"What?"

"Are we okay?"

"We're on our way to being okay."