Opposites

Chapter 1

It was 8 0'clock PM at Karen's café on a Friday night. The afternoon rush had long since died down and the only customers that remained were three blissful teenagers. Two boys, one blonde, and one brunette. And one girl.

The lights were dimmed down and the café looked as if it were preparing to close. The onlooker who was observing these details noticed when an older woman, who did not look too old, but old enough to have seen a lot in life, walked into the picture, interrupting the laughter of the three teenagers.

"Haley, instead of me paying you to chat with your friends, how about I pay you to do your job and close up the café." The woman, Karen, spoke in a light manner to the younger girl in front of her.

Karen loved having Haley work there, and she loved Haley as a daughter.

"Ahhhh, fine, I guess I'll go actually do my job." Haley stood up from the chair, and made her way around the table to the boys.

If one was just glancing at the boys, they would think that they were just really good friends. But if one dared to look much closer, they would see more.

Lucas and Nathan Scott were sitting much closer to each other than most people would call decent, and if you got even closer, you would see that their hands were intertwined under the table, a loving gesture. And it's not brotherly love.

Before leaving the table, she put a hand on each boy's shoulder and peered down at their hands, smiling. She was beyond happy that Lucas and Nathan found love. Even if it was with each other. They deserved to have the happiness that they found.

"Okay boys, I won't be gone long, please, no PDA, I'm not sure that the rest of Tree Hill is game with two half-brothers in love." Haley smiled as Nathan gave her a naughty smile, and said that they couldn't promise anything.

The onlooker moved close enough to hear what was happening after the girl left. The man was sickened at the growing closeness that the teenage boys were displaying. He couldn't see that it was anymore than brotherly kindness, but it was still sickening.

The man could sense the incredible closeness of his sons, and felt a rock settle in the pit of his stomach. This was the exact opposite of what he wanted. He wanted them to be enemies on and off the basketball court. And for his younger son to be the superior of the pair, just like it had been for sixteen years.

This little friendship, or brotherhood that they had, must be stopped for good. And if it meant sacrificing his first born, he would gladly stomp all over the boy if that was what it took. It was Nathan's team, and Nathan had a reputation, one that he did not want his bastard spawn to tear down.

Dan saw the older woman Karen reappear in the window and stopped in front of her son.

"Luke, I want you to go take out the garbage, okay?" Karen instantly saw the smiles on both boys' faces drop.

"But Mom that is Haley's job. I don't work today." Lucas began to whine as he and Nathan both gave her their signature Scott puppy dog pouts.

"Boys, I fell for that face when I was with your father, and I learned to never fall for it again. Lucas, go take out the garbage, or that small allowance I give you will become non-existent." Karen said while crossing her arms over her chest.

She knew all about the relationship between her son and his half-brother, and was growing to be okay with it. At first she was completely closed to the idea. It wasn't even that her son was gay, it was that he was in love with his brother. But as time grew on, she grew used to seeing the pair together and how happy they were with each other.

But now, she was just happy that her baby had some love in his life. Even if it was with his half-brother.

With one last stern look from Karen, she got Lucas to give in and do the menial task.

A pout covering his face, Lucas softly let go of Nathan's hand and took the large, smelly bag from his mother's hand. He began dragging his feet towards the back exit of the café.

From the outside of the café, Dan saw this as his opportunity. He was going to make his demon seed learn where he belonged once and for all.

Making his way through the back alley quickly, Dan sighed in relief as he saw that Lucas was not yet back there. He inconspicuously hid behind the dumpster, ready to attack.

Lucas pushed open the back door to his mother's café, dragging the garbage bag behind him. He just wanted to get this chore over with so he could get back to his lover.

A small rustle of sound caught Lucas's attention. He turned to the dumpster just in time to see a sudden movement.

Before he knew it, he was forcefully shoved to the ground on top of a few discarded garbage bags that hadn't made it to the dumpster yet. He was ready to get up and beat the guy's ass that had done this to him. But as soon as he saw the intimidating figure above him, all of his movements ceased.

Dan scowled down at the figure below him, who was struggling to stand up. Dan instantly threw his foot down on to the boy's chest, insuring that there was no room for him to move.

Before Lucas's escape mission had even gotten started, it was thwarted by a foot violently trapping him to the ground. The air was knocked out of his lungs, and the foot seemed to threaten to break his ribs.

Lucas looked up at his assailant fearfully, realizing quickly that this wasn't some sort of mugging. This person clearly had some sort of unfinished business with him. His eye sight finally coming into focus, Lucas saw the evil face glowing eerily under the fluorescent light.

Dan stood over him…Dan had attacked him…The question was, what did he want?

"What in the hell do you want?" Lucas spat out evilly to his father. This man did not deserve his, or anyone else's respect for the way he treated him, Nate, his mother, Deb, Haley, the mail man, the list could go on and on.

"I don't think that you are in a very good position to ask questions Lucas." Dan kept the pressure on Lucas's chest, assuring him that no escape was realistic.

"Well then what? You are either stalking me, or you're horny. Either one is damned creepy. Go home Dan, buy a fish to bother, because I'm sick of it." Lucas had to try hard to keep a straight face at his ridiculous insinuations.

But his internal laughter was quickly cut off as Dan's foot came up, and then was slammed even harder down on his chest, making sure that a nasty welt was going to appear the next few days.

"I don't think that you are in a good position to make jokes either." Dan could hear Lucas's wheezing, and was satisfied to know that he had some what cut off his son's air supply.

"So I think I'll just tell you what I want. " Dan grunted violently at Lucas.

"Stop seeing Nathan." Dan spoke, meaning that they needed to stop being friends. But those exact words meant more to Lucas.

Lucas's heart froze in his chest. Did Dan know? How did he know? He didn't want to stop seeing Nathan. The pair had just fallen in love, and some dead beat father wasn't going to stop them from seeing each other.

"I don't want Nathan around trash like you. He has a reputation to hold up, unlike you. And I don't want some bastard kid like you to ruin it." Dan stared down at Lucas, loving how the 'bastard' comment got the boy's penetrating glare to fall.

"Why should I? Nathan and I are friends, and I don't see why you should get to decide who Nathan is friends with." Lucas was growing serious. He worried immensely that Nathan would listen to his father, and destroy their relationship. That would crush Lucas.

Dan struck his foot across Lucas's face. Satisfied when he heard the grunt of pain, he continued. Lucas had learned that lesson.

"You will Lucas. Believe me. I know how much you and your mother love this little café." Dan paused to look down at Lucas, loving the frightened look.

"It would be such a shame if I just happened to pay the city to shut it down. I mean, it is your main source of income, right?" Dan pulled out his last big card, knowing that it was a low blow. He almost hated to do it. But, he would do anything to get Lucas to listen.

"You can't do that! It's illegal!" Lucas exclaimed loudly, almost to the point of yelling.

Dan panicked when he heard Lucas's loud voice. The last thing he needed was anyone knowing what he was doing to his first born son.

Reaching down, he lugged Lucas to his feet and slammed him against the unforgiving brick wall with force, and covered Lucas's mouth with his hand.

"I can do whatever the hell I want Lucas! I have more power in this town than you could ever imagine. As long as I give them money, they won't care about some stupid bastard child and his whore of a mother." Dan laughed at that comment. His amusement was heightened as Lucas struggled to hurt his for that comment. He had his full body weight pressed against the boy, leaving him no room for movement.

"Stay away from Nathan if you know what's good for you." For one last effect, Dan shoved Lucas against the wall even harder, knowing that his message had gotten across.

Nathan sat with Haley at the same table, all the while worrying about what was taking so long for Lucas to take the garbage out. Nathan voiced his concerns to Haley, who brushed them off, trying to ease Nathan.

"Oh, you know Lucas, he's such a girl about everything, and he's probably being dramatic and taking a long time on purpose." Haley laughed, hoping that she was right.

"See, I told you. I have to go lock up now." Haley pointed to the backroom door, which Lucas had just emerged from, only seconds before.

Nathan's fears were quickly put to rest when he saw his lover. But just about as quickly as they were put to rest, they rose again.

The Lucas that he saw wasn't the same Lucas as earlier that night. The one that he had been kissing earlier seemed to be gone.

This Lucas in front of him looked like the life had been sucked from his electric blue eyes. His confident shoulders had seemed to shrink. Not to mention the red welt that appeared on his left cheek.

"Luke, are you okay? What took you so long? Me and Haley were worried about you." Nathan rushed up to Lucas and grasped one of his shoulders lightly. But Lucas seemed to flinch away from his touch.

"I'm going to go home Nate." Lucas reluctantly pulled away from Nathan, not allowing his lover to peck him on the cheek.

As he pulled away, Lucas cringed when he saw the hurt and confused expression cross Nathan's face. He hated doing this, especially to Nathan, but he couldn't be selfish and sacrifice his mother's café, just so he could be happy.

"Luke, tell me what's wrong." Nathan tried to chase after his lover, extremely worried about how fast and how much Lucas's demeanor had changed.

"Leave it alone Nate." He pushed past Nathan, almost angry at him for making this more difficult than it had to be for Lucas to leave without crying.

Nathan gave up after the second time Lucas pushed him away. He didn't give up completely on their relationship, but he just figured that Lucas needed some time to deal with whatever was bothering him. He was sure that Lucas would spill it to him tomorrow. Then he would apologize, and then the pair would make up.

At least he hoped…

Lucas exited the café, hating how he had left Nathan hurt like that. He could feel his throat grow tight and it began to burn at his effort to keep his eyes from producing tears.

It completely killed him to push Nathan away. He blamed Dan, and loathed him even more now for taking him away from Nathan.

"What a smart boy. Everyone always said how intelligent you were. I think you get it from me. Now keep it this way, and your mother will get to keep her little café." Lucas heard a voice to his right side. He didn't need to look to see who it was. It was the voice that continually haunted his nightmares.

Lucas didn't bother turning to face his father. That man didn't deserve to see the tears that were streaking down his face. Instead, he just walked away, letting one choked sob exit his soul into the peaceful night.