Paths Led

AU. Lux has lived her whole life believing that The Petersons are her family but when they move to Portland. She discovers that she finds easy to connect with his basketball coach as if they were family

A/N: Completely alternative story. Baze still owns the bar, but works at head coach as Westmonte High School. He and Cate haven't seen each other in 16 years, but as Lux he listens to her on the radio every morning

Chapter 6

"Thank you for having me over" Cate told Thomas and Sarah. She had been invited to have dinner with the Petersons, Ryan had been too but he had something to do and couldn't make it \

"It's no problem Cate" Thomas said "we are celebrating the success the station is having, all that is due to you and Ryan"

"Oh well, you have certainly made it better since you got here, I must say you are the best boss I've ever had" she said flattering

"Stop it Cate" Sarah said laughing "he already has a big ego"

Lux's phone rang suddenly. She tried to put it on vibrate since it was a household rule not to bring phones during dinner. She turned to her mother "go ahead, just don't take long"

"Hey" Tasha said from the other line "how are you?"

"Freaking out!" she said "I don't think my parents will let me date a quarterback"

"Don't worry, Jones is a good kid, he's cool" Tasha said calmly "maybe you should invite him over for dinner sometime"

"Invite him over?" Lux asked "I guess I could" she suddenly felt someone watching her. She turned around to find Cate standing there

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude, and I'm just looking for the bathroom" she said. Lux pointed to the door a few steps away

"Listen Tasha, I have to go, I'll keep you posted bye" she said hanging up

Cate walked towards the bathroom. She was looking at the pictures on the wall. There was something really familiar about Lux, she had first thought of herself as a child. But it couldn't be. Lux couldn't be the kid she had given up those years ago. She had blonde hair, she had dark. She didn't even really look like her. Then she turned to a picture when she was about 4. She could swear it was that guy Nate looking back at her, with those eyes she had always loved. She couldn't believe this was happening. She suddenly felt dizzy and wanted to faint. She felt a hand on her shoulder "Cate are you okay?" Lux stared at her curiously. She was shaking "I'm fine, I have to go though, Its late and it's a school night, your parents must be worried about what time you would be going to bed" she mumbled "but we haven't even eaten desert yet" Lux said "my parents don't mind about you being here, they invited you"

"No, I really have to go" Cate insisted harshly. She apologized to Thomas and Sarah. She said she wasn't feeling well

She drove around town. A million thoughts on her mind, could it be true? Was Lux the kid she had given up for adoption? It couldn't be. She had been born in DC, not Portland and if it was… didn't she know she was adopted? Did they adopt her here and then moved back to DC?

"Hey kiddo" Baze told Lux the next morning. She had joined the basketball team because Tasha had insisted she needed to try new things

"Hey" she said shyly as he tossed the ball to her "ready for the game?"

"I guess Tasha and Jones have been helping me with the game, I think I'm getting the hang of it" she said. It was always so easy to talk to Baze. He wasn't as annoying as other teachers were. In her eyes he was just another kid

The game went by quite smoothly. She had stayed on the bench most of the time but she figured it was for the best

"Great game kiddos" Baze told the kids "I'm so proud of you"

"We kicked their asses" Tasha agreed proudly "at least I did"

"Are you sure you can't come?" Tasha asked Lux as their made their way back to court after the game. Her parents and siblings were waiting for them

"I don't know, maybe if you ask them?" Lux asked quietly

"A party?" Thomas asked after Lux had told him about going celebrating with Tasha and Jones "what kind of party?"

"It's at Jones's" Tasha said "he's a friend. And Lux could stay with me for the night"

"I don't know" Thomas said looking at his wife "you keep your cell on all the time"

"I promise" Lux said with a big grin on her face. She said goodbye to her family and made her way outside. They found Baze talking to Jones who had waited for them

"Hey guys, ready to go?" he asked. Both girls nodded. They walked with Baze to the parking lot

"So how did dinner go last night?" Tasha asked Lux. She smiled "I guess Cate was a bit nervous about having dinner with her boss and his family. But she was really nice; I think she really is the way we listen to her on the radio"

"Cate Cassidy from Morning Madness?" Jones asked "I think she's nice. How do you know her?"

"She works for my dad, he's the station manager" Lux said coolly

"Cate Cassidy works for your dad?" Baze asked "I knew Cate Cassidy, she was a geeky kid, pretty but never liked the whole cheerleading thing, and she was more like a library kind of person"

"You did?" Tasha asked, Baze shrugged. He didn't have any intention of telling the kids what had happened with Cate 16 years ago. He just let it be

"I was quarterback" he said "she wasn't really my type or anything , she was just some kid from my class, I'm surprised she is a celebrity now" they had reached the parking lot "well kids, I really enjoyed this little chat but I have to go now, duty calls" he gave them a big smile and left

The next morning Lux had agreed to take Tasha for a tour around the station "I don't think they'll be here, it's Saturday and unlike my dad, they do have a life"

"Lux" she heard Cate said "what are you doing here?"

"Hi I didn't think you'd be here today, I'm just showing Tasha around" she gestured to the girl next to her

"Hey" Cate said vaguely

"It's really nice to meet you" Tasha said "she doesn't look Geeky at all" she whispered to Lux

"I guess Baze was wrong" Tasha said. Thomas had appeared by the door

"You do know you are whispering?" Tasha and Lux turned red

"Sorry it's just that our coach said you went to school with him" Tasha told Cate

"Really?" Cate asked. Both girls nodded

"Mr. Bazile?" Thomas asked. Bazile? Oh boy

Next chapter guys, sorry for the delay… where do you think this story should go?