Warnings and Disclaimers: See chapter 1
When Nathan's name was called, he ran out giving a hi-five to his fellow teammates and scanning the crowd as best he could for Lucas. He saw Haley sitting next to a woman who he remembered to be Lucas' mom, but his lover wasn't with them. He briefly scanned down to the front row and caught his father smiling like the cat who swallowed the canary. That look always spelled trouble for Nathan and he couldn't help but wonder if Lucas' absence had something to do with his father. Then a more pleasant thought replaced it. The possibility that Lucas was planning some sort of after game surprise for him and would show up later seemed more likely. With his fears laid to rest, Nathan concentrated on the game.
It was the second quarter when Lucas arrived. He'd spent the first quarter outside, half thinking to just go back to his dorm, pack his things and run. His heart was aching and he felt like he was sleepwalking since his encounter with Nathan's father, his father. His eye caught Dan Scott sitting close to the front. He quickly spotted Haley and his mom who were seated a few rows back in the next aisle from Dan. He noticed his mom glance over towards the man who'd just ruined his life and knew from the uncomfortable look on her face that his worst fears were true; Dan Scott had told the truth.
As he sat down, kissing his mom on the cheek, the crowd went wild as Nathan ran the ball down the opposite end of the court and scored a basket. Nathan caught sight of Lucas and winked. Dan caught the gesture and his eyes followed where his son was looking. Lucas blushed looking away, ashamed to be on the receiving end of such affection knowing what he knew. His eyes inadvertently locked with Dan's and the man shook his head and smirked before turning back to the court.
"Mom, can we get outta here?" Lucas shouted in her ear above the din of the crowd.
"Not feeling well?" She asked, concerned.
"Not really." Lucas wasn't exactly lying. The whole incident with Dan still had him reeling and he needed to confront his mother before he made any further decisions.
Karen leaned over and told Haley she and Lucas were leaving. Both mother and son encouraged the girl to stay and enjoy the game.
"What should I tell Nathan? He wanted us all to get together after the game?"
"Tell him I went with my mom and I'll catch up with him later."
He knew that last part was a lie. If it were up to him, he'd run as far away from Nathan as he could. He'd rather die than face Nathan knowing the truth. Nathan caught sight of Lucas and his mom leaving but a call to concentrate from his father on the sidelines forced his attention back to the game.
"Honey, what is it?" Karen asked as soon as they were outside the gymnasium.
"Can we go somewhere quiet and talk? It's important."
"Sure Lucas. Let's go back to my hotel room. Are you hungry? Do you want to get a bite to eat?"
"Maybe later," the teen promised, taking his mom by the arm and leading her out of the building.
During the halftime break, Nathan looked around to see if Lucas had returned. He looked at Haley questioningly but the girl just shrugged. Dan made his way to the bench seeing how much his son was distracted by his other son's absence.
"Focus," he barked, before clapping him on the back forcefully.
Nathan wanted so much to tell his father to kiss off and go find Lucas. He supposed if he was with his mother, that all was well and yet he had a nagging feeling that something was amiss.
"Mom," Lucas said, pacing his mother's hotel room, "you've always told me you didn't know who my father was. Is that true?"
Karen wasn't stupid. She already half suspected Dan would go against her wishes and speak to Lucas behind her back. She just couldn't figure out his angle. Why would he want to tell Lucas the truth now? When he'd come up with her when the boy was sick, he didn't even bother to see him in the hospital. She wondered what had changed. She had heard rumors about him possibly running for mayor of Tree Hill. Maybe he wanted to tie up loose ends and preempt the scandal of having an illegitimate son running around when he made his bid for office. It seemed like something Dan would do.
"Something tells me you already know the answer to that," she smiled sadly.
"You mean Dan Scott. It's true then. He's my father." Lucas sank down into the nearby chair, feeling just as sick as he did earlier.
"Lucas, you have to understand," Karen said, kneeling in front of him, "he wanted nothing to do with you, with us. I just thought it would be better not to mention him."
"God mom, this is so fucked up." Lucas buried his face in his hands.
"He told me he was coming here to tell you. I told him not to talk to you without me. I'm so sorry Lucas. I never meant for you to find out this way."
"You should have told me yourself. None of this would be happening if you just told me the truth."
Karen pulled her son's hands away and saw the tears that were threatening to fall.
"What wouldn't have happened? What did he tell you?"
"I can't," Lucas voice cracked. "I can't stay here. I have to leave."
"Listen to me," Karen demanded, clutching her son's shoulders, "don't let that man destroy you're dreams."
"He didn't mom," Lucas cried, "not by himself. You both did by lying to me."
"What are you talking about Lucas? He's your father but that doesn't have to end your college career."
"He has a son, we're roommates and..."
"The boy who visited you at the hospital. Oh god, I thought he looked familiar. Is that what this is about? Dan doesn't want his son to know about you?"
Lucas shook his head. He couldn't bring himself to say the words so he said something even more surprising. "I'm gay."
Karen was silent. She wasn't sure where that had come from and what that had to do with Dan and his son.
"I had my suspicions," she said cautiously.
Lucas looked at her smiling for the first time since the conversation began.
"That obvious?"
"Well, Haley is a pretty girl and I never saw you two kiss or make out."
"And that made you think I was gay?"
"That and the magazines under your mattress."
Lucas buried his face in his hands again.
"Honey, what does all this have to do with Dan and his son?"
"I didn't know we were brothers," Lucas answered in a small voice.
Karen stood, backing away. "Lucas...what are you saying?"
"I swear," he pleaded, "I didn't know." The game was over and the Falcon's won. Nathan's performance had been stellar and Coach Styron spoke briefly to Dan about his son's future. Nathan tried to get out of a celebratory dinner with his dad but couldn't. He tried to drag Haley with him but she begged off. Apparently Brooke wanted her to hang out with the cheerleading squad and consider joining. Dan wasn't taking no for an answer and Nathan thought it best to get it over with and hurry back to his dorm and Lucas.
Over dinner, Dan kept picking at him about Lucas and moving into a frat house. Every time Dan used words like queer and fag, it was like a knife in Nathan's heart. That's what made him decide not to wait on Lucas but confront Dan right there and then. It was on the drive back to the school; Dan had pulled over a mile or so away from the campus to talk. Nathan saw his opportunity.
"Dad, there's something you should know."
"Is this about you're homo roommate?"
"No, it's about me."
"Let me guess, you're banging that fairy."
"If you're asking if Lucas and I are in a relationship, then the answer is yes."
"You think they let queers into the NBA?"
"I hear in some small towns, they even let them run for mayor."
Dan had moved so quick, Nathan didn't see it coming until he felt the fist slam into his face and his head hit the glass of the passenger side door. Stunned and half blinded by the pain, Nathan felt for the door handle. He knew he'd have a fighting chance if he were standing. That's when he felt the passenger side door yanked opened and his body being dragged out of the car. He was slammed against the back door and fists were pummeling his jaw, his mid section and then another blow made contact with his head. Nathan was down on the ground, crawling around pathetically, trying to get away from his father.
He vaguely heard words like, disgrace, sick freak, disgusting and then the kicking started. He had the presence of mind to cover his head while his stomach, back and legs were kicked mercilessly over and over again. He felt his body being dragged again and dumped into the car. Nathan panicked. His father had finally flipped. He thought sure he was going to kill him and dump his body. He felt the car in motion again and then it came to an abrupt stop. He was hauled out the car again and dumped on the cold grass.
"You disgust me you pathetic piece of garbage." And then everything went black.