Another Chance

Nathan hides himself away from the world after that, no one to judge him but himself. But these days he’s his worst critic, so there’s no respite from the constant self-loathing he deliberately inflicts upon himself. His only visitor comes in the form of his father, the day after the fight.

“I heard about your behaviour at the game yesterday,” Dan announces as he walks into Nathan’s apartment uninvited, blatant disapproval written on his face. “Do you really think any college is going to want a discipline case? What were you thinking?”

“I was thinking it doesn’t really matter,” Nathan answers, wearily. “Honestly dad, I couldn’t give a fuck right now.”

“Watch your language,” Dan warns, pointing a finger. “You might think this little arrangement of yours means you don’t have to answer to me anymore, but you’re still my son and I won’t let you throw your life away…”

“My life is none of your concern,” Nathan snaps at him. “I could care less about my future. My past and present is fucked up, why should my future be any different?”

“Listen to yourself,” Dan scoffs in disgust.

“Listen to yourself, dad!” Nathan retorts. “You’ve had my life planned out for me from the moment I was born! You’re so fixated on where I’m going you have no idea where I am!”

“Stop being so melodramatic,” Dan chastises.

“No, listen to me,” Nathan demands. “I don’t need you dictating my life. I want you to stay out of it.”

“You’ve been spending too much time with Lucas,” Dan mutters, shaking his head.

“What?”

“Lucas! He’s filling your head with this nonsense! You were better off before you knew him. Just like his mother, trying to ruin your life,” Dan rants, angrily.

Nathan stares at his dad in disgust. It isn’t the first time he’s heard such a thing, he knows his dad is hardly Lucas’ biggest fan. But this time, after everything that has happened and how much he’s grown to love his brother, he can’t let it slide. “Don’t talk about him like that,” Nathan growls, threateningly.

“I know you and he have been hanging out,” Dan accuses. “I thought you had more sense than to let him into your life. He’s out for your spot on the team, he’s nothing but a threat to you…”

“Shut up!” Nathan warns, anger practically buzzing.

“Don’t tell me you actually care about him?” Dan snorts. “You’re losing your edge, Nathan! No wonder your game is so poor lately…”

“Dad, I mean it, leave Lucas out of this!” Nathan hisses at him.

But Dan is far from done. “The little bastard should have been left out of it, he should never have been born.”

Nathan can’t hold it back any longer. He lunges at Dan, his fist catching the older man’s cheek with a loud smack. Before Nathan can even register he’s hit his father, Dan’s own fist retaliates, sending the teenager sprawling onto the floor and practically knocking him out from the sheer force of it.

“I won’t warn you again, Nathan!” Dan yells. “You’re my son and I have done nothing but look out for you and given you everything you’ve ever wanted. Don’t throw your life away. Not for anyone. Especially not him.”

“I love him,” Nathan mutters from his place on the floor, wiping blood from his split lip.

“What did you say?” Dan demands, standing over him, fists still clenched.

Nathan glares up at his father, defiantly. “He means more to me than you do. So take the hint and get the fuck out of my life.”

Dan just stands there, staring at his son in absolute rage. For a second Nathan thinks he may have pushed the wrong buttons…broken his dad somehow. He can only lie there, propped up on his elbows, waiting for Dan to make his next move, afraid the next move will involve more than a split lip.

But Dan finally begins to function again, storming off and taking his temper with him. Nathan breathes a sigh of relief and gets to his feet, checking out the damage to his face in a nearby mirror.

His first instinct is to call Lucas. Before the monumental fuck up, he’d confided in his brother about his tumultuous relationship with his…their…father. Lucas had responded with great concern, good advice and enough support that Nathan had forgotten what it was like to not have someone like that to turn to. Now he doesn’t, and it physically hurts that he’s alone in all this. He stares back at that mirror, seeing his reflection and the look of an idiot who deserves a split lip and everything else life throws at him. It isn’t long before he has to look away, tearfully.

Torn up to the point of barely thinking straight, he heads out the front door in search of a different solution. Things just can’t get much worse, so Nathan thinks he might as well aim straight for rock bottom.

*~*~*~*

Lucas receives the phone call at 4:18 AM. He’s still groggy from sleep, but the words spoken to him on the phone wake him up in an instant. Without thinking, he grabs his clothes, slipping out the backdoor and starting up his truck. His chest is painfully tight to the point he has to stop before he begins to drive. Panic floods his brain and all he wants to do is break down and cry, he’s in so much shock.

But there isn’t time. And he won’t waste another second lost in what ifs. He speeds to the hospital, his fingers wound tightly around the steering wheel.

*~*~*~*

Lucas hates this hospital. He’s spent too much time there lately. It does, however, mean he knows the layout pretty well. Getting to the room Nathan is in isn’t too difficult, but stepping through the door is near impossible. He can see his brother sleeping, his skin paler than usual. He almost looks…

Ignoring the bad thoughts, Lucas opens the door and walks in, careful not to wake him. He wonders how long it’ll be until Deb and Dan put in an appearance, dreads the thought of sharing a room with that man.

He takes a seat and watches the unconscious teen breathe, debating on whether to track down a doctor, find out what the hell Nathan’s done to himself this time. But before he can tear his gaze away from him long enough to go anywhere, Nathan’s eyes flicker open and focus on Lucas.

“I didn’t think you’d come,” Nathan murmurs, weakly. “They said they called you. Glad they found your number, not my parents’.”

“Of course I came,” Lucas responds, worriedly. “They wouldn’t tell me anything on the phone. I thought…fuck, Nathan, I was so scared. What the hell were you thinking?”

Nathan looks away, ashamedly.

“If anything happened to you…” Lucas breaks off, forcing back the tears that want so badly to start falling. “You’re such an idiot!”

“Believe me, I know,” Nathan agrees, bitterly.

“No, don’t you dare turn this into a pity-party. You almost killed yourself!” Lucas accuses him, angrily. “Why? To make me feel sorry for you?”

“I wasn’t thinking!” Nathan argues. “I was just messed up over what happened at school, and then my dad and I had an argument over you…”

“Is that what happened to your face?” Lucas asks. “Did he hit you?”

“I got him first.” Nathan half-smiles, proudly.

“Jesus, Nathan.” Lucas shakes his head, not sure what to make of any of this. Or if he should be here at all. Didn’t he give up responsibility for Nathan’s well being the day he broke things off? But then at the thought of leaving now, after the longest car journey of his life, believing Nathan would be dead by the time he got there… “You’re seriously high maintenance, you know that?”

Nathan finds it in himself to laugh, despite the pain flaring up from the use of his bruised face. “I told him you mean more to me than he does.”

“Why would you do that?” Lucas sighs, wearily.

“Because it’s true,” Nathan answers, simply.

Groaning in frustration, Lucas runs his hand over his face. “Please don’t start this again, we’ve been over it.”

“You can leave anytime you want. You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t care,” Nathan points out, unable to disguise the hope in his voice.

“I never said I don’t care,” Lucas tells him, firmly. “I…of course I…you know I do! The way they told me on the phone… If something had happened to you, it would have killed me.”

“Luke…”

“They told me you’d overdosed and were in a critical condition, Nathan,” Lucas interrupts, his voice shaking. “How would you like to get that phone call?”

“I was just…drinking,” Nathan tries to explain, meekly. “A few of the girls I danced with were taking X and I wasn’t going to, but…”

“But you did. Didn’t you learn your lesson after last time?” Lucas rolls his eyes.

“I’m sorry. I know I keep saying it, but…I don’t know what else to say.”

Lucas doesn’t respond, just stares at his hands, nervously picking at his nails. It hurts him almost as much as Nathan’s cheating that Nathan would be so reckless and care so little about what happened to himself. And it terrifies him that now Lucas has ended things between them, Nathan doesn’t have anyone around him that can stop this kind of behaviour. Maybe next time Nathan won’t be as lucky. The thought scares him more than anything.

“Don’t leave me,” Nathan begs him, his eyes barely able to stay open much longer. His body feels so worn down, he can’t bring himself to stay awake, even to try and make amends with Lucas.

The blond looks up at him and gives him a tiny smile, barely hiding the emotional turmoil behind it. “Not going anywhere. Just get some sleep.”

So Nathan does.

*~*~*~*

When he finally opens his eyes again, Lucas isn’t in the chair. He looks around, afraid he’s been abandoned, but then his eyes settle on his father in the corner of the room and Nathan cringes, wishing he’d just stayed asleep.

“This is the last straw, Nathan,” Dan threatens, menacingly. “You’re coming home with me and I’m going to get you some help.”

Nathan doesn’t understand and frowns in confusion. “Help?”

“This is the second time drugs have put you in the hospital. And God knows how many times you’ve been drunk. You’re seventeen years old! I put up with the parties because I had my fair share of them at your age. But this isn’t a bit of fun with friends anymore, this is going to get you killed!” Dan rants, frustrated.

“Where’s Lucas?” Nathan demands, shakily. He knows his father has no rights over him, that he doesn’t have to do anything Dan Scott says. But it doesn’t stop him from panicking.

“Do you have any idea how much you’ve racked up in medical bills?” Dan demands.

That gets Nathan’s attention. His heart sinks, knowing exactly what’s coming. “Where’s Lucas?”

“I’m right here.” His hero replies, walking into the room with two cups of coffee. He reluctantly passes one to Dan and takes his place by Nathan’s side. “What’s going on?”

“Just explaining to my son here, that he can’t afford to pay his medical bills.” Dan explains, hint of smugness in his voice that makes both boys clench their jaws. “And that if he wants help paying for them, he has to get professional help for his problem.”

“Problem?” Lucas frowns, looking at his brother for an explanation.

“He thinks I have a drug and alcohol problem.” Nathan states, disbelievingly.

“Oh, come on!” Lucas protests. “He’s made a few mistakes, but he’s hardly a crack addict.”

“Hospitalised twice, not to mention the constant partying…”

“Constant?!” Nathan shakes his head. “Since I moved out I’ve had one party! And last night was a one-off.”

“You’re damn right, because it won’t be happening again.” Dan points at him, threateningly. “I let you have your independence and you screwed it up. No more.”

Lucas looks uneasily between the two. He knows Nathan is right, that despite his problems he’s hardly in need of professional help. But then Dan’s reasons make sense. Nathan has done this one too many times. Lucas isn’t sure what to think, or even if it’s his place to have an opinion.

And yet still Nathan looks at him for help, eyes pleading for Lucas to have a way round this, a ‘get out of rehab free’ card hidden in his back pocket.

“Lucas?” Dan’s voice is unnaturally free of contempt, now he wants something from his eldest son. “You’re worried about him too, aren’t you? Can you convince him to see sense?”

“I think he needs help.” Lucas says in agreement, not looking at Nathan.

The youngest Scott stares disbelievingly at his brother, horrified that the one person he thought he could count out is not only turning against him, but joining forces with their dad. A man who’d only yesterday wished Lucas had never been born.

“He needs help,” Lucas repeats. “But not the kind you’re thinking of. He need’s his family and friends to support him. If you’re not prepared to do that, I will.”

Dan shakes his head. “No. He’s coming home with me.”

“No, dad, I’m not.” Nathan argues, firmly.

“Is Lucas going to pay the hospital bills?” Dan asks them, pointedly.

“Mom’ll pay them.” Nathan replies, trying to sound more sure about that than he is. “If only to piss you off, she’ll help me out. And without strings, too.”

Dan laughs. “You put more faith in your mother than I do.”

“That’s the problem, dad. You don’t have faith in anybody, even me. If I go home with you, things are gonna get worse.” Nathan tells him. “You don’t have to blackmail me to be a part of my life. Just stop trying to control me.”

Dan switches his gaze between his sons, before finally turning and walking out, muttering, “Clean up your own mess, then.”

Nathan watched him leave before turning to Lucas. “Thanks.”

“For what? You did all the hard work.” Lucas smiles at him.

“Were you serious? About…supporting me?” Nathan asks him, awkwardly. “I know you don’t want to be around me at the moment…”

“Shut up,” Lucas replies, light-heartedly. “Dan was right about one thing. You do have a habit of doing this. Don’t know how I can help you exactly, but I won’t let you carry on doing it.”

Nathan smiles and rests his head back on the pillow. “So, what does this ‘support’ entail exactly?”

“Nothing dirty, so don’t give me that look!” Lucas quickly responds when Nathan gets that glint in his eyes.

“What look?”

Lucas rolls his eyes. “You know what look. This doesn’t change anything, we’re just friends.”

“See, that means it has changed things. You didn’t even want to talk to me before.” Nathan grins, unable to stop himself.

“I refuse to let you associate your idiotic behaviour with gaining my friendship. If you think this will work again, you are so wrong…” Lucas threatens.

“You kidding? I’ve learnt my lesson. For real this time.” Nathan swears. “I’ll just have to be more inventive trying to win back more than just your friendship.”

Lucas gives him a look.

“Joking.” He smiles, playfully.

Before Lucas can tell him off, a doctor coming to check on the patient interrupts them.

“Time for me to go home, take a shower,” Lucas reports. “I doubt they’ll release you without an adult, but your mom’s on her way back from your uncle’s, so...”

“I’ll be fine,” Nathan assures him. “Thanks for being here.”

“I’d say anytime, but seriously, you do this again and I’ll kill you. Got it?” Lucas demands, heading for the door.

“Got it, bro.” Nathan mock-salutes. “Can I call you when I get out of here?”

Lucas turns briefly to reply. “You better.”

And despite the pain, the drowsy, sick feeling, the embarrassment of royally screwing up, the inevitable problems of bills and his mom’s wrath…Nathan wouldn’t take it back for the world. He’s one step closer.

*~*~*~*