Picture This

School was getting easier for Lucas. It had been nearly two months since his abduction and assault. Karen, Nathan and Lucas had fallen into an easy routine of work, school and basketball games. Fear kept Tim and other teammates from voicing rumors about Lucas’s attack. A scandal involving Brooke, Rachel and a new teacher soon took attention away from the elder Scott brother. Throughout that time, Nathan had been unwavering in his love and support for his brother. Though the physical aspect of their relationship was hampered by Lucas’s ordeal with Derek and Nathan’s paranoia about living under Karen’s roof, the two did find time to maintain some level of intimacy. Nathan always followed Lucas’s lead, allowing his brother to set the pace and the tone for their romantic interludes. As badly as Nathan wanted to re-establish their physical bond, he remained patient.



Good things were finally beginning to happen. Nathan had received an offer for a scholarship and a spot on the prestigious team from Duke University. Lucas had gotten accepted into both Stanford and Duke but as planned, chose Duke. The two had driven out to the campus one weekend and even scouted around for apartments. It was the furthest Lucas had wandered from Tree Hill since the whole incident with Derek. Karen attributed it firstly to Nathan and then to Lucas’s sessions with a therapist who specialized in rape and abuse cases involving men. After much pleading and negotiating with Lucas by Nathan and Karen, they finally convinced him to go. Deb, Dan’s on again off again wife and Nathan’s mother, had recommended the man to her. Deb seemed to have the inside track on who’s who in the world of rehab and therapists.



The change of scenery had been good for both Scotts. Alone in their hotel room, Nathan and Lucas regained some of the intimacy they’d lost over the two months and though Lucas still wasn’t ready for more than kissing and touching, Nathan saw light at the end of the tunnel. His brother seemed more relaxed and eager to rekindle a physical bond between them. Sometimes Lucas felt guilty for taking Nathan close to the edge only to withdraw because memories plagued him.



On their first day back at school after the their trip, they learned that Nathan was named most valuable player . Lucas celebrated the occasion by preparing a special dinner of all of Nathan’s favorite foods. That night, after they were sure Karen was sound asleep, Lucas used the hideous ties the team wore when they had functions or were traveling in their suits, to tie his brother to the bed and give him a special reward for his accomplishments. He had to threaten to gag his brother too if he didn’t pipe down. Using his tongue, the older Scott explored every one of the younger Scott’s orifices. By the time he got to the main attraction, Nathan thought he’d rip the headboard in two.



The Ravens continued their winning ways and were going on to the state championships. Coach Durham asked Lucas to present the award for MVP award to his brother. For Lucas, even though he was back at school and playing with the Ravens again, the idea of standing before a room full of people and speaking had him on edge. Nathan picked up on Lucas’s feelings and tried to reassure him that it would be fine if he didn’t present the trophy.



“But I want to, I really do,” Lucas insisted. “I want to sit beside you at the hall and stand with you when you receive the award. You’ve worked so hard for it.”



“Luke, nothing would make me happier than to accept the trophy from you but I don’t want to do it at your expense. I know how hard it still is for you to be out in public with Derek still on the loose. I see the way you look over your shoulder every time we’re out late and there are footsteps behind us. You don’t have to do this.”



“Nate, one thing my therapist challenged me to do this week was to do one fearless thing. This is my chance to stand up in front of all the people who whispered and gossiped and prove that I survived. Nothing Derek or anyone else’s ugly whispers did could destroy me. When I hand you that trophy, in my mind that MVP will mean most valuable person. I couldn’t have gotten through this without you.”



“Lucas,” Nathan said, moving closer to his brother, “that was really…girly. Please don’t make a speech like that when you give me my well deserved award.”



“You’re an ass,” Lucas playfully sulked.



“I’m your ass.” Nathan pulled his brother’s face close and kissed him. “Mmm…Lucas,” he moaned.



“Yeah,” Lucas said breathily between kisses.



“Do you think you could do something with that mess you call hair by next Friday?”



“Screw you,” Lucas laughed, pulling away.



Nathan wanted to respond but this was where things always got dicey with Lucas. Instead, he pulled his brother in for one more kiss before heading to their room to change for work with his new employer which happened to be his lover’s mom.



The Friday of the banquet was a half day at Tree Hill High. Even Principal Turner couldn’t deny that the awards ceremony and Nathan’s acceptance into Duke as a sort of national holiday for the school. Lucas and Nathan headed straight home. The ceremony was at eight. Karen was equally as excited as Lucas, Haley and even Dan. Since Deb had checked herself back into rehab, Karen agreed to go with Dan to the affair. In spite of all his assistance throughout Lucas’s ordeal, she knew he would flip in a moment if he ever found out about his sons. It was already dangerous with the handful of people who did know. Both Karen and the boys knew their relationship was nothing to throw casually in everyone’s faces. They’d have to live with the fact that their love for each other wasn’t something that could ever be shared. Some things would forever remain taboo.



On sleepless nights, Karen laid awake wondering how much longer could it last. Could her son and his brother maintain their love amidst lies and secrecy. All she knew was that they were willing to try and she was willing to be their for both of them. The big talk never really happened. In their cozy yet unconventional household, things just were what they were. There were unspoken truths that she acknowledged. Before they left for college, Karen promised herself to clear the air a bit further. She knew that they knew she knew and that was good enough for now.



By the time she made it home after closing the café early, the boys were already dressed. She was about to tell them to go on because Dan was going to pick her up, when there was a knock on the door. Nathan looked at Lucas who was already smiling, remembering the fiasco with the cop a month earlier. Nathan looked out the peephole first and reluctantly opened the door for Detective Wilcox. He had added the man to the long list of people he hated for not protecting his brother. The list had started out with Peyton and Jake for just accepting Derek without investigating his claims and had grown to every member of the Tree Hill police force for their inept handling of the case.



“Detective Wilcox, to what do we owe the honor?” Nathan stepped aside and allowed the older man in.



The detective knew there was more behind the mayor’s son’s bitter words than met the eye. His concern for his brother both after the shooting and now told him that. He saw Lucas standing in the room. The look in his eye told the detective he needed to get to the point fast.



“Detective Wilcox, what is it?” Karen asked, standing protectively by her son.



“We’ve caught him. He hooked up with some drugged out nurse at a hospital a few towns over. She tended to his wounds and probably would have hid him longer if he hadn’t gone after her younger brother.”



“Let me guess,” Nathan said dryly, “cute and blonde.”



Wilcox nodded. He ignored that fact that Nathan had used the word cute when referring to someone that matched his own brother’s description. “He’s in custody and as soon as the authorities are done with him in Lincoln county, he’ll be sent back here to face additional charges.”



“If there’s a trial, I’ll have to testify.”



Lucas sounded distraught and both Nathan and Karen understood why. What should have been good news only meant that Lucas would have to relive that hellish day in Derek’s clutches over again.



“I won’t lie to you,” Wilcox answered, “if he doesn’t plead guilty and there is a trial, you will have to testify.”



Lucas nodded and his mother put her arm around him. The detective looked around, noticing Lucas and Nathan were both dressed in suits.



“I can see I interrupted your evening. I just wanted to be the one to let you know the suspect was apprehended before you heard it on the news.”



“Oh god, the news,” Karen worried. “I hope they won’t show up hounding us tonight.”



“Don’t worry about it mom. We’ve dealt with worse. We can get through this too. Thank you Detective Wilcox for all your help.” Lucas stepped forward and shook the man’s hand firmly.



“Take care of your each other,” Wilcox said, giving Nathan a quick wink before leaving.



Nathan leaned against the door as if he could keep bad news out just by doing so. The three stood in silence for a moment until Lucas spoke.



“Mom, you’d better get ready. You know how long it takes you to pull yourself together.”



Karen playfully swatted him on the back of the head before hurrying down the hallway. Lucas turned to face his brother.



“Hey,” he said, moving close to the brunette and taking him by the hand, “this is good news. Don’t let it spoil our evening.”



Nathan rested his forehead against his brother’s , placing his hands on his shoulders. “I’m here for you Lucas. If you have to testify or not, I’m here.”



“I know.” Lucas lifted his head slightly and kissed the younger teen. “Tonight is about you though and I won’t let anything spoil that.” Lucas wiggled himself closer to his brother, pressing Nathan’s back firmly against the door. “I have a special award to give you after the banquet.”



Lucas’s eyes were doing the squinty sparkly thing that drove Nathan crazy. “Really?” He smiled, moving in for a few kisses himself.



“Really. But if you’re all mopey you won’t get it.”



“See, not moping…smiling,” Nathan said with a big grin.



“That’s better.” He kissed his brother deeply, pressing his body hard against his brother’s.



Nathan responded, sliding his legs apart and slipping a hand beneath his brother’s jacket to press him closer still. Lucas’s tongue slid into his mouth and he felt his hand slide up to his face and caress him tenderly. There was so much promise in Lucas’s kisses that Nathan was considering skipping the ceremony.



They broke apart when the doorbell rang. It was Dan.



“I thought you two would have been gone by now.” He seemed disappointed to see them there.



“Nice to see you too dad. Come in,” Nathan replied.



“Has Detective Wilcox been here yet?” Dan asked.



“Yeah, he told us the news.” Nathan answered. He really didn’t want to dredge all this up again.



“Lucas, I’ll do everything in my power to make sure you don’t have to testify,” Dan assured.



For once, Lucas was happy to have a father who’s influence could make things happen. Having been on the receiving end of Dan’s schemes for so long, it was refreshing to see his power working in his favor.



“Thanks, but whatever happens, I can deal with it.”



“We can deal with it,” Nathan corrected.



Dan looked from one son to the other. There was something about Nathan’s tone and the way they looked at each other that made him uneasy. It was a feeling he’d felt once before, when he saw his youngest son, carrying his eldest son out of Tree Hill High a little over a year ago.



“We’d better get going,” Nathan suggested.



Lucas went to the bathroom door and announced that they were leaving and that Dan was there.



“Okay,” Karen called through the door.



The two left and drove in silence to the hall where the ceremony was to be held. Peyton and Jake were the first people they saw as they exited their car. Lucas looked to his brother, who hadn’t quite forgiven his ex-girlfriend for her part to play in the whole Derek incident. The glare that Lucas gave him told Nathan to be on his best behavior.



“Hey Peyton, Jake,” Lucas greeted.



“Hey,” Peyton replied, lightly kissing Lucas. “They caught him. Did the police tell you?”



“Yes, they did,” Nathan answered sternly.



“It’s great news,” Jake interjected, trying to break the tension.



“Yes it is. I think we can all enjoy this evening knowing that psycho has been locked up,” Lucas joined in, giving Nathan another warning glare for good measure.



“Yes, we can put all this behind us,” Nathan tried to smile.



The ceremony went off without a hitch. Lucas present Nathan with his trophy. He thanked him for being a good brother and a good friend and even through in the most valuable person bit which Nathan teased him mercilessly for when they were alone. There was a loft apartment above the café that Karen and Lucas lived in before business took off and she could afford their modest house. She gave Lucas the key after the dinner and suggested that if he and Nathan wanted to hang out there, it would be fine with her.



With shoes, socks, pants, ties, shirts and underwear lying in a messy trail that led to the small bed, Lucas laid in his brother’s arms, resting his head on his shoulder, hand splayed out across his chest. Nathan could tell the news about Derek was taking its toll on his brother. Whatever Lucas had in store for him, it didn’t seem like it would take place.



“It’s okay if we just lie here. This feels good.” Nathan felt guilty for wanting something more but refused to be openly selfish about it.



Lucas was quiet, just running his fingers over and around Nathan’s increasingly sensitive nipples.



“She definitely knows,” he said after a while. He lifted his head to look into his brother’s eyes.



“Your mom,” Nathan surmised.



“She made us a love nest. These sheets and things weren’t here before. I’ve been up here.”



“So she’s cool with it. That’s a good thing, right?” Nathan rolled his brother on to his back and stroked his face with his fingers.



“Yeah, it is. Nate?”



“Yeah,” Nathan answered, slightly distracted by the lean naked frame lying so close to him.



“Make love to me.”



Nathan hadn’t been expecting that. He was sure they were in for another night of making out and maybe even another blow job from his brother but not this.



“Luke,” he said, trying to gage his brother’s mood. “are you sure?”



“Yeah. I’ve been thinking about it for awhile. I want this. I want us to be like we were before.”



Nathan was more than happy to oblige but he just wanted to be sure his brother was okay.



“I’ll stop if you want me to. I swear, just say the word,” he promised.



“Nate?”



“Mmm hmm.”



“Would you stop being such a girl and do me already?”



Nathan laughed and positioned himself between his brother’s legs. “I don’t have anything, you know…for lubrication.”



Lucas looked over to the old end table next to the bed. “I swear if there are condoms and lube in there I am going to freak out.” He pulled the drawer out cautiously and both brother’s breathed a sigh of relief to find the drawer empty.



“That really would have been a bit much,” Nathan laughed nervously. “Now what?”



“You could…you could use your tongue.” Lucas looked away, embarrassed by his suggestion.



“Hey,” Nathan said, turning his brother’s face back towards him, “are you sure?”



Lucas nodded enthusiastically.



Nathan lowered himself between his brother’s legs. He was ready to reclaim the body and soul that was nearly taken from him. By the look in his brother’s eyes, he could tell Lucas wanted the exact same thing.



The End!