Hey y'all, chapter one is ready. Hope you enjoy. In case this isn't obvious already, I don't own One Tree Hill, nope, not mine. It belongs to the CW and respective owners. I'm just playing a bit and showing my love for the show.

Chapter One: Not a Replacement

One Month Earlier

Lucas' POV

"Your room is just down the hall, to the right." Dan says. I'm holding a suitcase as Dan holds another and leads me to the room. I open the door and scoff.

"Nathan's room?" I drop the suitcase outside the door and turn to face him. "That's low even for you."

The room is clearly Nate's. All that's missing is him. A basketball hoop hangs on the door. Posters of the players that he follows, mostly Duke players, but I see North Carolina hanging on the walls as well. This is Nathan's room, and I'm not staying in it.

"Deb didn't have the heart to pack anything away." Dan almost sounds upset...but I know better. "Because he's coming back."

"You're wrong. Nathan packed everything when he left you." I rolled my eyes.

"Having the room this way helps Deb." Dan says. " She's having to what you believe, this is difficult for us. I know you thought that the emancipation was a good idea just like he did Luke, but he'll see. As soon as that first rent payment comes due." He gestured toward the open door. "Until then, I thought the room could use a tenant. Better than the guest room. At least you can work on your game." Dan then steps into the doorway grabbing a small basketball from the floor and tossing it toward the hoop. Swish.

Unbelievable. I shake my head. "No thanks. I didn't come here to be your replacement Nathan." I rebound the ball and throw it at him. "I'll take the guest room."

"Have it your way." Dan walks out of the room, purposely letting the ball roll away before placing a hand on my shoulder. "Wouldn't want you to feel uncomfortable…" He leaves me alone in the hallway.

The anger is bubbling just under the surface, but I can't do anything, not yet. This was my decision, and it's the only way. I'll just have to deal with Dan for a little while, just a little while.

Haley's POV

The cafe is busy today. I find myself grateful. We could use the extra money. Karen is working behind the counter, but as she rings a customer up, I notice that she seems distracted as she fumbles with change in the till.

"You gave me the wrong change." So, she's dealing with one of those customers? A rare breed in Tree Hill, but not unheard of.

"I'm sorry…" She smiles. "It was a mistake." She quickly hands the woman the correct amount. "Have a wonderful rest of the day." As soon as the overhead bell marks the woman's exit, Karen's smile disappears.

I join Karen behind the counter. Clearly, Lucas moving out, moving in with Dan, is affecting her more than she wants to admit. "Evidently she isn't from around here. I mean if she was, she wouldn't have been so rude."

Karen looks at me and shakes her head. "That's not necessarily true."

"Do you want me to take over at the register for a little bit? You look like you could use a break."

"You don't have to do that Haley."

"I want to." I smile as I change positions.

"Have you heard from Lucas?"

I frowned at Karen's question. He'd only left yesterday. I'd asked him why he was choosing to move in with Dan in the first place, and all he'd said was that it was something he'd been considering for a while, which seemed really out of left field. He hated Dan. I wondered if it had anything to do with Keith seeing Jules. Maybe I could get him to talk to Lucas. Maybe if it came from me and Keith instead of Karen, Lucas would come home. "He's probably unpacking. I'm sure he'll call."

"You're probably right Haley." Karen said.

"It's Lucas, of course I'm right."

Deb's POV

Dan was oddly cheerful this week. He's under the impression that his son is excited. I only have to look at Lucas as he helps me with setting the table to know that's not the case. I recognize that expression, despite the fact that he tries to hide it. It's the same expression I'd see on Nathan's face, the same buried anger, only Lucas' is beneath a smile and pleasant chatter, rather than a scowl and sarcasm. How different they are, it makes my heart ache. I suppose in a different world, I could imagine Dan was trying to make me feel better, give me some company during the day as he tries to atone with the son he lost those formative years with. But this is Tree Hill, and Dan and I haven't been that sort of family for a long time. Even with Lucas here, and imagining that Nathan will walk through the door any second, losing myself in Lucas' forced amity feels wrong…. and dishonest to him, to Karen, to Keith and to Nathan.

"Are you going to the game Friday?" Lucas asks.

I grab the chicken out of the oven. "I don't think so. I'll probably be covering your mom's shift at the cafe."

Lucas scoffs. "Come on Deb...Mom closes the cafe on game days. You know that." His tone softens as he sets the third place. "I think Nate would appreciate you being there...I mean, even if he doesn't actually say so."

"I doubt that, but thanks for trying Lucas."

"He's stubborn, that's all. I know he misses you. It's Dan he..."

As Lucas speaks, I glance up to see Dan entering the kitchen. I try to give Lucas a sign, but it's clear Dan has already heard.

"You're much better at that than Nathan ever was." Is the only comment he directs toward Lucas. His eyes are on me. I knew I should have stopped the conversation before it took the turn it did. Lucas is a guest in our home. I shouldn't have let him talk this way despite my friendship with Karen. Who was I fooling?

Lucas looks up. He's registered the urgency a second too late. "Funny, Nathan told me that he never set the table, because he could barely move from all the extra drills you made him do."

There's a fire in Dan's eyes, one I recognize as he spits his retort. "Excuses, another thing you both excel at."

"We learned it somewhere right?" Lucas stage whispers as I wince.

"Let's try to have some more pleasant conversation during dinner hmm?" Dan grabs his plate and serves himself. "How are your stats holding up?"

I don't disagree with Lucas' sentiment even as he catches my eye then quickly switches tacks, reluctantly briefing us on several sports related escapades including a story about teaching Nathan something called a fadeaway, a term I've only heard briefly in similar conversations that were much louder between Nathan and his other teammates. During this particular anecdote, Lucas grows more animated. It makes me chuckle and pleases me that they have grown close despite Dan, and I know the story is more for my benefit than his.

As we finish the meal, I can't help but worry for Lucas. Living here with us… even if it is temporary. Despite not knowing all the details of the why, I still can't shake that it is out of more than his own urge to know Dan better, even though he says his reason is as much. I see what it's done to Nathan, what we've done to him, and despite Lucas not being my son, he is my friend's son. I don't want the same for him. I can't let Dan poison him the way he has the rest of us.

A/N: Okay, so this story will be relatively slow burnish as far as Lucas' behavior change goes, but it will happen, more angst is coming. I'm trying to stay relatively true to the characters we know and love (or love to hate) while showing a possible effect that Dan's emotional manipulation could have on the other members of the Scott family, particularly our two favorite bros, but there will be some Deb Karen and Keith involved as well as appearances from the other Tree Hillers.

I do have a question regarding this story that I'd love to pose as I'm having a bit of trouble determining how to organize chapters despite having a pretty solid plan for progression of character development. Would you prefer option 1: more chapters as the month progresses, stretching it out over a "longer story" time, or option 2: longer chapters, say two per each week of the allotted month with more focus devoted to the aftermath?

Both options one and two would devote time to the aftermath, but option one would most likely make for either this being one extra long story or include plans for a sequel devoted exclusively to the aftermath.

I'd love your input.