A/N: So I got this idea for a kind of OC-esque OTH fic. It's kind of like Lucas is the Ryan, moving into town and shaking things up a bit. I'm not sure if it's going to be from his perspective or a general POV. I'm still unsure. I have a summary-ish further down after the short character descriptions. I hope to have chapter one up by the end of the week. Couples will be JuPe, Leyton, Brulian, Naley. All the friendships are kind of up in the air as of right now, but I'm thinking they'll form a tight knit group by the end. Maybe. Any ideas you have would be really appreciated!

Characters:

Lucas Scott, 17- His parents Karen and Keith Scott died when he was 10 years old. After 6 years, his aunt Deb and uncle Dan decided to take him in. He's a loner, and pretty skeptical about people in general. Maybe the people in Tree Hill can change him, and help him realize that not everyone is going to abandon him.

Peyton Sawyer, 17- Her mother died when she was little, now she lives with her dad right next to the Scott family. She's dating Julian Baker, but that could change when Lucas Scott comes to town. She loves to draw, and she's nothing like the popular people she hangs out with. Her best friend Brooke Davis is very different from her, but they've been friends for forever.

Nathan Scott, 17- Son of Dan and Deb Scott. Lucas is his cousin, who he hasn't seen in years. He was never really that close to Karen and Keith, but both of his parents had been. He plays basketball and has a good amount of friends. His best friend is Haley James, and he has started to fall from her. Nate just doesn't want to push things forward and end up losing her as a friend.

Haley James, 17- Her parents are a big part in her life, but she spends most of her time at the Scott home. Nathan Scott is her best friend, but the problem is she has a huge crush on him. Haley keeps her mouth shut and continues being just friends. She'd rather have him as a friend than as nothing at all. Other than Nathan she really only talks to the people she tutors. Nathan is trying to get her involved with cheering, but she's not so sure.

Brooke Davis, 17- Her parents are never home, always working or going on ridiculous vacations. But Brooke has come to sort of enjoy her time at home alone (she still misses her parents though, she just keeps that to herself). When she sees new boy Lucas Scott, she is immediately smitten with him. But will he feel the same way?

Julian Baker, 17- His father is a big movie producer, so Julian never really sees him. He's dating Peyton Sawyer but is slowly developing a crush on her best friend Brooke Davis. With the arrival of new guy Lucas Scott, will he keep dating Peyton, or go after Brooke so Lucas won't?

Dan and Deb Scott- Nathan's parents, Lucas's aunt and uncle. They've been happily married for about 7 years now. Deb got pregnant with Nathan before they were married. They were given the option to take Lucas in when he was younger, but they refused. Now all of a sudden they want to take him in. Why?

Summary:

My parents died when I was 10 years old. They had gone out to celebrate their anniversary, leaving me with a babysitter. From what I've pieced together, they were hit by an oncoming truck, their car was completely demolished. My guess is that they were dead on impact, at least I hope so. The thought of my mom and dad suffering tears me apart. Now normally in a situation like this, the kid is shipped off to live with their family members. But of course this wasn't the case for me. My parents didn't have a will written up, and the only family I had left didn't want to take me in. So I was bounced from foster home to foster home. I was definitely a loner, my whole life. I started to become the mysterious guy that no one wanted to be friends with, but all the girls wanted to date. And I'm not being arrogant when I say that, I'm being honest. I've been with more girls than Hugh Hefner. Nothing serious though, I've never had a real relationship. People always leave, it's a fact, so I see no real point in having serious relationships. I guess I've become somewhat of a cynic when it comes to things like love and trust, but that's me now, and I'm not sure I can change that. So I'm 17 years old, living with the Burke family, just trying to make it through the day. I was living in North Carolina again. I was born in Tree Hill but we moved away when I was 5. I had been in foster homes all over the place, in at least 4 different states, but now I was back in NC, a little further south from Tree Hill. All my family lived in Tree Hill, but I hadn't been there since my parents died. I was finally settled with this family, going to school, having chores, I even managed to get along with the other kids I was living with. So imagine how shocked I was when I came home to find my aunt and uncle sitting on the couch. All of a sudden they wanted to be there for me, take me in, raise me so to speak. I'm 17 for Christ's sake, how much family guidance could I possibly need? But my foster family thought that it'd be best for me to go and live with them. I was a bit skeptical, but I really had no choice in the matter. Within hours I was packed up and on my way to Tree Hill. I didn't do the whole teary goodbye thing, I thought it was absolutely unnecessary. I said goodbye and left, I knew they weren't planning on keeping me forever anyways. There was this feeling in my gut that sooner or later my aunt and uncle would get sick of me as well. Honestly, I was sick of myself. I couldn't believe that I had let myself turn into this person. So cynical, judgmental, untrusting. I was the exact opposite of the person I used to be. Maybe this could be my fresh start, but I'm still not sure I could break down the wall that I worked so hard to build up. All I knew was that this was my last chance, and I needed to make it work. I needed to change my life not just for me, but for my parents. I couldn't allow myself to disappoint them anymore. My mom always told me that I was in control of my own destiny. I made a promise to myself that I would make a change. I would be the person my mom always thought I could be.