Hey guys, here is my newest story I've been working on it for a while and I have a few chapters written so I wanted to post this first chapter to see if anybody liked the idea. I'm not sure how frequent the updates will be right now, seeing how I'm still working on Unexpected Things. It's still my number one priority. It's almost finished though, so I will have more time to work on this story. Thanks and I hope you all enjoy this story.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything associated with One Tree Hill.
Rating: PG13, but may go up, I'll let you know.
Summary: A death causes Karen and her seventeen year old son Lucas to return to Tree Hill. What will Lucas find out about himself? Who will he meet along the way?
Background: This story is AU. After finding out she was pregnant at seventeen, Karen Roe found her then boyfriend, Dan Scott, in bed with his new neighbor Debbie. Hurt and scared Karen left Tree Hill that day to live with an aunt in California, never telling Dan about the baby.
Dan regretted sleeping with Debbie and tried to find Karen, that is until Debbie told him she was pregnant. He reluctantly stopped searching for Karen, wanting to do the right thing he married Debbie. They had a son named Nathan. Dan was always on Nathan about basketball, wanting him to do what he never had the chance to do.
After eighteen years of being away from Tree Hill Karen comes back to take care of things after her grandmother dies. She is left Karen's Cafe, named after her grandmother and herself. Karen never wanted to return to Tree Hill, but felt like she needed to for her grandmother.
Lucas is like he was in S1, but is a little bolder and more outspoken. Lucas loved living in California and being captain of his basketball team. He doesn't know who his father is, he's asked, but Karen has always avoided answering, saying that he would find out in time.
Everyone is pretty much how they were in S1. Nathan is dating Peyton Sawyer and is best friends with Brooke Davis.The three of them are inseparable. Nathan is a complete ass to everyone, but Brooke and Peyton. He is totally in love with Peyton.
Peyton is totally in love with Nathan. She is moody and withdrawn. She loves to draw.
Brooke is a party girl who is flirty and bitchy when she wants to be. Pretty much exactly how she was S1.
Haley is a tutor, who pretty much keeps to herself. She is friends with Jake Jagelski, who doesn't have Jenny.
Dan is like he was S1, but not as much. He is in an okay relationship with Deb. They have their problems. He never got over his first love Karen.
I think that is all your going to need to know. If you have questions let me know. Now on to the story.
Chapter One
Homecoming
Karen walked into the kitchen of the house she had grown up in, wanting to get away from everybody that was at the reception. It was a lot harder being here then she thought it was going to be. Being back home and having to plan the funeral of her grandmother was painful. She loved her grandmother and her grandmother had adored her.
From what Karen understood her mother had come to see her grandmother and told her she could no longer take care of her. Sandra, Karen's mother, named her Karen in hopes that it would make it harder for her mother to turn her away. Sandra's mothers name was also Karen. Sandra had left that day and neither Karen had seen her again, which was fine with both of them.
Both grandmother and granddaughter had become like mother and daughter and it broke the older Karen's heart when younger Karen decided to move away. She never understood why Karen didn't want to tell Dan about the baby, but she still stood behind her and kept her secret. Once she found out that Dan was having a child with the woman he cheated on her granddaughter with, she was happy Karen had left. She knew it would have been too much for the young Karen to deal with, while pregnant.
After some time had passed Karen told her granddaughter about Dan's son Nathan. She begged the younger Karen to come home, but she never did. They had always stayed in touch. They were basically the only family each other had. The aunt that Karen had went to stay with had died years ago.
Karen stood in front of the kitchen sink and downed a tall glass of water. Her throat had never been this dry. She figured it was from all the crying she had been doing. The best woman she had ever known was now dead.
"Hey sweet heart, are you okay?"
Karen turned toward the familiar voice and saw coach Durham standing in the doorway."Oh my god, Whitey. How are you? I haven't seen you in like forever, it seems."
"Yeah it might as well have been forever."he looked her over."You seem to be holding up pretty well."
She shook her head."It's all an act."there was always something about Whitey that made it easy to talk to him."Right now I just want to curl up into a ball and die. You knew how close we were. I just can't believe she's gone."a tear slowly rolled down her cheek.
"Karen was a great gal, I'll tell you that. After you left we got rather close, so do believe me when I say I know how your feeling."
"I know you do. She always had nothing but good things to say about you when we'd talk on the phone or when she'd visit in California."
"I hate that she's gone, but at least we know she's in a better place."
"That we do."
"How long are you going to be staying in Tree Hill?"
"I think we'll be leaving in the morning. It's too hard being here, all these memories are to much for me."
"I hear ya darlin and I don't mean to pry, but how can you leave without hearing the reading of the will? You know she had to have left everything to you, the house, cafe, everything."
"I hadn't really thought of that. I was just worried about being here without really being seen."
Whitey nodded."I really hope you stick around and take care of things. It'd be great to have you back."
Karen was about to speak, but was interrupted.
"Mom are you in here?"Lucas walked into the kitchen and saw his mother."There you are. I've been looking for you everywhere. I'm feeling a little weird here, being around all these people I don't know."
"I'm sorry, I should have let you stay in California."
"No, I wanted to come for grandmother."
"I know."
"Well I was wondering if it was okay with you, could I go to that basketball court we passed yesterday to play some ball?"
"By yourself."
"Well yeah, I don't know anybody here?"
"Okay well don't be too long."
"I won't."he walked up to his mother and gave her a hug."I love you mom."
"I love you too."
Whitey watched as Lucas walked away.He turned to Karen."He's yours?"
"Yes. That's my boy."Karen looked at Whitey and knew he'd figured it out.
"Is he..."
"Dan's? Yes."
Whitey nodded."I knew there had to be more to your leaving, then finding that ass with someone else."
"Well now you know. Lucas doesn't know about Dan so can we please keep this to ourselves?"
"Sure thing sweetie. It's not my place to say anything."
Lucas continued to shoot the ball. He loved this game. He could spend hours putting the ball through the hoop and never get bored.
"Wow, your pretty good."
Lucas turned around and saw the most amazing pair of green eyes staring back at him."Yeah, I know."
She laughed."Your not too full of your self, huh?"
"No, I just know I'm good."
She nodded."I like you."
"You don't even know me."
"Well that's true, but I like what I see."she said with a smile.
He let out a laugh himself."That's pretty original."
"I thought you'd like that."she took a few steps closer."So I'm Brooke."
"Well hi Brooke, I'm Lucas."
"So Lucas, did you just move here?"
"Na, I'm just here for a few days."
"Really? Well that's too bad. I could get used to seeing you around here."
"In that case it really is to bad."
"That's what I'm talking about."she said with a smile.
She had the most beautiful smile he'd ever seen and those dimples could make a guy do anything. Now he knew there were hot girls in California, tons of them, but something about this one was different and he liked her.
"Well Lucas, star basketball player, it was nice meeting you. I should go. Have fun while in Tree Hill."she turned to walk away. She knew he'd be watching her leave, all guys did. She turned back and yes she was right, he was watching her. She gave him a wave over her shoulder and sexy wink before turning and walking to her car.
Lucas looked down shaking his head. That Brooke was definitely something else. He found himself a little upset that he was going back to California. It sure would be interesting to get to know her.
Brooke walked into Peyton's house without knocking as she always did."Hey P.Sawyer, get your butt down here. We so need to talk."yelled Brooke from the bottom of the stairs.
"Um Brooke...I'm a little...um...busy right now."yelled Peyton.
"Busy? Fine, I'll just come up."
"Don't you dare come up here Brooke!"shouted Nathan.
"Oh my god, gross. Why don't you lock the door when you two do that? I'll just wait downstairs and fix me a sandwich. You two finish and come down when your done. There's no hurry."she laughed.
A few minutes later Peyton and Nathan walked into the kitchen to find Brooke eating a sandwich.
"Wow, that was fast."she turned to Peyton with a half smile."Sorry. I'm sure he'll last longer next time."Peyton rolled her eyes, while Nathan walked over to Brooke and grabbed the sandwich off her plate and took a bite.
"Hey, I was eating that."
"Not anymore, besides I need to keep up my strength."
"That you do, if you can't even last five minutes."
Peyton couldn't help but laugh. Brooke definitely was funny.
"Trust me I can last."he set the sandwich down and grabbed Brooke by the arm."Let me take you upstairs. I'll show you."
Brooke tried to pull away from him."Eww, gross. Peyton do you hear your man? He's hitting on me. Please control him."
Peyton raised her hands."Hey you two, leave me out of this."
Nathan got tired of teasing Brooke and went back to eating her sandwich.
"Are you going to at least save me half?"whined Brooke.
"Here."he cut it in half and gave her a piece.
"Thanks."said Brooke sarcastically.
"So what was it that you wanted to talk about?"asked Peyton as she took a seat on Nathan's lap.
"Well I was just at the Rivercourt..."she was cut off.
"What were you doing at the Rivercourt?"asked Nathan.
"Passing by in my car on my way here. Anyways as I was saying. Peyton I met the hottest guy ever."
Nathan playfully hit her."Hey what am I?"
"I'm sorry Nate, but this guy is fine with a capital F."
"Wow, not many guys get that kind of a description."said Peyton sarcastically. This was nothing new to her. Brooke was always coming in and saying she had just seen the the most hottest guy."I can't wait to see him. Does he go to our school?"
"That's the bad part, no he doesn't. He is just visiting Tree Hill. I'm probably never gonna see him again."pouted Brooke.
"I'm sorry Brooke. I guess we're just gonna have to find another hot guy for you to crush on."said Peyton rubbing Brooke's arm.
"Yeah, Tim's always up for the job Brooke."
"Gross. I don't think so."just thinking about Tim was unnerving.
The next afternoon Karen walked into the house and threw her keys on the counter.
"What happened to you?"asked Lucas.
"Nothing. It's just that your grandmother sure is something."
"Is that a bad thing?"
"No, I love the hell out of her, she's just frustrating. She left me everything she owned, which don't get me wrong, is a huge honor. It shows how much she loved me, but I don't know what to do. I now have this house and the cafe. How am I supposed to run it from California? I can't close it. She'd kill me for that. It was her prized possession."
"Yes it was. She loved Karen's Cafe. It's only right that she gave it to you."
"I know and like I said, I'm grateful, but we live in California."
"You could always hire someone to run the place and you could come down here from time to time and check on it."
"I thought about that. I just don't want it to lose it's homey feel, you know, if it's run by an outsider, but then again it has to be because we don't live here."
"You said that already."said Lucas with a smile.
"I know, so I guess I should start looking for new management."
"What about the house?"
"I guess it's just going to stay here. I can't sell it. It has too many memories."
"I understand."
"So if your unpacked you should probably go pack. I'll fly back with you to California and make sure you'll be okay without me and then I'll come back."
"Wait. How long do you think it will take for you to find someone?"
"I don't know, it could take weeks, months even."
"So your planning on leaving me alone in California for months?"
"It's not because I want to. It's the only solution I have right now."
"I'll miss you mom."
"I'll miss you too, but hey that's why they invented the telephone."
"Look why don't I just stay down here with you? I mean it would be like a vacation."
"No!"said Karen a little to quickly."
"Why not?"
"Because Lucas you can't be out of school all this time. You need to be in school learning."
"Mom I'm not stupid. I know I have to go to school. I'm sure they have schools here too."
Karen sighed."Lucas I just don't think this is a good idea."
"Why not? It's like your afraid of me being in Tree Hill. What's going on?"
"Nothing. Okay fine, we'll both stay. I could use your help finding somebody for the cafe."
"Who knows, it might not take as long as you think."
Karen looked down."I hope so."
Lucas heard, but didn't ask her what she meant."So I guess we should go back to California to get some stuff. We didn't bring much."
"Your right. We'll leave first thing in the morning."Karen secretly hoped that once in California Lucas would change his mind and want to stay there.
I know not much happened in this first chapter, but it's just setting everything up. Let me know what you think. Should I continue this story? What do you think about the storyline? Please read and review. I appreciate each and every one. Thanks. Like I said before I'm not sure how often I'll be updating this story, but I'll try to UD soon.
Coming Up:
Lucas' first day at Tree Hill High.
Haley makes an appearance.
Lucas watches Brooke from afar.