Nathan opens the apartment door before walking in on crutches. Lucas is holding Megan and carrying Nathan's bags and stops at the door, tearing the eviction notice off the door.
"Welcome home." Nathan sarcastically says.
Nathan sits at the island, his crutches next to him. Lucas drops the bags and puts the notice on the counter.
"A bill. Bill. Final notice. Way final notice." Nathan goes through his mail. "You ever robbed a bank, Luke?"
"Hey, you got friends. We'll help." Lucas says. Megan reaches to Nathan so he puts her on his lap, keeping an arm secure around her so she doesn't fall.
"Yeah, that sounds great. All I need is money for these bills, and, uh, a $100,000 to pay the hospital." Nathan says.
"Wow. Would've been a lot cheaper if you just hit the brakes, huh?" Lucas asks. "What happened out there, Nathan?"
"You were there. Why don't you tell me?" Nathan asks.
"Look, did you... you know, feel like." Lucas sighs, trying to word this. "I mean, did you wanna--"
"Did I want to what?" Nathan asks.
"Kill yourself?" Lucas asks. "Cause if that's what happened you need to see somebody."
"I'll check out Dr. Phil this afternoon." Nathan says.
"How long are you gonna dodge talking to me about this?" Lucas asks loudly.
"How long are you gonna dodge you knew my mom was a pill head?" Nathan asks, almost just as loud. Megan whines at the angry tones. "Now, look. I screwed up. I hit the wall. That's all there was to it. Okay?"
+++
Megan is sat on top of the island and Lucas is sitting on one side.
"So that's why you're still staying at the house?" Nathan asks, getting a water bottle and a juice box out of the fridge. "Trying to figure out what he's doing?"
"I need all the access to him I can get." Lucas says. Nathan hops over to the opposite side of the island Lucas is on and sits down.
"Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?" Nathan asks, poking the straw through the juice box and giving it to Megan.
"I didn't know how you'd feel about me trying to take down Dan." Lucas says.
"It's fine by me." Nathan tells him.
"Listen, uh, about your mom... I did see her take some pills. Once... okay? I confronted her, and she told me to mind my own damn business. Sorry, I should've mentioned it." Lucas says.
"No, it's okay. My dad and I should've noticed it, anyways." Nathan says.
"Ah, well, don't worry about it, you know. She'll get through it. Deb's tough." Lucas says.
"She has to be. Look who she married." Nathan says.
"So we good?" Lucas asks and the two fist bump.
"Just, uh, make sure you keep me posted on my dad. Need all the entertainment I can get these days." Nathan says and Lucas nods. "By the way, uh, my insurance paid for my entire hospital stay so I don't even really need a fundraiser anymore."
"Uh, you know, you still got, um, bills, rent." Lucas says.
"Yeah, I'll figure something out." Nathan says.
"Come on, it'll be fun!" Lucas insists. "Besides, everyone really wants to help out. And, hey, Megster here loves movies." Lucas says, ruffling the girl's hair. She grins hearing her nickname.
"Rig up a dart board with Chris' face on it and I'm in." Nathan says.
+++
They're at the fundraiser and are getting ready to start the movies. Lucas is holding Megan and he's standing a bit behind Nathan.
Peyton walks on stage with a microphone.
"Hey, everybody, you guys ready for some movies?" Peyton asks and everybody cheers. "All right, great. Good, okay. Well, then grab some snacks, stretch out, and we're gonna kick things off with a couple cartoons." Everybody cheers again.
What comes on screen is not a cartoon.
"The number one killer of young people is traffic accidents." THe man on the video says as the screen shows a totaled car. Lucas gently pushes Megan's head down so she doesn't see it. "And that's--that's got to be one of the biggest and grossest wastes of human life."
The video shows dead bodies.
"About 40 percent of our fatal and injury accidents involve people in the age group of 15 to 24." The man says.
"Uh, Nate, I'm sorry, man. This isn't what we planned." Lucas says.
"What, are you kidding me, this is awesome." Nathan says. "Turn it up!" The crowd cheers in agreement.
~ ~ ~
Nathan is sitting on a small couch with Megan half asleep on his lap. She's holding a juice box and sipping from it whenever she realizes she almost fell asleep.
Tim is on a couch next to Nathan while Peyton sits on the floor at the table, going through Nathan's mail.
"You spent 30 bucks on pay-per-view porn?" Peyton asks.
"That's mine." Tim takes the bill from her. Nathan gives him a slightly disgusted look. "What? You were out of town. I was lonely."
Brooke and Lucas walk up, Brooke sitting next to Peyton.
"Um, I got you cookies and licorice." Brooke tells her firend.
"Hey, I got you another soda and some popcorn." Lucas tells his brothers, putting the items on the table. "Uh, you want me to scrounge up a pillow so you can elevate that knee?"
"No, I'm good." Nathan assures.
"All right." Lucas mutters.
"Okay, well, uh, send up a flare if you need anything else, guys." Brooke says, her and Lucas leaving.
"Brooke's been really great since Jake's been gone." Peyton says.
"Yeah. Luke's really had my back since the accident." Nathan says.
"She's driving me crazy." Peyton says making the two teenage boys laugh.
"I hear ya. Luke's this close to tucking me in and singing me a lullaby." Nathan says, holding his index finger and thumb up so they're basically touching.
"Oh." Peyton lightly laughs.
"If you want, I could--"
"Tim, stop it." Nathan tells him.
"Looks like you got a letter mixed in with your bills." Peyton says, handing Nathan an envelope.
"It's from my mom." Nathan says. Nathan takes the juice box from the now asleep Megan. He sets it on the table before gently lying her on the couch. He grabs his crutches and gets away so he can read the letter.
"Guess we're watching a kid now." Tim says.
+++
Megan is sitting on Lucas' lap at Dan's house as Nathan walks in on his crutches with Dan behind him.
"You sure this is what you want?" Lucas asks.
"Yeah." Nathan nods.
"It's gonna be great having you both here." Dan says. "You'll see."
"Uh, actually, uh." Lucas stands up, putting Megan on the floor. "I'm moving home."
"What?" Dan laughs. "Why? There's plenty of room for all of us." Lucas looks at Nathan who nods.
"It's just time." Lucas says, getting his things and leaving.
+++
Nathan rushes into the kitchen where Deb is and he's holding Megan.
"Mom." Nathan calls.
"Nate." Deb sighs.
"What's going on? You sounded freaked out on the phone." Nathan says.
"We're gonna have to stay here for a while." Deb says.
"What happened?" Nathan asks.
"Nathan, I'm so sorry. It's just your father has done some things." Deb says.
"What things?" Nathan asks.
"Nothing that concerns you. Or concerns Megan. But Lucas found something." Deb says.
"Lucas." Nathan scoffs.
"He was trying to help us. But it doesn't matter, what does matter is that you remember I love you, and I always will." Deb states.
"We were gonna get out." Nathan says.
"And we still are, okay? I promise you." Deb tells him, walking over to him. "But for now, that has to be our secret. I want you to go to High Flyers."
"Forget it. I'm not leaving Megan or you here alone with Dan." Nathan states.
"Nathan, I'll be fine. And he doesn't care about Megan, he won't pay any attention to her. And other times she can be with Olivia or one of your friends. You go to that camp and don't look back for a second. Do you understand me?"
"She's my kid, I'm not leaving her." Nathan says, motioning to Megan.
"I am your mother, you're still a minor. I can tell you to go to that camp." Deb says. "Go. She will be fine, I promise."
"It has to end." Nathan says.
"Yes. It does." Deb agrees.
+++
It's been 3 months and school is about to start up. Before Nathan left, Dan's work place got put up in flames while he was inside, but he ended up being okay.
Megan has been staying with Deb and Dan at the house, Deb not letting Dan anywhere near her. Megan also stays at Olivia's often. Nathan has been at High Flyers all summer so Megan does have trouble sleeping sometimes since she misses him and wants him.
Megan is now 2 years old. Olivia, Deb, Lucas, and Peyton all were there and they had cake and got Megan some toys and stuffed animals. Deb called Nathan to let her talk to him.
+++
Nathan gets home and goes to his parents' house. He walks in, greeting Deb and Dan isn't home.
"Is Megan here?" Nathan asks.
"No, Olivia has her. I told her you were coming home today so she should be back soon." Deb says and Nathan nods, just wanting to see his favorite person.
After about 20 minutes, the front door opens and Olivia walks into the kitchen, holding Megan.
"Daddy!" Megan cheers, reaching her arms out to her dad, sitting at the counter.
"Oh, my baby!" Nathan takes her from Olivia and holds her, tightly hugging her. "Oh, I missed you so, so much." Megan hugs him back, resting her head on his shoulder. Nathan peppers kisses all over her face making her giggle.
"I missed that laugh." Nathan says. "You are the cutest little thing." Nathan kisses her nose. "I love you." He tells her.
"I wuv you." Megan says, squishing his cheeks making him chuckle.