This is sort of an AU that takes place in season 3, a few weeks after the School Shooting. This is my first fanfic ever guys so please let me know if you like it, I'll try to have an update per week and feel free to review and let me know what you think of the story so far.


Chapter one: The disturbing letter

It was 5:30am and he couldn't find it in him to fall asleep. He kept tossing and turning in bed trying to set his mind at ease and failing miserably. Why couldn't he catch a break? After all the pain and the loss he had been through for the past month, why couldn?t he start living a normal life? Something that a 17-year-old like him could actually handle. But since he lost Keith, Lucas hadn't stopped losing things he cared about. Basketball, his career, his mother's attention, he could even feel Brooke slipping away, and felt terrified of her leaving. But all that concern felt distant to him right now, because all he could think about was the piece of paper he had found at his mailbox a week ago. It was a letter, a weird, almost illegible letter, one that he delicately tried to restore given the curiosity that it gave him. Once restored the best he could, he read the letter:

Luke,

Ever since you were a little boy you always told me how you wanted your life to be. You wanted a big family on a big house that you would get because of your massive salary at the NBA, you would have a beautiful wife and children, and a boat for you to sail away when the ground got too boring. You also told me that you wanted to write something, maybe about basketball or something that inspired you, and I want that for you Luke. Inspiration, greatness, love, you deserve to have that. This is why I have to let you know that what is going to happen will not be your fault. You may think it is, but it isn't. This is a battle that has been going on long before you were born, and however it ends, I just pray it doesn't hurt you. Just in case, I have a backup plan, all you need to know is to remember the heat. I love you, and I am, and always be proud of the man you've become.

Love, Lars

Lucas had read that letter so many times that he had practically memorized it, and when he thought of showing it to his mom, he would pull away and believe it wasn't worth hurting her even more. She had been so angry and depressed since that awful day at Tree Hill High, shutting everyone off, breaking everything she put her hands on, and was now finally getting out of that dark place, so when she encouraged him to go on a road trip, he immediately agreed. It was partly because he was glad that she was willing to do something other than curse and cry, and partly because he wanted to see if he could understand the letter and its hidden meaning. He knew that Keith was the one who wrote it, he would never forget how obsessed they both used to be for Star Wars, that Keith started calling him Skywalker and in response, Lucas kept calling him Lars. Just like in Star Wars, Lucas' paternal figure had always been Keith, so referring to Keith as Owen Lars was his way of thanking him for being there for him.

During the road trip along his mom, Lucas started putting pieces together in his mind, trying to associate Keith's message to what they had shared together. He remembered the time they left Tree Hill searching for something more, and how when they decided to go back because of Dan's heart attack, Keith told him that they could always have Charleston, a new life and brand new possibilities if he just closed his eyes, imagined that beach they would walk by and just remember the heat. He wanted so badly to be right, for the clue to Keith's "back-up plan" to be somewhere on that beach, but he had been wrong, there was nothing there other that your typical sunny, sandy, beach.

With anger and frustration running through his mind he started wondering, right there at his bed, and looking at the alarm clock that now marked 7:00 sharp, if he should just let it go.


As he walked inside his room, Nathan found himself feeling nostalgic at the thought of his wedding ring hanging across his chest, wondering if maybe it was too soon to place it in his finger, as it was made for. Things had been going well between him and Haley, he felt like they were in a good place, but he couldn't shake off the feeling that maybe they were taking things too slow.

"I mean, we're married after all" he said to himself, as he physically could feel his heart heavy reminding him that he had signed those stupid annulment papers. As much as he wanted to blame his father for that, he knew that it was essentially his fault, all he wanted to do was punish Haley. It angered him but he had to recognize that deep down he was hoping she would feel like she was losing him for real, so she'd step up, show him that she was in it for the long haul and, as she repeatedly promised him, "she wasn't going anywhere". He wanted to believe her so badly, and when he saw the words "I love you" where her signature was meant to be, he almost could, but his pride got the best of him once again and he just send her another copy of those awfully simple and yet very complicated papers that would put an end to the best relationship, the only relationship really, that he ever had.

Things are different now, of course. Things are good, he kept telling himself. But all these overwhelming feelings that the ring kept waking inside him only told him one thing … "you could still lose her". There was nothing in this world that scared him more than the thought of losing Haley, the idea of her slipping away didn't let him sleep at night, wondering why they were still so distant, he in his big empty excuse of a home where his parents didn't even bother to show up, and she in the apartment that was supposed to be their safe space, but now was some sort of booty call spot that Brooke had turn into with a scrunchy system that he didn't even want to ask about.

All of these thoughts sweeping through his mind got interrupted by a loud ring that came from his desk.

"Hey Lucas, what's going on" were the only things he managed to say at his brother's concerned tone, that and "I'm on my way".


Nathan had been staring at Lucas for exactly 12 minutes and neither of them were capable to find the right words to say. He had asked Nathan to meet him at his mother's café as soon as he could, deciding that letting it go wasn't an option. In a rambling spree that made him realize he sounded insane, he told Nathan about the letter, about Keith and how he could feel it in his bones that there was something terribly wrong going on, and the guilt would kill him if he didn't at least try to find out what it was.

"I'm telling you Nate, there's something off about Keith's death, I don't know what it is, but I just can't wrap my head around the idea that Jimmy would just shoot him". Lucas kept venting towards his very confused younger brother, getting more concerned every second that Nathan remained quiet.

"Please, just say something, anything that stops me from feeling like a moron who reads too much thriller novels". He tried once again, furthering his squinty eyes angered by the oblivious look his brother kept giving him, while taking a sip of his coffee.

"I'm just processing man, give me a minute" Finally said Nathan coming out of the trance that Lucas' rambling sent him to. "Ok, I understand that you were close to Jimmy and can't accept him being the one that took Keith's life, but I was at the tutor center that day, and he seemed angry and disoriented and scared. People do crazy shit when they're scared, especially after all the bullying he went through. He kept talking about wanting it all to end, for it to stop hurting. Maybe it was an accident, a horrible, unexplainable accident Luke."

"Well how about the letter Nathan? How about the letter where my uncle basically tells me that something bad is going to happen to him or me or someone and he doesn't want me to blame myself for it? You think that's an accident too?" Lucas was getting more agitated as he couldn't believe Nathan was giving him a stupid argument as a method to calm him.

"I don't know, it sounds puzzling, I'll give you that. But you knew him better that I did Luke, so I really don't know what to tell you."

"Well, there's sort of a clue I've been thinking about lately. He said remember the heat, right?". Lucas Asked. "What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear that word?"

"A grill?"

"Nathan!" He barked, annoyed by the toddler he was given as a brother.

"A beach? The sun? the Basketball team? I don't know Luke, it's a pretty vague word" Nathan answered, completely oblivious to what the hell was his brother expecting him to say.

"That's it" Said Lucas as his face changed from an angry, jaw clenching one to a rather gleeful one "When I turned 9, Keith and I went to this game he got us tickets for, the Miami Heat against the Chicago Bulls. It was a great game, the Miami team won with a 10 point lead and we stayed a while to talk to the coach, who for some reason happened to know Keith, they seemed like friends and managed to get one of the players, the point guard, to sign my jersey. It was one of the best moments of my life, and Keith knew that. He must've mentioned it for a reason, right?"

"Maybe. I mean, it's a better guess than the beach at Charleston" Mocked Nathan with a smirk on his face that faded instantly as soon as his eyes met his brother's squinty ones. "So even if it is the Miami Heat the reason Keith sent you that letter, what are you planning on doing with that information?"

"I've got an idea, it's not much of a plan, but it could be."

"Ok…"

"I could go there and look for the coach or someone that can give me answers."

"That's the lamest plan I've ever heard".

"You've got a better idea, genius?"

"You could ask Haley, I mean, she's smarter than both of us combined. I'm sure she could find a plan that sucks less than yours". Replied Nathan, faster than he wanted to. Part of him meant it, Haley could handle this situation much better than him, but he also wanted an excuse to see her, to talk to her and hopefully this would give them something to discuss.

"You're asking me to get your ex-wife involved in this mess?"

"Ok, first of all don't call her my ex-wife, we didn't get divorced and it sounds terrible to call her that, and second of all, think about it, she's your best friend and, let's face it, the best person to call in a crisis".

"Fine, call her and ask her to come, but if it gets too weird between the two of you, I'm leaving." Said a reluctant Lucas, hoping his best friend wouldn't think he's lost his mind.

After an hour of filling her in with the details of a very confusing suspicion, a few glances between Nathan and Haley and more than a few quicks beneath the table between the two brothers, she knew exactly how to react.

"Wow Luke, that's a lot to take in. I'm sorry you've had to go through all of this alone. I wish I could've been here for you sooner, and I think that you have every right wanting to find out what Keith meant with the letter." Haley reached through the table and grabbed Lucas' hand, in an attempt to make him feel her empathy and support.

"Thanks, Hales. So, what do you think I should do? Should I go there?"

"No. You're not going there alone. We are going with you" Answered Haley faster than a heartbeat, while getting a very confused glance from a very confused Nathan.

"We?" it was all Nathan could mutter, trying to hide his excitement from Haley answering for the both of them.

"Yes, we as in Luke's friends. We've got Spring Break next week; I'm sure Peyton and Brooke will be happy to join us." She looked over at Lucas who was still hesitating. Leave it to Lucas to be concerned about dragging them into a family drama, when all they did was to drag him every time they needed him. "Come on Luke, you need your friends. Whatever you find out about Keith, you'll have us to help you deal with it. It's also our senior year, we should spend it together."

Eventually Lucas nodded, as Haley lifted her arms in victory and looked over to a kind of enthusiastic Nathan. She reached over to grab her phone and inform the rest of the gang their new plans. It was going to be a messy trip; they just didn't know it yet.