Deb wasn't kidding when she told Dan counselling was non-negotiable. We pick up a few weeks past her ultimatum and find the dysfunctional side of the Scott clan sitting on a very long couch. Ann Cusack -- a.k.a. Faux Florence Henderson, right down to the wing-tipped hair flip -- tells them, "Truth is hard, but hostility stays outside." Insert the therapeutic mantra to be shouted from the rafters throughout this episode. Say it with me people: Hostility stays outside. Yawn. Of course, Dan stares out the window, his posture screaming, "I've been made to come here, bee-yatch, so don't try anything." Nate looks down at his feet, and Deb sits between the both of them. No one is having any fun, that's for sure. Faux Florrie says, "Who wants to start?" Dan deadpans, "You're the one with all the answers, Doc. Why don't you tell us." Florrie replies, "Hostility stays outside, Dan." See, he missed the part where we shouted the mantra to the rafters. Maybe he needs to get his ears cleaned. Florrie smiles as she says that because she knows how to handle assholes -- kill more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.
Deb quietly begins, "Things have just gotten out of hand, so we thought --" Dan interrupts, "No, you thought --" They bicker for a minute before Florrie asks, "Define 'out of hand.' Nathan?" He snits, "Pass." Why is it that the mother always bears the burden of openness when it comes to family counselling? Why are men so resistant to stuff like this? Deb continues: "We reached the breaking point two weeks ago, when my son..." Dan points at Deb and bitches, "You hear that, 'my son.'" Faux Florrie puts Dan in his place, again: "Deb is speaking now, Dan." Deb corrects herself: "...when our son collapsed on the basketball court after taking drugs to boost his performance." Dan talks over Deb as he says, "The kid made a mistake. He knows that." Deb keeps on, though: "Because his father has been bullying him about the sport since he was old enough to hold a ball." Nathan sits there holding his head in his hand, not really looking at anyone -- more staring at the floor trying hard not to bolt out of there like a skittish colt. Faux Florrie asks, "Is that true, Nathan?" But before he can get a sentence or even a word out, Dan barks, "His mother is so quick to put the blame on me when up until a few months ago her job always came first." Deb concedes that things used to be like that, yes, but that she's changed, and Dan hasn't. Apparently, Dan can't lose the unhealthy obsession he has with basketball. Ahem, at least someone is finally putting all the balls onto the court. Deb and Dan bicker for a minute, blah she blames him, blah shortcomings as a mother; blah, he obsesses over how Nathan plays basketball, blah. Faux Florrie stops the two of them from arguing, and then asks, "Nathan, do you think basketball is part of your family's problem?" Poor Nate, he looks so sullen. He replies, "Part of." She asks, "But you still like playing?" He quietly says, "I don't know anymore." Aw, my heart is breaking, he looks so sad. Of course, big fathead says, "Great, nice breakthrough, Nate." He looks back at the doctor and says, "Thanks, Doc." He gets up, barks, "Hustle up!" to Nathan, and walks out the door saying, "No way this is helping." Nathan slowly gets up, and Deb sits there with her mouth wide open.
Outside, Deb and Dan continue to fight. She says, "You're right, Dan, we don't need a shrink to identify this family's problem. You just made it obvious." He snarks, "I'm not his only parent, Deb." Oh, and the really nice thing about this intercourse? Yeah, poor Nathan's standing there the whole time, listening to the two of them act like children. Dan cockily says, "Why don't you ride with the old man, Nathan?" Deb: "Stop it, Dan. Let's go, Nathan." Dan: "Let the kid make up his own mind, Deb." Deb quietly says, "Nate?" Nathan glances at his father -- who's wearing a strangely complacent, quietly manipulative look -- and then back at his mother, and makes the most adult decision of this entire scene: he starts to walk home by himself. Damn, these two have replaced basketball with yo-yo, and are using Nathan as the pawn. Wait. How many sports metaphors did I mix up there?
Brooke and Lucas are shopping in a used bookstore in downtown Tree Hill. Well, I should say that Luke shops and Brooke complains about the smell. He pulls a copy of Of Human Bondage off the shelf, and says, "Here we go -- this is the writer I was talking about." I wonder if the producers make CMM actually read all of the books they saddle him with on this show. Something has to make Luke-as-scholar believable, because the Quote of the Week, while relevant for the most part, isn't really cutting it. Brooke pronounces "Maugham" incorrectly, and Luke corrects her. Then, she makes a fairly obvious joke about the title. Luke giggles and says, "Yeah, it's not like that." Brooke looks disappointed. For the first time in a while, the only red thing she's wearing is her lipstick. It's a nice change; Brooke actually looks understated in a beige suede coat and a pair of jeans. She says, "So, you're good? Are we done here?" Luke stutters, "But I just thought this was a better opportunity to spend some time together." Brooke says, "And it is, but can we maybe do it some place that smells a little less funky?" Luke sticks his nose right into the book and sniffs, and happy little micro-moulds jump up his orifice, dancing. I mean, ew, who sticks their nose into a used book and honestly sniffs it? Gross. Luke laughs. He likes the smell of old books, obviously. Brooke pulls him out of there saying that it's her turn now. Luke says, "Okay, but just keep it legal."
Cut to Brooke removing her top, and then her jeans, while Luke sort of gapes at her, astounded at his good luck. Then, moments later, they're in the hot tub, and Brooke's peeling off her bra. The hot tub steams. The two of them make out. Bad rock music plays. I'm in an Aerosmith video. Luke confirms, "You're sure your parents won't come home." Brooke coyly says, "They could." Pause. "But this isn't their Jacuzzi." Luke wants to know whose house it is. Brooke giggles, "I don't know -- does it matter?" Apparently, the "keeping it legal" part of Luke's request was totally ignored, because isn't this like breaking and entering, or at least some kind of lewd conduct? Or am I just being an uptight Canadian? Because that could totally be the case, too. Obviously, it doesn't matter that much to Luke, either, because he and Brooke just start making out like their own mini-porn movie. All we need is Ron Jeremy to show up and really get the party started. Yawn.
The day at Karen's Café, Deb serves Keith some breakfast. It's eggs, pancakes, and bacon. Keith cracks, "Well, for the diet special, that looks pretty damn tasty." Deb looks confused for a minute, and then apologizes, giving the extra sitting at the other end of the counter his breakfast, only instead of giving him the syrup, she just puts it back on the shelf. Strange. You'd think he'd want the syrup, but whatever. Keith says, "Things have worked out pretty well, huh? Karen's Café gets to stay open and I get to see a little more of my sister-in-law." You know, Keith rocks. He adds, "So how are you doing with things?" Deb says, "Dan and I had our first counselling session yesterday." Keith jokes, "Dan at a counselling session -- it's kind of like Hannibal Lecter at a salad bar." Deb laughs. Keith tells her that if she thinks it would help, he'd be happy to talk to Nathan. Deb smiles and replies that she thinks he'd like that. See, the functional side of the Scott family -- but wait, I spoke to soon, because who walks into the café, but Captain Dysfunction himself. He makes a horribly snide and completely ridiculous comment before even saying hello to his wife or brother: "I know you like my women, Keith, but come on, Deb's still my wife." Keith bites back: "Won't be for long if you keep this up." See, when Keith made that joke about Hannibal Dan and the salad bar, it was kind of witty and funny, even if a tad acerbic; when Dan shows up and insults Keith in front of Deb, it's not at all humorous, but driven by rage and insecurity -- how messed-up is that man? Deb walks over to the cash register and starts fiddling with receipts; it's the international gesture for "I don't really want to deal with you," jackass. He leans onto the counter and states: "I'm taking Nathan to dinner tonight. Do you have a problem with that?" Deb quickly replies, "Yeah, he needs a break from you." Dan insists, "You can't stop me from seeing my own son." Deb replies, "Oh, actually I can, by telling you nicely or by calling a lawyer. Your choice." Dan cockily says, "Tell him I'll pick him up at 7." Deb turns around and looks at Keith with a kind of helpless smile on her face. Keith says, "Tell Nathan to come see me, I'll do what I can." Deb nods. She needs all the healthy Scott she can handle.
Okay, so two weeks of passed since Luke made his choice, and things have healed between him and Peyton so much that he's just dropping by her house before school? They're that good friends? And what happened to Haley? Has she been replaced? And holy crap do kids in this town get up early, because there's no way any normal teenager would have enough time to walk casually by a quasi-friend's house just to hang out before school. At least I never did, because I was usually asleep. You know that thing that you do in your mid-to-late teens? Sleep in whenever and wherever you can? Anyway, Luke saunters up to Peyton's house and notices that the door's ajar. Knowing that Peyton's alone for the most part, he is concerned. He peeks his head in through the slightly open doorway, hears things crashing inside, and calls out, "Peyton?" When she doesn't reply, he grabs the closest thing to a weapon he can find on the porch -- a rake -- and brandishes it on his way into the house. Well, do you think that Peyton actually rakes anything? Does she take care of the house to the extent that garden instruments are lounging on the porch looking like they've just been used? What freaking ever -- she spends all of her time either brooding or drawing. But that doesn't matter, we're not being logical at this moment, and I've just gotten a nice firm smack across the face from my disbelief. So, Luke enters the house holding the rake in attack position. He calls out for Peyton once more before finding himself in the kitchen. He sees a tall, dark-haired man fiddling about in the kitchen. Luke taps on the table with the end of the rake and sternly demands, "Where's Peyton?" "Dressing for school's my guess," the man replies. And then he goes back about his business. Heh. Luke says, "Who are you?" The man replies, "I'm the guy who is about to take that rake from you and beat your scrawny ass." Pause. "I'm her dad. Who are you?" Heh. Luke slides the rake down from attack mode, and mumbles, "Oh, sorry. The front door was open and I thought -- Lucas." He leans forward and shakes Peyton's dad's hand; Peyton's father introduces himself as Larry Sawyer.
Peyton comes downstairs at this moment and says, "Hey Dad, do you know where my --" She sees Luke and asks, "What are you doing here?" If you can imagine it, Peyton's dad kind of looks like an older, slightly better-looking version of Ed Burns. He jokes, "Trying to rake me to death." Peyton giggles and says, "What?" Luke tries to explain himself, but just manages to embarrass himself a bit further. He says that he's going to go put the rake back on the porch. Peyton and Larry have a good chuckle. I like Larry already.
At school, Peyton and Brooke walk together. Brooke leans in, kind of bonks Peyton's shoulder, and says, "So, who's the guy?" Shockingly, Peyton is wearing a black t-shirt with some sort of logo on it and Brooke's in red, again. Sigh, I really wish the wardrobe people would branch out, even just a little bit. Peyton says, "That'd be my dad." Brooke jokes, "Oh, I'd be smiling too, but for entirely different reasons." Peyton whacks her in the shoulder and giggle-shouts, "Dude, that's my dad! Don't go all porn-dog on me. There's a line." The two of them stop walking for a minute, and Brooke asks Peyton to tell her if she's being in appropriate, because she wants to ask her something. What is it? Brooke quietly says, "I need to connect more with Lucas." Peyton teases, "I thought you guys were already doing that?" Brooke replies, "The whole making-out thing is great and all, but that only goes so far -- can you help a girl out?" Peyton thinks about it for a minute, and says, "Yeah, you know what?" She grabs a CD from her bag and says, "Give him this and tell him that tracks 8 and 11 make you think of him." Brooke asks, "Wait, make me think of him or make you think of him?" Peyton insists, "Just friends." Brooke thanks her, hugs her, and then runs off to impress Lucas with her insecurities and fake musical tastes. Yeah, now there's a way to connect with your new boyfriend -- by pretending to be someone you totally are not. It's recipe for disaster. Yawn.
Haley and Nathan are studying in the library or the Tutoring Centre, I can't really tell which. For once, the walls aren't decorated with some sort of Ravens Basketball paraphernalia. Instead, there's a poster on the wall that says, "Open It." Haley asks him if he finished The Little Prince. Nathan flips through the book looking disheartened and dejected: "I'm just going to watch the movie. This book is stupid." Haley's hair is totally straight. It looks really nice. She says, "Nathan, you're not going to pass French if you keep watching movies." He continues playing with the book: "It's not like I've got a lot of time to just sit around and read." Haley, with her keen sense of observation, says, "Are you ever going to tell me how it went?" Because she knows it's not The Little Prince that's bothering Nathan; it's that he's carrying the weight of the world around on his b-ball shoulders. Is up for the challenge? Not right now, he's not: "The therapist asked me if I really want to play basketball or not." Haley leans in and asks, "Wow, what did you say?" Nathan replies, "I don't know. No one's ever asked me that question before." I'm going to have to say it again: Haley looks really pretty in this scene. She says, "Wow, that's really big." Nathan adds, "These last couple weeks without it, I mean, if I didn't play, I might actually have a life." Haley asks him what he'd do instead, with all that free time. Nathan replies that he doesn't really know, but that at least he'd have some time to figure it all out. She smiles at him, and he jokes a little about their finding "things" to do with their time. Then, he leans in and kisses her -- and this is such a sweet little scene that I don't want to yawn, or barf, or make snide comments because both actors did a good job, and I actually kind of want to applaud them. Anyway, now it gets cheesy, as Haley says, "I think you're really brave." Pause. "To consider rebuilding who you are. I don't know if I could do that." Nathan thinks she could. They both have to go to class now, and then Haley mentions that practice starts back up today, but Nathan doesn't know if he does. Aw, poor Nathan -- he's having a midlife crisis even before he hits his twenties. I can't imagine the pressure of not knowing if you want something that's been ingrained upon you since you were small. The level of unease he must be feeling would be huge; he's just trying to figure it out -- to see who he really is, and what he wants from life. So even though the whole "brave" comment might be a bit melodramatic -- I mean, he's not pulling babies out of burning buildings -- it's kind of apt as well, at least in this context. He's kind of brave to think about standing up to King Basketball and giving back the keys to the kingdom.
Brooke shows up and sits down beside Luke as he does homework outside on one of the concrete tables. She insists that all "work and no Brooke makes Luke a dull boy." Brooke pulls her knapsack off her shoulder and says, "I've got something for you." He feels bad and says that he doesn't have anything for her. But Brooke insists that he does, blah sexual innuendo, blah. Out comes the Travis CD, and thus commences my wincing. Brooke hands it to Luke and says that a couple songs remind her of him. He says, "I didn't know you were into Travis." She says, "Are you kidding I love Travis, he's the best." He looks at her funny because, of course, Travis is a band and not a boy. He says, "What?" And she says, "The Travis guy, are we not in the same conversation?" Luckily, the bell rings and saves her from colossal embarrassment in front of her new boyfriend who's way more cool and well-read than she is, which makes her kind of insecure. Anyway, she tells Luke to listen to tracks 8 and 13, even though Peyton said to say 8 and 11. Sigh. Oh, Brooke, if you're going to pretend to be anything, it's better to move down the learning curve instead of up -- you can always pretend to be a dummy like most of the girls did in my high school, so the boys think they're smart when they're around you. One girl I knew pretended that she thought cheese came right out of a cow's stomach and that she couldn't tell time, and she always had a boyfriend. Heh. You guys know I'm joking, right? Well, about the downward spiral of Brooke's learning curve; that girl at my high school really did exist.
Later on that day, Luke gives Peyton back the CD. She's in the middle of drawing a cartoon with a big boat as its central focus. He places the disc on her page and says, "I thought you might want that back." She says, "I already have it." He says, "Tracks 8 and 11. Totally you." Peyton looks at him funny as he continues, "So what are you doing? Some sort of Cyrano thing for Brooke?" She replies, "Why would I do that?" Luke cockily says, "I asked you first." He's got another John Steinbeck novel. I'm wondering if Penguin should just come right out and sponsor the show. In fact, sponsor the whole WB line-up of smart kids: Rory, now Luke -- they're such good examples. Yawn. Peyton defends her friend: "Don't underestimate Brooke. She's full of surprises. It's part of her charm." Luke laughs. Then he tells her that Brooke told him to listen to track 13, but that there are only twelve songs on the album. Peyton insists that that's an honest mistake. Luke says, "Yeah, I guess." Pause. "I'm sorry about your dad, this morning." Pause. "I had no idea he was there." Peyton laughs as she says that's because he usually isn't. He says, "I thought you were happy with your set-up." See, they're having a real conversation; the only other couple to do that is Haley and Nathan. See, that's why Peyton and Luke are going to end up together, and it's going to cause all this drama and make everyone on the boards hate him more than they're already starting to. Oh, St. Luke, how the mighty have fallen. Peyton tells Luke that she lies to her dad, in her emails, about how happy she is about being on her own and how responsible she's being: "He loves his job, and when my mom died, it's just not fair to ask him to give that up. But I miss him when he's away." Luke wants to know if she's told her father what she just told him. Peyton replies, "He worries. It's just better not to." Okay, I hate to say it, but Peyton's getting better. I didn't see any sawdust or wooden legs or anything. In face, I kind of relate to her, and it might just be because I'm a girl and emotional and stuff, but I really understand where she's coming from. After my mom died, my dad was away a lot too, because he worked nights, and didn't know what else to do with us, and I pretended to be responsible, and I did all the right things, but it just isn't the same as having both parents, even if you are all on your own, and the freedom is kind of fun. Anyway, that's enough of the sappy stories about Ragdoll's life. So, back to the regularly scheduled recap: Luke says, "Listen, I don't get a lot of quiet time these days. Do you mind if I just sit and read while you draw?" She cracks, "As long as you don't act out the parts." He laughs, and then opens his book, and Peyton looks at him for a little while. She looks away just in time for him to look back at her -- and you can't deny it, you all know it's just a matter of time before the Peyton/Lucas hookup to end all hookups. Don't shoot the messenger. You all know I'm right.
Keith lowers a car down via the hoist to find Nathan standing there staring at him. It's kind of strange, sort of creepy, and a bit odd, but whatever, I'm going with it. Nathan says, "My mom said you wanted to see me." Keith asks the boy to hand him a ratchet, so he does. Keith seems a bit surprised that Nathan actually knows what a ratchet is -- frankly, so am I. Keith asks, "So, how you doing?" Nathan snarks, "Why, so you can report back to my mom?" Rather than the traditional Scott answer, Keith says, "It's not like that, Nate. Look, I know you and I haven't talked that much, and I'm sorry about that -- but that's just fallout from your dad and me." Pause. "I know you're going through some tough times, so if you need anything...." Nathan calms down after Keith's speech. He shuffles his feet around for a minute and then asks quietly if Keith played basketball. Keith tells him that he played for a little while. Nathan wants to know if he enjoyed it. Keith says, "Are you kidding me? I loved it, but there was no pressure then, and then I didn't love it so much anymore. Your dad came up and he made everything a competition." Looking at his uncle now, Nathan says, "So you just walked away?" Keith jokes that the only thing he looked back at was the cheerleaders. Heh. He says, "It's just a game, Nate." No truer words have ever been spoken on this damn show. Why is Keith always the teller of truths?
Haley runs into Peyton outside the gym and teases her about being a cheerleader. Peyton explains that her mom used to cheer, and that she and Brooke have been doing it together forever, so it's just kind of "their thing." Oddly, that sort of gives a bit of insight into their friendship -- that it's based around habit more than anything else, maybe? Because I really don't understand what else they could possibly have in common. They don't like the same music, the same stuff, or even know that much about each other's personal lives. Anyway, Haley wants some advice from Peyton about how to help Nathan with what he's going through. Peyton jokes, "I was the queen of boyfriend dysfunction and now I'm everybody's go-to girl. It's just kind of funny, right?" Haley worries that she's stepping over some boundaries, but Peyton assures her that it's okay. Haley explains that Nathan's thinking about quitting the team, only Peyton doesn't really have any advice. She tells Haley that she could never get Nathan to open up about that stuff, so she's not much help. She adds, "But you're so much better with him than I ever was. He's lucky to have you." Haley says, "I don't want to keep you from practice." They start to walk away from each other. You know -- no sawdust there either. Is it me, or is Peyton turning from a Pinocchio into a real girl? Peyton deadpans, "Go Ravens." They walk away from one another, but Haley turns back and apologizes: "Hey, I didn't mean anything about your mom." Peyton doesn't really know what to say, so she responds with a simple "That's cool."
Inside the gym, Brooke scrunches up her face and says, "Ah, you could have told me Travis was a group!" Peyton laughs that it's not like it's some big secret. Heh. Brooke adds, "Lucas gave me the weirdest look when I said that, I felt so stupid." Peyton gives her some solid, good-friend-type advice: "You're not stupid; you guys just don't like the same things." In teen-translation, that means it's okay, and that Brooke shouldn't worry about it so much, because she and Luke still like each other and that's what matters. Brooke admits that that's the problem: "He brings up art and books and I've got nothing." Yeah, dude's bringing up art? Holy high-school pretension, Batman -- at least save that shit for college. Couldn't they have at least said "movies" -- you know, make Luke as Renaissance Man at least believable? The team comes jogging into the gym. Yeah, the entire team jogs into the gym like it's game day or something. They don't saunter, they don't drag their asses; they roll in like an assembly line of soon-to-be NBA superstars. Yawn. Brooke says, "Hey you!" as Luke passes. He replies with the same "hey you," but he adds a little "and you" for Peyton. He fits right in, this Lucas Scott -- it's like he was never the wannabe River Court-playing outsider from the wrong side of the tracks. How quickly things change in Tree Hill. What happened to Christmas? Are we going to fall into the Gilmore vacuum where time and seasons don't really exist?
Whitey blows the whistle and says, "Welcome back, gentlemen! Let's see how soft you got after that little hiatus." Pause. "Suicides. Now!" I guess that's a form of warm-up, but I've got nothing; there are collective groans from the boys as they embark upon their mission. Jake! comes running in, carrying Jenny in her car seat. Woda snarks, "That'd better be a basketball." Jake! replies, "Come on, Coach. It's either this or I miss practice." Woda reluctantly agrees to let Jenny sit on the bleachers while her daddy tosses around a ball: "Find her a spot with a good view so she can watch her daddy throw up." Ah, that Whitey -- he always knows the right thing to say. Peyton says, "I'll take her, Jake." They look at each other, and I'm starting to feel some sawdust on the back of my neck, again. Jake thanks Peyton and gets to work. They boys are all sweaty from said suicides when Whitey has them huddle up for roll call. Woda says, "Where's Nathan?" Pause. "Tim, you're his girlfriend, where is he?" Dim giggles like a schoolgirl at the non-joke and replies, "I don't know, Coach. He was at school today." Blah practice, blah offence, blah running, blah balls bouncing blah. So, Nathan did skip practice -- it's a wonder above all wonders. He's turning into Luke, and Luke's turning into him. Do the writers have to be so obvious?
After practice, Luke's sending his mom an email when Brooke comes in through the side door without knocking. In fact, she's already talking as soon as she walks into the house: "So, I have an idea." She sits down on Luke's lap. "Remember when I read that Steinberg book." Luke corrects her that the author's name is Steinbeck. Brooke: "Yeah, that guy -- and then you did something that I wanted." Yeah -- getting drunk, tattooed, and grounded. "But in a fun way!" Heh. Brooke wants to try that again. Luke says, "You might want to run that by Keith first." She smiles and continues, "Not exactly that -- I just want to know everything about you, and I want you to know almost everything about me." Luke wants to know what's going on. She says nothing's going on -- she just wants Luke to bring her along the time he does something he loves. What, like read a book or play basketball? So she can sit there being bored and getting a sore ass? Please. She asks if he's busy after practice tomorrow night. He says, "Yeah, I've got a date with you." Blah kissing, blah grabbing her ass blah. Okay, whatever happened to Luke's job? Does he not have to work anymore? Did Keith fire him? Where's he getting his spending money?
So, Nathan and Dan are having pizza. Dan flirts with the waitress. Ew. Nathan gives him a dirty look, and Dan replies, "What? You know how I like to kid around." Yeah, except your jokes aren't funny and you're turning into a dirty old man -- might be time to evaluate your life, Dan. Nathan snarks, "Yeah, you're famous for it." Pause. "Dad, do you really think that's going to help what's going on?" Dan: "Look, you know I think this counselling crap is ridiculous, but I promised your mom I'd try again. We're going to be okay." Wait. Do my ears deceive? Did he just actually try to reassure his son about the current situation? Nathan grabs a piece of pizza, trying not to confuse Dan's cheese with his own. Nathan says, "Right." Dan: "You just focus on your game." Nathan stops eating for a minute and quietly says, "I didn't go to practice." That's what happens when you pin all your dreams on your kid: they totally disappoint you, because it's not what they want, it's what you want. Of course, Dan reacts badly. He wants to know what's going on with Nathan, and when Nate says it's nothing -- he just needs some time -- Dan says that's totally not okay; it's career suicide. Nathan mentions that he had a conversation with Keith. Again, Dan reacts in a predicable manner: "Keith? You talked to Keith? If you take advice from Keith, you're going to end up running a second-rate garage. Is that what you want?" For once, Nathan stands up for himself. He waits for a second before he replies, "I told you, I don't know what I want." Dan shakes his head, because he's so very disappointed that he's actually been rendered speechless. Yawn. Dan needs to find a new way of relating to his son, because basketball can't stand in for a real relationship anymore. Oh, and Dan needs to realise that he's a father to Nathan -- not his brother, not his teammate, and most importantly, not his coach.
In a strange bit of irony, Dan shows up at the garage standing in exactly the same spot, wearing exactly the same expression that Nathan did a couple of days earlier. Keith notices him as he lowers the car, but it still freaks him out a little bit. Dan barks, "Hey! Where do you get off telling Nathan he can quit the team?" Keith defends himself: "I didn't tell him he could quit. He wanted to talk. We talked. Maybe you ought to try it some time." Dan bitches, "So you neglect him most of his life, I'm out of the house a week --" Um, except it's been two, maybe three weeks now, but whatever, they do the time warp when it suits them on this damn show. Keith cuts him off: "He's surprised me, Dan. You know Nathan's a good kid. You've got him so screwed up he doesn't know what he wants." Dan snits, "Deb got her hand up your back, Keith?" Man -- this man has now added Denial to his Kingdom of Misplaced Intentions. Keith: "Deb's the best thing the kid's got going for him right now. She's trying to save him." Dan starts to get defensive: "What the hell do you think I'm trying to do?" Keith doesn't know; in fact, he's been trying to figure it out all these years. Then Dan's mouth gets the better of him: "I don't mind you playing daddy to one of my offspring, but leave the good one alone." What a jackass. It's hard to believe someone could think something so awful, let alone actually say it. Shame on you, Dan. Shame on you.
Jake! comes jogging up to Peyton and hands her back a set of very small keys -- keys that any six-month-old might easily ingest if someone (ahem, Peyton) turned her head for a minute, but whatever. Peyton says, "Those are the keys to the squad's equipment locker. I gave them to Jenny yesterday -- she was shaking them like a pom-pom." Jake and Peyton walk together down the hallway, Jake saying, "Maybe she'll be a cheerleader." Peyton knocks him in the ribs with her elbow: "Or maybe President. You've got to think big." He says, "Well, whatever makes her happy." Blah amazing, blah committed to her blah, blah no big deal, blah he saw her, blah he was hooked, blah idealized look at teenaged parents blah. Peyton says, "I bet you're a really great dad." He laughs, "Some days I wonder." Blah connection, blah set-up, blah de romance blah.
Luke's reading as he watches Peyton and Jake walk by. Nathan comes out, and the two brothers actually have a conversation. First, Luke says they missed Nathan at practice. Then, Nathan says, "Look, you don't have to be nice to me just because I'm going out with Haley, okay?" , Luke says, "I'm not; team sucks on D without you, man. Ask Whitey." Nathan's avoiding Whitey. Luke says that's cool, and that he should do what he's got to do. Nathan coolly says, "I always do." Holy crap! Communication sweeps through the Scott family. Haley comes up to Nathan and says, "Am I hallucinating? Did I just see you talking to Lucas?" Nathan sighs, "No, he was talking to me. The whole nice-guy thing is wearing a little thin." But maybe he is a nice guy, Nathan, if you give him a chance -- oh hell, what am I saying? There needs to be some conflict on this damn show. Keep them fighting at least for the little while so I have something to bitch about. Haley asks if Nathan wants to walk to English, but Nathan's got it in mind to skip a couple of classes. Does Haley want to join him? Is he serious? Yup, why not? At first, Haley resists, but she's got first-boyfriend-itis, so she changes her mind and skips right on into truancy. Ah, Haley, and we thought you were the good girl!
So, they "borrow" (read "steal") a car from Dan Scott Motors and drive off in a convertible. The shot finds them sitting on the beach, downing a bottle of vodka. Heh. Drunk Haley says, "So, are we trying to get killed?" Drunk Nathan mumbles, "I told you, my dad's in Charlotte." Haley's wearing a tea cozy on her head. Nathan reaches for the bottle and tells Haley that he's never seen her like that -- by "that," he means drunk and silly. She kisses him, and he wants to go inside. They do a silly drunken piggyback, but Haley wavers a bit; she's damn drunk. When they get to the top of the beach stairs, they find Dan staring down at them. Oh boy. Nathan says, "Nice knowing you." Dan's obviously peeved. Blah, this is how you're training, blah Mason Bowl, blah trouble, blah disappointed blah, Deb's going to love this blah. The whole time Dan's lecturing Nathan, Haley's trying to apologize. Ah, it's kind of sweet. Dan's got her by the arm, though, and he's basically muscling her into the car. Dan's still barking as he gets into the driver's side of the car, and then, in the greatest of all moments thus far on this show, Haley barfs up all her vodka tonics onto Dan's lap. Double ew, but quadruple heh.
Later on that night, at Karen's Café, Peyton and her dad have some dinner. He has some news: of course, it involves a job overseas, one where he'd be gone for three or four months. Peyton takes a deep breath and asks, "So what's the upside?" Larry tells her that it's a lot of money, and that maybe they could even afford art school for Peyton. He insists that he only wants to do it if it's right for them. She tells him that he should go, even though it's not what she really means.
Luke walks into the café and sees Haley. She's a wreck. She looks totally hung-over, which always happens when you start drinking in the afternoon. He asks, "What happened to you? You know I missed you in sixth period." Haley says, "Yeah, I kind of skipped." Luke applies the stone-mad face and bitches, "So, he's got you skipping school now?" Haley snaps (with as much sassy attitude as a major hangover can allow one to snap): "Luke, talk to me when you get that tattoo removed." Heh. Haley walks away into the back, and then Luke notices Peyton and her dad. Larry yells, "Lucas!" And then he teases Peyton about kicking up a fuss over Lucas. They whisper-tease each other about embarrassing Peyton, and it's really nice, actually. Larry invites Luke -- or, as he calls him, Rake Boy -- to sit down. As Luke sits down, he says, "I guess I'll never be able to live that one down." Peyton laughs and says, "Don't worry, he can be way worse." Her dad is hot -- hot like the guys were hot in The Perfect Storm; not exactly George Clooney, but manly, kind of seaworthy hot. Luke's been carrying a couple of books since he came into the café. Larry asks what he's reading, so Luke hands over the books. "You're reading Faulkner in school now?" Larry asks. Luke says, "Ah, no, I just love his stuff." Double word to that -- I was first introduced to Faulkner in high school, and As I Lay Dying remains one of my favourite books to this day. Anyway, Brooke saunters by wearing more makeup than RuPaul in her heyday; checks herself out in a car mirror; and then walks past the window. Of course, Brooke sees Luke sitting there with Peyton and her dad. Of course, she assumes the worst. Of course, all of her insecurities come washing to the surface. Inside, Peyton, Luke, and Larry are laughing and enjoying themselves. Peyton flips through Luke's book, and the three of them seem like a pretty picture -- oh, the drama. Poor Brooke, pretty girl with nothing running around her head these days except her own insecurities. Yawn.
Oh look! The day at school, Brooke's got a red t-shirt on. She comes up to Luke and asks him what he was doing with Peyton last night. Because she saw them, and it looked like they were getting pretty "friendly." Luke says that's because he and Peyton are friends, but Brooke's too upset, she wants to know what's going on with the two of them. Luke gently touches her chin with his fingers and says, "I thought we were dating." Only one wee touch isn't going to placate Brooke, she's too upset: "Well, it looked like you were dating Peyton. How messed up is that?" And then she walks away. Luke calls after her, but she's already gone. Peyton sees Luke, notices what happened, and asks what's going on. Luke explains, "She's mad; she saw us last night." Peyton insists, "I'll talk to her, tell her how bored I was listening to you and my dad talk about dead writers all night long." Luke leans his elbow on his locker and laughs. See, see? They get along really well; they should be together. When's he going to buy her a wall? When are they going to break up at the prom? Mr. Intuition says, "Are you okay? You just seemed kind of weird when your dad called me over." Now it's Peyton's turn to explain: "He had just told me about this horrid job he's taking in New Zealand so he's going to be gone, for like, ever now." Did she tell him not to go? "It's important to him," says Peyton. Luke insists, "He doesn't know it's important to you." Blah, St. Luke, blah advice, blah talk to her dad, blah he might surprise her blah.
Haley is doing her homework, looking at her watch, sighing audibly, and generally fussing about when Nathan finally shows up. Though relieved, she does tell him that she was beginning to give up on him. Nathan was off walking -- thinking, maybe -- and he lost track of time. It's cute; she's still hung-over. They laugh about Dan's pants for a bit. But Haley wants them to get cracking on their math. Wait! Nathan's got a better idea: Bottle Rocket's playing at a theatre downtown, and they could take the train in. Haley resists for a minute and then gives in, but only if they do equations on the train. When she's putting away her books, Nathan notices that Haley got an F on a test. Nathan tries to pull the story out, but Haley insists that she can make it up -- she missed a pop quiz when they skipped English the other day. Nathan thinks about it for a minute -- maybe considering the consequences of his examination, or rather, avoidance of basketball -- before he joins her.
Peyton bounds down the stairs -- and I'm glad to see that there's a room in her house other than her bedroom -- to find her dad fiddling with some new web cam. Larry laughs, "It's got two-way voice capability. No more hunt and peck!" I get it now; the web cam is so that her dad knows she's okay. That puts it in perspective. Peyton tries to be excited. Then, she tries to tell him how his leaving makes her feel, but before she can get the words out, he surprises her with a box of oil paints. And it's a sweet, if ill-timed, gesture. Now, she doesn't know what to say -- at first, she complains that they're too expensive. But her dad says no way, now that he's got this new job. And now she's really got to try hard to hide her disappointment. No wonder Peyton's all rolled up in issues -- everybody does leave her.
Back at Faux Florrie's Office of Destroyed Marriages, Florence tries to get Dan and Deb to talk about their relationship. She asks how Nathan's doing, and before Deb can get a word in edgewise, Dan's already on a tirade about how the kid's "totally out of control." Yes -- in his world, one drunken afternoon coupled with the mere thought of quitting basketball means the world has ended and Nathan's headed for disaster. Do they think he's totally incapable of finding his own way outside the court? Dan insists that Nathan was a good kid because he kept busy with sports. Deb insists that Nathan needs to find himself outside of sports. Blah bickering, blah, nastiness, blah. Faux Florrie asks what Dan about basketball. His first response is totally sarcastic: "You put a ball through a hoop." Florrie doesn't bite, nor does she play by those rules, and asks, "What do you think Nathan gets out of it?" Dan tells her Nathan gets structure and discipline, which is true, and that he gets to know he's the best at something. Deb interjects, "And also you get to relive your past and feel good about yourself." Faux Florrie drops Nathan as a subject; she wants to get to the crux of the issue: who are Deb and Dan Scott? Dan looks at his wife. Deb looks back at him. Neither says a word. How telling is that? And how awful would it be to realize the breakdown of your marriage in front of Faux Florrie and her wing-tipped hair?
Whitey finds Nathan standing in the gym, staring at the hoop. He jokes, "You're late! Practice was over about five hours ago." Nathan says that he drove past and saw Woda's car: "Don't you ever go home?" Woda laughs, and then replies, "Sometimes I think this is my home." He sits down on the bleachers and continues, "Well, is this a hit and run or a sit-down?" Nathan admits that it's a sit-down, and then finds his place beside Whitey. And you know, it's the first time Nathan's actually gone to Whitey for advice; usually, he's just smart-mouthing his way into following in his father's footsteps. Nathan says, "I don't know what I'm going to do, Coach." He sighs, folds his hands together, and drops his head. And I get teary. I'm sorry, but I do. What do you expect? I'm a girl, for heaven's sake. Whitey puts his arm around Nathan and starts with a little of the patented Woda advice: "Nathan, nobody can make you do anything you don't really want to." Nathan says, "And by 'nobody,' you mean my dad." Woda continues, "Let me ask you a question. Let's take your father out of the picture --" Nathan interrupts: "I wish." Woda: "Let's take out all the pressure, and anything that you've got to do to be as good as you are, and ask yourself one simple question: do you really love this game?" Nathan thinks for a minute before he replies, "I do, but I just hate what it's doing to my life." Woda thoughtfully says, "You may have just found your answer."
The day at school, Peyton's drawing on a bench outside the school. Brooke -- who today is wearing burgundy, a familiar friend to the red family -- comes walking up to her, sits down, and says, "Wanna know what I think?" Peyton holds her pen still for a second and replies, "I'm sure you'll tell me." Well, Brooke thinks Luke's trying to have the best of both worlds: he's using Peyton for some emotional/intellectual thing, and Brooke he just uses. Peyton says, "Come on, he's not like that." Brooke exasperates, "He's a guy! Follow the nature trail, and they're all the same." Peyton half-screams, "Look, you can have any guy you want, and now you have Lucas." She calms down a bit to add, "So now could you just sit back and enjoy it?" Pause. "He likes you, I like you, okay. So trust him, trust me, and try trusting yourself, okay?" Good, solid advice from a best friend. You know, the more we see the two of them, the more it's Brooke who actually confides in Peyton, and not the other way around.
Larry's in Peyton's room installing the new web cam. He looks around at all the drawings. She has gotten stuff back up on her walls after ripping it down at the beginning of the season. The images are mainly her cartoons -- stark pictures of Peyton's angst about her mom, about her being alone, about missing her dad. In fact, Larry takes a good long look around. Luke walks in unannounced. Larry quips, "Doorbell broken?" Luke explains that Peyton never hears it because she's always got her music on. For some reason, Larry finds the need to confide in Lucas: "I tell myself I'm doing what's best for my daughter, that she should have whatever she wants." Luke says, "What she wants is you." He holds out a copy of Thud: "Did you see her comic strip today?" It's four panels. In the first, a really little girl waves goodbye to a boat. In the , she's older; in the , even older still, until the final panel, when she's grown up, and there's no trace of the boat left on the open waters. Luke tells Larry that it's supposed to be anonymous, so it's their secret. Larry nods and looks kind of shocked and upset. St. Luke strikes again.
Nathan comes up to Haley. She's doing her homework as she walks. Heh. I used to do the same thing. Nathan wants to talk for a minute. They sit. He says, "Haley, I've had a lot of fun with you lately." Pause. "I'm trying to apologize for dragging you out of class these last couple days." She tells him that she's had fun. But he tells her that it's not cool that she got an F on her exam. Haley: "Well, so what, I make my own choices and I choose to be with you." Blah, he likes her, blah just as she is, blah he doesn't want her to change, blah the real Haley wouldn't get an F, blah. Nathan says, "I like the fact that somebody like you sees something in me." Haley pouts for a minute: "Somebody like me, or me?" Nathan smiles, tells her she already knows the answer to that, and then kisses her.
Luke's eating something in Peyton's kitchen when she gets home. She sees him and asks, "Are you waiting for me?" He says, "Actually, I'm just hanging out with your dad." She laughs, "God help me." Peyton tells him that he'd better talk to Brooke, because she's convinced that she's not being a good enough girlfriend. Larry comes downstairs at that very minute with his tack bag all packed, ready to go. Peyton whines something about his staying until Wednesday. Luke takes that as his cue to leave the room. Larry explains that that was before he turned down the job -- he took a three-week one instead, and then, he's only taking local jobs so that they can be a family again. Peyton says, "Daddy, don't joke with me." It's no joke, blah he loves what he does, blah, not as much as he loves his daughter, blah she's been alone enough, blah, keep talking, blah they need to communicate blah. A horn beeps outside, and Luke comes back in, saying that Larry's ride is there. He calls Larry "Mr. Sawyer." It's cute. On the way out, Larry says, "Lucas, you keep an eye on this one for me, all right?" Luke smiles and says he will. Larry and Peyton embrace, and she tells him that she'll leave the light on for him. And there's no sawdust, or even any wooden toys around. I don't hear knees cracking from the weight of the wood, nor does Peyton run into the arms of the nearby kitchen table. Good work! On his way out, Larry says, "By the way, I like your comic strip." He smiles. Peyton gives Luke a look, and he sort of shakes his shoulders and half-grins. St. Luke strikes again, and then again. Yawn.
Brooke waits on the porch for Luke to come home. He sits down beside her, and she whines, "Keith said you were at Peyton's -- again." Luke explains that he was actually hanging out with Peyton's dad, if that makes any difference. Blah she wants to talk, blah. Brooke says, "I'm not sure if we have a problem or if I have a problem." Luke wants to know what the problem is. Brooke says that she's herself and he's himself, blah she does what she does, and she likes what she likes and that's who she is. And I'm confused with all the shes and hes and theirs and thems and likes and dislikes. Luke knows this; he also likes her for who she is, and she doesn't have to pretend to be anything or anyone else. Brooke says that she'll never be into the books he reads or the music he listens to. And Luke says that's okay, because he likes that they're different. But really, when it comes down to it, Brooke's scared because she cares a lot about Luke, and that's never happened before. Only Brooke doesn't say it eloquently; she actually says Luke's the first guy she's ever given a "rat's ass" about. So, Luke says he gives a "rat's ass" about Brooke too, and it's good because the rodents don't nearly get enough love. Blah smooches, blah.
Nathan comes to see his father at the beach house. Dan doesn't say hello; he just asks if Deb knows that Nathan's there. She does. Now that that's all cleared up, Nathan and his father have the first true conversation of quite possibly their entire relationship. Nate apologizes for all the crap he's been pulling. Dan reassures him that they'll get through it. Nate wants to know how, and how they are going to get beyond basketball: "I know you're upset about me missing practice and stuff, but I'm not sure I'll ever be the player you used to be --" Pause. Nate takes a deep breath before he continues, "And I'm starting to think that maybe you chose the wrong son." Now, that just about breaks Dan's ice-cold heart. He says he's proud of Nathan, no matter what Nathan does; he even tells Nathan that he loves him, although that amount of emotion almost sets his robotic circuits on overload.
Nathan shoots some baskets at the River Court. Luke arrives, and it's like the beginning of the show, only in reverse. Nathan says, "I was looking for you." He bounces the ball once, and then again. Nathan: "I'm done. I just wanted you to be the first to know." Luke responds by saying, "Me?" Nathan: "You wanted my world, man; it's all yours." He tosses the ball at his half-brother and walks away, leaving Luke staring at Nathan, wondering what the hell just happened.
Jenny bawls. Maybe because she's still strapped into her damn car seat. And if Jake would pick her up, she might stop crying, but that's not what happens. He gives her a set of keys and she calms down. Don't know if that's a sign of how much he likes Peyton or how he's a good daddy -- but whatever, because this scene was kind of useless, and you know how hard it is for me to be that critical of my Jake.
Deb looks into Nate's empty room, and concern washes over her face.
Peyton turns on the porch light for her dad.
Brooke and Luke make out in the back of her car.
And Dan sits on the beach stairs, looking at the water, finally taking stock of his life.
Luke's voice-over is from The Little Prince. Whitey watches as Nathan peels the "Scott" off his locker. He tosses the ball of tape into the trash can and, of course, sinks it straight in. Nathan walks past Whitey, and it's official: he's quit the team.
week: Peyton's dad goes missing at sea, and they've found a body. Lucas takes her to the port, but the bridge is out, and they can't get through. They have to spend the night in a hotel. And then they end up fooling around -- was it the pressure? On the way back, Peyton says, "It doesn't mean anything." Luke quietly says, "It didn't?" Let the love games begin. Do they tell Brooke? Don't they? I guess we'll just have to wait and find out.