2016 ― Tree Hill, North Carolina

Dear Lucas,
I think by now you may have figured out I'm the one who gives Keith cards for you for Christmas and your birthday. I don't know why I do it through him and not just give them to you directly. Maybe part of me thinks you'd reject them if you knew they came from me. I know that's presumptuous. The same kind of assumptions I hate that people make about me, so I'm sorry I did it to you, too. I just didn't know how you would feel about them if you knew they came from me, but surprise. I guess I left them unsigned because I was paranoid about Dan finding out. How stupid is that? I shouldn't care what he thinks, but I don't know when you have a parent that plays strong mental games with you, you do anything to stay in their good graces. Sad, right?
Logan S.

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Logan stopped by Karen's Cafe. She wanted to see how Karen was doing, and ask her about potentially moving in. She didn't know if Karen knew whether Haley and Nathan were married or not, and their lease still wasn't up for a couple of months, so she wasn't going to be moving out right away, it costs too much to break the lease. Logan noticed the sign on the cafe was flipped to closed, but she tested the door to see if Karen locked it, and she didn't.

"Closed during the day?" Logan asked as she walked inside.

"I guess my heart just wasn't in it today," Karen said as she turned around from the stool and looked at her daughter. Logan frowned as she wrapped her arms around Karen and hugged her. Karen appreciated the hug and squeezed her close.

"I miss him too," Logan said as they pulled away and Karen sighed.

"I understand why he thought he had to leave... I just wish he didn't," Karen said and Logan nodded her head.

"I can help you clean up if you want?" Logan offered and Karen shook her head.

"You don't have to do that. Don't you have plans with Brooke and Peyton today?" She asked and Logan shrugged as she nodded.

"Yeah, but if you want me to stay, I can. I can reschedule with them," Logan said and Karen shook her head.

"No, you should go. One of us should be productive today," Karen said. Logan nodded and smiled at her.

"If you need me, let me know," Logan said and Karen nodded.

"Thank you, sweetheart. Go have fun."

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"Hey, girl!" Brooke Davis exclaimed. Peyton slightly jumped from her position and turned to see Brooke and Logan standing in her doorway. The girls high-fived and laughed while Peyton rolled her eyes but she was still smiling.

"Doesn't anyone ring a doorbell in this town?" Peyton asked.

"Some do, we don't. Let's go," Logan said as she shrugged. It's been a while since she's had a day to hang out with Brooke and Peyton, just the three of them. Now that their season is over, they have the rest of their junior year ahead of them, and it wasn't that much longer. She wanted more time with them before senior year had them busy and probably pulled them in separate directions as they figured out what they wanted to do with their lives.

"And where are we going?" Peyton asked.

"It's day two of the Brooke, Peyton, and Logan 'hoes over bros,' even though Lo has a boyfriend, reunion tour. Move it," Brooke said as she walked out of the room. Logan looked at Peyton and noticed she was looking at something in her bag. She pulled out an envelope and Logan raised an eyebrow.

"What's that?" Logan asked.

"A letter... Lucas wrote it and addressed it to Brooke and me," Peyton said.

"Are you going to tell her?" Logan asked.

"I don't know. I got it off my door yesterday, and I haven't opened it. I just don't know if it'll make a difference, or if it'll come between us again," Peyton said and Logan frowned.

"I think you should tell her and then you two decide together whether or not you want to read it," Logan said. Peyton nodded and opened her mouth to say something, but then Brooke was yelling for both of them.

"Come on, you fake blonde goldilocks! Let's go!" Brooke exclaimed. Logan laughed as she turned to Peyton and shrugged.

"Let's go."

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Brooke took Peyton and Logan down to the docks where all the private boats and yachts were sitting. One thing that Logan loved about living on the coast of North Carolina was the beach. She thought the beach was absolutely beautiful and she loved being near the water, but none of them brought their suits, so Logan wasn't sure if they'd be swimming today.

"Brooke, what are you up to?" Peyton asked.

"You've both been on my Dad's boat before," Brooke said like it was nothing new, and it wasn't. But normally Brooke's dad is with them.

"Yeah, with your Dad," Logan said.

"Details. It's like driving a car just on water and without a speed limit," Brooke said. Peyton and Logan exchanged looks. They knew Brooke had never driven the boat before and they didn't want to capsize or die.

"Brooke," Logan and Peyton said.

"Peyton... Logan... look at us and look at this day. We are practically a beer commercial," Brooke said. Peyton and Logan laughed while Logan shook her head. "It would be wrong to not take advantage, so let's go. Hop on bestest friends," She said. Peyton and Logan looked at each other and nodded.

They were quickly on the water.

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"Listen, do you hear that?" Brooke Davis asked her friends. They had stopped in the middle of the water, and they were lying on the deck of the boat, taking in the sun. It was peaceful, and Logan was having a great time. She wasn't thinking about food, binging, or purging. Her mind was quiet.

"Hear what?" Logan asked.

"Silence. It's nice," Brooke said and Logan smiled because it was nice, being out with her best friends and not worrying about anything.

"Yeah. At least it was until you started talking," Peyton teased and they all laughed again.

"So, what do you guys want to do after this? I was thinking, maybe some ice cream, a little lingerie, facial," Brooke said.

"It's okay to miss him, Brooke," Logan said.

"Miss who?" Brooke asked.

"My brother," Logan said.

"I don't... miss him," Brooke said, and then she paused. "Really. I mean, maybe a little, you know, now that he moved but... Whatever there are other fish in the sea. Peyton and I will find new boyfriends, considering who we are, and then the three of us can all go on triple dates," Brooke said and Logan laughed.

"Yeah, his loss. Jake's too," Peyton said.

"Wanna know a secret?" Brooke asked.

"Hmm?" Peyton asked.

"I was secretly pulling for you and Jake," Brooke said and Logan smiled.

"Me too. You guys were cute together," Logan agreed.

"Really?" Peyton asked us.

"Yeah," Logan said.

"Even when I was at the top of your bitch list?" Peyton asked.

"Even then. You know why?" Brooke asked.

"Why?" Peyton asked.

"Because I wasn't into him," Brooke teased, making them laugh more. Then the girls heard a bunch of whistling. When they sat up on the elbows and opened their eyes, they saw a boat full of boys passing by. Brooke lifted up her shirt and flashed them. Peyton and Logan laughed as they cheered more as their boat passed by.

"I can't believe you just did that," Logan said as she laughed.

"Boys are so easy. We could swim if we had suits," Brooke said. Logan and Peyton exchanged the same mischievous look.

"When has that ever stopped us?" Peyton asked.

The girls all shared a look before discarding their clothes and jumping naked into the ocean. Logan was grateful that the water was warm. That was another nice thing about living in North Carolina, since the temperature was more or less warm all year round, the ocean was also warm.

She was having a great time.

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"You having fun, P. Sawyer, L. Scott?" Brooke asked the girls when they had gotten back on the boat, dried off, and got redressed. Logan was having a great day, for the first time since finding out about what happened when she was a baby, she was genuinely enjoying herself.

"Hell yes, B. Davis, you?" Logan asked.

"Yeah, I've been thinking about Lucas. It's not that he left it's... kinda how he left. I just can't believe he didn't say goodbye," Brooke said. Logan frowned as she looked at Peyton, knowing what she was holding onto. Peyton sighed as she reached into her bag.

"Brooke, there's something I need to show you," Peyton said as she pulled out the envelope that was addressed to them. "It was taped to my front door yesterday," She said.

"This is from Lucas," Brooke said after she looked at the envelope and saw both of their names on it.

"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have hid it from you," Peyton said. Brooke sighed, and Logan could tell she was trying not to get mad, but she was frustrated.

"But you did. I've been carrying around the fact that he left without a word and you've had the words the whole time and didn't tell me?" Brooke asked. To be fair, Peyton only found it yesterday.

"I was going to," Peyton defended.

"When!? After you read it first?" Brooke snapped at her.

"No! I wouldn't do that, I promise!" Peyton said. Brooke stood up from the deck and shook her head while walking toward the wheel.

"Whatever Peyton, we should head back."

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Logan thought the ride back was short, silent, and awkward. When they got back to the docks, Brooke stormed off and Logan nudged Peyton to go after her. She just got both of her friends back, she doesn't want them to fall out again.

"Brooke, wait up!" Peyton exclaimed.

"You should've told me about the letter, Peyton," Brooke said as she stopped walking to let her friends catch up with her.

"I know," Peyton said.

"Then why didn't you? Why would you hide it from me?" Brooke asked.

"Because the three of us were having fun again!" Peyton said. Logan noticed Brooke's demeanor shifted from tense to calm. "Brooke, having our friendship back and the three of us being able to hang out together again has been really great. You know... I figured Lucas was gone so it didn't matter what was in the letter because it was just going to come between us," Peyton said.

"Why would you think that?" Brooke asked.

"Remember when the three of us used to get up every Tuesday morning and ride our bikes to the mall?" Peyton asked. They both nodded.

"So, you could buy some stupid CDs and Logan could buy more art supplies," Brooke said.

"Yeah, and you could buy make-up your Mom wouldn't let you wear," Logan said and they all started laughing as Brooke nodded.

"We'd spend half the day in my bedroom just listening to music and putting on awful eye shadow, and that was just the Tuesdays. We used to do a lot of really great stuff until guys got in the way," Peyton said. Logan could tell Brooke was trying to fight a smile.

"I was actually just going to the mall with the two of you to check out Roy," Brooke said.

"Brooke... we were 9," Logan said.

"What's your point?" She asked and they all started laughing again.

"Okay... I am sorry. I should've shown you the letter, but considering our history, it scared me... so I just... wanted my friends back for a little while," Peyton said to them. Brooke shook her head as a wide smile spread across her face and she wrapped her arms around both of them.

"Come on, you goofs, my goodness!"

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The sun was setting and the girls started a bonfire on the beach, and they were all sitting together. Logan hadn't checked her phone all day and she hadn't thought about it because she was having fun with her friends. She hadn't thought about eating in excess, working out, none of it.

"So, I've been thinking. I'm done with boyfriends for a while," Brooke said.

"Right. Brooke Davis, solo?" Logan asked. She wasn't trying to be rude, but Brooke has always been the kind of girl where she's always had a boy on her arm, so Logan was surprised to hear this from her.

"Relationships are just too hard. Hooking up with boys is so much easier," Brooke said. Logan disagreed with that. Even if she wasn't in a relationship, she's never been into casual hookups. That gets too messy.

"So, I've been thinking," Peyton said as she picked up the letter from the top of her bag. "I don't wanna read the letter. I mean, you can. I just... whatever it says, I don't want to know," Peyton said. Brooke and Logan both looked at her.

"Are you sure?" Logan asked.

"I mean, it's not going to change how I feel," Peyton said.

"About Lucas?" Brooke asked.

"Yeah, about him. Or you, or me. I don't know. Aren't you tired of measuring yourself by what guys think? I just... I need to stop chasing boys and focus on myself more. I mean, look at Roman and Lo. Her whole life, she never once chased after him and their relationship happened naturally. That's what I want," Peyton said and Logan smiled.

"You'll get it. Both of you will," She said and Brooke smiled.

"Well, until then. Hoes over Bros?" Brooke asked as she held out her fist. Peyton knocked her fist against Brooke's first and then Logan did. Then Brooke threw the letter into the fire. Peyton's eyes widened and Logan laughed a little.

"Well, I hope he didn't send you guys money," Logan teased. Brooke and Peyton both looked at her in shock and then she laughed. Logan grabbed Peyton's bag so she could check her phone since she hadn't all day. When she pressed the power button, her notifications were blown up.

Ro 💗: iMessage [10]; Missed Call [14]; Voicemail [4]; Missed FaceTime Call [6]

Dark-Haired Brother 🏀: iMessage [15]; Missed Call [18]; Voicemail [8]; Missed FaceTime Call [10]

Blonde-Haired Brother 🏀: iMessage [6]; Missed Call [3]; Voicemail [3]; Missed FaceTime Call [6]

Mom 🧏🏼‍♀️: iMessage [35]; Missed Call [20]; Voicemail [10]

Karen 😌: Missed Call [5]; Voicemail [5]

Logan's eyes widened when she saw how many missed notifications she had. She didn't realize being off-grid for one day was such a big deal. Roman, Nathan, and Karen knew she was spending the day with Brooke and Peyton.

"Hey, Lo. It's Roman. I know you're with Peyton and Brooke, but you need to get to the hospital. It's serious. Please call me or someone."

"Lo, it's Nate. Why aren't you answering your phone? Where the hell are you guys? I tried Peyton and Brooke's houses, but no one is answering and no one is there. Dad had a heart attack. Call me back as soon as you get this!"

Logan's eyes widened as she realized why everyone was trying to get ahold of her.

"Hey, it's Luke. I know I'm not in Tree Hill and we're new to the whole siblings thing, but your Mom called. She couldn't get ahold of you and she called Keith. I know Dan had a heart attack. Whenever you get this, can you call someone back? Everyone's worried, Lo. Just let me know you're alright."

"Logan May, I know you don't live with me anymore, but you're still my daughter. Where are you? Your father had a heart attack and we don't know if he's going to make it. Call me, or come to the hospital when you get this. Please."

Logan frowned because she could hear Deb crying in her voicemail. Logan wasn't on the best terms with either of her parents, but Dan was still her Dad and she didn't want him to die. Then she listened to one of Karen's voicemails.

"Hey, Logan. I know you're with Brooke and Peyton, but your Mom and Nathan said they couldn't reach you so I thought I'd try. Your father had a heart attack and it's not looking too good. You should probably call one of them back or get to the hospital."

Logan turned off her phone and immediately stood up from the ground. Peyton and Brooke looked at her. "You okay, L. Scott?" Brooke asked. Logan shook her head.

"My Dad had a heart attack... I have to go to the hospital, I'm so sorry. I had fun today," Logan said as she quickly walked away. They weren't too far away from Peyton's house, where she had left her car when she and Brooke came to get Peyton at the beginning of the day.

Then she went to the hospital.

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"Mom!" Logan exclaimed when she got to the hospital. She asked for Dan Scott's room and was told by a snarky nurse, that since he was in the ICU, only immediate family, to which Logan snarkily responded that she was Dan's daughter. Deb Scott stood up when she heard her daughter's voice and she pulled her into a hug.

"Where have you been?" Deb asked.

"I'm sorry. I was with Brooke and Peyton all day and we had our phones off. Is Dad okay? Is he going to die?" Logan asked. Deb shrugged as she started to cry again. Logan frowned. Was it really that bad? She thought about the last thing she told her father.

That she loved and hated him with equal measure.

"I don't know, sweetie. The doctors say he could wake up, but it all depends on him," Deb said. Logan frowned as she hugged her Mom again. One thing about her Dad was that he was always there. He was everywhere and somehow knew everything. Now he was lying in a hospital bed, dying.

Logan felt a hand on her shoulder and when she turned around, her eyes widened. "Uncle Keith... you and Lucas came back?" She asked. Keith nodded before wrapping his arms around Logan and Deb and hugging them both.

"I heard you were a hard one to get in contact with," Keith said and Logan laughed a little.

"I was hanging out with Brooke and Peyton. I didn't want to be distracted by my phone, but goodness. I wasn't expecting that. Are you guys back for good?" Logan asked as they pulled away.

"I know Luke is... I'm still a bit uncertain," Keith said and Logan frowned.

"Well, you're here now. That's what matters. I missed you," Logan said and Keith smiled.

"I missed you too, kiddo," He said. Logan looked through the window into Dan's room and saw he was unconscious still, and Logan sighed.

"Is he going to be okay?" She asked. Even though her Mom just told her the doctors said it was up to him, she was still scared.

"I don't know, kiddo," Keith said. Deb nodded and ran her fingers through her daughter's hair and Logan smiled. She was grateful for the comfort.

"We just have to hope for the best."

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it's dan though, should we really hope for the best? welcome to s2! 

don't forget to vote/comment. xoxo.