2015 ― Tree Hill, North Carolina

Dear Lucas,
What's it like not having to hear two people arguing about you? Nathan escapes to Roman's house and I go to Peyton's, but I shouldn't feel like I need to leave the comfort of my own house and room. Why can't my parents take their screaming matches somewhere else? I doubt Karen and Keith fight. I know they're not together, but I know Keith basically raised you, and I'm sure he and Karen never had arguments. I love Uncle Keith dearly and always wished he came around more. Nathan would have benefitted from having him around, but you know Dan... he got his claws in first and he wasn't going to let any outside influences take Nathan away from him. I know what my answer is, but what's your favorite moment with Uncle Keith? I would love to know.
Logan S.

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The Scott Family, Dan, Deb, Logan, and Nathan, all sat in a therapist's office. Dan and Deb were seated together on one couch while Nathan and Logan were seated together on the cushioned chair. There was room for them on the couch, but they didn't want to sit with them. And since Logan is small, and Nathan doesn't take up the entire chair, they were both able to fit in it, but Logan is only slightly on Nathan's lap.

"The truth is hard, but hostility stays outside. Who would like to start?" Gloria, the therapist, asked.

"Well, you're the one with all the answers, Doc. Why don't you tell us?" Dan said and Logan rolled her eyes.

"Hostility stays outside, Dan," Gloria repeated.

"Things have gotten out of hand, so we thought we could use some...-" Deb started to explain, but Dan cut her off.

"...-No. You thought," He said.

"Objectively," Deb said.

"Define gotten out of hand... Nathan?" Gloria said as she turned to the siblings.

"Pass," Nathan said.

"Logan?" She asked.

"Okay... Our Mom is gone all of the time and our Dad is a controlling asshole. That about sums it up," Logan said.

"Hostility...-" Logan cut Gloria off.

"...-Stays outside, I know, I know... but there is quite literally no other way to describe Dan Scott," Logan said as she shrugged.

"We also reached a breaking point two weeks ago when my son...-" Dan cut Deb off again.

"...-You hear that? Her son," Dan said.

"Can you just shut up and let Mom talk!?" Logan snapped. She was getting tired of her Dad cutting her Mom off every time she tried to say something. This session wasn't going to be productive at all if it kept going like this.

"Hostility aside, Logan is right. Deb is speaking now, and you will have your turn after her, Dan," Gloria said.

"When our son collapsed on the basketball court after taking drugs to boost his performance," Deb finished her explanation.

"The kid made a mistake, he knows that," Dan said and Logan shook her head.

"Do you see that? This is a common thing that happens. He always finds a way to dismiss the things we do as making a mistake when my brother literally almost died trying to make that man happy," Logan said in disgust. Deb nodded as she echoed from her daughter.

"My daughter is right. Their father has been bullying Nathan about the sport since he was old enough to hold a ball. He tried to get Logan into the game too, but thank goodness she took more of a liking to gymnastics and cheer," Deb said.

"Is that true, Nathan?" Gloria said as she turned to him.

"Their mother is so quick to put the blame on me, but up until recently, her job always came first," Dan snapped and Logan rolled her eyes.

"One, her being gone for work doesn't give you the right to treat your kids like crap. Two, the question was for Nathan, and three, what you said wasn't even an answer to said question," Logan said as she rolled her eyes.

"That has also been a common occurrence. Back talking," Dan said and Logan rolled her eyes.

"I changed my behavior, Dan, and you haven't. You wonder why Logan talks to you the way she does? Because you antagonize her into it. You antagonize both of our children, and you can't seem to lose this unhealthy obsession you have with basketball and how Nathan plays it," Deb said.

"She blames me for her shortcomings as a mother," Dan said.

"That's not at all what she said," Logan said.

"Okay... I think we got some things out in the open. Nathan, Logan, do you think that basketball is part of your family's problem?" Gloria asked. Logan laughed.

"Part of? It's the main problem. That man is actually insane. All he does is talk about how good of an NBA player he would've been if he hadn't blown out his knee. He constantly taunts Nathan and says he'll never beat his records at our high school and Nathan will never be as good as he was. My brother started playing this game because he loved it. Now it's more of an obligation than it is a passion. His choices are to either fail in front of our insane father or quit... either way, he loses," Logan said. Nathan gave his sister an appreciative look. She had basically summed up exactly how he felt. Gloria nodded and turned to Nathan.

"Nathan, do you agree with your sister?" Gloria asked and Nathan nodded.

"Yeah... she pretty much summed it up perfectly," Nathan said.

"Do you still like playing?" She asked.

"I honestly don't know anymore," Nathan said. Logan looked at Dan's face and saw the scowl that came across it. Logan wasn't opposed to continuing family therapy since she's still in individual therapy, but she didn't want her Dad to be part of the sessions anymore. She knew they weren't going to make progress if he was there.

"Great. Nice breakthrough, Nate. Thanks, Doc," Dad said as he stood up from the couch and walked to the door.

"Dan!" Deb called out.

"Hustle up! No way this is helping," Dan snapped as he stormed out. Logan looked at Gloria and gestured to the door.

"See? Hustle up... always basketball, all the time," Logan said. She removed her legs from across Nathan's lap and they both stood up from the chair.

"I'm so sorry," Deb apologized to Gloria before running out after Dan. Logan and Nathan looked at her one last time before following their parents out. Logan wasn't surprised that when they got to the parking lot, their parents were already arguing.

"You're right, Dan. We don't need a shrink to identify this family's problem. You just made it obvious," Deb snapped and Logan rolled her eyes. Her mother was right, but she was not in the mood to stand there and listen to them fight.

"I'm not their only parent, Deb," Dan snapped back and then he turned to Nathan and Logan. "Hey, why don't you two ride with your old man," He said.

"Stop it, Dan," Deb snapped back and then she turned to her kids. "Come on, Nathan, Logan, let's go," She said.

"Let the kids make up their own minds. What do you say?" Dan asked.

"Nate... Lo," Deb said.

The siblings looked at each other, reading each other's eyes. Neither of them wanted to ride with either parent. Logan raised an eyebrow, Nathan nodded, and then the siblings turned in the opposite direction and walked away.

"Nathan! Logan!" Dan called out after them, but they didn't stop walking. Nathan wrapped his arm around his sister's shoulder, and Logan wrapped hers around his torso, and they kept walking.

They didn't look back.

⇎⇎⇎⇎⇎⇎

Logan was now at school and sitting in the library with Roman. They both had a free period, so they were in the library. Roman was waiting to hear how family therapy went. He already knew that Logan was in individual therapy, and has been since she was discharged from the eating disorder hospital, but they only talk about that when she brings it up.

"So... are you going to leave me in suspense or tell me how it went?" Roman asked.

"How do you think it went? It was a waste of time. If family therapy is going to be productive, my Dad can't be there anymore," Logan said as she shook her head.

"It was really that bad?" Roman asked. Logan looked up from her homework and pushed her glasses down to make a point. She normally wears contacts, but she was so exhausted and drained that she didn't feel like putting in an effort today, so she left her contacts at home, threw her hair in a bun, and wore her glasses.

"Roman, it was horrible. We didn't make any progress. My mom kept trying to explain things, Dad kept interrupting her, and I kept snapping at him because he was pissing me off. And all he did was prove my Mom's points," Logan said as she pushed her glasses back up.

"I'm sorry, Lo," He said and she shook her head.

"We can't all have Karen's and Keith's... Just another thing for me to process with my therapist," Logan said as she laughed a little.

"I know that's the truth," Roman said and they both laughed.

"Speaking of Keith. Mom told us that Keith wanted to talk to us. I talk to Keith all the time, but Nathan doesn't. My Dad wasn't happy that I had a relationship with Keith, I guess he couldn't allow for all three of his kids to be close to their uncle," Logan said as she rolled her eyes.

"I think that's the key," Roman said. Logan put her pencil down so she could fully pay attention to what Roman was saying.

"What do you mean?" Logan asked.

"Your Dad abandoned Lucas, and he's never been able to control you the way he wants to. You have a relationship with Keith, but you don't play basketball. But Nathan? Nathan was the one he put everything into. Controlling him with basketball, not letting him do much of anything outside of basketball or preparing for it. Keeping him close, not letting many people around him. Textbook power and control," Roman said and Logan sighed.

"Nathan has spent his whole life trying to live up to Dad's expectations," Logan said.

"And that's the thing. No matter what Nathan does, he'll never meet them. Your Dad created this cycle of dependency and control where all Nathan wants is his approval, and Dan never giving it is what keeps Nathan in his clutches to continue striving for it," Roman said and Logan frowned.

"Your Dad did the same, didn't he?" Logan asked and Roman nodded, making her sigh. "You know... My Mom even said to him once that Lucas and Nathan might get along if he encouraged it, and you know what he responded? That there was a chance hell could freeze over," Logan said and Roman laughed.

"Oh, it's obvious why your Dad doesn't want the three of you to get along," Roman said.

"Okay, Dr. Psychology, please do tell," Logan said and he laughed again.

"He knows he's a horrible father. He abandoned Karen while she was pregnant and got your mom pregnant, what? Three months later? He knows he hasn't been the best father to you or Nathan either. He knows that if you and your brothers form a strong bond with each other, he'll lose the control he has over you. He's threatened by that," Roman said.

"Really? He's threatened at the prospect of his children getting along?" Logan asked.

"The Scott Siblings? Hell yeah. If he's worked this hard to try and make you and Nathan hate Lucas, and not acknowledge him as your brother, he doesn't want you to get along. He knows if you do, you'll all turn against him. Your father is a textbook narcissist. He can't allow anything to happen that will cast him out of the center of your lives," Roman said.

"As I said... Dr. Psychology," Logan said and Roman laughed.

"I've always noticed that behavior over the years as I've known you and Nathan, but getting into psychology more has given me the correct terminology for all my observations," Roman said and Logan laughed.

"So, you're gonna give up basketball and be a psychologist?" She asked and Roman laughed.

"No... but, I will need another job once I retire from the NBA. You can only play at such a high and intense level for so long before it wears on your body. And I can use the money I make in the NBA to go back to school," Roman said and Logan smiled.

"Sounds like you've got it all figured out. NBA star, Dr. Roman Castillo," Logan said and Roman laughed while shaking his head.

"Yeah, right," He said and Logan smiled.

"You're onto something, Roman... to be continued."

⇎⇎⇎⇎⇎⇎

After school, Nathan and Logan went to Keith's body shop at the garage. The car in front of them started to lower, and Keith was revealed behind it. Logan smiled at her Uncle and Nathan cleared his throat. "Mom said you wanted to see us," Nathan said.

"Yeah. Hand me that ratchet, would you?" Keith asked. Nathan nodded, grabbed what Keith was pointing to, and handed it to him. "So, how are you guys holding up?" He asked.

"Why? Are you going to report it back to our Mom?" Nathan asked.

"Hey, don't be an ass. Keith is cool, and he's our Uncle," Logan said as she hit Nathan on the shoulder. He rolled his eyes and Logan sighed.

"It's not like that, Nate. Look, I know you and I haven't talked very much and I'm sorry about that. That's just a fallout from your Dad and me. I know Logan comes to see me all the time but believe me... Your father didn't want that to happen and he was pissed when he found out. But, I know the two of you are going through some tough times, so I am here if you need anything," Keith said. Logan watched as Nathan registered Keith's words and he looked almost relieved.

"Well... let me ask you something. You played basketball in high school, right?" Nathan asked and Keith nodded.

"Yeah, only for a little while," He said.

"You didn't enjoy it?" Nathan asked. Keith laughed as he shook his head.

"What, 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 into high school and made everything a competition," Keith said. Logan shook her head.

"Sounds like him," Logan said as she rolled her eyes and Keith laughed.

"So then you just walked away?" Nathan asked like he couldn't believe it.

"I only looked back at the cheerleaders. It's just a game, Nathan, not a lifestyle."

⇎⇎⇎⇎⇎⇎

Logan sat in her therapist's office. Logan was referred to Kiah once she was discharged from the eating disorder hospital to continue outpatient therapy. While in the hospital, Logan participated in individual counseling sessions twice a week, and group counseling once a week. When Logan was first discharged, she and Kiah would also meet twice a week. Once Logan started showing progress and was comfortable, they moved down to once a week, and that's where they have been for the last month.

"How did family therapy go?" Kiah asked Logan, who let out a loud groan, making Kiah laugh. "That bad?" She asked.

"Kiah... it was a shitshow. It was my mom trying to explain things, my dad cutting her off and interrupting, and then me making snarky remarks because he was pissing me off," Logan said as she sighed.

"How was it for you to get those things out? I'm sure you said the things you've wanted to say for a while, even if they did come out snarky," Kiah said and Logan smiled.

"Honestly? It felt good. We all know the root of the problem is my Dad, but he'll never realize that. Roman said my Dad is a textbook narcissist," Logan said.

"What did you think about that?" Kiah asked.

"Aren't you the one with the degree, license, and the ability to diagnose?" Logan asked and Kiah laughed.

"Yes, but your Dad isn't my client, you are," Kiah said and Logan sighed.

"Fair, but based on everything I've told you about him. What's your professional opinion?" Logan asked.

"From what you've told me about him... I do recognize some criteria for NPD that your father meets, but again, he's not my client," Kiah said and Logan frowned.

"You're always leaving me on a cliffhanger, Kiah," Logan said and Kiah laughed.

"Do you want to continue with family therapy?" Kiah asked.

"Yes, if it's just me, Mom, and Nathan. We're not going to make any progress if my Dad is there," Logan said as she shook her head.

"What would it be like to talk to your mom about that?" Kiah asked and Logan sighed.

"I don't know... She may agree, she may insist that Dad has to be there. I honestly don't know. I do know that I can't keep living like this," Logan said.

"How have you been doing with the separation?" Kiah asked.

"Well, I haven't relapsed if that's what you're asking," Logan said.

"It wasn't... I was just asking how you're doing with it," Kiah said and Logan sighed as she ran her fingers through her hair.

"I haven't relapsed, but I want to. Everything inside of me wants to stress eat so badly," Logan said and Kiah nodded.

"What does that feel like, when that urge comes?" Kiah asked.

"Overwhelming. I almost feel powerless against it. I can taste exactly what I want to eat, and every muscle is trying to drag me into the kitchen," Logan said as she shook her head.

"But you haven't done it. You haven't gone to the kitchen to get those snacks... what stopped the overwhelming feeling enough for you to not give in to it?" Kiah asked.

"Repeatedly telling myself to remember what happened. I don't want to be hospitalized again. It saved my life, and I am grateful, but I don't want to go through it again. I can't go through it again. I owe that to myself," Logan said and Kiah nodded. "I also used the finger breathing exercise to pull my mind away from thinking about food," Logan said and Kiah smiled.

The finger breathing exercise is when you trace up and down the curves of your fingers, starting at your pinky. When you trace up, you inhale, when you trace down, you exhale. You go from your pinky to your thumb, and then back across to your pinky. Kiah had told Logan the purpose of the exercise was to engage multiple senses (breathing, touch, sight as you watch yourself trace your fingers), to pull you out of what's causing you to feel stressed, overwhelmed, or anxious.

"On a scale of 1-10, what was your level of distress before engaging in the exercise?" Kiah asked.

"I'd say an 11," Logan said as she laughed.

"And afterward?" Kiah asked.

"A solid 7," Logan said and Kiah nodded. "Which I understand is still kind of high, but I was able to calm myself down enough with the breathing to be able to take a shower and reset myself," Logan said and Kiah nodded.

"Good. Logan you've made a lot of progress and I'm proud of you. I want you to keep paying attention to your urges. When you feel the urge to binge and purge, I want you to pause and write down, either in a journal or on the notes app, the things you're noticing. What are you feeling physically? What are some of the things you're thinking? What emotions are coming up?" She said and Logan frowned.

"Kiah...-" Logan was cut off.

"...-I know. When things get stressful, you like to avoid them. This will help you tackle two birds with one stone. The more you recognize and have awareness of your warning signs when you feel like binging and purging, the better you'll able to control the situation before you get to that state of feeling powerless and overwhelmed," Kiah said and Logan nodded.

"That makes sense... Okay, I promise. If I remember... when I have urges, I'll write down what's going on during them," Logan said and Kiah nodded. "And I will potentially talk to my mom about family sessions just being us and Nate, but don't hold your breath on that one," She said and Kiah laughed.

"I understand. Have a good week Logan, I'll see you next week, okay?" Kiah said and Logan smiled.

"Thanks, Kiah."

⇎⇎⇎⇎⇎⇎

Logan called Roman, and they had a talk. When she was skipping school, she was avoiding everyone blowing up her phone. Roman, Peyton, and Brooke. But Roman would still stop by after school and bring Logan her homework, and he was covering for her and Nathan at school, which she appreciated. So she called him back and they talked. He said he was fine covering for her and bringing her homework, but he wanted to know why she was skipping school.

She honestly didn't have a reason.

So, she decided she would go back to school today. Logan and Nathan were currently in the kitchen eating breakfast. Nathan didn't have a shirt on, but he was wearing sweatpants, and Logan didn't have any pants on, but she was wearing a long oversized shirt that stopped right above her knee. The siblings heard the doorbell ring and Nathan turned to Logan.

"Your turn," He said. Logan rolled her eyes and hit him on the back of his head as she stood up. She walked to the front door, not caring that she didn't have pants on because, her shirt was long enough and covered her butt and underwear completely, and the only person who would be ringing the doorbell is their Dad. Deb changed the locks, and Logan and Nathan's friends texted them when they were at the door.

"Surprise!" Logan heard when she opened the door. It took her eyes a moment to adjust and she saw her grandparents Royal and May Scott standing outside. Her grandfather looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"Do you always answer the door with no pants on?" Royal asked.

"My shirt is long, you don't know that I'm not wearing shorts underneath," Logan said and Royal shook his head. "Also, what are you guys doing here? Not that it isn't great to see you, but you normally tell us ahead of time when you're coming," She said.

"Royal... May... Oh, what a surprise!" Logan heard. She turned around to see her mother join her at the door. Their grandparents are where Logan and Nathan got their middle names from. Nathan Royal Scott and Logan May Scott.

"Well, thanks for the warm welcome," Royal said and then turned to his wife. "I told you this ambush was a bad idea," He said.

"He's dragging me to another one of those auto conventions," May said.

"Nobody's dragging anybody anywhere," Royal said as he rolled his eyes.

"I told him that the only way I'd go is if we came by here for Danny's birthday," May said. Logan turned around to see Nathan join them at the door and they shared the same look. They completely forgot about their Dad's birthday.

"Oh, Dan's birthday, of course," Deb said. Logan could tell her mother forgot too.

"Right," Nathan said.

"Well, are you going to leave us standing out here all morning, freezing our asses off?" Royal slightly snapped. Logan rolled her eyes as she walked away from the door. She's always preferred her grandmother to her grandfather. Deb nodded as she stepped out of the way for Royal and May.

"Right, come in."

⇎⇎⇎⇎⇎⇎

Logan was walking down the sidewalk along town with Roman. They were looking for somewhere to eat that wasn't the cafe since they went there all the time. "So, dinner for your Dad's birthday? That's going to be pretty bad, isn't it?" Roman asked.

"A massacre. You've met them a few times, but you don't really know, do you? My grandma is okay... My grandpa, he's pretty intense. You know my Dad... now imagine where he comes from," Logan said and Roman laughed.

"Yeah... but I also know Keith. How did they turn out so differently?" Roman asked.

"You tell me, Dr. Psychology," Logan teased and Roman rolled his eyes, but he laughed as well.

"Is there anything I can do?" He asked.

"Yeah, you can come. Maybe everyone will behave if there's someone outside of the family there... Well, I'm sure my Mom considers you family since you have been close with Nathan since grade school," Logan said.

"I'll come if you want me to," Roman said and Logan shook her head as he opened the door to the restaurant they got to. Logan smiled and when the hostess seated them, she turned to Roman.

"I wasn't serious about you coming, Roman. I wouldn't put you through that," She said.

"Lo... if you're asking, then of course my answer is yes," Roman said. Logan looked at him and she could tell he was serious. She was thinking that it would be nice to have Roman there for extra support.

"Alright. Then, I guess I'm asking," Logan said. Roman smiled as he nodded.

"Then I'm coming."

⇎⇎⇎⇎⇎⇎

[logan's outfit for dinner]

When Logan got home, Nathan told her that Haley was coming to dinner, and she told him that Roman was coming too. Nathan was relieved to know his best friend would be coming too. Logan was starting to warm up to Haley, but she still didn't like her judgmental attitude about her and her friends. But she noticed that Haley had been talking to Peyton a lot more. Logan isn't territorial, but she doesn't understand how Haley could pass judgment so easily on her and Brooke, but not on Peyton.

After the siblings got ready, Roman arrived first, and Haley arrived shortly after. Logan pushed Nathan to go into the dining room first because the adults were already seated. "Grandpa. Grandma. This is my girlfriend, Haley," Nathan introduced her. Before they walked in, Roman looked at her.

"Do I need to pretend to be your boyfriend?" He asked. Logan laughed while shaking her head.

"Not at all," She said as she linked her arm through his and led him into the dining room. "Grandma. Grandpa, this is Roman. He's not my boyfriend, but he's Nathan's best friend... and I guess he's my friend too," Logan said. Roman shook his head but he smiled at Royal and May.

"Hello," Roman said as Royal reached out to shake his hand, which Roman accepted.

"Nice to meet you, son," Royal said. Although Roman has seen their grandparents before, he's never officially met them. The pair took their seats at the table. Haley was seated between Royal and Nathan, while Logan and Roman were seated on the other side of the table across from them. Logan was seated between Keith and Roman which made her feel safe.

Then the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," May said as she stood from the table and went to the door. When she walked back in the dining room, Whitey was behind her, and Royal's face broke out into a smile.

"Oh my goodness, Whitey! Good to see you," Royal said. Whitey took the last open seat, which was on the other side of Keith. Logan was hoping this wouldn't turn into a screaming match, but since Royal and Dan are very similar, she knew what the topic of conversation was going to be.

Basketball.

"Good evening, everybody. I'm sorry I'm late," Whitey said. Logan leaned over to Roman.

"Glad you came?" She whispered. Roman laughed a little before resting his hand on top of her knee.

"For now," He whispered back and she laughed.

"So, how's the team doing this year, Whitey?" Royal asked. Logan knew it was beginning. The topic of basketball had been opened, and it wasn't going to get closed. Dan already told Nathan and Logan they were not allowed to tell Royal that Nathan quit the team, so Logan passed that along to Roman. Roman assured her that he had no plans to speak unless he was directly spoken to first.

Logan told him that was a smart idea.

"Oh, we're still undefeated actually. Dad, you still rooting for the Magic these days?" Dan responded to his father and then followed up with his own question. Logan rolled her eyes.

"Please! No talk of sports until after dinner, okay?" May said.

"Great idea, Grandma," Logan said.

"She's right... that is a good idea, Mom. Sorry," Dan said.

"Well, Nathan, what are you averaging these days? You know, your Dad had 27 and a half a game. You beat that yet?" Royal asked and Logan rolled her eyes.

"Royal, we just said...-" Royal cut his wife off.

"...-I'm just asking the boy a question, May," Royal said.

"A sports-related question. After grandma said to save the sports talk until after dinner," Logan said. Royal gave his granddaughter a look, but he didn't say anything.

"Uh, well... Maybe you should ask the old man," Nathan said as he threw the question to Dan because he didn't want the attention on himself.

"24 points a game, I think, isn't it?" Dan asked.

"So, 24 a game, huh? You're gonna have to get that up if you're gonna beat the old man. Yeah, your Dad's star would've risen through the roof at Carolina, if it wasn't for that damn knee of his. How are your knees?" Royal asked.

"No worries," Nathan said.

"Oh, he's got great knees," Haley said and everyone laughed. Logan didn't laugh, she figured that Haley was probably nervous and blurted it out without thinking.

"Of course, Danny takes after his old man. Never let his adversity stop him. Too bad Keith takes after his mother's side of the family," Royal said.

"You say that as if it's a bad thing and she's not your wife, Grandpa," Logan said. Keith chuckled from beside his niece. Royal turned to her, but again, he didn't say anything.

"Yeah, lucky for him," May said.

"I'd drink to that, but I have to get a refill," Keith said and Logan smiled.

"Well, I should go see about the cake," May said. She started to stand out of her chair, but Logan saw a chance to escape and she quickly stood up and pulled Roman out of his chair as well.

"Oh, nonsense, Grandma. We'll go check on it for you, right Roman?" Logan asked. Roman looked at her and caught onto the look she was giving him and he nodded.

"Yes, of course," He said.

Nathan quickly jumped out of his hair. "Haley and I will help," He said. Haley took his cue and stood up. The four of them quickly left the dining room and went into the kitchen. The teenagers looked at each other and exhaled deep breaths.

"I warned you it was going to be intense," Nathan said to his girlfriend.

"Insane is more like it," Haley said. Logan turned to Roman.

"Holding up alright?" She asked and he laughed.

"I'm hanging in there," He said.

"You know, the door is right there. The four of us could sneak out, go to dinner somewhere else and nobody would even notice," Nathan said and Logan laughed.

"Tempting," Haley said and then she turned to the Scott siblings. "Um, so how often do your grandparents come to town?" She asked. Nathan looked at Logan and they both shrugged.

"A couple of times a year... sometimes on holidays, birthdays, like today. Why?" Logan asked. Haley only nodded and Logan rolled her eyes. She hated when people brought things up and then didn't elaborate on them.

"Haley, you've got that look," Nathan said.

"What look?" She asked.

"The look you get when you want to tell me something, but you don't really want to tell me," Nathan said. Logan was impressed at how observant her brother was. He never noticed the different looks from Peyton and what they meant when they were together.

"No, I don't... and you shouldn't know that look yet," Haley said and Logan sighed.

"Okay, it obviously doesn't take four people to check on a single cake, and we've been in here too long. Can you please just say whatever it is, Haley," Logan said. Haley sighed as she looked at them.

"Your grandfather came by the cafe today, and he asked for Karen," Haley said. Nathan looked at Logan and she shrugged, but as she thought about it, it made sense. Karen was their Dad's girlfriend in high school, so obviously her grandparents know who Karen is. Lucas technically is their first grandchild, so to Logan, it makes sense that her grandfather would keep in touch with Karen behind Dan's back.

"He did?" Nathan asked.

"Yeah... I just kind of had the feeling that they've been keeping in touch," Haley said.

"Does Lucas know?" Logan asked.

"No. They've never even met. But your grandfather did ask about him," Haley said. Logan found that interesting. Royal knew about Lucas, but never made Dan step up and take responsibility for his child.

"That doesn't make any sense. My grandpa acts like Dad is the second coming. Why would he visit Karen?" Nathan asked.

"Dad and Karen dated in high school so Grandpa and Grandma obviously know her. Lucas is their grandchild. Maybe they've known all along and Grandpa is trying to make a penance for Dad abandoning Lucas instead of forcing his son to take care of his responsibilities," Logan said as she rolled her eyes.

"I don't know... I don't want to start anything. I'm just telling you," Haley said. Logan knew it was going to start something. She knows Nathan isn't going to just sit on that information. Logan was 100% sure that it would come up during dinner.

"You know what? Our family is so screwed up, nothing new would make a difference right now. Don't worry about it," Nathan said as he shook his head. He and Haley went back into the dining room, while Logan and Roman stayed put.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, I just need a minute until I go back out there. They're going to keep talking about sports. Nathan quitting is going to come up, I know it," Logan said. Roman wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a hug. He gently kissed her forehead and took a deep breath.

"We'll get through it," He said and Logan smiled as she looked up at him.

"I'm really glad you're here, Ro," She said and Roman smiled as he kissed her forehead again.

"Anything for you, Lo."

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Logan and Roman came back out with the cake, the candles lit, and everyone started singing Happy Birthday to Dan. Once the song was over, May stood up and began to cut the cake into slices for everyone, and once everyone had their cake, Royal turned to Nathan.

"So, Nate. How's your game this year?" He asked. Logan rolled her eyes as she turned to Aiden.

"Here we go again," May said as she shook her head.

"Just cover your ears, May. I just want to know how my grandson is doing on the team," Royal said. Roman and Nathan shared a look, and Logan knew things were about to get awkward.

"Well, I already told you," Dan said. Royal shook his head.

"No, you didn't. You didn't tell me jack. And every time I mention it, you change the damn subject. Now, will somebody around here tell me what's going on? Nathan? Whitey? Anybody?" Royal asked as he looked around the table. Roman cleared his throat as he looked at his best friend.

"Nate... you should probably take this one," Roman said. Nathan nodded. He knew his friend was right. Nathan turned to his grandfather.

"I quit the team, alright," He said. Royal's face paled as he looked at his grandson. He couldn't believe he heard the words quit come out of his mouth. Royal was stunned to silence momentarily, and Logan could already feel the argument that was about to happen.

"You quit the...-What do you mean you quit the team?" Royal asked.

"He didn't quit the team, Dad. He's just taking some time off," Dan said. Logan rolled her eyes as she laughed.

"When will the lying in this family stop? You're a grown man still seeking approval from your Daddy? It's a little pathetic. Nathan quit the team because you sucked all the fun out of basketball for him," Logan snapped. She felt Keith's hand on her knee and when she looked over at him, he was smirking. That made her feel better.

"Since when do you let her speak to you like that? And were you ever going to tell me? I mean that's a hell of a thing to keep to yourself," Royal snapped.

"Yeah, you're one to talk," Nathan snapped back. Logan looked at Roman. She knew Nathan was about to bring up what Haley told them in the kitchen.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Royal asked.

"I know you visited Karen at the cafe, alright? What's that about?" Nathan asked and the table fell silent. Logan figured that nobody here knew that part.

"Nathan!" Haley exclaimed. Logan took a sip of her water. She knew Nathan was going to bring it up if the opportunity presented itself.

"That's none of your damn business," Royal snapped, and then he turned to Haley. "I guess somebody's got a big mouth," He said.

"You shut up, Grandpa," Nathan snapped. Royal turned to Dan.

"You've let these kids get out of control," Royal said and then he turned to Nathan. "Don't you talk to me like that, boy," He said.

"Back off, Royal. I've had enough of your crap. Nathan and Logan are not the problem," Deb snapped. Logan looked at her mother and smiled.

"Would someone please explain?" May asked in a softer voice.

"Dan has been riding Nathan for the past six years about that damn game," Deb said.

"Deb, stop," Dan said.

"No... as a matter of fact, I'll keep going. Dad has put so much pressure on Nathan to put a ball through a hoop that Nathan took performance-enhancing drugs and almost died, just because Daddy Dearest here kept taunting Nathan, saying he'll never be a better player than he was," Logan snapped as he glared at her father.

"Drugs?" Royal asked with wide eyes.

"As Logan said. He was rushed to the hospital and could've died because of this insane pressure to put a ball through a hoop. But none of that is my son's fault, Royal. It's your son's fault," Deb snapped. Logan was relieved that her mother finally stood her ground. May was looking at her youngest son and she did not look happy.

"Danny. You of all people. How dare you?! You know how much you hated it when your Daddy bullied you to be better," May said. Logan raised an eyebrow. Now things were getting interesting.

"I never bullied him," Royal said and Logan didn't believe him.

"And when you wanted a way out, I gave you one. All these years, I protected you. I lied for you, and now you're doing the same thing to your son?" May asked. Dan looked down at his plate and Logan shook her head. She was thinking that her father should be ashamed. He knows exactly how Nathan feels because his father did it to him, but instead of breaking the cycle, he continues it.

Logan felt no sympathy for her Dad.

"What lie? What are you talking about?" Royal asked.

"In college. His knee injury. It wasn't permanent. Danny quit, and I helped him," May said. The entire table went silent, everyone was shocked by that confession. Logan was starting to get pissed at her Dad's hypocrisy, so she could only imagine how Nathan was feeling.

"What do you mean he quit?" Royal asked.

"It's not like that, Dad," Dan said. Logan rolled her eyes and turned to Keith. He had been silent, sipping on his drink the whole time. Logan thought to herself, she'd be doing the same if she could.

"Oh, stop it, Dan. It's time the truth came out," May said.

"Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?" Royal snapped.

"You were on the road when Danny hurt his knee. So we lied," May said. Royal looked at his son, and Logan could see and feel the disappointment radiating from him.

"You told me it was a degenerative knee condition," Royal said while shaking his head.

"It was, Dad... it was," Dan said.

"You looked me in my eyes and told me that," Royal said.

"Don't you see, Royal? He was never going to be the star that you wanted him to be. You just couldn't see that. The boy had two choices, to either fail in front of you or quit. Either way, he lost," May said. Logan remembered how she said the exact same thing about Nathan to their Dad. It was weird to hear it again.

"So, you just quit. Without even being man enough to own up to it... You know, she's got a mouth, but Logan was right," Royal said as he shook his head.

"There's more to the story, Dad," Dan said. Royal shook his head as he stood up from the table. "You don't know the whole story!" He called after his Dad. Royal continued to walk away, but he did say.

"I've heard enough," Royal said.

"Me too. Come on, Haley. I'll take you home," Nathan said.

"Thanks for dinner," Haley said as they stood up from the table.

"I should probably get going too. Thank you for dinner, Mrs. Scott," Roman said to both May and Deb. Logan stood up when Roman did.

"I'll walk you out," Logan said.

The pair went to the front porch, but Roman didn't go to his car. Instead, they sat on the porch swing together and Roman let out a deep breath. "Wow," He said as he started laughing, and Logan did too. It seemed like the only way to deal with what they heard in there.

"I'm so sorry you had to see all of that," Logan said as she shook her head.

"I've known Nate for 12 almost 13 years, but now I feel like I truly understand him," Roman said and Logan nodded.

"You know, it just really pisses me off that for years our Dad has always told Nathan he would never be as good as him. He was constantly pressuring him about how many points he needed to score per game. And Grandpa treated him the same way," Logan said.

"As I told you before, Stass... verbal, emotional, and mental abuse can sometimes be worse than physical. The bruises and scars from physical abuse go away eventually... but the mental scars that your father is leaving in Nathan and you... the scars he's already left in Lucas. Those won't go away as easily," Roman said and Logan nodded.

"You're right... but even though your Dad's abuse was mainly physical... that doesn't mean it didn't leave you with mental scars either. You're just as important too," Logan said. Roman smiled as he looked at her.

"I should probably get back to my Dad's... I'm probably going straight to sleep and he's probably passed out drunk so I'll be able to slip in unnoticed," He said as he stood up and grabbed his keys from his pockets. Logan frowned as she nodded.

"You deserve better," She said. Roman smiled as he pulled her into another embrace. "Thank you for coming, Roman, really," She said. Roman smiled as he kissed the top of her head before breaking their hug.

"Of course. Goodnight, Lo," He said. He started to walk off the porch, but then Logan called out for him.

"Hey, Roman," She said. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and turned around. Logan wanted nothing more than to run to him and kiss him, but she restrained herself from doing so.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"Remember when Nathan said our family is so screwed up, nothing new would make a difference?" She asked. Roman nodded as looked at her.

"Yeah," He said. Logan smiled as she moved some of her hair behind her ear.

"He was wrong."

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i love writing therapy scenes given that's what i'm in school for.

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xoxo.