Life in a Glass House
Written by Mike Kelley
Directed by Robert Duncan McNeill
November 4, 2003

What's the drama: Lucas claims he'd rather spend his evening with F. Scott Fitzgerald than go to Dan Scott's annual basketball appreciation party. But Peyton tempts him with a bit of flirting and some potential sexor something like it, that evening. Looks like our boy needs a new dress coat!

Later, Deb drops by Karen's Café to personally extend the invitation to Karen and Keith and to apologize to them about Dan's abominable behavior the past weekend. That Deb is just so nice that Karen and Keith agree to stop by the "Annual Kiss Dan's Ass" party. Later, Keith tries to bring up the whole "I love you" comment by admitting that some "crazy" things were said after dinner the other night. Karen tells him she doesn't recall anything crazy being said and Keith is put at ease.

Meanwhile, Brooke is up to some kind of matchmaking and Coach Whitey goes above and beyond to help out Jake with his troubles in life away from the court by allowing him to arrive at practice late and leave early.

What's up with Lucas: Haley fesses up to Lucas about how she is falling for Nathan even though she knows he's a total ass. When he gets crabby about the announcement she reminds him that it's quite similar to they way he has the hots for Peyton. He finally gives her the okay but tells her to "be careful." Hey - Nathan ain't the one who gets his kicks by running red lights!

What's up with Peyton: She finally gets up the nerve to ask Haley who it was she was referring to when she mentioned that "he really cares for you." Was it Nathan or Lucas? Haley tells her it's both - lucky girl. Peyton gives her new friend permission to date Nathan if she wantsnot that she needs it or anything. But it's a nice gesture.

What's up with Nathan: After Brooke gives him the newly lit green light, Nathan feels a bit more confident when it comes to his ex-gal Peyton. He even kind of puts the moves on her at the party and asks her if they can go "talk." They both quickly realize that the crafty Brooke was telling each one that the other wanted to get back together so she could get Peyton out of the way and Lucas would be wide open for her.

What's up with Brooke: In her drunken state the girl finds Dan's annual basketball party a bit of a bore so she kicks off a rollicking game of "Dare or Dare" (because no one tells the truth anymore). After some random gal is made to go pinch Coach Whitey's butt (something we'd really like to see but didn't) Brooke immediately makes Peyton kiss Lucas. The kiss is pretty passionate for a game and as soon as she finishes, she runs off. Brooke quickly becomes the least popular cheerleader at the party. You know it's bad when even Nathan calls the girl out for bad behavior.

What's up with Dan and Deb: Dan's not so happy that Deb made sure that the "other" side of the family was officially invited. The paper invitation was enough and that was simply a formality. But he does at least attempt to be cordial and play the "host with the most."

What's up with Karen: You would think that after 20 years Dan's ego would cease to amaze her. Coach Whitey approaches her at the party and welcomes her back to society - good to see her out and about again. He even tells her that in his humble opinion she raised a fine son. Kudos for Karen!

Later, when the cakes for the party are accidentally delivered to another party, Karen offers Deb her assistance. She calls Haley to bring some tasty dessert type treats over from the Café, ASAP.

What's up with Keith: At the party Keith is placed as per his usual, brooding by the bar. But this time he's drinking seltzer water so he won't haul off and punch his brother in his own home. Dan pretends to be nice and offers up an apology but Keith tells him if he feels like apologizing he should start with Karen or Lucas...or even Nathan.

What's up with Haley: She brings the desserts to the dreaded Scott home. Karen calls her out on the whole tutoring Nathan thing (Deb Scott spilled those beans) and ends up giving Haley her blessing. Always the hostess, Deb invites Haley to stay, have some food and hang out. Nathan seems truly happy to see her. Just as Haley reluctantly begins to enjoy herself, Brooke comes along and gets ugly with another lie. She publicly exposes a kind letter Haley wrote to Nathan and secretly stuffed into his study care package. Nathan had yet to see the letter but Brooke found it, quoted it publicly and claimed that Nathan showed if off all over school. Haley flees the party, distraught.

How does it all wrap up: Lucas chases off after Peyton when she flees after the big kiss. He asks her if that was all a game. She tells him no and they go for it again just to be interrupted by Delivery Gal Haley as she arrives at the party with the desserts. She's incredibly cool about a very uncomfortable situation and Lucas and Peyton put it on hold until they can be alone a bit later (in a room, at a party where his Mom is hanging out!) Peyton ends up freaking out when Lucas pulls out of sex mode and moves on to matters of the heart. She takes off again but this time Lucas doesn't run after her. Dan spots a distressed Peyton running down the hall and walks in to see Lucas putting on his shirt. He tries to give Lucas a little advice and Lucas is having none of it.

At the same time, in the kitchen Karen and Deb have a heart to heart. Karen admits that she's glad she's had a chance to get to know Deb and the feeling is very mutual. Naturally they have questions for one another (as does the rest of America!). Deb tells Karen she met Dan in September at freshman orientation - Karen realizes, a month after she told Dan she was pregnant. A few short months later and Deb was knocked up (Dan was always an overachiever). If we all do the math here we can assume that Lucas and Nathan are approximately six or seven months apart in age. The crazy timeline confusion is now officially over. Now we just need to solve the mystery of Peyton's bedroom cam. Why does it exist?

At the end of the evening, Karen wanders into Dan's office to retrieve her coat and he catches her having a look around. He asks her why she is doing this (we're assuming all the party going of late not the looking around his office thing) and she tells him it's for Lucas, and for her as well, so she can move on. She tells Dan to take a look around. He has a wonderful life. Stop living in the past.

As they say good-bye to their guests Deb thanks Dan for being on his best behavior. She's proud of how he stepped up. He tells her that's funny because he's never felt more off-balance in his life.

Back at the Café, Lucas runs into a weeping Haley. She tells him that Nathan is a jerk and he tells her that Peyton ain't no walk in the park either. They're glad to be "back to normal" for now.

As Nathan cleans up from the party he finds the note Brooke was talking about. He immediately runs to the Café to talk to Haley and try to explain. She denies him and refuses to open the door. Nathan Scott feels real rejection for the first time.

Turns out the whole mystery reason behind Jake being late to practice and leaving early from the party is because of a babehis baby.