Looking Into The Future

Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill... which is probably a good thing!!!

Summary: What happens in the future? These are my speculations for the characters five years on.

Author's Note: You will have to excuse my complete lack of knowledge when it comes to basketball it isn't a sport that's really played in England. I think the city I live in has a basketball team but they never win – at least I don't think they do – I don't know anybody that's actually been to watch them play. All I know about basketball is that you have to put a leather ball through a hoop as many times as you can to win.

Also this is my first attempt at fanfiction – please be nice!! (especially since I have no idea where this story is going as I start writing it now)

Chapter One

Haley opened her eyes and blinked a few times. It was early, too early even by her standards. It was 5:30; too early for anyone to be up. Sighing she knew she would not be able to get back to sleep now, she just hoped that Michael would stay in his own room, at least for another hour or so. She looked over to see Nathan still fast asleep, typical. Somehow he seemed to be able to sleep through all the noise his young son managed to create.

6:00am rolled around and Haley put down her book on the bedside table as the bedroom door was flung open. Looking up Haley could not help but laugh at the sight of what looked like a floating pile of toys.

Michael toddled in through the doorway intent on reaching his parents bed. Of course he could not come without all his favourite things, most of which were toys, all of which were toys. He wobbled and took a couple of steps backwards trying to maintain his balance before scurrying across the carpeted floor.

"Look Mommy!" Michael cried as he threw with one big effort for the five year old everything in his grasp onto the bed and climbed up on top of his mother.

"And good morning to you too." She smiled and pulled him onto her lap. "And what have you brought me this morning?"

"My toys!" Michael exclaimed proudly as if this was completely normal. "Is Daddy still asleep?" he asked.

"Yes sweetie but I don't think he'll be very happy if you wake him up right now."

"No. He won't." Came the muffled reply from under the covers.

"Daddy. Look I brought all of my toys in here."

"I had noticed." Nathan rolled over and watched his little son sitting on his mother's lap. He smiled.

"I know, are you hungry Michael?"

"Uh-huh." He nodded his reply.

"Good 'cos so is Mommy. Why don't you come and help me make breakfast?" Haley picked him up and set him on the floor and holding his hand they walked out of the room and downstairs towards the kitchen leaving Nathan to get himself up.

Lucas sat up in bed. Beads of sweat clung to his forehead as he tried to wipe the horrible image from his mind. Nightmares are never fun, especially if they involve your wife and family. Looking over he sighed as he saw Peyton still fast asleep. Heavily pregnant he knew better than to wake her up, so quietly and carefully he pulled back the covers and made his way across to the bathroom. Padding across the floor he hoped she did not wake up on account of him.

Once inside he ran the tap and splashed cold water over his face. It was not like him to have such dreams and he felt a little stupid for his concern. Peeking out once again he made sure Peyton was still there. He could see the covers fall rise as she slowly breathed in an out. Lucas shook his head at his reflection in the mirror; he was being stupid, nothing bad was going to happen.

Lucas and Peyton had discussed at length whether and when they should have children. Peyton had wanted to know Lucas' position before they got married. Lucas had always wanted children of his own but with his hereditary heart condition, HCM, he had reservations. As he had told Peyton, he did not want his children to go through what he had and did everyday. He did not want any child of his to have to take pills everyday just to stay alive. But Peyton had looked him in the eye and told him that she wanted to give birth to Lucas' child. Having been adopted and then finding out her parents were not the only parents she had created a new set of emotional problems for her. With every new child there is a chance that complications can arise and genetic conditions can arise that the parents have no clue about, and with a 50 chance that their child may not have the same condition as their father seems like a good enough reason to try. Lucas had to concede that his wife could be extremely persuasive at times.

Peyton slowly eased herself out of bed and made her way across the room, being nine months pregnant was no picnic, especially for her bladder.

"Oh." She put her hand to her stomach as the baby kicked. "Not helping Mommy." She winced as she rushed a little quicker toward the open bathroom door. "Luke, unless you want to watch me pee I'd get out." Peyton told him. Lucas raised his hands in a form of surrender and left closing the door as he went. He knew Peyton was having a tough time with the pregnancy. As much as she wanted to have children, being pregnant did not exactly agree with her, still they both knew it would not last for much longer. Somehow Lucas thought, once the tiredness from all the sleepless nights that were yet to come kicked in, Peyton would find herself wishing she were still pregnant. Shaking his head at the closed door Lucas turned and left the room to start breakfast.