Hello you! I am happy that you start reading my story and I hope that you'll continue ;). This story focuses on the Bakers and the Scotts. There will be some drama, fights but also many happy scenes with them as a big family. I have added a new character, called "Phoebe Ferguson.", in the following chapters you'll see, who she is and get to know her better. As promised SAM will come back. Not immediately but later on. Well, I don't want to reveal too much...so...I hope you'll enjoy reading the story and I would love to know what you are thinking, so I can improve my writing!

Your CaseyJr.

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Haley James Scott was standing in her class and talked about the American history when somebody knocked on the door. The principal had told her that a new student would be coming into her class today and as usual she was a little excited. She loved being a teacher and meeting new and interesting young students.

"Yes, please come in", she said and stopped writing on the blackboard. The principal came in with a small girl that did not look older than ten.

"Hello Mrs. Scott. This is Phoebe Ferguson. She's going to be your new pupil.", Haley looked at that little girl with long brown hair and gave her a big smile. As usual she wanted everyone to feel welcome in her class but she was surprised that Phoebe was going to be her student. Her students were all around fourteen and that little girl definitely did not look like a teenager at all. She felt a little pity with her and hoped that she would feel comfortable in her class.

But Phoebe just looked at her and didn't smile back. When the principal left the class she was still standing at the door and did not move a bit instead she looked curiously at all her new classmates. Although all of them seemed to be taller than her, she wasn't frightened. She was just used to it and believed that sooner or later she would have to move again.

"So Phoebe, welcome. I am Mrs. James Scott. It is nice to meet you. It would be nice if you tell us a bit about you if that's okay with you.", Haley had a nice smile on her face as usual and tried to make the situation easier for her new student. She knew how exciting it was to come into a new class and meet many new people.

Phoebe looked a little angrily at Haley and walked really slowly towards her, she hated first days at school and actually she could not count how many she had had: "My name is Phoebe Ferguson. I lived in many parts of the USA. Last time I lived in Florida with my Dad and Mom. Well, I don't have any siblings and..." she didn't know what to say but was promptly interrupted by some pupils who wanted to ask some questions. Of course she knew what they would ask.

"How old are you?", asked a boy named Joshua. Haley was not surprised by that question. Phoebe really looked small. She looked more like a 6th grader. But one must say that she was very, very pretty.

Although she looked so young she was wearing a very sexy outfit. According to Haley it seemed a bit too sexy and she remembered the days at school with her friend Brooke Davis. Brooke had always dressed the sexiest at school but she had been bigger than Phoebe back then.

"Dumb question." Phoebe just said and surprised all of them but then she laughed loudly and said, "I am 14. I guess like the most of you? I don't know why I look like 10 but well I guess my family runs the midget gene, some families do, right Mrs. Scott?" The whole class laughed really loud and it was the first time that Phoebe blushed a little. Haley looked stunned at that little girl but just smiled at her. She knew that such comments came because of insecurity but she also felt that this little student was going to be a tough one to handle. But she also loved challenges and remembered the day when she had tutored her husband Nathan. He had been a challenge as well; definitely.

"You can sit down now. Take that seat besides Joshua.", she pointed at an empty seat and Phoebe smiled a little. Joshua was definitely a cute boy.

She sat down besides him and hoped that this would be a great school for her. Although she looked very calm right now, her heart was beating very fast and she took a deep breath and tried to concentrate on the class.

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Brooke Davis was so proud of herself. She finally was her own boss. Not having her mother around all the time; bossing her around like some kid, was something she always wanted. Well, when she was younger she often had wished for a real mother who would have grounded her and told her what to do. But she got used to not having a normal family. But everything had changed with Julian. He was the man she loved and the man with whom she wanted to spend her whole life. She was sitting in the store right now and tried to create a new line, when suddenly her best friend came into the store.

"Sometimes it's really a challenge to be a teacher", Haley whined a little. Brooke looked astonished at her to hear such comment out of Haley's mouth.

"Hello to you too sweetie!", Brooke smiled and hugged her best friend tightly. The Scotts were like Brooke's family. They've known each other for so long and they tried to spend as much time as possible together.

"So, what happened? Again this girl?", Brooke asked curiously. Haley had been talking about a little girl in her class lately that obviously was a little brat and got on her nerves every day and did not want any advice Haley gave her. Haley really tried to stay calm but it was the first time that someone made it hard for her to keep her countenance. It was not the first time that some student rebelled or tried everything to interrupt the class but this little girl was very good in it and could not see that Haley was not her enemy but a teacher that was there for every pupil-no matter what.

"Yes it's the girl, Aunt Brooke" Jamie came to the front door and smiled at his godmother. Sometimes Brooke wondered how fast kids grew up. Jamie used to be a really small boy, but now with thirteen years old, he was as big as she was and it seemed like he was growing every minute a bit more. He resembled Nathan more and more and Brooke knew that sooner or later every girl would want him to be her boyfriend. She was just glad that Jamie was not a jerk like Nathan had been in the beginning at high school.

"Hey Jamie", she hugged him very tight although he protested: "Aunt Brooke, I am not five any more", nevertheless she gave him a big kiss on the forehead. The times were over that Jamie loved being kissed in public or hugged to death by his parents or aunt Brooke. Now those things were embarrassing.

"Well you'll always be my little Jimmy Jam."

"Brooke. I really need to talk to you." Haley complained and took Brooke's arm and sat her down on the couch.

"Okay, okay. I am listening. It's this little girl again right? The one in your class?"

"Yes, can you believe it what she did this time? The whole class is like crazy since she came. Every boy is in love with her and even the girls admire her and..." Brooke looked a little stunned at her friend. She had never seen her so upset because of a pupil since years but somehow it was kind of cute seeing Haley that mad and she had to suppress a smile. It was like they had switched roles and now she was the one who had to calm down her best friend a little.

"Okay, but Haley. That does not sound bad. I mean it's great that she has some friends, right?"

"Brooke you don't understand the point. She interrupts me in class and corrects me all the time, she does not come in time, she kisses at school and today someone wrote at the blackboard that I am a midget. And I know that it was her. A huge smile was on her face. She is corrupting my whole class, Brooke. And it's okay, I can handle with it but it feels…I don't know, like something is not right, but I don't know what.", Brooke burst out into laughing when Haley mentioned the "midget incident" but tried to stop when Haley looked mad at her. Nevertheless she couldn't help but laugh and squeezed Haley's hand a bit. Haley smiled back at her and rolled her eyes. Of course this little girl was not only responsible for her mood right now but she hated it when she knew that someone needed help but did not accept it. But Haley also knew that she would understand Phoebe someday.

"Well mom, you're really not that big", Jamie laughed as well and hugged his mom from behind.

"Well, why don't you give her detention or move her into another class?", Brooke asked, she really did not get Haley's point and thought that Haley overreacted a little. The girl was just a typical teenager that liked making jokes and teasing teachers to get the other's attention. Brooke had not been that different in high school.

"I don't like the idea of detention and I don't want her to be gone. You know I feel like something is not right with her and I want to help her. I cannot tell you what is wrong but…I wrote her parents so many letters but they never answered. Instead they once wrote that I should be proud of their daughter being the head cheerleader and having good grades and that there would be no need to meet me."

"Wow, she reminds me of me.", Brooke thought of her high school times. She had loved being the head cheerleader and sometimes she missed these times: With all her friends in one place and seeing each other every day.

"I think you missed the last part, honey. Gooooooood grades!", Haley went through Brooke's hair and laughed, "Well, I will figure out why she acts this way. She reminds me a little of Sam.", Haley admitted that although Phoebe was a pain in the ass, she also liked her. She knew that Brooke had talked a lot about Sam lately and just wished that they would meet again. But Brooke always told her that she did not want to just bump into Sam's new life and that she was glad that Sam had found her birth mother and seemed to be happy.

Brooke thought of Sam and hoped that everything really was all right with her. They did not hear anything from her but assumed that her life was great with her mother. Nevertheless she missed that girl very much and found herself looking at her picture for minutes and just remembering the time when Sam had lived with her and Julian.

"Tigger, we have to leave now. Nathan is coming home from the NBA tour today and I want to make him his favorite meal.". Brooke knew that Haley was definitely not only making him his favorite meal. They had been shopping lingerie some days ago.

"Okay. Love you.", they hugged and were very happy to have each other.

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Worth continuing?