Peyton quietly slipped into her house, listening for any noise that would give her an idea of where her sons were. She heard noises coming form the living room, so that was the direction she headed. She stopped in the doorway, watching. Aiden and Jason were on the floor, playing with airplanes. Karen was sitting on the ground next to them, an airplane also in her hand, but she was mainly watching the boys. "Hey, my big boy kindergarteners. How was you day?" Peyton askedthe boys, bringing their attention to her as she forced the cheeriness into her voice.

Her forced smile became real as their eyes lit up. They started running toward her and she knelt down to be at their level and scooped them both into a hug. "Oh, it's so good to be home, here with you guys after a long day at work," she murmured. They were both busily rambling about their first day of school when Peyton let them go. Peyton chuckled as she stood up straight. "Go get your shoes on so we can go to dinner with Aunt Haley and Uncle Nathan, you knuckleheads," she said, ruffling their hair as they ran past her to find their shoes.

Peyton looked at Karen. The older woman was watching the boys. Karen had fallen in love with those boys the first moment she saw them. Peyton still remembered the first time she took them to the Cafe, right after she moved into this house. It was months ago, now, right after she had started her label and signed her first band. Things had been so exciting, and new then. She had just moved back to her hometown and was making something of herself. She had the boys, it had been a great time.

Peyton took her mind out of the past and realized she needed to talk to Karen. "Hey, you want to come out to dinner with us?" she asked. Karen started to protest, something about not wanting to intrude. "No, come on, it'l be fun. Haley wants to meet you, the boys love you. You have been a savior to me these past couple months. Come on, please, come to dinner with us," she said firmly, leaving Karen no room for arguements.

Karen thought about it. "On one condition," she said. Peyton started to speak, but Karen held her hand up, talking over her. "You guys come to the Cafe. I'll whip up some dinner, free of charge, of course, and it already has that play area I had put in for the boys. Come on, I insist," she said, making sure Peyton couldn't protest.

With a sigh, Peyton nodded. "Yeah, sure, let me call Haley," she said, walking back toward the from door, pulling out her cell phone so she could call her best friend. "So, change of plans. We're going to go to Karen's Cafe for dinner. She insists on making us dinner, and I want you to meet her. You haven't been to Tree Hill in months, and she really is a big help with the kids," Peyton said when Haley picked up.

Haley listened to her best friend, waiting for her to finish. "Hello to you, too," she chuckled. Peyton offered a greeting and Haley went on. "Peyt, it's cool, really, you've talked so much about Karen, I want to meet her anyway. You've just got to tell me where the Cafe is. We just left the hotel. We arrived in Tree Hill about an hour ago and got settled in at the hotel," she said, looking over to Nathan, squeezing his hand. Nathan squeezed back, his eyes on the road.

Peyton was relieved that Haley wanted to meet Karen. She told Haley where the Cafe was. "Are you sure? I mean, I know we were supposed to spend time together. I haven't seen you in months, since Nathan started playing for the Lakers," she added hesitantly. She wanted to send time with her best friend, but, she reasoned, Haley was going to be in town for a week. She might even be back in a couple weeks, if Nathan got drafted to Charlotte, which was supposed to be happening. They would find out at the draft, in a couple of weeks.

With Peyton's instructions she realized they were headed in the wrong direction. "Hang on a sec, Peyt," she said, pulling the phone awya from her ear. "When you get to this next light you need to make a U turn," she informed Nathan before replacing the phone at her ear. "Now, what?" she tried to remember what she had wanted to say to Peyton. "Oh, yeah, of course I'm sure. We have a week, we'll spend some time together. I, personally, can't wait to see this office of yours, for your label. And Tric. I can't believe my best friend started a record label and opened a club in Tree Hill, in, like, four months," she said, beaming with pride for her best friend.

Peyton blushed, looking down at her feet. "I'm only partial owner of the club. Besides, what abut you? You got the degree you've always wanted and now you get to be a teacher. Now all you have to do is fingure out where you're going to teach. Wouldn't it be weird if you came back here and taught at the same high school we used to go to?" Peyton asked, trying to take the focus off of herself. She knew the questions that would come later, but she could put them off for at least a little while.

Haley sighed, giving another direction to Nathan. "So, I'm about ten minutes away from the Cafe. Get off the phone and get your butt over here," she told Peyton. "Oh, and by the way, yesh, that would be weird, but it would be great living in Tree Hill again. All the money in the world can't buy the feeling of home," she paused. "I do have an awesome guy to come home to every day, though, and you can't replace that either," she added after Nathan shot a glance at her. She leaned over and kissed his cheek and he squeezed her hand in response.

Peyton groaned as she heard the kiss over the phone. "I'll be there soon, stop being so mushy," she teased her best friend. They both said goodbye and Peyton got to the front door, where Aiden and Jason were waiting for her with Karen. "I'm glad you guys didn't go outside without me. Good boys," she said, making sure she had her purse before she opened the front door.

The boys took off for the SUV. Karen walked to her own car so she could get to the Cafe first, and Peyton walked to the SUV she had bought with the money from the second band she signed. She still had her Comet, but it was parked in the garage, and barely used. The garage was two car, but had a lot of storage boxes in it, so the SUV stayed parked in the driveway most of the time. She made sure Aiden and Jason were in their seats and buckled up before getting in behind the wheel.

Aiden and Jason were talking about their first day of school in the backseat, and Peyton smiled and nodded at them, glancing at them in the rearview mirror, but everything they said went in one ear and out the other. She couldn't believe He wasn't here. She cut her thoughts off. It still hurt to think about. She tried to keep her thoughts on Haley, but it was hard. He always seemed to creep back in.

When they reached the Cafe, Nathan and Haley were just getting out of their car. It was a sleek, sports car, due to Nathan's NBA paycheck. As soon as Peyton got out of her SUV she was being crushed in a hug from Haley. "Haley, I do need to breath, you know," Peytom said, but she was hugging Haley back just as tightly.

When they both let go, Haley looked Peyton over. "Gosh, Peyt, do you even eat anymore," she said, refering to Peyton's petite figure. "Look at your hair. What happened to your curls?" she asked in amazement, fingering Peyton's now-straight locks. It had been a change Peyton made months ago, around the time she started Tric with Karen.

Peyton shrugged. "I don't know, I just wanted something different, I guess," she managed to get out before Haley was attacked by the five year olds, who had been released from their car seats by their uncle. Peyton turned to Nathan and gave him a hug. "So, how's life as a NBA star?" she asked him, hoping Haley would drop the issue of her hair.

Nathan had his gaze on Haley. "Not bad, Sawyer, not bad at all," he answered. Peyton turned too, watching Haley talk to her boys. Haley was great with them. They really loved their aunt Haley. Haley would definately make a great mother, whenever she got pregnant. They had actually been trying, not really trying that hard, but they had stopped using protection in the hopes that she would get pregnant. She still hadn't yet, and it had been months. They weren't really worried, yet, they just firgured it wasn't time.

Haley, wh had been kneeling, listening to the boys, straightened. "So, shall we go eat, or what? We have a lot to talk about, Peyton," she said as she walked over, took Nathans hand, and started to lead him into the Cafe. Jason and Aiden ran ahead, and Peyton walked behind, knowing that no good was going to come of the conversation about to take place.

Nathan and Haley sat on one side of the booth and Peyton and the boys sat on the other. Karen was in the kitchen, but came out when she heard them come in. The Cafe was already closed for the night, so they had the place to theirselves. Karen handed out menus, letting them know that they could just hollor for her when they were ready to order.

Karen was about to slip away, but Peyton grabbed her arm. "Where are you going? Okay, I guess I haven't formally introduced you guys yet. Haley, Nathan, this is my friend and business partner, Karen. Karen, this is my best friend, Haley, and her husband, Nathan," they all shook hands. "Now take a seat," she said to Karen, standing up to pull a chair from a nearby table over.

A couple hours later the boys were in their play area, and the four adults were sitting and chatting. Peyton knew what was coming, but she hoped Haley would not bring the subject up. There was a lull in the conversation and Haley was staring at her best friend. Peyton knew what was coming next. Haley decided to give Peyton a little break. "So, why isn't Brooke here? She knew we were coming in tonight, right?" she asked.

Peyton sighed in relief that Haley chose to aoid the subject for now. She realized what Haley asked and looked down at her hands, chuckling softly. "She's is so going to kill me, but I kind of told her you didn't arrive until tomorrow," she said, looking back up at Haley, who just stared. "You know Brooke, she's going to be dictating the rest of the week. I just wanted you to myself tonight. By the way, Nate, I'm stealing your wife tonight. You can have her back in the morning, but since you won't stay at my house, I'm stealing her for tonight," Peyton stated, leaving no room for disagreement.

Haley looked at Nathan and shrugged. "I guess I'll see you in the morning then," she said, leaning into him to give him a kiss on the cheek. Nathan turned his head so he caught her lips with his. Karen and Peyton both ignored the couple as they began making out. Peyton was distracted by her son, who crawled up in her lap, saw his aunt and uncle and exclaimed, "Gross!"

Peyton laughed and looked down at the boy in her lap as Haley and Nathan pulled away from each other. "What's wrong, Aiden?" she asked, wraping her arms tightly around the boy, who rested his head on her shoulder, wrapped his arms around her neck and mumbled something about being tired. Peyton chuckled. "I guess that's my cue to leave. Come on Hales, grab Jason for me. Karen, I'll be able to pick the boys up tomorrow because I'm taking the day off, so I'll see you the day after that probably. I'll call and let you know. Nathan, I'll see you tomorrow," she said, walking toward the door.

Haley picked Jason up and followed Peyton. Nathan followed his wife and Karen locked up behind them.Peyton and Haley put the boys, who had already passed out, in their seats and then Haley gave Nathan a goodbye kiss before climbing into the SUV next to Peyton. They drove to Peyton's house while chatting about inconsequental things. Haley was in shock when she saw the house. "When you said your house was nice, I didn't think you meant this big. How did you afford this place?" she asked.

Peyton looked at the two story, five bedroom, three and a half bath house, trying to see it from Haley's point of view as they pulled the boys out of the car and started walking toward it. "Well, to be honest, Brooke bought it outright from the owners for me, but I've since paid her off for it," she paused. "I mean, when I first got it, it looked huge, but I'm used to it now. It's nice and it's in a good neighborhood. I can take the boys to the Rivercourt whenever they want to go. It's really perfect for me," she paused again, "and the pool in back is amazing," she added in a gleeful tone.

Haley knew that Peyton had always wanted to have a house with a built-in pool in the basckyard. It was one of those luxeries that, as a child, she had never had, but always desired. She still had a nice childhood, but she wouldn't have complained about having a pool. Haley chuckled. "I guess you're going to have to give me the grand tour after we put these boy to bed then. I can't believe they're so big, it's been too long since I've seen them," Haley said, adjusting Jason on her hip.

Peyton opened the door to the house and they walked up the sriats, to the boys room. Even though the house had enough bedrooms, the boys insisted on sharing a room still. In light of all that had happened, Peyton allowed it. She knew eventually they would each want their own room, but she wasn't going to rush it. They both stirred as Peyton and Haley laid them down. "I've got it, Hales, go on down stairs. I'll tuck these guys in and meet you down there," she said.

Haley left the room and Peyton helped Jason and Aiden pick out some pajamas so they could change. "You guys want a story tonight, or do you gjust want to hit the hay?" Peyton asked, plugging in their night lights and flicking them on. She walked over to the bookshelf as they jumped into bed, thinking that they would ask her to read to them.

The boys shared a look, and it was Jason who spoke. "No story tonight, Mama. We just have a question for you," he said in the innocent way of a five-year-old. Peyton moved forward so she was standing in between the two beds. She waited for one of them to ask the question. "Why doesn't Daddy love us anymore?" he asked.

Peyton's heart broke at the words and at the pain she saw in the eyes of both of her sons. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she composed herself, readying herself for the answer. She sat on Aidens bed, because it was closed, and called Jason over. Jason crawled out of his bed and walked over, climbing up next to his mother, Aiden on her other side. Peyton hugged both of them close. "Listen to me, both of you. Your father loves you, very much. He's crazy about you. He just," she paused. "Your father and I just don't love each other anymore, so he moved out. I told you that. He will always love you, right now he's just on tour, for his book, signing autographs. Remember, I told about his book," she paused, placing a kiss on Aiden's auburn mop of curls , and then on Jason's straight blonde locks. "Why did you ask that?"

This time it was Aiden who spoke up. "It's just, he promised he would be here to pick us up after our first day of school. He broke that promise. It was a lie. You guys always said that you don't lie to the people you love," he said and Jason repeated something similar. Peyton wished now more than ever that things had turned out differently. Not just for her, for her kids as well. They didn't deserve to think their father hates them.

Peyton sighed, giving them each a squeeze. "Your father and I will always love you, I promise you that. Even if we don't love each other anymore, we will always love you. I'm sure he was working, or he would have been here. I'm sure he'll be here as soon as he can," she said. The honest truth was, she hadn't talked to Lucas since he walked out however many months ago. She was going to have to break the vow she had made to herself and call him, though. For tonight, though, all she had to do was go downstairs and spend some time with her best friend. She tucked both the boys into their own beds and kissed them goodnight once more before doing just that.

A/N: Okay, here is the first chapter of the sequel to Can't stop Destiny. This has been bounsing around in my head for a long time, but I've been putting it off because of Stay My Baby. I think I will alternate on updating both of these fics, though, so I won't fall too far behind on either one of them. So next I'll be working on another chapter of the other one before I come back and do this, but leave lots of reviews and tell me what you think, because that does help. I love everyone who reviews my fics and thanks a bunch to all of you!!

Disclaimer: Still don't own One Tree Hill. Excited for the new episode tomorrow, but I don't, in any way, own any of it.