Sequel to 'Memories Of My Nightmares' :)

Julian and Brooke ended up adopting Sam in this story. Enjoy :)

Sally Mann once said: 'Photographs open doors into the past, but they also allow a look into the future.'

He picked up the framed picture and brushed his thumb across the glass. She was about seventeen in the picture, and at the time, she had still been dating Lucas. They leaned against the Comet, his arms were thrown around her waist. One hand gripped tightly to his own while her free arm was linked through her best friend's.

Nathan had taken the picture for them, and Peyton had immediately run out to make three copies so they each have one. Brooke's remained in the frame, Lucas had his taped to the refrigerator, but Peyton had burned hers when she thought that her friendship with Brooke was over for good.

"I miss Lucas." Haley muttered, wrapping her arms around his waist. "And I miss Peyton, and Sawyer... I wish they still lived in Tree Hill."

He sighed, placing the frame back on the table before leaning down to kiss her forehead. Ever since his father had come to his rescue, and brought him home, his wife had clung to him, afraid to let him go in fear of losing him again. He was supposed to be the one who protected her, not the other way around.

"I miss them too." Nathan admitted.

His older brother and his sister-in-law were currently traveling the world along with his niece, Sawyer. He did miss them, he missed being able to go to Lucas when he needed advice, he missed his long, heartfelt conversations with Peyton, and he missed his tiny little niece, who was growing bigger by the day.

"Okay!" Brooke squealed, reappearing with two bowls full of folded up pieces of paper. She'd invited all of them over to their new house, insisting that they each bring a list of ten first names and ten middle names. Just like with the boys, she'd refused to learn the sex of the baby she was currently pregnant with.

Julian and Sam followed along behind her, carrying the twins. The boys were getting ready to walk, Brooke was constantly sending pictures and videos of their progress to her group of friends.

Brooke looked around the room, still in awe that this was real, this was her life. She was living in her childhood home, a place she'd always believed deserved a really family. She had a loving husband, a man who had given up so much just to be with her. She had three, soon to be four, beautiful children, her new fashion line, and the cafe were thriving, and her parents were finally acting like they actually had a daughter.

It had all started with Sam.

Samantha 'Sam' Walker had come to live with her after her friend Haley James-Scott had found the fifteen year old living in a car. After seven months of bickering, and constantly fighting, the twenty eight year old fashion designer had offered the teen a permanent place in her family. She'd eagerly accepted.

Samantha Walker became Samantha Davis.

Julian was in the picture by then. After a whirlwind romance, and the wedding of her dreams, she'd become Brooke Penelope Davis-Baker. Julian had sat the teenager down and explained to her that she deserved not one parent who loved her, but two.

Samantha Nicole Davis became Samantha Nicole Baker, older sister to Davis Eugene and Jude Andrew Baker.

The drawing had been Jamie's idea. After listening to Julian and Brooke argue back and forth for weeks, the eight year old had suggested getting everyone's input.

Jamie Scott was a genius.

"I think I picked some winners." Clay announced from the couch. Quinn was on his lap, Logan on hers.

He wasn't exactly sure how they'd ended up like that, and even though it wasn't the most comfortable position at times, he was too happy to move. Had it really only been a matter of weeks since the adoption had been finalized?

Haley was still teasing her older sister for her shotgun wedding.

"Baby!" Lydia cooed. Brooke smiled and lifted her goddaughter into the air, spinning her around in a circle.

She and Julian had agreed to not learn the sex of the baby until he, or she, was born, but she was secretly hoping for a girl. She had her beautiful teenage daughter, she had her two handsome sons, one more girl would make the family complete.

"Aunt Brooke!" Jamie begged, gripping the edge of one of the bowls. "Can I draw first? Please?"

"Of course you can, Jamie." Julian replied. "It was your idea, so you should get to do the honors."

He stuck his hand into the first bowl, and then the second, before handing both papers to his godmother.

Chester Dennis

Brooke raised an eye brow. "Okay... I'm not sure who picked the middle name, but really, Jamie? Are all of your names going to say Chester?"

The eight year old smiled sheepishly. "No..."

Nathan glanced at Haley and rolled his eyes. That was his son, wanting everything and anything to be named after his fluffy eared bunny.

"Who's next?"

"Yo." Skills replied, reaching for the names. "Big Daddy Skills picks a good one!"

Bethany Melissa

Quinn frowned. "Yeah... I loved the name Bethany, but not with that middle name. Veto."

Angelina Gina

Orion Aaron

Carter Asher

Samuel Chester

All eyes in the room locked on Jamie. He shrugged, trying to look innocent, but he had, in fact, written the name Chester twenty times.

"Wait a second..." Brooke laughed and looked over at her daughter. "Sam?"

Sam shrugged. "If it's a boy, he should take after his big sister."

The room erupted in laughter. Julian chuckled and ruffled the sixteen year old's hair.

"We already have one Sam." He told her. "We don't need another one... Trust me."

Brooke rolled her eyes and reached into the first bowl. She gave her husband a small smile, and he reached into the container full of middle names. Everything they did, they did together.

"Kayleigh." She read, slowly unfolding the paper.

Kayleigh. It was a beautiful name. Kayleigh Baker. It flowed perfectly. Now she was really hoping for a girl.

"Haley?" Brooke asked.

"Not me." Her friend replied. "The only name you've chosen of mine was Melissa."

Quinn raised an eye brow. "You thought that was a good middle name?"

"Well, I didn't know that it would get paired with the name Bethany-"

Nathan and Clay shared a look before clamping their hands over their respective wives mouths. They still bickered like children sometimes.

"What does yours say, Julian?" Mouth asked. His newborn daughter, Marianne Louise McFadden was in his arms, fast asleep. Once again, his amazing friend Brooke Davis had been awarded the title of godmother.

"Wait!" Brooke held up a hand to cut him off. "Who's the genius that came up with this name? I need to know."

She glanced around the room, waiting.

Finally, her sixteen year old's face broke out into a grin.

"Sam?"

"I found it in a baby book." Sam admitted. "I thought it was pretty. It means pure."

Despite knowing that the teenager hated anything mushy, Brooke grabbed her and kissed her forehead repeatedly.

"You're a genius, Sam!" She squealed. "Okay, baby, you can read yours now."

Julian rolled his eyes and unfolded the piece of paper with the mystery middle name written across it.

"Elizabeth." He read aloud.

Again, she looked around the room, searching for the culprit. Elizabeth was her best friend's middle name, and only the people in their original group of friends would have known that.

"Guys?"

Haley, Nathan, Skills and Mouth shrugged. None of them had suggested it, the name hadn't even crossed their minds.

"Seriously." Brooke drew out, smiling at the idea of her child carrying around Peyton's middle name. "Who picked it? I love that name! Kayleigh Elizabeth Baker? It's perfect! Who's idea was it?"

"Mine." He announced, leaning against the wall. He crossed his arms, a grin spreading across his face as he watched everyone's jaw drop.

"I know I haven't been around for a while." He continued. "But I hope it's okay that we voted too. The world could always use another Elizabeth."