Hello everyone, this is a short oneshot dedicated to the one and only James Lafferty who turns 22 today! Happy birthday James! As always, I would appreciate your feedback...I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or any of its characters.

Birthday Boy

"When's daddy getting home?" James asked excitedly as he jumped up and down and watched his mother spread the rich chocolate icing on the cake in front of him.

"James, you know he doesn't get home for another 15 minutes," Haley chuckled. James was quite possibly more excited about his daddy's 22nd birthday then he was. He had been completely wired all week and now that the 25th of July had finally come, he was literally bouncing up and down with excitement.

"Will he get here early?" he asked hopefully. He was always excited when Nathan got home from work, but today he was especially excited. Today was his daddy's birthday, and than meant presents and cake and games.

"I don't know, baby," Haley smiled, knowing it was taking some serious self control on her son's part not to reach over and put his fingers in the icing. Patience had never been one of his strengths. "Maybe."

"Yay! Then does he get to open presents? Can he open mine last?" James asked, getting more excited by the minute. He had made his dad a special present and he wanted it to be opened last so none of the other presents stole the spotlight. He was only four years old, but he was smart enough to know that whichever present is opened last gets the most attention.

"We'll eat first, then have cake, and then we can open presents," Haley answered with a smile as she finished lacing the cake with chocolate icing and reached over to run her hand over her son's raven-dark hair. Sometimes it still floored her how much like Nathan he looked.

"Can I help Daddy blow out the candles?" James inquired with large eyes and a wide grin. "Do I get to eat the first piece of cake?"

"No, the first piece is for the birthday boy," she answered resolutely as she swatted his hand away from the freshly iced cake. She had known it wouldn't be long until he tried to get a taste of it. "James! No, you can't have any yet!" she scolded.

"But Mommy," he whined as his bottom lip stuck out in a pout. "I just want a little tiny bit."

"No baby, you can't eat the icing until after daddy blows out the candles," Haley responded lightly as she put a glass cover over the cake so her son would no longer be a threat to it. She half hoped that Nathan would get home sooner than expected to keep James from driving her crazy. Sometimes she could swear he had ADHD.

"But I thought I was going to get to help blow out the candles?" His large eyes and sad expression almost had Haley reaching over the counter to cut him a piece of cake to make him smile again. She hated seeing her baby with that face on and he knew it. My child's a little manipulator, she thought as she smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Maybe you'll get to help. Now James, I have a job for you," Haley started watching as his face light up with excitement. "This is a very important job and it's crucial to the success of Daddy's birthday," she continued. The little boy watched her without a word, his large blue eyes transfixed on her, waiting to hear what this essential job could possibly be. "I need you to run into the living room and put all of your toys into the toy box. Do you think you can do that?"

"Mommy!" James whined with a smile. "That's not a important job for Daddy's birthday," he giggled.

"What? Yes it is. You know that Daddy's always happy when he gets home and your toys are all cleaned up," she said persuasively as he looked at her skeptically. "If you clean up all your toys Daddy will be in a great mood for his birthday."

"But I don't feel like putting my toys away," James countered as he glanced into the living room where action figures, little cars, and even a few stuffed animals were scattered about on the floor. He wanted no part in cleaning that up. "Why can't you clean it up?" he asked innocently.

"Because I didn't make the mess," she smiled as she put her hands on his shoulders, gently turning him around and guiding him into the living room. "Come on baby, it will only take you 5 minutes to throw all of this stuff into the toy box."

"I'm not a baby!" James pouted as he plopped down on the floor and started playing with one of his toy cars. "And I'm playing with this one, so that means I don't have to put it away."

"Well, you're not playing with the rest of them, so you need to clean them up," Haley responded sternly. James was usually a pretty obedient child. The two biggest struggles with him were getting him to clean up his toys and getting him to eat his vegetables. He always seemed to find a way around doing both of those.

"Nooooooo!" he whined as he ran to his mother and wrapped his arms around her leg. "Mommy, I'll be your best friend in the whole wide world if you don't make me clean up!"

Haley looked down at him, her stern face breaking into a light smile upon seeing his sweet face with those large eyes pleading to her. He really is a little manipulator, she laughed inside her head. "If you don't clean them up today then you have to clean them up tomorrow."

"Ok, I'll clean them up tomorrow," he resolved with a grin as he hugged her leg tighter then suddenly let go and ran off excitedly.

"James, where are you going?" she called after him, wanting to make sure he wasn't going to get in any trouble as she stooped to pick up a few of the toys in order to create a path to walk through. She hated that she always caved when he looked at her. He was so much like Nathan. She could never say no to either of them.

"Mommy look! I wrapped Daddy's present all by myself!" James exclaimed excitedly as he set the small object wrapped in about a whole roll of Christmas wrapping paper on the table in front of her.

"You did this all by yourself?" Haley questioned with pride. He was such a little angel. Sure, he was a little manipulative sometimes, but for the most part he was an angel. James nodded proudly as his mother reached down to hug him. "What is it? Can you tell me?"

"Nope, you have to wait 'till Daddy opens it," he giggled. As if on cue, the front door opened and Nathan walked in looking tired as can be. James immediately wriggled from his mother's embrace and ran over to his father. "Daddy! You're home! Now we can open presents and eat cake and play birthday party games!"

Nathan chuckled at his son's enthusiasm before swiftly picking him up. "You know James, you seem so excited, maybe it's really your birthday?"

"No it's not," he giggled. "I already turned four," he added as he held up four fingers to Nathan's face. Nathan nodded in understanding as Haley came up beside him. "Mommy, tell Daddy it's his birthday, not mine."

"Nathan, it's you're birthday, not the baby's," she giggled as James scowled at her. Nathan laughed when he saw his son's face, one that he had perfected years ago and now James was working on.

"You're right buddy, I guess it is my birthday. Your mom is never wrong," he chuckled as he set James down and then leaned over to kiss Haley chastely on the lips.

"Happy birthday," she whispered.

"Thanks," he smiled back before leaning in to kiss her again.

"Eww! Daddy! Stop kissing her! Yuck! We have to eat dinner so we can eat cake so we can open presents!" James called excitedly as he took a seat at the table and waited impatiently for his food.

Haley giggled as she gave Nathan one last peck on the lips before retreating to the kitchen to finish getting dinner ready. Nathan smiled as he watched her go before making his way over to the table that James was currently sitting at. Almost immediately the package wrapped in red and green paper caught his eye. "Hey James, is this one for me?" he asked with a smile, noticing that the wrapping had definitely not been done by his wife.

"Uh huh," James smiled giddily before reaching over and snatching the gift off the table. "But mommy said you can't open it until after we eat cake."

"Ok," Nathan laughed as he took a seat next to his son. Just then, Haley came back in with two plates in her hands. One she set in front of Nathan and the other in front of James before heading back into the kitchen to grab her own plate.

"I told Mommy to make mashed potatoes," James proclaimed proudly as he picked up his fork and stuffed it into the mound of mashed potatoes on his plate. "Aren't you happy?"

"Yeah, thanks James. I really wanted mashed potatoes all day," Nathan chuckled as Haley returned and sat right across from him. "This all looks great, Hales."

"It's only chicken, green beans, and mashed potatoes," she said dismissively. "If only your birthday had been on the weekend I would have had time to make something better."

"Nah, chicken's my favorite," he laughed. He already felt like Haley did too much. She worked full time and then had to take care of James until he got home while also fixing dinner and keeping the house in order. He didn't want her to feel like she had to do all of the work, but she never complained. "Thank you."

"Well, maybe next year we can go out to eat," Haley smiled. They had thought about going out to celebrate, but decided that a night in with just their little family would be perfect.

"Can we go to McDonald's next year?" James asked hopefully as Nathan and Haley laughed.

"We'll think about it if you eat your green beans," Nathan smiled.

"Mommy, can I light the candles?" James asked innocently as he watched Haley hold the lit match to the first of 22 candles that were standing on the top of the smooth brown cake.

"No," both Nathan and Haley responded firmly.

"Fine, jeez, I was just asking," he pouted from his seat. "Tommy in my day care said that he got to light a candle one time."

"Good for Tommy," Nathan smiled. "But you're not going to. The last thing we need if for you to burn yourself of catch the house on fire."

"I wouldn't make the house be on fire!" James defended himself with a grumpy face aimed at his father. "I know how to blow out a fire."

"Ok, James, let's sing happy birthday then Daddy can blow out the candles," Haley said after lighting all of the candles and blowing out the burning match in her hand.

"Wait! Daddy, can I help blow out the candles?" James asked sweetly.

"Sure buddy," Nathan smiled as James excitedly crawled on to his lap.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Daddy, happy birthday to you!" Haley and James sang at the same time. "And many more, till your 24, and you look like a dinosaur, and I kick you out the door!" James added with a giggle.

"You're going to kick me out the door when I'm 24?" Nathan asked in mock shock as he looked down at the little boy on his lap. "You'll only be 6 when I turn 24, I'll still be the boss of you."

"24 is old," James giggled. "That's what Tommy said.

"Yeah, well, I want to have a talk with this Tommy kid." Nathan grumbled. "I bet his dad is already older than 24."

"Nathan, Tommy's dad is that guy that owns the grocery store," Haley giggled, knowing that he would figure out that Tommy's dad was far from 24.

"You mean that guy that's like 80?" Nathan asked, this time not faking the shock before a laugh escaped from his smiling lips.

"Whoa! Tommy's dad is 80?!" James yelled before doubling over in laughter. "Grandpa isn't even 80!"

"Yeah well, some kids have old dads," Haley chuckled at both her husband and her son's obvious amusement at the revelation that Tommy's dad was about 60 years older than Nathan. "Now, Nathan, blow out the candles before the wax drips all over the cake," she demanded.

"Ok, you ready?" Nathan asked James who nodded in return. On the count of three, they blew out all of the candles together as Haley took a picture with the disposable camera she had bought for the occasion.

"Daddy! You forgot to make a wish!" James exclaimed suddenly as he looked up at his father with large eyes.

"Oh, I made a wish, don't worry," Nathan smiled as he looked over at Haley who blushed, knowing that his wish involved her.

"What did you wish for?" James inquired as he stared at the cake while licking his lips.

"I can't tell you, then it won't come true," Nathan responded shortly as he reached around the boy on his lap and cut a small piece of cake, put it on a plate, and handed it to James.

"Mommy said you get the first piece since it's your birthday," James said confusedly as he tried his best to not pick up the small piece and stuff the whole thing in his mouth.

"Yeah well, I'm giving my first piece to you then," he shrugged with a grin. "Besides, it's not like I can eat it with you on my lap."

"Thanks Daddy!" James cheered as he wrapped his small arms around Nathan's neck and plopped a kiss on his check. Before Nathan could say anything in response, James had jumped off his lap, taking the piece of cake with him, and was sitting in his own chair.

"That was a very nice thing of you to do, birthday boy," Haley smiled as she came over and sat on Nathan's lap, occupying the seat that her son had been in only moments before.

"Well, I'd do it more often if this is the reward," Nathan smirked as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She responded by leaving a small kiss on his lips and watching as the smirk turned into a smile.

"So, are you going to tell me what that wish was?" she asked with a mock pout on her lips.

"I think you can figure it out," he responded, the smirk returning.

"More please!" James called just as his parents were getting ready to kiss again. He had always prided himself on being able to interrupt them when they wanted to be all lovey-dovey.

Haley and Nathan looked over to see that their son's plate was clean but his mouth and shirt were not. "Hey James, did you get any of that cake in your mouth?" Nathan teased.

"Yeah, I got the whole piece in my mouth, silly," James giggled. "Can I have more, please?"

"Of course you can, baby. You were a good boy and ate your green beans, so you can have an much cake as you want," Haley concluded as she got up to cut herself and Nathan a piece as well as a second one for James.

"Yay!"

"Daddy, you have to open my present last," James commanded as he sat cross-legged on the living room floor, the delicately wrapped gift sitting in his lap.

"Ok, I'll open yours last," Nathan chuckled from his seat on the couch. Haley was sitting to his left and James was on the floor in front of them. They had asked him if he wanted to sit on the couch with them, but he had said he wanted to stay on the floor with his present.

"Ok, I guess that means this one is first," Haley smiled as she reached over and pulled a box into her lap. "This one is from me and James."

"Ok," Nathan smiled as he proceeded to tear off the bright colored paper and carefully open the box. Inside were a multitude of things and Nathan smiled as he pulled them out one by one.

The first was an official Charlotte Bobcats t-shirt. He already had quite a few articles of Bobcats clothing, but was always complaining that he didn't have a simple t-shirt to wear out and to games and such. "Thanks guys, I really needed something like this."

The second thing he pulled out was a tie that had the words 'World's Greatest Dad' inscribed down the center of it. At this, Nathan laughed as he looked quizzically from James to Haley. "James thought it was appropriate," Haley giggled, "and I did too, so there you go."

"Thanks you," he laughed as he took off the tie that had been hanging loosely around his neck since he got home from work and replaced it with the new one. After a happy giggle from James, Nathan reached his hand into the box to pull out the last part of the gift.

His mouth automatically formed into a happy smile when he pulled out the picture frame with a picture of himself, Haley, and James smiling happily placed inside. He remembered that picture being taken after he and Haley graduated from college a few months ago. "We thought you might want a picture for your desk," Haley explained with a smile.

"Thank you, both of you, so much," Nathan grinned as he leaned over and left a lingering kiss on Haley's lips.

"Hey, don't I get a kiss?" James asked from the floor.

"Yeah, come here," Nathan chuckled as the little boy crawled into his lap, bringing the coveted gift with him. "Thank you, James," he smiled before kissing him on the cheek.

"You're welcome. Now open mine!" James yelled excitedly. "This one's only from me. Mommy, why didn't you get Daddy a present just from you?"

"Yeah Mommy, why didn't you?" Nathan teased as he took James's gift into his lap and looked playfully at Haley.

"Because, I'm going to give him my gift later," she responded, looking pointedly at Nathan.

"What are you giving him?" James asked curiously.

"Shhh, it's a surprise," Haley whispered to her son.

"Oh, ok," James giggled, not wanting to give away the surprise. "Will you tell me what it is tomorrow if I'm asleep?"

"Sure he will," Haley smiled as Nathan looked at her skeptically. Great, now he was going to have to find something to pretend she gave him.

"Ok, open it Daddy!" James commanded as he bounced up and down on the couch.

Nathan did as he was told and tore off the layers upon layers of Christmas tree covered wrapping paper. "Wow buddy, you really wrapped this think good," Nathan laughed when he reached the third layer of wrapping paper.

"I did it all by myself," James smiled proudly.

Once Nathan had finally removed the last layer of wrapping paper he looked at what he was holding with a large smile on his face. "Did you make this in daycare?"

"Uh huh, do you like it?" James asked hopefully. It was a small laminated drawing of two stick people, one obviously Nathan and the other James, both playing basketball with two small magnets on the back. "You can hang it on the fridge."

"I love it James, thank you so much," he beamed. "You drew that all by yourself?"

"Yup. I got to use the new crayons too," James smiled proudly. "Then Miss Betty put the shiny paper over it so it wouldn't rip."

"Wow buddy, thank you so much. It might even be my favorite gift," he chuckled as he set the picture in the box with all of the other gifts and pulled James onto his lap.

"James, that was so sweet," Haley cooed as she snuggled closer to Nathan who put his arm around her. "I'm so proud of you baby."

"I worked on it for a whole day in daycare," James smiled proudly.

"Thank you," Nathan repeated, "both of you. This birthday has been even better than the last one."

"They're going to get better every year, Daddy. Because every year I'm going to make you an even better gift," James resolved. "And I'll make you presents too, Mommy."

"Ok, you'd better. And never stop. We want your homemade gifts until we're old like Tommy's dad," Haley smiled as James broke out into a grin.

"Ok! I'll make you guys presents always and forever."