Title:Christening Chaos (1/5)

Rating:T/3 (For language, and sexual tones)

Summary:Is there such a thing as an elopement for a Christening? Nathan and Haley are starting to wish they knew. It's time for Jamie's big day - bring on the dysfunction James-Scott family!

Authors Note:I know, I know the last thing I should be doing is posting something else, but this is a well over due birthday fic for two of my favourite people Andie , and Diane (ParadiseBlue). They are both people who I know whenever I talk to them will cheer up my day, and I appreciate them so much and hope this gives them a little insight into that! Love you girls!

Thank you to the girls who helped me with this fic, and the wonderful Becky for beta-ing for me.

Stopping mid fold, Haley's ears perked up, listening intently to the silence that echoed around the big house. Was that the wind, or a whimper? Picking up the baby monitor, she smiled at the little light that blinked in time with her son's breathing, almost never fearful but always eased by the sight of it, before holding it to her ear.

"Crap, I didn't wake him did I?" Startled, the young mother spun around before flinging herself into the arms of the man who'd spoken, his arms easily wrapping around her waist and holding her body up to his. "I tried to be quiet 'cause I know it's naptime..."

"Just kiss me hello you goof!" She smiled against his lips, once again familiarising herself with his taste. They'd only been apart five days, but when you kissed as often as they did….hello, goodbye, good morning, goodnight, good luck, I'm sorry, just 'cause I love you... it felt like forever. "I've missed you."

"Missed you too, baby." He let her down and smiled as her small hand came up and stroked at his ear. "How's the boy?"

"Asleep, where he'll hopefully stay long enough for me to finish this laundry...and show his daddy how much I've missed him." She grinned flirtingly and he smirked in response.

"Oh really?" She untangled herself from his embrace and went back to the counter where she'd been folding their clothes.

The Gilmore basketball team had surprised everyone and were already moving steadily up in the ranks, resulting in their being invited to participate in a holiday tournament. The only downside had been that it was across country, and the 3-day tournament had meant nearly a week apart for the small family. The whole ride back Nathan had listened to his team mates talking about the parties they were looking forward to, the old girlfriends they were going to hook up with when they went home for the holidays, or the gifts they were looking forward to receiving, while he was just hoping they'd make good time so that he'd be able to spend some time with his wife and son before they were inundated with family and friends. Months of planning and trying to coordinate schedules and finally they were making good on those godparent positions they'd promised (the one that Lucas had been hounding them to make official every day since), and christening Jamie over their Christmas break.

Looking over at his wife as she went back to sorting through their clothes, he could tell she was drained. Her smile didn't quite make her eyes shine, and despite the fact he knew she was as glad to see him as he was her, she'd shaken off his embrace much faster than normal, and was sighing tiredly as she placed Jamie's tiny footsie pyjama's into the basket next to her. She wanted the whole event to go off without a hitch, something that was likely to be a near impossible task when putting all their family and friends in the same room. He knew she'd been staying up late every day that week, putting Jamie to bed and then cracking the books studying for her finals, before studying the plans for the christening. She'd broken his heart when she'd rang to say they'd arrived safe, he could hear how tired she was, and her voice had cracked as she'd let slip that she wasn't sure how she'd done on her exam because Jamie hadn't stopped crying the night before. He hated being away from his family, but especially when he wasn't there to comfort them when they cried. He just hoped that it'd pay off for them all in the end.

Needing to feel her in his arms as much as he knew she needed the comfort herself, he moved across the room and walked up behind her. Placing his strong arms around her waist and pushing her ponytail of long blonde curls out of the way, he nestled his head on the soft shoulder of her hooded sweatshirt, "How about we leave the laundry 'til later and you show daddy how much you missed him now."

Closing her eyes, she savoured the feel of him surrounding her but willed herself not respond to the warm heat that spread inside whenever he touched her. She had so much to do, so many things to get right before people began to arrive, and as much as she wanted to use nap time as they had numerous times before, acting out their love in the way that had created the child in the next room, she had so much to do, and so little time to do it. Doing her husband would have to wait.

"We can't." She giggled as he tugged playfully on the strings of her sweatshirt.

"Oh, we can. We have many, many times before." She jumped at the feel of his hands, still cold from the December air, as they dipped beneath the hem of her sweatshirt, bypassing the tank top she wore beneath to play across the flat plane of her stomach.

"Nathan!"

"C'mooonnn..." he kissed her softly behind her ear, enjoying the way she shivered against him and shut her eyes, knowing it would weaken her resistance as it had for almost 2 years now.

"We can't," Summoning all the restraint she could muster, Haley tore herself away from him, "We really can't. You have to pick up your grandparents..."

"Not for two hours." He smirked, reaching for her, but she took a step back.

"And Jamie..."

He broke her sentence off and stepped toward her again, a playful glint in his eye as she backed further into the counter. "Has at least half an hour left of naptime..."

"And I have to get this finished before he wakes up, Nathan!" She snapped, the playfulness done as she turned back to her chore. She wanted so badly to just let go and do what they both wanted, just relax and be happy her husband was back with her, and they were both on Christmas break, but there was just too much to do to act like teenagers today…even if their birth certificates dictated them to be so.

"Fine, at least let me help." He gave in, knowing not to push any further. His wife was a perfectionist, a planner, and he knew he'd only pay later for taking her attention off her task now. Besides, later, with a house of willing babysitters ready to dote on their baby boy, was a very enticing prospect.

"So not going to turn you down on that one." She laughed, relived they weren't going to have an argument moments after he'd walked through the door.

"But you'll turn me down for sex." He cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Postpone, not turn down." She winked at him, and pushed a basket of unsorted clothes in his direction. She thought how crazy it was, the calm he brought her just by being in the same room. She really had missed him while he was away playing. Sure Jamie, and classes, and coming back to Tree Hill to prepare everything had kept her busy, but even when she was rushed off her feet, she always had time to miss him.

"I'll hold you to it."

"Or you could just hold me." She teased, and sent him a seductive smile he knew well before giggling and going back to the task at hand. Maybe they could just be very adult teenagers. "I know we spoke about it on the phone already, but tell me about your games."

She loved the way his whole face lit up when he spoke about basketball. She felt as if she was watching him come alive in front of her. He lived for the game and she was so happy they'd found a way for him to play after high school, even if it did mean time apart now and then.

"How about we talk about these instead." He let out a low whistle as he lifted up a pair of red, lacy, barely-there underwear and smirked, "These have got to be new because I'd remember these."

He expected her to playfully say that he wasn't supposed to see those until later, or that she'd been in a festive mood when she went shopping, but instead she laughed, a deep-bellied, body-shaking laugh, shaking her head as she gripped onto the counter. "Honey..."

"Hales?" He asked confused as she breathed deeply attempting to compose herself.

"Those aren't mine."

"What?" His forehead wrinkled in confusion. "What do you mean they're not yours? We're doing our laundry here..."

"Baby, think about where we are. Whose house we're in. Who may have had a load of unwashed clothes in the laundry that I threw in with ours...."

She watched as it all registered in his mind, his skin paling, the garment falling from his fingers, his mouth hung open. They were his mother's! He'd just lustfully imagined his wife in his mother's underwear. "I'm going to be sick!"

"Just don't wake the baby!" She laughed even harder when he actually left the room making for the downstairs bathroom.

He came back seconds later, obviously the urge to vomit having passed, and he scowled, looking like a scolded child, as he sat down on one of the bar stools and nervously reached back into the clothes. "I can't believe you let me handle my mom's...things..."

"They were clean." She teased, peels of laughter once again leaving her lips as he only glared, looking at her and then at the two baskets on the table, swiftly switching hers for his.

"This one better be all ours." She shrugged, knowing that his was mostly filled with Jamie's things, maybe one or two of their own, but Deb's had mostly been darks, and anything that might be in there wouldn't be scarring, but enjoyed watching him squirm. She knew there weren't many boys their age who would spend the first day of their winter break folding laundry with their wives. Of course, there was the fact that most college freshman didn't have wives....

"I thought Lucas would come back with you."

"He decided to go straight home. Said they were thinking of going to the grave before Grandma and Grandpa got into town."

"I'm still worried about that one." She sighed, a sad smile gracing her lips as she looked over at her husband. "I mean Karen says she's fine with them, and that they've been to see Lily and things have gone well, but Lucas said it was really awkward. Your Grandma just spoke about Keith constantly, nervously, and your Grandpa barely said a word."

"We couldn't not invite them Hales." He pointed out the conclusion they'd come to when debating whether or not to invite his grandparents. Karen was as much Jamie's family as Mae and Royal were, and they hadn't wanted to make her uncomfortable by having them there, but when they'd questioned the older woman she'd insisted they weren't only Jamie's great grandparents, but Lily's grandparents too, and they had every right to be there. Karen Roe's gracefulness bordered on masochism sometimes, and he often wondered if it was from her and not her own parents that Haley picked up that trait.

"I know, and I really do want them there." The blonde implored, smiling across at him, hesitance still clear in her eyes. It had been a much discussed, many opinions weighed in decision as to who could come and who couldn't, and she prayed that as her son got older, family gatherings would be easier to arrange, and he wouldn't have to be subjected to it all once he was old enough to understand what was going on. "The past few months must have been so terrible for them but they've been wonderful to us. Coming to see Jamie, and sending us things for him, and your Grandma's always calling to check in, and offer support, but Karen's like a second mom to me and the idea that she'd feel uncomfortable, or out of place, or pushed out of my child's christening... I just couldn't bear it."

"She won't." He promised, forgetting the laundry to walk across and once again bring her into his arms. "It's Jamie's day. Your day. And if anyone is stupid enough to make it about anything else, they'll..."

She stopped him mid-threat, twisting around to pop a soft kiss on his lips, warmed, but a little worried by the sentiment. If they could just get through one family gathering without blood shed it'd be a miracle, and if anyone deserved it, it was her baby. "Your day too,"

"Hmm?" He murmured, kissing her forehead as she looked up at him, enjoying the familiar feel of her body against his.

"It's Jamie's day, and it's our day." She pointed out, closing her eyes and letting him once again calm away her stresses. "You played a part in his creation too, remember."

"Oh," He pulled back, racking his eyes leeringly over her form, causing her to good naturedly roll her eyes in response. "I remember, but just in case, I think you should take me upstairs and remind me. Ya know, just to be sure."

"Nathan!" She moved away from him, pairing up socks with a new found gusto, both exasperated and flattered by his insistence. It wasn't that they hadn't gone 5 days without making love before, but the complete lack of physical contact made it feel so much longer. She felt that too and couldn't fault his trying but, as was becoming her mantra of late, there was so much to do, and so little time to do it. "We have to do this. We have one of the busiest weekends we will ever know starting in a matter of hours, a house full of people to feed and entertain and take care of, not to mention a six month old who's partial to our attention once in a while. And I think it would go a lot smoother if we could concentrate on making sure we can find a pair of socks rather than acting on the fact that you're horny!"

"Um, hi guys." Deb perked up, walking into the room a half-awake Jamie attached to her hip. "I was walking past the room just as he was stirring and I couldn't stop myself having a cuddle."

"You're worried," Nathan pointed out, taking the baby from his mom's arms and smiling to himself as the sleepy child buried his head into his daddy's shoulder. He breathed in deeply, welcoming the familiar scent of his son as Haley blushed over having used the word horny in front of her mother-in-law. "Whenever you're worried or anxious about something you go into organisation mode."

"I'm just going to..." The elder woman spoke up, realising she'd step right into the middle of some kind of couples moment, an uncomfortable position she'd been in a few times before when her son and his wife had moved back in with her. She could let it lead her to self-pity that her teenage son was the one with the functioning marriage in their home, or she could take her chubby cheeked grandson for a walk and focus on him instead. "...take Jamie for a walk."

He didn't really want to put the baby into his mom's outstretched arms. He'd been hoping that once Jamie woke up he'd get some time with his son before the child was inevitably snatched up by and passed around to the various family members who were due to arrive over the next couple days. But then he was also planning on getting some from his wife before the baby woke up, so it was clear his plans wouldn't be going as he'd hoped. "Yeah, that's fine, Mom. Just don't be too long okay?"

"Just around the block a couple of times. I want to him show him off to the neighbours." The blonde woman grinned as she took her grandchild into her arms and bounced him lightly, tweaking his nose until he let out a joyful giggle that made all three adults smile and look at him with adoration. "His pictures just don't do him justice and he's grown so much since he was last here."

He watched silently as Haley continued to sort and fold and Deb strapped Jamie into his stroller, waiting for the sound of the heavy wood door shutting in its frame before he walked over to his wife and turned her away from the counter. "You need to relax."

"I'm fine." She tried to convey an air of ease and not the anxiety that had been building up inside of her as she ticked off the days in the calendar. Could she be faulted for wanting her child to have the perfect christening day? Well, maybe, when you consider the family she chose to marry into, she should have known the prospects of such were limited.

"You're lying." He smiled reassuringly, pushing a strand of hair that had fallen from her ponytail behind her ear. "But, I promise, it's all going to be okay. We're going to have a great weekend with our family and friends and Luke's finally going to stop bugging us about making him godfather, and then we're going to have a great winter break, and the boy's Christmas is going to be awesome. Know how I know that?"

Haley shook her head no. He'd been home no time at all and already his touch had taken the edge off her nerves more than once. She didn't know how she'd survived this past week without it. Jamie, finals, work, planning the christening, packing to come home…She'd been so distracted by the million and one things she had to do she hadn't realised she'd been stretched so far she could snap, until now, as she listened to her husband's reassurance and let her cheek fall into his palm, relishing in his touch. She dreaded to think what her life would be like left to her own type A devices without her husband to keep her grounded, and coax her into letting loose once in a while.

"Because I know you, and I know you've been lying awake at night making fun of yourself for not being able to sleep alone anymore just like I have, but instead of running basketball stats you've been planning every possible last detail of this weekend." He wrapped his arms around her waist and crouched down a little so he could look her in the eye. "I would bet that sex you promised me on the fact you know everyone's flight numbers by heart, that you've map quested at least three routes to the airport and back, and printed off directions for everybody to get from the church to Tric, even though almost all the guests are born and raised from Tree Hill so they know exactly where to go, and that you've bought extra socks for Jamie, just in case, even though his little feet won't hit the ground."

"We just can't account for our crazy families, so I need to be sure of everything I can be." She explained, biting on her lip nervously as he looked on adoringly, straightened up to his full height but leaving his arms securely wrapped around her.

"I know."

"I'm sorry I've been so snappy," She laid her head against his chest, "It wasn't how I wanted to greet you at all. I'm just tired."

"You want to take a nap before I have to go to the airport?" He could practically feel her falling asleep against him, and if they were going to survive their - as she'd pointed out, very crazy families, they'd all need to be well rested. "Just a nap, I promise! Scout's honour."

"You were never a boy scout, mister," She laughed, and he felt his chest shake along with her. Well he definitely wouldn't be opposed to more than a nap, but she really did seem to need some sleep. "And we've never taken a 'just nap' in all the time I've known you. Even when Jamie was weeks old and we were exhausted from being up all night I'd wake up with your hand on my boob."

"Well," He slipped the hand that had been on her waist up her side and grazed it across her breast, "They are magnificent boobs."

"Oh shut up" she flicked his hand away from her and pulled away from him slightly so she could look up at him. "And keep your hands to yourself. Your mom could come back any minute."

"Oh please, Hales, you know as well as I do she's not past next door yet. Our son's good looking, takes after his dad, it's going to take a while to show him off."

"Alright Mr. Ego, while I can't deny he's a cutie, I'm still not okay with you getting handsy in your mother's kitchen." She rolled her eyes as he shrugged, clearly not seeing any problem with it.

"You didn't have any problem with me getting a lot more than handsy with you against this very counter a few months ago." He teased her, enjoying the flush that tinged her skin, a physical show of the mixture of embarrassment and lust she felt at the memory, his own temperature spiking at the thought.

"I was pregnant, and my hormones were all over the place," She defended, her eyes darting towards the doorway, paranoid Deb would magically appear again. "Besides, I also made that dent in the wall throwing a plate at your head, I think maybe even that very same day, and I wouldn't do that now either!"

"I'm sure you sometimes feel like it."

"Well," She said, hoping to stop his thoughts trailing down a self-depreciating path, "Maybe some days I feel like having you in the kitchen too but..."

"Oh really?"

"Maybe." She shrugged coyly, and he shook his head.

"You can act coy Haley James, but I know you better."

"Yeah," She laughed. "You made me this way."

"You love it."

"I love you, and I've missed you and I think you should get down here and kiss me hello properly." She stood up on her tip toes and got a tight hold on his collar, pulling him down to meet hers.

"I thought I already kissed you hello." His breath tickled her lips as she let out a frustrated moan when he wouldn't kiss her back, but his faux resistance fell away quickly when she sucked his lower lip between hers and nibbled on it lightly.

"No, that's how you say hello." She said when they pulled apart moments later, both grinning.

"Hello?" Lucas called, unnerved as he pushed open the door to the Scott manor. Even though, in their conversation earlier, Haley had told him to just come on in when he got there, it still felt wrong for him to walk inside this house without announcement. For so many years his body had chilled at the sight of the place and it seemed unnatural, even in the short time he lived there, to just stroll right in.

"We're in here!" Haley called from the living room, Jamie's baby babbling calling out after her causing the blonde man to smile and immediately feel at home. He'd missed that kid. Over the past few months he'd been questioned so many times on why he'd chosen to shack up with his brother, best friend, and their child instead of living in a dorm or with some other less tied down students. He knew it was a strange position for a college freshman to chose to put themselves in, and although when it was 4am and the baby was screaming the house down he may sometimes think otherwise, he'd never regretted his decision. It was hard enough being away from his sister and missing out on seeing her grow up. He couldn't imagine missing out on those moments with Jamie too.

"Hey," Nathan nodded a greeting at his brother as he dangled his child up above him, making silly faces that caused the baby to shriek with laughter.

Standing up from the sofa, Haley walked across the room and hugged her best friend, her eyes taking a few moments to turn from the picture her husband and child made. She never would have thought she could love Nathan more than she did the day she married him, or when they renewed their vows for all their family and friends to see, but watching him with their son these past few months, she'd fallen in love with him all over again. A deeper, stronger love that would have scared her had it not made her feel completely and utterly content. "How are Karen and Lily?"

"Gee, nice greeting Hales. I've missed you too." Lucas teased as he let go of Haley and wrangled Jamie from his dad's arms, sitting down and bouncing him on his knee.

"I spoke to you an hour ago!" She poked her tongue out and sat on the arm of the chair her husband had moved into, leaning into his touch as he hooked his arm around her waist and played with the loop on her jeans.

"And you saw them yesterday!" He gave an exaggerated mock pout that the baby seemed to find hilarious even as his mother rolled her eyes.

"Oh, gosh, I'm sorry Luke, I've just missed you terribly, I don't know how I coped without seeing you these past few days!" Nathan watched on amused as his wife laid a hand on her heart, pretending to be overcome with emotion. They were the two biggest dorks he'd ever met. "I apologise for thinking you were the same as you were when we spoke. Did something amazing happen between your shower and the drive over here?"

"And if it happened in the shower, man, we don't want to know about it."

The girl's face crumpled and she gagged a little at the insinuation, smacking her husband in the shoulder. "Eww, Nathan!"

"What?" The brunette male's signature smirk graced his lips as he teased. "He's getting laid tomorrow for the first time in weeks. I'm sure he needs to..."

"Shut up!" Haley let out a squeal as she was pulled down into his lap. Prepared for her assault this time, he'd put his quick reflexes into action and stopped her small hands from colliding with his shoulder, pining her arms to her side, enjoying the way she wriggled against him as she tried to get free. Squeals turned into flirty laughter as he murmured his appreciation in her ear and laid a kiss on her neck.

"Your Mom and Dad really need to stop." The baby laughed at his uncle, and pushed two fingers into his mouth. "I think that means he agrees, guys."

Nuzzling his neck into his wife's blonde curls for a moment, Nathan glared at his brother over her shoulder, "I think that means he thinks his Uncle needs to stop being such a co-"

"Nathan Scott if you curse in front of your son, Lucas won't need to be anything of the sort!" Brown eyes narrowed in warning, she climbed out of his lap, stalked across the room, and sat beside Lucas.

"I wasn't going to say it!" The young dad would have sworn even the baby looked toward him with disbelief. Okay, so maybe he was going to say it. He liked to think he was a hands on dad, who always had his son on his mind, and was always aware of him, but sometimes the 18 year old in him took over and he'd say something he shouldn't, or forget his son was quickly becoming more than the little helpless baby he loved so much. He thanked God every day for his wife, who was aware of all those things that escaped him, like the fact that Jamie was taking in everything, and that even the little things they did or said in front of their child would shape the person he was going to become. Without her by his side the fear he felt over it all would completely overwhelm the excitement. "He's fine."

"Whatever, I think someone's diaper needs changing." Standing up she took her baby who had stopped laughing and was letting out the occasional whine as his mom glared across at his dad, into her arms and patted his behind, "C'mon big bum, let's get you cleaned up."

"Get's it from his Mom." Nathan quipped, hoping to diffuse the tension that was now palatable in the room. Haley had relaxed so much over the past couple of hours as they'd played and laughed as a family, Jamie lapping up all the attention from both his parents together, a rarity for the busy family. It often felt like they were passing Jamie around like a baton in a relay race as they left for class or work or basketball. Even with the godsend that was Lucas living with them, and Whitey down the street, time where they could all be together was hard to come by. "Aw, c'mon Hales, you know I love your butt!"

"Too much information." Lucas cringed, shaking his head internally at the hole his brother was digging himself into. One drunken night Nathan had, much to the blonde's chagrin, admitted an angry Haley turned him on, but if that was the route his brother was taking right now he was a bigger fool that he thought. Even he could see the only contact Nathan would be getting from Haley if he kept on down this route was a smack.

"You know what, Nathan? I think you should go pick up your grandparents before you say something else stupid." Never looking at anyone but the baby she walked out of the room. As if she didn't have enough to worry about, Nathan had decided it was appropriate to put his comedian hat on.

"I don't know why you're accusing me. You're your own cockblocker." Lucas threw a stuffed bear that was on the couch next to him at his brother's head. "Idiot."

"I forgot. She normally wouldn't react like that!"

"You said yourself she's been stressing like crazy. You know Haley. When she gets like that she can't take a joke."

"Try and cheer her up while I'm gone will you?" The younger brother asked, standing up and scanning the floor for his keys he'd let the baby play with earlier.

"Yeah, of course. You off to get your grandparents?" Ironically the older Scott would say that his relationship with his paternal grandparents had gotten better since Dan's incarceration, but Haley was still more inclined to call Mae Grandma than he was. The older Scott's had been to visit Lily as often as they had Jamie, and Lucas tagged along on the trip from Gilmore to Tree Hill not wanting his mom to have to deal with them alone, and had in turn gotten to know them better, but he'd never think of them the way he did his mom's parents, and he occasionally found himself unable to separate the fact that they were people who had raised the man who took Keith away from them all, even if they had raised Keith as well.

"Yeah, and I need to leave now. Royal would never let me hear the end of it if I didn't get there on time, and I promised Hales I'd help make this weekend go smoothly so..."

"You'd better go. I'll see if I can cheer up our girl."

"Thanks man. Will you be here when I get back?"

"Probably. I haven't seen Lydia and Jimmy in forever, and I think my mom's sick of me already."

Laughing, Nathan nodded, "Alright then, I'll see you later."

"Are you leaving?" Haley asked, her foot hitting the last step as Nathan left the living room.

"Yeah, if I wait any longer I'll probably end up in traffic." Nodding, she crossed her arms under her breasts, holding her body stiffly.

"I'm sorry, Hales." He apologised sincerely. The last thing he wanted to do was make things harder for her. The last thing he wanted was for her to look back on the weekend and remember him making things harder than they'd needed to be, instead of the good time he wanted her to remember.

"No, I'm sorry," She protested, playing with her hands as she thought about how she regretted takings things out on him. It wasn't a pattern she wanted to fall into, especially as she knew the harder times were still to come. "I'm all over the place and I'm taking it out on you."

"C'mere." He pulled her into his arms and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "It's going to be fine, and you're right, I shouldn't swear in front of the baby."

"No, you shouldn't." She extended up onto her tiptoes to kiss his lips. "Go. Drive safe."

"Where's J-Luke?" Lucas asked as Haley walked into the living room moments later, and stopped flicking through the TV channels.

She sat down next to him and laid her head on his shoulder. "He crashed out as soon as I put him on the changing table."

"And you let him sleep off schedule!" With their busy lives, Haley always insisted on Jamie sticking to the schedule she'd worked hard to get the baby on as soon as possible, trying her best to make sure her son ate, and slept at the same time every day.

"Oh shut up! He woke up from his nap early, and anyway by the time my parents are done with him he'll have no trouble sleeping tonight."

"That is true. Are you excited for them to get here?"

Grinning Haley turned and sat so she was facing him, "So excited."

"When are they meant to arrive?" He asked, knowing it must be sometime soon. The James' were his second family, and he'd eagerly accepted Haley's invitation to be there when they arrived.

"Anytime now. They picked up JJ and Taylor on their way. Do you know this'll be the first time JJ even see's Jamie?"

"Really?" Considering he'd spent every day for the better part of the last 6months with them he did know that to be true, but he still found it hard to believe. He loved being an uncle to Jamie, and took the responsibility seriously. He knew it hurt Haley that her own brothers didn't feel the same way. "Well, his loss. He'll realise that when he sees him."

"Yeah," She was grateful for her friend's attempts at placating her, and it wasn't even like what he was saying was a lie. She'd be lying if she wasn't hoping once her family fell in love with her baby it would make them come by more often. So far she wasn't doing too well with her promise to let the past be the past and focus on the present for the weekend.

"So, how did you like Mulhern's final?" Lucas changed the subject, best friend radar letting him know she was thinking too much. That, and he could see the cogs in her brain turning rapidly.

"Oh god, it was awful!"

"Well, I did offer to text you the questions when I took it before we left." He joked. The basketball team had been allowed to take their exams early, the school more than eager to accommodate their suddenly winning team.

"Lucas Scott I am not a cheat!" She balled her fist up and punched his arm.

"Ow, damn you're violent today!"

"Shut up." Her scowl quickly formed into a grin when the rumbling sounds of tires on gravel could be heard and, before she'd even made it to the door, loud voices could be heard despite the shut window and heavy oak door. She grinned eagerly over her shoulder at Lucas as she eagerly clamoured from the sofa, almost knocking over Deb who was making her own way to the door as she ran and flung it open. "Mommy!"