Chapter 2

Haley walked through the doorway and into the kitchen where she saw her baby girl coloring and humming 'Dare You To Move,' Haley loved that song, especially when she was a teenager. She hadn't heard it in a while and wondered where Megan would have heard it. 'Okay, focus Haley. Don't get distracted.' She thought.

"Can I color with you?" Haley asked trying to ease into it.

"Sure! Mommy? Are you mad at me for telling everybody about Nathan?" Haley wanted to laugh, she didn't even know who Nathan was yet she was talking like she knew him forever.

"No, honey, I'm not mad at you, but we do need to talk about him."

"Okay, no yelling?"

"No yelling. Okay, so, do you remember when I told you your daddy lives far away and that he can't visit you?

"Yeppers!" Megan giggled brightly

'Oh, she's making this hard. Why does she always have to be so happy?' Haley wondered.

"Well, your daddy can finally come visit and he is going to be here for the rest of the summer." Haley braced herself for an array of emotions that could spew out at any moment.

"My, My daddy, is coming home? I am going to meet my daddy?" Megan asked in utter disbelief.

"Yeah. You are going to meet your daddy."

"WOWIE! What's he like? What's his name?" Woah! She was getting way ahead of her.

"Umm.. His name is Nathan, that is who Aunt Peyton and Aunt Brooke were talking about..."

"My daddy was the one who mad you sad den mommy? My daddy did that?"

"A little bit, but I am tough, I can handle it." She said as she tickled her slightly omitting a little giggle from the child.

"Why is he coming home?"

"Uncle Luke and Aunt Brooke's wedding. And to see us." She immediately cursed herself for saying that, she really had no idea if he had any intentions of seeing her, other than what Brooke had said earlier.

"What if he doesn't like me? Will he be like all my friends daddies? Will he mommy? Will he?"

"I know he loves you, and I really don't know if he'll be like all the other daddies."

"But mommy you know everything! I knows you do. You teach the big kids."

"Yeah, well your daddy has that effect on me, I don't always know when it comes to him. Come on, baby. Let's go see if dinner is ready."

"Okay..."

They walked back into the living room where it got suddenly quiet, not that it was all that loud to begin with. Megan broke the silence once again. "I get to meet my daddy!" She squealed.

Haley suddenly felt like she was going to cry, and she really wasn't sure why. Luke stood up and hugged her. He remembered that look on his best friend's face. She was scared. He assumed that it had something to do with Megan being so keen on meeting Nathan. The rest of them smiled and Karen picked up Megan and took her into the kitchen to "help her."

"You did a good thing, Haley. Really." Keith said pulling her into a hug.

"I am sure Nathan will be good to her while he's here." Deb said hoping the best from her baby boy.

Karen and Megan returned from the kitchen. "It's weady!" Megan squeaks.

Dinner goes well, there is limited talk of Nathan, Luke and Brooke keep their P. D. A.s to a minimum, and Megan only spills one thing that Haley has to clean up.

"Okay, Bye guys! Thanks for dinner Karen. Talk to you later!" Haley says later as they leave.

"Bye Bye." Megan says sleepily.

More goodbyes are said when Jake and Peyton leave, and yet more are said when Dan and Deb leave. Lucas, Brooke, Karen and Keith are left talking in the living room.

"I am worried about Haley, mom." Luke starts, "I mean, I think she's scared that Nathan will come and everything will change or something."

"And it very well could. Nathan could very easily come and change Haley's relationships with everyone here. For the better, or completely ruin them." She walks back into the kitchen leaving Lucas, Brooke, and Keith confused and worried.

"Well, lets just hope that doesn't happen!" Keith says trying to lighten the mood.

"You ready to go Brooke?" Lucas said abruptly, ignoring Keith's forged cheeriness.

"Umm. Yes." Brooke replies, worried why Lucas wants to leave so quickly.

They call their goodbyes to Karen and Luke shakes Keith's hand while Brooke hugs him.

"Lucas, talk to me." Brooke pleaded as she half- ran to keep up with him. He continues walking at a fast pace.

"My mom is right. What if Nathan comes out and ruins everything? What if he comes and breaks Haley's heart again?"Lucas shouted.

"Okay! Stop! Nathan understands this is Haley's family. He wouldn't break it up! Lucas look at me!" He stops and turns around to see Brooke with tears in her eyes, looking at him, sadly.

"It's my fault he's coming Brooke. I asked him to be my best man. And if something happens between Nathan and Haley, well, I'll feel guilty as hell." Luke says softly.

"Babe, you know Haley wouldn't blame you. And I am sure it will all work itself out. Heck! Maybe it will do them some good." Its times like these Lucas knows he's doing the right thing by marrying Brooke. She always knows how to soothe him, and make him feel like nothing is wrong. He pulled her close to him, and held her in the middle of the sidewalk, in the glow of the streetlight.

Deb and Dan walked into their massive house. Deb was excited to see her child after 5 years.

"He's coming this Saturday, Dan! I get to see my boy! Oh my! There is just so much to do!"

Pulling her into a hug Dan says, "Calm Down Deb, we have 5 more days!" He laughs at her nervous babbling, and yet, he is too excited about seeing Nathan.

Haley awoke at 6:00am, from habit, and was startled to see Megan, awake, watching Rugrats on the T.V.

"Morning pumpkin." Haley says to her.

"Morning Mommy!" She shot back brightly.

"Why are you up so early?" Haley says as she pours herself some much needed coffee.

"Daddy's coming!"

"Oh baby, your daddy isn't coming until Saturday. Its only Tuesday." Haley said as she watches the smile fade from her child's face.

"Oh. Darn. What are we doings today Mommy?"

"I am not sure, a little later we will call Aunt Brooke and see if she needs any help with the wedding."

"Okay. Mommy! I got a great ideas!"

"Oh really? What's that?"

"We can go to Grandma Karen's for breakfast! Can we? Can we?" Haley laughs at her enthusiasm.

"Sure, but you need a bath, and I need to get ready, as well."

The phone rang at about 8:30, waking both Lucas and Brooke up. They had just cuddled all night, which was nice, and awoke with Brooke tucked into Lucas. "I'll get it." Lucas mumbles as he reaches for the phone. "Hmm?"

"Hey sleepy head! Wake up, shower, and get you, your engaged butt, and your fiancé over to the Café to have breakfast with us."

"Fine. Whatever."

"See you at nine."

"Sure, bye."

Lucas turns back to Brooke. "Haley?" Brooke asks.

"Yeah, she wants us to meet them for breakfast at nine."

"Oh, good! I need her and Peyton to help me pick out a centerpiece, for the tables." Brooke says brightly. She looks over at Lucas, who is about to fall back asleep, but she slaps his head. "Well, shower already!"

Brooke did really love this, waking up with Lucas, spending time with him, and spending time with his family who has always accepted her as a part of it. She really couldn't wait to get married and spend the rest her mornings with Lucas, for the rest of her life. She couldn't help it, she loved their little moments together.

Peyton and Jake were also awoke by the sound of the phone, but Jenny who was already up watching T.V., and about to turn 7 next month, answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Jenny. It's Aunt Haley." It was strange how they adapted the Aunts and Uncle thing, even to those who weren't related, but it definitely fit.

"Oh. Hi. I'll get my daddy. Hold on."

"Thank you."

"Hello?" Jake said groggily into the phone.

"Hey! Nine o'clock. Breakfast. Café. Be there!"

"Okay. Sure." They had, had this call enough times so that he understood what she meant. He hung up the phone and looked over at Peyton holding Jenny.

"Okay ladies, we are having breakfast at nine with everyone. Get ready!"

Deb and Dan were there drinking coffee and reading the newspaper when Haley arrived, carrying a bag of vital items when traveling with a four year old. 'And I thought diaper bags were only for toddlers and Babies!'

"Hello!" Haley called, walking through the door.

"Hi Grandma Deb, Grandpa Dan!" Megan said pushing threw the door and almost knocking Haley over.

"Hello, baby!" Deb responded setting Megan onto her lap. Dan smiled at them and softly rubbed his hand over Meg's head.

"Everyone is coming here at nine for breakfast. I tried to call you, but I must have missed you. Will you stay and eat with us?" Haley asked politely.

"Of course, we were just going to bum around today anyway." Deb replied.

Peyton, Jake, and Jenny arrive, and Jenny and Megan take the coloring books out of the bag and color at the counter. Peyton and Jake sit down next to Haley, Dan and Deb at the table.

"So, Haley," Peyton starts, "What are we doing for Brooke's bachelorette party?"

"Oh god! I don't know! Its Brooke, so it has to be huge!"

"A party! Can I help?" Deb interrupts. Peyton and Haley exchange glances, then agree.

"Sure, but it's a surprise, so Brooke cannot know!" Haley warned. "Oh! Shh... here they come."