Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill. I do have the rights to all ocs and plot lines associated with Secrets Never Last.

Lucas sat on his bed as he stared admiringly at the sight of his two angels sleeping peacefully before him, each in their own crib. Everything was going to be okay. It was all he could do to believe that.

Haley was coming over for tutoring. She'd insisted that if she had the session at his house then he couldn't possibly be late. Deb would be here any minute to pick up the twins for an emergency baby-sitting and with any luck she'd beat Haley and be out of the complex before the teen girl could even arrive.

A knock filled the room and Lucas rushed to open the door. The person before him made his heart jump in his chest. Haley James stood before him clad in jeans and a tee. Of course, luck had never been on his side so why start now?

"Hal…Haley?" He cursed his voice for sounding so broken.

She nodded like he was from another planet. "We have a session, remember."

"Yea…I remembered, but I just wasn't prepared yet."

She let out a sarcastic laugh and began to walk backwards. "Hey, your loss. I gave you another chance and you obviously didn't deserve it. See you, Lucas."

A baby's cry emitted from inside the room as she walked away and Lucas let out a frustrated sigh.

"Haley? Come on in." He didn't wait to see if she had followed. He simply turned and entered, moving directly towards the sound of the crying and picked up Riann gently in his arms.

Moving into the living room, he looked for anything that could quiet the child down. A pacifier lay on a nearby table and he pushed it softly between two rose colored silk lips.

Haley stood off to the side marveling at the big, buff jock cradling the tiny figure as if she were made of glass. She could barely make out the words that he whispered to the child.

"It's okay, Ri. It's okay, sweetie. Go back to sleep." The child quieted magically and settled into a peaceful slumber.

Lucas met her eyes with his surprisingly kind ones. "Haley James, meet Riann." The girl's eyes fell to the two baby carriers laying at his feet. There was another one?

Sensing her thoughts he waved a hand and motioned for her to follow. She did so curiously and found herself in a small bedroom made even smaller by the three beds it contained. He laid the little girl in a crib adorned in pink and then led her to the other crib.

Another child lay in it. A boy with blonde hair and calm features. Probably the exact copy of his father at that age. "This is Aidenn."

Haley felt herself smile. "Are they…"

"All mine. Their mom isn't in the picture anymore." He held a finger up to his lips and then walked softly from the room. It was then that she first noticed the baby monitor fastened securely to his jeans.

He led her to the living room couch and pulled out a large math book. She however wanted nothing to do with math, just answers to her questions. Lucas beat her to the punch.

"Their baby-sitter was coming over to get them, but you showed up before she could."

"Lucas, who all knows about them?"

He looked her in the eyes and spoke firmly. "Only Nathan, the baby-sitter and now you."

The conversation was interrupted by a frantic knock. Lucas stood and opened the door before Haley could function it. A familiar voice entered her ears.

"Lucas, I'm so sorry I'm late. I got stuck in the café and then my best waitress is helping someone with school work."

Haley and Deb met each other's eyes and both filled with shock. "Deb? You're the baby-sitter."

Deb let out a chuckle and nodded. "And you're the tutor?" Haley nodded as well. "Wow. What a coincidence."

Lucas looked confusedly at both of them. "You two know each other?"

Deb replied quickly. "She works for me. She's the waitress I was just telling you about." A laugh escaped Lucas' lips. "Luke. I'm so sorry that someone else found out. I know how much this secret meant to you."

Lucas shook his head gently. "I was actually going to ask you to bring them to the school tomorrow. I was going to take them to practice when I tell Coach Durham that I won't be playing this season."

Once again shock filtered into Haley and Deb's faces. And Deb's motherly instincts showed again. "When did this happen?"

"Nathan talked to me yesterday and everything he said made sense. Basketball isn't what it used to be anymore and I am finally ready to admit that. He already told me he'd go with me tomorrow to tell the coach."

Deb pulled the teen into her arms as she rubbed his back. "I'm so proud of you, Lucas. I remember when you came to me desperate for help. All you had to go by was how good you saw I was with my niece. You've grown up so much."

Haley watched the moment that seemed more mother-son than anything she'd ever seen. As much as she hated to interrupt the moment. "Lucas…I'll go with you too if you want."

He smiled softly and nodded. "Hey, bud, don't think it's because of you." Haley's voice was filled with joy. "I can't miss an opportunity to see the inside of the guy's locker room."


The locker room was already full of the Varsity and JV basketball teams and Lucas could not have been more nervous. Deb would be here any second now and he was still struggling to get a hold of himself.

To tell the truth it wasn't just the twins he was worrying about. Basketball had been an epic part of his life for as long as he could remember and now he was going to let it go.

Haley stood next to him with her hands in her pockets. She was true to her word and had shown up like she promised. Nathan stood on his other side, probably as nervous as his older brother.

Deb Lee appeared minutes later with a child in each arm and a baby bag draped over his shoulder. Lucas moved to take the twins and Haley beat Nathan to the diaper bag all ignoring the looks of the cheerleaders and passer-bys.

Deb looked at Lucas with sympathy. "You ready, Luke?"

He looked at her with eyes of uncertainty before giving a firm nod. "As ready as I will be."

Nathan and Haley gave Lucas looks of support before Nathan pulled open the door and ushered them outside, leaving Deb standing in the corridor.

Inside the locker room the atmosphere was not much better. The males whooped and whistled until they caught sight of their captain holding two young children. That immediately made them quiet down. Lucas kept his eyes on the heads of his twins and let Haley and Nathan lead him towards Coach Durham's office in the back. The door was open and the elder man sat at his desk hunched over a book of plays.

Nathan knocked gently causing the man to look up slowly. He showed obvious confusion but waved them in anyway.

Nathan opened his mouth to speak but Lucas started before he could. "Coach…I'm not going to play this season."

Coach Durham stopped moving abruptly and his voice came out no louder than a whisper. "What'd you say, son?"

Lucas spoke as firmly as he had the first time. "I'm not going to play this season."

"Lucas," Coach Durham took in everything that set before him…the children…the girl…his best players refusal…and it all led to one thing. "if this is about getting some girl knocked up and then deciding that you're life is over. It's not. Basketball will still be there and I'm sure the mother will be fine on her own. You don't have to do this."

Lucas looked as if he'd been slapped in the face. "This isn't about that, sir."

"No, Luke, I see where you are coming from. But parents don't have to be together to…"

Lucas interrupted him with a weary voice and Coach Durham immediately knew he got things wrong. "This isn't about basketball and Haley isn't the mother. I've been raising MY kids alone for months. This is about me and who I need to be. Basketball isn't who I am anymore…my children are. I can't play anymore, Coach. I'm sorry."

Lucas walked away. He didn't wait for approval or a speech on his selfishness. He didn't say goodbye to his teammates or his friends that he'd left behind in the office.

He cradled his children in each arm and left the locker room. With his head held high, Lucas Scott left his old life behind for a new existence.