"Bacon crispy, eggs scrambled pancakes blueberry-" Jamie muttered as he yawned, his hands rubbing at his tired eyes. Haley just stood by the doorway of the kitchen with her arms folded across her chest, an eyebrow quirked upwards.

"Other than a please and a thank you, have you forgotten something?" Haley prodded, waiting for her son to adjust to being awake and that took a few minutes. Haley waited patiently before Jamie's face erupted with a smile that could shun any fireworks display and Haley's was similar. Her whole body lurched onto the ground as she enveloped Jamie into a bone crushing hug that stole both of their breathe away. "Happy seventh birthday, Jimmy-Jam!"

"Thanks, momma." Jamie placed a slobbery, messy kiss against Haley's cheek, his arms wounding around her neck. Jamie was most definitely growing but he was still small enough for Haley to carry. For the past few days Haley had managed to regain her strength after the surgery and was currently on her way to a speedy discovery. It was evidently clear that Haley's complexion was returning and her face didn't look as hollow; she was returning to some form of normality. And, now, she was able to hold Jamie effectively without it being too much of a physical struggle on her behalf. "Is it time for the story yet?" Jamie asked as Haley walked him towards the kitchen.

"Hey, hey, hey," Nathan's long legs skipped down the stairs as he caught sight of Jamie in Haley's arms. He knew she was recovering but Nathan had promised himself he was going to take care of Haley and right now, he didn't believe she was strong enough to be aimlessly carrying Jamie around. After finding Haley face down in the pool, Nathan's heart had fallen into his rib cage; he had felt his whole world crumble when he thought Haley was dead. And, from then onwards Nathan had decided, family came first. "No unnecessary straining yourself." Nathan took Jamie from Haley's arms before placing him onto a breakfast stool. Jamie simply smiled to himself as he watched his father kiss his mother's cheek. They had been arguing for weeks and it made him happy to see him mom happy.

"Nathan, I'm fine-"

"Happy birthday, son." Nathan simply ignored Haley and turned towards Jamie. Nathan plopped himself in the seat beside Jamie, his arms folding across the kitchen island. Haley grinned at the two of them; admiring their light resemblance. She had concluded that Jamie, as he grew older, looked more and more like Nathan. He had her eyes and her biologically blonde hair but, his features, his features resembled Nathan's. Sitting beside one another, Haley could easily pin point the same button nose and those same sea blue eyes. It was a magical feeling that had chills running through her, her mind paying homage to their beautiful, deceased daughter. "So, tell me, what are your plans for today?"

"Well, there's my party later but right now, momma was going to tell the story." Nathan's eyebrow quirked upwards in interest, his whole body lurching forwards to listen to his wife intently.

"Really?" Nathan's voice was laced with an excitement that Jamie's didn't even currently hold. "I'm actually awake for the story this year?"

"Yes, you are," Haley began rummaging through cupboards for ingredients to make the annual birthday breakfast she had made Jamie ever since he could digest whole foods. "I tried waking him up at midnight but-"

"I was tired!" Jamie, just on cue, yawned loudly, eliciting a laugh from Nathan.

Just like Jamie's breakfast, it was tradition for Haley to wake him up at midnight on his birthday. Haley would sneak out of bed and crawl into Jamie's and she would tell him about her and Nathan; a little fragment of her love story and how that led to Jamie's birth. Obviously, being that Jamie was so young, Haley had never delved into extravagant detail but, she had given away enough to assure Jamie that true love was real. Haley – when growing up – had seen true love bloom over the years between her parents and she wanted her son to feel the same way she had. She wanted him to know that even though the world consisted of madness and that bad things happened to good people, there was always light on the other side of the tunnel. There was always a person that he could rely on. It was why Haley had decided to tell Jamie little snippets of her love story with Nathan.

"So, Haley James, what are you going to share with us today?" Nathan had only discovered the little tradition between his wife and son a few years ago. Before he woke up, Haley was always back by his side in bed, like she had never left. It wasn't until he had nipped to the bathroom and noticed Haley was missing, that he had uncovered the duos little secret. Since then, he had always forgotten or simply been too tired to wake up for Haley's little stories.

"Yeah, momma! What story are you going to tell me today?"

"It's actually a story about the day I told your Uncle Lucas that I liked your father." Haley prodded at Nathan's shoulder mockingly with a spoon. "Lucas had just found out about me tutoring Nathan and he wasn't the happiest person alive, obviously-"

"I can't believe you didn't like Uncle Lucas, daddy." Jamie huffed.

"Buddy, it was a long time ago," Nathan's mouth lifted slightly, remembering the petty arguments he and Lucas used to partaken in. It was funny thinking back on it because, the root of the conflict between Nate and Lucas was Dan … somebody who they now knew was not worth the fight. "Now, shh, this is a story I've never heard before either."

"Lucas was on his way to this jamboree at Nathan's house and he was wearing this really, really ugly tie when I went to see him. As his best friend, I had to help him out but … then we started talking about me tutoring Nathan and, before I could even tell Luke, he guessed." Haley shrugged and Nathan's eyes widened in surprise. Haley, noticing his startled expression, explained further. "Lucas just knew, as my best friend … he had figured it out. It was like I had 'I have a crush on Nathan Scott tattooed on my forehead' and, surprisingly enough, he wasn't as angry as I had imagined he would be. Lucas just told me that he trusted my judgement and that he wanted me to be careful."

"He did not," Nathan scoffed in disbelief. "Luke used to hate the sight of us when we first started dating!"

"Ah, but you didn't let me finish," Haley stirred at the pancake batter in her bowl. "Lucas, Karen and …" Haley paused, the ghost of a smile drifting onto her face. "Uncle Keith went to the jamboree and I was left at the café, the night was slow and I pretty much spent the time eating coffee cake. But, then, Karen called saying there was a mishap with the dessert and that she needed my help. So, I drove down to Nathan's house. Grandma Deb said I could stay and enjoy the party and so, I stayed." Haley chuckled softly. "Me and your dad were about to go grab some drinks when your Aunt Brooke decided she was going to humiliate me!" Haley let her face fall into her hands.

"What? Why were none of you friends in high school?"

"Nope, bud, none of us really got along in high school, apart from Lucas and your mom." The thought completely baffled Jamie. All his life, all he had ever known was the strong bond between his parents and their friends, it felt weird to even considering them not being friends at one point in time. "And, as you know, your mom was my tutor and she'd made me this little box full of stuff to help me study. She'd left a little note in it which Aunt Brooke read it out to everyone; claiming that I had made fun out of Haley."

"Did you?" Jamie looked at his father with a frown on his face; coming to the quick defence of his mother. From the stories that Mouth and Skills had told Jamie, he knew his dad wasn't the nicest of people during high school but, Jamie also knew that his father was one of the nicest people he knew. However, Haley topped the nice people list. Her heart was so big and so warm; it made Jamie angry just thinking about somebody trying to intentionally hurt her. "Did you make fun of her? Because that's really mean …"

"No, kiddo, I didn't … That note, and that moment, was actually what made me realise that I was falling in love with your mom." Nathan remembered that rush he felt that night, that feeling of true admiration towards a person that wasn't himself. He realised then and there that Haley was one of a kind and he was stupid to have been supposedly captivated by Peyton. "It made me realise how special she was."

"It was also the moment that Lucas found me at Karen's café in tears." Haley told Jamie and Nathan audibly gasped at this. When he said he'd never heard this story before, he had meant it. Why had Haley never told him this before? "I felt stupid for falling for your father and getting myself involved with what Luke and I used to call, the snobby popular kids. Lucas vowed, there and then, that he would always, always protect me. Deep down, even then, I always knew he would but … I guess that was a defining moment in our friendship. It's kind of why your Uncle Lucas has always stuck by me and your father."

"I … Hales," Nathan got up from his seat to wrap his arms around Haley from behind. Her whole body fell against his as he peppered gentle kisses against her cheek. "I'm sorry … I didn't … I knew you were mad that day but, I didn't know Brooke and I had hurt you that much-"

"Nathan, its fine … we were sixteen and I mean … look at where we are today. The heartbreak over the years was, well … worth it. It's been a journey that I wouldn't trade for the world. I am here … you are here and most importantly, we have a beautiful son who is here." Haley grabbed her spoon and dabbed the smallest droplet of pancake batter against Jamie's nose. The boy let a little squeal and before the threesome knew it, food was being thrown around mercilessly. Vivid blueberries were slapped against the whitewashed walls, staining the place in all kinds of shades of blue; eggs were thrown, pancake batter, tangerines, even a few eggs were cracked. The place was an absolute mess. But, the mess didn't matter, for the first time in what felt like years, the Scott family was having carefree fun. There was no stress or no weighted hearts; just simple, spontaneous happiness.

It was beautiful.

"Okay, okay, okay, I surrender!" Nathan grabbed a white paper towel, waving it around in the air before using it to wipe down his face. Haley and Jamie just looked at one another, their hands full with the food that they were ready to launch. Jamie lifted his eyebrow and Haley mirrored his action. Nathan could see his wife and his son conspire a plan internally and he retreated backwards cautiously.

"I don't know … what do you think, James Lucas Scott?" Haley asked.

"Hm, I think-" Jamie stroked at his chin mockingly, his eyes rolling backwards in supposed deep thought. "I think Daddy better watch his back." Jamie's voice quickened drastically and Haley grinned as she shoved her hand into more batter and threw it square into Nathan's chest. The half liquid, half solid substance hit his chest with a loud smack and Nathan glared down at before widening his eyes at Haley.

"Oh, Haley James Scott, it's on … it's so on!" Nathan lunged for a canister of orange juice but froze when Haley did. Haley had paused and her smile had dropped instantly. Nathan approached Haley slowly, unsure of what had happened so suddenly. "Hales? Baby, what's wrong?"

"You called me Haley James … Scott. I'm not a Scott-" Nathan quickly cut off Haley by pressing his food coated lips against hers quickly. Haley mumbled against his mouth in protest but Nathan just pressed his lips against Haley's harder. There were the usual sparks and that blood boiling chemistry that Haley could never tire from. Haley just gave into Nathan's hold and kissed him back. His lips were just as addictive as the first time he'd kissed her. The two kissed momentarily - remembering that Jamie was in the room – pulling away so that they could catch their laboured breathe.

"You are a Scott, the both of you," Nathan pulled Jamie into his and Haley's side, the three coming together in an awkwardly positioned family embrace. "And, I was stupid to let anybody tell me otherwise. You are my family and I'm … I'm going to make this all better; I'm going to make everything okay. I promise you."