Author's Note: So it's been...a while...since I last posted. What can I say? I've been busy! However, I'm gonna try my absolute hardest to get updates out to you great folks. Thanks for still reading this and remember, review please. I'll go faster that way ;-D

Disclaimer: I have 52p in my savings account. Not quite enough to buy One Tree Hill just yet.

HALEY'S POV

"I can't believe your life Peyt, this is all so insane!" Haley exclaimed as she and Peyton strolled arm-in-arm down one of London's busiest shopping streets. Her arms were loaded with more shopping than she'd normally buy in a year and a chauffeured car would arrive to pick them up the second they called.

Peyton laughed, her blonde curls jumping in the sunlight. "That was quite tame actually. You'll have to wait Clarissa's benefit next week – there's more silicon in the room than actual human!"

Both girls scrunched their noses and laughed, ignoring the flashes of cameras all around them. Haley had only been in London for a fortnight but already she was growing accustomed to the media and public's interest in her friend's life. Heck, she was interested in it! Every morning after breakfast she and Peyton had a giggle over the newspapers, seeing what ridiculous stories were printed each day. There hadn't been a single true one yet.

"Haley? Peyton?" came the overexcited voice of Brooke Davis from behind the girls. Ever since Brooke had saved Haley from the extreme boredom of Tim, the girls had been keeping in contact, trading emails and texts almost every day. Despite appearances Brooke was actually an incredibly down-to-earth girl and was making a big effort with the others.

"Hey!" Peyton and Haley squealed in unison, reaching out to hug the other girl before breaking out in giggles when they realised they had too many bags to reach Brooke. However, Haley and Peyton's bags were nothing in comparison to Brooke's – her toned arms were clearly used to heavy lifting as she wasn't even breaking a sweat.

"How about we go and get a drink?" Haley suggested. She and Peyton had been shopping for hours and she knew that her blonde friend's feet would be agony in her high heels.

Brooke's face dropped. "I don't know...I haven't really got that much shopping in so far..."

Haley's jaw dropped open in disbelief as Peyton shook her head and laughed. She'd heard from Lucas about Brooke's incredible ability to shop but she'd never quite believed the stories she'd heard, always believed them to be exaggerated.

"I'm sure you've got enough there B Davis!" Peyton laughed, motioning to the incredible assortment of bags slung over Brooke's shoulders and clutched in her hands. Designer names like 'Chanel', 'Fendi' and 'Louis Vuiton' flashed as she adjusted the bags on her shoulders, her face forming a cute pout.

"Fine," she mumbled. "There's still all the things that are getting sent to my house so I suppose I have enough for today!" she said, brightening considerably and not realising that the other girls had stopped still behind her. "What?" she asked, turning around, not understanding why they weren't with her anymore. "Did you see a hot guy?!"



Both girls laughed at this. If there was anything Brooke loved more than shopping it had to be boys.

"No Brooke," Haley laughed, catching up to the other girl. "You're a shopping phenomenon you're beyond incredible! However, us mere mortals are suffering. We've been shopping for hours and I for one wouldn't mind a big a big plate of your English chips."

"Well I wouldn't say no to that!" Brooke laughed linking in between the two other girls, her shopping bags bumping at their hips as they strolled towards the nearest McDonalds, laughing happily together.

NATHAN'S POV

"This must be awkward," Jake chuckled, tossing a magazine across the kitchen table at Lucas. Unfolding it and flicking through the pages Lucas looked for the offending article.

"Not funny Genius Boy," he muttered, glancing at the photograph of Peyton, her friend Haley and Brooke eating ice-creams together on a recent shopping trip. He rolled the magazine back up and leant across the table to playfully hit Jake around the head with it, upsetting his water glass as he did so.

"Lucas Eugene Douglas Walter – stop fooling about! Now clean that up," a harassed Violet ordered from the stove where she was attempting to manage several pots and pans.

Jake and the others smirked as Lucas stood up to fetch a towel, ashamed at being told off by his mother. Their father, George, was much softer and doted on them all but Vi always made sure that they acted correctly. They were after all under constant media scrutiny.

"Jacob Alexander Felix Darcy, stop smirking right now or you can forget about your trip to the Science Museum tomorrow.

"Hark, do I hear the dulcet tones of Violet Scott?" King George had poked his head around the door, his handsome eyes exhausted after working hard all day to solve an argument between two other countries over oil.

"Daddy! You're home!" little Maggie-Grace squealed, barrelling at full speed into her father's waiting arms. "I didn't think you'd be home for dinner!" she exclaimed, her overly-enthusiastic manner strongly reminding both Nathan and Lucas of Brooke and her blonde curls reminding them of Peyton.

"I sure am Jitterbug," George declared dancing around the kitchen with Maggie still in his arms causing Violet to swat him away when he tried to make her dance and for the elder children to roll their eyes at his antics.

Puffing slightly, George dropped Maggie back into her seat and took his at the top of the table as Violet called Lottie and Anna to help her serve dinner.

"Ugh!" Lottie exclaimed as she picked up a serving dish full of what looked like some strange grey-coloured soup. "What exactly is this meant to be?" she laughed, showing the dish to her family who all snorted their laughter as well.



"Its gravy," Violet pouted, a blush rising in her cheeks. "I know I'm not the best cook but I thought it would be nice if we sat and had dinner together. Behaved like a normal family."

"Aw...Mum, that was really sweet," Nathan commented patting her one the arm, causing her to smile fondly at him. "But you're not exactly normal, none of us are," he joked, causing the smile to disappear almost instantaneously.

"Oh do quite down and let your father say grace Nathaniel," she clucked, trying to divert attention from her truly awful cooking.

"Sure, sure sweetheart," George replied, reaching for Jake and Anna's hands as the rest of the family linked up, the teenagers shooting glances and giggles at their parents' attempts at normalcy.

"Dear God, please help us to make good, strong and charitable decisions that help our countrymen who we are duty bound to serve and allow us the strength to serve them well. Please improve Violet's culinary skills," he joked causing the family to erupt with snorts and giggles, only to be silenced when George continued, "help my Italian to improve before my meeting with the ambassador tomorrow," this again was interrupted with giggles and a call of "unlikely" from Lottie before George continued, "help Nathan to find a wife," this caused even more laughter, "Lucas to finally write his novel, for Lottie to achieve her ambition of becoming Princess Barbie, for Anna to finally meet that 'like totally hot' actor she always talks about, for Jakey to dumb down a bit because he makes me look bad and for Maggie-Grace to keep being perfect. You know that isn't likely in this family. Oh, and please save us all from inevitable food poisoning. Amen," George ended.

At the other end of the table Violet shook her head in disbelief. "OK, so normalcy doesn't work for us. Who wants to order in a Chinese?"