I am SOOO SORRY! I have no excuses foer the huge break in the story, I just wasn't paying any attention, I guess I wasn't really in a Trory or Laley mood. But I'm back, so here you go. Enjoy and please review.

"I don't get why I had to get tested for this thing." Nathan complained sitting between his parents, waiting for the doctor. Deb looked over at him and rolled her eyes.

"You brother has it. There is a possibility that you do too. Your father, Keith, Karen and Tristan all got tested as well. It's not just you."

"It's still stupid. There's nothing wrong with me."

"Just be quiet." Dan ordered.

"Nathan Scott?" Nathan stood and walked to the nurse, she lead him to the doctors room and left.

"The Scott family, good to see you all again. How are you feeling today Nathan?"

"Same as last time I was here."

"Ok, good. Now I have your test results. Do you mind your parents being here?"

"It's fine."

"Let's have a look then shall we?" he opened an envelope and removed a piece of paper. After studying it for a moment, he looked up at the family and smiled.

"Everything seems to be in order here Nathan. You are perfectly healthy. No HCM."

"That's great to hear doctor. Thank you." Deb gushed, holding her sons hand.

"Dan you're next, would you like to do this alone?"

"No, my family can stay."

"Alright, here we go." He removed another page, but didn't look up quiet as quickly. "Um… it's not good news I'm afraid. Dan it appears that you have HCM."

"There's got to be a mistake doc. I feel fine."

"I'm sorry but there isn't. You have the defect Mr. Scott."

"Oh Dan," Deb reached for his hand, but he pulled away.

"What does this mean?"

"Well, you will have to take it easy from now on. Watch your diet. I can have someone fax over a list of safe foods and exercises later today."

"What's going to happen to me?"

"If you follow my instructions, nothing."

"I've got to get back to work." He turned and left without another word.

"Hey you're back." Lucas put his book down and smiled at Haley as she entered the room.

"You're probably getting sick of me. Sorry."

"No it's nice to see you. Like old times." Haley walked further into the room, leaned down to hug Luke and sat in the chair she had occupied for four days. "I missed you Hales."

"I've been right here the whole time."

"I know. I just… With joining the team and dating Brooke, you and I drifted apart. I hated it, but I didn't do anything to stop it either."

"Lucas it doesn't matter."

"It does." Luke sat up straighter and reached for Haley's hand. "Because I realised something in the last few days. I didn't want to admit it before, because I thought it might just be a reflex from you saying it first, but it's not."

"What are you trying to say Lucas?"

"I love you. Not in the friend way either. I love you, like you love me"

"You have no idea how much it means to me to hear you say that." Haley told him, squeezing his hand.

"After everything that's happened, I just had to tell you. There's no telling what could happen to me. I needed you to know."

"Nothing is going to happen to you. You're going to be fine."

"Come here." Luke pulled Haley closer so she sat on his bed and leaned down just like she had when she had entered the room, only this time, he placed a hand on her cheek, leaned forward and kissed her.

After another week, Lucas was released from hospital. Keith and Karen had been sent home three days earlier. Luke was put on bed rest for a few more days before he was allowed back at school.

"Are you ready for your first day back?" Karen asked as he finished getting ready.

"Yeah I think I can handle it. Whitey won't let me play this afternoon but he said I can watch practise if I want."

"Good. I had better be going to work. I'll see you tonight. Call me if you need anything." She kissed him on the cheek.

"Thanks ma."

"I can drive you to school if you want." Tristan poured himself a coffee when he entered the room. Karen hugged him and left.

"Can we stop at Haley's first?"

"Sure man, we can pick up your girlfriend. You ready to go?"

Lucas smiled and stood up. "Shut up dude."

"Nah, I'm just happy for you guys. Come on."

They arrived at Haley's a few minutes later and Lucas went in to get her.

"Lucas, how are you feeling today?" Jimmy James asked as he opened the front door.

"Pretty good, Jimmy thanks. Is Haley ready for school?"

"She is. Should be down in a minute."

"Thanks, I'll just…"

"Come have a drink?"

"Well, Tristan's in the car so I should-"

"Bring him in. I'd like to get to know him."

"Sure, ok... I'll be back in a sec." he went back outside and returned a moment later with his brother.

"I'll see you tonight daddy." Haley called, coming down the stairs.

"Look who's here honey." Haley looked up and smiled.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

"Picking you up for school. You ready?"

"Yeah. Bye dad."

"Drive safe." The three teens left and Haley watched Lucas strangely.

"Are you ok?"

"When did your dad get so scary?"

"When you kissed his baby girl." Tristan replied, laughing as they drove away.

"Seriously, you can stop talking any minute now."

"I'm just saying, you've known the guy your whole life, suddenly you can't spend five minutes alone with him."

"Tristan please leave him alone."

They drove silently the rest of the way, then Luke and Haley goy out of the car, walking the halls, hand in hand.

Brooke walked out to her car, after a day of watching her ex with his new girlfriend. Watching the two of them didn't upset her the way she thought it would. She was happy for them.

Jake walked to her car and stopped behind her.

"How are you doing with that?" he asked, indicating Lucas and Haley, leaving the gym together.

"Good. They look happy. It's good, they deserve it."

"You are so much more mature than I thought you were."

"I know. I'm amazing." She slid into the driver's seat. "Tonight you start at five?"

"And I'll be home around ten."

"Ok, I'll see you in an hour." Jake nodded and Brooke drove away.

That night, just after ten, Brooke was still trying to calm Jenny down, trying to get her to sleep. Jake would be home any minute and Jenny hadn't stopped crying in over an hour.

"Alright, let's go for a walk, hey?" she carried Jenny outside and paced the front yard.

"What's going on Brooke?" Jake asked, getting out of his car.

"Oh, hey. Jenny's just a little grizzly tonight. I don't know what's wrong."

"Let me try." Jake took his daughter and tried to get her to relax. After a few moments, he glanced up at Brooke and watched her eyes widen.

"What?"

"Um, you've got a visitor." She pointed behind him to a girl she recognised from a photo she had found one day.

"Nikki."

"How's my daughter?" the brunette asked, walking towards the trio.

"Brooke could you take Jenny inside please?"

"Yeah." She took the baby and headed back to the house.

"I want to see her. Hey you! Bring her back here."

"No Nikki. Jenny's tired; she needs to go to sleep. What are you doing here?"

"I haven't seen my daughter for awhile. I wanted to see how she's doing."

"It's been months. Why now?"

"I missed you." Jake looked at her for a moment, his anger began to crumble as he let himself remember how much he'd once loved her, and how much he missed her since she left.

"You've got to go." He finally told her, before she could get too close.

"No I don't. I-"

"Leave Nikki. Now!" Jake turned back to the house.

"I'm not going anywhere Jake." He stopped for a moment before going inside and locking the door behind him.

"So, that's Nikki."

"That's her. She's probably decided she wants to be a mom now, so she'll want custody. We're going to have to find a lawyer."

"If you need help, just-"

"I couldn't do that."

"Alright, well if I think you need it, I'm stepping in. No arguments."

"Thanks. Um, how's Jenny? Did she go down ok?"

"Yeah. Out like a light. Must've just wanted her daddy back."

"I should probably call my parents. We need to sort something out."

"Ok, I'll see you at school. And Jake?" he looked up from the phone in his hand. "Don't worry too much. Everything will work out."

"Nikki's back?" Peyton asked getting ready for school the next morning.

"Yeah, she just showed up last night when Jake got home from work. And all night Jenny was squirming and crying, she wouldn't settle down for even five minutes. Then as soon as Nikki was gone, she fell asleep. It was a creepy night."

"What does she want?"

"I don't know. To see Jenny I guess, but Jake told me to take her inside straight away."

"How's he doing?"

"I think he's ok. His parents are probably still talking to a lawyer. Oh, my God! I cannot believe I haven't asked you this yet. How was your date?"

"It was good." Peyton smiled as she replayed it in her head. "We had dinner on the beach and walked for a bit while we talked. It was really nice."

"Did you swim?"

"No. It was too cold. Thanks for that by the way."

"It was his idea. I just wanted to help."

"You did. We had a great time."

"So the next date is…?"

"We haven't talked about it. You know how everyone's been preoccupied with seventeen year old heart patients and getting tested."

"I know. It's crazy. I can't believe the only thing Dan gave to Lucas could kill him. Talk about father of the year." Brooke added, sarcastically.

"He's gonna be ok though. You know that right?"

"Yeah I know. It's a good thing he has Haley right now. She'll be good for him I think."

Nikki's back! I have no idea how that happened, she just showed up, then I decided to have some fun with her. And we will be having fun, trust me. At least I think it's fun. ASnyway please review, but no pitchforks… please.