It was a party! The friends toasted at the impromptu gathering. Nathan and Haley had disappeared for a few days and no one had thought anything of it until the happy, blushing couple returned with wedding bands on their fingers. It had finally happened. They had eloped!

After returning, and a reception at Tric, the friends had lingered behind to pop a bottle of bubbly. The abrupt marriage had come as a shock to everyone but it was still a time for celebration, a time of love.

"Okay Newlyweds, what do you think?" Brooke squealed. "Pink booties or blue?"

Nathan spit out his champagne.

"Booties? Brooke, Hales is not pregnant."

"Fine", the brunette sighed. "If that's your story…"

"Brooke, do I have to piss on a stick?" Haley asked, frustrated.

"If that's your kicks", Brooke grinned.

Haley rolled her eyes and pulled down her skirt just low enough to expose the birth control patch on her hip.

"I've had it for weeks, okay? Brooke, I am not pregnant! Trust me."

Brooke stared at Haley before taking another drink.

"Wow…so I guess it's just about love, huh?" she asked softly.

"It is", Haley smiled, kissing Nathan's lips.

"Well, in that case…Broody, where's my ring? I want to get married."

"Since when?" Lucas questioned.

"I don't know. It doesn't matter, does it? Just get me a ring. A pretty one. A big one. A diamond one."

Everyone at the table chuckled at Brooke being typical Brooke.

"Sometimes it is just about love, right guys?" Haley nodded towards Anna and Peyton.

Peyton smiled before kissing Anna's lips.

"Yeah…it is."

"Can we get a warning before you two get all K.D. Lang on us, please?" Brooke protested to giggles.

She was struggling with the new reality but she was trying and what else could they ask for.

"You guys alright?" Lucas asked. "I mean, Anna are your parents and Felix still tripping?"

Anna shrugged.

"They are. I mean, it's getting better but it's their problem, not ours. I'm happy. I have my girl and plenty of great friends and I'm starting this awesome career I am excited about. What else can I ask for? Sometimes, you can't have everything you want but so far I've been pretty damned lucky."

"On that note, I say we toast", Nathan suggested.

"To love…"

Brooke and Lucas smiled at each other, blessed to be together and happy to be surrounded by the four people that mattered most in life.

"To love…"

Anna and Peyton kissed. They had found true love when they thought it didn't exist and especially in the most unexpected places. More than that, Peyton had found peace. Anna was her heart and soul and a final chapter had finally been written and closed when Peyton had hopped in her car one morning and drove to Raleigh. She went to the address where she knew Nikki lived. In the yard she sat with Jake and Jenny, a happy little family playing in the grass, two parents holding hands and gazing adoringly at their beautiful daughter and at one another. A pang of sadness and what could have been jealousy raced through her for a split second but it was quickly replaced with calmness and a sense of closure.

"And to weathering storms…"

Haley and Nathan blissfully in love and looking forward to new beginnings and the start of the rest of their lives together. Storms would come, too far in the future to comprehend but at that one moment, the world was made up of sugarplums, and rainbows, the forecast predicting nothing but sunny skies ahead.

The six friends partnered off into three couples, nodded and raised their glasses.

"…Together", the said in unison.

Together. The only way they knew how to live and love.

THE END


Author's Note: Readers, reviewers and lurkers alike...thanks so much (as always) for your support and interest. I appreciate it. Thanks for giving this fic and its unconventional pairing a chance. Open minds are the best minds. Shout outs to Lindsay, Jess and StephLova, who at times I felt like were the only three reading this, lol... To anyone else, I send a huge "thank you" your way as well. As always, till next time, guys...

Mal