Author's Note: Hey guys! Sorry you didn't get a chapter yesterday. I had written some of it, but I was just dog tired and I couldn't finish it, I had to go to bed and get some sleep. Anyways, it's a little bit longer than the usual chapter. I hope you like it! As always, please read and review!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. One Tree Hill and its characters are property of the WB.

Rating: K+ to T

Spoiler for next chapter: When you're in Tree Hill, you life is never without drama. Beware! (Okay, I know that was a bad spoiler, but forgive me, I'm not really that good with them as you can tell.)

Finding Our Way Back

Chapter 22 – Protecting Family

New Year's came and went and both Haley and Lucas returned to the school. With the beginning of a new year came the new semester, meaning new students. All except for one class, that is. Haley's second hour English class was her only Advanced English class so that one lasted all year long. For this, Haley was glad because this was one of her best classes.

"Welcome back for the second semester of Advanced English III. How was everyone's winter break," she greeted her students with a smile once the final bell had rung and they had settled into their seats. Many kids responded with enthusiastic responses and descriptions of their winter trips and what they did with their families and friends over the two blissful weeks of vacation. Blissful. Haley could agree with that. She smiled as she thought of Christmas Day, or Christmas Night rather, when Lucas had proposed. A light pink tint rose to her cheeks.

"So Ms. James, what did you do over Christmas break? Did you go anywhere, do anything," Heather asked. "No, I didn't really do anything or go anywhere for Christmas. All my family is here in Tree Hill so the kids and I stayed home. We went sledding a little bit, but we mostly stayed inside because of my bronchitis. I didn't want to make it worse. So yeah, I just basically hung out around here the whole two weeks and spent time with my family," Haley responded as she brushed a piece of hair out of the way with her left hand. One of the girls gasped and pointed, "Oh my god! You got married!" Haley looked at her hand and smiled, then replied, "Engaged actually." There were hoots and hollers of congratulations and joyous high-pitched giggling from the girls as they all rushed up to Haley to see the ring. "Finally," Heather called out from her desk as she threw up her hands into the air. She didn't want to have to squish between all those kids to see the ring; she could always see it later. "Heather," Haley exclaimed, laughing.

"Hello Mrs. Scott," Lucas smiled as he sidled up to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder as she walked down the empty hallway to the teachers lounge to eat lunch. "Hey Mr. Scott," she grinned back, curling her arm around his back. "How has your day been going," he asked. "It's been okay. Busy. I wish all my classes were a year long that way I wouldn't have to teach the same curriculum all over again the next semester like I have to now with my regular English students." "Think of it this way, by having the classes only be one semester, you meet and get to know more students and help better improve their lives, therefore having a bigger impact on people's lives than you would if you had all year-long classes," Lucas reasoned. Haley leaned up and gave him a light peck on the lips, "You always know what to say to make me feel better or make me look at things from a different perspective."

Haley was sitting at her desk during her last period for the day, her History class, as the students read up on the American Revolution. The phone rang and she answered it, half expecting it to be Lucas, "Hello?" "Ms. James," the voice asked. "Yes, this is Ms. James," Haley responded confusedly, "May I ask who is calling?" "This is Mrs. Jones from Tree Hill Elementary School. We seem to have a situation concerning your children…" Before the woman could continue, Haley responded quickly fearing one of them had gotten hurt, "I'll be right there." She quickly hung up. Haley forgot all logic and reason as she rushed next door to Mr. Howard's classroom, who had a prep this hour, and asked him to watch her class. She then called the front office to let them know what was going on then gathered up her things and left the school. Through all this, she had even forgotten to call Lucas.

"Where are my babies? What happened? I want to see my kids," Haley asked frantically as she rushed into the office at Tree Hill Elementary School. "Ms. James, I presume," the receptionist asked. "Yes, yes. Where are my kids? Are they alright? How bad are they hurt?" "Ms. James, please calm down. They're okay. The principal just wanted to talk to you concerning a situation that happened today and Derek's behavior," the woman replied. "Then why did Katie get called in too," she asked confusedly, wondering what had happened to get her kids called to the principal's office. They were good kids; what could have gone wrong? "She was involved in the matter," the receptionist replied with a lazy drawl. Haley rolled her eyes and huffed in exasperation. She hated it when people were vague and uncaring to divulge important information. Important information about her kids as to why they were sent up to the principal's office.

"Where are they," Haley asked again. "Around the corner to your left," the woman pointed. Haley turned on her heel and walked off in the direction she had indicated. "Mommy," Derek exclaimed when he saw her and he slipped from the bench, racing over to her, Katie following hot on his heels. Haley crouched down in front of them and wrapped her arms around them tightly, thankful they were not hurt, "Hey babies." She hugged them for a few more moments before standing up and taking their hands leading them back to the bench. She sat with them on the bench and she turned to Derek, "D, what happened today? Why did you get sent to the principal's office?"

"Me and Katie were playing in the sand, building castles and digging holes with the bucket and shovel and the holey thingy. Then Bobby Masters came over and he wanted the shovel and Katie was playing with it. He didn't even ask, Mommy. He pulled Katie's hair and she screamed and started crying so I pushed him. He fell back into the sand. He hurt Katie, Mommy, Bobby Masters is a bully," Derek explained. Haley turned to her daughter and stroked her hair then kissed the top of her head, "Are you okay sweetie?" Katie nodded, "Derek protected me. He's the best brother ever! Even if he was born four minutes younger than me." She wrapped her arms around Derek and hugged him. "Because you're family and we always have to protect our family," Derek replied as he hugged her back. Haley shook her head as she smiled in amazement. Derek was so smart and insightful for a five year old. He probably got it from his father. It sounded something like Lucas would say.

She crouched down in front of them again, "Derek, while I am proud of you for protecting your sister, we do not use violence to solve our problems, okay? That means we don't push, hit, kick, or otherwise touch them to hurt them, alright? If Bobby or anyone else bothers you or Katie, you go tell a teacher, don't try to take care of it on your own. That goes for you too, Katie," Haley stated. "Yes Mommy," the pair replied. "Ms. James," the principal asked as he opened the door to his office. "Yes," she responded. He gestured inside, "Would you please step into my office?" She nodded and followed him in. As she sat down in one of the chairs, oddly she felt like she was a little kid again and she'd gotten into trouble like one of the times Lucas and Haley had heard the ice cream truck and tried to escape the school to go get some Fudgesicles. She hadn't always been the goody-goody she had always portrayed herself as in high school when she was younger. In fact, she had been quite the terror in her early years, her mother would often tell her. And paired up with Lucas? It was Luke and Hales, the Terrible Two, as Karen would call them throughout their young childhood.

The principal settled into his desk chair and leaned back, clasping his hands. "Ms. James, you are aware of the situation, I presume," he asked. "Yes, I have spoken with my kids and they told me what happened," Haley nodded. "We do not tolerate violence in our school, Ms. James," he began and when Haley tried to interrupt, he raised his hand, "however, this is the first time we have had any trouble with your children and it was technically not their fault because Bobby Masters provoked the reaction by pulling Katie's hair. I assure you that Bobby Masters and his parents have been spoken to." "I have talked to my kids as well and told them that if they ever have any trouble, to tell a teacher. There shouldn't be any more problems. If there is, please let me know," Haley responded politely. "I will," the principal finally smiled, "you can take your children home now Ms. James. Let me walk you out." He stood and held open the door for her. Katie and Derek were still waiting on the bench. "Come on kids, let's go home," she held out her arms and picked up Derek then took Katie's hand and led them out of the school.

Haley was sitting on the couch grading papers when Lucas rushed in, a scared look in his eyes. "Hey, I came to your class after last period but Mr. Jones was in there and he told me that you'd had an emergency with the kids at the school. Are they alright," he asked worriedly as he sat down beside her. Haley pulled off her reading glasses and sighed, rubbing the space between her eyes, "Yeah." "What happened," he inquired. "Some kid bully pulled Katie's hair and Derek pushed him. He didn't get hurt, but he had a little talking to with the principal, as did I," she replied. "You okay," his forehead wrinkled in concern. She was still rubbing her forehead. "Yeah, I just have a headache. Today's just been a really hard day," she sighed. "Come here," he held out his arms for her to enter. She set aside the stack of papers and her glasses and snuggled up to him, resting her head on his chest and her right hand over his heart. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head, "I love you." "Love you too," she mumbled, beginning to fall asleep. He adjusted himself and Haley as he laid back on the couch his head on the armrest and Haley lying comfortably next to him, stroking her hair. Slowly, he began to feel sleepy too and he closed his eyes.