Morning came rather quickly. Before they both knew it the first tale tell signs of dawn were creeping through their curtains and blinds. Jake hadn't gotten much sleep anyway. Too much had happened and it was all weighing heavily on his mind. A few inches away, Peyton lay nestled in his arms groggier than ever but still wide awake. Slumber hadn't come quickly for her either.

"Can't sleep?" she finally whispered.

"Nope", he sighed. "You?"

She forced a small smile.

"I'm actually too tired to sleep. Can you believe that one?"

"I can", he said.

"Are you okay?"

Jake nodded.

"Just thinking."

Peyton rolled over to face him, letting her long index finger run a trail over his hair speckled bare chest.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Amanda", he said.

Peyton sighed.

"That's crazy, isn't it?"

"It's sad. It's so incredibly sad and just so fucked up. She's just a kid when it comes down to it. In 14 years she has been through more drama and more bullshit than anybody should have to experience in a whole lifetime."

"I know."

Jake shook his head, still disturbed.

"Did you see the way she ate last night? And I had noticed that before when she was over another time. The girl is five foot nothing and probably a hundred pounds soaking wet and she wolfs down her food like she hasn't eaten in years."

"It's possible she didn't have regular meals."

"That bewilders me, Pey. Look at all the shit we take for granted. We have a nice home and enough money and plenty of food to eat yet there are some people, some of them children, out there who don't have anything. It just doesn't seem right or fair."

"I know."

"It happened to Amanda and I've always had the feeling like it happened to Jenny as well."

"Jenny, Amanda…the other kids in my class…all of them have a story Jake and believe me, it's no goddamned fairytale. Some of them don't have parents or they're living in rat infested poverty. Some are going to school and already working two or three jobs at the age of 14 and 15 to just to help their families survive. They are surrounded by drugs and gangs and alcohol and sex. You're right…it is a shame and it isn't fair. These are society's rejects. You know, statistically none of these kids have a snowball's chance in Hell of making it. It's almost like life is designed so they won't make it."

Jake was undecided between wanting to throw up or burst into tears at that moment.

"Now I understand. Peyton, I finally get it. All those times I thought you were devoting too much time to the school and the kids…well, I was just being a jackass. A selfish jackass. They really need you, hell, the world needs more people like you. I'm glad Amanda is here with us. This opens my eyes and makes me just want to help everyone in the world that needs it. You made the right decision."

Peyton smiled and stroked his face.

"We made the right decision", she corrected.

He looked at the woman he had loved for more than ten years. His feelings and affections grew deeper and deeper by the day.

"God, I love you", he played with her hair.

"Not as much as I love you", she whispered, leaning in for a sultry kiss that deepened.

Jake moaned in her mouth, his hands beginning to explore the soft and sexy familiar female curves of her luscious body. His hands pulled up her shirt, pushing her bra aside as his lips hungrily devoured her already hardened nipples. Peyton groaned softly with pleasure.

"I love your breasts", he said in a throaty voice.

Peyton giggled, quickly lightening the mood.

"Babe…"

"That wasn't meant to be funny, Pey."

"I know and you're a sweetheart for it but baby, I really don't have breasts. The A cup here thanks whoever invented the padded bra."

Jake smiled at her before continuing lavishing her with his tongue action.

"They're more than a mouthful and that's good enough for me."

Her giggles turned into pleasure filled panting as every inch of her begged to be touched and kissed by him. She could feel his hardened length pressing again her bare thigh and both were at the brink, wanting each other so bad they could barely stand it a second longer.

"I want you inside me", she begged in his ear.

"Your wish is my command", he whispered, kissing her again.

The passion mounted and when both were on the verge of exploding, a loud knock on the door quickly reminded them that they were no longer the sex crazed, carefree, twenty something couple who were allowed to get it on anytime, anywhere.

"I don't know what the heck is going on in there but it is breakfast, we do have a guest and I'm not getting any younger waiting on my Pop Tart."

Jenny.

Jake and Peyton took one look at each other and burst out laughing.

"So this is our official welcome to parenthood, huh?" she grinned.

"Damn", Jake whined.

Peyton kissed his nose as she adjusted her clothes and threw on a robe.

"Get dressed and we'll finish this one later", she winked.

"A promise is a promise", he playfully smacked her behind.

Peyton grinned all the way to the kitchen where the girls were seated and waiting. She pulled out pots and pans and eggs.

"What do you want for breakfast, Amanda? You can have anything you want."

"Whatever you have, Peyton. I'm not really hungry."

"Pick something. Anything. I can pretty much cook whatever and if I haven't tried it, there's a first time for everything, right?"

Amanda managed to smile.

"Bacon and eggs? Pancakes and grits too, if you know how…"

"Not hungry, eh?" Jenny joked sarcastically.

"Jenny!" Peyton warned in a stern tone that still didn't keep her from smiling. "You got it, Amanda. And I'm from North Carolina. Everybody in North Carolina knows how to make grits."

"Good morning, good morning", a freshly shaven Jake grinned as he bounced down the steps.

"Somebody has a new pep in their step", Jenny eyed him.

"Nah", he kissed Peyton's cheek.

"Dad, you're glowing."

"Am I, now?"

"Yeah and it's starting to make me queasy. Somebody must have gotten lucky last night."

"Jenny!" Peyton blushed.

"Actually it was close but no cigar. You know, Jen, as great as you are at Field Hockey, you might want to take up football."

"Football?"

"Hell, you already made your first interception", he joked tossing a nectarine in the air and catching it.

Jenny tried to hide her growing half smile.

"Okay, enough of that", Peyton said. "Jake, you have work and the girls and I need to get to school and we're all running late as it is. Everybody scarf down your food in record time and hit the showers because we need to get cracking. Girls, ride with me. Jenny, I'll drop you off."

"Whatever", she said, biting into her Pop Tart.

"And girls, make sure you empty your hampers and separate your clothes for me. It's laundry day and I have a bunch of loads to do", Peyton added.

Jenny rolled her eyes.

"Okay, Amanda is crashing here now, that's fine. But she's Amanda and I'm Jenny. What's so hard about that? Just say our names. What's with all this 'girls' stuff all of a sudden? Honestly my nerves can't take it. I feel like I'm stuck in a bad Molly Ringwald movie. I'm expecting Ally Sheedy or Emilio Estevez to come bounding around the corner any second."

Peyton just looked at Jenny before eating a mouthful of grits.

"Whatever", she casually said, causing everyone at the table, even Jenny for a split second, to laugh. "You know, that word is pretty liberating. Now I see why you say it so much. I think I might have to start using it."

"I took notes from Donald Trump", Jenny came right back. "That word will be copywritten any day now."

Calmly they smiled and even made small talk as they enjoyed a normal breakfast. Peyton and Jake just stared at each other, too ecstatic to even speak. So that's what being a family felt like after all.