Sideways

By Zoe Noelle

Chapter 2

Well, I was trying to go to bed, but I'm sick and coughing like a maniac which kinda makes it hard to sleep. So I'm up now, at least until this medicine kicks in. So I figured I'd make good use of my time by writing! So here is Chapter 2!

Also, in my reviews, many people had some questions/comments that I thought I would answer.

"Your timeline is incorrect. If Brooke is 29, and her daughter is turning 16 that means that Brooke had her when she was 13."

I started out saying there was a 3-year-old named Brooke. Then I said it was 29 years later. So she is now 32 and had Emma when she was 16. Sorry that I confused you.

"I don't think it works well using someone else's characters from their stories as that author has made it unique to them which makes it nearly immpossible to recapture the orginal essense of the character and story it was based from. Why not create your own characters then you can mold them and create storylines without the barriors of using others to keep them in character."

Jordan is actually helping me to write this story. And she says she is glad I'm writing it because she doesn't want to write it anymore. But I am starting up another story. An original one. So I'm going to be juggling both.

Anyway, thank you for the reviews and thank you for reading! I really appreciate it!

"Oh my God! When did you guys all get here?" Emma asked the group in shock.

"Well, we drove early this morning and got here about an hour ago." Haley answered.

"I can't believe it! It's so great to see you all! But I thought we were just doing a small family thing today. My Sweet Sixteen isn't until Saturday."

"Yeah, well your parents must love you a lot to put up with us until then." Jake joked. The whole Tree Hill gang was there. Nathan, Haley, Hannah, Dana, Sally, and Nate. Jake, Jenny, Brittany, and Wesley. Peyton was at home on bed rest. Pregnant, again. (Pepa and Grandma) Dan, who turned out to be a great grandfather. Deb, Karen and Nick. Nick was now 15 and round as a basketball. Deb moved in with Karen after she and Dan got into a huge fight. And then there was Mouth and Bevin and Brooke (their dog) and Tim and Theresa and Tina. Skills, his wife Gloria, their twins Michael and Jordan, who were both tiny babies. Fergie and his fiancée, Claire. Basically the whole Tree Hill gang.

"Where's Austin and Amber?" Emma asked concerned.

"Out at the beach is my bet. They're catching up. They should be back soon. I told them to be here at 11:00." Lucas answered.

"Oh. Okay. Anyway, you guys are the best!" Emma gave her mom and dad big hugs and then went around the whole room until she was all hugged out. They all talked for a while and caught up with each other. Everyone had good gossip, except for Jake who was always a bit behind. They were having a great time until the smoke alarm went off.

Austin and Amber strolled along the beach, telling each other all about what's been going on since Austin moved away.

"I've missed you so much Austin!"

"I've missed you a lot too. It's not the same here without you."

"So, who have you hired as my replacement?"

"No one could replace you. But Mark and Thomas are trying." Austin laughed.

"Well, that's because I'm irreplaceable." Amber said with pride.

"Yeah, you are."

"Austin, I've got something I want-" Amber started. She was interrupted by a boy who apparently knew Austin.

"Hey man! What are you doing here with this chick? You gettin some?" The boy asked?

"No man! Defiantly not! That's gross. She's my cousin!"

"Whatever man. Who says that cousins are off limits?"

"What's wrong with you?"

"Dude, I'm totally smashed! It's great! You want some?"

"What is this?" Amber asked as she grabbed the bottle from the boy. "Tequila? Where the heck did you find this?"

"I know a guy. He doesn't check I.D."

"Fake I.D. or not, you could never pass as 21! He just sells it to you!"

"Yeah."

"We need to find this guy and get him put away."

"Later. Right now we have to get back to the house for my sister's party! We're already late! Come on!" Austin said as he dragged Amber away.

"What was that all about? Who's that guy?"

"That's Tom."

"Tom as in your friend Tom?"

"Yes."

"Austin, you're hanging out with the wrong crowd!"

"Ugh! I don't have time for this right now. Just don't say anything. Especially to my dad. Promise?"

"Promise. Can we walk faster now? I'm hungry!"

Everyone froze at the sound of the alarm.

"Crap! My lasagna!" Karen ran to the kitchen. Brooke followed.

"Lasagna? For breakfast!" Karen walked out of the kitchen carrying a huge platter of black lasagna.

"IHOP sound good to everyone?" Haley asked seeing Karen's burnt dish.

"Sounds good! Let's go!" Everyone paraded out the door.

"Wait a second Missy." Brooke said when she caught Emma taking the hat off of her head. "That thing stays on all day! You hear me?"

"You're joking right?"

"Nope!"

"You mean I have to go out in public like this?"

"'Fraid so babe."

"Ugh! Fine! But you are so going to pay for this!"

"Uh huh. Whatever you say. Lucas! Let's get a move on it!" Brooke shouted.

"I'm coming!" Luke shouted back. "Hey babe. Sorry. I was just making sure everything was all set for Emma when we get back."

"Good. This morning is going so fast. It feels like we haven't had a chance to see each other. You got up so early this morning."

"I know baby. I'm sorry." Lucas said kissing her. "I had to go pick it up." He said in between another kiss.

"Ah. My man. Always on top of things. I knew there was a reason why I married you." They were interrupted by loud honking coming from outside.

"Come on! Let's go! IHOP waits for no man!" Emma shouted.

"You ready?" Brooke asked Lucas.

"Yep."

"Well then, let the public madness begin." They walked out the door hand in hand and piled into the Hummer. Dan let his artistic side go to work again on Lucas's car. He painted Happy 16th Emma in pink and put confetti and streamers everywhere. Lucas knew he would be stopping at a car was on the way home. They started pulling out of the driveway when Emma realized something.

"Wait! Where's Austin and Amber?"

"Shit!" Brooke cursed. "Forgot about them!"

"Where the hell are they?" Lucas asked.

"Hi! We're here. Sorry! We lost track of time." Austin lied.

"Get in Loser. We're going to IHOP!" Emma yelled out the car window.

"I thought Meme was cooking." Austin said confused.

"Change of plan. Let's go!" Amber and Austin piled into the car. Hey had to sit in car seats because there was no more room anywhere else. Everyone else was already on the road on their way to IHOP.

"This is gonna be great." Amber said laughing.

"Is there an IHOP anywhere around here?" Austin asked concerned after they passed the Waffle House for the 4th time.

"I dunno. But if there is, we are going to find it!" Brooke answered proudly.

"I'm following Jake," Lucas added in. "I just hope he knows where he's going."

"Oh, Dear Lord! I'm surrounded by a bunch of lost loony doons!" Emma rolled her eyes.

"Are we there yet?" Carter asked annoyed. There was only so much of Maddie's singing he could take.

"We're getting close…I think. Hang on." Haley answered. Haley loved Brooke's kids. She couldn't stand her own, but she loved Brooke's. Every chance she got she would take them and dump her kids with someone else. Like today. She left Hannah, Dana, and Sally with Dan. She knew he could handle them. All he had to do was turn on his classical music and they would shut up and twiddle their thumbs quietly in the back seat. Worked like a charm for him. However, whenever Haley tried to do it, they only screamed louder.

Maddie was pleased to know that her singing was getting to Carter. So she sang even louder. "Oh, I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts! There they are a standing in row! Big ones, small ones, some as big as your head…"

"Where on earth did you learn that?" Haley asked amazed.

"I heard Lucas singing it in the shower with Brooke last night." Maddie giggled. She was in a phase right now where she referred to everyone by their first name, even her own parents.

"Well…that was a bit of an over share." Haley laughed. The things Maddie said just killed her. "Oh thank God! IHOP!" Haley parked her mini van in relief. "Okay, everybody out!" She flug the side door wide open and let the kids leap out.

"Hey don't push me-EE!" Maddie cried as she fell to the ground.

"Maddie!" Lucas shouted when he saw his poor girl fall on the hard cement. He ran over to her and scooped her up. Maddie was in tears. "Are you okay Ladybug?" Lucas said rocking her.

"Carter…p-p-pushed m-m-me!" Maddie choked out between tears.

"Maddie! Are you okay baby?" Brooke rushed over to her and Lucas. With Emma's ranting about how long it had taken them to get to the IHOP, she had never even noticed what had happened.

"Carter pushed her."

"Aw! My poor baby! Maddie, your knee is bleeding."

"Kiss it!"

"Luke, you kiss it." Brooke joked to Lucas.

"What?"

"Kiss it, make it better Lucas." Maddie said as if he should have known better.

"Okay. Only if you say 'please daddy'"

"Please Lucas." Maddie begged.

"Please Daddy." Lucas corrected.

"That's what I said. Please Lucas."

"Just kiss her damn knee and lets go inside!" Emma shouted impatiently.

"Fine. You go inside and put our name down. I'll stay here with Maddie for a minute. Austin, go and ask the woman at the front for a Band-Aid and some old water, will ya?"

"Sure dad."

"See, that's what I like to hear. You hear that Emma?"

"Yeah Dad. Whatever." Emma said as she walked through the door to the IHOP.

"Wait a minute there mister." Brooke shouted.

Carter turned around with an innocent look on his face. "Yes Mommy?"

"Why did you push your sister? You know better than that." Brooke scolded.

"She was breaking my ears!" Carter stated in his defense.

"She was what?" Brooke asked confused.

"She was singing da coconut song. It was awful!"

"The coconut song? Oh boy! Well, still. That doesn't mean its okay for you to push her. You hurt her knee. You go say your sorry."

"Okay Mommy." Carter walked over to Maddie who refused to look at him. She crossed her arms and looked the other way. "I'm sorry Maddie." Maddie didn't reply so Carter ran off inside. Brooke whacked his little butt as he ran off.

"These kids. I tell ya." Brooke joked to Lucas.

"I know. Let's just go inside and enjoy a nice breakfast."

Spoilers: They all get rowdy at IHOP. Emma gets her presents. Austin finds himself in a bit of a sticky situation that only one person can help him out of.