ONE WEEK LATER

"Everything looks much better, Peyton." Doctor Byrnes said as he turned off the ultra sound machine. " I think the bed rest has done you well."

"Good." Peyton said as Jake helped her sit up. "Does that mean I can be off bed rest now?"

"Well I don't recommend you do too much running around, but yes, I think it's safe for you to be off your feet, as long as you stay stress free. And you shouldn't be on your feet more than and hour at a time. You still need to rest some until that baby is born."

"Don't worry, doctor," Jake said, "she will."

"Come on Lilly, time for bed." Brooke said as she turned off the television, in front of which Lilly had planted herself an hour earlier.

"But I can't go to sleep, Mommy," Lilly replied as she stood up, "I'm too excited about tomorrow. I'm turnin' five tomorrow a 'member?"

"Yes, I remember. But every five year old needs her rest. Now come on, mommy is tired too."

Brooke followed Lilly down to her bedroom. Lily climbed under her pink comforter and Brooke sat on the edge of her bed to tuck her in.

"Mommy, is Mouth and Noelle comin' to my party tomorrow too?"

"Of course. They wouldn't miss it. Now, come on, time to go to sleep."

"We have to sing the song first, or I can't sleep."

"I know. So let's sing. You start."

Lilly began the first verse to the "Goodnight" lullaby song that Brooke had been singing to her for years. It was the song Lucas and Haley had written for Lilly when Brooke was pregnant. After they'd finished singing, Lilly asked, "Mommy, when did daddy and Aunt Haley write that song?"

"After your daddy and I found out we were going to have you."

Lilly turned her head to look at the picture frame with a photo of Lucas inside. The nshe looked at Brooke and said, "I'm going to meet him tonight, Mommy. My daddy…I'm going to meet him in my dreams."

Brooke smiled and stroked her daughter's head. She was so much like her father. Tears in her eyes, Brooke said, "Then I'd better let you get some sleep so you can have all night to dream with him."

"Hey Lilly," Noelle said as the girls climbed off the swings, "let's go ask your mom if you can open presents."

Lilly had her attention on the black top straight ahead of her. she wanted to play over there. For some reason, felt she needed to walk over there.

"Lilly, come on." Noelle spoke again.

Lilly turned to Noelle and said, "Go ahead. I'll come in a minute."

Noelle shrugged and kept running over to the picnic table where the party guests were gathered. Lilly continued straight ahead and stepped onto the blacktop of the River Court. She looked up at the basket ball hoop above her. the nshe looked over at the water. The wind was pushing the flow a bit harder today. Glancing at the old picnic table, Lilly spotted a basketball laying under the bench. She walked over and picked up the ball.

"How did this get here?" She said to herself, examining the ball. "This is daddy's ball."

Lilly bounced the ball a few times and stopped to look up at the hoop.

"Would you like me to show you how to shoot?"

Lilly quickly turned, startled by the voice. She stared at the tall, blond man in front of her and remembered him from the picture she kept next to her bed.

"Daddy." She whispered, though Lucas must've heard here because he smiled, knelt down and said, "Happy birthday Lilly."

Lilly smiled and said, "You know who I am?"

"Of course I do." Lucas replied. "I could never not know this face. You're the most beautiful, most adorable five year old I've ever met. And you look so much like your mother."

Lilly glanced way over across the grass where her mother was smiling and talking to Karen. Then she looked back at her father and asked, "Do you want me to go get her?"

Lucas, too, looked over at Brooke before looking back at his little girl and replying, "No. today is just about you and me. We've got a lot of catching up to do."

Lilly smiled and Lucas asked, "So uncle Nathan has taught you how to play HORSE, right?"

Lilly nodded her head and they played HORSE. Everybody seemed to disapper to Lilly as she bonded with her father. And after she beat Lucas, Lilly was out of breath.

"That…was fun." She said, sitting down on the table bench. Lucas walked over and sat next to her.

"Yes it was." He said. "You're a pretty good ball player, you know. You must have gotten my talent."

"Uncle Nathan taught me how to play really good. He brings me and James and Andrew here and we play."

"Yeah…Nathan is a great player."

"Thanks for coming here today, Daddy. I really wanted to meet you."

"I know you did. And I'm sorry you never got to know me or meet me. Had I the choice, I would've been there for you and your mom."

"I know, Dad. It wasn't your fault. It was that bad man's fault for driving whe nhe shouldn't have been. I just wish I could see you more in my real life too."

"So do I, but it's time for me to go back."

Lucas stood up, as did Lilly. She dropped the basketball and began to cry, "No! You can't go yet. You just got here!"

Lucas kneeled down in front of her and tried to calm his daughter.

"Shh…Lilly, it's okay. I'll always be with you."

"N-no you won't . N-not f-for m-me to s-see."

"Sure I will. You can see me in your dreams just like you're doing now. "I'll never fully leave you Lilly. You're my little angel and I love you."

"Please d-don't go D-Daddy. I'll m-miss you."

"I know you will, sweetie. I'll miss you too. but you have a big day tomorrow and you need your rest. So how about you give me a big hug and I promise you'll feel better."

Lilly threw her arms around Lucas and they squeezed each other tight.

"I love you Daddy." She said before pecking Lucas's cheek.

"I love you too, angel." Lucas said with tears as he stroked his little girl's head. "I'll always be with you…"

Lilly woke with a start and sat up in her bed. She looked over the pictures of her father and smiled. Then, she climbed out of bed and ran to Brooke's room. She climbed onto the bed and whispered in her mother's ear."

"Wake up Mommy, it's morning."

Brooke slowly rolled over and opened her eyes. Lilly sat herself on Brooke's leg, smiled and said, "I'm five years old today, Mommy."

"I know, I was there when you were born. So how does it feel to be five years old? Do you feel like a big girl?"

"A little, but mostly I still feel like I'm four."

Brooke chuckled and said, "Well maybe after the party and all those presents you'll feel like you're five."

"Maybe, but I already got the bestest present ever."

Brooke stared at Lilly suspiciously and asked, "Did you sneak a peek in my closet?"

"Huh, uh. I had a dream and my daddy was there!"

Brooke smiled and said, "He was?"

"Yup, and he's the greatest dad, the greatest guy in the whole world."

"Yes…he really was."