SIX WEEKS LATER

"Mommy," Lilly said as she and Noelle climbed up on the stools in front of the kitchen counter, "when is everyone coming over for the party?"

"Not for a few hours, sweetie." Brooke replied as she leaned over the counter, her hand under her chin.

"Where'd my daddy go?" Noelle asked.

"He went to pick up a few things for the party."

"Mommy, is Santa still gonna come tonight even if we're having a party?"

"Of course." Brooke said happily as she stood back up straight. "He just won't come until you're asleep."

"So he won't forget me either, right?" Noelle said. "'Cause daddy said we're spending the night here tonight."

"Yep, and Santa will know where you are as long as you've been a good girl. Have you both been good girls?"

The girls smiled and nodded excitedly. Brooke giggled and said, "Okay, then Santa will be here tonight after you're asleep. Now, let's go get you two cleaned up and in your dresses."

"Okay," Jake said to Peyton as he sat his five-month-old daughter on her stomach on the floor of the living room, "Riley is bathed, changed, dressed and ready to go."

"Good." Peyton said in a frustrated tone as she struggled with pulling red velvet pants on her two year old. "Because Emma here, is refusing to let me get her dressed."

"No! No dress!" Emma whined, pushing away from Peyton with her feet.

"I am not loving these terrible twos." Peyton said as Jake sat on the other side of Emma on the couch.

"Here, let me help." Jake said as he sat on the couch next to Emma and sat her up on his lap.

"What's going on, baby?" He said to Emma. "Why won't you let momma dress you?"

Emma still fussed, but Jake managed to get the red velvet long sleeve shirt over her head.

"There we go, princess." Jake said, smiling. "You look so pretty. Now, can you let mommy finish getting you ready?"

"Otay."

Jake kissed her cheek and passed Emma over to Peyton, who then laid her back on the couch and began sliding the pants on her. As Peyton started putting white, lacey socks on Emma's feet, Jake said, "I'll go see if Jenny's ready yet."

Jake heard Riley coo as he stood up and he noticed her moving across the floor towards him. He smiled and said, "Peyton, look."

Peyton looked at the floor and noticed too. She smiled and said, "Oh my gosh, she's crawling."

Jake lifted Riley from the floor and said, "Almost six months old and crawling already. You're such a big girl."

He kissed Riley's cheek as Peyton said, "She's growing up way too soon."

"Okay, I'm ready, Daddy." Jenny said as she entered the room. Jake turned around and noticed how much older she looked in a black skirt and silver top with her hair curled and wrapped around her shoulders. She was wearing hoop earrings, a necklace and makeup.

"They're all growing up way too fast." He said.

"There we go, munchkin." Haley said as she laid Gracie, wrapped in a baby towel, on the changing table in the nursery after bathing her. "You are so beautiful." She said as she started to put a new diaper on her daughter.

The baby yawned and Haley smiled and said, "Oh, and you're so tired."

Haley continued dressing Gracie with a smile on her face. She pulled white baby tights on as Nathan and the boys entered the baby's room.

"We're ready to go to the party, Momma." James said and Haley looked over at them and smiled. Andrew was dressed in a beige sweater and black pants, James in a green sweater and beige pants, and Cooper in a red sweater with black pants. Andrew and Cooper's hair was slicked back, while James's blond remained dry and combed, as it was shorter than his brother's hair.

"Wow, you guys look so handsome." Haley said.

"Is Gracie ready yet, Mom?" Andrew asked.

"Almost." Haley replied as she slipped a red velvet infant dress with white, lacey ruffle, over the baby's head. "She just needs her black dress shoes and her diaper bag needs to be backed with her blanket, bottle and extra diapers."

"I'll do that." Nathan said walking over to Haley at the white changing table. "You go finish getting ready."

"Yeah, we'll help daddy, Momma." Cooper said.

"Okay." Haley said as Nathan lifted Gracie off the table and held her in his arms while he smiled and talked to her. "I just have to get dressed and I'll be ready. Oh, and her shoes are on the closet shelf."

Haley turned and left the room.

"I'll get her shoes, Dad." Andrew offered.

"And I'll get her blanket and diapers." James said. "And a toy, she needs her puppy dog I gave to her."

"I will get the diaper bag, Dad." Cooper said, running over to the closet with Andrew.

"Thanks guys." Nathan said as he helped push a pacifier into Gracie's mouth, stopping her fussiness. "You know, your mom and I are real proud of you for helping out with your sister."

"We like helping, Dad." James said, stuffing the blanket, diapers and toy into the pink bag.

"Yeah, it's fun."

Nathan smiled as he laid Gracie back on the table to put on her shoes and Andrew said, "Yeah, I like having a baby sister too. She cries a lot less than Cooper and James did."

Nathan chuckled and he and the boys finished getting Gracie ready.

"She looks so adorable in that, Hales." Brooke said as she, Haley and Peyton stood together in the living room of her house.

"Doesn't she though?" Haley said, smiling at a sleeping Gracie in her arms as she rocked back and forth. "My mom bought the whole outfit when she was here a few weeks ago. She bought the boys their outfits too after I told her about the Christmas photo tradition we started. She wanted to get something nice for all the kids since she and dad couldn't stay in town for Christmas this year."

"They all look so cute." Peyton said, also smiling as she held Riley on her hip. "I love seeing these cute little outfits on little persons. It makes me want another baby."

"Well Riley is still pretty little." Haley said. "And she looks adorable in that outfit. I love that green on her."

Brooke smiled at her friends and their babies and said, "I remember dressing Lilly into cute little dresses and outfits like those. I hope I can have another little one someday."

"Maybe you will." Mouth said from behind Brooke. Brooke smiled as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek. Haley and Peyton smiled at them too.

"Are you ready to take the photo?" Mouth asked.

"Now?" Brooke returned.

"Well, I thought we should take it before we eat and the little ones get messy faces and all that."

"Um, he's got a good point." Haley chuckled.

Brooke said, "Okay, let's gather the guys, the grandparents and the kids over by the big sofa."

Brooke and her family and friends gathered all together for the annual family Christmas photo. Each family stood grouped together and Mouth set the timer on the camera before rushing back to sit on the couch next to Brooke and Keith and Karen stood behind them, next to them, Deb and Aaron. Peyton and Jake, holding Emma and Riley, sat next to Brooke, and Nathan and Haley sat next to them, holding Gracie in between them. Andrew, James and Cooper sat Indian style at the feet of their parents, followed by Jenny sitting with her legs bent because of her skirt, at the feet of Jake and Peyton. Lilly and Noelle sat the same way, faces angled at each other, but looking at the camera. After a few pictures, the group broke apart for dinner.

After Christmas Eve dinner, everyone returned to the living room for the gift exchange.

"You guys go ahead and start opening presents. "Brooke said, moving the camera and stand out of the way. "I'm going to take the camera upstairs and get a few more presents I have for the kids."

Brooke took the camera upstairs to her bedroom. She put the camera on her dresser and she noticed a picture of her and Lucas, which Lucas had taken himself as they cuddled on the floor by the fireplace. She picked up the frame and remembered the last Christmas she spent with Lucas…

"Wow Lucas…it's beautiful." Brooke said as she admired the brand new camera she'd just removed from its box.

"I thought you'd like it." Lucas said as he cuddled with Brooke on the floor against the couch next to the Christmas tree and in front of the snapping fire in the fireplace. "I know how much you can't wait to take pictures of our little girl once she gets here, so I figured this would be the perfect present this year."

"It is perfect." Brooke said, smiling at her husband. "Thank you."

They both leaned in for a kiss. When they finished, Brooke said, "Okay, now it's your turn."

She reached under the tree and brought forth a flat present wrapped in red paper and a green bow. She handed it to Lucas and he removed the bow and ripped off the paper, revealing a black photo album. He flipped through the album and smiled at every page of him and Brooke and them with their friends. As he looked through it, Brooke said, "I thought it would be nice to have something to remember our life before the baby. And I thought we could make another one later to document our life with the baby."

Lucas looked up, smiled at her and said, "This is really great, babe. Thanks."

He leaned in to kiss her again, but Brooke pulling her face away interrupted their kiss.

"Whoa," she said, moving a hand to her stomach, "I think the baby just moved."

Lucas smiled and asked, "Is that the first time?"

Brooke smiled and nodded before they continued to cuddle. After a few minutes, Lucas spoke again.

"So listen, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about since we found out about the baby."

Brooke looked at him curiously as he continued, "I want you to always be happy, Brooke, no matter what."

"I am happy, Luc." She interrupted.

"I know. But just listen, okay? I need to know that if anything ever happens to me, you'll continue to live your life. I need to know that you'll find a way to be happy because you deserve all the happiness in the world and so does our daughter. Promise me that you'll love again, that you will find someone who will love you and our little girl like I love you."

"Lucas-"

"Brooke, please promise me. I need to know that you'll be okay. If you promise to love again if I die, I promise to be with you always."

Brooke smiled a small smile and said, "Okay…I promise."

He smiled back and said, "Thank you" before kissing her again.

Tears in her eyes, Brooke smiled as she set the picture frame back on her dresser.

"Brooke?" Mouth called from the doorway. "Are you okay?"

He walked closer to her as she turned and said, "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just remembering Lucas. He would be really happy to know that we found each other. We would be really grateful to you for loving me as much as he did. And I'm grateful too."

Mouth smiled, hugged her and kissed her head. He said, "I know you miss him, Brooke. I miss him too. But it's going to be okay now, I promise. I'll always be with you, Brooke. I'll always love you."

"I know." Brooke said with a smile before they kissed again.

"So, the kids are pretty anxious to get their presents from you. Are you ready to come back down?" Mouth asked when they finished their kiss.

"Yeah. Let's go."

She grabbed the presents she'd come up for from off her bed and followed Mouth back downstairs to the living room. After everyone had finished exchanging and opening presents, Mouth announced that he had one last present for Brooke.

"Close your eyes." Mouth said to her with a smile. She did as he said and Nathan handed Mouth a small red box when Mouth motioned him for it. He knelt down on one knee, opened the ring box and said, "Okay Brooke, open your eyes."

Brooke opened her eyes and her jaw dropped when she saw the diamond he held in his hand.

"Oh my gosh…" She said, moving her hands to her face.

"Brooke, I love you." Mouth began. " I want to love you and be with you forever. And I want forever to start right now. You have been my good friend for a longtime and you have even grown to be my best friend. And I hope our friendship can grow even stronger and greater in our love for each other. Brooke Davis Scott, will you marry me?"

Tears sliding down her face, Brooke thought of the last memory of Lucas again and of what he had told her, what now felt like not so long ago.

"I want you to love again. I want you to find someone who will love you and our little girl like I love you."

As she stared at Mouth, Brooke realized she had finally found that person Lucas had wanted her to find. He loved her and Lilly and cared about them both. And she knew his love would grow and last forever for both her and Lilly, just as Lucas's would. So she smiled and answered softly, "Yes, Marvin McFadden, I will marry you."

Mouth grinned wider, stood up, slipped the ring on her finger, looked at her and kissed her. And as they kiss, their friends cheer and clap and whistle. Brooke smiles at Mouth after the kiss and hugs him. While holding him in the hug, she notices a bright light by the window near the tree. She squints her eyes and smiles when she recognizes the light as a familiar spirit, Lucas's spirit. The spirit smiles back at her and she hears an echo of "Always with you." Then, he blows her a kiss and disappears into a sparkle by the star of the Christmas tree.

Brooke's life with Lucas had come to an end now, but would remain a memory in her mind and heart, should she ever need to call back on them or him. But Brooke felt happy and content in knowing that a new life, a life with Mouth, was about to begin….

So what did you all think? I hope you liked it. I have a sequel to this one in mind, invloving a wedding between Brooke and Mouth, but i still ahve to write it. i am currently finishing other fanfics. Anyway, please review..i really like the reviews cuz i like to know what readers think. thanks so muc hto those of you who do review. :) greatly appreciated.