Megan POV

I don't know what possessed me to ask my mom to come with us. I don't know if I was just being nice or I was just having an outer body experience. All I know is that all this time of barely talking to her has made me miss her, but it doesn't change what happened.

I let my Mom sit in the front seat of Dad's car as we start to head towards the café. The uncomfortable silence is starting to kill me as it's the first time the three of us have been alone together in three months.

"If no one is going to say anything, can you turn the radio on please?", I burst out and see my Dad crack a grin in the review mirror.

"Well you want to tell your mother what I have missed since you last answered my phone call. When was it last, two weeks ago", my Mom suddenly says and turns in her seat to glare at me.

"No thanks, the radio is a better idea", I state and ignore looking at her.

"When did you start getting this little attitude", Mom snaps at me which makes me roll my eyes.

"Alright let's not argue tonight, it's Meg's birthday", Dad says and looks at me in the review mirror pleading to stop.

"Well I just want to know what's been going on around here", Brooke says and looks back at me.

"Why it's not like you care", I laugh and see my Dad shake his head.

"Yes I do. Why do you two think I don't", Mom whines and sounds frustrated.

"You just have a hard time showing it", Dad spites back and Mom turns her head so fast to glare at him.

"What do you want me to do then? How do you want me to show you I care? I mean I just flew all the way here to spend your birthday with you. And I'm staying until your winter break starts so we can fly together to New York", Mom protests.

I sigh then and bring my fingers to the bridge of my nose and pinch it.

"Dad you didn't tell her yet", I blurt out.

He looks at me in the mirror and shakes his head no. "I thought you were going too".

"Dad", I scream and see him start grinning.

"Tell me what", Brooke yells and I turn my eyes to see her with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Well there's been a change of plans", I start to tell.

"Meg and I are going to see my Mom and Andy during the break", Dad mumbles.

"What do you mean? I thought they are still traveling on the yacht", Mom questions. "Just because I couldn't come to visit on Thanksgiving doesn't mean you can have dibs on having Megan on Christmas even if it's your turn. I asked you weeks ago if I could take Megan".

"Well I never told you yes or no, you just assumed. And besides, I can't tell my Ma we aren't coming now. It's a special trip", Dad starts explaining and Mom looks like she's about to burst.

"Why is it so special", Mom softly replies.

"Were going to Hawaii", Dad lets out, and Mom's eyes go wide.

"You're going to Hawaii, for Christmas", Mom says slowly.

"Yup, even Uncle Nathan and Aunt Haley are coming", I say and smirk when Mom's jaw drops.

"Everyone is going to Hawaii, for Christmas, and you didn't think to, I don't know, invite me", Mom finally cracks and I can't help but laugh out loud.

"Told you she'd be a jelly bean", I lean up and tap my Dad's shoulder.

"Why wasn't I invited Lucas?", Mom spits back and I can tell she's really pissed that she wasn't told about this.

"I figured you were too busy", Dad snaps back and I know it's just to spite her.

Mom stares at him and huffs. "Well obviously I'm not if I thought I was going to spend it with Megan".

"Well I'm sorry that your plans are changed. I didn't think you would want to come", Dad says and shrugs his shoulders.

"Actually I think that's a great idea. I can call Karen later, she would be thrilled to hear that you invited me to come along on vacation", Mom sasses back and I can't help but crack up. Another typical Brooke Davis move.

"Brooke", Dad starts to say but we finally pull in front of the café before he can dispute her decision.

"Come on Meg lets go in", Mom chimes and I watch her get out of the car and towards the doors of the café.

Dad and I get out of the car at the same time but I stop him from walking any further.

"So she's coming now" I ask completely dumfounded on how she switched us going on vacation without her into her tagging along.

"Looks like it kid", Dad laughs and throws his arm over my shoulder. "We'll talk about it later I'm guessing. Let's just enjoy tonight, okay?", Dad asks and squeezes my side.

I nod my head and take the steps up to the café doors and walk in to enjoy my birthday party.

Lucas POV

The party at the café is a lot of fun. Megan hasn't stopped smiling since she walked in which is a plus. She's pretty much attached at the hip with Jamie as the two are in the corner with friends they go to school with. I see my daughter giving her friends hugs and walking them towards the door now. The adults, who are pretty much my friends, are all off in their separate corners seemingly enjoying themselves. Peyton and Jake are talking to Skills and Bevin. Nathan and Haley are with baby Lydia who was being watched by Nathans mom Deb. I can't spot Brooke anywhere, but figure she's somewhere. It seems like it was a successful night but now it's pretty much settling down.

I'm thankful to the staff that I hired to work here as they prepared food and drinks for the twenty or so people that showed up. I smile at Deb, my assistant manager, who fills my cup of coffee and head over to sit with Nathan and Haley who are sitting with their five year old Lydia.

"Hi Uncle Luke", my niece chimes. I smile at the little girl and lean down to kiss her cheek.

"Hi baby girl", I chime back and pick her up to let her sit on my lap. "Are you enjoying the birthday cake", I laugh seeing she has icing all over her face.

"Yeah Nanny Deb and I made it", she cheers and the three of us laugh. I hear a fourth laugh as Brooke comes over to stand with us. She sits down next to Haley and the two of them start chatting.

"Megan", Lydia starts to cheer and I look up from staring at Brooke to see Meg.

"There's my favorite cousin", Megan smiles and picks Lydia off my lap.

"Hey I heard that", Jamie yells from behind her and I crack up at the two teenagers.

"Your just jealous cause Lydia loves me more", Megan grins and I am in awe of how much she acts like her mother. She sticks her tongue out at Jamie who just rolls his eyes.

"Hey Jamie great game tonight", I add to disrupt the bickering between the cousins.

"Thanks Uncle Luke. The team really came together tonight", Jamie adds and walks over to stand behind his Mom and Brooke. Megan walks over and puts Lydia down in her high chair that's next to Nathan. She picks up a wet rag and takes the icing off of her face. Lydia giggles at Megan as she makes funny faces to her and I laugh along. I can remember when Megan was a happy little girl and I almost wish she still was.

"I can't believe my baby girl is sixteen years old", I suddenly say and see Megan dart her head to look at me. She rolls her eyes and stand up straight with her hands on her hips.

"Dad, no, we aren't doing this again", Megan whines and stomps her foot on the ground.

"You know, you're right bro. I can't believe Meg, the little princess, is growing up", Nathan chimes in and winks my way, knowing he gets where I'm going with this.

"Stop it", Megan laughs and starts to back up. I stand up, with Nathan walking to the other side of her and just laugh.

"What we just can't believe you're growing up, we just want to get a good look at you", I shrug and walk slowly to cut her off. She's in the middle of me and Nathan with her hands up.

"I'm serious. Don't come any closer", Megan pleads and Nathan is now directly behind her.

"Too late", Nathan yells and we both close in tickling her. Nathan holds her arms down as I tickle her stomach and sides. Her laughs are so loud they fill the entire café. She pleads and pleads for us to stop but we keep doing it until she starts screaming for Haley.

"I'll stop, only if, you say that I'm the best father ever", I joke.

"You're the best father ever", Megan bursts out and I finally let her go.

"Thanks Meg", I smirk back and she rolls her eyes at me. She walks away but I know she's laughing.

"I hate men", Megan shouts. In the corner of my eye she's sitting on the couch in the middle of Peyton and Jake. She looks really happy and it makes me smile.

"When did Peyton and Megan become so close", Brooke suddenly asks as I turn away to look at her. She's not really asking a question to me, she's looking at Megan like I was. I take the seat that is across from Brooke and turn to Haley with a confused look.

"What do you mean Brooke", Haley laughs and bumps Brooke's shoulders with her.

"I don't know. I guess I never really thought they were that close", Brooke shrugs and points her hand towards Megan and Peyton who are laughing together.

"Are you kidding, Meg idolizes Aunt Peyton", Jamie chuckles as Brooke turns her seat around to look at her god son. He's eating a piece of chocolate cake and isn't really paying attention to us adults.

"She's always saying that she wants to be just like her. She wants to be a music producer like Aunt Peyton and hopefully work at her label", Jamie adds like it's just some story everyone knew but is just being retold. Truth was it is a story we've all heard told, everyone except for Brooke.

"So she's seen Megan, like visits her and stuff", Brooke questions and looks straight at me.

"Yeah I guess so. Peyton and the family usually come down on the weekends or we all go up there. And every other week she brings Jenny and her out for girls night", I reply and tell the truth.

"Huh, really", Brooke sighs and seems like she had no idea.

"Why do you act surprised", I abruptly ask.

"I am surprised. I didn't know any of this", Brooke says and sadly smiles at me.

I nod my head and swallow a lump in my throat. Brooke never really liked to be the last one to know things. And hearing that you're only daughter wants to follow in the footsteps of someone that isn't you is pretty hard. But it doesn't answer the question on how come she didn't know Peyton and Megan were extremely close.

"Hey don't sweat it, Meg was just telling me she'd love to be a sports agent, she's a teenager. She changes her mind like she changes her underwear", I add and start grinning when Brooke smiles too.

"It's true. It takes her twenty minutes just decide what shirt she wants to wear to school in the mornings. Reasons why I'm always late to first period", Jamie says and Haley turns around and hits his head. "Oh come on Ma I was joking".

I laugh at my nephew's joke and look at Brooke. Her dimples are showing as she is laughing and it almost takes my breath away. God she's beautiful. I know I'm staring at her laughing when Nathan hits my leg and I automatically cringe in pain. I look at him who is staring back with his stupid grin and hit his leg back. His grin goes away and he balls up his fist about to punch me again when Megan comes running back over onto his lap.

"Uncle Nathan I forgot to tell you thank you so much for the basketball tickets", Megan gushes and kisses Nathan's cheek.

"Oh you're so welcome. I got two more tickets to for me and your Dad, I hope you don't mind".

"Of course not Uncle Nate, I don't remember when the four of us went to a game last", Meg grins and leans over to hit my leg.

"Why is everyone hitting me", I grumble.

"Why are you being so broody, Broody", Brooke adds and I see Megan smile from her comment.

"Well no one can always be so cheery, Cheery", I spit back without looking at Brooke. Megan stands up and walks to sit in the chair that's next to mine.

"What are Broody and Cheery", Meg asks and looks at Brooke and I. I steal a glance at Brooke who smiles sadly at me.

"Those were their stupid nicknames in high school", Nathan answers for us. Megan raises her eyebrows for us to continue but I hold my hand out to Brooke.

"Your Mom was always excited about everything. She always was in a great mood and since she was the head cheerleader, I made up Cheery", I say and wink at my ex-wife. Brooke almost seems to be blushing but looks over at Megan.

"Your Dad was so boring. All he wanted to do was read or write, even on a Friday night! Oh and he always gave me this brooding look when he was in deep thought, which was all the time", Brooke smirks and turns her attention to me. I stare at her, almost shocked that she remembers those little things about me.

"See that face Meg that is the classic brooding face", Brooke shouts and raises her hand to point at me. I automatically shake my head and roll my eyes.

"Well I think it's about time I head out. Lindsey emailed me at work and said I need to submit my next chapter by midnight", I say and stand up from my chair. "Is it okay if Megan rides home with you Hales"?

"Of course", Haley answers.

"I'll see you at home kid. Happy birthday", I say and walk over to hug and kiss my daughter.

"Thanks Dad. I love you", Megan whispers in my ear.

"Anything for you", I mumble and look at Brooke one last time. I give her a nod, hoping she knows that I haven't forgotten about our meet up later and walk out of the Café.

Megan POV

"Are you sure you don't want me to help out Nanny Deb", I ask again for the tenth time. We're all cleaning up the leftovers from the party and everyone is insisting I don't do anything. Of course I don't mind it, but it is my family's café, I like to help.

"No Meg you're fine. We're almost done anyway", Deb answers and leans over to kiss my cheek.

"Okay if you say so", I huff back. I sit down on a stool and look behind me to see who else is here.

Aunt Peyton and Uncle Jake are standing near the door with Uncle Nate who has Lydia fast asleep in his arms. I look at the clock on the wall and see it's already ten o'clock. I guess it's true when they time flies when you're having fun.

"Meg get your butt over here and say goodbye to me", Aunt Peyton suddenly says and I do as I'm told.

"Thank you so much for coming", I cheer and throw my arms around her.

"Wouldn't miss it, I'll come down later this week and we'll go out to dinner, okay".

"Sounds great, I love you so much", I let out as she releases me from the hug.

"I love you too", she adds and smiles brightly at me.

"Oh and I love you too Uncle Jake", I laugh and reach over to hug him.

"You too Meg, see you soon".

They walk out of the café hand in hand and I smile at how happy they look. It's nice to see a couple be so in love like they were. I don't really have a lot of examples of that, except for Uncle Nathan and Aunt Haley. I've always been taught that people who are meant to be together always find their way in the end. But lately I don't even think that's true.

My attention turns towards my Mom who is still sitting with Aunt Haley. They're laughing like they always do when they two of them get together and it makes me smile. I would be lying to myself if I said I didn't love my mother. I'd be lying if I said she wasn't the one who holds the second biggest place in my heart. She keeps saying she's doing her best to get her business at a point where she doesn't have to work all the time anymore. Always saying how in a couple years she's going to move back to Tree Hill but by then I won't be here. I'll be starting my own dreams, without her. How is that fair?

The truth is it's not. I know this isn't how things should be in my life, but maybe I should just make the best of it. Because right now all I want to do is go sit with my Mom and forget everything she's done. Isn't that what loving someone all about?

My mom answers my thought for me when she looks over at me and smiles. She waves her hand for me to come over and I do, because I want to feel this moment with her for once.