Hello my friends! I know it's been a few years since I have updated this and I probably have lost my fans, but maybe we will get new people interested. I am sorry that it's taken till now to update this baby. I got sick in January 2014 and my creativity went with many other things I hold too. Today is the first time since then I have been able write creatively. Sooo exciting! Well here you go, the next installment!

The heat from the oven smacked Haley James Scott in the face as she pulled out the casserole. The smell of melted cheeses and homemade tomato sauce infiltrated her nostrils as she carried the hot dish over to her kitchen counter. Once she placed it on top of a mat, she placed her hands on her hips and smiled quite proudly. She loved the nights her entire family (meaning Nathan, Jamie, Lucas, and Ava Joy) could all spend time together.

Haley looked over at the refrigerator covered with hundreds of pictures and notes in an organized way. Naturally a reoccurring theme to her pictures was the extended family doing everything and anything together. Little Ava Joy was a daughter too her. She loved the precious girl with her all her heart and more.

Haley promised Lucas she would be there for both Ava Joy and him every step of the way. She knew full well her childhood best friend would need all the help he could get. Lucas constantly was calling her about questions about raising a child. The first few months would have been hilarious scenes from a comedy if he had not just lost his wife. The man was completely overwhelmed with not only raising his first child, but doing it alone.

There was one night, Lucas could not get the baby to quit crying. Exhausted and heartbroken, he had no energy and strength to figure out why she was upset. It was late at night. Worrying he would take out all the pent up anger on her, he loaded her in the back of the car. They drove around aimlessly in the late night. Ava Joy screamed loud and Lucas's silently cried with her. He thought helping raise his little sister when he was a teenager would provide all the experience needed to become a father. That was the furthest thing from the truth.

Finally, as her cries increased and her face turned deep red Lucas surrendered and drove to Nathan and Haley's. He lugged the baby carrier and the diaper bag up the sidewalk leading to the back door. Haley knew they were both coming over. She hadn't been able to sleep so sat at the kitchen table jotting late night lyrics. She had a cup of hot tea brewing right next to her that she almost took a sip of when the kitchen door pushed opened.

Lucas came in wearing sweat pants and a hoodie. He carried his little princess in her carrier. Haley stood up and walked over to them. The princess screamed her demands. Lucas put down the carrier on the counter.

"I don't know what to do, Hales. I have changed her and fed her. I don't know what to do.." he tiredlessly rambled.

Haley smiled at him and took the sweet little baby out of the cart seat. She lifted all twenty five pounds of her, took her pacifier out of Lucas's outstretch hand, and walked to her living room. Lucas followed with the baby's blanket and stuff animals. Haley sang to the baby the song she was working on. First the cries were loud and screeching but as the singing continue the volume went down.

Lucas sank his exhausted body sank on the couch. He put a pillow at the end of the couch, levitated his leg, and lied down. He watched his best friend rock his sweet girl asleep. It amazed him to watch Haley smile while the baby screamed. Haley rocked her and sang her a song to make her sleep. Lucas realized the song she hummed.

"Hey, I know that song."

As the baby stopped screaming, Haley put her pacifier in her mouth and sat on the chair across from Lucas. "Yes, you do. It was the song I sang at your…" she stuttered out the next word, "wedding."

It was only four months after the accident. The grief was still fresh. But sometimes the worse pain was caused by people delicately referring to Kate or their marriage. It instantly reminded Lucas that there was something devastating that had happened in his life. He laid on the couch trying not to let the snares of grief engulf him. He almost lost the battle, but Haley's sweet humming brought him back to earth. He watched her make Ava Joy fall asleep. That's all he remembered that night as he closed his heavy eyes for the final time that night.

Six years later, Haley and Nathan make sure Lucas knew he was not only loved, but not alone. They helped him in every way. They helped raised Ava Joy. Made them meals where they never left hungry. Celebrated every birthday and holiday with them. They let Lucas get angry or sad when the moments life was too painful and the grief to raw. They never judged any anger, criticized any confusion, or pushed past any tear. They were the best for him and his little girl. Lucas dared not imagine what life would have been without that beautiful couple in his life. He probably would have buried himself along with Kate.

Haley found herself so lost in thought, she did not hear her husband creeping up behind her. He took her shoulders and shook them hard. The woman gasped in fear as she turned around and saw her husband wearing a scary mask. She almost punched him out of instinct. Seeing her clenched fist, Nathan took off his scary mask.

"I think we scared her, Jamie!" Nathan spoke as he tossed off the mask and put it on the counter.

"I think so!" Jamie chimed coming from the other side, "Good thing I got it on tape!"

"You!" Haley yelled at Nathan. "And you!" facing Jamie this time.

"Good job, buddy!" Nathan high fived Jamie.

Haley put her hands on her hips and looked at two of the men her life. Nathan had a blue baseball cap on backwards that he got for co coaching a baseball team with Lucas and having Jamie on it. He also wore a grey hoodie that said number one dad on it. Ava Joy and Jamie fought over the sweat shirt constantly. The game was who ever had it last faced the risk of getting it stolen and given to their dad. Ava Joy won the prize of keeping it in her house in the most creative places.

Jamie, just about ten, had on yellow shirt short sleeved shirt, with a grey long sleeved anotherneath. He already was almost to his mom's shoulders.

"I live with two baboons!" Haley yelled.

Just then their front door opened. Haley did not need to guess what time it was. It was dinner time with the other half of her family. Nathan instructed Jamie to set the table. When Jamie groaned, he told him he could have Ava Joy help him.

Sure enough, the little girl entered the kitchen and made her presence known. Jamie told her to help him. She almost obliged right away, but as she stepped closer to the table, Nathan stepped in her way.

"Uncle Nathan!" She screeched, "I got to help Jamie with the table!"

Nathan got down on his knees in front of her, put his hands on his hips, and spoke seriously "Really? You are not even going to say hi to your uncle?"

Ava Joy pretended to give him attitude and tried to walk past him. His strong arms scooped her up and starting tickling her. She began to giggle hard. Once he stopped, she put her hands on his cheeks and squeezed them together.

"Hi Uncle Nathan!"

After letting them go, Nathan admitted "Did you know you are my favorite niece?"

Ava Joy looked at him serious, "I am your only niece."

"Oh." Nathan said putting her down. As she went to the table to take apart the stacks of plates and divvy the up at the table, he asked "What's your dad doing?"

As she put every table setting out nicely, she casually mentioned "Oh he's fighting in the car over music with his date."

Instantly Nathan and Haley looked at each other. They both let smiles come across their faces her their loved one was bringing a date. Haley reached for additional plate and glass and told the kids to set up an extra place setting. Matter of fact, move the entire setting to the dining room table where they would have more room.

Haley then took Nathan by the arm and pulled him in the foyer. They quietly whispered the fact that Lucas had a date. He hadn't gone on one since before Kate died. They couldn't believe it nor believe Lucas did not tell him before. As they whispered their astonishments, the y could hear Lucas and his date walk on the porch sounding like they were bickering. Nathan and Haley went quiet to try to see if they could recognize the voice on the other side of the door.

As the door knob was being rattled, Haley and Nathan did their best to put on their normal faces and throw away their inquisitive looks. As Lucas pushed the door opened, his head was turned back proving his point about how folk was not country. When he turned frontwards, he almost jumped at seeing Nathan and Haley standing there.

The couple almost missed his reaction when they were focused on his date and long time estranged friend, "Peyton!" Haley called.