Chapter 4 – One boy, two girls and a baby.

It's late at night when the Lucas arrives at the penthouse. He has two large suitcases and Jamie is asleep on the babybjorn, facing in. Peyton opens the door, and Brooke is standing a bit back, both girls looking a little tense, but smiling at him and Jamie. Peyton is wearing a band t-shirt and shorts, hair tied back, and Brooke is wearing two-piece long sleeve white silk pjs, her hair loose, and has a glass of wine in her hand. They both look incredibly hot. Lucas looks at the blonde and the brunette and mumbles, half to himself. "No wonder I got into so much trouble in high school..." the girls exchange a glance and giggle.

Brooke speaks first, grabbing one of the suitcases, as Peyton grabs the other. "Hi, Luke. How was your trip?"

"Bumpy. Little man here didn't like it much. He finally fell asleep in the cab ride, but I still need to diaper and feed him before putting him to bed. How are things with you two? Where is Victoria?"

Lucas follows the girls to one of the rooms. Brooke is still talking, with Peyton quietly following them. "Let's take care of Jamie first, and then we can sit down with a glass of wine and talk about the day. Victoria is gone for the week." Brooke giggles. "That's a beneficial side effect of Jamie's visit. She is a bit allergic to babies."

Lucas unstraps the bjorn and sets Jamie on the bed. Jamie opens his eyes and starts wimpering. "That suitcase has all the baby equipment. Peyton, would you mind opening it and giving me the blue bag? That's where the diaper stuff is. The green bag has bottles and formula, so Brooke, would you mind making him a bottle?" The brunette nodded. "He takes six ounces, follow the instructions on the can and warm it up fifteen seconds in the microwave." Peyton sets the suitcase down on the bed, opens it, handing the green bag to Brooke and the blue bag to Lucas. Brooke leaves to the kitchen to prepare the bottle, while Lucas opens a plastic exchanger and sets down wipes, a fresh diaper and baby powder. By now Jamie is fully awake, and is smiling at his uncle. Lucas quickly diapers Jamie, while talking nonsense to him in babyspeak and tickling him. Peyton stands close, looking over Lucas shoulder at Jamie.

Peyton enjoys watching the easy familiarity between Lucas and the baby. She recalls the many times she stood just like this, as another teenager diapered his daughter. "He is beautiful, Luke. And looks a lot like you."

"People always say that. I see something of Nate and Hales in him too." Lucas smiles and hands Jamie to Peyton. "Here Jluke. Blondie here is aunt Peyton. If you're anything like me, I think you are going to like her." Peyton picks up the little boy and actually blushes.

"Don't tease me, Luke. It's too soon."

"You're right. Sorry."

Lucas places the used diaper in a plastic bag, and arranges the diapering stuff back in the blue bag, which he leaves in a corner. Lucas and Peyton go back to the kitchen, where Brooke is just taking the bottle out of the microwave. She hands the bottle to Lucas, but Peyton looks up and asks "May I?"

"Sure," handing the bottle to Peyton. She starts feeding Jamie, and they walk back to the living room, Lucas sits in the couch, while Peyton lies across an armchair, while continuing to feed Jamie. Brooke grabs her wine glass and asks Lucas. "Are you hungry, Luke? There's some leftover chinese in the fridge, and a couple of slices of pizza. What about some wine?"

"I would have a slice of cold pizza and a glass of wine, thanks Brooke."

Brooke goes to the kitchen, and, in instants, comes back with a slice of pizza on a plate and a glass of wine. She hands these to Lucas and sits on the couch, next to him. "So, Luke, what's new?"

"Well, I've managed to arrange to keep my head coach job at the college, some a light coursework and come here two days a week for the book. Although I probably don't need the coaching job anymore, I really wanted to keep it. I still love basketball too much to let it go for good"

Brooke smiles at Lucas. "That's really good, Luke."

"The interesting news this week was about Nate. A couple of schools with first division basketball teams got in touch, wanting sound him out about transfering for next year."

Both Brooke and Peyton are very fond of Nathan. Nathan is a childhood playmate of Brooke's, going back long before Peyton. With Peyton, it's a deep friendship. Sometimes Peyton seems to understand Nathan better than Haley herself. It is Peyton who comments, a bit sarcastically. "So, all it took was an unbelievable winning season for point-shaving to be forgotten."

Lucas doesn't know if Peyton is annoyed with Nathan, for the point-shaving lunacy, or with the basketball establishment for the hypocrisy, or both. Whatever it is, it parallels closely what he feels about it. "Perhaps not forgotten, but less important. Even after we won State last year, people didn't realize just how good Nate is until now. A lot of people already think he is the best shooting guard in the NCAA, bar none, and he is still a freshman. He is going to improve a lot in the next few years." Then Lucas smiles. "Specially with the right coaching..."

Peyton smiles too. "Does this means Nate and Hales are staying?"

This is complicated. We discussed it a lot. First, he needs to transfer to a first-division school, if he is to hope for be an NBA draft pick after college. He could go now, but he could also go as a junior next year. The thing is, with Nate on the team, I think we stand a good chance of defending our title next year. That would help my career as coach, and besides, we love working together. Our arrangement, with the three of us and Jamie has been working well. Nate and Hales would have a hard time keeping up with school, basketball and work if it was just the two of them. So they decided to stay another year. We are going to move when I get back, since my job comes with a nice house included. Next year, Nate and Hales will have to go somewere else, if they want a future that includes the NBA."

Brooke asks, "what about you, Luke, what would be your plan?"

"I should probably look for an assistant coach position with a first division school next year, although my dream at this stage would be to go back to Tree Hill and coach the Ravens after I graduate. They haven't done well this year."

Both Brooke and Peyton look surprised. "Coaching high school basketball is a nice job that leaves plenty of time to write. And I really miss Tree Hill."

They continued their three-way conversation about basketball, and Lucas' improvised family, until Jamie finished his bottle and got burped. Lucas and the girls took him to Lucas room, put him in a cute basketball-theme footsie pjs and set him down, fast asleep, in a port-a-crib Lucas brought with him. Lucas set up an eletronic nanny and took the other piece back to the living room.

Lucas looked at his watch. It was past eleven. "It's getting late, specially for improvised parents of an infant, guys. What's on for tomorrow?"

Brooke said "You're right. I have to be at the office tomorrow by eight. I can probably be home around half past five, and take Jamie for a walk in the park. What about you, Luke?"

"I have a meeting at the publishers at nine, probably the whole morning, but I am free for lunch, and I can come back here to work on Lindsay's notes. She might come as well to discuss, I guess. I can be free at half past five, and we could go for a run. Jamie loves bouncing on the bjorn, facing out, during a run. Either me or Nate do it with him almost every day."

Peyton, like Hales has never been much into exercising. She looks down and mumbles "two athlete fathers. How nice..." Brooke, however, loves running and beams with the idea. "That sounds like fun! Any chance I could take him on the bjorn?"

"He can get pretty heavy. You take him first, and pass him to me if you get tired. Have you been exercising?"

"I run in three miles in the park twice a week, if the weather is nice, or I workout in the office gym. I am not in professional athlete shape, but I can keep up. By the way, do you mind coming by the office at lunch time? I want you to try the tux for Friday. Hales sent me your numbers, but some fine tuning is always good for that, hm, precise fit."

"Sure, twelve-thirty? Can I bring lunch? Two grey papayas, kosher frank with everything and an ice tea?"

That wins Lucas a full dimpled smile and a kiss in the cheek. "You know it, gorgeous."

Peyton is stunned by this little exchange. They were out of touch for years, met again last week, and feel just like a couple? She has to make an effort to remember their history. "I can babysit Jamie in the morning, but I would like to leave at two for an interview at the admissions office for an art college here in Manhattan. Also, I have a dinner appointment with an executive for a small label here in town, so don't wait up."

Brooke asks. "What's Jamie's morning routine like?"

"We will probably by up by half past six. He eats breakfast, cheerios, fruit and formula. He plays a little, and he usually takes a nap around nine or half past. He has lunch around eleven, another nap, and then plays the whole afternoon. I'll bathe him after the run tomorrow. Now I am going to give Hales a call, and go to bed." He gives a peck in the cheek in each girl. "Goodnight, ladies."

"Goodnight, Luke."

"Goodnight, broody."

Five minutes later, Lucas is ready to go to bed, in t-shirt and boxer shorts, having briefly reported to Haley on Jamie and the trip. A soft knock on his door. "Come in." It's Brooke, walking softly to the port-a-crib to take a last peek at Jamie. She approaches Lucas, places her arm across his waist, as he places his arm across her shoulders. She rests her head on his chest, and for a minute, they stand there, lost in the moment, both looking at their sleeping godson. As they separate, Lucas whispers in her ear. "You feel like home." She looks into his eyes, bites her lower lip, and just nods, agreeing with him, as she leaves his bedroom.

ooooooooooooooooo

Lucas awakes with happy baby noises coming from the port-a-crib next to his bed. Jamie is standing, holding onto the side of the crib and shaking up-and-down, effectively asking Lucas to play with him. It's a quarter past six, so there is some time. He changes Jamie's diaper, gives him a fresh onesie with "I have the coolest uncle" written across the front, and goes to the living room. There he starts playing airplane with the little boy, doing flybys on the furniture while Jamie laughs. After a bit, he notices Brooke standing near the corridor, watching them and smiling. "Good morning, cheerie."

"Good morning Lucas, tutorbaby. I thought I heard something fun going on and decided to try to join in."

Lucas turns to Jamie, saying "Jluke, my man, go play with your aunt Brookie Cookie a little. You know she misses you." He hands the baby to Brooke and heads to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

"Can I fix you breakfast, cheerie? French toast and coffee?"

Brooke stretches her arms holding Jamie and looks at the onesie. "That's right, tutorbaby." She sits on the couch holding Jamie and starts tickling him. "I'd kill for some of your french toast, broody."

Lucas smiles. "Anything for you, Brooke Davis."

Brooke looses the smile, and gives Lucas a level, serious stare. "We are going too far, too fast broody. We are also enjoying ourselves way too much." They both know they have been on an accelerated repetition of the end of junior year, which started with them being friends and ended up with a passionate declaration of love and 82 letters. The difference is that now they know what's going on, they know where it ends and they understand where the other stands. This is surprising, since they haven't talked about it. Apparently, one year operating in the real world made them a bit more alike and more attuned to one another. "We need to cool it off, and we need to deal with Peyton first, Luke."

"Sure. But, just so you know, I am not going back to her."

"I know that. Just be patient, baby."

Jamie was playing with some blocks, with Lucas and Brooke finishing their breakfast and watching Jamie when Peyton showed up. "Good morning best friend, Scott boys.". She looked tense, tired and a little annoyed.

"Good morning.", and, narrowing her eyes at Peyton, after a pause, "who peed in your cherrios, goldilocks?"

Peyton looks at Lucas and Brooke, clearly displeased at their confortable rapport. "Never mind, B. Davis. What's up?"

Lucas replies. "There is coffee at the pot and some freshly made french toast on the stove. Karen's style."

"It's really good too." Brooke smiles at Lucas. "I guess there are some advantages of having you around. Well guys, I am already late. Gotta get krackin', hoi polloi, see y'all later."

Peyton watches Lucas, as Lucas stares at Brooke's rear end with a hungry look. Peyton feels tired and heartbroken. Ten days ago Lucas was proposing to Peyton, and now this. "I know the idea is to keep it light, but it is going to be hard, with the two of you behaving this way."

"Nothing happened, Peyt."

"Yet."

Lucas shrugs. "I'm sorry, Peyton. We will behave."

Peyton shrugs and sits to eat her breakfast. Lucas gives her instructions on Jamie, and sits down on the floor, to play with the baby. Jamie simply includes Lucas in his playing, as if he was there from the start. Eventually she comments. "You are going to be a great father, Luke."

"Thanks. You're going to be a great mother too".

Soon, Brooke, fully made up and ready in her CEO persona, comes by to give Jamie a goodbye kiss and leaves. Lucas goes get ready for work and, a few minutes later, leaves for his meeting as well. Peyton is left alone with Jamie, for her first relaxing and enjoyable morning in a rather long time.