Brooke was rushing around her house, making sure everything was set up for the crowd that was going to be arriving that afternoon, and trying to finish her third batch of cookies. The entire house was spotless, and she had tastefully decorated her dining room to compliment the mood she was trying to create. She realized that it was just her closes friends, but she loved hosting, and so she wanted everything to be perfect.

She was just pulling a tray of cookies out of the oven when Skills ran back into her house from the patio, where she had him setting up a few chairs. He was breathing erratically and he was bent over, resting his hands on his knees.

"What's wrong?" she asked worriedly, wiping her hands on her apron as she made her way over to him.

"You got some huge squirrels around here, baby," he said with wide eyes, pointing to the door he'd just stumbled through.

"You're afraid of squirrels?" she asked with a laugh.

"They're like rats, only...only fluffier!" he pointed out as she went back into the kitchen, unable to keep herself from chuckling at her boyfriend.

"I just thought you were tougher than that," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

"I'm tough!" he insisted.

"Just not around animals of any sort?" she asked, putting a hand on her hip as she watched him steal a cookie off the plate on the counter.

"Exactly," he said with a nod, making them both laugh.

----

Peyton was just finishing getting ready, knowing that Karen, Andy and Lily were going to spend the morning with her and Lucas before the all went to Brooke's place in the afternoon.

She had just pulled her dress over her head when she heard Lucas call from the living room, telling her they'd be there soon.

"One minute!" she called back, trying to fix her hair at the same time she applied her mascara. It wasn't working.

"One minute of actual time? Or one minute of Peyton time?" he asked from the other side of the door. "Can I come in there yet, or what?"

She took one last look at herself in the mirror. She'd shut him out earlier, because she was wearing a new dress that Brooke had designed, and she didn't want him to see it until she was all put together. It was girly and silly, but she just wanted to see his face.

"OK. Come in," she said, moving away from the mirror.

"Finally...Oh wow," he said, frozen in place in the doorway.

The emerald green fabric, a comfortable cotton, clung to her in all the right places and showed off her adorable pregnant stomach perfectly. It had a halter neck and it showed just enough of her skin to be tasteful, and yet completely sexy.

"So you like it, then?" she asked with a knowing grin as she made her way towards him.

"You look so hot," he mumbled as he leaned in to kiss her. He rested his hands on her hips, and when he pulled away from her, he looked her up and down once more. "How did I end up with you?"

His tone was one of awe, as though he really had no idea, and it made her blush that he still worshipped her like she was the cheerleader and he was the bookworm.

"You're embarrassing me," she said softly, trying to turn away from his appreciative gaze.

He was just about to respond when there was a knock at the door, and they exchanged a glance. She knew how excited he was to see his family. They hadn't seen them in about two months, and Peyton wasn't even showing then. He'd explained to her that he just wanted everyone to know that she was carrying his child, and that his mother would no doubt cry when she saw her son's wife, visibly pregnant with her first grandchild.

They walked hand-in-hand to the front door, swung it open, and were greeted by three smiling faces. Lily wrapped herself around her brother's legs, and Karen pulled Peyton into a hug while Lucas shook Andy's hand.

"Look at you!" Karen exclaimed, pulling away to take in the sight of her daughter-in-law.

Lucas ushered everyone inside and they scattered around the living room to chat. He offered drinks, but no one took him up on his offer, so he sat next to Peyton and draped his arm over the back of the sofa as they all sat there.

"You look really beautiful, Peyton," Andy offered.

"Oh. Thanks," she said, trying to be polite, but to somehow shift the attention from her to something else.

"You do, Peyton," Lily added as she swung her legs, sitting in a chair that somehow made her look even smaller. "When's the baby gonna get here?"

"In June, Lil," Lucas said with a laugh.

"How are you feeling?" Karen asked. "You look healthy."

"Yeah, well your son here is kind of a stickler for playing this pregnancy by the book. All the best pre-natal vitamins, lots of protein, lots of liquids..."

"Ah yes, you've got to love going to the bathroom every 20 minutes," Karen said, laughing at the memory of both her pregnancies.

"It's kind of funny when we get both Haley and Peyton in the same place," Lucas said, raising an eyebrow as Peyton rolled her eyes. "It's pretty much a constant parade to the washroom."

"We both want to start doing pre-natal yoga, but we're not sure if it's the best idea. Pretty much our get togethers lately have been complaining and eating," Peyton explained, making everyone laugh again.

They all sat and talked a while longer, until Peyton needed a snack, and Lily wanted to go for a walk. Lucas and Andy took the girl outside, giving Karen and Peyton some time alone to talk, both me knowing that's what the women really wanted.

They stood in the kitchen, Peyton dipping her pieces of apple into a bowl of yogurt and taking occasional sips of water.

"So how are you, really?" Karen asked with a knowing smile.

"How'd you know I...?"

"Peyton," Karen admonished. "I know you. And I know pregnancy. So you don't have to put on a brave face."

"I'm terrified, Karen," Peyton said urgently, making the older woman smile. "I mean, the pregnancy stuff is fine, but what about after? We don't have a nursery. We don't have Godparents or anything. And I don't get maternity leave. We don't even have a car that holds a car seat!"

"Peyton, take a breath," Karen said soothingly, placing her hands on her daughter-in-law's arms. "You have almost four months to sort that all out. And Luke is off from June to September, he'll be around all the time to help you. In fact, he'll probably drive you crazy." Peyton let out a laugh, despite looking like she was about to cry.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"And you have me, and Haley, though she'll have her hands full. And Brooke's around," Karen continued. "You're going to be just fine. We wouldn't let you be anything but fine."

----

As Lily ran ahead of them, Andy and Lucas took the opportunity to talk man-to-man. Karen had asked Andy to, if he got a chance, try to find out what was going on in Lucas' head.

"So, only about four months to go, huh?" Andy asked nonchalantly.

"Yeah. It's kind of flying by," Lucas said with a laugh, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck.

And Karen had told Andy that if her son did that, it meant he was feeling uneasy about something.

"Scared?" Andy inquired, smiling at how well Lucas' mother knew him.

"Out. Of. My. Mind," Lucas admitted. They both let out a laugh and Andy clapped Lucas on the back.

"You know, when your mom and I got back together, I realized I was taking on a 1 year old, too? And I swear, I had to breathe into a paper bag for an hour," Andy said with a smile. "But you get the hang of it, Luke. And Peyton's going to be a great mother. I can tell already."

"Oh, I'm not worried about Peyton," Lucas said quickly.

"Well, what are you worried about? You lived with Jamie for the first two years of his life," Andy asked, wondering where Lucas' insecurities were coming from.

"Being an uncle is way different than being a dad," Lucas pointed out.

"Try telling Keith that," Andy said, looking to Lucas pointedly.

Lucas could only nod at that statement, knowing Andy was right. And maybe he'd be OK. He'd been putting on such a brave face in front of Peyton, not wanting to scare her or give her anything to worry about, and it felt amazing to have gotten things off his chest.

And something inside him told him that his mother was probably doing the same thing for his wife.

----

As soon as they got to Brooke's, Lucas and Peyton knew the day was going to be a busy one. Stepping through the door, they heard laughter and teasing and happy voices, and when everyone saw Lily and Karen, there was a chorus of warm greetings and hugs and declarations of I missed you.

Lucas took the beer Skills handed him, and clinked his bottle with the rest of the mens'. Mouth was there, along with Nathan and Jamie. Mouth, nursing a broken heart after his breakup with Millicent, was ordered by Brooke to have a good time, and Skills was going to make sure there was no moping.

"Why don't we go outside and leave the girls to talk?" Nathan suggested.

"You know? I'm good in here," Skills said quickly, making Brooke burst into laughter and everyone look at the couple, wondering what the joke was.

"Squirrels," Brooke managed between her giggles. The entire room erupted into laughter, all knowing that the grown man before them was afraid of pretty much all animals.

"Seriously, dude?" Nathan laughed. "I'll protect you."

Nathan draped his arm around Skills' shoulder and the group of men went out onto the deck to sip their beers. It was too cool, really, to be outside, but it wasn't raining, and it was one of those rare winter days when the sun is actually shining and it gives you hope that spring isn't too far off.

They stood and talked sports and sipped beer and it was a rare conversation, for Lucas and Nathan anyway, that didn't revolve around babies or pregnancy or what would 'go really good on this sandwich'.

The woman sat and stood around the kitchen, chatting about the exact thing that the men weren't. And after they'd talked about that, Karen grilled Brooke on her 'new' relationship, saying she could tell the younger woman had finally found something to hang onto, and that she was happy for her.

They all reconvened for lunch, and Nathan and Haley shared a look once everyone was seated.

"So we have news," Haley said abruptly, making everyone's attention shift to her.

"What news could you possibly have?" Brooke asked with a laugh. "It's not like you can get more preg...Oh my God, it's TWINS!"

"It is," Haley confirmed, smiling as Nathan leaned in to kiss her temple.

"How does she do that?" Lucas asked, turning to Skills, who could only shrug his shoulders as he laughed.

"Twins?" Karen asked once again.

"We found out a few weeks ago, but we didn't know how to tell everyone!" Haley said excitedly.

"Wait, we saw your sonogram," Peyton pointed out, looking at Haley with a cocked eyebrow.

"We used Jamie's," Nathan admitted, shrugging his shoulder as he tossed a piece of lettuce into his mouth. "You guys didn't bother to notice the date on the top."

"I can't believe it!" Brooke proclaimed.

"Baby mania," Mouth added, as everyone congratulated Nathan and Haley, again.

There were many more questions about the twins and Haley and Nathan's state of mind surrounding that news, but Peyton noticed Brooke's attention wandering to the clock too many times to be 'nothing'.

"Brooke," Peyton called. "What are you waiting on? What's with the constant time checking?"

"I'm not! I'm just...punctual," Brooke said lamely, making her best friend raise her eyebrow. "I..."

Just then, the door opened, and in walked the one person Peyton had complained about not seeing since she'd found out she was pregnant.

"Derek!" she called out, standing from her place and running into his arms.

"Hey little sis," he said as he smiled. "Well, not so little sis."

"Shut up!" she cried as he pulled away to look at her.

Lucas stood and walked to her side, shaking his brother-in-law's hand. They hadn't seen Derek since the wedding, since his schedule was so regimented, and Peyton wondered how Brooke had convinced him to come to town for the day. She didn't doubt her best friend's powers of persuasion, however, and just glanced over her shoulder at the brunette who was smiling widely at the head of the table.

"Hey everyone. Miss Roe, it's great to see you," he said politely, taking the seat that Brooke had just set up for him.

"I've told you to call me Karen," the woman admonished, making him smile and nod.

"Hi Derek!" Lily cried, jumping onto the man's lap.

She'd taken to him immediately, for reasons no one really knew. They'd only met a handful of times, but Lily adored her half-brother-in-law, and insisted that he was one of her favourite people. And so, while everyone continued chatting about anything and everything, the girl sat on his lap and told stories about riding her bike, and where they last went on the boat, and how excited she was to meet the baby.

"OK boys. Get started on those dishes," Brooke demanded after everyone had finished eating.

"What? Why us?" Nathan asked incredulously.

"Because I cooked all day, and we've got two pregnant women, and one woman who took care of you and has earned the right not to have to clean," Brooke explained, pointing to herself, Peyton and Haley, and then Karen as she spoke.

"I hate dishes," Lucas muttered as he stood from his place and began clearing plates.

"Come on, Luke," Derek started, making his way to the sink with a handful of glasses. "Try cleaning a mess hall after 200 Marines have eaten dinner."

"OK, every time I'm around you, I feel completely inadequate," Nathan said with a laugh. "You're like, the toughest guy ever."

"Those twins'll toughen you up," Derek said, grinning as he began filling the sink with water.

"How'd you get him to come?" Peyton asked as the women moved to the living room to relax.

"I just told him he'd regret not seeing while you're pregnant," Brooke said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Brooke..."

"OK fine, I laid the world's biggest guilt trip on him, and asked why he couldn't spare just one little day for his only sister when she was pregnant and constantly talking about how much she missed him," Brooke said dramatically, no doubt reenacting the way she spoke to Derek on the phone.

"She really did say that I'd regret it, but I think she meant that she'd hunt me down if I didn't show up," Derek added from his place at the sink.

"Come on, man, you've endured military training and you're afraid of a girl?" Lucas teased.

"Oh trust me, Brooke Davis is more ruthless than any training could prepare a man for," Skills added, making his girlfriend's jaw drop.

Derek was excused from dish duty when Peyton suggested they go for a walk. Much to the chagrin of the other men, Brooke allowed it, and when they all groaned, she reminded them that there was beer in the fridge for when they finished.

Peyton and Derek set off down the quiet street, with her wrapped in her jacket and scarf and smiling, saying that she couldn't believe he was there.

"You really think I wouldn't come see you?" he asked with a grin. "It's just hard for me to get away, that's all."

"I know," she said with a nod. "I just miss you sometimes."

"I miss you, too, Sawyer," he said. "Or should I say Scott."

"Nathan still calls me Sawyer," she pointed out, laughing. "I'm sure it's OK if you do it."

"You look really happy, Peyton," he said after a few minutes of silence.

And that was the beauty of their relationship, and she wondered if it was his history of dealing with stoic marines, or if he could just read her well, or if they were the same way. But they didn't need to speak constantly. They were perfectly OK with enjoying each others' company without words, until one of them said something. It wasn't awkward or forced; it was just the way they were.

"I am happy," she admitted. "I mean, who would have thought Lucas and I would be married and having a baby?"

He looked at her pointedly and stopped walking, and when she looked back at him, they both said the same word.

"Everybody."

They both laughed because it was true, and the only people who couldn't believe it were Peyton and Lucas.

"What about you?" she asked. "Anyone special?"

"Nah," he said, brushing off her comment. "Not many women are willing to jump into a relationship with a guy who could get called away at a moments' notice."

"Can I ask you a question?" she asked, and watched as he nodded. "Why do you do it, then? I mean, I know why you joined. I just keep wondering why you keep going back over there. I worry about you."

"You know how you feel about your friends?" he asked after a moment of contemplation. "You'd do anything for them and you're protective and maybe a little overbearing sometimes, if they need it. You'd give them anything they asked, right?" He watched as she nodded her head, wondering what he was getting at. "That's how I feel about every marine out there. I grew up alone, Peyton, and these guys became my brothers and sisters. I'm not going to let them go out there and do it alone. I'm going to be there when they need me. When they need a break or to talk to someone, or to cry on the shoulder of someone who understands."

"Are you trying to make a pregnant girl tear up, here?" she asked, laughing weakly as she dabbed at her eyes with one of the tissues she kept in her coat pocket 'just in case'.

"To be honest," he started. "I'd be more scared of doing what you're doing, than doing what I do."

"Oh come on," she scoffed. "You'd be a great dad. I know you're gonna be a great uncle."

"Uncle," he said in awe. "Wow."

"This conversation's getting really heavy," she laughed, making him smile. "Good thing we're almost back at Brooke's."

"Yeah, I actually have to get back to the base soon," he admitted. "I'll just come in and say goodbye to everyone, then I should hit the road."

"I'm really glad you came," Peyton said with a smile. "And I promise I'll keep you posted on everything."

"You better. That's my nephew in there," he said, grinning as he pointed to her stomach.

"I think it's a boy, too! Lucas is convinced it's a girl," she added.

"Well, I hope Lucas likes being wrong," Derek said, draping his arm around her as she laughed.

She made a note to thank Brooke for not only calling Derek, but for putting this entire day together, where all her favourite people, save for her dad, were all together in one place. She couldn't remember the last time they did that, but she wanted it to happen more often.

----

After all their goodbyes were said and everyone had left Brooke's house, Peyton convinced Lucas that it was still relatively early, and that they took a walk around their neighbourhood, talking about how nice it was to have everyone in the same place, and how crazy it was that Nathan and Haley were having twins.

Later, they were sitting comfortably in bed reading, as they were known to do, with her hand resting on top of her stomach, as it was known to do, and his hand resting just below hers, as it was known to do.

They were each lost in the words of their respective books, though he knew his Salinger word for word, and she knew her Scott word for word, and he would have teased her about it if he didn't know just how much his first novel meant to her. Plus, she looked really, really sexy with her hands turning the pages of his labour or love.

And that's when they felt it. Just one gentle, little tap, and they almost would have missed it if they hadn't both secretly been waiting for that moment. She looked up at him, and he looked down at her, and the smiles on their faces, they were sure, were the widest they'd ever had.

And one more kick, harder this time, had them both laughing at the little miracle. Their baby, the outcome of its parents' love, was booting away, as though he or she was greeting the two people who already loved it more than anything.

"Maybe he'll be a soccer player," Peyton laughed.

"The hell she will!" Lucas cried indignantly. He ran his hand gently over the bump on his wife's stomach, and began speaking to his child. "Right, baby? Because Scotts don't play soccer, we play basketball."

"OK, if he comes out and wants to play soccer, you know you're not going to say no," she said, knowing they both knew it was true.

"No," Lucas conceded. "But she'll be a well-rounded athlete, and she'll at least humour her old dad with a game of 21 every now and again."

"Lucas, you're hardly old," Peyton scoffed.

"Oh, I'm sure any child of Peyton Sawyer's is going to give me a few gray hairs pretty quickly," he teased, laughing as her jaw dropped and her eyes went wide.

"You are such a jerk! And it's Scott," she corrected, twirling her wedding band with her thumb, knowing damn well that he loved it when she did that.

"My mistake," he said softly, leaning in to kiss her, and laughing once more when the baby kicked just as they'd parted.

"I think he likes you," she laughed.

"I think I love you," he said seriously. "Both."

She would have groaned if she hadn't wanted to cry at his sentimental side. But he kissed her again, and his hand reached up to caress her face, and then both books fell to the floor as they got caught up in each other. He tried to make a joke about her treating his novel that way, but she silenced him with a kiss, then told him to focus. He laughed because as usual, what she wanted, she got. She didn't need to tell him again.