Lucas stepped out of the room after another half hour or so. The nurses had cleaned up his son and done whatever else it was they had to do, and he'd made Peyton as comfortable as she could get. She'd fallen asleep almost immediately, and he knew she needed it, though they both knew she wouldn't be sleeping long.

He'd paused before reaching for the handle, aware that his life had just changed and he now got to share his news with his whole world.

When he stepped into the hall, Brooke and Nathan both stood up expectantly, desperate to hear the words they'd spent hours sitting in plastic chairs waiting on. But Lucas pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed a number, and put the phone on speaker. He thought, for a moment, that Brooke was about to hit him.

"Hello!?" Haley asked frantically, hoping this was the call she'd been waiting for.

"It's a boy!" Lucas said excitedly.

Both women squealed, and Nathan smiled and pulled his brother into a hug, and everyone was talking over everyone else.

"7lbs, 4 ounces, 19 inches long," Lucas explained, as he watched Brooke wiping her tears. "He's perfect."

"I bet he is," Haley said softly, and they all knew she was crying. "What's his name!?"

"Isaac Nathan Scott," Lucas announced proudly, locking eyes with his brother, who offered a smile that indicated he was thrilled and proud to have been honoured that way.

"It's beautiful," Brooke whispered.

"I love it," Haley said, and they could all tell that she was just a little bit more emotional than her husband was upon hearing the name. "How is she?"

"Exhausted. She's sleeping right now. She did amazing, though," Lucas explained, still in awe of Peyton's strength.

"I can't believe she didn't have an epidural," Haley said in reverence of the feat.

"She insisted she wanted to do it naturally," Lucas said, shaking his head, though he knew she couldn't see. "She was great."

"Brooke Davis, you better have your camera ready," Haley warned, making them all laugh again.

"I do, and as soon as we can see them, I'll be snapping pics," Brooke promised.

"OK, well Jamie and Skills are begging me with their puppy dog eyes to fill them in, so I should go," Haley laughed. "But congratulations, Lucas. I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks, Hales. We'll come see you soon," he promised.

He hung up the phone and immediately moved to sit down. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back. It had been an exhausting and emotional day, and while he wouldn't trade it for the world, it was a lot to take in, and he had hardly even begun to process everything. He had a child. It still didn't feel real, though only a half hour earlier, he'd held his son in his arms.

"You OK? Can I get you anything?" Nathan asked as he sat across from his brother.

"I grabbed a salad for you before the cafeteria closed," Brooke offered, handing him the plastic container.

"Thanks, Brooke," he said sincerely. "I'm just..."

"I know," Nathan said with a smile. He remembered that feeling. "I know."

"And we'll all be back here again soon waiting for yours," Brooke said, almost still amazed that this was all happening at the same time.

"I hope it goes as quickly," Nathan laughed.

"Oh God, don't say that to Peyton," Lucas warned seriously. "She'll kill you."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

Nathan stood and stretched, and offered to call the rest of their friends while Lucas ate. Brooke explained that Karen and Andy were stuck on a layover in New York, but that their plane would have just boarded, so Lucas left his mother a voicemail letting her know how everything had gone.

Lucas finished his food and a bottle of water, and he could tell Brooke was absolutely restless, wanting to see her best friend and the baby. She was pacing and biting her thumbnail, and he smiled at her excitement.

"Why don't you go in?" he offered, making her stop in her tracks and look at him in surprise.

"What? No," she said, shaking her head. "Nathan should go first. He's his real uncle."

"And you're his real aunt," Lucas smiled. He locked eyes with her and he noticed her tearing up, so he stood and pulled her into a hug. "Go on. She's wanted to see you all day."

"Thanks," she said softly as she pulled away. She grabbed her bag and headed for the door, but stopped about 10 feet from him. "Luke, you're giving her everything, you know that?"

He knew she'd know the weight those words held, since he'd written them in his first book, describing that night all those years ago with the woman who was now his wife. But the look on her face and the way she said it let him know that it wasn't meant as a throwback. It was just the truth, and she would have said it whether it had been a significant sentiment in his relationship with her best friend or not.

He could only smile and nod, because as much as he wanted to insist that Peyton was giving him everything back, he didn't need to say the words, and he knew Brooke would know that was how he felt.

She smiled back at him and turned towards the room again. She pushed the door open quietly and stepped through, smiling when she saw Peyton's eyes open.

"Hey mommy," Brooke said softly, making Peyton smile. "Sorry to wake you."

"I wasn't really sleeping," she insisted, looking back to the little bassinet to her left. "Come here."

Brooke walked swiftly over to the bed and hugged her friend gently, murmuring congratulations before she even really saw the baby. She walked around the other side of the bed and placed her hand over her heart when she saw the baby boy slumbering, swaddled in blue blankets.

"Peyton," she whispered, glancing back over to the new mom.

"You can pick him up," Peyton said with a smile, knowing how desperate Brooke would be to hold him.

She carefully gathered up the baby and held him close to her body, and both women laughed when a tear fell onto the blanket.

"Luke said he was perfect," Brooke said softly. "God, Peyton, he's amazing."

"I know," she whispered. "He looks like Luke."

"Are you kidding? There's no doubting he's Lucas' son," Brooke laughed. "He's got your lips, though."

Peyton watched as Brooke bounced the boy gently, introducing herself as the aunt that fully intended on spoiling the diapers off him.

"OK, I feel like I'm hogging him," she laughed after a few minutes. "Here."

She handed the baby to Peyton, wiping her tears as she watched her best friend transform into a mother right before her eyes. There was love and attention there that hadn't been there before. It was different and new, and motherhood had already changed Peyton in all the best ways.

Brooke had just composed herself when Nathan and Lucas walked into the room wearing matching smiles.

"Look who's finally made a contribution to the Scott family," Nathan teased, walking towards Peyton and Isaac as they all chuckled at his ability to joke in any situation.

He leaned down to kiss Peyton's forehead, and then his large hand ran gently over the baby's sleeping head, and he was filled with all sorts of pride knowing that baby was part of his family forever.

Lucas stood back and watched as his wife handed his son to his brother, and he couldn't have been more in love with anything if he tried.

After a while longer, what seemed like a thousand photos, and conversations all centered around the baby in the room, one of the nurses came in and explained that visiting hours were long over. They'd smiled and thanked her for letting them stay that long, and with some final words and congratulations, Brooke and Nathan left the hospital for the first time in what felt like ages.

Peyton had insisted that Lucas should go home and get sleep, and that she'd be fine there alone until the following morning. It had taken persuading, but one big yawn that he couldn't stop, and her raised eyebrow, and he kissed her and told her he loved her for the thousandth time that day, and he kissed his son's head and he told him the same.

----

Isaac was 5 days old, and it had been a steady stream of visitors since they'd come home from the hospital. Karen, Andy and Lily were in town and had of course been around. Karen was enamored with her grandson, and had needlessly thanked Lucas and Peyton.

They'd stopped to see Haley on the way home from the hospital, because she was dying not being able to see the baby, and she was, after all, his Godmother. She'd teared up and held him and she and Peyton had talked about the delivery. Jamie loved the little boy already and grew even more impatient to have siblings.

Peyton's father came back from his job, and he'd visited, and Peyton had seen him cry numerous times before - so had Lucas, actually - and it was acknowledged that Larry Sawyer was a big 'ol softy. He didn't care what they called him, because that baby boy made his little girl happier than he'd ever seen her.

Brooke and Skills had been by, and the guys from the River Court, and Desiree.

The moments when it was the three of them alone were cherished. Lucas was a pro with the baby, and Peyton was a natural. It shouldn't have amazed Lucas to see her moving and soothing the baby with such ease, but it did. She had a magic touch that he almost envied. All she had to do was pick up the infant and hold him against her, and he'd stop crying almost instantly. Any worry she had about not being able to handle being a mother was completely erased.

Lucas had just finished the last of their dishes from lunch, and his heart beat rapidly at the sight before him when he stepped into the doorway of their bedroom. He leaned against the door frame like he always did, and just watched her.

She was laying on the bed, on her side, propped up on her elbow, staring down at the baby boy dressed in a Raven blue onesie - a gift from his uncle Skills. She was just smiling down at him as he cooed in that distinct newborn way.

Lucas reached for the ever-available camera, and snapped a photo before she'd noticed him, and she just let out a breathy laugh when she heard the sound of the shutter.

"Our baby is the best baby ever," she said convincingly, looking from her husband back to Isaac.

Lucas joined her on the bed and mimicked the way she was laying, with the baby between them.

"He is," he concurred. "And his mom is the best mom ever."

"She kind of is, isn't she?" she asked with a smile and he nodded seriously. "His daddy's OK."

"Just OK?" he asked with a smirk and a raised brow.

"Kind of amazing," she said softly, intertwining her hand with his.

He was just about to respond when his phone rang in his pocket and he pulled it out to answer it.

"Hello?...Really?...When?...OK...No, no, thanks for calling...Yeah, I'll tell her...OK...Bye."

"What?" she asked, noting the smile on his face.

"Haley's water broke about two hours ago," he informed her, and her jaw dropped.

"You have to go!" she said happily, and he started shaking his head. "Lucas, you have to. She's your best friend."

"I don't want to leave you two," he admitted quietly. He didn't know why he was almost embarrassed to say it.

"We'll be just fine," she told him, reaching out to place her hand on his cheek. "Besides, we need to talk about you."

"Oh you do, do you?" he asked with a smile before kissing the palm of her hand.

"Uh huh," she nodded.

He leaned in to kiss her and his son, and then stood from the bed and grabbed his keys.

"I'll call you, OK? You call me if you need anything," he said seriously, looking at her imploringly, as though he was waiting for her to promise it.

"I will," she insisted. "Tell her I love her, and tell Nathan congrats."

"I will."

He kissed her once more and then went out the door, and just as he'd pulled it shut he heard her voice again.

"OK, Isaac, there's a few things you need to know..."

He could only smile. God, he loved that woman.

----

It was 3:00 am when Lucas stepped back into his home. He dropped his things and made his way to the nursery, where he saw the light on.

Peyton was sitting in that rocking chair, rocking a steady rhythm as one of their favourite albums played quietly in the background. Isaac was fast asleep in her arms, and she probably should have put him back in his crib, but she just didn't want to let him go yet.

"Hey," Lucas said, calling her attention to him.

"Hi!" she said in an excited whisper.

She stood from the chair and placed the baby gently in his crib. Lucas went to her side and ran his hand over his son's head before taking Peyton's hand in his. She grabbed the baby monitor, and they walked down the hall to their own bedroom.

"I didn't want to call in case you were sleeping," he explained, watching as she lay back on the bed.

"He just woke up to eat," she said with a smile. The love with which she said those simple words made him fall in love with her all over again. "Well?!"

"A boy and a girl," he said with a smile. Her hand flew to her mouth and she let out a quick breath. "They're little. Just under 6 pounds, but that's normal for twins, I guess. They're so cute. I mean, not as cute as Isaac, but..."

She cut him off with a swat to the arm, and he only shrugged his shoulders.

"What are their names?" she asked excitedly.

"They don't have them yet," he said. "Well, they have a boys' name, but not a girls' name, and they don't want to officially name one without the naming the other."

"Didn't they think of girls' names?" Peyton asked after she'd stopped laughing. That logic was all Haley, and she knew it.

"Yeah, but Haley said that she didn't 'look' like an Emily," he said, shaking his head. "She wouldn't even tell us the boys' name."

"How is she?" she asked, gazing at him as he tugged off his shirt and unzipped his pants.

"Awesome. She took the drugs," Lucas said with a laugh, knowing that Haley and Peyton had had many discussions on whether or not they'd have an epidural or not.

"We have to go see her tomorrow," Peyton said with finality. "I know we haven't taken him out yet, but it's time. And I need to see those babies."

"That sounds fine," he said, sliding into bed with her and pulling her into his arms.

"I also want to...I mean, if it's OK with you...I wanted to maybe stop by the cemetery," she said softly.

Of course she'd suggest that. He kind of loved that about her, that intense love she had for the important people who had been in her life.

"Only Peyton Sawyer would take her child to the cemetery for his first outing," Lucas teased playfully.

"He should meet his grandparents," she said seriously, and with meaning.

"That sounds perfect." He leaned over to kiss the top of her head before turning out the light. "I love you," he said as he heard her breathing slow.

"Love you too," she mumbled.

----

When Peyton woke the next morning, she was in bed alone, and it took her a moment before realizing that the baby monitor next to her was the source of her husband's voice. He wasn't saying anything, really, just occasional words or phrases as he spoke to their son. She wondered how long they'd been up and why he hadn't woken her, but she was kind of thankful for the sleep, though she knew he would have been more exhausted than she was.

She got up, pulled on her robe and walked to the nursery. Lucas sent her a wink when he saw her in the doorway, and she smiled when she saw Isaac in fresh clothes, seemingly ready for the day.

"Hey," she said, walking over to where he was standing by the window. "What are you boys up to?"

"Just letting you sleep in a little," Lucas said, letting Peyton take the baby from him.

"Where you bonding with daddy?" she asked in a sweet voice, smiling down at the baby in her hold. He moved his little arms wildly and made a noise, and she let out a laugh. "You were?"

"Oh my God, you're adorable," Lucas said with a smile, leaning over to kiss her forehead before starting out of the room. She just laughed as she followed him.

"He's the only man I love as much as you," she said, watching him prepare coffee. "Maybe more."

"I guess I can allow that," he teased, making her laugh.

They had a quick breakfast and got ready, each taking turns with the baby while the other got dressed for their day, and they high fived each other when they were out of the house in under an hour and a half. They buckled Isaac into the car and started towards the cemetery.

They weren't there long, and not many words were spoken, but it was perfect. They each had moments alone in front of the stones they'd each spent countless hours in front of, and they each held their son as they made casual introductions. It felt right, and cathartic. Now Isaac was known by all the most important people in his parents' lives.

----

Walking through the halls of the hospital, nurses oo-ed and ah-ed over their little boy, and one particularly caring one told them which path to take to avoid all the sick people. Well, most of the sick people. They walked to Haley's room and they joked about how much time they'd spent in that wing of the hospital that week.

They stepped into the room with a slumbering Isaac in his father's arms, and Haley perked up right away.

"Peyton!" she said happily. For two women who were near inseparable, they'd spent so much time apart in the month prior that it was exciting to them to even be in the same room.

"Hey mama," Peyton said, walking towards the bed and squeezing her friend's hand. "Hey Nate."

"Sawyer. How's my nephew?" he asked, looking at the boy.

"He's amazing," she said with a smile, knowing that he'd already changed her life. She couldn't help but grin any time he was spoken of.

She walked around to where Nathan was standing, and he picked up the little boy and handed him to Haley, and he picked up the little girl and handed her to Peyton.

"Oh wow," she said, choking up as she looked down at the girl's face. "She's perfect."

"She is," Nathan said, clearly enamored with his first daughter. "So's the little guy."

"Yeah," Peyton admitted, stepping closer to Haley and gazing at her nephew. "I mean, other than not having names."

"OK, Lucas probably explained it wrong," Haley said defensively. "I don't want to name one before the other, and have them not be equal from the get-go."

"It's kind of backwards," Peyton laughed, knowing that the men would get yelled at if they pointed out that very thing. "But she's definitely not an Emily."

"I know, right?" Haley said, looking over at her daughter.

Brooke and Skills walked into the room at that moment with Jamie, and said happy greetings as they noticed the presence of three more people in the room.

"OK seriously, this is insane," Brooke said, looking over at Skills. "We are so outnumbered here, it's not even funny."

"It's like Scotts are taking over this town," he laughed, making everyone else do the same when they realized just how true that might have been.

"Now that you're all here, we have gifts for you," Brooke said, barely able to contain her excitement. She pulled a bag out from behind her bag. "James helped us."

"Well then it's probably amazing," Peyton said, winking at the boy as he smiled.

Brooke pulled out three tiny little basketball jerseys, all with the name Scott on the back, and the Tree Hill Ravens lettering on the front. They were perfect replicas. The one she handed Lucas had the number 21 on the back, and the ones she gave Nathan had the numbers 15 and 25 on them. Jamie and Nathan had had a conversation about what numbers the babies should be, and those were what they had come up with.

"Brooke, these are awesome!" Lucas said with a smile.

"And I have lots of fabric, so we can make more as they grow," Brooke explained proudly.

"Best gift we've gotten," Nathan said, making Haley shake her head, though they all knew that she loved the gift as well.

"And at least we know their last names are right," Peyton teased, sending a wink to Haley.

"OK, then give me ideas, Miss Sarcastic!" she said.

"Tell me the boy's name first," Peyton bargained, raising an eyebrow. Haley and Nathan exchanged a look, and he gave her a nod, letting her know she could tell if she wanted to.

"It's Brian," Haley said.

"For Whitey," Skills pointed out, smiling.

"That's great," Lucas said sincerely. Nathan just nodded, and shared glances with the guys who'd learned as much from their former coach as he had. He couldn't wait to take his newborn son and daughter to see Whitey. Knowing him, he'd probably tear up at the honour, and Nathan wanted to see that for sure.

"OK. Brian..." Peyton said, pondering a name for the little girl in her arms. She could see that Brooke was just dying to hold one of the babies, so she handed the little pink bundle to her.

"Come on, what names did you have for a girl?" Haley asked.

"No way! I'm not telling you!" Peyton cried with a laugh. "You'll pull a Monica from Friends and steal it!"

"I will not," Haley scoffed, waving off her friend's concern. "Come on."

"Ugh. Fine," Peyton said, before sighing dramatically. She looked over to Lucas and he was just smiling at her. She knew, just knew, that Haley was going to steal their name, so she purposely didn't say the one that Lucas loved. "Isabelle."

Haley just gasped and covered her hand with her mouth, making them all laugh.

"Sorry," she said, wiping away the tear that was threatening to fall.

"Haley, take it," Peyton insisted softly. "If you love it, you should use it. We don't even have a girl."

"Peyton, we can't," she said, shaking her head.

"Sure you can," Peyton said with a shrug. "It's yours. She's definitely an Isabelle. Besides, Isaac and Izzie? We just can't have that."

"Are you sure?" Haley asked, looking back down at the little girl in her arms.

"Absolutely," Peyton said, feeling Lucas' hand on her hip as he stood behind her.

Nathan took Haley's hand in his and gave it a squeeze, letting her know that he, too, loved that name.

"Isabelle," Haley said. "Isabelle Penelope, and Brian Davis Scott."

"What?" Brooke said with wide eyes.

"Brooke, I've told you before that you're a part of our family. Peyton and Lucas may be their Godparents, but you are going to be there for them, too," Haley said, unable to keep herself from tearing up. "We wouldn't have it any other way."

"Thank you guys," Brooke said tearfully.

What Brooke had wanted all along, since the time she was old enough to realize that her parents didn't care about her, was a family. She had a wonderful husband who she loved more than anything, girlfriends who were as good as sisters, and plenty of little nephews and a niece to spoil. She'd never been happier.

They all stayed and chatted a while longer, and then Nathan and Haley were told they could leave later that evening. Brooke and Skills offered to take Jamie back to the house and watch him until they returned home, and Lucas and Peyton each kissed the twins and said their goodbyes to Nathan and Haley.

As soon as they'd stepped through the door to their home, Isaac started crying, and Peyton immediately knew he was hungry. Lucas wondered how she knew the baby's schedule already, and she explained that it was just instinct. He certainly couldn't argue with that. He tidied the living room and checked their voicemail while she went to the nursery with the baby.

When he realized she'd been gone for longer than usual, he walked down the hall to find her asleep in that old wooden rocking chair, with the baby sleeping in her arms. He just laughed softly and picked up his son, mumbled something about his mother looking beautiful when she slept, and placed the boy in his crib.

He knelt down beside Peyton and took her left hand in his, running his thumb over her wedding band, and watched as she stirred awake.

"Oh!" she said sleepily. "Did I...?"

"He's fine. I just put him down," Lucas said softly, smiling at her and erasing her worry. "Come on, why don't you lay down?"

"Will you lay down with me?" she asked, though she already knew he would.

"I'll do anything with you."