A/N: This is the last chapter. Thank you all so much for sticking with this totally fluffy, not-very-dramatic, fic. It has been one of my faves to write, and I hope you enjoy the ending! You are all fantastic.
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5 Years Later...
"Peyt, Soph!" Lucas called up the stairs.
"Coming! One minute!" Peyton yelled back.
"Son, you had better get used to waiting now," Lucas said with a smile, looking down at his 5-year-old. "Girls are always making us wait."
But the end result was always worth it. He watched as Peyton and Sophia Scott walked down the stairs, and he had to smile. His wife was in the simple summer dress she knew he loved, and his daughter was wearing jeans and a purple tee shirt, and the little black Converse sneakers Peyton had proudly found the last time they were in Charlotte.
Lucas Scott loved his girls.
Sophia Bailey Scott was three going on 15. She had her mothers' attitude and those same green eyes, much Lucas' dismay or delight, depending on which day you asked him. She had a head of wild blonde curls, and she was always up to something - had some plan in place or some trick up her sleeve. She was her mother's daughter. She hated colouring books, choosing instead to draw her own pictures, or fill in the outlines her mother had drawn for her. She was artistic and opinionated, and Lucas wouldn't have it any other way.
Isaac, even at such a young age, was fiercely protective over both his little sister and his mother, and Lucas couldn't be more proud of that fact. Scott men, after all, tended to watch over their girls like no other. He was the spitting image of his father, right down the the books he always carried around. His daddy taught him to read at a young age, and they'd have ridiculously indepth discussions about Dr. Seuss books. Peyton laughed, but she secretly thought it adorable, and could see the image of her husband and son when they were all older, sitting at the kitchen table and drinking coffee, rambling on about Shakespeare or Faulkner. Isaac had been playing basketball since he'd known how to walk, just like all the other Scott boys. He was quiet and kindhearted, and Karen insisted he was the same as Lucas was as a young child. He was a bit of a mamma's boy, which surprisingly, both Lucas and Peyton loved. He was their first born, and he and Peyton shared a bond that even Lucas couldn't understand sometimes.
The first couple years, before Sophia was born, Peyton, Lucas and Isaac formed a perfect little family. Peyton and Lucas were a fantastic tag team, and they had their schedules down to a science. Lucas released another book, but was never away for more than three days at a time. Peyton worked from home quite a bit during the first year, and between her flexible schedule and Lucas', the three of them managed to spend far more time together than most new families.
They started traditions that neither Lucas nor Peyton had gotten to enjoy as children. Simple things, like their Sunday dinners, which just included more high chairs at the table. Days at the beach in the summer, or day trips to zoos and other places suitable for their young boy. They knew that, at 1 and 2 years old, Isaac would have been too young to really understand what was going on, but they had a camera, and they had each other, and they were making memories.
Sophia came along, and it was more of the same - they kept those same traditions and started even more. Isaac was enamored with her as soon as she was brought home from the hospital. He was careful and gentle with her. The first time Peyton was holding Sophia on the couch and Isaac climbed up to kiss his sister's forehead, Peyton actually cried. And when the boy saw her tears, he reached out with his little hand and carefully brushed them away, then kissed her cheek.
Yes, Isaac Scott was so much like his father that it almost scared Peyton sometimes.
His first word was mama, which made Lucas jealous, though the boy had said dada only days later. Sophie's first word was cookie, making Peyton, Lucas, and Isaac all laugh hysterically. Chocolate chip cookies were still her favourite, something Lucas was oddly smug about. He was even more smug that her second word was dada. He'd scooped her up into his arms and made her giggle as soon as the word had left her mouth. They all knew - from that point, if not before then - that Sophie was going to be a the biggest daddy's girl their small town had ever seen.
"OK. Let's go!" Peyton said from the door, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "Jamie's 11th birthday party awaits."
"Daddy, carry me," Sophie pleaded, smiling as she flashed her father those eyes that he knew would be causing him a lot of anxiety in about 10 years' time.
"Alright, Bug," he said, lifting her up effortlessly and perching her on his left arm.
Bug was the nickname he'd started calling her pretty much as soon as she was old enough to scoot around on the floor. Her favourite stuffed animal had been a bumble bee - a gift from her Godmother, Brooke - and she, for some reason, loved lady bugs even before she could talk. Bug seemed fitting.
Peyton took Isaac's hand as they started out the door and made their way down the street. They'd moved into Nathan and Haley's neighbourhood just before Sophie was born. Lucas' fourth novel had just been released at the time, and they'd never been more financially secure. It was his first best seller, and Mia's third album had just gone double platinum. To say their bank account was padded would have been an understatement.
It was a beautiful new home with a pool and 5 bedrooms. A kitchen any chef would envy and 4 full bathrooms. Peyton and Lucas each had their own office, and the house was just perfect for them. The fact that it was only two blocks from Nathan and Haley, and there was a park halfway between had been the selling point.
"Mommy, can I run ahead?" Isaac asked.
"Not too far," she said with a smile, releasing his hand and watching as he took off as fast as his little legs could carry him. She knew nothing would happen in the 50 or so feet between them and their destination, but it was a lesson she wanted him to know nonetheless.
"I wanna run, too!" Sophie informed them quickly. Lucas set her down on her feet and patted her behind as she took off after her brother, shouting for him to wait up, which he did.
Lucas wrapped his arm around Peyton's shoulder, and she wrapped hers around his waist as they walked, watching as Isaac took Sophie's hand in his and the two of them walked together. If either Peyton or Lucas wasn't holding his sister's hand, Isaac always made sure that he was. Lucas smiled at that every time he was witness to it.
"We make beautiful babies," Peyton said, looking up at her husband. He pecked her gently on the lips and looked back to their children.
"Yes, we do," he agreed. It wasn't the first time she'd made such a statement, and his response was always the same.
Nathan was waiting at the end of the drive, having heard Sophie's little voice telling Isaac that she and Izzie were going to do 'girl things' at the party and stay away from the boys. He scooped his niece up into his arms, making her squeal and giggle as he so loved to make her do.
"Natey!" she cried as he held her upside down and tickled her tummy. "Daddy! Help!"
"Come on, little brother, quit tormenting my girl," Lucas said with a laugh, taking Sophie in his arms and kissing the apple of her cheek before setting her down again. "Go on and say hi to Haley and your cousins."
"OK!" she chirped happily. "I'm gonna get you back, Natey!"
"You try!" he called after her as she giggled and ran into the house.
Nathan had a soft spot for the littlest Scott. She was all sass, and she reminded him of how Peyton was when they were kids, before the world got to her. She was cuddly and playful, and she just loved her uncle Nathan. He wasn't sure why she insisted on calling him 'Natey', but she was the only one who did it, and he kind of loved it.
"Hey Sawyer, Isaac."
"Hey uncle Nathan," Isaac said, reaching out his hand to his uncle to do the secret 'Scott Men' handshake they'd all come up with a couple years prior.
"Jamie and Brian are in playing Rock Band and I think they need a drummer," he said with a smile, watching Isaac's face light up.
"I'm on it!" he said before running into the house.
"I can't believe Jamie didn't want a big huge party," Peyton said as they made their way towards the front door.
"He insisted he just wanted family," Nathan said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I mean, we all hang out all the time, but who am I to say anything?"
Nathan closed the door behind them and took the perfectly wrapped gifts from Peyton's arms, and they all walked toward the kitchen, where everyone always seemed to congregate.
"It's just too bad Brooke isn't here," Peyton said sadly.
"Yeah, too bad," the brunette said from her place at the counter.
"Brooke!" Peyton squealed, flying into her friend's arms. "I thought you were in New York until next week!"
"Like I'd miss my Godson's birthday!" Brooke admonished.
"Speaking of Godbabies, where's Jayda?" Peyton asked, eyes gleaming as she looked around for the little girl.
"She was exhausted from the trip, and so was her daddy, so they're sleeping upstairs right now. They'll be down soon," Brooke explained.
Brooke announced her pregnancy shortly after Sophie was born, and no one had ever seen her so happy. She had an easy pregnancy, but a tough delivery. She was in labour for 32 hours, which made both Peyton and Haley cringe to even think about. The baby ended up being breech, making everything all the more difficult.
But the end result was a beautiful little girl with her daddy's eyes and her mommy's dimples. Brooke and Skills asked Peyton and Lucas to be Godparents to Jayda Karin Taylor. And yes, Karen Roe had turned into a blubbering mess when Brooke had introduced the baby to her, explaining through her own tears that Karen had been more of a mother to her than anyone.
After Isaac and the twins were born, Brooke's design career took off again. She'd designed an entire line of maternity clothes, eventually branching out into couture gowns. She was a household name, but her work took her out of town every once in a while. She was supposed to be on a two week trip to New York, but she'd apparently bowed out early to be home in time for the party.
"Leave it to Skills to come to a party and take a nap," Lucas joked, making them all laugh.
As terrified as Skills had been at even the thought of becoming a father, the idea grew on him quickly after Isaac, Brian and Isabelle were born. Between the time he'd spent with Jamie in the years prior, and then being around the babies, he was a pro, itching to have children of his own. When they found out Brooke was pregnant, he didn't stop smiling for three straight weeks - just until Brooke's hormones had her (in his words) becoming vicious. Jayda was a total daddy's girl. Then again, so were Isabelle and Sophie.
"Mommy, can we swim?" Isabelle asked, looking up at Haley with those big brown eyes she'd inherited from her mom.
"Only if daddy or uncle Lucas will go with you," Haley said, looking to the Scott brothers expectantly.
"Come on, kiddo," Nathan said, tugging off his shirt and tossing it at Haley when she whistled at him semi-teasingly.
Isabelle was exactly like her mother. Cut from the same cloth. Smart and quiet and more caring than a girl of 5 had any business being. She was always watching over everyone, and she liked to play with everyone else, but not when the activity was messy. All the women knew already that she'd be an amazing mother when the time came. Nathan warned that she had better wait longer than her own mother had. That had earned him a slap to the arm from his wife, but approving and understanding looks from Lucas and Skills.
"Sophie, you want to swim?" Peyton asked, watching as her daughter sat on Brooke's lap and crunched a carrot stick.
"Will Bry and Isaac come, too?" she asked.
"You boys want to swim?" Lucas called into the living room. He noticed there was no one there, and that all three boys were outside already, waiting not-so-patiently for an adult to join them.
"Come on!" Brian shouted with a smirk. The same smirk his brother, father, cousin and uncle had. That thing was hereditary.
It was interesting how Brian's personality had developed. He was a unique mix of the man he was named after, and his father. He was kind and gentle and very intelligent, but he had a temper when provoked, and sometimes he was a little too competitive for his own good. He got into a fight at pre-school because some boy drew on Isabelle's shirt with marker and made her cry. He was doubly protective over her because not only was she his sister, but she was his twin. Of all his children, Nathan felt he had most in common with Brian - he had been the same as a boy. He made a promise to himself not to let his son become the teenager he had been.
As soon as Nathan and the girls stepped out onto the deck, the boys did synchronized canonballs into the pool, creating a huge splash that had the girls giggling, and Nathan threatening to start a huge water fight.
Lucas went outside to be another set of eyes while Nathan chaperoned in the water. Lucas stayed on dry land, but watched all the kids' dives and jumps and called out encouraging things each time.
The women stayed inside preparing food and talking about Brooke's trip. It wasn't an unusual thing at all. In the years prior, they'd had a countless amount of these types of gatherings, and all of them were thrilled that their kids were growing up together and going to the same schools.
They were in the middle of a conversation on what they had planned for their summers now that Lucas and Haley didn't have to work again until September, when Skills came down the stairs with Jayda on his hip.
"Hey baby," he said, leaning over to kiss Brooke's temple.
"Pey," Jayda cooed, reaching over to her Godmother.
"Hey baby girl," Peyton said happily, taking the girl from her father.
Brooke's eyebrow shot up when Skills took his shirt off and draped it over the back of her chair.
"Not the time or place," she teased seductively, making Haley groan and make a face. "But I could probably convince P. Scott here to watch Jayda for a while."
"I'm going swimming!" he told her as he smiled, racing for the door.
He ran outside and jumped right into the pool, making everyone laugh and squeal - even more so when they saw that Lucas was nearly soaked from the waist up. He looked in at Peyton as though asking for help, but she just shrugged her shoulders, too wrapped up in the little girl on her hip to really worry about a little bit of water. He shot her a scowl that she knew he was faking, and she blew him a kiss.
Once Nathan quit playing in the pool, he and Lucas fired up the grill and they all ate and laughed over dinner, waiting until afterward for Jamie to open his presents, which, of course, he loved. They all ate far too much cake and ice cream before the kids went outside to the front yard to play basketball. Jayda toddled around and Sophie held her hand since she'd decided she didn't really want to play ball. Brooke and Peyton's hearts swelled at the sight of their little girls and the bond they already shared.
Nathan and Skills took turns lifting up the boys so they could 'dunk', since it was Lucas' turn to do the dishes - which of course, he'd complained about as soon as the topic was brought up. He'd spent the entire night before trying to convince Peyton to help him come up with excuses he could give to get out of the task.
Basketball was still the backbone of almost everything. The boys all loved to play, and they were all talented, and their fathers weren't just saying that. Jamie was in junior leagues and the leading scorer on his team He wore number 12, just as he'd always said he would.
Peyton, Isaac and Sophie sat with Haley, Brooke, Jayda, Isabelle, Jamie and Brian at every Ravens game, home or away, and the kids donned their little jerseys. Brooke, true to her word, had made new ones each time they grew out of them. Jayda, of course, had her own as well. They were quite the little cheering section, and Nathan, Lucas and Skills loved to look over and see them all sitting there, cheering for the Ravens and clapping wildly. When they'd won the state championship the year before, the women had all teared up remembering that time all those years ago when they felt such a similar sensation.
Peyton watched on with a smile as Isaac faked right and moved left around his uncle, knowing that Nathan had let him score. He'd 'lost' more games since the boys had started playing than he had in his entire life.
She'd had hardly been within ten feet of Lucas all day, and when she was, they were helping the kids or cleaning up or doing something else that required their attention to be focused on anything but each other.
Everyone joked that Lucas and Peyton had forgotten that the honeymoon phase was supposed to be over after about a year. They still couldn't keep their hands off each other, and they absolutely hated to be apart.
"You look so damn sexy," he whispered in a low voice as he came up behind her and placed a hand on her hip, pressing his body against hers.
"Thank you," she said back. "I figure I better wear this dress while I can."
She felt him tense behind her, wondering what that statement meant, and he had a furrowed brow when she turned around to face him. She smiled and he looked at her expectantly.
"I'm pregnant," she said, watching his face light up.
He'd never get sick of hearing those words. The first time, he'd been away from her for a month and it was the best homecoming he could have ever even imagined. With Sophie, it was similar in that it was planned, but they hadn't had to try at all, really, and she became pregnant. Lucas had been battling a cold and she had taken Isaac out for the day under the guise of wanting to keep their son away from his sniffling father. She'd really gone to the doctor to confirm what she'd already suspected. When she returned home, she lay next to him on the bed and he'd promptly started complaining about how horribly he felt. She said those same two words, and it was like he was healed immediately.
This time, he had her in his arms so quickly that it made her laugh and it took her a moment before she reciprocated. He didn't say anything, just kissed her below her ear, then on the cheek, then on the lips.
"So I take it you're happy, then?" she teased after he'd pulled away slightly.
"You have no idea," he said with a smile, leaning in to kiss her again. "I love you so much."
"I love you, too," she echoed, letting him wipe away a tear of joy from her cheek.
"Boy or girl, you think?" he asked, smirking because he knew she wouldn't care which, and neither did he.
"Girl with my eyes, or boy with your smirk?" she asked with a raised brow, knowing he'd asked the same question when she'd told him she was pregnant last time.
"I love you," he repeated before kissing her and pulling her against him.
He murmured something amazingly sexy in her ear and she blushed and opened her mouth to remind him of where they were, but he just kissed her again and told her that he couldn't wait to get her home.
"Mommy, Jayda said my name right!" Sophie said excitedly, running towards Peyton. "Finally!"
"She did?" Peyton asked, pulling her daughter into her arms. Lucas leaned over and kissed his daughter's forehead.
Jayda had been calling Sophie, 'Soap', and they'd all been waiting - no one more than Sophie - for the day when her speech would be developed enough to pronounce it properly.
"Uh huh," Sophie said, nodding her head. She let out a yawn, and Lucas checked his watch and noted that it had been a long day.
"You tired, Bug?" he asked as she rest her head on Peyton's shoulder.
"No," she said, obviously a blatant lie. She raised her arm and rubbed her eye with her hand balled into a fist, one of Lucas' favourite things she did. He fell in love with her a little bit more every time he saw her do it. He couldn't explain it, he just found it absolutely adorable.
"What do you think, daddy?" Peyton asked, looking at him imploringly, letting him know that the moniker had more even meaning now. "You think we should go home?"
He took a deep breath as he thought of being alone with his wife after the kids were asleep.
"I think that sounds perfect," he admitted in a voice only Peyton would know was meant to make her heart race, which it did. "Go say bye to everyone, Soph."
Peyton set the girl down and they watched as her curls bounced as she hugged and said goodbye to everyone, to their family.
"Mommy! Mom! Watch me!" Isaac shouted, dribbling the ball once he had her attention, and tossing it through the net with ease.
"Nice! Good work, honey!" she called back to him as he smiled the same way Lucas always used to after sinking a shot. Lucas wrapped his arms around her waist and she turned her head to look at him. "He couldn't be any more like you if he tried."
"What do you think this one will be like?" he asked, running his hand over her stomach.
"Both of us. The best of both of us," she said quietly, resting her hands over his.
-Fin-