Only two more chapters after this to go...

Chapter 45

"Why aren't you in school?"

Ollie leapt at the person, nearly knocking them flying, "What are you doing here?"

"Oh I don't know what possible reasons I could have for coming to Tree Hill, North Carolina?" they laughed. "I did promise you at the airport remember?"

Rolling her eyes at her godmother, she pointed out, "Yeah but my birthdays not for two weeks Brooke."

Brooke shrugged seriously, "Ok I'll just go then. See you in a couple of weeks."

"What?" Ollie looked at Brooke confused and disappointed as she headed to leave.

Halfway to the door, Brooke turned to see Ollie's stricken face, "I'm kidding. Relax. I missed you all so I came back a little early. Chase will be here next week." She smirked, obviously having an ulterior motive. "And well i couldn't wait to know everything that has happened since I left. Now, I was going to wait until you all finished school, but you missing a few periods won't hurt. I sure missed more than a few and now I'm head of a multi million dollar company." Brooke laughed and Ollie relaxed knowing Brooke wouldn't force her back to school.

"Okay," Brook jumped up and down excitedly. "Go."

"Um...?" Ollie shrugged not sure where to begin. "Well mom and dad…"

"Mom? That's new."

"Yeah… anyway, they got together and are, uh, quite happy." Ollie blushed uncomfortably.

Brooke looked at her for a second, "Oh god. Someone needs to tell those two they aren't 17 any more." She shuddered, "How would you even know that though?"

"You can thank your son for that."

"Ephraim caught them." She shuddered again, "My poor baby. Was he ok?"

Ollie laughed, "Yeah Brooke, Rai's fine."

"Thank god. Has he managed to land that friend of yours yet?"

"What?" Ollie's teenage need to know every little detail about her friends' love lives spun into action, "What friend?"

"The energetic little cheerleader." Brooke smiled proudly.

Just about falling off her seat from the shock of it she yelped, "Ephraim likes Jess?"

"Yeah Jess, that's it." Brooke smiled, oblivious to Ollie's shock. "He always used to follow her around trying to show off when you were kids, remember?."

"Hm," Ollie chuckled, getting over her shock realizing Brooke was right, "Last time I saw them, he had his arms around her waist to stop her fighting another cheerleader."

"Wouldn't have anything to do with a certain article would it?" she asked eagerly.

"Ahh, you lasted longer than I thought you would Brooke. I was sure the article would come before mom and dad."

Brooke groaned, "Just tell me."

"Well, I thought I might be pregnant so mom took me to a doctor. Some loser took a picture to the press. I just sorted it though."

"Sorted it huh?" Brooke raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah," Ollie smirked, "I went to the Tree Hill Press and made, well, a bit of a deal with the head reporter. The truth will be out soon."

"Aww, you didn't threaten her did you?" Ollie nodded.

Putting her hand over her heart, Brooke grinned, "Oh, I am so proud to call you my goddaughter. More to the point though, who is this boy that you thought, got you pregnant?"

"Uh his names Kaleb. He moved here to live with his dad just after you went back to New York."

"Was it good?"

"Brooke!" Ollie groaned embarrassed.

"What?" she questioned completely innocently.

Just glaring at her, Ollie waited for Brooke to give up on getting an answer.

"Okay fine. How are Luke and Peyt then?"

Ollie scrunched up her nose, "They painted their fence."

Looking at her like she had gone mad, Brooke grunted, "Huh?"

"Their white picket fence. They painted it blue."

Brooke shook her head and laughed, "Maybe they got sick of everyone else hogging all the drama. Decided to ditch the perfect look."

By painting their fence?" Ollie laughed "Well they can have as much drama as they want, as long as it leaves me alone for a little while."

The perfect gift. Nathan still had trouble figuring that out when it came to his teenage daughter. This year, he wanted it to be extra special. Not only because she was turning sixteen, but he knew she had had to deal with a lot the past year. He wanted her next year to start off on a more positive note.

Strolling through the mall, going from shop to shop, nothing was really catching his eye. Everything seemed so generic and boring. This gift had to be something Ollie would hold onto forever, if not physically, then at least the memory of it.

Every year, when any of the old gang or any of the kids had a major birthday, as well as the person doing their own individual thing with their friends, there was always an extended family gathering. The younger kids loved it and secretly, though they would never admit it, the older kids did too. It took a bit to organize, but I was worth it.

Nathan smiled remembering all the gatherings throughout the years. From Ollies first birthday, when just having left rehab, all his friends banded around him, on that day the tradition was made, to the most recent, Mouths daughter turning 5 and everyone heading up to Pittsburgh for the celebration.

Closing off his happy thoughts of memories, he commanded himself to focus clearly on his mission. With the Ravens finals coming up, this was his last chance at a day off before the intense training schedule he would be overseeing, so he had to get it done now.

"Hey Nate, sorry I'm running late," a breathless voice apologized.

Nathan sighed, "Thank god you're finally here."

"You've still got no ideas?"

He shook his head guiltily.

"Come on Nate. She's your daughter, you know her better than anyone."

He looked down at the woman he hoped would be his savior, "She's a girl, and a teenager."

Peyton laughed, "Ok, you're right, you need my help."

Nathan shrugged in agreement.

"Ok, looking back, what would you have gotten me when I was 16?"

"What?" he found her gift finding strategy a little strange, "umm, one of those retro but battered record players, and a couple of depressing records by people I'd never heard of."

Peyton pat him on the back, "See, I would have loved that. Just find something for Olls the same way."

"Yeah," he shrugged, "Its not that easy though."

"What, why not?"

"You know, Haley was sort of a geek, Brooke was girly cheerleader, Rachel was a slut, you were the depressed artist, it was easyto find something that fitted each of you."

"Ok ok," Peyton laughed at his interpretations of them all, "So give Ollie a category."

"Well she's smart, but still in with the jock and cheerleader group, she isn't girly, or slutty, or depressed. I hope. Argh I don't know."

She laughed again, "Come on, this is easier than you think, but it has to come from you. What's the one thing, which Ollie and I always had in common?"

Nathan thought about it for a moment and answered Peyton.

Peyton smiled, "There you go. Run with that, and I'm sure she'll remember it forever."

He nodded and grinned, "It's perfect."