Disclaimer: I do not own OTH or any of it characters places or such. I am simply borrowing them.
AN/ Here is the next chapter. I am so sorry about the delay. It has been crazy. I hope to have the next chapter up sooner. Thanks for all the reviews and all of the encouragement. Please don't forget to review for this chapter.
As always suggestions are welcome!
"Mom, We're are home" Meredith announced as the Scott three entered their home an hour later.
"Living room" They heard Karen's reply
"Is dinner ready, mommy?" Meredith said as they entered the living room
"Sure is" Karen said turning off the evening news and turning towards her daughter. "I was just waiting for you"
"Good, cause I am starved" Meredith said running back toward the kitchen
"Everything okay, Mom?" Nathan asked as Karen stood from the couch
"Yea, just tired" Karen said
"Are you guys coming?" Meredith called
Nathan laughed, "Yea we are coming"
"You would think she was starving" Karen said as they headed towards the kitchen
"Hey guys" Anna said as Peyton and Jake entered the kitchen of the Sawyer home
"Hey" Peyton said walking towards her mom at the sink, "Need some help?"
"Yea sure, can you get out the vegetables and chop them up for the salad, please?" Anna replied before turning to her future son-in-law, "Jake, Larry is in the living room if you want to join him"
"Okay. Call us when dinner is ready" Jake said as he walked away
"Like we could forget," Peyton said laughing
"Did you tell everyone else about the baby?" Anna asked as Peyton dug in the refrigerator for the vegetables
"Yea, they were all excited about it"
"I knew they would be. Another little one to spoil. Have you guys given any thought about moving up the wedding?"
"I've thought about it, but Jake and I haven't talked about it yet. Brooke said that we should have a Christmas wedding"
"That would be nice"
"Yea, I guess. I am not sure yet though. Brooke has always been the one who wanted a Christmas wedding"
"I always thought Brooke wanted to get married on the beach"
"No, Haley does. Brooke wants a winter wedding."
"Oh, well whatever you decide, I will help you with anything that you need"
"Thanks mom" Peyton said as she began to cut the tomatoes
"Mom, Dad" Haley said as she opened the front door to the James's house
"In the kitchen, Haley-bub" Lydia replied
Haley sat her shopping bag down by the stairs and made her way to the kitchen. Lydia and John were sitting dinner on the table
"Smells good in here" Haley said as she walked towards the table
"Have a seat. Dinner is almost ready," John said as he pulled a chair out for his wife
"So, did you have a nice day today?" Lydia asked as she pulled a piece of bread from the basket in the middle of the table, "We didn't see you this morning"
"Yea, we all stayed at Karen's"
"Just like in high school" John said as he placed a bowl filled with salad on the table.
"Yea, it was fun. We got up this morning and went to the café for breakfast and then Brooke and I went shopping and the group got together to watch the sunset"
"Did you get anything while you were at the mall?"
"Yea, an outfit for my date with Nathan Friday night"
"You have a date with Nathan?" John asked sitting down in his chair at the head of the table
Haley blushed as she remembered that she hadn't told her parents about her and Nathan becoming a couple yet, "Actually, Nathan and I decided to give a relationship a try"
"Really?" Lydia said
"Yea"
"That's nice sweetheart," John said as he began to fill his plate.
"Is something wrong with me dating Nathan?" Haley asked, "I thought you two would be happy about it"
"Haley-bub, there is nothing wrong with you dating Nathan. We are just wondering if it is the right time," Lydia said
"Right time?"
"Yea, you are both going to be leaving and going back to your jobs and your lives in the next couple of days" John added
"We know that"
"Have you talked about what you are going to do? Are you going to be able to maintain a good solid relationship?" Lydia asked as she placed a spoonful of corn on her plate
"No, we haven't talked about it yet. I guess that will be a conversation for Friday"
"Haley, your dad and I know how you feel about Nathan. We just don't want you to put yourself in a position where you are going to get hurt"
"I know mom," Haley said as stared at her empty plate. She had suddenly lost her appetite
"So, are you going to explain what they were talking about?" Erica asked Mouth as they walked with Theresa and Skills along the beach
"What are you talking about?" Mouth said trying to avoid explaining "operation Mouth"
"Operation Mouth?" Erica asked
"Oh that." Mouth took a deep breath, "When Brooke found out that we were having lunch this afternoon she decided to take it upon herself to make me date ready as she called it. I kept telling her that we were just two friends having lunch and it wasn't a date."
"Oh"
"Brooke just seems to think that two friends can't just have lunch together"
"Mouth, I was kind of thinking of this as a date" Erica admitted
"You were?"
"Yea"
"I didn't think you thought of me like that," Mouth said as he and Erica stopped to sit on the beach
"To be honest with you, I have always thought of you like that"
"What do you mean?"
"I liked you in high school" Erica said as she turned her head towards the ocean
"Really? Why didn't you say anything?"
"Peer Pressure, I guess. I know it is shallow now, but I didn't want to be made fun of because I was dating the geek. I knew you liked me, but I ignored it"
"Oh" Mouth said as he turned his head down the beach where Skills and Theresa were currently splashing water at each other laughing
"I'm sorry, mouth. I should have said something. I know that now."
"It is okay, Erica" Mouth said turning to look at Erica, "It is in the past"
"I still feel bad about it. I mean if I hadn't been so shallow then who knows what would have happened."
"Erica" Mouth said turning Erica's head to face him, "It is in the past, leave it there"
"I just feel…" Erica was cut off as Mouth's lips crashed into hers. For a minute she was caught in pure bliss
"Thanks mom. That was great," Lucas said as he placed his empty plate in the sink
"You are welcome. Meredith, are you done?" Karen asked
"Yes. Is it bath time?"
"Yes, it is. Nathan, can you go start the bath water from her?"
"Yea, sure" Nathan said as he placed his empty plate in the sink and followed Meredith to the bathroom
"I will be there in a minute" Karen called after Meredith
"Mom, are you sure that everything is okay?" Lucas asked as he finished clearing off the table
"It will keep until your sister is in bed," Karen said giving her oldest son a slight smile and then heading for Meredith's room
Lucas was finishing up the dinner dishes when Nathan walked in to the kitchen
"There is something bothering, Mom"
"What do you mean?" Nathan asked as he wiped the kitchen table down with a rag
"I asked if everything was really okay and she said that it would keep until Meredith was asleep"
"She said it would keep? I haven't heard her say that in years"
"I know and that is what worries me" Lucas said as he dried his hands and placed the drying towel over the stove handle
"She said she would be out in a few minutes. She was getting Meredith in bed when I came in here"
"Let's go see if there is anything good on TV" Lucas said as the two brother left the cleaned kitchen
"Oh my gosh. I am stuffed" Larry said as he placed his napkin on the table
"Me too. Thank you Anna"
"You are welcome Jake." Anna replied finishing the last of her salad
"Mom, do you want to keep the rest of this salad?" Peyton asked as she stood from the table and took her plate towards the sink
"Don't worry about it, Peyton. I will clean it up"
"It is okay. I want to help" Peyton said walking back towards the table and grabbing Jake and Larry's plates.
Then, no I don't want to keep it", Anna said as she stood and picked up her empty plate.
"Do you two need any help?" Larry asked
"No, we can handle it" Anna said
"Okay. Jake, let's go see if there is anything good on TV" Larry said as he and Jake stood from the table and left the kitchen
"Your dad talked with John today about Andy" Anna said as she and Peyton worked around the kitchen
"He did?" Peyton asked
"Your dad called him after we left this afternoon. John called back a few hours later and said that he thought there was something going on"
"What do you mean?"
"Did Nathan tell you that he saw Andy?"
"No, Lucas mentioned that Andy was back, but he didn't elaborate on it"
"Apparently, Andy is saying that he came back because he heard about Keith. We are not sure how though"
"Did he say why he has been gone all these years?"
"He told Karen that he was in some sort of witness protection program and he has been in hiding for the last twenty years"
"Does she believe him?"
"No and neither does your father or John."
"I got a weird vibe from him when I saw him today at the café. Like he was bad news or something"
"I think your feeling is probably right" Anna said as she and Peyton finished up the kitchen and went to join the guys in the living room
"Haley-bub, you haven't eaten a thing" Lydia said
"I am not hungry" Haley answered
"Haley, we didn't mean to upset you" John said
"Just make me think" Haley said looking her father
"We want you to be happy. If being with Nathan makes you happy, I am sure that the two of you will work everything out" Lydia said placing her hand on her daughter's hand
"Thanks Mom"
"Haley, did Nathan mention anything about seeing an Andy today?" John asked changing the conversation
"I was there when Andy came in the cafe," Haley said
"You remember who Andy is?" John asked his daughter
"I didn't remember at first, but then when they were talking it all came back"
"You heard the conversation?"
"Yea. Andy claimed that he was in some sort of witness protection program and that is why he left. It sounds shady to me"
"Me too." John said taking his plate to the sink. "I talked with Larry about it today. I think that he is going to ask Jake to see about looking into it"
"What can Jake do?" Lydia asked also taking her empty plate to the sink
"He may have access to the witness protection database."
"Does Jake even know who Andy is?" Lydia asked
"Yea, he and Peyton were in the café when Andy came in the first time" John answered his wife
"Dad, I think that Jake and Peyton were having dinner with Anna and Larry tonight. Maybe we should go over there and talk about this." Haley said
"Yea, that might be a good idea. I can let Jake in on what Karen told me this afternoon. He might be able to draw some conclusions"
"Mouth…" Erica, said as the kiss was broken
"Sorry. I guess that was to soon," Mouth said
"No, it was nice."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"I have wanted to do that for many years" Mouth said
"Well, I have been waiting for you to do it all afternoon" Erica said laughing, "the wait is over" as she pulled Mouth's lips back towards hers and fell into another blissful moment.
"Skills, look at that" Theresa said as she turned to look for Erica and Mouth
"I always knew he had it in him" Skills said
"I think they make a cute couple"
"Yea, I guess. Mouth deserves to be happy. Just like us" Skills said leaning down to kiss Theresa before picking her up over his shoulder and running back towards the ocean. Theresa screaming the entire way.
Karen walked into the living and sat beside Lucas on the couch. She turned her head towards the movie that her sons were watching and waited for one of them to speak. She didn't wait long
"Mom, what is really going on?" Nathan asked from the lazyboy chair that he had become accustomed to the last few days.
"It is about Andy" Karen said warning her youngest son
"I figured it was. What did he say this time?"
"John came into the café this afternoon to talk. He said that Peyton had mentioned to Larry that she saw Andy. John thinks that there is something else going on"
"What do you mean?" Lucas asked
"Andy's story is not adding up. He said that he came back to offer his sympathy about your father, but why didn't come back when Deb died. None of us are buying the protection program story. And we can't figure out how he knew about your father. That was a local thing not something national."
"I don't know why he even came back here. He had to have known that we were all going to reject him, so why show his face" Nathan said
"I don't know, Nate. John said that he would take care of it. To be quite honest with you, I don't have the patience or the nerves to even think about it. It has been two very hard weeks. I could care less why Andy Hargrove is back in town. I just don't want him messing with my family." Karen said
"Mom, I am sure that John will figure something out. He always does." Lucas said trying to convince his mom as much as himself. He knew that there wasn't much more that any one of them could deal with
The TV in the Sawyer living room was turned off as the four adults sat around talking. Larry had been avoiding talking with Jake about Andy until Anna and Peyton had joined them. He now saw his chance
"Jake, I need to know if you can do some checking for me," Larry said starting the conversation
"Checking into what?"
"The witness protection database. I need to know if Andy Hargrove is on there"
"Andy was in the witness protection program?" Jake asked
"That is what he is saying. I think he is lying about it and so does John."
"I am not sure if I can access the database. It is not something that you can pull up on the computer or anything."
"Try if you can Jake."
"Is something wrong, dad?" Peyton asked
"I am not sure. There are a lot of holes in the story that Andy is telling."
"Do you think he is up to something?" Peyton asked
"I don't know. I want to figure it out before it is too late though"