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 sorry that this update has been so delayed. I have been trying to work on it for weeks now. I am hoping to have the next chapter up before the middle of next week. Thanks for all the reviews and all of the encouragement. Please don't forget to review for this chapter.
As always suggestions are welcome!
"Alright. Thanks Mike. I will expect him here at the station tomorrow morning around 8am. Thanks again, and we will keep you updated. Tell Lisa and the boys hi for us" Sergeant Josh Reynolds said as he hung the phone back on its cradle. Reynolds looked at the officer sitting across from and spoke; "He will be here tomorrow morning at 8am. I need you to be here also. Like I said, I don't want many people knowing that he is an undercover."
"I fully understand that sir. I will only tell Theresa and that is only because I have too"
"Alright. Go home and get some sleep, Jagleski. Be here at 8am tomorrow morning."
"I will sir. Good night" Jake said as he stood and walked towards the office door.
"You can tell Peyton, Jake. I know that you don't like keeping secrets from her" Reynolds told the officer
Jake smiled before turning towards his sergeant, "Thanks Sarg"
Haley suddenly woke from her deep sleep. She looked at the clock beside her bed and saw that it read 2:00 am. Haley stood from her bed and walked downstairs towards the kitchen and a glass of water. She didn't turn on the light as she entered the kitchen and was startled when she found her mom sitting at the table.
"Mom, you scared me"
"Sorry honey" Lydia replied as she watched her daughter grab the juice from the refrigerator
"What are you doing down here anyway?" Haley asked sitting down next to her mom
"I couldn't sleep. It happens sometimes when I am worried about something or upset"
"What are you worried or upset about?" Haley asked her voice filled with concern
"This family"
"What do you mean, you, me and dad?"
"No, the other family members"
"Karen and everyone else?"
"Yea" Lydia replied
"Mom, what has gotten you so worried?"
"Oh, honey. I get like this every time you get ready to leave again. It is part of being a mother, I guess"
"Only this time it is different"
Lydia smiled knowing Haley could read her thoughts, "Yea"
"Mom, do you really think that Nathan and I can make this work?" Haley asked eagerly wanting her mother's opinion
"I have faith in true love, Haley-bub. I think that if you and Nathan truly love each other, then it will all work out"
"I really hope so mom."
"Just have faith"
"Do you think Karen is going to be okay when we all leave?"
"Karen is a very strong woman. She may have her bad days in the coming year, but she knows that she has people all around her to help with whatever she may need. She is going to be just fine."
"I worry about her"
"Haley, you are just like me. We worry way to much" Lydia said standing from the table. "I think I have done enough worrying for the night. I am heading upstairs. Are you coming?"
"Yea" Haley placed her glass in the sink before following her mother upstairs.
Lydia stopped and hugged her daughter in the middle of the hallway; "Just have faith, Haley-bub. It will all work out in the end"
"Thanks Mom"
"Good night"
"Good night" Haley replied before working into her room and closing the door again. She laid down in her bed once more turning the TV back on and resetting the sleep timer. Haley drifted back off to sleep remembering that she had to have faith everything would be okay.
Karen crept into Lucas's room the next morning. She slowly walked up to her son's bed before leaning down to shake his shoulder with her right hand.
"Luke?"
"HMM" Came the irritated reply.
"Lucas, I am going to work. You need to get Meredith off to school"
Lucas opened his eyes and looked at the clock beside his bed before looking at his mom, "Mom, it is 6am. Are you insane?"
Karen laughed before answering, "Yes. Now, get yourself up. And get Meredith up at 7."
"Mom, that is a whole hour that I could be sleeping."
"Well, go for a run or something. I know how you are about sleeping through your alarm clock"
Lucas knew that his mom was right. He had a bad habit of not hearing his alarm clock even now. Lucas sat up in his bed and looked at his mom. "Go to work. I am going for a run"
Karen smiled before roughing her son's already roughed up hair. "Thank you, Luke"
"No problem, mom" Lucas smiled, "We will be by the cafe about noon"
"Okay. Have a good run" Karen said before walking back into the hallway and closing her son's door.
Lucas stood and walked towards his suitcase. He needed his running clothes.
Peyton stirred in the bed as she heard the shower turn on in the adjoining bathroom. She leaned over the bed to see the clock. It read, 6:15. She could tell that Jake had been in the bed beside her because the sheets were ruffled. She hadn't heard him come home, but she knew that it had been late. Knowing that Jake would be a few more minutes, Peyton walked out of their bedroom and down the hallway to the kitchen. The three bedroom ranch that they lived in provided enough space for the two of them and was big enough for the new addition that would be arriving in a couple of months. As Peyton entered the kitchen she leaned down to greet the dog lying on the floor. Max, wasn't really their dog, but their neighbors had left him in their care when they went out of town the day before. He was known to wonder over to their house often and Peyton sometimes thought of him as their dog also. Max eagerly greeted Peyton and stood next to her as she began to make the coffee, she knew that Jake would need. She heard the shower stop and a few minutes later; Jake walked into the kitchen.
"There you are." Jake replied leaning down to kiss Peyton on the cheek
"You are up early this morning. What time did you get in last night?"
"A little bit after 1am. I was talking with Sergeant Reynolds."
"How did that go?"
"Good. There is something that I need to talk to you about"
"Okay" Peyton said walking to sit at the small table nestling into the corner of the medium sized kitchen. Jake followed as did Max.
"The FBI is sending an agent down here this morning. That is why I am up so early. He is suppose to be young and is going to be undercover as a friend of mine from Texas."
"Oh."
"No one can know that he is agent. I am only telling you because Reynolds knows I hate keeping secrets from you and I have to tell Theresa because we have known each other forever and she knows all of my friends from Texas"
"Do you know the agent they are sending down here?"
"No, I don't even know his name. He is supposed to be at the station at 8am this morning. I have to go meet him. Then I have to find Theresa"
"Okay. Theresa will probably be at the gym by then."
"That is what I am figuring. I need to get her alone without Skills so that I can fill her in"
"Just call her and have her come down to the station then" Peyton suggested
"That might be an option"
"So, I guess I won't be seeing you all morning"
"Actually the agent is going to be staying with us. Since he is acting as an old friend from Texas. We should be back here around 10am or so. I think the guest room is pretty much clean"
"It is. There are some boxes in there, but I will put them in the other spare room for now"
"I am sorry that I didn't discuss a house guest with you until now"
"No, Jake, it is fine. Whatever it takes to get Andy and make sure that he doesn't harm anyone else."
"Thanks Peyton. I have to head to the station."
"Okay. Take some coffee with you. It looks like you could use it" Peyton said smiling at Jake's expression
"Do I look that bad?" Jake asked
"Just tired. Go to work, Jake"
Jake filled a to-go mug with his coffee, grabbed his keys and wallet and leaned down to kiss Peyton. "I love you"
"I love you too. Be careful"
"I will. Max, take care of Peyton" Peyton laughed as Jake walked out of the house. She stood from the table and walked towards the guestroom to clear the boxes.
Haley heard her parents leave the house for work and leaned over to see what time it was, only a few minutes after seven. Haley groaned as pushed herself off of her bed. She hadn't slept very well last night and was tired of trying. Haley stood from her bed feeling drained from lack of sleep. She searched her drawers and pulled on some old jogging pants and a T-shirt, found her tennis shoes and headed toward the beach for a morning run. A jog always helped wake Haley up.
Nathan woke as he heard the back door close and his sister and brother walk down the driveway. He turned over and his bed and looked towards the clock beside him. It was almost 7:30. Nathan stood up and walked toward the bathroom. He stopped in front of the mirror above the sink and looked at himself.
"I look like the walking dead," Nathan said to himself before walking back to his bedroom. He needed a run. He had been able to sleep after the midnight snack with Lucas, but those thoughts were coming back again. A run would help clear his head he knew it.
Jake walked into the police station and was greeted by fellow officers. After spending a few minutes catching up with the guys, Jake headed towards Sergeant Reynolds's office. The door was closed as Jake approached. He knocked before hearing Reynolds's voice telling him to come in. Jake opened the door as Sergeant Reynolds stood.
"Jake, good. Come on in."
Jake walked in the door and closed it behind him before noticing the other person in the room. Jake started laughing as he looked at the agent that had been sent by the FBI. "Well, I guess I won't be lying when I say that you are a friend of mine from Texas."
The FBI agent quickly started laughing also as he walked to shake Jake's hand. "How are you Jake?"
"I am good Trent. How are you?"
"Good."
"I guess you are here to help"
"I am here to help"
"I take it you two know each other?" Sergeant Reynolds asked breaking the reunion.
"Yes, sir." Trent answered taking his seat again as Jake took the seat next to him, "Our parents are great friends. We practically grew up together minus the fact that I am 8 years older than him."
"This is Theresa's brother, Trent Williams"
"It won't cause a problem though, sergeant" Trent quickly replied
"Trent has never been to Tree Hill, but a couple of times and even then he stuck around the house"
"Okay. Like I said I don't need many people knowing exactly why Agent Williams is here"
"They won't. The only people that will know are Peyton and Theresa" Jake said
"And Skills" Trent added
"Good. Agent Williams, you will be staying with Jake and his fiancée."
"Awesome. It will give us some time to catch up." Trent said
"Check in with me if you need anything"
"I will. Thanks again, Sergeant Reynolds." Trent said he and Jake stood.
"It is my pleasure, Agent Williams."
"See ya next week, Sarg"
"Have a good rest of your vacation, Jagleski" Reynolds said as Jake and Trent walked out of his office
"Do you want to find your sister first or go to my house?" Jake asked as they walked out the station.
"Let's go your house. I want to meet this Peyton, I have heard so much about. Call Theresa and have her meet us there." Trent said as the two walked towards Jake's vehicle.
Haley had spent the last 45 minutes running along the shore of the beach. She slowed down to a jog in order to bring her heart rate down so she could stop. Up ahead of her was another figure running towards her along the shore. As she got closer, she realized it was Nathan. She slowed down to a stop and waited to see if he would notice her.
Nathan slowed down from a run to jog when he noticed Haley. A smile grew on his face as he approached her.
"Hey you" Nathan said leaning down to kiss Haley.
"Hey. I am surprised to see you up this early"
"Yea, I didn't sleep to well last night and needed a run to clear my head"
"Everything alright?" Haley asked concerned
"Just this stuff with Andy"
"Oh" Haley said feeling guilty that she couldn't share what they had figured out the night before
Nathan didn't notice, "What are you doing up so early?"
"I couldn't sleep last night and a run always helps wake me up"
"Everything alright?" Now it was Nathan's turn to be concerned
"Fine. Just thinking"
"Yea me too"
"Haley…"
"Nathan…"
"You go first," Nathan said realizing that they both had something to say
"Okay" Haley said taking a deep breath and sitting down in the sand. Nathan sat next to her, "Nathan, I know that we haven't talked about this yet, but do you think that we will be able to make a long distance relationship work?"
"I think we are thinking the same thing." Nathan said before continuing, " I was talking with Lucas last night about it. I think we can do it. I know it is going to be hard. Not being able to see each other all the time, but that is why they invented phones, email and planes."
"Do you really think we can make it?"
"Yes, we have both seen a lot of long distance relationships fail, but we are not those people. Hales, you and I have known each other since we were in diapers. We have a lot of history together. We would not have started this relationship if we didn't think we could make it. We both knew that it would be a long distance relationship when we are started it."
"When did you get to be so smart?"
"You are rubbing off on me," Nathan said smiling, "Let's just enjoy the rest of the time that we are here together and leave this stuff for later. I don't want anything to mess up the time that I have left with you"
Haley smiled as she looked into Nathan's blue eyes. "I don't either" Haley said as she leaned in to kiss Nathan before jumping up. "Let's see who can get back to your house the fastest" Haley said before taking off
Nathan laughed before getting up and taking off after his girlfriend.
Lucas walked back towards his house from the elementary school. He needed a shower and a nap. Lucas laughed at himself. He always was a 'sleepy head' as his mom had called him.
"What are you laughing about?" Brooke said as she walked up beside Lucas
"Hey. Where did you come from?"
"I was out walking the neighborhood."
"This early? You feeling okay?"
"I am fine. Just needed a walk plus it is eerily quiet in that house since my mom goes to work super early"
Lucas laughed at Brooke. "I am going home to take a shower. You can come hangout at the house if you want"
"Okay."
Lucas grabbed Brooke's hand in his own and continued to walk
"How is Nathan today?" Brooke asked
"I am not sure. We were up at midnight last night talking, but he was still asleep when I left to take Meredith to school"
"I feel so bad for him. He has had a rough week"
"Not all of it has been rough. He finally admitted his feelings to Haley"
"Yea, that is one good highlight in this whole crazy week"
Lucas laughed as he opened the back door to the Scott house and walked in. Brooke followed.
"I am going to jump in the shower real fast," Lucas said heading towards his room
"Okay, I am going to see what is on TV" Brooke said walking into the living room
"Nathan isn't here in case you wanted to know" Lucas yelled back to the living room from the hallway.
"Okay" Brooke said laughing as she turned on the TV to a morning talk show and laid down on the couch.
Jake and Trent pulled into the driveway of Jake's house and found Theresa's car parked behind Peyton's
"I see my sister is still a speed demon," Trent said as Jake turned off the truck.
"Yea, Theresa doesn't change" Jake said as they got out of the truck and walked towards the front door.
The door opened before Jake could turn the knob. Theresa stood on the other side in her workout clothes.
"Jake Jagleski, what is so important that I had to come right over? I am missing my spin class"
"I just thought you might like to see your brother" Jake said stepping into the house as Trent looked around the door jam
"TRENT" Theresa said as she flung herself into her brother's arms nearly knocking him over
"Hey baby sister" Trent said regaining his balance and walking into the house with his sister still hanging onto him
"I missed you"
"I missed you too, T." Trent replied. When Theresa didn't let go, "Theresa, you can let go now"
Theresa sheepishly let go of her brother and smiled towards Peyton, "Peyton, I don't think you have ever meet my brother, Trent."
"Hi, Trent. I am Peyton"
"Nice to meet you, Peyton. I have heard a lot about you"
"What are you doing here?" Theresa asked her brother as the four took a seat in the living room.
"That is why I called you over here, Theresa" Jake said looking at his long time friend, "Trent is undercover"
"Undercover? Here?"
"Yea, We got a call that Andy Hargrove is here. The bureau wants him and they sent me to find him."
"Andy Hargrove?" Theresa asked. Like Jake she was not around when Andy was.
"Let's just say he was once engaged to Nathan's mom Deb. He left when they found out she had cancer and he showed back up here yesterday." Jake explained
"Is that what was wrong with Nate yesterday?"
"Yea" Peyton said
"No one is suppose to know why Trent is here. He is visiting from out of town and that is all any of our other friends need to know. If we say too much, it might blow his cover"
"Okay. Can I tell Skills?"
"Just tell him that I am here on an assignment and that is it" Trent said, "Other than that, I am your brother visiting from out of town. I work in New Jersey as a website analyst"
"Putting that degree to use, huh?" Theresa said jokingly
"Yea, well, Mom and Dad paid for it. Might as well use it" Trent had graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor's degree and had then decided to join the FBI. He often used his degree undercover.
The four soon engaged in conversations catching up Trent on what had been going on in their lives. Nothing more was mention about why Trent was really there.