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. This is kind of a funny chapter or at least it was for me. It was pretty fun to write too. Thanks for all the encouragement concerning the sequel. I think I am going to do it, but I think I will write a couple of chapters before I post it. Just so I can stay ahead and maybe then there won't be such a long wait between chapters…maybe, LOL!! Thanks for reading and please leave some reviews!
The silence continued for another few minutes before Theresa spoke.
"Well, I guess we should be getting home."
"Yea, I have an early flight tomorrow" Trent added
"What time are you guys leaving tomorrow?" Skills asked to the other three departing the next day
"I have a early afternoon flight" Lucas replied
"Me too" Haley added
"My flight is early evening. Looks like I will be the last to leave" Nathan said
"The last to get here and the last to leave" Peyton added"Yea" Nathan replied
"Well, guys it was nice meeting all of you" Trent said as he stood from the floor
"It was nice meeting you too Trent" Karen replied from her spot on the couch, "come back soon"
"Oh, well, I have a little niece or nephew to spoil"
"I am saying niece," Theresa said as she also stood. She turned to help Skills off the floor.
"Well, whatever. I am just happy I get to spoil him or her and then send them back to you guys"
The group laughed.
Theresa walked over to Haley. Haley stood and the two women embraced
"Call me if you need anything. Just to talk, I don't care" Haley said in her friend's ear
"When you get the three am call, remember you offered" Theresa said smiling as she pulled away from her friend, "Be careful in Montana and come home soon"
"I will be home before you know it. We have two baby showers to plan and a wedding" Haley replied
"It is going to be so much fun," Theresa added before walking towards Nathan as Skills walked up to Haley.
"No more crazy trying leave us stunts, okay?" Theresa said as she hugged Nathan
"I promise. Take care of that baby" Nathan said as he hugged her back
"I promise" Theresa said as she pulled away from Nathan wiping at the tears coming down her face
"Are you ever going to ask her?" Haley said silently in Skill's ear
"Sooner than later" Skills replied
"Good." Haley replied before they pulled away.
"Be careful in Charlotte" Theresa said as she hugged Lucas
"I will. You be careful here. Call me if you think Mom or Meredith need me"
"I will. They are in good hands though"
"I know" Lucas replied as Theresa went to give Meredith a good bye hug
"Have a speedy recovery, Nate" Skills said as they did one of their man hugs
"I will. I will be home again soon"
"You'd better man. Jake and I are going to need you guys when these two get further along"
"You will be okay, Man. You are going to be a great dad," Nathan said as a smile came upon Skill's face
"Yea, I still can't believe it. Me a dad. Who would have thought?"
"Not me" Nathan said as he laughed
"Man, I promise this time we will get down to one your games" Skills said as he walked over to Lucas
"Yea, that is what you said the last time" Lucas replied smiling
"Okay, We will try to get down to one of your games"
"Okay. Let me know if you guys decide to and I will make sure to get you some good seats" Lucas replied as the two did a manly hug
"I will. Take care man"
"You too." Lucas replied
"Well, I guess we are out of here" Theresa replied as she pulled from her hug with Karen
"Bye mom" Skills said as he kissed Karen's cheek
"Bye guys. Be careful going home. Trent, have a safe trip tomorrow"
"I will. Thank you" Trent replied as the three walked towards the door
"See ya soon guys" Theresa said as she opened the door
"Bye T" Haley replied
Soon the door shut and it was quiet once more.
"And then there were five" Nathan replied
After a few minutes of silence, Jake said, "I guess we will be going too" as he and Peyton stood.
"Yea, it's getting late and it has been a long week" Peyton replied
"Jake, do you mind if we borrow Peyton for a little while?" Nathan asked, "There is something that I want to do"
"It is fine with me" Jake replied
"What do you want to do?" Peyton asked
"Visit the tree house" Nathan replied
"Nathan, how are you going to get up there? You can't even walk" Haley replied
"No, he can't, but we can pull him up there" Lucas replied sharing a small smile with his brother
"What are you two talking about?" Peyton asked before she remembered, "Oh, no. We are not doing that again"
"Doing what?" Haley asked
"It worked last time" Lucas replied ignoring Haley's question
"Yea, well, last time we were nine years old and he weighed a lot less" Peyton exclaimed
"What are you guys talking about?" Haley asked a little louder this time
"Come on, Peyt. It will work" Nathan said again ignoring the question from Haley
"I am not sure that it will"
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GUYS TALKING ABOUT?!?!" Haley screamed. The group fell silent as everyone looked at Haley
"Wow" was the only word that Lucas could say.
Peyton had to hold in her laughter before replying to Haley, "Genius brothers over here want to put Nathan into that same contraption to get him the tree house as we did when he broke his leg when we were nine"
"What are you two nuts?" Haley asked looking between the brothers
"It will work" Lucas supplied
"Karen, a little help, please" Peyton pleaded
"I think it will work" Karen replied a small smile on her face. It was just like old times.
"See, mom says it will work" Nathan replied
"Fine. We will go out there, but if something happens and someone gets hurts. Remember Haley and I thought this was a bad idea" Peyton finally gave in
"Jake, do you mind coming and helping me?" Lucas asked
"Sure, not a problem" Jake replied as he could feel his fiancée's eyes burning a hole in his head. He, however didn't dare look her way
Twenty minutes later, the group was making their way through the woods behind Haley's house.
"I still think this a bad idea," Peyton said, as they were halfway there
"It will be fine, Peyt" Lucas replied as he pushed Nathan's wheelchair down the path towards the clubhouse. "You worry too much"
"Oh, be quiet" Peyton replied back.
When they reached the clubhouse, they all fell silent.
"Man, I haven't been here in years" Nathan replied as he tilted his head to look up at the clubhouse. "Still looks the same though"
"Yea, it does" Lucas replied
"Alright lets get this going" Nathan replied
"How in the heck are we going to pull this one off?" Haley asked as she and Peyton stood side by side.
"You two are going to go up to the top, while Jake and I stay down here and pull Nathan up" Lucas replied
"Should I call mom and have her call the ambulance now?" Haley asked as she and Peyton made their way to the stairs leading from the ground
"Just get up there" Lucas said
"Good thing we took that fence down or Nathan would have splinters in his butt again" Peyton replied as the two girls made their climb.
"Haha" Nathan replied
The guys watched as Peyton and Haley reached the top. They looked over the edge at the guys and smiled.
"Are you sure about this, Luke?" Nathan asked quietly
"Yea" Lucas said not very convincingly
"I am going to die" Nathan replied
"Let's just get you in this thing" Lucas replied as he pushed the wheelchair over to the board with rope tied to either side
"How does this thing work?" Jake asked
"We put Nate on the seat and than you and I play tug a war with this part of the rope and hoist him up to the girls."
"Oh this should be fun" Jake replied as he and Lucas moved Nathan his chair, sat the seat in the car and put Nathan back down on it. "Ready?" Jake called to the girls
"Ready" Came Peyton's reply
"Okay, on three pull" Lucas said as he and Jake took their positions. "One…Two…Three!" The two guys grunted and pulled as Nathan began his slow ascent to the top. "Man, Nate, you need to lose some weight"
"Yea, whatever" Came Nathan's reply from the seat, which was almost to the top. "Hello Ladies" Nathan said as he came face to face with his girlfriend and best friend. Peyton and Haley laughed as they pulled him towards the platform. When they were sure he was completely on, Haley yelled to let the guys know.
"Thanks Jake" Lucas said before walking towards the stairs
"No problem. Thanks for the workout" Jake replied, "See ya at home babe" yelled upward
"Okay. Love ya!" Peyton replied
"Have fun. Love ya too" Jake said as he began to walk back towards the house
When Lucas reached the top, the other three were hysterically laughing.
"What is so funny?" Lucas asked
"How am I going to get down?" Nathan asked
Lucas looked over the side and than back at Nathan, "No idea" Lucas replied before he started laughing
"Let's get inside guys," Haley said as she stood and started towards the door. Lucas pulled Nathan to his feet and was the crutch his brother needed to get his feet to move the few steps to the clubhouse door. They guys walked in after the girls having to duck down to get in the door.
"Man, it is like a time capsule in here" Nathan replied as Lucas helped him sit on the floor
"Yea, it is" Haley replied looking around. She has been there once earlier that week, but she had not taken the time to look around and remember the good times.
"Oh, guys look" Peyton replied as she walked towards the shelf by the door and pulled down a plastic lunchbox with the loony tunes characters on it.
"Is that what I think it is?" Lucas asked as Peyton opened the lid
"Yea, our memory box" Peyton replied walking over to sit by Nathan and putting the box on the floor. Haley and Lucas joined them completing a circle.
"Oh, this is the one we made when it was just the four of us." Nathan replied looking at the lunchbox.
"We were, what, seven?" Lucas asked
"Yea, we did this memory box right before we brought Skills here" Haley replied
"Look at this guys" Peyton said as she pulled a picture from the box. It was a picture taken the day that the clubhouse was finished. The four five year olds stood in front of the three men who had built their tree house. Their moms were also in the picture two on each side of their children.
"Look how cute we were" Haley replied
"Wonder what happened" Lucas replied playfully and laughed when Haley shoved him with her left arm
"That was a long time ago" Peyton added
"Yea, twenty years" Nathan said, "It is amazing that this thing lasted that long"
"Yea, but they said they would build it to last. They weren't lying" Lucas said
"Guys, look at this" Haley said as she pulled out a folded piece of paper, unfolded it and began reading, "When I grow up, I want to be a teacher just like Ms. Mitchell" Haley laughed before handing the paper to Lucas
"When I grow up, I want to be a fireman" Lucas said before laughing, "Man, was I crazy or what"
"I think you would have been a cute fireman, Luke" Peyton replied as Lucas handed her the paper, "When I grow up, I want to leave this stupid small town and travel the world" Peyton could only laugh, "I guess I didn't get too far on that one"
"You can still leave this town and travel the world" Nathan said as he was handed the paper
"No, I like this stupid small town now. I didn't then for some reason" Peyton replied
"Because it was small and all you had for friends was us" Lucas replied
"Speak for yourself, Lucas" Haley replied again shoving him
"When I grow up, I want to be just like my dad and I want to play basketball for some big sports team" Nathan said, "Now, that is funny."
"That was before you knew it was called the NBA" Haley said
"What did you call it again?" Lucas asked teasing his brother
"I don't remember" Nathan replied
"I do. It was the BBL. B-ball league" Peyton replied laughing
"Looks like Nathan and I are the only ones who stuck to our when I grow ups" Haley replied
"Yea, you became a teacher and he joined a big sports team" Lucas replied
"Those were some good times" Peyton replied looking through the contents of the box once more. "Oh, here is an embarrassing picture of Hales"
"What!" Haley replied as she tried to grab the picture from Peyton, who was holding it over her head out of Haley's reach, "Let me see that Peyton"
Peyton lowered her hand so that Nathan could see it, who immediately burst into laughter. "Oh, man"
"Let me see" Lucas replied leaning forward to look at the picture, "Oh my. Who knew Hales had that kind of body"
"WHAT!!" Haley lunged for the picture and this time succeeded in retrieving it. She turned it over to look at it and her face turned bright red. Haley was in the backyard in a bright pink bathing suit modeling for the camera. "No wonder I don't like pink. I wonder why it is in there though" Haley turned it over and read the caption on the back, "Haley age 6. Doing her best model shot. Maybe one day she will be a model"
The group laughed as Haley's face continued to get redder and redder
"It's okay, Hales. We love your body" Nathan said making Haley turn redder if possible
"Speak for yourself" Peyton replied laughing
"Thanks, Peyt" Haley said as she laughed also
"Oh, here's one of Peyton" Lucas said pulling the picture from the box, "look at the face" Lucas said as he turned the picture for everyone else to see. It was a candid shot taken by one of the adults. Peyton was making faces at Nathan's back. Apparently, he had made her mad in some way because the face was not a nice one.
"You really didn't like me back then" Nathan said as he looked towards Peyton
"You were annoying." Peyton replied
"And than he turned into your best friend" Lucas added
"Yea, I am not sure how that happened, but one day he just stopped being annoying"
"Yea, one day we just sort of split into two groups of best friends within best friends," Haley added
"We never forgot how it started though. The four of us, the four musketeers" Nathan said
The group spent the next two hours talking and sharing memories of their times together. They finished looking through their memory box and sat it back on the shelf where it would stay until they pulled it down again. They all agreed this was the way to end their week. The original four best friends together in their clubhouse once more.