Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill.

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Lucas put the car in park and turned the ignition off, opening the car door and stepping out. He opened the back door and seconds later reappeared with a baby girl in his arms. She was two weeks now, her eyes just as green and beautiful as her mothers. He saw Peyton in her every day. He was thankful for that, that even if Peyton Sawyer was gone, there would always be a piece of her with him.

He walked the few steps to where he was going, and leaned down.

"Hey, Peyt." He started, staring down at the gravestone. "It's me. I just wanted to introduce you to your beautiful daughter, Anna Peyton Scott. She's so beautiful, Peyton. She looks exactly like you. Haley says she has my movements and personality, but I think she's wrong. She's all you. I promise, I'll look after her, PEyt. I'll do better than I have, I'll be the best damn father there ever was. She won't be dating until she's fifty, that's for sure."

____

Haley was sitting on the back porch, resting. Lucas had finally stepped up and taken Anna back to his house. Haley could finally get some rest and it would finally be back to normal around here. Well, as normal as it could get without Peyton. God, poor Peyton. She'd never get to see Anna grow up, graduate, get married, all that jazz. She would've loved it too. Right then, Haley resolved to track Anna's life with pictures and memorabilia in a scrapbook, and when Haley and Peyton finally saw each other again, Peyton would see her daughters life like she hadn't missed a thing.

"Haley?" She heard Nathan's voice from inside. She turned, seeing him coming up behind her. "I just dropped Jamie off at his friends house for their play-date."

"Oh," She said, quietly. "That's good. He's better there."

"Yeah," Nathan answered her as he sat down on the edge of her seat. "Listen, Haley-"

"Don't Nathan," She said, stopping him with her hand. "I know what you're going to say."

"You do."

"Yeah, you're gonna give me some speech about how it's gonna be okay and Peyton is in a better place. I honestly don't want to hear it."

"Actually I was just gonna tell you you have a bug on your nose."

Haley groaned, swiping at her nose. "Nathan!"

He smiled despite himself. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help it."

"Yeah, whatever. Look, Lucas called an hour ago and said he and Anna were going to visit Peyton."

"Oh, good, that's good. Finally, they can bond."

"Yeah, he's gonna be a goner, though. She'll have him wrapped around her little finger."

Nathan chuckled, taking her hand. "Haley, I love you. After all this, I just want you to know how much you mean to me."

Haley smiled, sitting up and placing a kiss on his lips. "I know you do. And I love you just the same. You and I are lucky to have found each other like this, though. I mean, Look at Lucas. They found each other, but it was ended too soon. I just, man, I just wish so much that Peyton could be here for Anna. She would've loved it so much."

"Well, she will be here, just not in person. She's up there watching."

Haley nodded. "It's just not the same you know?"

----

Lucas closed the door to Anna's room softly and tiptoed to the kitchen where his mom was making lunch. Lucas sat down at his usual spot at his table, waiting for his mom to say something.

"SO…"

Right on cue, Lucas thought to himself. "Anna loved it. I'm gonna continue to take her there every now and then, just so she knows Peyton."

"That's good, Lucas." Karen sat down next to him. "It'll be good for her to feel like she knows Peyton."

"Yeah." Lucas stopped, fumbling with his phone that was in his hands. "Listen, Mom, when you lost Keith...When did it stop hurting? The pain, did it ever go away?"

Karen shook her head, taking his hand in hers. "The pain of losing Peyton will always be there. In your heart. Time doesn't make it go away, or heal it, but over time you learn how to cope with it. Lucas, I know it's hard. But, Anna will keep you strong. Lilly did the same for me. When I learned I was pregnant, I knew I couldn't let the pain of losing Keith get in the way of being a good mom. I see so much of Keith in her, it's like he never left." She touched his knee in comfort. "Things are going to get better. Maybe not tomorrow, but they will. Besides, you'll see Peyton again one day."

----

Brooke sat at her kitchen table, sipping her cup of coffee. Julian had gone to the store to buy some groceries as they had eaten themselves out of house and home. Things had gotten better. Sure, the pain of Brooke's tragic loss was still there, deep in her heart, but she was learning to cope. She knew she had to be strong, and live her life to make Peyton proud. And someday, when they met again, Brooke would tell Peyton about everything she missed.

Brooke was so thankful for Julian. He had brought her back from the dead. He had asked her to marry him, and she and she had said yes. She already had their life played out. She would have two kids, girls. Peyton Samantha and Julia Brooke would be their names and she would teach them to break all the guys hearts, much to Julian's dismay of course.

Brooke was broken from her thoughts when there was a knock at the door. She stood up, and opened the door after seeing Lucas through the peephole. "Lucas, come in!"

"Hey, Brooke." He said. HE had Anna with him, in her carrier. He set her down on the couch and began to pick her up. "I would like you to meet, Anna Peyton Scott."

Brooke looked down at the baby girl, wondering what took her so long of spending time with her niece. "Oh, Lucas, she's beautiful."

"You want to hold her?"

"Do you have to ask?" Taking her from him, tears spilled from her eyes. "Peyton would've loved her."

"Peyton does love her." Lucas corrected her. "Look, Brooke. I haven't really been myself lately, not that I'll ever be that person again, but I know now that we all need each other. IT's the only way we'll survive this. Peyton is up there watching over Anna and us and maybe she isn't here in person, but she's in our hearts and I hope that you'll be okay with being Anna's godmother. Peyton wanted you to, and who else knows Peyton as well as I do? You can tell her all about the early years, I'll take the later ones."

"Oh Lucas thank you!" Brooke sobbed, giving him a one-armed hug. "It's gonna be okay now, We can raise Anna to be just like Peyton and it'll be like she never left!"

Lucas chuckled. Looking down at Anna, he saw his future, and hers. He knew that even if Peyton wasn't here to share this with him, he would remember everything and be able to tell her all about it when he met her at the gates of heaven. Everything may have changed, but it would be okay.

___

End.

I know it's short, but I never meant for it to be long. I just wanted a look at how grief can affect the people who mean the most to you. I might do a sequel, but I haven't decided yet. My muse for this one has left me, so if you have any suggestions, I would gladly take them. I hoped you liked it.

:]

Mrs.(Edward)Cullen21

Oh, and Bendecida82: It's okay, I thought I would use it but I didn't need it after all. Maybe I'll use it another story, just for you. You're reviews made me laugh, though! Thanks!