Hey y'all!So, Peyton and Jake have one day to go until they tie the knot, but not all out couples are so happy. I promised the whole Lucas/Samantha/Brooke thing would be resolved soon, and I promise, it's here in this chapter. Well, most of it anyway…

Enjoy!

"OK, Dave. Yes, I will. My love to Helen. Ok, bye." Jake smiled inwardly and put down the phone, then returned to the sitting room, where Peyton and Jenny were playing with Maddie and Noah.

"How many times has he asked us when the christening's going to be now?" Peyton said, without looking up.

"No more than he had the last time you asked me, actually. No, we were just sorting out some last minute details for tomorrow."

"Wow, that must be the first time in like a month that he hasn't said 'Oh, when are you getting the twins christened, then?', and I've had to say, 'Oh, we're not sure we're getting them christened, actually.' Maybe he finally got the message." Peyton smiled up charmingly at Jake. "I really can't believe we're getting married tomorrow."

"Oh, look, Noah needs his nappy changing. What great timing. I'll leave you two alone." Jenny scooped Noah up and swiftly left the room.

"I know." Jake sat down next to Peyton and Maddie. "It seems like a week ago we were sitting on that bench outside, at that party Haley threw for you when you first came back."

"I know… So, what did your charming brother say?"

"He said that he's going to come round in the morning to pick up Maddie and Noah, so he and Helen can bring them to the ceremony, and we can get ready in peace."

"Oh, yeah, I meant to tell you about that." Peyton smiled meekly. "I was going to go round to Brooke's really early so a), you don't see me on our wedding day, because you know how much bad luck that is, and b), so I can keep an eye on Jamie while she gets ready. She really doesn't want to lose him again, you know?" she tilted her head slightly.

"Yeah, I know. Don't worry. We'll just have to make up for all that missed time in the shower later on…"

"Oh, per-lease!"

"Jenny!" Jake called.

"Yes, Dad?" Jenny replied sheepishly from the other side of the door.

"Come in and get Maddie, will you? That way we can really give you something to eavesdrop on." Jake laughed.

"Dad, that is disgusting!"

"Oh, well, Maddie'll just have to be here when we-"

"Ok, ok, I'll take her." Jenny scuttled into the room, picked up Maddie's bouncer seat and paused at the door. "But please, just spare the ears, ok?"

"OK!" Peyton smiled as she pulled Jake down to join her.

oooOOOooo

"So, Mrs Scott, you're thirty-seven weeks gone, is that correct?" Samantha nodded, and Lucas squeezed her hand. "And your due date is…?"

"Um, May 9th." Samantha informed him.

"Ok, so we're just going to check you all over today, but we'll start with an ultrasound. Are you ready?"

Lucas watched in wonder as the little image flashed up on the screen. It was odd to think that in the early scans you could barely see the baby, and now its head hardly fit in the frame. Even though he'd seen it so many times before, he still couldn't get over how beautifully ethereal it looked. But-

But then something clicked, something that had been niggling away at the back of his brain but never forced its way to the front.

"Wait, did you say her due date is May 9th? That's got to be wrong."

"Um, I do have a name, honey." Samantha joked from the bed.

"No, don't- don't even talk to me. I'm out of here." Lucas picked up his jacket and left the room. Samantha excused herself, and, as quick as she could, followed him.

"Lucas! Lucas, wait!"

Lucas spun round on his heel. "How long?"

"What? Lucas, you're not making any sense."

"No Samantha, all these dates aren't making any sense. So you're due on May 9th, right?" Samantha nodded. "So you must have got pregnant around, I don't know, maybe early August. Oh, but that's strange, that's when I was in Charlotte!" Lucas turned back and fiddled in his pocket for his car keys.

"Lucas, it's-"

"No, don't even try to explain, because I'm doing that for you. We only saw each other four times during those whole two months I was away. Three of those times, Katie and Callie were with us the whole time. The only time they weren't, when I came home and stayed the night, we didn't have sex because Cal had a cold and we were up until three in the morning with her and then we both fell asleep. So that baby, the baby I was about to raise," Lucas paused and slid into his seat. "that baby is not my child." He turned the keys in the ignition.

"Lucas, please don't go. Lucas! We can work this out!" Samantha sobbed.

"Oh, can we?" Lucas's tone softened. "Look, there are only two things I want to know. Who is he and how long was I a fool for? Or am I still being a fool?" he looked up at Samantha with eyes of steel.

"He – he's a guy from work. We started… it started just under a year ago."

"A year!" Lucas exclaimed. "And when did 'it' finish?"

Samantha looked down and played with her bracelet.

"Oh, god, it hasn't, has it? Well, one thing's for sure, we are. God!"

Lucas pressed his foot down on the accelerator and sped out of the car park, leaving Samantha sobbing in the dust.

He drove until he was on autopilot and the tears were streaming freely down his cheeks. He was not one to cry but he felt as if his whole world had just crashed down around him. Everything he thought he knew – loving wife, perfect family, was a lie. And he'd been oblivious for a year? That was the worst part.

He wasn't sure at first where he was when he pulled up, but when he wiped his eyes, he recognised the building that held Brooke's apartment. He wasn't quite sure why he had brought himself here, but he decided to go up anyway.

She answered the door in nothing but a dressing gown, her hair piled on top of her head; she had obviously just stepped out of the shower, but she looked phenomenal all the same. Seeing her there just made him lose all his inhibitions and he stepped in close.

"Is anyone in?" he whispered frantically.

"No, Tristan's at a friend's for the night and Jamie's-"

Brooke was cut off by Lucas leaning in and cupping her face, stroking her cheek.

"I can't believe I didn't notice."

"Lucas, what's going on?"

"Just, shh. Shh."

Lucas's lips met hers and she melted into his arms.