BRIEF NOTES:

Thank you all so much. I'm very happy that you like the flow of things.

So... it's the day after our surprise announcement... everyone's reactions included. Plus, Lucas hatches a plan.

Enjoy

DISCLAIMER: OTH... still not mine.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

How could a man get so lucky? Lucas thought as he stared, transfixed at the beauty that lay sleeping before him. This woman – his woman – was looking even more spectacular than she did before, if that was at all possible. He traced the path from her shoulders to the dip of her waist with his index finger, too entranced to see that his touch had stirred her sleep – it was her sigh that had brought him to attention.

"Goodmorning, beautiful."

Peyton did a cat-like stretch that brought her hands to intertwine at his nape. "Goodmorning." she replied as his mouth zeroed in for the day's first kiss.

Contact was broken as Lucas shifted and shuffled in order to rest himself on top of her. Once there, he pressed himself snugly against her, the tangibility of his insatiable desire made evident to her inner thigh.

"Someone's excited." Her eyes were sparkling, darkened by her need.

His hand moved from her shoulder to her chest – teasing her. "For you, always." He whispered to hollow that connected her neck and ears. "You think he'll wake up soon?"

Her eyes opened momentarily to glance at the amber glow of the bedside clock. Saturday, 6:45 am. He followed her gaze and locked his eyes to her. They both smiled mischievously.

"We have time."

Words were of no use as the lovers played a repeat of last night's passions.

It was 2 hours later when Peyton and Lucas roused themselves from the bed and headed over to their son's bedroom where the little one sat in his play table, in deep concentration as his hands maneuvered the colored pencil he clutched.

Lucas sat beside him, mouth slightly gaped at the sketch presented before him. There was no doubting that the talent Robby inherited came mostly from his mother. "That's a pretty picture, son."

The boy froze in shock, unbelieving of what he had heard from his father. He wrinkled his nose. "Da-aaad! Boys don't say pretty, girls say pretty!" Robby quickly corrected.

"He gets that shallowness from you." Peyton cheerfully muttered, smiling as she did so.

Lucas scoffed, "Okay, so what do boys say?"

"Boys say cool." The little one offered and returned to his artwork.

Peyton sat beside Robby, studying her little angel's profile. For almost five years now, it was just her and him... and now, she was about to grant him his last night's request. She hesitated briefly, fearing that the boy might have changed his mind and, in turn, not take this recent news too well. Lucas picked up on her tension, but quickly appeased her as he interlaced their fingers.

"Rob... buddy... could you look at me and mommy for a second? We have some news for you." Lucas slowly said, and the boy obeyed. Peyton willed the child to come closer to her; and as he did, it had become clearer to her that this little boy held no fear when it came to them becoming a full-fledged family.

"Baby..." she started, touching his shoulders lightly "you remember what you asked for last night?"

He nodded enthusiastically. "Uh-huh."

"Well, you might be getting your wish sooner than you think." Peyton added.

Robby's eyes widened, and they smiled along with the rest of him. "I'm getting a brother?"

"Or a sister... we won't know just yet." Lucas added.

"Doesn't matter." The little boy squealed in delight and hugged his parents. "I'm gonna go call Robby and tell him!" He exclaimed as he ran off to spread the good news, leaving his parents to shake their heads in amusement.

"How do you think they'll react?" Lucas asked.

Peyton looked at her man, chuckling "I'm sure we'll hear a screaming 'WHOTTTTT' from Haley over the phone in a minute."

Who could be calling at 10am on a Saturday was the first thing on Nathan's mind as he moseyed over to the ringing telephone by the fridge. The name on the caller ID had him worried.

"Peyton?"

"Hi Uncle Nate! Is Ryan there? Can I talk to him? Please?" The shrill sound of his nephew's voice appeased his paranoia.

He chuckled. "Good morning to you too, Robby."

From the other end, a sheepish giggle sounded off. "Sorry. Morning, Uncle Nate!"

"Hang on a sec, Buddy." Nathan asked as he called his son over and endorsed the telephone to him.

"Hello?" asked Ryan.

"Ry, guess what?" Robby prodded, but not long enough to leave his cousin hanging "You were right! All I did was ask last night and this morning mommy and daddy told me I'd be getting a brother... or sister!"

The little one on the other end smiled a smug smile, "Told you so. Which one are you getting?"

"We don't know yet, but mommy says it could be a sister. I still want a brother though, but a sister's okay too." The little boy on the other line explained.

Ryan smirked. "S'okay if you get a sister, I'm having one too, remember? But if you get a brother, we can trade and everything."

Robby remained silent, apparently in deep thought. "Can we do that?"

"Sure! You watch my sister and if you get a brother I'll watch him for you. We just have to give them back when it's time to go home. Besides, we're all cousins anyways." Ryan explained, as if it was the most practical thing to do.

"That sounds okay. Anyway, I gotta go. I'll see you later?"

"Yup, after we watch the baby on the big TV at the doctor's. Bye Robby!"

"Bye!" As they simultaneously hung up the phones, Ryan Scott found it difficult to wipe the smug grin off his face.

Being a smart 5-year-old was definitely good, he thought.

"I forgot to ask, what did you and Robby talk about, son?"

Haley asked the question, curious to know what the two little boys could be squealing about that morning. She hadn't gotten the chance to prod earlier... pregnant women took a lengthy time to get ready; but now that they were comfortably seated in the car, there was nothing that could stop her.

Ryan shrugged nonchalantly. "Robby's getting a brother."

The casual answer caused Nathan to do a sudden brake. "Nate! Pregnant woman in front seat!" exclaimed a very surprised Haley, who was jerked by the car's immediate stop.

Nathan looked at her apologetically. "Sorry, babe. He caught me off-guard." He started the car again.

Haley chuckled "It's alright, honey." She turned her attention to her son once again. "Ryan I didn't quite get that. Did you say Aunt Peyton is having a baby again?"

The little boy shrugged. "All Robby said was that he was getting a brother, or sister."

Nathan eyed the boy from the rear-view mirror. "I think Aunt Peyton is, son. Otherwise, how else would they be giving Robby a baby brother?"

"They could get one from China like that lady on TV." he seriously explained, making the recent entertainment news show he watched with his mother as evidence.

His parents laughed. "You just can't win with him." Nathan chuckled as he shook his head in amusement. Haley beamed.

"Never compete with a 5-year-old who watches The Insider with his mother."

The vibrations of Peyton's cellphone nudged the side of little Robby's thigh. His parents were busy talking to the doctor in terms he couldn't understand, and so he decided to take the call for himself.

"Mommy's cell. She can't come to the phone right now, can I take a message?" He asked in true receptionist fashion, perfectly imitating Peyton's secretary at THUD.

"Little man! How are you?" squealed a familiar cheery voice on the other end. Robby didn't need to ask to know who it was.

He was more than happy to talk to her. "Auntie Brooke! I'm fine, thanks. I miss you and Uncle Derek."

On the other side of the conversation, the gleeful brunette felt a tug in her heart. "Aww, we miss you too, buddy. We're doing great here. Your uncle's been trying to learn how to surf, but I personally think he's learning how to fall out than stay on." Robby's sweet giggle was music to her ears. "Where's your mom, sweetheart?"

"At the doctor's."

Brooke felt her heart drop. "Are you with her?"

"Yeah, and daddy too."

The tension seemed to tighten her insides. She placed her hand over the phone and turned to the marine sitting next to her, whispering "Peyton's at a doctor." Derek sat up and stole the phone from his girlfriend.

"Rob?"

The child's voice lit up in obvious delight. "Uncle DerekI miss youMommy's getting a new babyYou and Auntie Brooke have to come see!" The little one said at the speed of sound. From Derek's end, the only coherent words were Home, Mommy, and Getting a baby.

"Slow down, son. Then say it again."

The phone was handed over to Lucas as Robby hastily approached the seat where his mother was perched, eager to look at the new life inside Peyton's belly. "Hello?"

"Lucas?"

"Derek?"

"Is something wrong with Peyton?"

"Not at all! She is pregnant, though." He chuckled.

Derek took a moment to compose himself. "Make sure you're staying this time and I'll congratulate you."

He had been around long enough to know the marine did not mean any negations from his comment. "Yeah, I am." Lucas then moved to a corner where his family was out of earshot. "Actually, I am kind of planning something for her birthday and I was hoping you and Brooke could come and help me."

The project piqued Derek's interest. His sister's birthday was 2 months away. "We'll be there. What's on your mind?"

Lucas smiled. He definitely needed all his friends on this one.

"A marriage proposal."